Harold Hoag

Infobox Wrestler
name=Harold Hoag
names=Ice Train
M.I. Smooth
height= height|ft=6|in=2
weight= convert|315|lb|kg st|abbr=on|lk=on
birth_date = 1966
death_date =
birth_place =
resides=Florida, United States
billed=Detroit, Michigan (as Ice Train)
Atlanta, Georgia (as M.I. Smooth)
trainer=
debut=1990
retired=2001|

Harold Hoag is an American former professional wrestler. He is best known for his ring names Ice Train and M.I. Smooth as well as his tenure with World Championship Wrestling during the 1990s and early 2000s.

Career

World Championship Wrestling

Ice Train

After playing college football for the University of Michigan, Hoag made his wrestling debut in 1990. He eventually made his way to World Championship Wrestling and debuted under the name Ice Train at the first-ever Fall Brawl pay-per-view, where he defeated Shanghai Pierce. Hoag then teamed up with The Shockmaster and Charlie Norris and defeated Harlem Heat and The Equalizer at Halloween Havoc. However, Hoag suffered his first loss, losing to Ron Simmons at Clash of the Champions on January 27, 1994.

Fire and Ice

After being absent from WCW for the rest of 1994 and all of 1995, Hoag returned to WCW on "WCW Saturday Night" in a match against Scott Norton. The match ended in a double countout when both men clotheslined each other, knocking themselves out in the process. After the match, the two shook hands and Norton declared to announcer Gene Okerlund that he and Ice Train would become a formidable tag team because of their similar in-ring styles. The team was quickly named Fire and Ice with Norton representing "Fire" and Ice Train eponymously representing "Ice". The team easily overpowered numerous teams as they tried to establish themselves as a legitimate contender for the WCW World Tag Team Championships. At , Ice Train and Norton were "randomly selected" to be on the same team and they easily defeated the makeshift team of "Big" Bubba Rogers and Stevie Ray.

At the Great American Bash, Fire and Ice faced off against The Steiner Brothers, Norton's long time rivals, to determine who would become the number one contenders to the WCW World Tag Team Championships. Scott Steiner pinned Norton after a Frankensteiner to earn the win for his team as well as the number one contendership. After the loss, Fire and Ice begand feuding with the Steiners, with the two powerhouse teams trying to prove who was best. After a quick and sudden loss to The Rock 'n' Roll Express at Bash at the Beach, dissension started to appear between Fire and Ice as Norton attacked Ice Train after another team loss. The team finally imploded when Norton faced and defeated Ice Train at Hog Wild in a submission match after Norton made Ice Train tap out to an armbar. However, Ice Train defeated Norton in a submission rematch at Fall Brawl when Norton sbumitted to a full nelson.

Return to singles competition

After the implosion of Fire and Ice, Ice Train returned to singles competition in a loss to Diamond Dallas Page on the November 4, 1996 edition of "WCW Monday Nitro" and lost a rematch to Page on the following week's edition of "Nitro". Ice Train then competed at World War 3, eliminating Mark Starr and Villano IV and even made it into the final ten, but he was eliminated from the match due to the combined efforts of Kevin Nash and Diamond Dallas Page. After World War 3, Ice Train returned to the undercard and gained Theodore Long as his manager for a very brief period. Ice Train began squashing opponents on "Nitro" and he soon became a mainstay and fixture on "WCW Pro" for the rest of 1996 up until 1998 when "Pro" was cancelled. However, he soon continued his undercard role on "Pro"'s replacement "WCW WorldWide" as well as on "WCW Thunder".

M.I. Smooth and joining the New Blood

On February 8, 2000, Hoag was again pushed into the spotlight as he became a member of the New Blood faction, who feuded with the Millionaire's Club. Hoag was renamed M.I. Smooth and he soon became one of the faction's numerous managers as well as a part-time competitor. Smooth regularly appeared in segments with various members of the New Blood. In early 2001, Smooth began a very minor feud with fellow New Blood member Kanyon by brawling with him after a typical New Blood segment. On the March 19, 2001 edition of "Nitro", Kanyon defeated Smooth. However, Smooth gained revenge two days later on "Thunder" as he teamed up with Ernest "The Cat" Miller to defeat Kanyon and Road Warrior Animal. Five days later, WCW broadcasted its final edition of "WCW Monday Nitro" due to the company being bought out by the World Wrestling Federation. After WCW's sale, Hoag immediately retired from wrestling.

In wrestling

*Finishing and signature moves
**"Train Wreck" (Running splash)
**Full nelson
**Full nelson slam

*With Scott Norton
**Release powerbomb (Norton) followed by the "Train Wreck" (Ice Train)

*Managers
**Theodore Long

Championships and accomplishments

*"'Pro Wrestling Illustrated
**PWI ranked him # 240 of the best 500 singles wrestlers of the year in the PWI 500 in 1997
**PWI ranked him # 237 of the best 500 singles wrestlers of the year in the PWI 500 in 1996

External links

*imdb name|id=1336004
* [http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/h/harold-hoag.html OWW Profile]