| Alakai Burke | |
|---|---|
| |
| Birth name | Alakai Nico Burke |
| Ring name(s) | Alakai Burke |
| Billed height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
| Billed weight | 245 lb (111 kg) |
| Born | January 10, 1974 (age 47) San Jose, Calfornia |
| Billed from | San Jose, California |
| Trained by | StarrDome |
| Debut | 2006 |
| Retired | 2012 |
Alakai Nico Burke (born January 10, 1974), is a retired professional wrestling promoter, model, retired professional wrestler, and Hall of Famer. Under the ring name Dominick Starr, Burke gained wrestling fame during his time in UFL! where he was a two-time and the final UFL! World Heavyweight Champion. Burke headlined the company's 2010 Revival Tour and was subsequently inducted into the Hall of Fame for his achievement. Burke also achieved success with the major wrestling federation World Wrestling Headquarters, where he was a one-time WWH World Heavyweight Champion & earned a year-end award for Feud of the Year.
Burke then founded & assumed co-ownership of World Elite Wrestling, which rose to popularity rather quickly after its inception in 2011. The company ran for 4 years and hosted two weekly brands accompanied by two pre-shows. Burke remained an on-screen authority and appeared on all WEW brands, except for during his brief feud with SM Raye where he then primarily appeared on Friday Night Adrenaline.
Early life[]
Alakai Burke was born on January 10th in San Jose, California. Burke is the middle child to Selena and Dorian. Their father, David, is of African-American descent and their mother Ella is of Hispanic and Hawaiian descent. David is a retired wrestler who opened his own training school that would become the infamous StarrDome Wrestling Academy. It was here that David trained his children every day after school. Alakai graduated high school and juggled training for wrestling throughout his college years until he earned his Associates Degree from San Jose State University. After completing his training, Alakai received his first wrestling tryout for the amateur wrestling promotion, UFL! (Underground Fight League). There, Burke developed his gimmick and ring name: Dominick Starr.
Professional Wrestling Career (2006-2011)[]
UFL! (2006-2009)[]
Burke had three try outs with the company before he finally signed a contract. Burke was very talented and therefore the creative team decided to place him in a storyline with the then UFL! Lightweight Champion, Nick Jacky. Dominick played heel in this role and attacked Jacky numerous times after matches. It was until the pay-per-view match that Jacky never showed and Dominick was to win the title from a forfeit, but however he did not. The storyline continued until Jacky was released from his contract after no-showing to a couple of other house shows and live events, then requesting his release. Upon that decision, in Jacky's last match, Dominick defeated him to win his first title in UFL. Weeks after being champion, Starr got into a legitimate fight with the owner, Kimber Chelle, and was fired from UFL!, thus having his UFL! Lightweight Title stripped.
Return to UFL![]
In late 2008, Dominick Starr made his return to dark matches for the company. The creative team wanted to place him in a storyline for the UFL! Lightweight Championship because it was still being held by the man who won it after Burke was stripped of the belt. This idea was nixed when the UFL! World Heavyweight Champion himself wanted to feud with Burke. Burke was placed into a #1 Contenders match to the UFL! World Heavyweight Championship and won three weeks after being signed back. At the pay-per-view, UFL! Halloween X, an event that went down in history as the "UFL! Screwjob" occurred after Kimber Chelle, UFL's owner with documented beef towards Burke outside of the ring, counted the pin for The Jester to retain his title. This was considered a huge upset when Burke informed the media afterwards that plans were for him to win the match-up. Burke elected to continue with the storyline anyway.
UFL! World Heavyweight Champion[]
Burke and the Jester continued their feud and attacked each other week after week in the backstage area and during each other's matches. At the next pay-per-view, Shattered Dreams, in a Last Man Standing Match, Dominick prevailed to capture his first World Championship reign in UFL! During that time, Dominick began dating Kenzie. After a few months, Dominick hosted the first Halloween X costume contest which was won by Allyson Letherlund. Allyson and Dominick began flirting over the next couple of weeks, hinting at an on-screen affair stirring between the two. When Kenzie thought Allyson was making a move on Dominick, she challenged Allyson to the first ever "Fired and Owned" match with the stipulation that the loser would be fired from the company and the winner had the rights to Dominick Starr's management; Allyson ended up victorious. Dominick wrote "Confessions of A True Starr," a weekly blog column that was voted the 2008 Weekly Segment of the Year.
