Jay Lethal
Encyclopedia
Jamar "Jay" Shipman better known by his ring name
Jay Lethal, is an American professional wrestler
currently signed to Ring of Honor
(ROH), where he is the ROH World Television Champion
. He is best known for working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
(TNA), where he was a six-time X Division Champion
and a one-time World Tag Team Champion
with Consequences Creed.
and is the middle child of three brothers and two sisters. On July 7, 2001, at age sixteen, Shipman entered a contest held by Jersey All Pro Wrestling
(JAPW) which entitled the winner to six months free training in the JAPW professional wrestling school. Shipman won, and spent half a year training, at the end of which the JAPW school closed down. Shipman then began training under Extreme Championship Wrestling
alum Mikey Whipwreck
and Dan Maff
.
, on September 13, 2002, in Bayonne, New Jersey, at Never Forget, defeating the champion, Ghost Shadow, and Rain in a 3-way match. His reign lasted an unprecedented and unreplicated eleven months, with Lethal finally losing to Crazy Ivan on August 22, 2003 in Rahway, New Jersey
at Counter-Strike. Lethal also held the JAPW Light Heavyweight Championship
, defeating the champion, Azrieal
, Insane Dragon and Jack Evans
on February 28, 2004, at Revolution, in a four way match. Azrieal tried to regain the title for eight months, but repeatedly lost to Lethal. On December 10, 2004, at Seasons Beatings, Azrieal gained one more shot at the JAPW Light Heavyweight Championship by challenging Lethal to a "belt versus loser leaves town" match, which would see Azrieal leave JAPW if he lost. Azrieal was able to win the match, thus ending their lengthy feud
.
, which had been held by Dan Maff since December 2003. On January 29, 2005, at Wild Card, Lethal pinned Maff in a title match, but the decision was overturned by crooked referee Sean Hanson.
In March 2005, Maff left JAPW and retired from wrestling following an argument with Homicide, thus vacating the JAPW Heavyweight Championship. Lethal was awarded the Heavyweight Championship on March 26 at Caged Fury 2 held in the ECW Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but he refused to accept it, claiming that he wanted to "earn" the title. JAPW mainstay Homicide then challenged Lethal to an impromptu match for the vacant title, which Homicide won. Lethal finally won the JAPW Heavyweight Championship on May 21 in Braintree, Massachusetts, at Braintree Invasion defeating Homicide, Kevin Steen
and Samoa Joe
in a four way match by pinning Homicide following a diving headbutt.
Lethal defeated Steve Corino
on June 4 at HomeComing with his father in his corner, but, after the match, Corino and Ricky Landell
handcuffed Lethal to the top rope and attacked his father with Corino placing him in a crossface. This led to a six man tag match on July 16, at Gored pitting Lethal and his father against Corino, Landell and Landell's manager, Rick Silver. Lethal and his father were outnumbered, but managed to pull off a win at the last minute after Lethal's mother introduced their partner, the returning Charlie Haas
. After Haas attacked Lethal during the post-match celebrations, a title match was booked between Haas and Lethal for Haas of Pain held on September 10, which was won by Lethal. On October 22 at 8th Year Anniversary Show Lethal ended his feud with Corino by defeating him for the title in a Dog Collar match with help from Tommy Dreamer
.
Lethal's next feud would be with The D-Factor's Rhino
, who, on November 12, 2005 at Fall Out, assaulted him following his successful title defense against B-Boy. On January 7, 2006, at Wild Card II, Lethal lost the JAPW Heavyweight Championship to Rhino, who won the bout after giving Lethal a Rhino Driver through a table from the top rope.
, and then on May 20, 2006, but was unsuccessful both times at regaining the title. After unsuccessfully going after the JAPW Light Heavyweight Championship held by Frankie Kazarian
, Lethal and former rival Azrieal managed to win the JAPW Tag Team Championship
by defeating the champions The Outcast Killaz (Oman Tortuga and Diablo Santiago) and The S.A.T.
(Jose and Joel Maximo) in a 3-way dance on October 28, 2006, at 9th Year Anniversary Show, held in Rahway, New Jersey. On June 9, 2007, at Back to Business, The Latin American Xchange of Homicide and Hernandez
defeated Lethal and Azrieal for the titles.
to earn the right to challenge for Omega's title that same night. In the end, Lethal pinned Omega with the flipping release dragon suplex after Omega's associate Dan Maff turned on him, to win the JAPW Heavyweight Championship for the second time. During the match Maff had also attacked Lethal and that lead to a Championship match between the two on March 28, at Unfinished Business, in which Lethal managed to retain his title. Lethal defeated Maff again on April 18 at International Invasion, but only after Trent Acid
interfered in the match. Their feud ended on June 27 in Jersey City, at Caged Destiny, when Maff defeated Lethal for the title inside a steel cage. Lethal has not made any appearances for JAPW since.
debut as Hydro, a member of Special K
on Revenge on the Prophecy held in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, on January 11, 2003. On May 22, 2004 at Generation Next he faced Alex Shelley
in a singles match. Though he lost, Shelley recognized his pure wrestling talent and offered him membership in Generation Next
, Shelley's stable of future stars. Hydro declined, opting to remain part of Special K. Hydro won a four corner survival match at World Title Classic on June 12, which entitled him to enter the Pure Wrestling tournament later that year. At Survival of the Fittest on June 24, he and Dixie took part in a four way tag match for the Tag Team Championship
in a losing effort, as CM Punk
single-handedly defended the title to allow his tag team partner and co-champion Colt Cabana to prepare for his match later that evening. Hydro then challenged Punk to an impromptu match, which Punk also won. Hydro shook hands before the match, thus following the "Code of Honor" (which Special K normally ignored).
Samoa Joe advised Hydro to change his name and become more serious. Acting on Joe's advice, Hydro left Special K and went back to calling himself Jay Lethal. He was eliminated from the tournament after Doug Williams
pinned him in a four way match using the Chaos Theory.
At Testing the Limit on August 7, Lethal took part in a four way match, pitting him against Alex Shelley, Ace Steel
and 2 Cold Scorpio
. Despite the moral support of his parents, who were in the audience, Lethal suffered a second loss to Shelley. Having rejected Shelley's offer of a place in Generation Next before the match for a second time, Lethal asked Shelley for a singles match. Lethal and Shelley faced one another for a third time on August 28 at Scramble Cage Melee, with Shelley cheating to gain a third victory. Having lost every match for months, Lethal was obliged to face Matt Stryker at Glory by Honor III on September 11 with his ROH career on the line. Lethal won, breaking his losing streak. Low Ki, who had been feuding with Samoa Joe for several months, challenged Lethal, as Joe's protégé, at The Midnight Express Reunion on October 2. In the course of the match, Low Ki's manager
Julius Smokes
harassed Lethal's parents (once again watching the match from the audience) and Low Ki spat
at Lethal's mother. Low Ki easily defeated Lethal, then mocked him after the match.
Lethal lost to Chad Collyer
at Gold on October 15, but recovered with a win over Delirious
the next day at Joe vs. Punk II. He teamed with his mentor, Samoa Joe, and lost to John Walters
and Nigel McGuinness
at Weekend Of Thunder: Night One on November 5, before suffering another loss to Embassy member Jimmy Rave
the subsequent evening. After his match with Rave, Lethal attacked Prince Nana
, the leader of The Embassy. This led to Nana recruiting several masked
mercenaries
(dubbed the "Weapons of Masked Destruction") in an attempt to end Lethal's career. Lethal defeated both WMDs at All-Star Extravaganza 2 on December 4 and Final Battle 2004 on December 26 respectively, in both cases ending the match with his signature flipping release dragon suplex.
Lethal's feud with The Embassy continued into 2005, and on February 19 at the Third Anniversary Celebration: Part One he pinned Embassy member Jimmy Rave to become number one contender to the Pure Championship
. Pure Champion and Embassy member John Walters
, who had control over when to wrestle his title matches, chose to have the title defense immediately after Lethal's match, defeating the exhausted Lethal to retain his title following a trifecta of Lung Blowers. Lethal was scheduled to faced Walters for the title in a re-match at Trios Tournament 2005 on March 5 in Philadelphia, but was attacked by an unknown assailant backstage, resulting in Lethal's eye swelling shut. Despite the injury, Lethal went on to defeat Walters later that night to win the Pure Championship, his first and only title in ROH.
On March 12 at Back to Basics, Lethal and Samoa Joe teamed once again to face CM Punk and Spanky
, with Lethal pinning Spanky with a bridging dragon suplex. At the Best of the American Super Juniors Tournament on April 2, Lethal and Joe faced Jimmy Jacobs
and B.J. Whitmer
for the vacant Tag Team Championship, but were defeated. Lethal retained his Pure Championship in a match with Spanky at Stalemate on April 16, but on May 7 at Manhattan Mayhem he lost the title to his mentor Samoa Joe. After the match, both men were ambushed after the match by The Rottweilers, who revealed Low Ki was the one who attacked Lethal at Trios Tournament 2005. This led to a tag match that same night pitting Lethal and Joe against Low Ki and fellow Rottweiler Homicide. The match ended when Homicide gave Lethal Da Cop Killa while Low Ki simultaneously delivered a Ghetto Stomp, driving Lethal's neck into the ground. Lethal was stretched
from the arena, wearing a neck brace, ostensibly seriously injured.
After being out "injured" for a month, Lethal returned on June 12 at The Future is Now to save James Gibson
from a beating at the hands of The Rottweilers. He returned to the ring on June 18 at Death Before Dishonor III, where he faced Low Ki in a grudge match which was declared a no contest after both men were disqualified. At Sign of Dishonor on July 8, Lethal teamed with fellow former Special K member Dixie to defeat The Heartbreak Express
. Later that evening, Mick Foley
forced World Champion
CM Punk, who had signed with World Wrestling Entertainment
and was trying to leave ROH with the World Championship, to defend his title against Lethal. Punk retained his title with a Muscle Buster / rear naked choke combination, often used by Samoa Joe, who had come ringside to cheer Lethal on.
Seeking revenge for the neck injury he had in May, Lethal challenged Homicide at Escape from New York on July 9, but lost due to Homicide using a chain. On July 23 at The Homecoming he joined forces with Samoa Joe and James Gibson to face The Rottweilers (Homicide, Low Ki and Ricky Reyes
) but again suffered a defeat, with Homicide using the chain this time on Gibson. Lethal challenged Low Ki once more on August 12 at Redemption as part of his ongoing rivalry with The Rottweilers. The match ended in a draw after the enemies fought outside the ring and were counted out. After the match, Homicide came to the ring to attack Lethal, but was stopped by his opponent for the night, Matt Hardy
. On August 13 at Punk: The Final Chapter, Lethal and Joe defeated Low Ki and Homicide by disqualification after Homicide hit an elbow drop to the referee. Afterwards the four men brawled all over the arena, with Low Ki Ghetto Stomping Lethal off the bleachers and ending with him giving Lethal the Ki Krusher in the middle of the ring.
At Glory by Honor IV on September 17, Lethal lost to Low Ki in a "Fight Without Honor
". He went on to defeat Low Ki later that night, however, in a standard singles match to end their feud. He defeated Sal Rinauro
to advance to the finals of the Survival of the Fittest 2005 tournament on September 24, but was eliminated by Roderick Strong
.
by attacking Joe's knee with a chair and then pinned him with the flipping release dragon suplex.
On January 27, 2006, Lethal teamed with Bryan Danielson
, losing to Austin Aries and Roderick Strong in a match for the Tag Team Championship. At the Fourth Anniversary Show on February 25, 2006 in Edison, New Jersey
, Lethal lost cleanly to Samoa Joe to end their short-lived feud. He departed from the promotion following this, but subsequently returned three times for one-night appearances (working all matches as a face
, losing to Pure Champion Nigel McGuinness
on May 13, teaming with Colt Cabana on July 15 in a losing effort against Jimmy Rave and Sal Rinauro, and losing a four way survival match against Claudio Castagnoli
, Christopher Daniels
, and the match winner, Nigel McGuinness on August 5, 2006.
While wrestling for JAPW, Lethal caught the eye of Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
(TNA) producer
and announcer
Jeremy Borash
, who offered him a spot in the TNA roster. Lethal debuted in TNA on the December 17, 2005 episode of TNA Impact!
, losing to X Division Champion
and fellow ROH alum Samoa Joe
. In January 2006, he was signed to a contract by TNA. He made his pay-per-view
debut at Against All Odds in 2006 on February 12, defeating Matt Bentley
, Alex Shelley
, and Petey Williams
in a four way match by pinning Williams.
On the February 18, 2006 episode of Impact!, Lethal defeated Roderick Strong
and Shannon Moore
to earn a spot in Team USA, the defending champions in the 2006 World X Cup
. Other members of the team were Chris Sabin
, Sonjay Dutt
and Alex Shelley. Team USA wrestled their first match at Lockdown
on April 23, 2006, where Lethal, Dutt and Shelley lost to Team Japan
(Black Tiger IV
, Minoru Tanaka and Hirooki Goto
) after Black Tiger pinned Lethal with a Black Tiger Suplex. On the April 27, 2006 episode of Impact!, Lethal unsuccessfully challenged Samoa Joe for the X Division Championship. On May 14 at Sacrifice Lethal participated in the World X Cup Gauntlet match, but ended up being the second to last man eliminated from the match by Team Mexico
's Puma
. The tournament ended on the following edition of Impact! with Chris Sabin defeating Team Canada
's Petey Williams to win the World X Cup for Team USA.
In the June 1, 2006 episode of Impact!, Lethal scored a win over Alex Shelley, but was after the match attacked by his associate Kevin Nash
, who had declared a war on the X Division in the aftermath of Team USA's World X Cup victory. During the July 13, 2006 episode, Lethal won the right to challenge for the title of his choosing by scoring the deciding fall in an eight man "All or Nothing" tag team match, where he teamed with Rhino] and Team 3D
(Brother Ray and Brother Devon) against Team Canada (Petey Williams, Bobby Roode, Eric Young
and A1
). The next week, Lethal challenged Jeff Jarrett
for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship
, but was defeated following interference from Scott Steiner
. Two weeks later, Lethal took part in a five way X Division match to determine the number one contender for the title. Although Petey Williams won the match, one week later Lethal was added to the match, making it a three way match for the X Division title at Hard Justice involving Lethal, Williams and defending champion Senshi. Lethal was pinned by Senshi after Williams hit him with his Canadian Destroyer.
