James Stuart Duggan (born January 14, 1954), better known by his ring name "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan, is an American professional wrestler, currently signed to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) wrestling on its Raw brand. He is best known for his time with WWE in the 1980s, when it was known as World Wrestling Federation (WWF) and World Championship Wrestling (WCW). His best known gimmick is that of an American patriot and his favorite weapon, the 2x4. He is currently the oldest active wrestler in the WWE.
Duggan is a survivor of kidney cancer, an illness he was diagnosed with during his time with WCW. His real-life struggle with the disease was very public and his comeback to wrestling after fighting off the ailment was a triumphant affair involving his entire immediate family. Duggan has claimed to have wrestled in all 50 States in America as well as in the countries/territories of Australia, Austria, the Bahamas, Belgium, Bermuda, Canada, the Dominican Republic, England, France, Germany, Guam, the Netherlands, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Poland, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland and Wales.
In WWF, Duggan was the winner of the first-ever Royal Rumble match in 1988 and in WCW, he was a 1 time WCW United States Heavyweight Champion and a 1 time WCW World Television Champion, being the last title holder.
He was recruited by the football programs of several major universities, including Penn State and Ohio State, but would play at Southern Methodist University (SMU), where he was eventually voted team captain. After college, Duggan was signed by the Atlanta Falcons of the NFL, but was released after being plagued by knee injuries.
After a brief stint with the WWF, Duggan began to work regularly for Georgia Championship Wrestling. During this time, Duggan was known by two in-ring aliases: in the United States as "Big Jim Duggan" and in Hawaii as "The Convict", a masked wrestler. After wrestling for a Birmingham, Alabama-based promotion, Duggan began wrestling in a promotion based in San Antonio, Texas where he adopted the "Hacksaw" nickname.
In 1982, Duggan made his debut in Mid-South Wrestling. At one time the Louisiana Heavyweight champion, Duggan was an early heel character (gimmick). Over the course of the next four years he became a favorite in the Louisiana-based promotion as he switched from being a heel to a face character. Early on, he belonged to a heel stable called the Rat Pack with Ted DiBiase, Matt Bourne, and Mr. Olympia. After newcomer "Hacksaw" Butch Reed appeared, Duggan and Reed had a personal kayfabe feud for a time over who would be the true "Hacksaw". The Rats also feuded with stars Junkyard Dog, "Hacksaw" Butch Reed, and Magnum T.A.. During this time Duggan interfered in a DiBiase/JYD match wearing a gorilla suit, causing JYD to lose a "Loser Leaves Town" match in New Orleans, Louisiana. After DiBiase aligned himself with Skandor Akbar, Duggan refused to go along and turned face for the first time in his career. At this time, Duggan began carrying his iconic 2x4.
As a babyface he won the Mid-South Tag Team Championship with Magnum T.A. and later won the Mid-South North American Championship. After the Mid-South North American title was retired when the Mid-South became the Universal Wrestling Federation in 1986, Duggan lost to Terry Gordy in a tournament final to determine the first UWF Heavyweight Champion. Duggan then teamed up with Terry Taylor and won the UWF Tag Team Championship. After losing a Loser Leaves Town match to the One Man Gang, Duggan left the UWF and signed to the WWF.
Duggan proved that he was an American patriot by feuding with several non-Americans in the fall of 1988. He got involved in a feud with Dino Bravo, and at Survivor Series 1988, he captained a team of 5 men against the team of André the Giant, which also included Dino Bravo. Duggan was disqualified after he used his 2x4 on Bravo. Duggan's team eventually lost the match. His next feud was with Russian Boris Zhukov, whom he defeated in a flag match on November 26 edition of Saturday Night's Main Event. He restarted his feud with Dino Bravo, and at Royal Rumble 1989, Duggan and Hart Foundation (Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart) defeated Bravo and The Fabulous Rougeaus (Jacques and Raymond) in a two out of three falls match. He was involved in a brutal rivalry with Bad News Brown, which culminated in a match at WrestleMania V where both men fought to a no contest.
