Roughly ten years ago a teenager named David Cash was lifting weights as usual at his gym when wrestlers from a local promotion approached him. They offered the then untrained Kid Kash a spot on the small Tennessee show. It’s been a long road from that independent show to main event in ECW.
Kash, who was just an average wrestler and football player in high school, became an accomplished body builder at a young age. His physique and blond hair caught the attention of some local wrestlers. They told him to show up and maybe if there was an extra spot on the show he would be given a match.
Kash, a long time wrestling fan, got into the professional wrestling ring and did the only thing a novice could do, mimicked what he saw on television. The first thing Kash did was attempt a hurricanrana, as he had seen Scott Steiner do. Some people on the show were impressed while others were perturbed that an untrained rookie could just walk into the ring. Either way, someone no-showed that night and a spot was open for Kash to have his first match.
Veterans Ricky Morton and Tim Horner happened to be on that show. They saw potential in Kash’s leaping ability and look. They also respected the fact that Kash had the guts to climb into the ring. The second time Kash and Morton crossed paths, the NWA/WCW tag team champion asked Kash to ride the roads with him throughout the Southern independents.
Kash would have to leave his regular 14-hour a day job as a pipe welder for Hershey’s Chocolate to travel the endless highways on the weekends. Kash, who grew up with such idols as Wahoo McDaniel and Greg Valentine, soon found himself face-to-face in the ring with his childhood gods. While the drives were long, they were an educational experience as Kash just sat quietly in the backseat and absorbed all the knowledge he could from these veterans.
With 20 pounds more muscle on his body than today, Kash was given matches just based on his physique. He acknowledges how green he was back then, something the veterans like McDaniel and Valentine would prey on. Kash with little idea of what to do in the ring was punched and kicked around without mercy or sympathy by the men he used to worship. The beatings continued in almost very match, an experience that kept Kash in shock despite the fact that he was grateful just to be on the card.
Kash took being stretched and abused without complaint. At the end of each night he knew he had earned their respect just a little more when he was given a handshake and a few compliments. A few years later, Kash learned that his mentor Morton had told these men to really pound on him to see if he had what it took to last. Now Kash realizes that Morton had to test him. Morton was spending a lot of time and energy to develop Kash and he had to see if Kash could handle it.
There were times it all almost overwhelmed Kash. He had been a twenty-year-old guy driving nice cars, making $15 an hour with insurance at a steady job. Kash would sit back and wonder if the long drives, harsh beatings and miniscule payoffs were worth it. On countless occasions he was on the brink of quitting. In the end though, Kash knew he wouldn’t respect himself if he gave up. Looking back, Kash is thankful for the tough lessons those veterans taught him acknowledging, “It was a good way to learn.”
The future took a positive turn as Kash began wrestling in two or three different states in just one weekend alongside Morton. His pay grew from $3 a night to $20 a night to $50 a night all the way to $200 or $300 a match. Kash began to feel the satisfaction of working in front of large crowds. There was one thing that drove him more than anything: he wanted to earn the praise of his mentor. Kash had spent five years being called every name in the book by Morton. Then on an unsuspecting night something special happened. Morton paid Kash the highest compliment possible.
In 1995, the legendary Rock-n-Roll Express of Morton and Robert Gibson split up. On night, Morton and Kash were having their customary dinner after a show when Morton asked Kash to travel to Puerto Rico with him to be his tag team partner. The tour of Puerto Rico never happened, but Ricky and Davey stayed tag team until Kash came to ECW. When Morton asked Kash to co-exist beside him in the ring, Kash knew he had finally earned the respect of his peers. His hard work and tenacity had paid off. Morton always secretly knew Kash had the potential to be a star. When Morton asked Kash to team with him, Kash realized he had reached a new level of recognition. Morton had given Kash the highest honor possible.
Kash credits Morton with teaching him politics, wrestling philosophy and an innumerable amount of in-ring lessons, but Kash insists he still learns with every match. Kash prides himself in the fact that he can incorporate old school wrestling with the year 2000 high-risk, daredevil tactics. He still appreciates the beauty of a simple arm drag, but will fearlessly propel his body into a sea of chairs. Kash aspires to combine these two styles to become a versatile competitor that can adapt to every style on any given night. He hopes he can adapt to every style so he can have great matches every night no matter who is across the ring. ECW has given him the opportunity to learn against a variety of top rate wrestlers such as Yoshihiro Tajiri, Super Crazy, Little Guido and work alongside Nova against Danny Doring and Amish Roadkill. Kash feels that this variety has allowed him to take world champion Justin Credible to the limit on some recent shows.
