Russ Haas

Infobox Wrestler|name=Thomas Russell Haas Jr.


names=Russ Haascite web|url=http://www.bodyslamming.com/deceased/russ.html|title=Russ Haas Biography|accessdate=2008-02-13|publisher=Bodyslamming.com]
height= height|ft=6|in=2
weight= convert|220|lb|kg st|abbr=on|lk=on
birth_date = birth date|1974|3|27|mf=ycite web|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/r/russ-haas.html|title=Russ Haas Profile|accessdate=2008-02-13|publisher=Online World Of Wrestling]
death_date = death date and age|2001|12|15|1974|3|27
birth_place = Edmond, Oklahoma
resides=
billed=
trainer= "Iron" Mike Sharpe
debut=1998
retired=|

Thomas Russell Haas, Jr. (March 27, 1974 – December 15, 2001), better known as Russ Haas was a professional wrestler. He is best known for his work alongside his brother, Charlie, in Memphis Championship Wrestling and Jersey All Pro Wrestling. [cite web|url=http://www.japw.net/new/history/inmemory.htm|title=The History - In Memory|accessdate=2008-01-12|publisher=JAPW]

Haas died of a heart attack in his sleep at the age of 27. He had a heart ailment that prohibited him from wrestling, and was given clearance to resume training for wrestling shortly before his death.

Career

Haas is a former collegiate wrestler at Seton Hall University.cite web|url=http://www.haasofpain.com/russ/articles/asiseeit.html|title=AS I SEE IT: Remembering Russ Haas|date=2002-01-23|accessdate=2008-02-13|publisher=HaasOf Pain.com] Haas worked together with his brother Charlie for nearly three years as the Haas Brothers tag team. They won their first championships in Jersey All Pro Wrestling (JAPW), where they won the JAPW Tag Team Championship on July 22, 1998. They defeated the "Skin Head Express" and "Nation of Immigration" in a three way dance to win the vacant titles.cite web|url=http://solie.org/titlehistories/ttjapw.html|title=JAPW TAG TEAM TITLE HISTORY|author=Phil Tsakiries|accessdate=2008-02-13|publisher=Solie's Title Histories] They defeated the Big Unit on May 21, 1999, to re-capture those same titles. They later moved to East Coast Wrestling Association (ECWA), where they won the ECWA Tag Team Championship in 2000. [cite web|url=http://www.solie.org/titlehistories/ttecwa.html|title=EAST COAST WRESTLING ASSOCIATION - TAG TEAM TITLE HISTORY|author=Jim Dupree|accessdate=2008-02-13|publisher=Solie's Title Histories] They then moved to Combat Zone Wrestling (CZW), and, again, won the tag titles, defeating the Kasmireno Brothers, the Thrill Kill Kult and the Hit Squad on February 12, 2000 in a four-way match. [cite web|url=http://www.solie.org/titlehistories/ttczw.html|title=CZW TAG TEAM TITLE HISTORY|authors=Brian Westcott and Adam Fenwick|accessdate=2008-02-13|publisher=Solie's Title Histories] They also competed in Maryland Championship Wrestling and the Pennsylvania-based World Xtreme Wrestling.

The Haas Brothers signed World Wrestling Federation (WWF) developmental contracts on August 8, 2000. They were sent to WWF's then-developmental territory Memphis Championship Wrestling (MCW). In MCW, the Haas Brothers won the MCW tag team titles on February 21, 2001 defeating The Dupps.cite web|url=http://www.solie.org/titlehistories/sttmcw3.html|title=MCW SOUTHERN TAG TEAM TITLE HISTORY|author=Brian Westcott|accessdate=2008-02-14|publisher=Solie's Title Histories] They went on to win the titles twice more, before being transferred to Heartland Wrestling Association in June 2001, due to the WWF dropping MCW as a developmental territory.

Death

On December 15, 2001, Haas died of a heart attack in his sleep at the age of 27. He had a heart ailment that prohibited him from wrestling, and had had a heart attack on September 24, 2001. He was given clearance to resume training for wrestling shortly before his death. He was found dead by his wife, Deirdre, shortly after his brother Charlie had left for the night.

Tributes

Since his death, Charlie has often wrestled with "RUSS" written on his wrist tape to pay tribute to his brother.cite web|url=http://www.gerweck.net/charliehaas.htm|title=Charlie Haas|accessdate=2008-02-13|publisher=gerweck] On December 17, 2001, on Raw, both Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler paid a small tribute to Haas in the middle of the show.

Both William Moody (Paul Bearer) and Kevin Kelly paid tribute to Haas on their websites.

On February 2, 2002, Jersey All Pro Wrestling (JAPW) held the Russ Haas Memorial Show, with the JAPW roster donating their services for the event.

In his honor, Mike Bucci and Charlie had the idea to have local indy talent and talent from Ohio Valley Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment, who were touched by the Russ incident, put on a special tag-team tournament. The Russ Haas Memorial Tag-Team Tournament was held by the small New Jersey based promotion Phoenix Championship Wrestling on August 31, 2002. [cite web|url=http://www.rfvideo.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=280|title=PCW Haas Memorial Tag Team Tournament 8/31/02|accessdate=2008-01-12] There were 8 teams in all, but in the end the team of Bucci and Charlie won the tournament.

In wrestling

*Finishing and signature moves:*"Haas of Pain" – Innovated:*"Total Haastility" (Olympic slam):*Exploder suplex

Championships and accomplishments

*Combat Zone Wrestling:*CZW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Charlie Haas
*East Coast Wrestling Association:*ECWA Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Charlie Haas:*2004 inductee to the ECWA Hall of Fame [cite web|url=http://www.ecwaprowrestling.com/main/halloffame/index.html|title=ECWA Hall Of Hame Inductees - Wrestlers|accessdate=2008-09-26|publisher=ECWA|quote=2004 The Haas Brothers]
*Jersey All Pro Wrestling:*JAPW Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Charlie Haas [cite web|url=http://www.japw.net/new/lockerroom/tagteamchamp.htm|title=JAPW NJ Tag Team Champion History|date=July 22, 1998|accessdate=2008-01-12|publisher=JAPW|quote=The Haas Brothers defeated The Skin Head Express on 07/22/98] [cite web|url=http://www.japw.net/new/lockerroom/tagteamchamp.htm|title=JAPW NJ Tag Team Champion History|date=May 21, 1999|accessdate=2008-01-12|publisher=JAPW|quote=The Haas Brothers defeated The Big Unit on 05/21/99]
*Memphis Championship Wrestling:*MCW Southern Tag Team Championship (3 times) – with Charlie Haas

References

External links

* [http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/r/russ-haas.html Profile] at Online World Of Wrestling
* [http://www.bodyslamming.com/deceased/russ.html Profile] at Bodyslamming.com