• Jonathan Rechner (Balls Mahoney) was born in 1972 and was a professional wrestler
• He is best known for his time with Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) and World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE)
• He earned high valued contracts with the company, as well as in the independent scene
• He won the SMW Beat the Champ Television Championship twice, and the World Tag Team Championship once
• He passed away in 2016 due to a heart attack and suffered from CTE



Known for movies

Short Info

DiedApril 12, 2016, Spring Lake Heights, New Jersey, United States
SpouseChristy Stanton
MarkTrademark move: Ball Breaker (modified Spinebuster)
FactAs of April 2001 is banned from wrestling in the state of Maryland.


Who is Balls Mahoney?

Jonathan Rechner was born on 11 April 1972, in Spring Lake Heights, New Jersey, USA, and was a professional wrestler under the name Balls Mahoney. He is best known for his time with Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) from the late-1990s to the early-2000s. He passed away in 2016.

The Net Worth of Balls Mahoney

As of early-2020, Balls Mahoney’s net worth is estimated to be over $2.4 million, earned through a successful career in professional wrestling.

Rest In Peace Balls MahoneyApril 11, 1972 – April 12, 2016WWFOldSchool.com #RIP #BallsMahoney #ECW #WWFOldSchool #OldSchoolWrestling #ExtremeChampionshipWrestling #ECWOriginal #HardcoreWrestling

Posted by WWF Old School on Wednesday, April 20, 2016

He also worked with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), and earned high valued contracts with the company as well as in the independent scene.

Career Beginnings

Balls grew up in Spring Lake Heights, and at a young age developed a love for wrestling, enough that he would start training at the age of 15. He trained at the Monster Factory and made his debut shortly after in 1987 under the name Abbudah Singh. He worked with the World Wrestling Council for three years, and then took a four-year break before returning to the scene in Smokey Mountain Wrestling, where he took on the name Boo Bradley Jr.

During his time there, he was managed by Tammy Sytch, and was involved in a storyline where he was abused by his manager. It eventually escalated when she killed his pet cat, and he turned, becoming a fan favorite. He then developed a friendship with Cactus Jack and started a long rivalry with former partner Chris Candido, managed by his former manager. He won the SMW Beat the Champ Television Championship two times during his tenure.

In 1995, he went to work in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), where he initially appeared under his real name of Rechner as a jobber, until he lost the right to use his name in a match and was called Xanta Klaus.

Balls Mahoney

He made fewer appearances as the year progressed.

Extreme Championship Wrestling

In 1997, he signed with ECW, under the name Balls Mahoney which would mark his rise to success. Fans of ECW who loved hardcore matches and violence enjoyed his use of the signature steel chair, which he would use most of the time. He teamed with Axl Rotten to create The Hardcore Chair Swingin’ Freaks. They competed for the Tag Team Championship several times, but were unsuccessful.

He then partnered with Masata Tanaka, and finally won the World Tag Team Championship, making it his first championship reign as a tag team champion. They lost shortly afterwards against the Dudley Boyz. He later formed a tag team with Spike Dudley and won the championship again, this time holding it for a few months before dropping the title to the Dudley Boyz. He also challenged Rob Van Dam for the ECW World Television Championship but lost. During his last year with the company, he often lost his matches.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RFe5JdFow4

He was most impactful when he was doing punches or kicks as the crowd reacted with “Balls!” or “Nuts!” chants when he was getting hit.

Later Career

After ECW ended, Balls spent the next five years across the US, wrestling for numerous independent promotions. He also had a short run in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA). In 2005 he returned to WWE, which had now acquired ECW, appearing in the reunion show ECW One Night Stand. A year later, ECW was launched as a new WWE brand, and he was one of the first signees of the new endeavor.

He was initially set to be a tag team, but after Axl Rotten dropped out, he became more of a single competitor. After a few matches, he only had a few bouts with Matt Striker, Snitsky, and Kevin Thorn. He also competed for the ECW Championship once, but was defeated. He had an on-screen relationship with Kelly Kelly, and was released from his contract in 2008. In the last eight years of his career, he mainly wrestled in the independent circuit, competing in World Wrestling Council and appeared in “TNA Impact!”

