David Finlay

David Stephen Finlay III (May 16, 1993) is a German professional wrestler of American and Irish descent best known by his ring name David Finlay. He is currently signed to New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW). David is the son of former WCW/WWE superstar Dave Finlay. Finlay is a former one-time co-holder of the NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Championship with Ricochet and Satoshi Kojima.

Early life[]

Finlay participated in wrestling, judo, football, and table tennis.

Professional wrestling career[]

Early years (2012–2014)[]

Finlay trained under the direction of his father Fit Finlay. He debuted on December 22, 2012 in European Wrestling Promotion where he and his father won a Tag Team Irish Street Fight against Dan Collins & Robbie Brookside at EWP Christmas Wrestling 2012. Finlay wrestled his first singles match at this same event, defeating Big Van Walter by disqualification. The following year on December 5, 2013, Finlay traveled to Cape Town, South Africa, where he wrestled in the Africa Wrestling Alliance in a Four Way Elimination match for the AWA Cruiserweight Championship successfully retained by Vinnie Vegas.

During the course of 2014, Finlay wrestled throughout numerous promotions across the world, in the states and in Europe. On October 10, Finlay won his first championship when he debuted in Power Of Wrestling during the first night of its POW Catch Weltcup Tour. During the opening night, Finlay defeated Scotty Saxon and Veit Müller to win the vacant POW Junior Championship. On the second night held on October 11, Finlay defeated Scotty Saxon in a non-title singles match. Finlay vacated the title on 20 August 2015. During 2014, Finlay wrestled matches in Universal Independent Wrestling, Southern Fried Championship Wrestling, Superstars Of Wrestling, Fighting Spirit Wrestling and Sports Entertainment Wrestling.

During January and February 2015, Finlay wrestled in New York in matches for Fighting Spirit Wrestling and the New York Wrestling Connection.

New Japan Pro Wrestling (2015–present)[]

Finlay made his NJPW debut on May 22, 2015, during the first night of the Best Of The Super Junior XXII Tournament. He lost to former TNA star Alex Shelley. He continued his first year in NJPW, wrestling numerous tag team matches throughout the course of the year. The following year in 2016, Finlay won his second championship in his career on September 25. He won the NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Championship with teammates Ricochet & Satoshi Kojima by defeating BULLET CLUB members Adam Cole, Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson. On November 12 at the NJPW Charity Pro-Wrestling On The Mat event, Finlay had the rare opportunity to challenge reigning champion Bobby Fish for the ROH World Television title, but did not succeed in winning the championship. During the course of 2017, Finlay wrestled extensively in tag matches against team War Machine and members of team-stables Los Ingobernables de Japon and the BULLET CLUB.

The following year in 2018, Finlay continued wrestling in tag team matches, and challenged for the NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Championship at least once. With Juice Robinson, he also competed in the 2018 World Tag League. They also competed in numerous matches against teams Killer Elite Squad, Suzuki-gun, Los Ingobernables de Japon and BULLET CLUB.

On January 4, 2019, Finlay returned for Wrestle Kingdom 13, where he teamed with Jeff Cobb & Yuji Nagata in a Tag Team Gauntlet match to become the Number One Contender to the NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team titles, but did not succeed in becoming the new Number One Contenders. The following night on January 5 at New Year Dash !!, Finlay & Juice Robinson defeated team Best Friends (Beretta & Chuckie T). Much later in the month on January 30 at The New Beginning in USA, Finlay won his first singles match of the year, defeating Chuckie T in a No Disqualification Match. During the second night on February 1, Finlay and Tracy Williams represented team Lifeblood in defeating CHAOS (Chuckie T & Rocky Romero) in a tag match.

Ring Of Honor (2016–2020)[]

On February 20, Finlay made his ROH debut during the second night of ROH/NJPW Honor Rising: Japan 2016 in a singles match won by Jay White. The following year, Finlay returned for the first night of the 2017 ROH-NJPW Honor Rising Japan event, teaming with Juice Robinson & KUSHIDA in a tag match, defeating the World Class Tag Team (Gedo & Jado) and Silas Young. On the second night, Finlay and KUSHIDA lost a tag match to Jado and Silas Young. The following year, Finlay returned on February 23 for the first night of the 2018 ROH-NJPW Honor Rising Japan event, during which he and Juice Robinson in a tag match lost to Young Bucks (Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson). On the second night, Finlay teamed with Jay Lethal & Juice Robinson in defeating members of the BULLET CLUB, Chase Owens, Hikuleo & Yujiro Takahashi.

Finlay returned the following year during the January 12, 2019 ROH TV-Tapings, during which he wrestled his first ROH singles match, losing to Tracy Williams.

Team Lifeblood (2019–2020)[]

The following night on January 13 at the 2019 Honor Reigns Supreme event Finlay joined Juice Robinson's newly-formed team known as Lifeblood. They represented their team winning a tag match defeating team Best Friends (Beretta & Chuckie T). They returned on January 24 during the first day of the 2019 Road To G1 Supercard. There, Finlay and Robinson competed in the opening rounds of the 2019 Tag Wars, advancing after eliminating Alex Coughlin & Karl Fredericks. During the second day, team Lifeblood was presented in full-force, introducing additional members Bandido, Mark Haskins and Tracy Williams. Together, they defeated Bully Ray, Shane Taylor, Silas Young & The Briscoes (Jay Briscoe & Mark Briscoe) in a massive ten-man tag match. During the third day of the Supercard Tour, Finlay and Juice Robinson as team Lifeblood advanced in the Tag Wars after winning a three-way semifinal match, eliminating teams Coast 2 Coast (LSG & Shaheem Ali) and Jay Lethal & Jonathan Gresham. At the Tag Wars finals, team Lifeblood was defeated by team Villain Enterprises (Brody King & PCO).

Personal life[]

Finlay is a third-generation professional wrestler. He is the son of Dave Finlay. His younger brother Brogan Finlay performs on the NXT brand in WWE. He is the grandson of Dave Finlay Sr. and the nephew of William Finlay and Wendy Finlay.

In wrestling[]

Finishers
- Prima Nocta (Jumping stunner) - 2017–present
- Acid Drop (Corner springboard cutter) - 2019–present
- Trash Panda (Suplex shoulderbreaker) - 2018–present

Signature moves
- Air Raid Crash
- Diving European Uppercut
- Scarf Hold
- Granby Roll
- Kamikaze
- German Suplex Hold
- Lumbar check (Back suplex lift backstabber)
- STO Backbreaker