In a strong product placement
, Lethal alongside Sonjay Dutt, got fellow X Division superstar Chris Sabin ready for his match at No Surrender by watching clips of Jackass Number Two, which was being heavily promoted by TNA at the time. One night on Impact!, during Chris Sabin's match with Alex Shelley, Shelley's partner Johnny Devine
was pushed in a shopping cart and rammed into the steel post, allowing Sabin to pin Shelley. The following week, Lethal was able to defeat Petey Williams after Sabin and Dutt distracted the referee, allowing Lethal to roll a bowling ball into Petey's groin. Following in this storyline, Lethal went on to defeat Williams again on September 24, 2006 at the No Surrender pay-per-view, following Williams allegedly being given laxative
s by stable mate Dutt, rendering him incapable of doing most of his moves, and giving Lethal the victory when Williams could no longer "hold it". He and Dutt were also involved in Sabin's match later in the night with similar antics involving a blow-up doll, but to no avail as Sabin would lose the match despite the interference. These, too, were designed as advertising for Jackass Number Two, as were other moments for Mortal Kombat: Armageddon
.
In December 2006, Kevin Nash recruited Lethal, Senshi, Austin Starr
, Sonjay Dutt and Alex Shelley to compete in a tournament known as the Paparazzi Championship Series. The series included a push-up contest, musical chairs, Limbo contest, Texas Hold'em and a few others, although Lethal did not win the tournament. After the tournament, which concluded in January 2007, Lethal and Dutt continued appearing in Paparazzi segments with Nash and PCS winner Alex Shelley, with Nash promising to give Lethal and Dutt Extreme Makeovers to help advance their careers. The February 15 edition of Impact! included a segment named "Paparazzi Idol", a takeoff on American Idol
. After Lethal's attempt to sing was disliked by the judges, judge Kevin Nash suggested that Lethal do an impression, to which Lethal responded with a spot-on impression of wrestling legend "Macho Man" Randy Savage
. On the April 5, 2007, edition of Impact! presented Lethal and Dutt with their new gimmicks, which in Lethal's case, had him in impersonating "Macho Man" Randy Savage. The following week Nash introduced Lethal, who was led to the ring by a remixed version of Pomp and Circumstance
and dressed in full "Macho Man" attire, as "Black Machismo" Jay Lethal. He imitated Savage's trademark catchprase "Oh Yeah!", and was able to defeat X Division Champion Chris Sabin using many of Savage's signature in-ring maneuvers and mannerisms, most notably his finisher, the diving elbow drop.
At the Lockdown
pay-per-view on April 15, 2007, Lethal nearly won the X Division title from Sabin in a five-person Xscape match (five start the match in the cage; the first three eliminations are done by pinfall or submission; the final two must then try to escape the cage, with the first one to exit being declared the winner). Lethal and Sabin were both climbing over the same side of the cage, fighting as they went, and Sabin kicked Lethal's leg so that his leg went through the bars of the cage, trapping him there while Sabin jumped down and won the match. On the April 26 episode of Impact! Lethal and tag team
partner, Sonjay Dutt, who had rejected Nash's idea for his new gimmick, won a shot at the TNA X Division Championship
held by Chris Sabin at Sacrifice. Dutt, however, was unhappy at Lethal getting the pinfall. After their loss to Sabin at Sacrifice, both Dutt and Lethal started brawling until Kevin Nash came out and separated the two until Dutt kicked Nash and stormed out of the ring visibly upset. On May 8, TNA Mobile announced that Randy Savage
himself called Jay Lethal and said that he loved the "Black Machismo" character as the two spoke on the phone for several minutes. However, Lethal subsequently expressed doubt over whether he had really spoken with Savage as the Macho Man's trademark voice is easily imitated. At Slammiversary
, Lethal defeated Chris Sabin in a singles match for the X Division Championship, his first title in TNA. Only days later, however, on the following Impact!, he lost the title to Samoa Joe
after Chris Sabin was pinned, in a Match of Champions three-way qualifying match.
At Victory Road Lethal competed in an Ultimate X
gauntlet match in a losing effort after Christopher Daniels retrieved the X. At Hard Justice Lethal and Sonjay Dutt, who had made peace with Lethal after coming up with the gimmick of a guru, defeated Triple X's
Christopher Daniels and Senshi and The Motor City Machineguns (Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin) in a three-way tag match when Lethal pinned Daniels. This led to Jim Cornette
booking a match on the August 16 edition of Impact! pitting Daniels versus Lethal with the winner becoming the number one contender to the X Division title
, which Lethal would go on to win. As a result of that Lethal would go on to face Triple Crown champion Kurt Angle
for the X Division title at No Surrender, where Lethal would beat Angle cleanly with a roll-up to win the X Division Championship for the second time.
At Genesis Lethal successfully defended his X Division Championship against his best friend, Sonjay Dutt, who during the match once again began showing signs of annoyance towards Lethal and his mannerisms. However, after the match Dutt made peace with Lethal, who then invited SoCal Val, TNA's ring girl, to the ring to celebrate the victory. The celebration was cut short by Team 3D (Brother Ray and Brother Devon), who were at the time feuding with the fan favorite
-turned Motor City Machineguns, who beat down both Lethal and Dutt and left the arena with Lethal's Championship belt. 3D later declared a war on the entire X Division, claiming that its wrestlers were just "little boys" and that they needed to be toughened up. During the feud Johnny Devine turned on the X Division and joined Team 3D, often carrying Lethal's stolen belt around, before officially winning it in a Street Fight on the January 24, 2008, edition of Impact!, following interference from Team 3D. The feud ended on February 10 at Against All Odds, where Lethal, Shelley and Sabin defeated Team 3D and Devine in a six man street fight, ending with Lethal pinning Devine to also win back the X Division Championship. On April 17, 2008, Lethal lost his X Division title after Petey Williams attacked him from behind after a match and cashed in his "Feast or Fired" briefcase for his X Division title shot.
On the next episode of Impact!, Lethal proposed to his on-screen
girlfriend SoCal Val, which she accepted. At Slammiversary
Sonjay Dutt, after months of teasing, finally turned heel by interrupting the wedding ceremony and proclaiming his love for Val, before attacking Lethal and his wedding guests. On the next two Impact! Lethal attacked Dutt out of rage when Dutt claimed that Val loved him. On the next Impact! So Cal Val said that she wanted to put off the wedding. Dutt and Lethal met at Victory Road
in a one on one contest, which Dutt won after Val pleaded with Lethal to stop hurting Dutt, which allowed Dutt to take advantage and roll up Lethal. Lethal proposed to Val again, but found that her ring was missing, as Dutt had stolen it. Lethal and Dutt would meet again in a Black Tie Brawl and Chain match at Hard Justice
, which Lethal won, even though Val distracted him by leaving during the match, because he wouldn't stop hurting Dutt. During a segment of Karen's Angle, Dutt confronted Val and attempted to seduce her, until Lethal attacked him and during the fight accidentally elbowed Val in the face. The following week Val announced that she would put the wedding ring up for grabs in a "Ladder of Love match
" on September 14 at No Surrender
. At No Surrender Val turned on Lethal by giving him a low blow
, which allowed Dutt to climb the ladder and get the wedding ring.
Lethal won the Steel Asylum match to become the number 1 contender to the X Division title. On the October 23 live edition of Impact! Sheik Abdul Bashir
defeated Lethal to retain the championship. The following week, Lethal along with A.J. Styles
, Samoa Joe, Consequences Creed, Petey Williams, Eric Young, O.D.B.
and The Motor City Machineguns formed a faction of younger wrestlers known as the TNA Frontline
to oppose The Main Event Mafia
.
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On December 6, Lethal won one of the "Feast or Fired" briefcases, which was later revealed to contain a shot at the TNA World Tag Team Championship
. On the January 8, 2009 edition of Impact!, Lethal cashed in his briefcase, formed a team with Consequences Creed and defeated then-champions Beer Money, Inc.
(Robert Roode and James Storm
) after Roode's singles match with Matt Morgan to become the new TNA World Tag Team Champions. However, they quickly lost the titles back to Beer Money, Inc. at the Genesis pay-per-view on January 11.
On January 15, Lethal and Creed defeated Abyss and Matt Morgan to earn another shot at the Tag Team Championship. Upon becoming the number one contenders, Lethal and Creed formed a long-term tag team known as Lethal Consequences
(a combination of their ring names) and then started a feud with The Motor City Machineguns (Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin) after dissention between the Guns and the Frontline. They were scheduled a match with the Guns on February 5, but Beer Money interfered in Creed's entrance, injuring his left shoulder. Frontline member Eric Young substituted for Creed, winning the match with a Death Valley driver to both Shelley and Sabin. Beer Money then went on to retain the title at Against All Odds
due to Creed's shoulder injury. After their title match, Lethal Consequences continued their feud with the Motor City Machineguns, with both teams winning one match a piece over the next two weeks. At Destination X
, Lethal competed in an Ultimate X match for the X Division Championship, along with Consequences Creed, Chris Sabin, Alex Shelley and Suicide
, who ended up winning the match and the Championship.
On April 24, 2009, it was announced on TNAWrestling.com that Lethal had signed a new multi-year deal with the company.
On the November 5, 2009, edition of Impact! Jay Lethal announced an open invitational challenge. Due to the announcement of Hulk Hogan
joining TNA, Lethal challenged wrestling legends to take him on. The following week, Jim Neidhart
answered the challenge and defeated Lethal. The series continued on the December 17 edition of Impact!, when Tatanka
answered the challenge and defeated Lethal in a singles match. After months of inactivity, Lethal's alliance with Consequences Creed came officially to an end on March 29, 2010, when Creed was released from his contract.
" (Hogan's old team with Randy Savage). Playing along with Lethal's antics, Hogan placed him in charge of the show for his one week absence due to a business trip. After raising the ire of Hogan's business partner Eric Bischoff
with his comedic booking ideas, Bischoff placed Lethal in a two-on-one handicap match against Beer Money, Inc. Lethal, however, managed to win the match after surprising Robert Roode with a roll-up. On the May 3 edition of Impact! Hulk Hogan gave Lethal Ric Flair
's Hall of Fame ring that Abyss had won from him the previous week. When Lethal, now imitating Flair, was confronted by Flair himself, he claimed that he meant no disrespect and out of respect towards Flair, returned the ring to him. This however wasn't enough for Flair, who attacked Lethal along with A.J. Styles, Desmond Wolfe
and Beer Money, Inc., before he was saved by Abyss, Team 3D and the TNA World Heavyweight Champion
Rob Van Dam
. At Sacrifice
Lethal came out during the TNA World Heavyweight Championship match between champion Rob Van Dam and challenger A.J. Styles and locked Ric Flair in a figure four leglock in order to prevent him from interfering in the match. On the May 20 edition of Impact! Lethal competed in his first match after dropping the Black Machismo gimmick, and teamed up with World Heavyweight Champion Rob Van Dam to defeat Beer Money, Inc. in a tag team match. After the match Lethal brawled with Flair. At Slammiversary VIII
Lethal defeated Flair's protégé A.J. Styles in a singles match. After defeating Desmond Wolfe, another one of Flair's allies, on the June 17 edition of Impact!, Hogan granted him a match with Flair at Victory Road
. On July 11 at Victory Road Lethal defeated Flair with his own move, the figure four leglock. On the August 5 edition of Impact! Lethal faced Flair in a rematch, this time contested under Street Fight rules, with A.J. Styles, Kazarian, Robert Roode and James Storm of Flair's Fortune
stable banned from ringside. Flair managed to win the match, after an interference from X Division Champion Douglas Williams
, who would officially join Fortune the following week. On September 6, at the tapings of the September 16 edition of Impact!, Lethal defeated Williams to win the X Division Championship for the fourth time. On September 23, at a live event
in New York City
, Lethal lost the X Division Championship to Amazing Red
. Lethal regained the title two days later at a live event in Rahway, New Jersey. At Bound for Glory
Lethal successfully defended the X Division Championship against Douglas Williams.
After his title match at Bound for Glory, Lethal was attacked by Robbie E
, who claimed he was a disgrace to New Jersey and vowed to bring some class to the X Division Championship himself. On the October 28 edition of Impact!, Robbie E defeated Lethal in a non–title Street Fight, after interference from his manager Cookie
, to earn the right to challenge for the X Division Championship. At Turning Point
Lethal lost the X Division Championship to Robbie E, after another interference from Cookie. After suffering another loss to Robbie and Cookie on the following edition of Impact! in a mixed tag team match, where he teamed with Taylor Wilde, Lethal came to the conclusion that he needed to find someone who could negate Cookie the next time he went for the X Division Championship. At Final Resolution
Lethal faced Robbie E in a match for the X Division Championship, during which Cookie was suspended above the ring in a shark cage. Robbie retained the title via disqualification, when Lethal was caught using Cookie's hairspray on him. On December 7 at the tapings of the December 16 edition of Impact!, Lethal defeated Robbie E, after Christy Hemme
came out to negate Cookie, to win the X Division Championship for the sixth time, and after the match celebrated with Hemme which led to a kiss between the two. Lethal now shares the record for most reigns as the X Division Champion with A.J. Styles. On January 9, 2011, at Genesis
, Lethal lost the X Division Championship to Fortune member Kazarian. On April 21, 2011, it was reported that Lethal had parted ways with TNA. His final match for the promotion was an eight man Xscape match, which took place on April 17 at Lockdown
. His last televised match was aired on the April 19 edition of Xplosion
, in a three way match with Sangriento and Chris Sabin. Lethal's release from TNA was later used to ignite a storyline feud between the X Division and Eric Bischoff, with both Robert Roode and Brian Kendrick naming him on the May 5 edition of Impact!.
internet pay-per-view. In his ROH return match Lethal defeated Mike Bennett
. On August 8, ROH announced that Lethal had signed a contract with the promotion. On August 13, at the first Ring of Honor Wrestling tapings under the Sinclair Broadcast Group
banner, Lethal defeated El Generico
to win the ROH World Television Championship
. On September 17 at Death Before Dishonor IX
, Lethal teamed up with fellow TNA alum Homicide in a tag team match, where they were defeated by Embassy's Rhino and Tommaso Ciampa
.
