The Demon

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

The lore of The Demon in this context begins with its conception as part of a larger stable called 'The Warriors of Kiss.' The plan guaranteed that the wrestler portraying The Demon would headline a match against Vampiro at Starrcade 1999. However, the narrative took a sharp turn when Eric Bischoff lost his position in September 1999. This management change led bookers to intentionally make the character look bad to undermine the previous administration. The Demon's in-ring debut was a tag team match on the September 20, 1999 episode of Nitro, where Brian Adams and The Demon (Torborg) lost to Terry Funk and a partner, an uncharacteristic start for a main-event-level gimmick. Torborg later contended that the character was 'dead on arrival' because the KISS concert segment meant to debut him became one of the lowest-rated segments in WCW Nitro history up to that point. Despite these setbacks and the cancellation of the stable, The Demon feuded with Vampiro and the Insane Clown Posse, never joining their group 'The Dark Carnival' before Torborg turned against them.

In Their Own Story

In 1998, after two matches as 'The MVP,' Dale Torborg was asked to portray The Demon. Initially managed by Asya (Christi Wolf), his debut match ended in a loss to Terry Funk due to bookers wanting to make Eric Bischoff look bad following Bischoff's departure from the company. Although Kiss had contractually guaranteed a main event match against Vampiro at a 1999 New Year's Eve PPV, the event and match were scrapped after management changes in September 1999. To fulfill contractual obligations, Torborg was booked in a 'Special Main Event' at Superbrawl in early 2000. Uncharacteristic for a main event, it was the fourth match on the card where he faced The Wall and lost via chokeslam. Later, he joined 'The Dark Carnival' stable with Vampiro and the Insane Clown Posse but eventually turned against the group to feud with Vampiro personally.

Reader's Guide

To understand this specific iteration of The Demon, one must note it was a wrestling gimmick created for WCW in 1998. It was modeled on Gene Simmons' persona but performed by Dale Torborg. Key figures involved include Brian Adams (original assignment), Asya (manager), and Eric Bischoff (who championed the character before losing his job). The guide to this era includes the failed 'Warriors of Kiss' stable concept, the low-rated KISS concert debut, and the rescheduled match against The Wall at Superbrawl 2000. Torborg later returned to wrestling in 2021 as The Demon for Impact Wrestling's Bound For Glory PPV, appearing in a Gauntlet For The Gold match where he was eliminated by Ace Austin. He also teamed with Decay on November 18, 2021, and interfered in Johnny Swinger's match on February 16, 2023.

Did You Know?

• Dale Torborg's baseball career ended when a fastball broke his zygomatic bone and changed his depth perception.
• The Demon gimmick was originally assigned to Brian Adams, who never wrestled as the character.
• Torborg last wrestled for Impact in 2019 and did not appear at Bound For Glory 2021.
• Torborg did not wrestle at TNA's Bound for Glory 2005, and Johnny Damon never interfered in a TNA match.
• Torborg served as the strength and conditioning coordinator for the Chicago White Sox until 2022.

The End of a Baseball Career

Dale Christian Torborg attended Northwestern University, playing college baseball for the Wildcats before turning professional. His career started in 1994 with the Kingsport Mets of the Appalachian League. According to Torborg, his playing days ended due to two specific injuries. The first happened during a pickoff attempt at first base where his arm tangled with a runner's, breaking his humerus bone. His final, career-ending injury occurred when he took a fastball to the face, which broke his zygomatic bone and caused a permanent change in his depth perception.

The Demon in WCW

In 1998, Torborg transitioned from 'The MVP' to The Demon after Brian Adams never used the gimmick. He trained at the WCW Power Plant alongside stars like Bill Goldberg and Lodi. The character was meant for a stable called 'The Warriors of Kiss,' but this fell through when Eric Bischoff lost his job in September 1999. This led to a rocky debut where he lost to Terry Funk, with Torborg noting the segment was one of the lowest-rated in Nitro history. A promised main event against Vampiro at New Year's Eve 1999 PPV was cancelled; instead, he faced The Wall at Superbrawl 2000 in a mid-card slot and lost by chokeslam. He later joined 'The Dark Carnival' before feuding with Vampiro.

TNA Appearances and Baseball Crossovers

On December 8, 2005, Torborg appeared on TNA Impact! with White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski to present World Series memorabilia. They were interrupted by The Diamonds in the Rough, whose leader Simon Diamond mocked Pierzynski's .256 batting average and slapped Torborg. This led to a match at Turning Point 2005 on December 11, where Torborg won via pinfall after Johnny Damon interfered. On January 18, 2007, they attacked Lance Hoyt, helping James Storm win. At Against All Odds 2007, Torborg lost to Hoyt (who had David Eckstein in his corner). In 2021, he returned as The Demon for a Gauntlet For The Gold match at Bound For Glory, eliminated by Ace Austin, and later teamed with Decay on November 18. He appeared again on November 25, 2021, and interfered in Johnny Swinger's match against Barry Horowitz on February 16, 2023.

Legacy as a Strength Coach

After WCW was bought by the WWF in March 2001, Torborg left wrestling to return to baseball. He joined the Montreal Expos as a strength and conditioning coach under his father, manager Jeff Torborg. He then served as a strength coach for the Florida Marlins from 2002 to 2003 during his father's tenure, where he famously scared pitcher Antonio Alfonseca into hiding after Alfonseca refused a weigh-in. In January 2004, he was hired by the Chicago White Sox as a roving strength trainer, eventually becoming their strength and conditioning coordinator from 2003 until 2022. He was part of two World Champion teams: the 2003 Marlins and the 2005 White Sox.