William McClinton Jr. (January 5, 1987) is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Willie Mack currently signed to Impact Wrestling where he is the current Impact X-Division Champion in his first reign. In Lucha Underground is a former Lucha Underground Trios Champion. He is also known for his work in Championship Wrestling From Hollywood, Pro Wrestling Guerrilla (PWG), the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), Alternative Wrestling Show, Mach One Pro Wrestling and Lucha VaVOOM.
Professional wrestling career
Independent circuit
Willie Mack began his wrestling training while still in high school, but put it on hold until he graduated. He then attended Martin Marin's WPW Training School in Anaheim, CA and wrestled at their weekly events at the Anaheim Marketplace. Knowing that he needed further training, Mack moved on to Bart Kapitzke's AWS School in City of Industry, CA and began wrestling for the NWA sanctioned Alternative Wrestling Show.
At AWS he got noticed by NWA producers and was invited to appear at tapings of NWA Wrestling Showcase where he had the opportunity to face such wrestlers as Adam Pearce, Brent Albright, Joey Ryan, Chris Escobar and more. Mack also wrestled at the tapings as part of a tag team with his best friend and fellow WPW graduate Jerome Robinson.
Mack began wrestling for another NWA sanctioned group, Mach One Wrestling, who run weekly events at the American Sports Center across the street from where WPW had run previously. Mack was instantly one of the most popular wrestlers in the group. On February 5, 2010 after defeating Scorpio Sky in a number one contenders match for the M1W Championship, Mack entered himself into a 3-Way elimination match later that same evening, making it a 4-Way. After Joey Ryan and James Morgan were eliminated, Mack defeated reigning champion, Australia's Bobby Marshall to claim the title. Since then, he has been taking on all challengers for his belt.
On March 5, 2011, Mack lost the M1W Championship to James Morgan in a four-way match that also involved Nick Madrid and Andrew Hellman. On November 2, 2013, Mack participated in a tournament to crown the first MexPro Wrestling United States Champion. He defeated Jacob Diez and SoCal Crazy in the semi-finals, but he lost to CJ Kruz in the finale. On November 3, 2013, Mack was defeated by Samoa Joe at Championship Wrestling from Hollywood's Open Door, in a Dream match. On November 14, 2013, Mack was defeated by the CWFH Santino Bros. Wrestling Champion Robby Phoenix.
Pro Wrestling Guerrilla (2010–2014)
Mack debuted for the Southern California-based company Pro Wrestling Guerrilla on December 11, 2010, winning his first match. It has been acknowledged on DVD commentary that he attended PWG shows as a fan before training to be a wrestler. On March 4, 2011, Mack participated in the 2011 Dynamite Duumvirate Tag Team Title Tournament, pairing with Brandon Gatson in a loss against The Young Bucks (Matt and Nick Jackson), the eventual winners, in the Opening Round. On May 27, Mack gained a substantial win by upsetting Kevin Steen. He then began a streak of wrestling top names on the independent scene, defeating Chris Hero in the first round of the 2011 Battle of Los Angeles before losing to El Generico, the eventual winner, in the Semifinal Round. On December 10, Mack beat Chris Hero for a second time in what ended up being Hero's PWG exit match. He continued his streak by beating Naruki Doi on January 29 and Roderick Strong on March 17, 2012.
Mack took part in the 2012 Dynamite Duumvirate Tag Team Title Tournament, teaming with El Generico as 2 Husky Black Guys. The duo beat Roderick Strong and the debuting Sami Callihan in the Opening and the RockNES Monsters (Johnny Goodtime and Johnny Yuma) in the Semifinal Rounds, before succumbing to the Super Smash Bros. (Player Uno and Stupefied) in the Final. On May 25, Mack faced and beat debutant Michael Elgin. On July 21 at Threemendous III, PWG's nine-year anniversary event, Mack received a shot at the PWG World Championship, but was defeated by defending champion Kevin Steen. The match saw an interference by Brian Cage, which launched a feud between Cage and Mack. The 2012 Battle of Los Angeles, taking place in September, saw Mack lose against Sami Callihan on Night One. The following month at Failure to Communicate, Mack lost in his first encounter against Brian Cage. At Mystery Vortex on December 1, he faced Cage once more, this time in a match also involving B-Boy and T.J. Perkins, with Mack emerging victorious.
World Wrestling Entertainment (2014)
On September 1, 2014, it was confirmed that McClinton had passed WWE's medical testing and was scheduled to report to the promotion's developmental territory, NXT. He was released on October 13, before ever beginning his WWE training.
