The year 2004 was a time of great change in World Wrestling Entertainment. The company, realizing that the in-ring careers of Attitude Era icons Steve Austin and The Rock were gone and that Mick Foley only had the occasional big match left in him, turned to promoting young stars to the roster in hopes that they would provide the spark that would revitalize the industry. One of those young stars was Jon Heidenreich, who had a brief stint on Raw a year earlier before disappearing. After a short return to developmental, Heidenreich found his way back to the main roster, though this time, he portrayed an unhinged lunatic who was as likely to corner Michael Cole in a bathroom stall and "read him poetry" as he was to attack The Undertaker. Repeatedly chanting his name as he made his way to the ring, there was clearly something off about the big man from New Orleans. Equally as "off" was his ring work. One could take one look at Heidenreich and know instantly that he was far from the world's best worker. He was a big man but a stiff mover. His work was clunky but, to his credit, could deliver a halfway decent match with a superior worker. That he worked with Undertaker throughout most of 2004, an Undertaker who was far from the worker he would develop into later, did him no favors and really exposed his weaknesses. His departure from the company in 2005 spelled the end for one of the most unstable of the new Millennium.
Erik Beaston is a freelance pro wrestling writer who likes long walks in the park, dandelions and has not quite figured out that this introduction is not for Match.com. He resides in Parts Unknown, where he hosts weekly cookouts with Kane, The Ultimate Warrior, Papa Shango and The Boogeyman. Be jealous.