Introduction of Public Enemy[]
A few months into Dominick's UFL! World Championship reign, the promotion extended contract offers to Burke's sister and brother, Dorian and Selena, but billed them under different ring names, Dorian Burke and Selena Sky, respectively. Dominick would pick on Dorian for a couple of weeks, but instead of doing the same to Selena, he selected her as his tag team partner for match. Ultimately, Dominick made an in-ring announcement that his family would soon be coming. After much anticipation, Dominick had a couple stagehands lift a huge box that was in the center of the ring to reveal Dorian and Selena for Public Enemy's debut.
Final Feuds[]
At the New Year's pay-per-view, Countdown to Demise, Dominick sat ring side for a new concept match, the Revolver Match for the number one contendership to his championship. Then-UFL! Lightweight Champion Spider won the match and the two began a short feud. After one of Spider's matches, the week before Burke's pay-per-view title defense, Dominick attacked Spider. At the pay-per-view Fatal Attraction, Starr faced Spider in a title versus title match-up. It ended in a disqualifiction due to a masked attacker, later revealed as Whiskey Rebel. In later weeks, Whiskey would interfere in Starr's matches. After this, Dominick cornered Whiskey in the ring and the two brawled. Allyson Letherlund would seemingly help by getting a chair for Whiskey's demise, but then suddenly crash it over Starr's head, turning on him. The two officially broke up. At UFL!'s Retribution event, Whiskey and Allyson faced Dominick Starr and Selena in a losing effort by disqualification. Afterwards, Veronica Striker, Dominick's then-real life spouse, showed up and attacked Whiskey Rebel and Allyson. This storyline came to an abrupt end when UFL! closed. Dominick concluded his run with the promotion as the only undefeated champion in UFL! history and his championship belt resides in his San Jose home.
World Wrestling Headquarters (2009-2010)[]
Burke, still under his Starr ring name, signed a contract with World Wrestling Headquarters (WWH). Starr quickly developed an on-screen relationship with Brenda Flair. WWH had a draft and Starr was put on WWH's Demolition brand. However, WWH suffered a mishap with the draft picks and Dominick was sent back to WWH's Showdown brand. On June 9, 2009, Dominick was placed back on Demolition and a match was scheduled against the Demolition Champion, Jason Krow. Starr was defeated via submission-KO when Krow choked Starr out with the Shadow of Death maneuver. After a few weeks of wins, Dominick then got put into a #1 Contendership match for the WWH Tag Team Championship, but lost when his partner Devin Copeland was pinned. Dominick took a leave of absence on July 11, 2009 to fully heal his aggravated injury that happened after facing Jimmy Jacobs on an episode of Super Showdown.
World Champion; Gimmick Change[]
Dominick was traded to WWH's third brand, InnerCircle, after the returning legendary brand had captured twenty draft picks. Starr came back into action and was put into a match facing one-half of the Tag Team Champions, Fear, for the #1 Contendership to the WWH World Heavyweight Championship; Dominick won this match and the contendership. At WWH's pay-per-view event, SummerSlam, Dominick Starr defeated Mike Kelly to capture his only WWH World Championship. During that time, Dominick tested a new gimmick consisting of an an alter-ego named Jamond Davenport, although it did not last very long.
