ERIK HOLLAND
Wrestler's Real Name: Erich Syzmanski
Wrestler Age/Date of Birth: 40/ Jan 2. 1979
Height: 6'6"
Weight: 285
Hometown: Silent Hill
Alignment (Face? Heel? Antihero?): Face -
Erik uses his own struggles with mental health and personal trauma to seek a connection with his fans. Fans also built a tremendous respect for his skills because of his Deathmatch prowess and willingness to take on any challenge.
Pic Base: Sami Callihan
Backstory/Important Character Details: A five time world champion and hardcore legend, “The Haunted” finds himself winding down his career by 2026 and wanting to prove he still belongs in the conversation as one of the best ever. His anything goes style, personality, and mentality walking that fine line between lucidity and insanity makes him one of the most dangerous and compelling wrestlers on the circuit.
Strengths:
- One of the pound for pound strongest wrestlers in the industry, Holland can lift and throw wrestlers much larger than him with effort ranging from ease, to maximum crowd popping effort.
- Speaking of, he has a very special connection with the crowd; they seem to hang on his every word and action. His promos, his moves, his selling is all about getting the fans behind him.
- He is a stiff worker, preferring to deliver and receive legitimate hits to provide a more intense match.
Weaknesses:
- He has a surgically repaired back that he broke in two places. He'll sell any offense focused on the back like it's killing him.
- He is not a quick guy. Faster wrestlers will have a better time with him.
-He's a babyface and therefore prone to heel ratfuckery.
Entrance Theme Music (Provide YouTube link as well as name and version): The Dying Song (Time to Sing) by Slipknot -
The Dying Song (Time To Sing) - YouTube
Ring Entrance (PLEASE write one out for use in match/show writing): The lights suddenly die.
“Will you tell these fools i’m not crazy! MAKE THEM LISTEN TO ME BEFORE ITS TOO LATE! Listen to me. Please listen. If you dont, if you wont— if you fail to understand, then the same incredible terror menacing me will STRIKE AT YOU!”
PUT YOUR HAND INTO THE WATER
LET YOUR MOUTH GO SICK AND DRY
PUT YOUR LIFE INTO YOUR DEATH NOW
LET THEM SING UNTIL WE DIE
DIE
DIE
DIE
As Slipknot brings the audio assault, Erik Holland hits the stage with arms extended out and palms open, an ugly grin tattooing his otherwise handsome features. Enjoying the chaos of the roiling smoke and red strobes, Erik storms the ring; he grabs the camera on the way there and yells some threats at tonight’s opponents before shoving it aside and doing a lazy lap around ringside before jumping up onto the apron, spinning around on his knees so he can face the audience who has been thrown into a full-on frenzy and more resembles a mosh pit than a wrestling audience. He looks out to the crowd with an intense look, gritting his teeth and ducking through the ropes, crawling back towards the camera to yell more threats, and even chew on the bottom rope to get more energy from the crowd!
He bounds to his feet, whipping off his goggles and throwing them into the crowd for the fans to either tear apart or bring home - he doesn’t care. He heads to the corner and crouches in it, staring at the entranceway, silently begging the bell to ring so he can hurt someone.
In-Ring Style (Technician? High Flyer?): Brawler/Power/Deathmatch. Very similar to what you would see in a modern day heavyweight. Hard hitting, all offense, strikes, slams and suplexes as well as power-based submission holds. Demonstrates his resilience through his selling and connectingBabyface - Erik uses his own struggles with mental health and personal trauma to seek a connection with his fans. Fans also built a tremendous respect for his skills because of his Deathmatch prowess and willingness to take on any challenge. with the crowd. Completely comfortable in extreme environments and loves to employ unique weapons. Especially enjoys putting people through tables because the fans always pop for a table spot and almost goes into a trancelike state anytime he does.
Wrestles like a modern heavyweight in that he loves to chain maneuvers together one after the other for maximum pain and impact. He also loves to show off how strong he is and how hard he can hit - hes been known his entire career as one of the pound for pound strongest wrestlers in the industry, capable of lifting and throwing wrestlers much larger than him (with effort that he sells like crazy).