He also had a brief stint in Ring of Honor (ROH) and his last match was at DFC – A Very Deathproof Christmas.

Personal Life

Mahoney married Gayle Schechter in 2006 and they stayed together for a decade until his death. He died shortly after his 44th birthday while he was watching “Jeopardy!” in his home. He was discovered unconscious, and declared dead on arrival at the hospital.

An autopsy revealed that he had passed away due to a heart attack. It was also discovered that he suffered from CTE, which is caused by consistent trauma to the head over the years. The family filed a lawsuit against WWE over these reports, but it was later dismissed.

He was childhood friends to the late Chris Candido, and it was the duo who dreamed of finding a career in professional wrestling together. They even dreamed of setting up a wrestling promotion, and trained together during their youth.

General Info

Full NameBalls Mahoney
DiedApril 12, 2016, Spring Lake Heights, New Jersey, United States
Height1.88 m
Weight113.4 kg
ProfessionProfessional Wrestler
NationalityAmerican

Family

SpouseChristy Stanton
ChildrenChristopher Rechner

Accomplishments

MoviesECW on TNN, ECW: Guilty as Charged 2001, ECW: Anarchy Rulz '99
TV ShowsECW Hardcore TV, Saturday Night's Main Event, Impact Wrestling

Social profile links

Marks

#Marks / Signs
1Trademark move: New Jersey Jam (Top rope leg drop)
2Trademark move: Ball Breaker (modified Spinebuster)
3Trademark move: Super Kick
4Finishing move: Nutcracker Suite (Body Slam into a piledriver)

Facts

#Fact
1As of April 2001 is banned from wrestling in the state of Maryland.
2His wrestling moves/holds include Nutcracker Suite (Michinoku driver II), the Ballbreaker (Sitout spinebuster), New Jersey Jam (Diving leg drop), Chair shot, Frog splash and a Punching combination.
3During his ECW days, his entrance theme song was "Big Balls" by AC/DC.
4Notable title wins include: WWC (World Wrestling Council) World Tag Team titles with Rip Rogers; Smokey Mountain Wrestling "Beat the Champ" Television; Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation Mid-Atlantic title; ECW World Tag Team titles with Masato Tanaka; ECW World Tag Team titles with Spike Dudley (2); USA Pro Heavyweight title (6); Xtreme Intense Wrestling Federation title; Assault Championship Wrestling Hardcore title; Assault Championship Wrestling Heavyweight title; IWC Heavyweight title; UXW Heavyweight title
5Wrestled independently as Abbudah Singh spending considerable amounts of time in Stampede Wrestling.
6Wrestled for Smokey Mountain Wrestling as "Boo Bradley", managed by Tammy Fytch.
7Is a former two time ECW Tag Team Champion with Masato Tanaka and Spike Dudley.
8Has also wrestled for WWF as was known as Xanta Klaus, the evil twin brother of Santa Claus. His hometown at that time was listed as the South Pole.
9Professional wrestler.