After not receiving a new #1 Contender, and with fewer talent, WWH's Demolition brand was absorbed by the more ratings-heavy InnerCircle. Due to this, a championship merger was scheduled at WWH's X-Games event between Starr and the Demolition Champion, Jason Krow; Krow defeated Starr in this contest to unify the titles. However, the two turned this into a feud and Dominick saw his first babyface run during his time in the company. The two attacked each other numerous times, but not always directly. Dominick vandalized Krow's car, and Krow attacked Dominick in his home while followed by a film crew. The two men had a contract signing under stipulation: if Dominick touched Krow, he would lose his title re-match and if Krow touched Dominick then the ban of Dominick touching Krow would be lifted and he could do all he wanted. At this moment, Dominick was feigning an injury from Krow's in-home attack, therefore Krow figured Dominick would be able to take advantage of fighting him beforehand with the pay-per-view only days away. At the contract signing, Krow was first to break the stipulation and Dominick retaliated by attacking Krow with the aid of his crutch. At the Survivor Series pay-per-view, Dominick Starr had his final match against Jason Krow for the WWH World Heavyweight Championship and lost. The next night he left in-ring competition. Starr returned to manage his now real life girlfriend, Brenda Flair. Later that year, it was also announced that Dominick had won the Best Feud of the Year with Jason Krow. Dominick and Brenda announced their engagement to each other a few weeks before Brenda won the WWH High Velocity Championship.
Short return to the ring and Retirement[]
On May 30, 2010 Dominick signed a contract with WWH to become a wrestler once again on the brand InnerCircle. During his first return dark match, Dominick was victorious as he defeated T.J. Fields. Dominick's old UFL manager, Allyson Letherlund, also returned that week to become his active manager, with plans to evolve into a storyline jeopardizing the marriage of Dominick and Brenda. However, Allyson Letherlund parted ways with the company and the storyline was dropped, so Brenda Flair resumed her role as Dominick's manager. A few weeks later, Starr allowed his contract to expire & chose not to resign.
World Elite Wrestling (2012)[]
Feud with SM Raye[]
When SM Raye announced that he hadn't resigned his contract with WEW despite being the #1 Contender to the WEW World Championship and Tag Team Championships, Alakai announced that his title shots would not be honored unless he renegotiated his contract to become an active brand participant; furthermore, Alakai asserted that Raye would not be scheduled in matches. This sparked outrage from Raye. The two attempted a contract renegotiation, but it ended in a brawl after Alakai became enraged towards Raye's disrespect for Alakai and his family. Two weeks later on Adrenaline, Alakai informed Raye that he must decide his tag team partner for the #1 Contendership or surrender the title shot; Raye would reveal his partner as Justin Blade. At Retribution, Raye pinned the World Champion by using brass knuckles and Alakai came to the ring and provided playback for the refere to see Raye had cheated; this caused the referee to reverse the decision and Raye's opponent retained his championship via disqualification. On the following Friday Night Adrenaline, Burke received an ominous message detailing taking something precious from him. The following week, Raye wheeled out Brenda Burke on a torture device. Alakai was entering the building at the time and ran out to help Brenda, but was attacked from behind by Raye. On the next show, after a chaotic 6-Person Tag Team match ended in a no contest, Alakai confronted Raye about his wife's whereabouts. When Raye refused to tell Burke, Burke snapped and attacked Raye relentlessly until security came out to stop him. At Legacy, Burke defeated Raye in a "Street Fight" and his wife was returned to him.
Business Career (2010-2015)[]
UFL! Revival Tour (2010)[]
Burke returned to UFL!, this time using his real name, as the headliner for a Revival Tour pitting UFL! originals versus new talent. The theme of the tour was reviving the hardcore stylings of UFL! The tour was ultimately cut short. After Monroe Diamond was fired from the tour due to breach of contract, Alakai took his place in a scheduled triple threat match for the UFL! World Championship. Alakai went on to win the main event, becoming a two-time, and once again the final, UFL! World Heavyweight Champion. At the conclusion of the tour, Alakai was inducted into the Hall of Fame by the Public Enemy stable alongside numerous other noteworthy superstars and femme fatales as the Class of 2010.