Risk taker and will happily step outside his box to try to win. In tag team attractions he is a very capable partner for almost any style of wrestler being a multiple time tag team champion with three different partners.
10 or More Standard Moves:
Common Moves
STRIKING
Punch
Forearm Smash
Knee Lift
Kick
Standing Lariat
Chop
Headbutt
Discus Chop
Discus Lariat
Running Lariat
Kneeling Lariat
Overhand Chop
Face Slap
Reverse Elbow
Rolling Elbow
Big Boot
Yakuza Kick (Charging Big Boot)
European Uppercut
European Uppercut rush in the corner
Machinegun Chops
Turnbuckle Shoulder Thrusts
Clothesline rush in the corner
Splash in the corner
SLAMS THROWS AND HOLDS
Belly to Belly Side Suplex
Belly to Belly overhead suplex
Spinning Belly to Belly Suplex
Spinebuster
Exploder Suplex
T Bone Suplex
T Bone Suplex into the turnbuckle
Running Powerslam
Front Powerslam
Vertical Suplex Powerslam
Scoop Powerslam
Body Slam
Lifting DDT
Brainbuster
Shoulder Block
Powerbomb
Running Powerbomb
Sitout Powerbomb
Spinning Powerbomb
Tossing Powerbomb
Sidewalk Slam
Gorilla Press Toss
Gorilla Press Slam
Gorilla Press Drop
Lifting Reverse DDT
German Suplex
Release German Suplex
Everest (High angle) German Suplex
German Suplex into the turnbuckle
Superplex
Top Rope Superplex
Over the top rope suicide dive
Upside Down Crack Smash (Rolling senton off the apron to the opponent on the floor)
Back Body Drop
Middle Rope Suicide Dive
Trademark Move Name(s):
Description(s):
_____________________________
Limbic Resonance - Jumping Piledriver
Death Blooms - Diving elbow drop to the outside of the ring, sometimes from the ring apron or another elevated surface
The End So Far - Sloppy Sharpshooter. Aesthetically its not applied perfectly, but it hurts, and thats what matters.
Medicine for the Dead - 2nd rope Dragon Superplex.
Stain of Mind - Bronson Reed’s “Tsunami” or probably the worst top rope splash you’ll ever see, but it HURTS.
Lament Configuration - Crossface/Scissored Armbar Combo (The Batista Bite)
Butcher’s Hook - Sleeper Hold, but when he gets them to the mat he immediately starts with arm-trapped 12-to-6 elbow strikes as a way to try to win by referee stoppage or verbal submission.
All Hope Is Gone - Sloppy STF. Think John Cena. He’s not looking to wow you with technical acumen - when he applies the hold he either wants the tap out or to break your neck, OR to choke you out.
This Cold Black - Double Arm DDT transitioned into a guillotine choke
Snuff - Spear, often as an “out of nowhere” counter to regain control of the match.
Finishing Move Name(s):
Description(s): The Toxic Avenger - John Cena’s Attitude Adjustment, or a fireman’s carry lift to a modified powerslam. Can hit this from a variety of positions including from the top and as an “out of nowhere” counter. In big matches he will roll through and hit a second one immediately after the first as an insurance policy. NOTE: To protect the visual impact of the move, do not have Erik do the move successfully unless he is going to win. I don't care if it's countered or blocked or otherwise avoided, but it should not be kicked out of.
Favorite Hardcore Attacks/Spots:
Any signature/common moves through a table. He enters sort of a catatonic state anytime he puts someone through a table.
Tossing chairs at opponents' heads.
The use of unique weapons like staple guns, pizza cutters, keyboards, barbed wire, glass, light tubes. If you've seen it in a deathmatch Holland would do it. Besides the syringes, that shit is too weird even for him.
Additional Notes (What are some things that they would ALWAYS do? Or would NEVER do?):
He would not cheat. Ever. He gets enough of the all-out fighting in all the no disqualification matches hes been in, so he feels no need to break the rules in standard matches.
He would ALWAYS play to the crowd during his matches. His connection with the people is sacrosanct.