Kieran McGinnis

McGinnis in 2018

**Kieran David McGinnis** (born January 24th, 1987) is a New Zealand professional wrestler and musician. He is known for his work in the New Zealand independent circuit and at REVOLT! Pro Combat, where he performed on its Rebellion brand in its Middleweight division. McGinnis is currently signed to Black Label Wrestling .

Throughout his career, McGinnis consistently portrayed the character of an anti-establishment, straight edge rebel. Most of the straight edge principles he portrays are his real life views. Depending on his alignment as a hero or villain, he emphasized different aspects of the straight edge culture to garner the desired audience reaction.

He is a vocalist, bassist, and co-founder of the rock band After Crisis from its formation in June 2008.

## Early life

McGinnis was born in Wellington, New Zealand on January 24, 1987. He is the only child of Audrey and Desmond McGinnis. McGinnis is of Irish ancestry through his father. Growing up, he lived a very unconventional childhood. McGinnis' father was the frontman of a hardcore punk band, and thus was never around. His parents divorced shortly after his father was caught cheating with another woman. McGinnis was raised by his mother in Auckland. As a teenager, McGinnis was bullied and suffered from depression and low self-esteem. He attended the Dilworth School, an all-boys private boarding school. According to McGinnis, the school helped him to develop a sense of discipline and a strong work ethic. There, he competed on the wrestling team.

McGinnis earned a number of titles whilst in the Dilworth wrestling program. However, he wished to take it further. At the age of 16, McGinnis began training as a professional wrestler.

## Professional wrestling career

### **Early career (2004–2007)**

McGinnis' first venture into professional wrestling was a stint in a backyard wrestling federation known as Project: Syndication with his friends from boarding school. McGinnis performed under the name "Kieth Smear", a name he created by combining the forename of Kieth Morris, the lead singer of the 1970s hardcore punk rock band Circle Jerks, with the surname of Pat Smear, the guitarist of 1970s punk rock band the Germs. Unlike his friends, McGinnis saw wrestling as more than simple fun.

He enrolled as a student into the Dragon Heart Wrestling School in Wellington, where he was trained by Vaea Palamo to become a professional wrestler. McGinnis would continue to work in Project: Syndication up until it closed its doors in August 2007. He would take a year off from wrestling to begin a musical career.

### **New Zealand Championship Wrestling (2008–2011)**

#### **Various feuds (2008)**

In early 2008, McGinnis would return to professional wrestling, competing under his given name. McGinnis made his debut at a New Zealand Championship Wrestling (NZCW) event along with Vaea Palamo, participating in a tag team gauntlet match to determine the inaugural NZCW Tag Team Champions, but were the first team eliminated. McGinnis made his singles debut in NZCW with a victory over Harry McKenzie on August 2.

#### **Various championship pursuits and feud with Harry McKenzie (2009–2010)**

On September 13, 2009 McGinnis defeated Cody Black, after losing to Black earlier that year in a dark match in April. He followed up with an upset victory over Glenn Graves and Jake Alder in a three-way match by pinning former NZCW Heavyweight Champion Graves at the event Rise Up. As a result, later in November, McGinnis was granted a title match against his trainer and former tag partner, NZCW Heavyweight Champion Vaea Palamo at NZCW's Demolition event, but failed to win.

After his failed title challenge, McGinnis continued his feud with Harry McKenzie. He defeated McKenzie in two consecutive matches, resulting in McGinnis earning a championship match for the NZCW Oceania Championship, which he received on the March 21, 2010 event Battleground against Milo Woods, but lost after interference from McKenzie. NZCW then announced that the pair would face each other in a best-of-seven series. McKenzie won the first match at Heat Wave. McKenzie would defeat McGinnis in the second and third matches, but McGinnis defeated McKenzie in the fourth, fifth and sixth match, tying the series 3-3. Impressing the general manager in their last match, it was decided that the seventh match would take part at the Helloween event, where the winner would receive a future title shot for the NZCW Heavyweight Champion. At the event on October 31, McGinnis defeated McKenzie. After the match, McKenzie offered to shake McGinnis' hand, thus turning into a face.

