Finlay has made his mission clear: he’s here to fight. That’s exactly what he’s going to do, and he’s always been good at it. Hailing from the mean streets of Belfast, Northern Ireland, Finlay will tell you that he loves to fight, and this double-tough individual can back up his bravado.
Throughout his career, Finlay has been regarded as one of the toughest men to ever step foot inside the ring. Originally plying his trade in Europe, Finlay held 16 major championships in Great Britain and Germany before coming to the United States in the mid-1990s.
Landing in WCW, Finlay immediately began an intense rivalry with fellow European William Regal. Finlay went on to win the WCW Television Championship from Booker T in 1998, but made his true mark in WCW’s Hardcore division. However, shortly after winning the first ever Hardcore Junkyard Invitational in 1999, Finlay suffered a severe leg injury at a WCW live event when he was sent crashing through a table. After a short stay in WCW following his return, Finlay returned to his native Great Britain to wrestle in 2001.
After five years away from American rings, Finlay came to SmackDown in January 2006 looking for a fight, but no one ever expected him to be a father. Though originally believed to be the illegitimate son of Mr. McMahon, Hornswoggle was revealed to be the son of the Fighting Irishman. With his offspring now by his side, Finlay waged bitter wars with ferocious competitors like The Great Khali and John Bradshaw Layfield before being drafted to ECW in June 2008.
Then, as part of the blockbuster trade following Donald Trump’s purchase then re-selling of Raw in June 2009 to The Chairman, Finlay moved to SmackDown. With an experienced veteran in the mix, the hunt for gold on Friday nights is sure to get a heck of a lot more interesting.