. As a tribute to Randy Savage, who had died just a week earlier, Lethal worked in his Black Machismo gimmick in a tag team match, where he and Magno
were defeated by The Right (Jon Rekon
and Petey Williams). In Lethal's second appearance for Lucha Libre USA on June 18, he defeated Medianoche in a singles match. On June 19 it was announced that Lethal would be taking part in the pilot tapings of All Wheels Wrestling on June 29, working under the ring name J.R. Lethal. At the pilot tapings, his ring name was changed to RPM. At the tapings he first defeated Dubai, the former Sheik Abdul Bashir, in a five minute Iron Man match
, but was then defeated by Schwagg Dutt, the former Sonjay Dutt, in an Ultimate X match, which also included Dubai and Aaron Aguilera
.
wrestler April Mendez, better known by her ring names Miss April and AJ Lee, whom he also trained. Shipman, under his Jay Lethal ring name, had a brief appearance in the critically acclaimed 2008 film The Wrestler. In November 2010 he was a contestant on an all TNA week of Family Feud
, teaming with Matt Morgan, Mick Foley, Mr. Anderson and Rob Van Dam against Angelina Love, Christy Hemme, Lacey Von Erich
, Tara
and Velvet Sky
.
.jpg)
Ring name
A ring name is a stage name used by a professional wrestler, martial artist, or boxer. While some ring names may have a fictitious first name and surname, others may simply be a nickname, such as The Undertaker.-Wrestling:...
Jay Lethal, is an American professional wrestler
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
currently signed to Ring of Honor
Ring of Honor
Ring of Honor ' is an American professional wrestling promotion, founded in 2002 by Rob Feinstein and Gabe Sapolsky. From 2004 to 2011, the promotion was under the ownership of Cary Silkin before being sold to the Sinclair Broadcast Group in May 2011...
(ROH), where he is the ROH World Television Champion
ROH World Television Championship
The ROH World Television Championship is a professional wrestling world television championship owned by the United States–based Ring of Honor promotion. It is currently the third ranked championship in ROH. With the introduction of the ROH World Television Championship, the television type...
. He is best known for working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling is a privately held professional wrestling promotion founded by Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Jarrett. The company broadcasts its events on television and the Internet fifty two weeks a year with over a million weekly viewers on its primary television program, Impact...
(TNA), where he was a six-time X Division Champion
TNA X Division Championship
The TNA X Division Championship is a professional wrestling championship owned by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion. It is primarily defended in TNA's X Division—a style based on a fast-paced, daredevil type of wrestling...
and a one-time World Tag Team Champion
TNA World Tag Team Championship
The TNA World Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling world tag team championship owned by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion. It is primarily contested within TNA's tag team division. It was created and debuted on May 14, 2007 at the taping of TNA's primary television program,...
with Consequences Creed.
Early life
Jamar Shipman was born to Ronald and Shirley Shipman on April 21, 1985 in Elizabeth, New JerseyElizabeth, New Jersey
Elizabeth is a city in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 124,969, retaining its ranking as New Jersey's fourth largest city with an increase of 4,401 residents from its 2000 Census population of 120,568...
and is the middle child of three brothers and two sisters. On July 7, 2001, at age sixteen, Shipman entered a contest held by Jersey All Pro Wrestling
Jersey All Pro Wrestling
Jersey All Pro Wrestling is an independent wrestling promotion based in New Jersey.-1997:Jersey All Pro Wrestling is an independent wrestling promotion that was founded by "Fat" Frank Iadeavia on April 19, 1997. This promotion was born out of a dream of "Fat" Frank. He wanted to take the promotion...
(JAPW) which entitled the winner to six months free training in the JAPW professional wrestling school. Shipman won, and spent half a year training, at the end of which the JAPW school closed down. Shipman then began training under Extreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1992 by Tod Gordon and closed when his successor, Paul Heyman, declared bankruptcy in April 2001...
alum Mikey Whipwreck
Mikey Whipwreck
John Watson , better known by his ring name Mikey Whipwreck, is a retired American professional wrestler best known for his career with Extreme Championship Wrestling where he became the third ECW Triple Crown Champion....
and Dan Maff
Dan Lopez
Dan Lopez is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Dan "Danny" Maff. He retired in March 2005 following an as yet undisclosed incident involving his trainer, Homicide, and remained inactive until returning in June 2008....
.
Debut; feud with Azrieal (2001–2004)
Shipman made his wrestling debut under the ring name Jay Lethal on December 7, 2001, at JAPW's Seasons Beatings Tour Night 2, in a match where he defeated Rainchild. He won his first Championship, the JAPW Television ChampionshipJAPW Television Championship
The JAPW Television Championship was a title in the Jersey All Pro Wrestling professional wrestling promotion. It became an official title on June 7, 2002 with Dixie becoming the first champion. It was retired in 2004.-Title history:-External links:*...
, on September 13, 2002, in Bayonne, New Jersey, at Never Forget, defeating the champion, Ghost Shadow, and Rain in a 3-way match. His reign lasted an unprecedented and unreplicated eleven months, with Lethal finally losing to Crazy Ivan on August 22, 2003 in Rahway, New Jersey
Rahway, New Jersey
Rahway is a city in southern Union County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the New York metropolitan area, being 15 miles southwest of Manhattan and five miles west of Staten Island...
at Counter-Strike. Lethal also held the JAPW Light Heavyweight Championship
JAPW Light Heavyweight Championship
The JAPW New Jersey State Championship is a title in the Jersey All Pro Wrestling professional wrestling promotion. Being a professional wrestling championship, it is not won via direct competition; it is instead won via a predetermined ending to a match or awarded to a wrestler because of a...
, defeating the champion, Azrieal
Federico Palacios
Walter Kirney is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for working under the ring name Azrieal for independent promotions such as Ring of Honor and Jersey All Pro Wrestling.-Total Nonstop Action Wrestling:...
, Insane Dragon and Jack Evans
Jack Evans
Jack Edward Miller is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Jack Evans. He currently performs for the Mexican-based promotion Asistencia Asesoría y Administración, where he is the current World Cruiserweight Champion and a former World Tag Team Champion. He is the cousin...
on February 28, 2004, at Revolution, in a four way match. Azrieal tried to regain the title for eight months, but repeatedly lost to Lethal. On December 10, 2004, at Seasons Beatings, Azrieal gained one more shot at the JAPW Light Heavyweight Championship by challenging Lethal to a "belt versus loser leaves town" match, which would see Azrieal leave JAPW if he lost. Azrieal was able to win the match, thus ending their lengthy feud
Feud (professional wrestling)
A professional wrestling feud is a staged rivalry between multiple wrestlers or alliances of wrestlers. They are integrated into ongoing storylines, particularly in events which are televised...
.
JAPW Heavyweight Champion (2005–2006)
With two lengthy title reigns in the space of two years, Lethal had established himself as a dominant member of the JAPW roster by 2005, and he began challenging for the JAPW Heavyweight ChampionshipJAPW Heavyweight Championship
The Jersey All Pro Wrestling Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling championship in the American independent professional wrestling promotion Jersey All Pro Wrestling. Being a professional wrestling championship, it is not won via direct competition; it is instead won via a...
, which had been held by Dan Maff since December 2003. On January 29, 2005, at Wild Card, Lethal pinned Maff in a title match, but the decision was overturned by crooked referee Sean Hanson.
In March 2005, Maff left JAPW and retired from wrestling following an argument with Homicide, thus vacating the JAPW Heavyweight Championship. Lethal was awarded the Heavyweight Championship on March 26 at Caged Fury 2 held in the ECW Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but he refused to accept it, claiming that he wanted to "earn" the title. JAPW mainstay Homicide then challenged Lethal to an impromptu match for the vacant title, which Homicide won. Lethal finally won the JAPW Heavyweight Championship on May 21 in Braintree, Massachusetts, at Braintree Invasion defeating Homicide, Kevin Steen
Kevin Steen
Kevin Steen is a Canadian professional wrestler, currently performing for various promotions on the independent circuit, most notably California-based Pro Wrestling Guerrilla and Ring of Honor.-Professional wrestling career:...
and Samoa Joe
Samoa Joe
Nuufolau Joel "Joe" Seanoa is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Samoa Joe. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling....
in a four way match by pinning Homicide following a diving headbutt.
Lethal defeated Steve Corino
Steve Corino
Steven Eugene "Steve" Corino is a Canadian professional wrestler, who currently works for Pro Wrestling Zero1, Ring of Honor and numerous other independent promotions. Corino is a former NWA World Heavyweight Champion and ECW World Heavyweight Champion.-Early years :Corino began wrestling in 1994...
on June 4 at HomeComing with his father in his corner, but, after the match, Corino and Ricky Landell
Ricky Landell
Ricky Landell is an American former professional wrestler. He is best known for competing in various independent promotions, the most notable being Ring of Honor, Pro Wrestling ZERO1-MAX / Pro Wrestling Zero1 and AWA Superstars of Wrestling / Wrestling Superstars Live.-Debut :After training under...
handcuffed Lethal to the top rope and attacked his father with Corino placing him in a crossface. This led to a six man tag match on July 16, at Gored pitting Lethal and his father against Corino, Landell and Landell's manager, Rick Silver. Lethal and his father were outnumbered, but managed to pull off a win at the last minute after Lethal's mother introduced their partner, the returning Charlie Haas
Charlie Haas
Charles "Charlie" Doyle Haas II is an American professional wrestler and former collegiate amateur wrestler. He competes on the independent circuit, and is signed to Ring of Honor , where he is one-half of the reigning ROH World Tag Team Champions with Shelton Benjamin...
. After Haas attacked Lethal during the post-match celebrations, a title match was booked between Haas and Lethal for Haas of Pain held on September 10, which was won by Lethal. On October 22 at 8th Year Anniversary Show Lethal ended his feud with Corino by defeating him for the title in a Dog Collar match with help from Tommy Dreamer
Tommy Dreamer
Thomas James "Tom" Laughlin is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Tommy Dreamer. He is currently working for various promotions on the independent circuit. He is best known for his time spent with Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment...
.
Lethal's next feud would be with The D-Factor's Rhino
Terry Gerin
Terrance "Terry" Gerin is an American professional wrestler and actor, better known by the ring name Rhino . He is best known for his career in Extreme Championship Wrestling, World Wrestling Federation / Entertainment and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
, who, on November 12, 2005 at Fall Out, assaulted him following his successful title defense against B-Boy. On January 7, 2006, at Wild Card II, Lethal lost the JAPW Heavyweight Championship to Rhino, who won the bout after giving Lethal a Rhino Driver through a table from the top rope.
Alliance with Azrieal (2006–2007)
Lethal tried twice to regain his title, first on February 18, 2006, in a 3-way, which also included Teddy HartTeddy Hart
Teddy Annis , is a Canadian professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Teddy Hart. He is currently working on the American independent circuit for promotions such as Jersey All Pro Wrestling and Dragon Gate USA...
, and then on May 20, 2006, but was unsuccessful both times at regaining the title. After unsuccessfully going after the JAPW Light Heavyweight Championship held by Frankie Kazarian
Frankie Kazarian
Frank B. Gerdelman is an Armenian-American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Frankie Kazarian or simply Kazarian. He is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
, Lethal and former rival Azrieal managed to win the JAPW Tag Team Championship
JAPW Tag Team Championship
The JAPW Tag Team Championship is a championship in the Jersey All Pro Wrestling promotion. Being a professional wrestling championship, it is not won via direct competition; it is instead won via a predetermined ending to a match or awarded to a wrestler because of a wrestling angle...
by defeating the champions The Outcast Killaz (Oman Tortuga and Diablo Santiago) and The S.A.T.
The S.A.T.
The S.A.T. are a professional wrestling tag team mostly seen in independent promotions that consists of brothers Jose Maximo and Joel Maximo who were both born in Brooklyn, New York...
(Jose and Joel Maximo) in a 3-way dance on October 28, 2006, at 9th Year Anniversary Show, held in Rahway, New Jersey. On June 9, 2007, at Back to Business, The Latin American Xchange of Homicide and Hernandez
Shawn Hernandez
Shawn Hernandez is an American professional wrestler of Mexican and Puerto Rican descent, better known by his ring names, "Hotstuff Hernandez" and "Hernandez"....
defeated Lethal and Azrieal for the titles.
Departure (2009)
At the beginning of 2009 Lethal proclaimed that it was his destiny to win back the JAPW Heavyweight title, held by Kenny Omega. On February 28, 2009, in Jersey City, at Jersey City Rumble Lethal won a 21-person Jersey City RumbleBattle royal (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a battle royal is a multi-competitor match type in which wrestlers are eliminated until one is left and declared winner...
to earn the right to challenge for Omega's title that same night. In the end, Lethal pinned Omega with the flipping release dragon suplex after Omega's associate Dan Maff turned on him, to win the JAPW Heavyweight Championship for the second time. During the match Maff had also attacked Lethal and that lead to a Championship match between the two on March 28, at Unfinished Business, in which Lethal managed to retain his title. Lethal defeated Maff again on April 18 at International Invasion, but only after Trent Acid
Trent Acid
Michael Verdi was an American professional wrestler best known by his ring name Trent Acid. Verdi had worked as a tag team wrestler for most of his career, primarily as part of The Backseat Boyz with Johnny Kashmere, in several independent promotions in America, including Combat Zone Wrestling,...
interfered in the match. Their feud ended on June 27 in Jersey City, at Caged Destiny, when Maff defeated Lethal for the title inside a steel cage. Lethal has not made any appearances for JAPW since.
