Highlander (CWF)

Dan Highlander is a wrestler in the Championship Wrestling Federation. He was formerly one half of The Unexpected alongside King Nothing and is the reigning CWF Paramount Champion.

Biography
Dan “The Hammer” Highlander was born in Canberra, Australia. As a fan of professional wrestling from a young age, he began learning to fight as soon as his parents would allow him to, taking a karate class at the age of ten. His sharp tongue got him into more than his fair share of fights, and he was never able to stay at any one Dojo for long before his temper would get the better of him and he would be kicked out. This ultimately served his purpose as he managed to sample almost all of the martial arts before settling on a particularly combat-oriented style of karate.

At fourteen, having moved to Brisbane, he began training under former Olympic coach Yuri Markov in freestyle wrestling. Under Markov, he developed a degree of discipline and was able to, for the most part, contain his violent urges remaining as Markov’s protégé for nearly four years before setting out to fulfil his dream of becoming a professional wrestler.

Highlander joined the Australasian Wrestling Federation and twice captured their Heavyweight Championship before joining New Japan Pro Wrestling to refine his application of martial arts to professional wrestling. After two years in Japan, Highlander returned to the AWF, once more winning the Heavyweight Championship before being approached by a WWE talent scout. Eager for a new challenge, Highlander left Australia once again to wrestle in America as the newest WWE Superstar.

It was at that point that he met the woman who would become the love of his life – an English girl by the name of Caledonia. As they made their debuts at around the same time and had a natural off-stage chemistry, the two were quickly billed as a couple, an angle which spilled over into real life.

Highlander’s rise to popularity began after he won his first Intercontinental Championship three months after his debut. He would capture the Intercontinental Championship once more before being abruptly pulled down in 2007 to lower-midcard status and given the gimmick of a moronic Australian redneck.

With his trademark stoicism, Highlander stuck it out, despite being told to tone down his Japanese-influenced style. It was only after being voted Wrestling Observer Newsletter’s Most Underrated Wrestler two years in a row (and being accompanied to the ring by a kangaroo) that he began to reconsider his career options. Caledonia was similarly dissatisfied with her gimmick of a snobby English aristocrat, and the two left the company in early 2009.

Highlander wrestled for several months in the Prominent Wrestling Organization before its downfall, during which time he formed a moderately successful tag team with Dustin Phoenix.

Key moments

 * Redemption (PPV, 22nd September 2009): CWF debut. Vincent Vail defeated Dan Highlander in a Rising Star #1 contender's match.
 * Massacre (TV, 29 September 2009): forms "The Unexpected" with King Nothing as a team in the first round of the CWF tag team title tournament in a victory against The Demons of Death (Anubis and Danny B).
 * Frozen Over IV: The Unexpected lose to Chris Andrews and Angelica in the final of the CWF tag team title tournament, resulting in the dissolution of the team.
 * Massacre (TV, 17th November 2009): defeats Jarvis King and King Nothing in a triple threat match for the CWF Paramount title.

Championships

 * CWF Paramount title (17th November - present.)

Signature moves

 * Falling Hammer (running Scissor Kick) - finisher
 * Eureka Stockade (Elevated Boston Crab) - secondary finisher
 * Southern Cross (crucifix powerbomb into the turnbuckle)
 * Such Is Life (Enzuigeri)
 * Canberra Crossface (Crippler Crossface)