#### **NZCW Heavyweight Champion and excursion to the United States (2011)**

With his newly gained fame, McGinnis would compete in various inter-promotional events and matches. His first appearance outside of New Zealand was in the 2011 Sydney Pro Wrestling event End of the World. Since then, McGinnis gained exposure in the Oceania independent wrestling scene, due to his unique high-flying style. On March 20, McGinnis made his intentions for the NZCW Heavyweight Championship clear, and demanded for a match against the defending champion, Whakaio Maahuta at High Stakes. A week prior to the event, a contract signing was held, which ended in a brawl between Maahuta and McGinnis. On April 11 at High Stakes, McGinnis defeated Maahuta to become the NZCW Heavyweight Champion for the first time. Since then, NZCW reported that Kieran sustained an injury to his left shoulder. McGinnis had been working with a torn rotator cuff muscle that had been injured for at least two months, and that would leave him out of action for four to six months. On April 13, McGinnis announced via social media that he would be needing surgery for his injury, thus relinquishing his newly won title.

While recovering from his injury, McGinnis traveled to the United States, looking to make his return in the American independent circuit. Throughout the rest of the year, McGinnis began training at the X-Caliber Fighting Systems in Berkeley, California. After sustaining the injury, he recalled wanting to "make modifications to [his] style", wanting to stray away from the high-flying techniques he was best known for.

### **Pure Underground (2011–2015)**

#### **Internet Championship pursuit (2011–2012)**

Kieran would make his return to professional wrestling on September 23, 2011 at Pure Underground's Bloodsport event, defeating Sonny Heroin. On October 21 at the Killer Instinct event, McGinnis defeated Derrick Rand. On November 18 at the Shoot to Kill event, a number one contenders steel cage fatal four way match for the Internet Championship was held. Among the participants were McGinnis, Austin Storm, Chip Wood, and eventual winner Jack Bates. On December 16 at the Fatality event, McGinnis defeated Austin Storm in a falls count anywhere match.

On January 20 at the Flesh Wounds event, the team of McGinnis and Chip Wood defeated the team of Shane Douglas and Matt Ace. At the Right to Remain Uncensored event on February 22, a six-man deathmatch was held for the Internet Championship. McGinnis had control of the match early on, until he was driven through a flamming stack of tables by Lazarus. The match was won by Victor Romeo, where he became the new champion. This would be McGinnis' final 2012 appearance for PUG.

#### **Return to New Zealand (2012–2013)**

McGinnis would return to New Zealand mid-March, where he would train trainees of all experience levels at the NZ Wrestling Alliance Academy. His aim was to teach the American style to his native trainees. Among his most notable protégés were Braxton DeVil and Chelsea Crowe, a duo collectively formerly known as The Monopoly.

For the remainder of the year, McGinnis would help scout DeVil and Crowe until they were ready to make their in-ring debut in December 2013. The trio would make sporadic appearances across New Zealand, which saw McGinnis play a heel character to compliment the gimmicks of his protégés.

### **REVOLT! Pro Combat (2017–2018)**

In late 2017, McGinnis appeared at a REVOLT! Pro Combat: Rebellion event in Philadelphia. His match would go viral, and help promote the company. On December 23, McGinnis signed a contract with REVOLT. The company held a two-day exhibition event at Terminal 5, there, McGinnis defeated Nobi. On the January 14 episode of Rebellion, Stone Murdock defeated McGinnis. The following week, REVOLT confirmed they had sent McGinnis home prior to the January 21 episode of Rebellion. Following this, McGinnis was interviewed by the Sports Observer Online expressing his disinterest in the REVOLT product and insisting that he wanted to be released from the company. On February 25, REVOLT announced McGinnis has been released from his contract. McGinnis later stated that his release had been in effect two weeks before REVOLT made the announcement.

### **Black Label Wrestling (2018–Present)**

On March 17, McGinnis made his first appearance for BLK LBL Volume 64 in a segment, stating he had "lost himself in the corporate world of wrestling" and "made a mistake by selling out". He then vowed to "never go there again", and concluded his speech by issuing an open challenge to anyone on the roster. Gatz del Rey would take on the challenge, but he ultimately lost to McGinnis.

