Alfred "Al" Poling (January 22, 1957) is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, 911.
Proffesional Wrestling Career[]
Early career[]
Poling was trained as a wrestler by Larry Sharpe. He debuted in 1990, wrestling on the independent circuit under the ring name "Al the Sledgehammer". In 1994, Poling won the Pro Wrestling Illustrated Rookie of the Year award.
Extreme Championship Wrestling 1995-1998[]
Poling achieved his greatest national exposure in Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) in the mid-1990s. He debuted in ECW as a "handler" to Sabu. Later his gimmick was as an enforcer of the "extreme" attitude; he was named 911 and joined Paul Heyman's Dangerous Alliance stable with Sabu and Tazmaniac. As part of his monstrous persona, he would frequently perform the chokeslam on others with little provocation. At 1994's NWA World Title Tournament, he defeated Doink the Clown after four chokeslams. Poling left the promotion by early 1996 after a falling out backstage with Heyman over the former's treatment of the ring crew.
In 1998, Poling returned to ECW at UltraClash in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, chokeslamming Bill Wiles. Poling was then accompanied by manager Judge Jeff Jones, who proclaimed 911 to be the true giant of professional wrestling. They were then interrupted by Spike Dudley and had an impromptu match, which 911 lost in under a minute.
World Championship Wrestling (1996-1997)[]
Poling wrestled in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in 1996 and 1997, under the names Tombstone, Sledge Hammer and Big Al. Poling did not portray the Big Al who appeared in WCW in early 2000.
Independent circuit[]
Throughout the late 1990s, 911 appeared with the New Jersey based Jersey All Pro Wrestling promotion, winning the JAPW Heavyweight Championship on two occasions. He made an appearance at Pro-Pain Pro Wrestling A War Renewed on June 29, 2002 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, interfering on the behalf of Tod Gordon and Sabu, delivering a chokeslam to Sandman (who had just been betrayed by his partner, Bill Alfonso). At Hardcore Homecoming in 2005 he chokeslammed both Danny Doring and Roadkill. He wrestled at New York Wrestling League in 2008.
Poling built the first wrestling ring used by the CHIKARA Pro Wrestling promotion.
Wrestling facts[]
- Finishing move(s)
- Signature moves
- Choke
- Fient leg drop transitioned into a high impact elbow drop
- Wrestlers managed
- Theme music
Championships and accomplishments[]
- NWA New England
- NWA New England Tag Team Champion (1 time) - with Knuckles Nelson
