04 'Tough Enough' victor on track to become star
By Alex Marvez, Pro-wrestling
March 24, 2006

The impending debut of Mike ''The Miz'' Mizanin on World Wrestling Entertainment's ''Smackdown'' telecasts begs the following question:

Whatever happened to Daniel Puder, who bested Mizanin to win WWE's ''Tough Enough'' competition in 2004?

Puder is no longer with WWE after a contract dispute, but he is on track to become a dual star elsewhere in pro wrestling and mixed martial arts fighting.

Puder scored a submission victory over Jesse Fujarcyk two weeks ago on a ''Strike Force MMA'' show in San Jose, Calif., that drew more than 18,000 fans and will be telecast on Fox Sports Net in April. Puder also will begin working for independent pro wrestling promotions next month and said his agent was contacted this week by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (10 p.m. Saturdays, Spike TV).

Because of that promotion's limited schedule, TNA is especially appealing to Puder because it would give him ample time to train for demanding MMA competition.

''I think I would bring something they kind of already have there with Samoa Joe,'' said Puder, referring to that TNA star's hard-hitting style. ''But at the same time, nobody (in the United States) has ever really done wrestling and MMA at the same time.''

Puder showcased his legitimate fighting skills during a ''Tough Enough'' drill against WWE star Kurt Angle, who was a 1996 Olympic gold medalist as an amateur wrestler. Angle was supposed to plow through a crew of WWE trainees, but instead found himself hooked in a Puder key lock. Angle was saved from a broken arm by a quick count from a WWE referee and the fact Puder didn't apply full pressure because he didn't want to seriously hurt one of the promotion's headliners while trying to land a job.

In retrospect, Puder said he erred by not injuring Angle.

''They (WWE) would have had to push me right there because people would have said, 'What happened?' '' said Puder, who wore a shirt reading, ''I Hurt Kurt'' before his Strike Force debut. ''The crowd would have gone crazy because something like that has never happened before.''

Puder led ''Tough Enough'' fan voting and officially won the contest by defeating Mizanin in a legitimate boxing match on WWE's ''Armageddon'' pay-per-view show in 2004. WWE, however, then seemed more interested in destroying Puder's career rather than building it. Puder never got to feud with Angle and was subsequently buried in developmental territory Ohio Valley Wrestling after being trounced in WWE's 2005 ''Royal Rumble.''

While WWE advertised a $1 million contract for the ''Tough Enough'' winner, the promotion canceled the remaining three years on his deal. Puder said he then declined WWE's new offer of a $750-a-week contract, which led to his departure.

Even so, Puder is appreciative of his WWE experience and the chance to spend his final months working under Extreme Championship Wrestling mastermind Paul Heyman, who replaced Jim Cornette as OVW's matchmaker last July. Heyman helped Puder incorporate his MMA background into his wrestling character.

''WWE made me a star and then let me go, which is great because now I've got a good name and can do whatever I want,'' said Puder, 24. ''If they were smart, they would have ruined me by having me dress like a girl.''

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