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Frankie Kazarian (born August 4, 1977 in Yucca Valley, California) is an American professional wrestler who has worked for numerous promotions, most prominently Total Nonstop Action Wrestling in its X Division and World Wrestling Entertainment in its cruiserweight division.

Career

Frankie Kazarian began training with Killer Kowalski in Malden, Massachusetts in 1998, and wrestled his debut match after one month's training, facing Freight Train Dan. After remaining at Kowalski's school for eight months, Kazarian returned to Southern California and began wrestling on the independent circuit, primarily in the Empire Wrestling Federation, where he continued his training and teamed with Josh Galaxy as Bad Influence.

Californian Independent Circuit

In 2000 Kazarian joined Ultimate Pro Wrestling, and in March 2001 he formed a tag team with Nova known as Evolution. Evolution won the vacant UPW Tag Team Championships on May 30, 2001. He travelled to Japan as part of the UPW roster in 2002, where he faced Steve Corino.

He toured Australia and New Zealand with the now defunct World Wrestling All-Stars promotion in May 2003, where he met Glenn Gilberti and Scott D'Amore, leading to his being offered a job by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling.

Kazarian also worked for Pro Wrestling Guerrilla, and won a tournament to become the first ever PWG Heavyweight Champion on August 30, 2003. He held the title until February 22, 2004 when he was defeated by Adam Pearce.

Total Nonstop Action Wrestling

Kazarian joined TNA in the summer of 2003, and quickly began pursuing the TNA X Division Championship. He was part of the first ever Ultimate X Match, on August 20, 2003 along with Michael Shane and Chris Sabin, which was won by Shane. Kazarian did not appear with TNA between October 2003 and March 2004.

After Chris Sabin was stripped of the title while sidelined with a knee injury, Kazarian eventually won the X-Division title on March 31, 2004, defeating The Amazing Red in a match for the vacant title. He lost the belt to A.J. Styles on June 9, 2004.

In June 2004 he and Shane formed a tag team (informally known as Shazarian) managed by Traci Brooks. They claimed to resent the fact that A.J. Styles had held the TNA X-Division Championship, then the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, then had won the X-Division Championship once more. This was purportedly illegal according to a previously unknown bylaw of the TNA rulebook, which stated that an X-Division competitor who participated for the Heavyweight Championship could not return to the X Division. On July 28, 2004 he and Shane faced Styles in an Ultimate X match. Kazarian and Shane were declared co-champions when both took possession of the title belt at the same time. On August 11 they defended the title in a twenty two man Gauntlet for the Gold Match. Kazarian started at number one and was one of the final three participants, but was eliminated by The Amazing Red, who in turn was eliminated by Petey Williams.

Kazarian was put in the same situation at November's Victory Road where he entered number one in a 20-man X Division Gauntlet and was the last man eliminated.

Throughout late 2004 and early 2005, Kazarian and Shane competed in the TNA tag division. Kazarian's contract with TNA expired in September 2004 and was not renewed, but he continued working with the company on a per appearance basis. The duo eventually began a feud with the 3Live Kru and Jeff Hammond, a NASCAR analyst who was working with TNA as a commentator. This led to a match at the Against All Odds pay-per-view on February 13, 2005 between Hammond and Kru member B.G. James and Shane and Kazarian. Kazarian was pinned by Hammond after Shane miscued on a superkick and knocked him out.

World Wrestling Entertainment

On February 15, 2005, Kazarian left TNA on good terms and signed with World Wrestling Entertainment. He was assigned to Ohio Valley Wrestling, the primary developmental territory of WWE. He made his WWE television debut during an episode of Velocity on July 16, 2005, defeating Nunzio, and remained undefeated throughout July and into August. During this time, he picked up victories against Scotty 2 Hotty, Funaki, and Paul London respectively. On August 15, Kazarian announced on his website that he had left WWE two days earlier. The reasons for the departure were said to be WWE's writers desire to have Kazarian cut his hair to change his image.

