Gryphon

The curtains part and out steps Gryphon, showered by a massive wave of boos from the fans in attendance. Undaunted, he steps out onto the stage and walks slowly and methodically down the ramp.

Dave Zinkus: "Ladies and gentlemen, now coming to the ring from Flagstaff, Arizona, and weighing in tonight at 237 pounds... 'The Great American Nightmare', GRYPHON!"

'That their tied hearts sit broke'"

Dave's announcement is punctuated with a chorus of boos as Gryphon starts down that ramp. The cameraman steps in close and focuses on Gryphon's face: The Great American Nightmare's sunglasses prevent his eyes from being seen on camera, but that solemn, neutral expression on his face is ever present.  Taking a few more steps, Gryphon smirks slightly and throws his hands out to his sides and leans back, looking up into the rafters of the RIMAC Arena.

To make sure that I stay dead

Everyone will come, everyone will come to my funeral

To make sure that I stay dead"

As that chorus finishes up, Gryphon starts up the ringside stairs and slides between the top and middle ropes. With a glance to the crowd, showered in boos and erupting flashbulbs he smirks, taking off his coat and glasses and hands them off to the ring attendant, waiting for the match to start.

Physical Appearance: Long, dark hair usually kept in a ponytail.  Arctic blue eyes.  A number of fine scars dot his body.  Muscled, but not extremely defined; a natural build.  When not competing, he wears a button down shirt over a pair of sharply creased jeans and eelskin boots.

Ring Attire:  Long black tights with "GRYPHON" in black, gold-trimmed lettering down his right leg and a stylized laurel wreath on his left, also trimmed in gold.  High gloss black boots and black wrist tape.   

Gimmick: Cerebral ring psychologist

Personality: Almost utterly calm, collected and in control.  Gryphon does not get rattled 99.5% of the time.  Gryphon is a consummate professional and meticulously plans, researches and broods.  He is a thinker, he is a planner, and sees things from all angles.  

List up to three strengths of your character; they can be in-ring related, personality related, whatever you think helps define your character:

1. Planning - See 'Personality' above.  Gryphon presents a man constantly in control.  

2. Experience - A 16 year veteran, Gryphon does not make rookie mistakes.  He is precise and is very effective in dissecting an opponent, mentally and physically.

3. Well Rounded - Gryphon began his career as a cruiserweight, spent time in Japan, and has since become a competent technician.  He has a diverse wrestling style.

List up to three weaknesses of your character:

1. Frustration - If someone can get into Gryphon's head--and that's a big "IF"--it can shake him up and cause him to get sloppy.

2. Egotistical - Gryphon is a megalomaniac.  Any legitimate challenge to that status could get him rattled.

3. OCD - Gryphon has to have things "his" way, and when things start falling out of place and his tactics don't work, it causes him grief.

Biography: Shawn Kellar has been wrestling professionally since 1997.  He has gone through several gimmicks, most notably the Quicksilver gimmick from late 1997-1998--a masked superhero/cruiserweight--which saw little success.  In late 1998 he went to tour Japan for six months to gain experience with the famed junior division of that country.  Once back in the States he turned heel, working under a mask as the first incarnation of the Gryphon character.  The Gryphon--the half lion, half eagle from mythology--was a moniker he created to signify his changing style and that he was as good in the air as he was on the ground.  As Gryphon, Kellar achieved three cruiserweight division title wins.

In 2001 he abandoned the mask, putting on muscle mass to rise from the dwindling cruiserweight divisions of the world and become a more serious competitor among the heavyweights.  This lead him to a few midcard title wins, and in 2003, he secured his first World Championship win.  In 2003, he left wrestling after a family tragedy.  In 2005 he popped up in Japan again, doing another year long tour.  He returned to the U.S. in 2007, and spent 2008-2010 working with a company out of North Carolina, securing their World Heavyweight Championship and made history as the only man to walk in and out of their 8-man tournament for the title with the World Heavyweight Championship.  

He spent the next two years moving through short-term contracts and pay-per-appearance deals.  In late 2012, he took time off to undergo a surgical procedure to treat an injury he sustained in 2009.   

Wrestling Style: Well Rounded and adaptable.

Finishers

1. Ultimate Sin:  Sitout belly to belly piledriver

2.Darkness Falls:  Arm-trap Crossface

3.Last Stand Fireman's Carry transitioned into a seated 3/4 facelock jawbreaker

Signature Moves

1. Talon Kick:  Standing Thrust Kick

2.Nightmare Driver:  Rolling Leg-Hook Suplex

3.Exodus Modified Millennium Suplex* (Desperation finisher when necessary)

4.Dokugiri(Red Mist)

Regular Moves You don't need to fill out all the slots for moves.

Stiff knife edge chops, closed fists, kicks

Armdrag

Hiptoss

Standing Dropkick

Chop-block to the knee

Kick to the knee

Eye rake across top rope

Clothesline, Short-arm Clothesline

Sitout Jawbreaker

Drop Toe Hold(if possible, face first to an opened chair/throat first across the top or middle rope)

Rolling Inverted Neck Snap

Single Leg Dropkick (To seated opponent)

Facewash (with opponent seated in corner)

Step-Up Enziugiri

Neckbreaker(s) - any variety (hangman's, swinging, etc)

DDT, Reverse DDT(often yanks the opponent back by the hair to set the position)

Inverted Atomic Drop

Pendulum Backbreaker

Side Russian Legsweep

Scoop Slam

STO

Diving Lariat

Running Jumping High Kneelift

Running Mafia Kick(usually delivered in conjuction with an inverted atomic drop or any move to drop an opponent's head down).

Backdrop Driver

Spinebuster

Hammerlock Slam

Powerslam

Northern Lights Bomb

Suplexes – snap vertical, double underhook, Snapping Release Northern Lights, Hammerlock, Vertical,

German (Bridging, Release, etc), Exploder, Gargoyle, Leg Capture, Gordbuster, Belly-to-Belly

Wristlock

Fujiwara Armbar

Reverse Chinlock

Keylock

Mutalock

Single Leg Crab

Armbreaker

Diving Legdrop (Middle or top rope)

Diving Elbow Drop

Floating Moonsault

Rolling Senton (To opponents outside)

Suicide Dive (through the ropes to opponents outside)