Although Wendel retired from professional play in 2006, he maintained involvement in the esports scene, making appearances at events and participating in exhibition matches.

After finishing his regular sports activities in high school during the day, he would spend hours playing Quake online at night.

It was during this time that he became acquainted with another player named Eric "Batch" Paik, and they began meeting up every weekend to play Quake.

[1] Once Wendel completed high school, he resided with his father while simultaneously attending computer classes and working part-time.

However, he aspired to become a professional video game player, so he struck a deal with his father — if he failed to earn any money in his first major tournament, he would return to school.

In October 1999, at the age of 18, he invested $500 to participate in a Cyberathlete Professional League (CPL) tournament held in Dallas, Texas.

Throughout 2000, Wendel showcased his prowess in various prominent CPL events across Europe, Asia, and the United States, culminating in a triumph at the 2000 World Cyber Games in Seoul.

[8][9] In 2005, Wendel made a transition to playing Painkiller for the 2005 CPL World Tour, a year-long tournament series that spanned across four continents and culminated in December at the Nokia Theater in Times Square, New York.

Wendel emerged triumphant by winning four consecutive games, claiming the first-place position and an unprecedented esports cash prize of $150,000.

This victory marked his fifth world title, each achieved in a different FPS game[10] In 2006, Wendel shifted his focus to Quake IV.

Following the WSVG Finals, Wendel made the decision to retire from professional play due to the decline of his preferred genre in gaming.

This record remained unbroken for over six years following his retirement until it was surpassed by Lee "Jaedong" Jae-dong, a prominent StarCraft player, towards the end of 2013.

[18][5] His upbringing took place in Kansas City, where his parents worked in auto factories, and his father also managed a pool hall.

Wendel acknowledged the profound impact of the MTV show on his career, recognizing its ability to provide him ongoing exposure and media attention.

"[7] In January 2006, Wendel was featured on the news program 60 Minutes, which delved into his professional gaming career and the global explosion of esports.