World Elite Wrestling (2011-2015)[]
Rumors circled in the beginning of 2011 that Burke would venture out into starting his very own federation, and those rumors were confirmed on June 2, 2011. A few weeks later, World Elite Wrestling opened and began signing Superstars and Starlets. On WEW's first show, Jason Krow, known to be one of Alakai's most bitter rivals, won his debut match in the first round of a tournament to crown the inaugural WEW Champion. Alakai came out immediately after the match and stared Krow down before extending his hand as a show of good faith and the two shook hands to end their years long rivalry. A few days later, Alakai hired Brenda Burke as his personal assistant and their son, Brayden Burke (going under the name Brayden Perez) to be a backstage interviewer. Alakai re-appeared on screen on an edition of Monday Night Animosity where he took over as the acting General Manager when announcing to Priscilla Oliveira, who was the General Manager at the time, that she would have a match at their Halloween X pay-per-view against her arch rival SM Raye to settle their feud. At Halloween X, SM Raye defeated Priscilla and immediately after Alakai came out to announce Priscilla's firing alongside Brayden, whom Alakai had announced earlier as his son and the new WEW President. Later that year, WEW embarked on its first World Tour, which was a success. Over the next few years, WEW would gain significant prominence in the wrestling community, becoming one of the largest wrestling companies in the world. In 2015, the federation officially closed and Alakai retired from the wrestling business.
Wrestling Information[]
- Finishing and signature moves
- Starr Drive/Broken Wings (Lifting sit-out double under hook face buster) – 2006–2010
- Tatu'd/Tatu'd Glory (Inverted double under hook face buster) – 2006–2010
- Starr'd Status (Gory Lock transitioned into a Reverse STO) – 2006–2009
- Signature moves
- Starr Suicide (Reverse DDT lock into a cradle piledriver) (UFL!, XWA, WWH, WWEX)
- Dropkick
- Snap Powerbomb
- Missile Dropkick
- Running Crossbody
- Running clothesline
- Big Boot
- Fisherman Suplex
- Snapmare
- Superplex
- Managers
- Kenzie (UFL!)
- Allyson Letherlund (UFL!, WWH)
- Veronica Striker (UFL!)
- Brenda Burke (WWH)
- Stables
- Public Enemy (Dorian Burke, Dominick Starr, Selena w/ Zye) (UFL!)
- Nickname
- "Head Starr of the Show" (UFL!, as head of the revival tour)
- "Star of the Spotlight" (WWH)
- "Star" (UFL, WWH)
- "Prince" (UFL)
- Entrance themes
- "Whispers in the Dark" by Skillet (UFL!, WWH, WEW)
- Wrestlers Personally Trained
- Chance Rugani
- Kameron Copeland
- Zharya Burke
- Sayge Jemson
- Rhiannon
- Felicia James
- Melina Johnson
Championships and Accomplishments[]
- UFL!
- UFL! World Heavyweight Champion (2 times)
- UFL! Lightweight Champion (1 Time)
- Inducted into the UFL! Hall of Fame class (2010)
- UFL! 2008 Entrance Music of the Year (Whispers in the Dark)
- UFL! 2008 Finishing Move of the Year (Starr Drive)
- UFL! 2008 Best Mic Skills of the Year
- UFL! 2008 Weekly Segment of the Year (Confessions of a True Starr)
- Head of the UFL! Revival Tour (2010)
- World Wrestling Headquarters
- WWH World Heavyweight Champion (1 time)
- 2009 Feud of the Year (vs. Jason Krow)
- World Elite Wrestling
- WEW Founder
- WEW co-Owner
- 2012 WEW Award for Feud of the Year (vs. SM Raye, Ranked #16)
Personal life[]
Alakai was married to his former valet, Veronica Striker, for four years before the two divorced. In 2009, Alakai married former wrestler and his former manager, Brenda. He has three children: Nevaeh Cattleya Burke (b. 1994) from his marriage with Veronica, Brayden James Burke (b. 1999) from his marriage with Brenda, and Nico Alakai Burke (b. 2000) the adopted son of Alakai and Brenda. After his brother Dorian's death in 2014 and World Elite Wrestling's closure in 2015, Alakai took a large step away from the wrestling community; he handed down ownership of the family training facility, the StarrDome, to Brayden.
Alakai is a brother-in-law to Angelica Monroe, Felicia Johnson, and Melina Johnson through Zharya's marriage to Alakai's older brother, Dorian.