Modern Day Singles Wrestler
Simon Diamond
Patrick Kenney was a catcher on the Virginia Commonwealth baseball team
for 3 years until an injury ended his baseball career. Kenney was a 34th
round draft pick of the San Diego Padres out of Salesianum High in Wilmington,
Delaware.
Simon Diamond was trained by Jim Kettner and made his wrestling debut in 1990.
He started off his wrestling career as Lance Diamond in the ECWA but had a name change when he started in ECW and becamse Simon Diamond. (He also wrestled as "Irish" Pat Kenney in TNA for a brief period of time before they went back to the Simon Diamond monicker.)
In May 1993, Diamond won the ECWA Heavyweight title defeating The Cheetah Master. Lance also won the ECWA Tag Team titles w/Steve Corino defeating Kid Flash & Ace Darling and in 1995 was inducted into the ECWA Hall of Fame.
Diamond held the PCW (Pennsylvania Champion Wrestling) United States on several occassions, the PCW Tag Titles and the PCW Heavyweight Title (by defeating Too Cold Scorpio).
In additon he held the NWA North American Heavyweight title, NWA 2000
title, IWF Heavyweight title, MPW (Maxium Pro Wrestling) Heavyweight title,
MLW Global Tag Team titles w/C.W. Anderson, USA Pro Tag Team titles w/Matt
Striker, NWA TNA World Tag Team titles w/Johnny Swinger, MPW (Maxium Pro
Wrestling) Tag Team titles w/Johnny Swinger, and 3PW (Pro Pain Pro Wrestling)
Tag Team titles w/Mike Kruel.
On March 21, 1998, Simon Diamond won the ECWA Super 8 Tourament.
In additon to all his independent success, Simon appeared on WWF Shotgun
numerous times including matches with Dustin Runnels, Golga, Kurrgan,
Giant Silva, and Tiger Ali Singh.
On August 2, 1999 Vito defeated Simon Diamond in a dark match at ECW's
Heat Wave. Thus began Simon Diamond's ECW tenure which lasted through
2001 and included memorable matches with is tag team partner, Johnny Swinger,
against York and Matthews, Doring and Roadkill, and the FBI.
On July 18, 2002, Simon Diamond got a tryout with the WWF in a dark match, defeating his old ECW partner Johnny Swinger.
Simon has wrestled all over the United States as well as overseas and continues to wrestle for TNA as the leader of the "Diamonds in the Rough".
Diamond's list of accomplishments in professional wrestling is unmatched
by most in the business.
I am thrilled to be able to induct Simon Diamond into the Independent
Wrestling Hall of Fame.