Hydro (2003–2004)
Shipman made his Ring of HonorRing of Honor
Ring of Honor ' is an American professional wrestling promotion, founded in 2002 by Rob Feinstein and Gabe Sapolsky. From 2004 to 2011, the promotion was under the ownership of Cary Silkin before being sold to the Sinclair Broadcast Group in May 2011...
debut as Hydro, a member of Special K
Special K (professional wrestling)
Special K was a heel professional wrestling stable in Ring of Honor. They were billed as "rich kid ravers" from Webster Hall, New York City who had everything handed to them by their rich families. They had a spotfest style, performing many high flying and high risk moves with no regards to their...
on Revenge on the Prophecy held in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, on January 11, 2003. On May 22, 2004 at Generation Next he faced Alex Shelley
Alex Shelley
Patrick Martin , is an American professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Alex Shelley. He wrestles for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he currently teams with Chris Sabin as The Motor City Machine Guns. He previously gained fame on the independent circuit, working most notably for...
in a singles match. Though he lost, Shelley recognized his pure wrestling talent and offered him membership in Generation Next
Generation Next
Generation Next was a professional wrestling stable in the Ring of Honor promotion. Formed in Philadelphia, PA at the event Generation Next, on May 22, 2004, by Alex Shelley, the original Generation Next consisted of Shelley, Austin Aries, Roderick Strong and Jack Evans...
, Shelley's stable of future stars. Hydro declined, opting to remain part of Special K. Hydro won a four corner survival match at World Title Classic on June 12, which entitled him to enter the Pure Wrestling tournament later that year. At Survival of the Fittest on June 24, he and Dixie took part in a four way tag match for the Tag Team Championship
ROH World Tag Team Championship
The Ring of Honor World Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling world tag team championship contested for in the American professional wrestling promotion Ring of Honor. The championship is generally contested in professional wrestling matches, in which participants usually execute...
in a losing effort, as CM Punk
CM Punk
Phillip Jack "Phil" Brooks , better known by his ring name CM Punk, is an American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE and working on its Raw brand currently serving his second title reign as WWE Champion....
single-handedly defended the title to allow his tag team partner and co-champion Colt Cabana to prepare for his match later that evening. Hydro then challenged Punk to an impromptu match, which Punk also won. Hydro shook hands before the match, thus following the "Code of Honor" (which Special K normally ignored).
Samoa Joe's protégé (2004–2005)
Hydro took part in the Pure Wrestling tournament on July 17, 2004, at Reborn: Completion. At the outset of the event, World ChampionROH World Championship
The Ring of Honor World Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in Ring of Honor. The championship has also been through other companies in cooperation with ROH through the Global Professional Wrestling Alliance , the governing body of many independent wrestling...
Samoa Joe advised Hydro to change his name and become more serious. Acting on Joe's advice, Hydro left Special K and went back to calling himself Jay Lethal. He was eliminated from the tournament after Doug Williams
Doug Williams (wrestler)
Douglas Clayton Durdle is an English professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Doug Williams. He is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the ring name Douglas Williams...
pinned him in a four way match using the Chaos Theory.
At Testing the Limit on August 7, Lethal took part in a four way match, pitting him against Alex Shelley, Ace Steel
Ace Steel
Chris Guy is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Ace Steel. He is perhaps best known for his time with Ring of Honor and occasional appearances for World Wrestling Entertainment, as well as his stint with its Ohio Valley Wrestling developmental territory...
and 2 Cold Scorpio
2 Cold Scorpio
Charles Scaggs is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name 2 Cold Scorpio . Scaggs has competed in Extreme Championship Wrestling, World Championship Wrestling, World Wrestling Entertainment and Pro Wrestling Noah...
. Despite the moral support of his parents, who were in the audience, Lethal suffered a second loss to Shelley. Having rejected Shelley's offer of a place in Generation Next before the match for a second time, Lethal asked Shelley for a singles match. Lethal and Shelley faced one another for a third time on August 28 at Scramble Cage Melee, with Shelley cheating to gain a third victory. Having lost every match for months, Lethal was obliged to face Matt Stryker at Glory by Honor III on September 11 with his ROH career on the line. Lethal won, breaking his losing streak. Low Ki, who had been feuding with Samoa Joe for several months, challenged Lethal, as Joe's protégé, at The Midnight Express Reunion on October 2. In the course of the match, Low Ki's manager
Manager (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a manager is a secondary character paired with a wrestler for a variety of reasons. The manager is often either a non-wrestler, an occasional wrestler, an older wrestler who has retired or is nearing retirement or, in some cases, a new wrestler who is breaking into the...
Julius Smokes
Julius Smokes
Julius Smokes is an American professional wrestling manager, known most notably from his work in Ring of Honor. He has also appeared in Major League Wrestling and Jersey All Pro Wrestling, among others...
harassed Lethal's parents (once again watching the match from the audience) and Low Ki spat
Spitting
Spitting or expectoration is the act of forcibly ejecting saliva or other substances from the mouth. It is currently considered rude and a social taboo in many parts of the world including the West, while in some other parts of the world it is considered more acceptable...
at Lethal's mother. Low Ki easily defeated Lethal, then mocked him after the match.
Lethal lost to Chad Collyer
Chad Collyer
Chad Collyer is an American professional wrestler. A Heartland Wrestling Association mainstay, Collyer is perhaps best known for his appearances with Ring of Honor and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling.-Career:...
at Gold on October 15, but recovered with a win over Delirious
Delirious (wrestler)
Hunter Johnston is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Delirious. He is currently wrestling for Ring of Honor, International Wrestling Cartel, Chikara, Pro Wrestling Noah, and Jersey All Pro Wrestling...
the next day at Joe vs. Punk II. He teamed with his mentor, Samoa Joe, and lost to John Walters
John Stagikas
John Stagikas is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, "Hurricane" John Walters and in Lucha Libre USA as RJ Brewer, the kayfabe son of Arizona Governor Jan Brewer...
and Nigel McGuinness
Nigel McGuinness
Steven Haworth is an English professional wrestler, better known by the ring names Desmond Wolfe and Nigel McGuinness. As McGuinness he first gained notoriety working for Ring of Honor in the United States and Pro Wrestling Noah in Japan...
at Weekend Of Thunder: Night One on November 5, before suffering another loss to Embassy member Jimmy Rave
Jimmy Rave
James Guffey is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Jimmy Rave. He is best known for working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
the subsequent evening. After his match with Rave, Lethal attacked Prince Nana
Prince Nana
Prince Nana Osei Bandoh is an American professional wrestler of Ghanaian extraction, better known by his ring name, Prince Nana. He has stated that he is an Ashanti prince.-Professional wrestling career:...
, the leader of The Embassy. This led to Nana recruiting several masked
Wrestling mask
A Wrestling mask is a fabric based mask that some professional wrestlers wear as part of their in-ring persona or gimmick. Professional wrestlers have been using masks as far back as 1915 and they are still widely used today, especially in Lucha Libre in Mexico.-History:In 1915 a North American...
mercenaries
Mercenary
A mercenary, is a person who takes part in an armed conflict based on the promise of material compensation rather than having a direct interest in, or a legal obligation to, the conflict itself. A non-conscript professional member of a regular army is not considered to be a mercenary although he...
(dubbed the "Weapons of Masked Destruction") in an attempt to end Lethal's career. Lethal defeated both WMDs at All-Star Extravaganza 2 on December 4 and Final Battle 2004 on December 26 respectively, in both cases ending the match with his signature flipping release dragon suplex.
Lethal's feud with The Embassy continued into 2005, and on February 19 at the Third Anniversary Celebration: Part One he pinned Embassy member Jimmy Rave to become number one contender to the Pure Championship
ROH Pure Championship
The Ring of Honor Pure Championship was a professional wrestling championship contested for in the American professional wrestling promotion Ring of Honor...
. Pure Champion and Embassy member John Walters
John Stagikas
John Stagikas is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, "Hurricane" John Walters and in Lucha Libre USA as RJ Brewer, the kayfabe son of Arizona Governor Jan Brewer...
, who had control over when to wrestle his title matches, chose to have the title defense immediately after Lethal's match, defeating the exhausted Lethal to retain his title following a trifecta of Lung Blowers. Lethal was scheduled to faced Walters for the title in a re-match at Trios Tournament 2005 on March 5 in Philadelphia, but was attacked by an unknown assailant backstage, resulting in Lethal's eye swelling shut. Despite the injury, Lethal went on to defeat Walters later that night to win the Pure Championship, his first and only title in ROH.
On March 12 at Back to Basics, Lethal and Samoa Joe teamed once again to face CM Punk and Spanky
Brian Kendrick
Brian David Kendrick is an American professional wrestler currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under his real name. Before joining TNA he spent several years wrestling for World Wrestling Entertainment, where he wrestled under his name, as Spanky, and finally as "The" Brian Kendrick...
, with Lethal pinning Spanky with a bridging dragon suplex. At the Best of the American Super Juniors Tournament on April 2, Lethal and Joe faced Jimmy Jacobs
Jimmy Jacobs
Chris Scobille is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Jimmy Jacobs. He is best known for his time in Ring of Honor , where he is a four-time World Tag Team Champion...
and B.J. Whitmer
B.J. Whitmer
Benjamin Whitmer is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, B.J. Whitmer. He is best known for his appearances with Ring of Honor between January 2003 and March 2008...
for the vacant Tag Team Championship, but were defeated. Lethal retained his Pure Championship in a match with Spanky at Stalemate on April 16, but on May 7 at Manhattan Mayhem he lost the title to his mentor Samoa Joe. After the match, both men were ambushed after the match by The Rottweilers, who revealed Low Ki was the one who attacked Lethal at Trios Tournament 2005. This led to a tag match that same night pitting Lethal and Joe against Low Ki and fellow Rottweiler Homicide. The match ended when Homicide gave Lethal Da Cop Killa while Low Ki simultaneously delivered a Ghetto Stomp, driving Lethal's neck into the ground. Lethal was stretched
Stretcher
A stretcher is a medical device used to carry casualties or an incapacitated person from one place to another. It is a simple type of litter, and still called by that name in some cases....
from the arena, wearing a neck brace, ostensibly seriously injured.
After being out "injured" for a month, Lethal returned on June 12 at The Future is Now to save James Gibson
Jamie Noble
James Howard Gibson better known by his WWE ring name Jamie Noble, is an American former professional wrestler currently working for WWE as a trainer. He is best known for his work from 2002 to 2009 when a severe back injury forced him to retire from competition...
from a beating at the hands of The Rottweilers. He returned to the ring on June 18 at Death Before Dishonor III, where he faced Low Ki in a grudge match which was declared a no contest after both men were disqualified. At Sign of Dishonor on July 8, Lethal teamed with fellow former Special K member Dixie to defeat The Heartbreak Express
The Heartbreak Express
The Heartbreak Express is a Florida-based tag team that have been together since 2000 and competes regularly all over the Southeastern independent circuit and abroad. The team consists of "Superstar" Sean Davis and "Fabulous" Phil Davis...
. Later that evening, Mick Foley
Mick Foley
Michael Francis "Mick" Foley, Sr. is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, author, comedian, actor, voice actor and former color commentator. He has worked for many wrestling promotions, including WWE, WCW, ECW and TNA. He is often referred to as "The Hardcore Legend", a nickname he...
forced World Champion
ROH World Championship
The Ring of Honor World Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in Ring of Honor. The championship has also been through other companies in cooperation with ROH through the Global Professional Wrestling Alliance , the governing body of many independent wrestling...
CM Punk, who had signed with World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
and was trying to leave ROH with the World Championship, to defend his title against Lethal. Punk retained his title with a Muscle Buster / rear naked choke combination, often used by Samoa Joe, who had come ringside to cheer Lethal on.
Seeking revenge for the neck injury he had in May, Lethal challenged Homicide at Escape from New York on July 9, but lost due to Homicide using a chain. On July 23 at The Homecoming he joined forces with Samoa Joe and James Gibson to face The Rottweilers (Homicide, Low Ki and Ricky Reyes
Ricky Reyes
Ricky Reyes is a Cuban professional wrestler. Known for his appearances in Ring of Honor, Pro Wrestling Guerrilla, and various other independent promotions, he is currently primarily working for the World Wrestling Council....
) but again suffered a defeat, with Homicide using the chain this time on Gibson. Lethal challenged Low Ki once more on August 12 at Redemption as part of his ongoing rivalry with The Rottweilers. The match ended in a draw after the enemies fought outside the ring and were counted out. After the match, Homicide came to the ring to attack Lethal, but was stopped by his opponent for the night, Matt Hardy
Matt Hardy
Matthew Moore "Matt" Hardy is a semi-retired American professional wrestler. He is best known for his stints in World Wrestling Entertainment and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
. On August 13 at Punk: The Final Chapter, Lethal and Joe defeated Low Ki and Homicide by disqualification after Homicide hit an elbow drop to the referee. Afterwards the four men brawled all over the arena, with Low Ki Ghetto Stomping Lethal off the bleachers and ending with him giving Lethal the Ki Krusher in the middle of the ring.
At Glory by Honor IV on September 17, Lethal lost to Low Ki in a "Fight Without Honor
Hardcore wrestling
Hardcore wrestling is a form of professional wrestling that eschews traditional concepts of match rules in favor of matches that take place in unusual environments, using foreign objects that are not normally permitted...
". He went on to defeat Low Ki later that night, however, in a standard singles match to end their feud. He defeated Sal Rinauro
Sal Rinauro
Salvatore "Sal" Rinauro is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his work in Ring of Honor and Full Impact Pro in addition to being a member of The Embassy.-Ring of Honor:...
to advance to the finals of the Survival of the Fittest 2005 tournament on September 24, but was eliminated by Roderick Strong
Roderick Strong
Chris Lindsey is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Roderick Strong. Strong currently competes in several independent promotions, most notably Ring of Honor , Full Impact Pro , and Pro Wrestling Guerrilla .He initially debuted as The Jester on the Floridian...
.
Heel turn and departure (2005–2006)
After unsuccessfully challenging Nigel McGuinness for the Pure Championship on October 1, Lethal went undefeated until November 19, 2005, when he and Samoa Joe lost to Austin Aries and Roderick Strong in a number one contender's match for the Tag Team Championship. On December 3, 2005, at Steel Cage Warfare, Lethal wrestled Joe in an exhibition match. During the bout, Lethal turned heelHeel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
by attacking Joe's knee with a chair and then pinned him with the flipping release dragon suplex.
