In the mid-nineties, not only did the unfortunately timed Blood Runs Cold angle showcase Glacier, but WCW fans were also introduced to his mortal enemy Mortis. Underneath one of the coolest hoods in wrestling was New York native Chris Kanyon. Once the character went away, fans got to meet the real guy who was quite a bit of a character himself. He was full of himself when he needed to be, played a good second when he needed to, and introduced the world to a lot of previously unseen moves in the ring.

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He’d align himself with DDP and Bam Bam Bigelow and do a ton of stunt work for The Ready To Rumble movie. In WWE, he became the MVP Of The Alliance and all the while would ask the question — “who better than Kanyon!?” As history would reveal, not too many superstars were. He called himself The Innovator Of Offense, and his moves and influence still exist to this very day.

How Kanyon Got His Start In The Wrestling Business

On his path to influencing plenty of this current generation, Kanyon was actually broken in by The Fabulous Moolah of all people. It was those teachings that helped him learn how to work. When he arrived in WCW, he was part of the short-lived tag team Men At Work. He didn’t move high up the card, but as a glorified Journeyman, he earned the respect of his peers as a great worker who would put on a good match with anyone. When The Blood Runs Cold angle began, it was Kanyon’s chance as Mortis to hide who he was in real life while coming out of his shell as a performer.

Kanyon Turned Funny Into Money

While a lot of old-school guys would say “funny doesn’t equal money.” But these days, guys like Riddle, for example, are proving that statement incorrect. As long as you could get it done in the ring, you can try to be comical outside the ring.

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Kanyon was able to do just that by impersonating Diamond Dallas Page, becoming Champagne Chris Kanyon, and helping Raven in vignettes where the truth was revealed about the grunge superstar - that he was really just a spoiled rich kid.

The Influencer Of The Indies

As mentioned by The Young Bucks during The Double Life Of Chris Kanyon episode of Dark Side, Kanyon was really the first guy to work the Independent style that would eventually morph into AEW thanks to guys like The Bucks. He’d pull off moves like Suplexes from the middle of the second rope outside of the ring into it, as well as Cradle Neckbreakers, and snatching guys out of the air into all kinds of suplexes — for example, he’d counter someone’s attempt at a Sunset Flip with a Northern Lights Suplex. His finishing move, The Flatliner could end a match as quickly as any other big-time move. But it wasn’t just his in-ring moves that influenced a generation. Kanyon also worked with the likes of The Young Bucks, Luke Hawx, and Brian Cage - who has always said he was trained by The Innovator Of Offense.

While it still isn’t spoken about much in the industry, it also isn’t a big deal anymore about a wrestler’s sexuality. In some ways, Kanyon trying to come out was also influential. His friends and colleagues that he left behind didn’t care, and the next generation had grown up accepting of all sorts of lifestyles.

Kanyon tragically committed suicide via overdose in 2010. In death, plenty of his influence poured out thanks to the fans and the superstars that he did leave a mark. The creativity of the Independent spirit that he helped to foster is alive and well. It’s a shame that he didn’t get to live to see a world that couldn’t care less who he chose to love but certainly cared about the skills of Kanyon in the ring.