He eventually lost his crown to "Macho Man" Randy Savage who began calling himself "Macho King" and started a feud with Savage. At Survivor Series 1989, he captained a 4-on-4 team dubbed "4x4" against Savage's team, "The King's Court". Duggan's team went on to lose the match. Duggan statred a feud with Big Bossman in the fall of 1989, which culminated in a match at Royal Rumble 1990, which Duggan won by disqualification. He faced his former rival, Randy Savage again on January 27 edition of Saturday Night's Main Event. Duggan faced another former rival, Dino Bravo at WrestleMania VI and went on to win the match. He began teaming with his former rival, Nikolai Volkoff and started a feud with The Orient Express (Tanaka and Sato), whom they beat at SummerSlam 1990. At Survivor Series 1990, he participated in a Survivor Series tournament, wrestling in a 5-on-5 Survivor Series match, for team Hulkamaniacs, captained by Hulk Hogan. Duggan was eliminated but Hulkamaniacs went on to win the match. At Royal Rumble 1991, he participated in the 1991 Royal Rumble match, but was eliminated by Mr. Perfect. He began a short feud with WWF Champion Sgt. Slaughter and faced Slaughter for the title on February 1, 1991 edition of The Main Event. Slaughter retained the title by getting himself disqualified.
Duggan also served as commentator for the opening match at WrestleMania VII. On April 27 edition of Saturday Night's Main Event, he participated in a battle royal, won by IC Champion Mr. Perfect. In late 1991, he patched up things with Sgt. Slaughter, who had turned babyface and formed a tag team with Slaughter. At Survivor Series 1991, he captained a team including Slaughter, Texas Tornado and Tito Santana in a 4-on-4 elimination match and their team went on to win the match. At Royal Rumble 1992, he participated in the 1992 Royal Rumble match, which was for the vacant WWF Championship. Ric Flair went on to win the match. On February 8, 1992 edition of Saturday Night's Main Event, Duggan and Slaughter defeated Beverly Brothers (Blake and Beau). At WrestleMania VIII, he teamed up with Virgil, Sgt. Slaughter, and Big Bossman against The Nasty Boys (Jerry Sags and Brian Knobbs), The Mountie, and Repo Man. Slaughter eventually left active wrestling and Duggan continued to pursue his singles career again.
Duggan returned with a new singlet style wrestling attire, and challenged then-Intercontinental Champion Shawn Michaels for the WWF Intercontinental Championship on May 3 edition of Monday Night Raw. Michaels ran through the crowd, and retained the title by countout. They had a rematch the following week in a Lumberjack match but Michaels retained the title again by disqualifying himself. At King of the Ring 1993, he wrestled in the King of the Ring tournament, but lost in the first round to Bam Bam Bigelow. Shortly afterwards, Duggan left the WWF.
In late 1995, Duggan started a feud with Big Bubba Rogers which culminated in a Taped Fist match at World War 3 1995, which Rogers won. Duggan participated in the first-ever three ring, 60 man battle royal for the vacant WCW World Heavyweight Championship, but was eliminated. He defeated Loch Ness at a Main Event taping before SuperBrawl VI. At Slamboree 1996: Lord of the Ring, he teamed with VK Wallstreet to compete in tag team qualifying matches to qualify for a battle royal to be crowned "Lord of the Ring". Wallstreet and Duggan defeated Blue Bloods (Lord Steven Regal and Squire David Taylor) before losing to Dick Slater and Earl Robert Eaton. Duggan started a feud with upcoming superstar, Diamond Dallas Page to whom he lost in a Taped Fist match at Bash at the Beach 1996.
Duggan had an encounter with former Slamboree partner, VK Wallstreet on August 15, 1996 edition of Clash of the Champions, which Wallstreet won. At World War 3 1996, he unsuccessfully participated in a three ring 60 man battle royal to determine the #1 contender to the WCW World Heavyweight Championship. Duggan had no major PPV match for over two years before he disappeared in 1998 after he was diagnosed with kidney cancer and eventually beat the disease.
During this period, he found the WCW World Television Championship which had been thrown away by Scott Hall earlier and claimed it for himself. He would make title defenses exclusively on Saturday Night, and was still champion when the title was retired. During this time, Duggan lost confidence in himself as a wrestler. On an episode of WCW Monday Nitro, Duggan was attacked by a then heel Goldberg. Duggan then challenged Goldberg to a match and nearly defeated him before falling victim to the spear and jackhammer. WCW was rebooted and the popular nWo storyline ended. It was replaced by two new factions in WCW, Millionaires Club and New Blood. The two factions feuded with each other. Millionaires Club consisted of veterans and New Blood consisted of young wrestlers of the 1990s. Duggan joined Millionaires Club and helped them in their war against New Blood.
