Want more wrestling news, rumors, and results? Be sure to visit PWInsider.com and PWInsiderXtra.com.
SlamWrestling.net is reporting that former professional wrestler Jeff Gaylord, who who worked for World Class, Bill Watts' USWA, the Global Wrestling Federation, Puerto Rico and the short-lived original AWF in the early 1990s, has passed away. Slam is reporting that Gaylord, 64, passed following a short illness.
Gaylord broke into the business in the late 1980s with long hair and the atypical chiseled physique that promoters looked for during the time period. He worked undercard bouts towards the end of Bill Watt's UWF and did WWF enhancement work while trying to break in there. He worked under a mask as "The Hood" in World Class and worked on a regular basis for the USWA (including several Tag title runs) as well but was unable to get into one of the larger national promotions.
Gaylord made one lone WWF PPV appearance, working under a mask at the 1993 Survivor Series in Boston, MA as Shawn Michaels' Black Knight. He was a regular on the Memphis circuit at the time and it was likely he booked the gig through the Memphis office.
Gaylord also worked for Gordon Scozzari's American Wrestling Federation, where he held the promotion's Tag Team Championship with Sunny Beach. This led to an incident backstage at a Global event in Dallas, Texas where Gaylord attacked Eddie Gilbert backstage. The story making the rounds at the time and later mentioned by Gilbert during a shoot interview was that Scozzari had paid Gaylord off to do it as revenge. Gilbert had no-showed Scozarri's debut TV tapings. Scozzari, who claimed he had paid Gilbert in advance to work as booker, would always deny any connection to the incident. Another version of the story that made the rounds is that Gilbert and Gaylord split the money and staged the fight but when Eddie's brother Doug witnessed the incident, he wasn't clued in and assaulted Gaylord.
Gaylord, who continued working independents through the mid 1990s, was arrested several times for bank robberies. Gaylord was convicted of robbing a bank in Aurora, CO on two occasions in 2001, pleading guilty to two counts of committing a bank robbery and being sentenced to six and a half years in prison. He was later arrested again in January 2009 two bank robberies. In those incidents, Gaylord would disguise himself for the robberies with sunglasses, a hooded sweatshirt, a band-aid over his nose and a fake beard, but didn't think to mask his car. A witness at the second robbery was able to get Gaylord's license plate number as he left the scene during the second robbery. hat led investigators to his home, where he was apprehended. Gaylord was charged with robbery of US Bank in Monument, CO and attempted robbery at a branch in Castle Rock, CO.
After serving his time, Gaylord made one final appearance at the TMart Promotions' Gathering event in Charlotte, NC, where he signed and took photos with fans. That same weekend, he filmed an extensive shoot interview conversation with Chris Hero for Highspots.TV.
PWInsider.com sends our deepest condolences to the family, friends and fans of Jeff Gaylord.
If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more by clicking here!
Bang On Casino
