David Edward Finlay, Jr. was born on January 31,1959 in Belfast, Northern Ireland and before he became "Finlay" in the WWE, he was in the WCW as the Belfast Bruiser and Fit Finlay.
He debuted in World Championship Wrestling in 1995 using the Belfast Bruiser ring name (a nickname he had used while in the UK).
His tough guy image is NOT exaggerated.
During an episode of Monday Nitro, he was in a parking lot brawl with Lord Steven Regal that resulted in him sustaining an eye injury from broken glass, which caused him to wrestle with an eyepatch on for several months.
After this, he was involved in a match with Regal where he legitimately broke Regal's nose.
During a hardcore match at a WCW house show in Jackson, Mississippi in July 1999, Finlay suffered a badly lacerated nerve, which nearly cost him use of the leg.
When WCW was bought by the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), Finlay began working for them as a trainer for new wrestlers and he eventually wound up training the Divas.
While he was in the WCW, he held the WCW World Television Championship and won the WCW Hardcore Junkyard Invitational Trophy.