On January 27, 2006, Lethal teamed with Bryan Danielson
Bryan Danielson
Bryan Danielson is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE where he wrestles on its SmackDown brand as Daniel Bryan, and currently holds the SmackDown Money in the Bank briefcase, which enables him to have a World Heavyweight Championship match at any time of his choosing...
, losing to Austin Aries and Roderick Strong in a match for the Tag Team Championship. At the Fourth Anniversary Show on February 25, 2006 in Edison, New Jersey
Edison, New Jersey
Edison Township is a township in Middlesex County, New Jersey. What is now Edison Township was originally incorporated as Raritan Township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 17, 1870, from portions of both Piscataway Township and Woodbridge Township...
, Lethal lost cleanly to Samoa Joe to end their short-lived feud. He departed from the promotion following this, but subsequently returned three times for one-night appearances (working all matches as a face
Face (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a babyface or face or in simple words, a fan favorite is a character who is portrayed as a heroic relative to the heel wrestlers, who are analogous to villains...
, losing to Pure Champion Nigel McGuinness
Nigel McGuinness
Steven Haworth is an English professional wrestler, better known by the ring names Desmond Wolfe and Nigel McGuinness. As McGuinness he first gained notoriety working for Ring of Honor in the United States and Pro Wrestling Noah in Japan...
on May 13, teaming with Colt Cabana on July 15 in a losing effort against Jimmy Rave and Sal Rinauro, and losing a four way survival match against Claudio Castagnoli
Claudio Castagnoli
Claudio Castagnoli is a Swiss professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, working in its developmental territory Florida Championship Wrestling under the ring name Antonio Cesaro...
, Christopher Daniels
Christopher Daniels
Daniel Christopher Covell is an American professional wrestler, best known in the United States by his ring name "The Fallen Angel" Christopher Daniels. He is also known for performing under the ring name Curry Man. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , while also...
, and the match winner, Nigel McGuinness on August 5, 2006.
Debut; X Division (2005–2006)
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling is a privately held professional wrestling promotion founded by Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Jarrett. The company broadcasts its events on television and the Internet fifty two weeks a year with over a million weekly viewers on its primary television program, Impact...
(TNA) producer
Video production
Video production is videography, the process of capturing moving images on electronic media even streaming media. The term includes methods of production and post-production...
and announcer
Announcer
An announcer is a presenter who makes "announcements" in an audio medium or a physical location.-Television and other media:Some announcers work in television production , radio or filmmaking, usually providing narrations, news updates, station identification, or an introduction of a product in...
Jeremy Borash
Jeremy Borash
Jeremy Borash , is an American professional wrestling play-by-play commentator, announcer, ring announcer, booker, interviewer, producer and website designer...
, who offered him a spot in the TNA roster. Lethal debuted in TNA on the December 17, 2005 episode of TNA Impact!
TNA iMPACT!
Impact Wrestling is a professional wrestling television program for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling that currently airs in the United States and Canada on Spike...
, losing to X Division Champion
TNA X Division Championship
The TNA X Division Championship is a professional wrestling championship owned by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion. It is primarily defended in TNA's X Division—a style based on a fast-paced, daredevil type of wrestling...
and fellow ROH alum Samoa Joe
Samoa Joe
Nuufolau Joel "Joe" Seanoa is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Samoa Joe. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling....
. In January 2006, he was signed to a contract by TNA. He made his pay-per-view
Pay-per-view
Pay-per-view provides a service by which a television audience can purchase events to view via private telecast. The broadcaster shows the event at the same time to everyone ordering it...
debut at Against All Odds in 2006 on February 12, defeating Matt Bentley
Matt Bentley
Matthew James "Matt" Bentley is an American professional wrestler best known for his work in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling by the ring name Michael Shane. He was trained by his cousin, former World Wrestling Entertainment wrestler Shawn Michaels, and he took the name Michael Shane as a play on...
, Alex Shelley
Alex Shelley
Patrick Martin , is an American professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Alex Shelley. He wrestles for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he currently teams with Chris Sabin as The Motor City Machine Guns. He previously gained fame on the independent circuit, working most notably for...
, and Petey Williams
Petey Williams
Peter "Petey" Williams III is a Canadian professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenure in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is a two time X Division Champion and a former captain of Team Canada. Williams Currently Wrestles for Lucha Libre USA...
in a four way match by pinning Williams.
On the February 18, 2006 episode of Impact!, Lethal defeated Roderick Strong
Roderick Strong
Chris Lindsey is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Roderick Strong. Strong currently competes in several independent promotions, most notably Ring of Honor , Full Impact Pro , and Pro Wrestling Guerrilla .He initially debuted as The Jester on the Floridian...
and Shannon Moore
Shannon Moore
Shannon Moore is an American professional wrestler, who is signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling . He is best known for his work with World Championship Wrestling between 1999 and 2001 and with World Wrestling Entertainment for several years in the 2000s.Moore befriended Matt and Jeff Hardy...
to earn a spot in Team USA, the defending champions in the 2006 World X Cup
TNA 2006 World X Cup Tournament
The TNA 2006 World X Cup Tournament was a professional wrestling X Cup Tournament staged by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling in April and May 2006...
. Other members of the team were Chris Sabin
Chris Sabin
Joshua Harter is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Chris Sabin. He is currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , where he currently teams with Alex Shelley as The Motor City Machine Guns.After being trained by Scott D'Amore, Sabin debuted in 2000 for...
, Sonjay Dutt
Sonjay Dutt
Retesh Bhalla is an American professional wrestler of Indian Punjabi descent, better known by his ring name, Sonjay Dutt. He is best known working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, and is also known for his stints with Combat Zone Wrestling, Major League Wrestling, and other various independent...
and Alex Shelley. Team USA wrestled their first match at Lockdown
Lockdown (2006)
Lockdown was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , which took place on April 23, 2006 from the TNA Impact! Zone in Orlando, Florida. It was the second annual event under the Lockdown chronology. Eight professional wrestling matches were featured...
on April 23, 2006, where Lethal, Dutt and Shelley lost to Team Japan
Team Japan
Team Japan is a wrestling faction that was brought together as a part of Total Nonstop Action Wrestling's World X Cup Tournament.-2004:Team Japan started as six-man team as team captain Nosawa from All Japan Pro Wrestling teamed with Osaka Pro Wrestling's Ebessan and Kamen competed in...
(Black Tiger IV
Rocky Romero
John R. Rivera is a Cuban American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Rocky Romero and as the fourth incarnation of Black Tiger. As Romero he was one half of the tag team The Havana Pitbulls , along with Ricky Reyes...
, Minoru Tanaka and Hirooki Goto
Hirooki Goto
is a Japanese professional wrestler. He has wrestled primarily for New Japan Pro Wrestling since his debut.-Career:Goto attended Kokushikan University, where he took part in freestyle wrestling and Greco-Roman wrestling. Upon graduating, Goto qualified to join New Japan Pro Wrestling, but left the...
) after Black Tiger pinned Lethal with a Black Tiger Suplex. On the April 27, 2006 episode of Impact!, Lethal unsuccessfully challenged Samoa Joe for the X Division Championship. On May 14 at Sacrifice Lethal participated in the World X Cup Gauntlet match, but ended up being the second to last man eliminated from the match by Team Mexico
Team Mexico
Team Mexico is a professional wrestling stable that was first formed in 2004 to compete in TNA Wrestling's America's X-Cup Tournament and has since returned to compete in other TNA X Cup Tournaments.-2004:...
's Puma
T.J. Perkins
T.J. Perkins is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to Ring of Honor , while also working on the independent circuit under his real name, under his initials TJP or under a mask as Puma ....
. The tournament ended on the following edition of Impact! with Chris Sabin defeating Team Canada
Team Canada (TNA)
Team Canada was a heel professional wrestling stable in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, which was active from 2004 to 2006.-2004 X-Cups:In 2004, wrestling promoter and personality "Coach" Scott D'Amore brought together fellow Canadians to form his own incarnation of Team Canada in Total Nonstop...
's Petey Williams to win the World X Cup for Team USA.
In the June 1, 2006 episode of Impact!, Lethal scored a win over Alex Shelley, but was after the match attacked by his associate Kevin Nash
Kevin Nash
Kevin Scott Nash is an American professional wrestler and actor. As of 2011, Nash is signed to a five year contract with WWE under their WWE Legends program and appears as part of their Raw brand roster...
, who had declared a war on the X Division in the aftermath of Team USA's World X Cup victory. During the July 13, 2006 episode, Lethal won the right to challenge for the title of his choosing by scoring the deciding fall in an eight man "All or Nothing" tag team match, where he teamed with Rhino] and Team 3D
Dudley Boyz
Team 3D was a professional wrestling tag team, consisting of Brother Ray and Brother Devon, formerly sporadically joined into a stable by Brother Runt on several intervals...
(Brother Ray and Brother Devon) against Team Canada (Petey Williams, Bobby Roode, Eric Young
Eric Young (wrestler)
Jeremy Fritz is a Canadian professional wrestler, best known under his ring name Eric Young. He currently performs for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he has gained popularity using a variety of comic relief gimmicks....
and A1
Alastair Ralphs
Alastair Charles Ralphs , better known as A-1 , is a Canadian professional wrestler and former bodybuilder.-Early life:...
). The next week, Lethal challenged Jeff Jarrett
Jeff Jarrett
Jeffrey Leonard Jarrett is an American professional wrestler and wrestling promoter. He is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , an organization he co-founded along with his father and in which he holds some stock but not total control...
for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship
NWA World Heavyweight Championship
The National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in the National Wrestling Alliance. Its lineage has been traced from the first World Heavyweight Championship, which traces its lineage to Georg Hackenschmidt's 1905 title and...
, but was defeated following interference from Scott Steiner
Scott Steiner
Scott Carl Rechsteiner is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Scott Steiner. Steiner is perhaps best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling alongside his older brother Rick as the Steiner Brothers and as a member of the New World Order...
. Two weeks later, Lethal took part in a five way X Division match to determine the number one contender for the title. Although Petey Williams won the match, one week later Lethal was added to the match, making it a three way match for the X Division title at Hard Justice involving Lethal, Williams and defending champion Senshi. Lethal was pinned by Senshi after Williams hit him with his Canadian Destroyer.
In a strong product placement
Product placement
Product placement, or embedded marketing, is a form of advertisement, where branded goods or services are placed in a context usually devoid of ads, such as movies, music videos, the story line of television shows, or news programs. The product placement is often not disclosed at the time that the...
, Lethal alongside Sonjay Dutt, got fellow X Division superstar Chris Sabin ready for his match at No Surrender by watching clips of Jackass Number Two, which was being heavily promoted by TNA at the time. One night on Impact!, during Chris Sabin's match with Alex Shelley, Shelley's partner Johnny Devine
Johnny Devine
John Peter "J.P." Parsonage is a Canadian professional wrestler, better known by his ring name "Hot Shot" Johnny Devine...
was pushed in a shopping cart and rammed into the steel post, allowing Sabin to pin Shelley. The following week, Lethal was able to defeat Petey Williams after Sabin and Dutt distracted the referee, allowing Lethal to roll a bowling ball into Petey's groin. Following in this storyline, Lethal went on to defeat Williams again on September 24, 2006 at the No Surrender pay-per-view, following Williams allegedly being given laxative
Laxative
Laxatives are foods, compounds, or drugs taken to induce bowel movements or to loosen the stool, most often taken to treat constipation. Certain stimulant, lubricant, and saline laxatives are used to evacuate the colon for rectal and/or bowel examinations, and may be supplemented by enemas under...
s by stable mate Dutt, rendering him incapable of doing most of his moves, and giving Lethal the victory when Williams could no longer "hold it". He and Dutt were also involved in Sabin's match later in the night with similar antics involving a blow-up doll, but to no avail as Sabin would lose the match despite the interference. These, too, were designed as advertising for Jackass Number Two, as were other moments for Mortal Kombat: Armageddon
Mortal Kombat: Armageddon
Mortal Kombat: Armageddon is the seventh game in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. The PlayStation 2 version was released in stores on October 11, 2006 while the Xbox version was released on the October 16, with a Wii version released on May 29, 2007 in North America.The game was not released...
.
Black Machismo (2006–2008)
Austin Aries
Daniel Healy "Dan" Solwold, Jr. better known by his ring name Austin Aries, is an American professional wrestler, currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , where he is the current X Division Champion...
, Sonjay Dutt and Alex Shelley to compete in a tournament known as the Paparazzi Championship Series. The series included a push-up contest, musical chairs, Limbo contest, Texas Hold'em and a few others, although Lethal did not win the tournament. After the tournament, which concluded in January 2007, Lethal and Dutt continued appearing in Paparazzi segments with Nash and PCS winner Alex Shelley, with Nash promising to give Lethal and Dutt Extreme Makeovers to help advance their careers. The February 15 edition of Impact! included a segment named "Paparazzi Idol", a takeoff on American Idol
American Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
. After Lethal's attempt to sing was disliked by the judges, judge Kevin Nash suggested that Lethal do an impression, to which Lethal responded with a spot-on impression of wrestling legend "Macho Man" Randy Savage
Randy Savage
Randall Mario Poffo , better known by his ring name "Macho Man" Randy Savage, was an American professional wrestler, best known for his time with the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling .Savage held twenty championships during his professional wrestling career and was a...
. On the April 5, 2007, edition of Impact! presented Lethal and Dutt with their new gimmicks, which in Lethal's case, had him in impersonating "Macho Man" Randy Savage. The following week Nash introduced Lethal, who was led to the ring by a remixed version of Pomp and Circumstance
Pomp and Circumstance Marches
The "Pomp and Circumstance Marches" , Op. 39 are a series of marches for orchestra composed by Sir Edward Elgar....
and dressed in full "Macho Man" attire, as "Black Machismo" Jay Lethal. He imitated Savage's trademark catchprase "Oh Yeah!", and was able to defeat X Division Champion Chris Sabin using many of Savage's signature in-ring maneuvers and mannerisms, most notably his finisher, the diving elbow drop.