Lucha Underground (2015–2018)
On February 2015, it was announced Mack worked at Lucha Underground's TV Tapings. He wrestled under the ringname The Mack, Big Ryck's cousin. On February 8, 2015, along with Kill Shot and Big Ryck participated in a tournament for the LU Trios Championship, but they were defeated in the semi-finals by the eventual winners Angélico, Son of Havoc and Ivelisse Vélez. He won the Lucha Underground Trios Championship with Dante Fox and Killshot on June 26, 2016 after Drago, Pindar & Vibora during Part 3 of Lucha Underground Episode: "Ultima Lucha Tres".
Impact Wrestling (2018-present)
Mack debuted as early as April 6, 2018 during the co-production of Impact Wrestling and Lucha Underground, teaming with Killshot in representing Lucha Underground. They challenged the reigning champions LAX (Ortiz & Santana) for the Impact World Tag Team Championship. Team Killshot and The Mack did not succeed in winning the titles. Six months later on October 14, The Mack returned during the 2018 Bound For Glory pay-per-view, teaming with Rich Swann in a successful tag match, defeating Ethan Page & Matt Sydal. After losing a one-on-one match to Swann during the November 1 episode of iMPACT!, Mack and Swann maintained both a friendship as well as their tag team comradery. During the November 29 episode of iMPACT! Mack and Swann competed in their second tag match losing to The Lucha Brothers (Fenix & Pentagon Jr.). During the December 6 episode of iMPACT!, Mack lost an Ultimate X Match Qualifier to Ohio Versus Everything (oVe) member Jake Crist, with support of teammates Dave Crist and Sami Callihan.
The following year, Mack returned on the January 3, 2019 episode of iMPACT!. There, Mack reunited with friend and tag partner Rich Swann, teaming with members of The Rascalz Dezmond Xavier, Trey Miguel and Zachary Wentz in a ten-man tag match against Ethan Page, Matt Sydal and team oVe. The match concluded with Mack securing the pin before being assaulted by oVe and slammed through a folding table. Before Callihan could direct further harm, Rich Swann returned to the ring to protect Mack. Afterwards Callihan led oVe out of the ring. The growing feud between Mack and Callihan continued on January 6 at Homecoming, during which Callihan defeated Mack in a singles match. Their rematch was held on the January 11 episode of iMPACT!. The following month, Mack and Swann joined forces in the feud against oVe. During the February 8 episode of iMPACT!, Mack and Swann defeated oVe members Dave and Jake Crist in a tag match.
Personal life
McClinton Jr. attended Los Angeles Southwest College.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Chocolate Thunder Bomb (Scoop lift sitout powerbomb)
- Chocolate Thunder Driver (Over the shoulder reverse piledriver)
- Stunner
- Frog Splash
- Signature moves
- MDX – My Dick Xplodes (Leaping corner clothesline with Mack's legs going through the ropes)
- Samoan drop followed by kip-up and standing moonsault or running shooting star press
- Saito suplex
- Snap Suplex, locomotion Northern Lights Suplex, locomotion German Suplex Hold
- Pop-up elbow smash
- Over-the-ropes suicide senton
- Moonsault
- Jumping knee drop
- POUNCE (Running low-angle shoulder block after opponent has been Irish whipped off adjacent ropes – adopted from Human Tornado)
- SHORYUKEN! (Jumping spinning uppercut – adopted from Human Tornado)
- Nicknames
- "Milk Chocolate"
- "Chocolate Caliente"
- "The Chocolate Juggalo"
- Entrance music
- "Game Over (Flip)" by Lil' Flip (NWA Championship Wrestling from Hollywood)
- "Put You On The Game" by The Game (Mach 1 Wrestling)
- Against the World (ROH)
- Slam the Trap by Alex Shellard and Damon Baxter
Championships and Accomplishments
- Elite Xtreme Wrestling
- EXW Elite Division Championship (1 time)
- House Of Hardcore
- HOH Television Championship (1 time, Current)
- Insane Wrestling League
- IWL Anarchy Championship (1 time)
- Mach One Pro Wrestling
- M1W Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- PWI ranked him #332 of the top 500 wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2012
- Southern California Pro Wrestling
- SCPW Television Championship (1 time)
- World Pro Wrestling (Anaheim, CA)
- WPW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- Lucha Underground
- Lucha Underground Trios Championship (1 time) with Killshot and Dante Fox
External links
| TNA Roster |
|---|
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Ace Austin • Alex Hammerstone • Brian Myers • Cody Deaner • Chris Bey • Crazzy Steve • Eddie Edwards • Frankie Kazarian • Joe Doering • Johnny Swinger • Jonathan Gresham • Josh Alexander • Mike Bailey • Moose • PCO • Rhino • Rich Swann • Steve Maclin • Trey Miguel • Zachary Wentz |
| Knockouts |
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Alisha Edwards • Ash By Elegance • Gisele Shaw • Havok • Jordynne Grace • Killer Kelly • KiLynn King • Masha Slamovich • Rosemary • Savannah Evans • Tasha Steelz • Xia Brookside |