## Musical career

### **After Crisis (2007–present)**

Growing up, McGinnis originally wanted to be a guitarist. His grandmother bought him his first guitar at the age of eight, around the time he got into punk rock. He recalls being "infatuated with the Germs" and that by age 10, he taught himself how to play most of the songs from their record (GI). He played in a few short-lived bands such as Major Hoax and This Pittance with future bandmate Bryon Whitelock, but when he struggled to find a project to stick with, he chose to concentrate on his wrestling career.

McGinnis performed at a backyard wrestling federation during his time in boarding school. Once Project: Sydication closed its doors in 2007, McGinnis decided it was the "perfect chance" to launch a music career. McGinnis wrote and recorded several songs on a four-track tape machine that belonged to his father. After hearing the recordings, Whitelock offered to collaborate with McGinnis. With Whitelock on guitar and McGinnis on bass, the two were in need of a drummer. The two held several auditions, before settling on Codie Read. Soon after, After Crisis began to assemble as a band.

In many interviews, McGinnis has stated that music and his writing turned out to be an effective outlet to deal with his longtime battles against depression and anxiety. His lyrical style has varied over the years. During the band's early years, McGinnis wrote about various concept which he aligned with the punk rock ethos and ideology. As his musical tastes expanded and his outlook on life changed, he began writing songs about a wider spectrum of subjects. His lyrics include many of the same themes as the writings of Graham Greene, McGinnis' main literary influence.

## Personal life

McGinnis currently resides in Berkeley, California with friend and protégé Braxton DeVil. McGinnis lives a vegan straight edge lifestyle. Outside of wrestling, McGinnis plays rugby recreationally. He cites the All Blacks as his favorite rugby union team, and has worn ring gear inspired by the team throughout most of his career. McGinnis is childless by choice. He does not have any spiritual or religious beliefs, but he does not consider himself an atheist.

## Professional wrestling highlights

* **Finishing moves**
	+ *Vile Creation* (Double underhook facebuster)
	+ *Oblivion* (Middle rope sitout facebuster)
	+ *L.F.D.Y.* (Fisherman driver)
	+ *C.O.M.A.* (Springboard spinning heel kick) – 2007–2011; used rarely thereafter
* **Signature moves**
	+ *Three Cheers* (Kick to the midsection of a running opponent, a knee driver, and running side kick combination)
	+ *The Silver Fern* (Swinging fireman’s carry double knee gutbuster)
	+ *Stompage* (Garvin-style stomps)
	+ *Nervous Breakdown* (Running double knees to a cornered opponent, concluding the attack with a cannonball to the seated opponent)
	+ *Wake Up* (Diving double foot stomp to a downwards-facing opponent)
	+ Multiple kick variations
		- Bicycle
		- Drop
		- Missile
		- Shoot
		- Spin
		- Springboard
		- Super
	+ Sitout cobra clutch slam
	+ Cross armbreaker, sometimes while also trapping the opponents leg
	+ Thesz press followed by multiple elbow smashes
	+ Suplex variations
		- Fisherman
		- German
		- Gutwrench
		- Vertical
		- Rolling release
		- Underhook
	+ Shiranui
	+ Cross chop
	+ Kneeling cross-legged STF
	+ Discuss back elbow
	+ Fireman’s carry cutter
	+ Lifting DDT
	+ Running knee lift followed by a neckbreaker slam
	+ Cloverleaf
	+ Fireman’s carry slam
	+ Leaping lariat
* **Nicknames**
	+ "The Kiwi Anarchist"
	+ "Banned in N.Z."
	+ **"The Outlier"**
	+ **"Good as Dead"**
* **Entrance themes**
	+ "I'm Not a Punk" by Descendents (Project: Sydication; 2007)
	+ "Search and Destroy" by The Stooges (NZCW, SPW; 2008–2011)
	+ "Infested" by Choking Victim (PUG; 2011–2015)
	+ "Eighties" by Killing Joke (FPW; 2015–2017)
	+ **"Every Coin Has a Say"** by Every Time I Die (REVOLT, BLK LBL; 2018–Present)

### **Wrestlers trained**

* Braxton DeVil
* Chelsea Crowe
* Soren Armstrong

### **Championships and accomplishments**

* **New Zealand Championship Wrestling**
	+ NZCW Heavyweight Champion (1 time)