At the Lockdown
Lockdown (2007)
Lockdown was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, which took place on April 15, 2007 at the Family Arena in Saint Charles, Missouri. This was the second monthly pay-per-view, after Bound for Glory , to be held outside Orlando, Florida. It was the...
pay-per-view on April 15, 2007, Lethal nearly won the X Division title from Sabin in a five-person Xscape match (five start the match in the cage; the first three eliminations are done by pinfall or submission; the final two must then try to escape the cage, with the first one to exit being declared the winner). Lethal and Sabin were both climbing over the same side of the cage, fighting as they went, and Sabin kicked Lethal's leg so that his leg went through the bars of the cage, trapping him there while Sabin jumped down and won the match. On the April 26 episode of Impact! Lethal and tag team
Tag team
Tag team professional wrestling is a variation in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. A tag team may comprise two wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of established teams who wrestle regularly as a unit and have a team name...
partner, Sonjay Dutt, who had rejected Nash's idea for his new gimmick, won a shot at the TNA X Division Championship
TNA X Division Championship
The TNA X Division Championship is a professional wrestling championship owned by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion. It is primarily defended in TNA's X Division—a style based on a fast-paced, daredevil type of wrestling...
held by Chris Sabin at Sacrifice. Dutt, however, was unhappy at Lethal getting the pinfall. After their loss to Sabin at Sacrifice, both Dutt and Lethal started brawling until Kevin Nash came out and separated the two until Dutt kicked Nash and stormed out of the ring visibly upset. On May 8, TNA Mobile announced that Randy Savage
Randy Savage
Randall Mario Poffo , better known by his ring name "Macho Man" Randy Savage, was an American professional wrestler, best known for his time with the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling .Savage held twenty championships during his professional wrestling career and was a...
himself called Jay Lethal and said that he loved the "Black Machismo" character as the two spoke on the phone for several minutes. However, Lethal subsequently expressed doubt over whether he had really spoken with Savage as the Macho Man's trademark voice is easily imitated. At Slammiversary
Slammiversary (2007)
Slammiversary was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, which took place on June 17, 2007 at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee. It was the third event under the Slammiversary chronology and marked the fifth anniversary of...
, Lethal defeated Chris Sabin in a singles match for the X Division Championship, his first title in TNA. Only days later, however, on the following Impact!, he lost the title to Samoa Joe
Samoa Joe
Nuufolau Joel "Joe" Seanoa is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Samoa Joe. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling....
after Chris Sabin was pinned, in a Match of Champions three-way qualifying match.
At Victory Road Lethal competed in an Ultimate X
Ultimate X match
The Ultimate X match is a type of professional wrestling match created by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , mainly used in their X Division. It is considered the "signature match of the X Division," as stated numerous times by Mike Tenay right before an Ultimate X match begins.-Match...
gauntlet match in a losing effort after Christopher Daniels retrieved the X. At Hard Justice Lethal and Sonjay Dutt, who had made peace with Lethal after coming up with the gimmick of a guru, defeated Triple X's
Triple X (professional wrestling)
Triple X was a wrestling stable in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. The team consisted of Christopher Daniels, Elix Skipper, and Low Ki . The team was originally formed in late 2002 as part of Vince Russo's Sports Entertainment Xtreme superstable...
Christopher Daniels and Senshi and The Motor City Machineguns (Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin) in a three-way tag match when Lethal pinned Daniels. This led to Jim Cornette
Jim Cornette
James Mark "Jim" Cornette is an American professional wrestling manager, commentator, promoter, and booker. As a manager, he has worked for Jim Crockett Promotions, World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Federation and from 1991 to 1995, was the owner of Smoky Mountain Wrestling...
booking a match on the August 16 edition of Impact! pitting Daniels versus Lethal with the winner becoming the number one contender to the X Division title
TNA X Division Championship
The TNA X Division Championship is a professional wrestling championship owned by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion. It is primarily defended in TNA's X Division—a style based on a fast-paced, daredevil type of wrestling...
, which Lethal would go on to win. As a result of that Lethal would go on to face Triple Crown champion Kurt Angle
Kurt Angle
Kurt Steven Angle is an American professional wrestler, amateur wrestler, and 1996 Olympic gold medalist. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is recognized as a 15-time World Heavyweight Champion...
for the X Division title at No Surrender, where Lethal would beat Angle cleanly with a roll-up to win the X Division Championship for the second time.
At Genesis Lethal successfully defended his X Division Championship against his best friend, Sonjay Dutt, who during the match once again began showing signs of annoyance towards Lethal and his mannerisms. However, after the match Dutt made peace with Lethal, who then invited SoCal Val, TNA's ring girl, to the ring to celebrate the victory. The celebration was cut short by Team 3D (Brother Ray and Brother Devon), who were at the time feuding with the fan favorite
Face (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a babyface or face or in simple words, a fan favorite is a character who is portrayed as a heroic relative to the heel wrestlers, who are analogous to villains...
-turned Motor City Machineguns, who beat down both Lethal and Dutt and left the arena with Lethal's Championship belt. 3D later declared a war on the entire X Division, claiming that its wrestlers were just "little boys" and that they needed to be toughened up. During the feud Johnny Devine turned on the X Division and joined Team 3D, often carrying Lethal's stolen belt around, before officially winning it in a Street Fight on the January 24, 2008, edition of Impact!, following interference from Team 3D. The feud ended on February 10 at Against All Odds, where Lethal, Shelley and Sabin defeated Team 3D and Devine in a six man street fight, ending with Lethal pinning Devine to also win back the X Division Championship. On April 17, 2008, Lethal lost his X Division title after Petey Williams attacked him from behind after a match and cashed in his "Feast or Fired" briefcase for his X Division title shot.
Kayfabe
In professional wrestling, kayfabe is the portrayal of events within the industry as "real" or "true". Specifically, the portrayal of professional wrestling, in particular the competition and rivalries between participants, as being genuine or not of a worked nature...
girlfriend SoCal Val, which she accepted. At Slammiversary
Slammiversary (2008)
Slammiversary was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , which took place on June 8, 2008 from the DeSoto Civic Center in Southaven, Mississippi. It was the fourth event under the Slammiversary chronology and marked the sixth anniversary of the...
Sonjay Dutt, after months of teasing, finally turned heel by interrupting the wedding ceremony and proclaiming his love for Val, before attacking Lethal and his wedding guests. On the next two Impact! Lethal attacked Dutt out of rage when Dutt claimed that Val loved him. On the next Impact! So Cal Val said that she wanted to put off the wedding. Dutt and Lethal met at Victory Road
Victory Road (2008)
Victory Road was the fourth Victory Road professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by American promotion, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
in a one on one contest, which Dutt won after Val pleaded with Lethal to stop hurting Dutt, which allowed Dutt to take advantage and roll up Lethal. Lethal proposed to Val again, but found that her ring was missing, as Dutt had stolen it. Lethal and Dutt would meet again in a Black Tie Brawl and Chain match at Hard Justice
Hard Justice (2008)
Hard Justice was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , which took place on August 10, 2008 at the Sovereign Bank Arena in Trenton, New Jersey. It was the fourth annual event under the Hard Justice chronology...
, which Lethal won, even though Val distracted him by leaving during the match, because he wouldn't stop hurting Dutt. During a segment of Karen's Angle, Dutt confronted Val and attempted to seduce her, until Lethal attacked him and during the fight accidentally elbowed Val in the face. The following week Val announced that she would put the wedding ring up for grabs in a "Ladder of Love match
Ladder match
A ladder match is a type of match in professional wrestling that is most commonly used to describe a match where an item is hung above the ring, and the winner is the contestant who climbs a ladder and retrieves the item...
" on September 14 at No Surrender
No Surrender (2008)
No Surrender was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , which took place on September 14, 2008 at the General Motors Centre in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada...
. At No Surrender Val turned on Lethal by giving him a low blow
Groin attack
A groin attack is an attempt to cause pain to the groin area of one's opponent. The technique can be quickly debilitating, due to the large number of sensitive nerve endings in the penis and testicles of males, as well as the highly innervated vulva of females. A sufficiently powerful blow may...
, which allowed Dutt to climb the ladder and get the wedding ring.
Lethal Consequences (2008–2009)
At Bound for Glory IVBound for Glory IV
Bound for Glory IV was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , which took place on October 12, 2008 at the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. It was the fourth annual Bound for Glory event and the first to be referred to in roman numerals...
Lethal won the Steel Asylum match to become the number 1 contender to the X Division title. On the October 23 live edition of Impact! Sheik Abdul Bashir
Shawn Daivari
Dara Daivari is an Iranian American professional wrestler, currently performing on the American independent circuit as Shawn Daivari. He is best known for his work with World Wrestling Entertainment as simply Daivari and with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling as Sheik Abdul Bashir.-Career:Daivari...
defeated Lethal to retain the championship. The following week, Lethal along with A.J. Styles
A.J. Styles
Allen Neal Jones , better known by his ring name A.J. Styles is an American professional wrestler currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
, Samoa Joe, Consequences Creed, Petey Williams, Eric Young, O.D.B.
Jessica Kresa
Jessica Kresa is an American professional wrestler and actress better known as ODB , currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where she is a former three–time TNA Women's Knockout Champion....
and The Motor City Machineguns formed a faction of younger wrestlers known as the TNA Frontline
The TNA Front Line
The TNA Front Line was a heroic alliance in the professional wrestling promotion Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
to oppose The Main Event Mafia
The Main Event Mafia
The Main Event Mafia was a heel stable in the professional wrestling promotion Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
.
TNA World Tag Team Championship
The TNA World Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling world tag team championship owned by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion. It is primarily contested within TNA's tag team division. It was created and debuted on May 14, 2007 at the taping of TNA's primary television program,...
. On the January 8, 2009 edition of Impact!, Lethal cashed in his briefcase, formed a team with Consequences Creed and defeated then-champions Beer Money, Inc.
Beer Money, Inc.
Beer Money, Inc. was a professional wrestling tag team consisting of Robert "Bobby" Roode and James Storm in the professional wrestling promotion Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , where they are former four-time TNA World Tag Team Champions, while also holding the record for the longest reign as...
(Robert Roode and James Storm
James Storm
James Allen Cox is an American professional wrestler who competes under the ring name "The Cowboy" James Storm. Since 2002, Storm has been employed by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he, along with A.J...
) after Roode's singles match with Matt Morgan to become the new TNA World Tag Team Champions. However, they quickly lost the titles back to Beer Money, Inc. at the Genesis pay-per-view on January 11.
On January 15, Lethal and Creed defeated Abyss and Matt Morgan to earn another shot at the Tag Team Championship. Upon becoming the number one contenders, Lethal and Creed formed a long-term tag team known as Lethal Consequences
Lethal Consequences
Lethal Consequences was a professional wrestling tag team in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling . The team consisted of Jay Lethal and Consequences Creed. The team name was a portmanteau of the ring names of Lethal and Creed.-Formation :...
(a combination of their ring names) and then started a feud with The Motor City Machineguns (Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin) after dissention between the Guns and the Frontline. They were scheduled a match with the Guns on February 5, but Beer Money interfered in Creed's entrance, injuring his left shoulder. Frontline member Eric Young substituted for Creed, winning the match with a Death Valley driver to both Shelley and Sabin. Beer Money then went on to retain the title at Against All Odds
Against All Odds (2009)
Against All Odds was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , which took place on February 8, 2009 at the TNA Impact! Zone in Orlando, Florida...
due to Creed's shoulder injury. After their title match, Lethal Consequences continued their feud with the Motor City Machineguns, with both teams winning one match a piece over the next two weeks. At Destination X
Destination X (2009)
Destination X was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , which took place on March 15, 2009 at the TNA Impact Zone in Orlando, Florida...
, Lethal competed in an Ultimate X match for the X Division Championship, along with Consequences Creed, Chris Sabin, Alex Shelley and Suicide
Suicide (character)
Suicide is a fictional character from TNA Impact! the video game. In December 2008, the Suicide character was introduced on television as a real-life wrestler in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
, who ended up winning the match and the Championship.
On April 24, 2009, it was announced on TNAWrestling.com that Lethal had signed a new multi-year deal with the company.
On the November 5, 2009, edition of Impact! Jay Lethal announced an open invitational challenge. Due to the announcement of Hulk Hogan
Hulk Hogan
Terrance Gene "Terry" Bollea , better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American Semi-retired professional wrestler, actor, television personality, and musician currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
joining TNA, Lethal challenged wrestling legends to take him on. The following week, Jim Neidhart
Jim Neidhart
James Henry "Jim" Neidhart is an American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances in the 1980s and 1990s in the World Wrestling Federation as Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart. Jim is the father of WWE Diva Natalya...
answered the challenge and defeated Lethal. The series continued on the December 17 edition of Impact!, when Tatanka
Chris Chavis
Christopher "Chris" Chavis , is a Native American professional wrestler best known for his work with World Wrestling Entertainment as Tatanka from 1991 to 1996 and from 2005 to 2007...
answered the challenge and defeated Lethal in a singles match. After months of inactivity, Lethal's alliance with Consequences Creed came officially to an end on March 29, 2010, when Creed was released from his contract.
Feud with Ric Flair and Fortune (2010–2011)
After spending most of early 2010 off TV, Lethal returned on the March 29 edition of Impact! by approaching Hulk Hogan, reminiscing about their days as "The Mega PowersThe Mega Powers
The Mega Powers were a tag team in the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling . The Mega Powers consisted of Hulk Hogan, and "Macho Man" Randy Savage with Miss Elizabeth as their valet...
" (Hogan's old team with Randy Savage). Playing along with Lethal's antics, Hogan placed him in charge of the show for his one week absence due to a business trip. After raising the ire of Hogan's business partner Eric Bischoff
Eric Bischoff
Eric Aaron Bischoff is an American entrepreneur, and professional wrestling booker and on-screen personality currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
with his comedic booking ideas, Bischoff placed Lethal in a two-on-one handicap match against Beer Money, Inc. Lethal, however, managed to win the match after surprising Robert Roode with a roll-up. On the May 3 edition of Impact! Hulk Hogan gave Lethal Ric Flair
Ric Flair
Richard Morgan Fliehr is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Ric Flair. Also known as "The Nature Boy", Flair is one of the most well-known professional wrestlers in the world....