Outside of the ring, Kash is soft spoken, but once he starts rolling this southern gentleman has some outrageous stories. Kash enjoys spending his time away the ring, relaxing outdoors in Tennessee. His ideal spot is a secluded beach. Kash prefers a serene and tranquil setting, citing almost burning out trying to party with the Rock –n-Roll Express. Kash states he had to “tap-out” before Morton and Gibson made him old before his time. It was at that point that Kash knew he had to focus on his career. While Morton had already made his name, it was time for Kash to seize his fame.
Kash came to ECW working the lower card matches. When Chris Chetti fell to a back injury, Kash filled in as Nova’s tag team partner. It was a slow climb for Kash, but with each match the fans recognized him a little more. He soon caught the eye of Executive Producer, Paul Heyman and gained a spot on the Guilty As Charged pay-per-view at the beginning of the year. The kid from Tennessee had gone from being handed a spot on a show in front of 50 people because of his looks to earning a spot on a national pay-per-view based on his skill. Kash saw this as his best chance to steal the show and make his name. Luck and The Dupps, now under contract with WWF, slammed him the wrong way. Two days before the pay-per-view, Kash broke his jaw after being jumped by The Dupps. Kash feeling as if he had just earned Heyman trust, was determined to perform on the PPV even under the most arduous circumstances. Kash and his girlfriend spent the entire night driving around Atlanta because a flu epidemic kept the overcrowded hospitals from treating him. Finally, at 5am they found a 24-hour orthopedic surgeon. Without sleep and a swollen throat, Kash underwent a 90-minute surgery. Flying solely on adrenaline, Kash worked the PPV and even executed a spectacular dive.
Kash’s back smashed with force on the ground as he landed causing an inescapable, internal profusion of suffering throughout his freshly destroyed jaw. After enduring pain that would cause even the most callous solider to cower, Kash now sits back and declares, “it was no big deal.” He has wrestled injured so many times that he can survive almost anything. Broken legs, broken eye sockets, and concussions comprise the list of injuries Kash has wrestled through. If Kash didn’t wrestle when he was in the independents, he didn’t get paid. If he could walk, he had to wrestle.
Kash has spent years trying to invent new ways to execute the Hurricanrana, which is the act of trapping your adversary’s skull in a scissors like clamp with your legs and using your airborne body weight to hurl him in an uncompromising way. Kash has executed this move from the top rope into the ring, top rope out of the ring and is still constantly inventing new precision ways to administer the maneuver. Many times an idea will pop into Kash’s head while he stands in the vacant ring before the crowd is let into the building.
Kash has gained a reputation has one of ECW’s top high-flyers. Kash defies gravity every time he catapults his body to float through the air only to sting his foe. Putting yourself and your livelihood into such risk does not come easily. Fear screams in Kash’s face every time he leaps in the atmosphere. Kash simply ignores it. He knows that as a smaller wrestler this is what makes him something special; something the fans will remember long after the card is over. These dives aren’t just reckless attempts to impress and maim. Kash has acquired and adept knowledge of how to shift his weight in mid air, like a bird from years of performing these daredevil moves. Kash’s hunacarana and high-flying ability are a testament to his ingenious creativity and proficient wrestling skill.
Kash’s dedication has paid off has he has slowly climbed up the card of ECW. He had his first main event match in Houston, TX against “The whole F’N Show” Rob Van Dam. This was not just a match for Kash; it was his opportunity to show he belonged. The years of enduring and passing all of Morton’s tests, fighting through the pain and wrestling in front of small crowds in no-name towns while constantly working to improve his ability led to this match. A Van Terminator and five-star frog splash made Kash succumb to a three count, but not before something had happened. Kash had frustrated, bewildered and almost defeated “Mr. PPV.” Kash proved he deserved a spot at the top of the card. In fact, Van Dam and his manager Bill Alfonso were so impressed that they selected Kash to be RVD’s tag team partner.
Kash has also impressed world heavyweight champion Justin Credible. Although Credible won’t admit it, Kash has come within a split second of becoming the world titleholder. Credible has even needed the help of Rhino to defeat Kash.
Kash went on to beat Rhino in August 2000 for the TV title. I have no info regarding what Kash has been up to since ECW went under.