Movies

Actor

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Extreme Rising2012Balls Mahoney
I Spill Your Guts2012Balls Mahoney
Glory by Honor IX2010TV MovieBallz Mahoney
Hardcore Justice2010TV MovieKahoneys
PWS: Brawl for Paul2009VideoBalls Mahoney
E.C.W.2006-2007TV SeriesBalls Mahoney
ECW December to Dismember2006TV MovieBalls Mahoney
ECW One Night Stand2006TV MovieBalls Mahoney
PWU: Jam Session 11 & Crazy 82006VideoBalls Mahoney
PWU: Jam Session 92006VideoBalls Mahoney
Hardcore Homecoming: November Reign2005VideoBalls Mahoney
FIP Extreme Warfare2003VideoBalls Mahoney
FWA British Uprising2002VideoBalls Mahoney
ECW Guilty as Charged 20012001VideoBalls Mahoney
ECW: Anarchy Rulz2000Video GameBalls Mahoney (voice)
ECW Massacre on 34th St.2000VideoBalls Mahoney
Eastern Championship Wrestling1999-2000TV SeriesBalls Mahoney
ECW Anarchy Rulz 20002000TV MovieBalls Mahoney
Extreme Championship Wrestling: Heatwave '002000TV MovieBalls Mahoney
ECW Hardcore Heaven '002000TV MovieBalls Mahoney
Juggalo Championshxt Wrestling Volume 12000VideoBalls Mahoney
ECW Living Dangerously '002000TV MovieBalls Mahoney
ECW November to Remember 19991999TV MovieBalls Mahoney
Extreme Championship Wrestling: Anarchy Rulz '991999VideoBalls Mahoney
ECW Wrestling TNN1999TV SeriesBalls Mahoney
Extreme Championship Wrestling: Heatwave '991999TV MovieBalls Mahoney
ECW Hardcore Heaven '991999TV MovieBalls Mahoney
ECW Cyberslam '991999VideoBalls Mahoney
ECW Living Dangerously '991999VideoBalls Mahoney
ECW Guilty as Charged 19991999VideoBalls Mahoney
ECW It Ain't Seinfeld 19981998VideoBalls Mahoney
ECW November to Remember 19981998VideoBalls Mahoney
ECW Wrestlepalooza1998TV MovieBalls Mahoney
ECW Living Dangerously '981998VideoBalls Mahoney
ECW November 2 Remember 971997VideoBalls Mahoney
ECW as Good as It Gets1997VideoBalls Mahoney
Smoky Mountain Wrestling1995TV SeriesBoo Bradley
WWF Superstars1986TV SeriesXanta Klaus (1995)

Self

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Barbed Wire City: The Unauthorized Story of Extreme Championship Wrestling2013Video documentaryHimself
Card Subject to Change2010DocumentaryBalls Mahoney
Wrestlers Rescue2008VideoHimself
WWE Smackdown!2008TV SeriesBalls Mahoney
Who Wants to Be a Superhero?2007TV SeriesHimself
WWE Draft Special2007TV SpecialBalls Mahoney
WWE Raw1995-2007TV SeriesBalls Mahoney / Himself
WrestleMania 232007TV SpecialBalls Mahoney
WWE Hall of Fame 20072007TV SpecialBalls Mahoney
WWE One Night Stand2007TV SpecialBalls Mahoney
WWE vs. ECW: Head to Head2006TV SpecialBalls Mahoney
Legends Never Die2006VideoHimself
WWE Saturday Night's Main Event2006TV SeriesBalls Mahoney (2006-)
Extremely Crazy Wrestling Fans: The Documentary2005Video documentary
ECW One Night Stand2005TV SpecialBalls Mahoney
IWA Mid-South: S.T.I.F.F.2003VideoHimself
ECW November to Remember 20002000TV SpecialBalls Mahoney
WWE Sunday Night Heat1998TV SeriesBalls Mahoney (2005)
WWF in Your House 51995TV SpecialXanta Klaus

Archive Footage

TitleYearStatusCharacter
WWE: ECW Unreleased, Vol. 22013VideoBalls Mahoney
Nature Boy Ric Flair: The Definitive Collection2008VideoBalls Mahoney
WWE Smackdown!2006TV SeriesBalls Mahoney
ECW Blood Sport: The Most Violent Matches2006VideoBalls Mahoney
WWE Velocity2005TV SeriesBalls Mahoney
Rob Van Dam: One of a Kind2005VideoBalls Mahoney
The Rise & Fall of ECW2004Video documentaryBalls Mahoney
Mick Foley's Greatest Hits & Misses: A Life in Wrestling2004VideoBoo Bradley
Wrestling Gold: Before They Were Famous2002VideoBoo Bradley
Extreme Championship Wrestling: Deep Impact2001VideoBalls Mahoney
SMW: Blood, Brawls and Grudges1994VideoBoo Bradley

Source: IMDb, Wikipedia
Author

Benjy is currently a reporter for BiographyPedia based in Adelaide, Australia. Prior to joining BiographyPedia in July 2019, he was a Bizarre TV reporter and theatre critic at TheSun. Benjy has also written for DailyMail and TMZ. Benjy studied journalism at Goldsmiths University of London, graduating in 2009. You can contact him at [email protected].

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