's Hall of Fame ring that Abyss had won from him the previous week. When Lethal, now imitating Flair, was confronted by Flair himself, he claimed that he meant no disrespect and out of respect towards Flair, returned the ring to him. This however wasn't enough for Flair, who attacked Lethal along with A.J. Styles, Desmond Wolfe
Nigel McGuinness
Steven Haworth is an English professional wrestler, better known by the ring names Desmond Wolfe and Nigel McGuinness. As McGuinness he first gained notoriety working for Ring of Honor in the United States and Pro Wrestling Noah in Japan...
and Beer Money, Inc., before he was saved by Abyss, Team 3D and the TNA World Heavyweight Champion
TNA World Heavyweight Championship
The TNA World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship owned by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion. It is currently the highest ranked championship in TNA and is primarily defended in TNA's heavyweight division...
Rob Van Dam
Rob Van Dam
Robert Alexander "Rob" Szatkowski , better known by his ring name Rob Van Dam , is an American professional wrestler and actor who is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
. At Sacrifice
Sacrifice (2010)
Sacrifice was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , which took place on May 16, 2010 at the TNA Impact! Zone in Orlando, Florida...
Lethal came out during the TNA World Heavyweight Championship match between champion Rob Van Dam and challenger A.J. Styles and locked Ric Flair in a figure four leglock in order to prevent him from interfering in the match. On the May 20 edition of Impact! Lethal competed in his first match after dropping the Black Machismo gimmick, and teamed up with World Heavyweight Champion Rob Van Dam to defeat Beer Money, Inc. in a tag team match. After the match Lethal brawled with Flair. At Slammiversary VIII
Slammiversary VIII
Slammiversary VIII was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , which took place on June 13, 2010 at the TNA Impact! Zone in Orlando, Florida. Despite the Roman numeral eight used in promotional material, it was the sixth event under the Slammiversary...
Lethal defeated Flair's protégé A.J. Styles in a singles match. After defeating Desmond Wolfe, another one of Flair's allies, on the June 17 edition of Impact!, Hogan granted him a match with Flair at Victory Road
Victory Road (2010)
Victory Road was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , which took place on July 11, 2010 at the TNA Impact! Zone in Orlando, Florida...
. On July 11 at Victory Road Lethal defeated Flair with his own move, the figure four leglock. On the August 5 edition of Impact! Lethal faced Flair in a rematch, this time contested under Street Fight rules, with A.J. Styles, Kazarian, Robert Roode and James Storm of Flair's Fortune
Fortune (professional wrestling)
Fortune is a professional wrestling alliance in the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion. It currently consists of A.J. Styles, James Storm and Kazarian...
stable banned from ringside. Flair managed to win the match, after an interference from X Division Champion Douglas Williams
Doug Williams (wrestler)
Douglas Clayton Durdle is an English professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Doug Williams. He is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the ring name Douglas Williams...
, who would officially join Fortune the following week. On September 6, at the tapings of the September 16 edition of Impact!, Lethal defeated Williams to win the X Division Championship for the fourth time. On September 23, at a live event
House show
A house show is a professional wrestling show run by a major promotion that is not televised, though they can be recorded. Promotions use house shows mainly to cash in on the exposure that they and their wrestlers receive during televised events, as well as test reactions to matches, wrestlers, and...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, Lethal lost the X Division Championship to Amazing Red
Amazing Red
Jonathan Figueroa is a professional wrestler better known by his ring name, Amazing Red, or simply Red for short. He is best known for working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is a former three-time X Division Champion, while also working on the American independent circuit...
. Lethal regained the title two days later at a live event in Rahway, New Jersey. At Bound for Glory
Bound for Glory (2010)
Bound for Glory was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , that took place on October 10, 2010 at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach, Florida. It was the sixth annual event under the Bound for Glory chronology. Bound For Glory is considered to be...
Lethal successfully defended the X Division Championship against Douglas Williams.
After his title match at Bound for Glory, Lethal was attacked by Robbie E
Rob Strauss
Robert "Rob" Strauss is an American professional wrestler, currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the ring name Robbie E. He is the current TNA Television Champion and a former TNA X Division Champion...
, who claimed he was a disgrace to New Jersey and vowed to bring some class to the X Division Championship himself. On the October 28 edition of Impact!, Robbie E defeated Lethal in a non–title Street Fight, after interference from his manager Cookie
Becky Bayless
Rebecca Treston better known by her ring name Rebecca "Becky" Bayless, is an American professional wrestler, currently working for independent promotions such as Women's Extreme Wrestling, Wrestling Superstars Unleashed, Wrestlicious, and Women Superstars Uncensored...
, to earn the right to challenge for the X Division Championship. At Turning Point
Turning Point (2010)
Turning Point was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , that took place on November 7, 2010 at the TNA Impact! Zone in Orlando, Florida...
Lethal lost the X Division Championship to Robbie E, after another interference from Cookie. After suffering another loss to Robbie and Cookie on the following edition of Impact! in a mixed tag team match, where he teamed with Taylor Wilde, Lethal came to the conclusion that he needed to find someone who could negate Cookie the next time he went for the X Division Championship. At Final Resolution
Final Resolution (2010)
Final Resolution was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling professional wrestling promotion, that took place on December 5, 2010 at the TNA Impact! Zone in Orlando, Florida...
Lethal faced Robbie E in a match for the X Division Championship, during which Cookie was suspended above the ring in a shark cage. Robbie retained the title via disqualification, when Lethal was caught using Cookie's hairspray on him. On December 7 at the tapings of the December 16 edition of Impact!, Lethal defeated Robbie E, after Christy Hemme
Christy Hemme
Christina Lee "Christy" Hemme is an American actress, singer, model, professional wrestling valet and former professional wrestler. Hemme is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, as a backstage interviewer and ring announcer.-Early life:Hemme was born in Poway, California, but she...
came out to negate Cookie, to win the X Division Championship for the sixth time, and after the match celebrated with Hemme which led to a kiss between the two. Lethal now shares the record for most reigns as the X Division Champion with A.J. Styles. On January 9, 2011, at Genesis
Genesis (2011)
Genesis was a professional wrestling pay-per-view eventproduced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , that took place on January 9, 2011 at TNA Impact! Zone in Universal Studios Florida...
, Lethal lost the X Division Championship to Fortune member Kazarian. On April 21, 2011, it was reported that Lethal had parted ways with TNA. His final match for the promotion was an eight man Xscape match, which took place on April 17 at Lockdown
Lockdown (2011)
Lockdown was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion, that took place on April 17, 2011 at the U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was the seventh event under the Lockdown chronology and the fourth event of the 2011 TNA PPV schedule...
. His last televised match was aired on the April 19 edition of Xplosion
Xplosión
Xplosión is a rap album released by Puerto Rican singer Vico C.-Track listing:# "Base y Fundamento"# "Así es Que Va a Sonar"# "Saboréalo"# "Baby Quiero Hacerlo"# "El"# "Cosa Nuestra"# "Boom Boom"# "María"# "Pa' Mi Colección"# "Explosión"...
, in a three way match with Sangriento and Chris Sabin. Lethal's release from TNA was later used to ignite a storyline feud between the X Division and Eric Bischoff, with both Robert Roode and Brian Kendrick naming him on the May 5 edition of Impact!.
Return to Ring of Honor (2011)
On May 2, 2011, ROH announced that Lethal would be making his return to the promotion on June 26 at the Best in the World 2011Best in the World 2011
Best in the World 2011 was a professional wrestling pay-per-view by Ring of Honor that took place on June 26, 2011. It was an afternoon show that began at 4pm and marked the return of ROH to the Hammerstein Ballroom for the first time since 2009...
internet pay-per-view. In his ROH return match Lethal defeated Mike Bennett
Mike Bennett (wrestler)
Mike Bennett is an American professional wrestler. He wrestles on the independent circuit and is signed to Ring of Honor .- Independent promotions :Bennett made his professional wrestling debut in 2002...
. On August 8, ROH announced that Lethal had signed a contract with the promotion. On August 13, at the first Ring of Honor Wrestling tapings under the Sinclair Broadcast Group
Sinclair Broadcast Group
The Sinclair Broadcast Group is an American telecommunications company that operates the largest number of local television stations in the United States. Headquartered in Hunt Valley, Maryland, it owns a total of 57 stations across the country in 35 primarily small and medium markets, many of...
banner, Lethal defeated El Generico
El Generico
Rami Sebei is a Canadian professional wrestler, better known by his ring name El Generico. Sebei uses the gimmick of a luchador from Mexico...
to win the ROH World Television Championship
ROH World Television Championship
The ROH World Television Championship is a professional wrestling world television championship owned by the United States–based Ring of Honor promotion. It is currently the third ranked championship in ROH. With the introduction of the ROH World Television Championship, the television type...
. On September 17 at Death Before Dishonor IX
Death Before Dishonor IX
Death Before Dishonor IX was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Ring of Honor . It took place on September 17, 2011 at the Grand Ballroom of the Manhattan Center in New York, New York.-Matches:-External links:*...
, Lethal teamed up with fellow TNA alum Homicide in a tag team match, where they were defeated by Embassy's Rhino and Tommaso Ciampa
Tommaso Ciampa
Tommasso Whitney is an American professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Tommaso Ciampa. He is currently signed to Ring of Honor, while also competing for several independent promotions, including Chaotic Wrestling, Top Rope Promotions, East Coast Wrestling Association and Northeast...
.
Other independent promotions (2011)
Lethal made his first independent appearance since his release from TNA on May 28, working for Lucha Libre USALucha Libre USA
Lucha Libre USA: Masked Warriors was a television program on the MTV2 broadcast channel, chronicling the rise of Mexican-style wrestling, or lucha libre, in the United States. The first episode was aired on July 16, 2010. The second season premiered October 1, 2011. However, after only four...
. As a tribute to Randy Savage, who had died just a week earlier, Lethal worked in his Black Machismo gimmick in a tag team match, where he and Magno
Magno
Magno is a Mexican professional wrestler best known for his short appearances in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling . He has also wrestled in the United States independent circuit of Ring of Honor, Chikara, and National Wrestling Alliance.-Professional wrestling career:An independent El Paso/Ciudad...
were defeated by The Right (Jon Rekon
Jon Andersen
Jon Andersen Reel, normally referred to simply as Jon Andersen is an American bodybuilder, strongman competitor and professional wrestler. Anderson currently splits his time between working for Pro Wrestling Revolution in California and Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre in Mexico...
and Petey Williams). In Lethal's second appearance for Lucha Libre USA on June 18, he defeated Medianoche in a singles match. On June 19 it was announced that Lethal would be taking part in the pilot tapings of All Wheels Wrestling on June 29, working under the ring name J.R. Lethal. At the pilot tapings, his ring name was changed to RPM. At the tapings he first defeated Dubai, the former Sheik Abdul Bashir, in a five minute Iron Man match
Iron Man match
An Iron Man match is a professional wrestling match type that is set to go a specific amount of time, usually 30 or 60 minutes, with the competitor with the most falls at the end of that time named the victor...
, but was then defeated by Schwagg Dutt, the former Sonjay Dutt, in an Ultimate X match, which also included Dubai and Aaron Aguilera
Aaron Aguilera
Aaron Aguilera , is a Mexican American professional wrestler and actor best known as Jesús and Uno on World Wrestling Entertainment and MTV's Wrestling Society X...
.
Personal life and other media
Shipman was previously in a relationship with WWEWorld Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
wrestler April Mendez, better known by her ring names Miss April and AJ Lee, whom he also trained. Shipman, under his Jay Lethal ring name, had a brief appearance in the critically acclaimed 2008 film The Wrestler. In November 2010 he was a contestant on an all TNA week of Family Feud
Family Feud
Family Feud is an American television game show created by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman. Two families compete against each other in a contest to name the most popular responses to a survey question posed to 100 people...
, teaming with Matt Morgan, Mick Foley, Mr. Anderson and Rob Van Dam against Angelina Love, Christy Hemme, Lacey Von Erich
Lacey Von Erich
Lacey Dawn Adkisson is an American professional wrestler better known by her ring name Lacey Von Erich. She is the daughter of Kerry Von Erich and the granddaughter of Fritz Von Erich...
, Tara
Lisa Marie Varon
Lisa Marie Varon , is an American professional wrestler, bodybuilder and fitness competitor of Puerto Rican and Turkish descent...
and Velvet Sky
Velvet Sky
Jamie Szantyr is an American professional wrestler currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the ring name Velvet Sky. She is a former TNA Women's Knockout Champion and TNA Knockouts Tag Team Champion with her former Beautiful People partners Madison Rayne and Lacey Von Erich...
.
In wrestling
- As Jay Lethal
- Finishing moves
- Diving Dynamite (Swan dive headbutt)
- Figure four leglock – TNA; 2010
- Flipping release dragon suplex
- Lethal Combination (STO backbreaker followed by a reverse STO) – 2007–present
- Lethal Injection (Pumphandle sitout powerbomb – 2002–2004 or a belly to back suplex lift transitioned into a neckbreakerNeckbreakerIn professional wrestling a neckbreaker is any throw or slam that focuses its attack on the opponent’s neck. One type of neckbreaker involves the wrestler slamming an opponent's neck against a part of the wrestler's body, usually the knee, head or shoulder...
– 2010–present) - Lethal Injection II (Springboard DDTDDT (professional wrestling)In professional wrestling a DDT is any move in which the wrestler has the opponent in a front facelock, and falls down or backwards to drive the opponent's head into the mat...
