Percy Watson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Percy Watson |
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Watson in 2013
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| Birth name | Nicholas Christopher McNeil |
| Born | August 19, 1981 Leland, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Western Carolina University |
| Children | 1 |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Nick McNeil Chris McNeil Percy Watson Cordell Porter The Unknown Hand |
| Billed height | 6 ft 3 in (191 cm) |
| Billed weight | 245 lb (111 kg) |
| Billed from | South Beach, Florida, U.S. |
| Trained by | FCW |
| Debut | 2009 |
| Retired | 2021 |
Nicholas Christopher McNeil (born August 19, 1981), known as Percy Watson, is an American professional wrestler and commentator. He also used to play professional football. He is most famous for his time with WWE, where he wrestled and later became a commentator. He worked on shows like NXT, 205 Live, and WWE Main Event.
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Percy Watson's Football Career
Nicholas McNeil went to Western Carolina University. He earned a degree in computer information systems. He was a great football player there. He was chosen three times for the All-Southern Conference team. As a sophomore, he led his conference in quarterback sacks. He also led the conference in fumble recoveries as a junior.
After college, McNeil played professional football from 2004 to 2006. He was part of the practice teams for NFL teams like the Green Bay Packers and Washington Redskins. He was also on the offseason rosters for the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Giants. In 2006, he joined the Redskins' main team during the playoffs. However, he did not play in any games.
Percy Watson's Wrestling Journey
Starting in WWE: Florida Championship Wrestling (2009–2011)
In 2009, Nicholas McNeil signed a deal with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). He began training at their special school called Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW). This is where new wrestlers learn and practice.
He first wrestled under his real name, Nick McNeil. Soon after, he changed it to Chris McNeil. On October 1, 2009, he introduced himself as Percy Watson. He teamed up with Darren Young. They called their team the South Beach Party Boys.
Becoming "Showtime" on NXT (2010–2013)
Percy Watson joined the second season of NXT in 2010. This show helped new wrestlers become WWE superstars. His mentor was a famous wrestler named Montel Vontavious Porter.
Watson made his NXT debut on June 8, 2010. He teamed with his mentor MVP. They won their match against Husky Harris and Cody Rhodes. Percy Watson was known for being fun and full of energy. He even wrestled while wearing red glasses!
On July 27, Watson made history. He was the first new wrestler to beat a "Pro" wrestler in a singles match. He defeated Zack Ryder. On August 17, Watson was eliminated from the show. He finished in fifth place overall.
After his season of NXT, Watson wrestled in some non-televised matches. He then returned to WWE TV on WWE Superstars in September 2011. He looked a bit different, without his red glasses. He also joined the fifth season of NXT as a friend and tag team partner of Titus O'Neil.
Watson and O'Neil had some success as a team. They won matches against other wrestlers. Percy also won some singles matches on NXT.
In January 2012, Titus O'Neil wanted Watson to turn against the fans. When Watson refused, O'Neil attacked him. This led to a match where O'Neil won. Alex Riley came to help Watson after the attack. Watson later got his revenge, defeating O'Neil in a rematch.
NXT later changed into a new show. Percy Watson continued to appear on the rebooted NXT. He faced tough opponents like Jinder Mahal and Kassius Ohno. He also teamed up with Yoshi Tatsu. They even competed in a tournament for the new NXT Tag Team Championship. However, they lost in the first round. On May 17, 2013, Percy Watson left WWE. His last match was a six-man tag team match where he lost to The Shield.
Wrestling Outside WWE (2014)
After leaving WWE, Percy Watson wrestled one match on the independent circuit. This means he wrestled for other wrestling companies. This happened on June 14, 2014, in Georgia. He lost to Lance Hoyt.
Returning to WWE as a Commentator (2016–2019)
On November 30, 2016, Percy Watson returned to WWE. This time, he became a commentator for NXT. He joined Tom Phillips and Corey Graves at the announce table. Later, Nigel McGuinness joined him and Phillips.
In April 2018, Watson also started commentating on 205 Live and Main Event. He worked alongside Vic Joseph.
In early 2019, Watson was replaced on 205 Live and Main Event. He moved back to commentating only for NXT. In May 2019, it was reported that Percy Watson would be leaving WWE again. He wanted to try new things outside of wrestling.
Achievements and Awards
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- Ranked No. 238 among the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2010.
See also
In Spanish: Nick McNeil para niños
- List of gridiron football players who became professional wrestlers
Images for kids
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Watson in 2013