Near the end of his career in WCW, he became involved in more major storylines, including one that involved him turned heel by abandoning the patriotic gimmick for a short time to join Lance Storm and his faction Team Canada. This was the first time Duggan worked as a heel since breaking away from the Rat Pack in Mid-South Wrestling. This angle began when Duggan started working with Misfits in Action (MIA) but at Fall Brawl 2000, he turned on MIA's leader US Champion General Rection during Rection's title defense against Team Canada's Lance Storm. Duggan was the special guest enforcer for the match, and helped Storm in winning the match. At Halloween Havoc 2000, Duggan and Storm teamed up against General Rection in a handicap match for Storm's US Title. Duggan missed an attack on Rection, which lead to Rection pinning Duggan to win the match. Duggan continued to cost Team Canada, many of their victories but helped Storm to defeat The Cat in a match at Starrcade 2000. However, after the match, Team Canada turned on Duggan by attacking him. Duggan began a feud with Team Canada and at Sin, he was the special guest referee in a Penalty Box match between Team Canada and Filthy Animals. Despite Duggan's role as the referee, Team Canada won the match after Storm forced Kidman to submit.
Duggan appeared on October 3, 2005 edition of Raw, dubbed \"The Homecoming\" along with several other WWF/E alumni. He and the other legends would end up attacking Rob Conway after Conway came to the ring and insulted them. He was also one of the \"legends\" available for fans to select to team with Eugene in a match at Taboo Tuesday 2005 to face the team of Conway and Tyson Tomko (Jimmy Snuka was chosen instead of Duggan). He returned to WWE again at Royal Rumble 2006, with a message from John Cena to Lita after Edge lost the WWE Championship: \"HOOOOO!\" Duggan and Edge began a short feud with each other which culminated in a match that occurred two weeks later on Raw. Edge went on to win the match.
After feuding with Edge and Lita, he became mentor and tutor to Eugene and the two feuded with the Spirit Squad. He began working on Heat but also made a few appearances on Raw with Eugene and the Highlanders. On November 6 edition of Raw, Duggan and Eugene faced the Spirit Squad in which the losing team would disband and never team up again. After Duggan was caught off guard after the other Spirit Squad members interfered and then pinned for the win, Eugene snapped and attacked \"Hacksaw\", signaling Eugene's first ever heel turn in WWE. He started a feud with Eugene, and three weeks later, the two had a match with each other, which Eugene easily won. On December 18 edition of Raw, Duggan participated in a #1 contender's battle royal with the winner facing WWE Champion John Cena in the main event for the WWE title. Edge went on to win the battle royal.
After months of wrestling on Heat, Duggan returned to Raw in July, teaming up with The Sandman and feuding with Carlito and William Regal. This team was short lived as Duggan soon returned to Heat. On August 6 edition of Raw, Duggan was a contestant in WWE Dating Game, a parody of The Dating Game. However, Duggan lost when Maria chose Ron Simmons. On September 17, 2007 Duggan suffered a knee injury.
On December 31, he lost a 2008 Royal Rumble qualifying match to Umaga. After that, he had primarily been appearing on Heat, defeating locals and teaming with Super Crazy. On March 17 edition of Raw, he participated in a 17-on-2 handicap elimination tag tem match as part of the 17 members of the Raw roster against John Cena and Randy Orton. After Cody Rhodes was eliminated, all the remaining Raw superstars attacked Cena and Orton, resulting in their disqualification. Duggan also took part in a 12-on-12 tag team preview match on March 25 edition of ECW. The match was a preview for a WWE.com exclusive match, a 24-man battle royal held just before WrestleMania XXIV went on air to determine the #1 contender for an ECW Championship match, eventually won by Kane.
In the summer of 2008, Duggan started a short feud with Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase,Jr. Rhodes and DiBiase tried to convince Duggan to retire and let the young talent run the show. Soon after, Duggan would come out and announce that he would take Rhodes and DiBiase's advice and retire, but Jerry "The King" Lawler stopped him by convincing Duggan to stay. Duggan and Lawler then wrestled Rhodes and DiBiase on the August 25, 2008 edition of Raw, in which their team lost.
In 1987, Duggan and the Iron Sheik (Hossein Vasiri) were pulled over by New Jersey police after a WWF event, suspecting Duggan of driving under the influence. After a search of the vehicle and the persons, police discovered that Duggan was under the influence of marijuana and alcohol, while the Sheik was high on cocaine. Small amounts of cocaine were also found in the vehicle. Duggan received a conditional release while the Sheik was placed on probation for a year. The mini-scandal that erupted after two in-ring enemies were found drinking and doing drugs together led to the end of the angle, the Sheik's release, and Duggan's temporary departure from WWE.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|