Christopher "Chris" Ford (March 4, 1974) is an American professional wrestler. He is known for his tenure in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) under the ring name Crowbar, where he was a one time WCW Hardcore Champion, a one time WCW World Tag Team Champion with David Flair and a one time WCW World Cruiserweight Champion, which he held jointly with Daffney. He is also known for his stints in the World Wrestling Federation, Extreme Championship Wrestling and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. He currently performs on the independent circuit either as Crowbar or Devon Storm.
Career[]
While attending college and physical therapy school, Ford began training under "Iron" Mike Sharpe and after completing his training, he began wrestling on independent circuit under the ring name Devon Storm and formed a successful tag team with Ace Darling. After a few years on the indies, Storm wrestled and lost three matches in Extreme Championship Wrestling in 1996, losing to Taz via countout at Hostile City Showdown, 2 Cold Scorpio at November to Remember in a Loser Leaves Town match, and finally to Balls Mahoney at Holiday Hell.
World Wrestling Federation (1997–1999)[]
In 1997, Ford, while using his Devon Storm name, took part in a tournament in the World Wrestling Federation to determine the first–ever Light Heavyweight Champion. He wrestled against and lost to Taka Michinoku, who later went on to win the tournament and the title. From 1998 to 1999, he would later appear on editions of Shotgun Saturday Night, primarily as enhancement talent, losing to the likes of Droz and D'Lo Brown.
World Championship Wrestling (1999–2001)[]
After leaving the WWF, Storm signed a developmental deal with World Championship Wrestling. After signing with WCW, he was sent to the Power Plant, WCW's main training facility. After being trained, Storm was placed in a faction with David Flair and Daffney, where he debuted under the name Crowbar. The gimmick of the stable saw all three members act mentally insane, with Daffney becoming known for screaming in her matches and Crowbar being prone to using high risk moves. On the January 3, 2000 edition of Monday Nitro, Crowbar won the World Tag Team Championship alongside his tag partner Flair after winning a tournament against the teams of Lash LeRoux and Midnight, Buff Bagwell and Vampiro and lastly Kevin Nash and Scott Steiner. They later dropped the titles to The Mamalukes (Big Vito and Johnny the Bull) on the January 19 edition of Thunder. After losing a rematch at SuperBrawl, Crowbar teamed up with Daffney to defeat then Cruiserweight Champion Chris Candido and Tammy Lynn Sytch after Daffney pinned Sytch on the May 15 edition of Nitro, thus making them co–champions. Crowbar soon faced Daffney to determine the undisputed Cruiserweight Champion. Crowbar held back during the match, but still dominated the smaller Daffney. However, Candido entered the ring and hit Crowbar with a reverse piledriver and Daffney inadvertently pinned him while trying to revive him and thus became the second woman ever to hold the Cruiserweight Championship. Crowbar soon began feuding with former tag partner David Flair as well, in which both men traded wins on Thunder. Crowbar soon began chasing after the Hardcore Championship, which he won from Reno on the November 6 edition of Thunder. He later retained the belt at Mayhem after defeating former champion Reno and former rival Big Vito. During his reign as Hardcore Champion, he began a feud with Terry Funk that culminated at the final Starrcade pay–per–view, which saw Funk defeat Crowbar to claim his third and final Hardcore Championship.
Ford was later released from WCW in March 2001, right before the company was bought out by the World Wrestling Federation. During his time in WCW, Ford continued to work in the physical therapy field when he was not on the road and returned full-time to physical therapy after his release from WCW.
Independent circuit (2001–present)[]
After the closure of WCW, Ford, returning to his Devon Storm ring name, spent some time in the now defunct World Wrestling All-Stars promotion, where he feuded with Sabu. During his tenure with the company, Storm became the WWA's first and only Hardcore Champion when he defeated Konnan. Storm had two notable matches with ECW legend Sabu including a much talked about cage match on the WWA's Eruption pay-per-view.
In 2002, Ford, under the new name Tempest, joined Total Nonstop Action Wrestling and became a part of Father James Mitchell's stable, Disciples of The New Church, and competed in the only Hard 10 Tournament, losing in the first round to the eventual winner, The Sandman.
In early 2003, Ford wrestled briefly for Xtreme Pro Wrestling under the names Judas and Salem, losing his first match to former New Church ally Malice and winning the second against Vic Grimes. Ford later wrestled in several dark matches for World Wrestling Entertainment, the first being on the April 10, 2001 edition of SmackDown!. From mid to late 2003 Ford, alternating between his Devon Storm and Crowbar ring names, wrestled against the likes of Joey Matthews and former WCW alumni Scott Steiner and Sean O'Haire in dark matches before SmackDown! as well as on Sunday Night Heat and Velocity.
On June 4, 2004, Ford began working for HealthSouth as a site coordinator and as an outpatient physical therapist. In addition to working in physcial therapy, he returned to wrestling on the independent circuit under his Devon Storm and Crowbar ring names and began competing for various National Wrestling Alliance territories as well as other independent promotions, such as the East Coast Wrestling Association, Jersey All Pro Wrestling, and the Pro Wrestling Syndicate.