) – 2002–2004
- Signature moves
- Finishing moves
-
-
- EnzuFury (Spinning enzuigiri)
- European uppercut
- Hip toss followed into a cartwheelCartwheel (gymnastics)In gymnastics, a cartwheel is a sideways rotary movement performed by bringing the hands to the ground while the body inverts and the legs travel over the body, coming down to a standing position.-Terminology:...
and finished with a dropkickDropkickA dropkick is an attacking maneuver in professional wrestling. It is defined as an attack where the wrestler jumps up and kicks the opponent with the soles of both feet; this sees the wrestler twist as he or she jumps so that when the feet connect with the opponent one foot is raised higher than...
to the opponent's face - Inverted suplex lifted and flipped into a sitout wheelbarrow facebuster
- Leg lariat, sometimes from the second or top rope
- Running vertical suplex
- Snap suplex
- Spinning spinebuster
- Springboard dropkick
- Superkick
-
- As "Black Machismo" Jay Lethal
- Finishing moves
-
-
- Diving elbow drop – adopted from Randy SavageRandy SavageRandall Mario Poffo , better known by his ring name "Macho Man" Randy Savage, was an American professional wrestler, best known for his time with the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling .Savage held twenty championships during his professional wrestling career and was a...
- Lethal Combination (STO backbreaker followed by a reverse STO)
- Diving elbow drop – adopted from Randy Savage
- Signature moves
- Diving double axe handle – adopted from Randy Savage
- Enzuigiri
- Flipping release dragon suplex
- Hair-pull hangman – adopted from Randy Savage
- Hip toss followed into a cartwheelCartwheel (gymnastics)In gymnastics, a cartwheel is a sideways rotary movement performed by bringing the hands to the ground while the body inverts and the legs travel over the body, coming down to a standing position.-Terminology:...
and finished with a dropkickDropkickA dropkick is an attacking maneuver in professional wrestling. It is defined as an attack where the wrestler jumps up and kicks the opponent with the soles of both feet; this sees the wrestler twist as he or she jumps so that when the feet connect with the opponent one foot is raised higher than...
to the opponent's face - Inverted suplex lifted and flipped into a sitout wheelbarrow facebuster
- Snap suplex
- Springboard dropkick
- Superkick
-
- As Hydro
- Finishing moves
- Hydroplane (Springboard DDTDDT (professional wrestling)In professional wrestling a DDT is any move in which the wrestler has the opponent in a front facelock, and falls down or backwards to drive the opponent's head into the mat...
) - That's All She Wrote (Inverted over the shoulder back to belly piledriver)
- Hydroplane (Springboard DDT
- Signature moves
- European uppercut
- Fireman's carry dropped into a sitout scoop slam piledriver
- Running vertical suplex
- Snap suplex
- Spinebuster
- Finishing moves
- With Consequences Creed
- Finishing moves
- Fireman's carry cutter by Creed followed by a diving elbow drop by Lethal
- Signature moves
- Lethal military presses the opponent in order for Creed to perform a springboard one–handed bulldog
- Vertical suplex (Lethal) / Diving crossbody (Creed) combination
- Finishing moves
- ManagersManager (professional wrestling)In professional wrestling, a manager is a secondary character paired with a wrestler for a variety of reasons. The manager is often either a non-wrestler, an occasional wrestler, an older wrestler who has retired or is nearing retirement or, in some cases, a new wrestler who is breaking into the...
- Jerry LynnJerry LynnJeremy "Jerry" Lynn is an American professional wrestler who is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
- Kevin NashKevin NashKevin Scott Nash is an American professional wrestler and actor. As of 2011, Nash is signed to a five year contract with WWE under their WWE Legends program and appears as part of their Raw brand roster...
- SoCal Val
- Sonjay DuttSonjay DuttRetesh Bhalla is an American professional wrestler of Indian Punjabi descent, better known by his ring name, Sonjay Dutt. He is best known working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, and is also known for his stints with Combat Zone Wrestling, Major League Wrestling, and other various independent...
- Pequeño Halloween
- Jerry Lynn
- NicknameNicknameA nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
s- "Black Machismo"
- Entrance themesMusic in professional wrestlingMusic in professional wrestling serves a variety of purposes. The most common uses of music in professional wrestling is that of the entrance theme, a song or piece of instrumental music which plays as a performer approaches the ring...
- "Attenzione (Jens O. Remix)" by DJ Flashrider (ROHRing of HonorRing of Honor ' is an American professional wrestling promotion, founded in 2002 by Rob Feinstein and Gabe Sapolsky. From 2004 to 2011, the promotion was under the ownership of Cary Silkin before being sold to the Sinclair Broadcast Group in May 2011...
) - "Time and Time AgainTime and Time Again"Time and Time Again" is the second single from Californian rock band Papa Roach's third album, Lovehatetragedy, and fifth released single in total.-Music video:...
" by Papa RoachPapa RoachPapa Roach is an American rock band from Vacaville, California. Their first major-label release was the triple-platinum album Infest . The group's success continued with their gold album Lovehatetragedy , their platinum album Getting Away with Murder , The Paramour Sessions , and Metamorphosis... - "This Is Not" by Static-XStatic-XStatic-X is an American industrial metal band from Los Angeles, California. They were formed in 1994. They are signed to Warner Bros. Records and have released six albums, their most recent being Cult of Static, which was released on March 17, 2009....
- "Push ItPush It (Static-X song)"Push It" is the first single from the industrial metal band Static-X's first album, Wisconsin Death Trip. "Push It" is one of Static-X's best known and most popular songs and is credited, along with "I'm with Stupid", for making Wisconsin Death Trip Static-X's best selling album...
" by Static-X (JAPWJersey All Pro WrestlingJersey All Pro Wrestling is an independent wrestling promotion based in New Jersey.-1997:Jersey All Pro Wrestling is an independent wrestling promotion that was founded by "Fat" Frank Iadeavia on April 19, 1997. This promotion was born out of a dream of "Fat" Frank. He wanted to take the promotion...
/ ROH) - "Pussy Liquor" by Rob ZombieRob ZombieRob Zombie is an American musician, film director, screenwriter and film producer. He founded the heavy metal band White Zombie and has been nominated three times as a solo artist for the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance.Zombie has also established a career as a film director, creating the...
(ROH) - "Static" by Dale OliverDale OliverDale Byron Oliver is an American music composer who works for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. Formerly a guitarist in BackHawk , Oliver serves mainly as a composer of theme music used in professional wrestling.-Music composer for TNA:Since 2003, Oliver writes, records, and produces music under...
(TNATotal Nonstop Action WrestlingTotal Nonstop Action Wrestling is a privately held professional wrestling promotion founded by Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Jarrett. The company broadcasts its events on television and the Internet fifty two weeks a year with over a million weekly viewers on its primary television program, Impact...
) - "Pomp and Circumstance (Black Machismo Remix)" by Dale Oliver (TNA)
- "LethalX" by Dale Oliver (TNA)
- "Jay Lethal" by Dale Oliver (TNA)
- "Attenzione (Jens O. Remix)" by DJ Flashrider (ROH
Championships and accomplishments
- American Championship Entertainment
- ACE Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Mo Sexton
- American Wrestling Alliance
- AWA Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- AWA Lightweight Championship (1 time)
- AWA Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Rob Vegas
- Big Time Wrestling
- BTW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- International High Powered Wrestling
- IHPW Diamond Division Championship (1 time)
- IHPW United States Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- Jersey All Pro WrestlingJersey All Pro WrestlingJersey All Pro Wrestling is an independent wrestling promotion based in New Jersey.-1997:Jersey All Pro Wrestling is an independent wrestling promotion that was founded by "Fat" Frank Iadeavia on April 19, 1997. This promotion was born out of a dream of "Fat" Frank. He wanted to take the promotion...
- JAPW Heavyweight ChampionshipJAPW Heavyweight ChampionshipThe Jersey All Pro Wrestling Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling championship in the American independent professional wrestling promotion Jersey All Pro Wrestling. Being a professional wrestling championship, it is not won via direct competition; it is instead won via a...
(2 times) - JAPW Light Heavyweight ChampionshipJAPW Light Heavyweight ChampionshipThe JAPW New Jersey State Championship is a title in the Jersey All Pro Wrestling professional wrestling promotion. Being a professional wrestling championship, it is not won via direct competition; it is instead won via a predetermined ending to a match or awarded to a wrestler because of a...
(1 time) - JAPW Tag Team ChampionshipJAPW Tag Team ChampionshipThe JAPW Tag Team Championship is a championship in the Jersey All Pro Wrestling promotion. Being a professional wrestling championship, it is not won via direct competition; it is instead won via a predetermined ending to a match or awarded to a wrestler because of a wrestling angle...
(1 time) – with AzriealFederico PalaciosWalter Kirney is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for working under the ring name Azrieal for independent promotions such as Ring of Honor and Jersey All Pro Wrestling.-Total Nonstop Action Wrestling:... - JAPW Television ChampionshipJAPW Television ChampionshipThe JAPW Television Championship was a title in the Jersey All Pro Wrestling professional wrestling promotion. It became an official title on June 7, 2002 with Dixie becoming the first champion. It was retired in 2004.-Title history:-External links:*...
(1 time) - Jersey City Rumble (2009)
- JAPW Heavyweight Championship
- Jersey Championship Wrestling
- JCW Light Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- JCW Television Championship (1 time)
- Jersey J-CupJersey J-CupThe Jersey J Cup, also known as the Chris Candido Memorial J-Cup Tournament, is an annual professional wrestling tournament held by National Wrestling Superstars , typically between April and June...
(2003)
- Millennium Wrestling FederationMillennium Wrestling FederationThe Millennium Wrestling Federation is a New England independent professional wrestling promotion based in Melrose, Massachusetts. Founded in January 2001 by promoters Dan Mirade & Neil Manolian, the MWF is one of the top promotions in the Northeastern United States along with Chaotic Wrestling,...
- MWF Television ChampionshipMWF Television ChampionshipThe MWF Television Championship is a professional wrestling title in American independent promotion Millennium Wrestling Federation. The title was created when "Die Hard" Eddie Edwards defeated "Mr. 630" Jerelle Clark in the finals of a championship tournament to crown the first MWF Television...
(1 time)
- MWF Television Championship
- National Wrestling Superstars
- WSU/NWS King and Queen TournamentWSU/NWS King and Queen TournamentThe WSU/NWS King and Queen Tournament is an annual mixed tag team tournament co-promoted by Women Superstars Uncensored and National Wrestling Superstars.-2006:The winners of the 2006 King and Queen Tournament were Julio Dinero and Kara Slice.-2007:...
(2009) – with Miss April
- WSU/NWS King and Queen Tournament
- Politically Incorrect Wrestling
- PIW World Championship (1 time)
- Pro-Wrestling ELITE
- PWE Interstate Championship (1 time)
- Pro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling Illustrated is a professional wrestling magazine. PWI is currently based in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and published by Kappa Publishing Group.-History:The first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated was released in 1979...
- PWI ranked him #27 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2008
- Ring of HonorRing of HonorRing of Honor ' is an American professional wrestling promotion, founded in 2002 by Rob Feinstein and Gabe Sapolsky. From 2004 to 2011, the promotion was under the ownership of Cary Silkin before being sold to the Sinclair Broadcast Group in May 2011...
- ROH Pure ChampionshipROH Pure ChampionshipThe Ring of Honor Pure Championship was a professional wrestling championship contested for in the American professional wrestling promotion Ring of Honor...
(1 time) - ROH World Television ChampionshipROH World Television ChampionshipThe ROH World Television Championship is a professional wrestling world television championship owned by the United States–based Ring of Honor promotion. It is currently the third ranked championship in ROH. With the introduction of the ROH World Television Championship, the television type...
(1 time, current)
- ROH Pure Championship
- Total Nonstop Action WrestlingTotal Nonstop Action WrestlingTotal Nonstop Action Wrestling is a privately held professional wrestling promotion founded by Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Jarrett. The company broadcasts its events on television and the Internet fifty two weeks a year with over a million weekly viewers on its primary television program, Impact...
- TNA World Tag Team ChampionshipTNA World Tag Team ChampionshipThe TNA World Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling world tag team championship owned by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion. It is primarily contested within TNA's tag team division. It was created and debuted on May 14, 2007 at the taping of TNA's primary television program,...
(1 time) – with Consequences Creed - TNA X Division ChampionshipTNA X Division ChampionshipThe TNA X Division Championship is a professional wrestling championship owned by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion. It is primarily defended in TNA's X Division—a style based on a fast-paced, daredevil type of wrestling...
(6 times) - World X CupTNA X Cup TournamentsThe TNA X Cup Tournaments consist of various types of X Division tournaments that feature wrestlers and/or Teams from all over the World competing in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling to fight for a trophy or a group of trophies.-History:...
(2006TNA 2006 World X Cup TournamentThe TNA 2006 World X Cup Tournament was a professional wrestling X Cup Tournament staged by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling in April and May 2006...
) – with Chris SabinChris SabinJoshua Harter is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Chris Sabin. He is currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , where he currently teams with Alex Shelley as The Motor City Machine Guns.After being trained by Scott D'Amore, Sabin debuted in 2000 for...
, Sonjay DuttSonjay DuttRetesh Bhalla is an American professional wrestler of Indian Punjabi descent, better known by his ring name, Sonjay Dutt. He is best known working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, and is also known for his stints with Combat Zone Wrestling, Major League Wrestling, and other various independent...
and Alex ShelleyAlex ShelleyPatrick Martin , is an American professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Alex Shelley. He wrestles for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he currently teams with Chris Sabin as The Motor City Machine Guns. He previously gained fame on the independent circuit, working most notably for... - X Division Wrestler of the Year (2007)
- TNA World Tag Team Championship
- United Wrestling CoalitionUnited Wrestling CoalitionUnited Wrestling Coalition is an independent wrestling promotion based in New Jersey.-History:The United Wrestling Coalition was formed on March 21, 1998 in Browns Mills, New Jersey, with Derik Starr winning the first match in UWC history, a battle royal, to win the UWC Heavyweight Championship...
- UWC United States Championship (1 time)
- Unreal Championship Wrestling
- UCW United States Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- UCW World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
- Worst Worked Match of the Year (2006) TNA Reverse Battle RoyalFight for the Right TournamentThe Fight for the Right Tournament is a professional wrestling tournament in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling designed to determine a new #1 contender to the World Heavyweight Championship. The tournament was held in 2006 and 2007, both starting in the month of October.-2006:The inaugural Fight for...
at TNA Impact!TNA iMPACT!Impact Wrestling is a professional wrestling television program for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling that currently airs in the United States and Canada on Spike...
- Worst Worked Match of the Year (2006) TNA Reverse Battle Royal