Independent circuit

Kazarian returned to the Californian independent circuit shortly after his release. He wrestled on the August 19 Pro Wrestling Guerrilla show in Los Angeles, "Smells Like Steen Spirit", where he teamed with Petey Williams to (unsuccessfully) challenge El Generico and Human Tornado for the PWG Tag Team Championships. He also wrestled on the International Assault tour of Australia in October. During Pro Wrestling Guerrilla's "(Please Don't Call It) The O.C." on May 6, 2006, Kazarian publically cut his signature ponytail.

Total Nonstop Action Wrestling

Kazarian returned to TNA on July 16, 2006 at TNA Victory Road 2006, unsuccessfully challenging Senshi for the TNA X Division Championship.

Wrestling facts

  • Finishing and signature moves
  • "I am the future and the future looks good!"
  • "I'm the coolest person in the universe!"

Championships and accomplishments

  • Big Time Wrestling
  • BTW Tag Team Championship (with Jason Styles)
Defeated Shane and Shannon Ballard on June 2 2006 in Hollister, California, USA
Current

  • Cauliflower Alley Club
  • 2005 Future Legends Award

  • EWF Tag Team Championship (with Josh Galaxy)
Defeated Big Q and Billy D on April 17 1999 in Colton, California, USA
Stripped of the titles due to an injury to Galaxy on July 18 1999

  • EWF Heavyweight Championship
Defeated Rico Constantino on July 18 1999 in San Bernadino, California, USA
Lost to Keiji Sakoda on March 24 2000 in San Bernadino, California, USA

  • International Wrestling Coalition
  • IWC United States Championship
Defeated Ricky Reyes on October 13 2000 in Riverside, California, USA
Lost to Mike Valley by forfeit on December 10 2000 in San Bernadino, California, USA

  • JAPW Light Heavyweight Championship
Defeated Teddy Hart (champion) and A.J. Styles on May 20 2006 in Rahway, New Jersey, USA
Current

  • Millennium Pro Wrestling
  • MPW Heavyweight Championship
Defeated Christopher Daniels and Adam Pearce on March 10 2001 in West Hills, California, USA
Forfeited the title to Little Guido on May 19 2001 in West Hills, California, USA

  • Phoenix Championship Wrestling
  • PCW Television Championship
Defeated Prodigy on May 18 2002 in Jersey City, New Jersey, USA
Lost to Don Bon Jovi on June 14 2003 in Toms River, New Jersey, USA

  • PCW Tag Team Championship (with Nova)
Defeated The Backseat Boyz (Trent Acid and Johnny Kashmere) on July 20 2001 in Monroeville, Pennsylvania, USA
Lost to The Backseat Boyz in 2002

Defeated Joey Ryan in a tournament final on August 30 2003 in City of Industry, California, USA (first champion)
Lost to Adam Pearce on February 22 2004 in Santa Ana, California, USA

  • PWG Championship (2)
Defeated Adam Pearce on July 10 2004 in Los Angeles, California, USA
Lost to Super Dragon on November 13 2004 in Los Angeles, California, USA

Defeated Chris Sabin on January 7 2004 in Nashville, Tennessee, USA
Lost to A.J. Styles on June 9 2004 in Nashville, Tennessee, USA

Defeated A.J. Styles on July 28 2004 in Nashville, Tennessee, USA
Lost to Petey Williams in a gauntlet match on August 11 2004 in Nashville, Tennessee, USA

  • UPW Tag Team Championship (with Nova)
Won a tournament on May 30 2001 in Santa Ana, California, USA
Lost to Shane and Shannon Ballard on May 8 2002 in Santa Ana, California, USA

  • UPW Lightweight Championship
Defeated B-Boy (champion) and Spanky on August 15 2002 in Santa Ana, California, USA
Lost to Lil' Nate on February 23 2005 in Santa Ana, California, USA

  • USA Xtreme Wrestling
  • UXW Xtreme Championship
Defeated Elix Skipper on September 24 2005
Stripped on November 26 2005

  • West Coast Wrestling Alliance
  • WCWA Heavyweight Championship
Defeated TNT on January 25 2002 in Lemon Grove, California, USA
Lost to Primetime Peterson on July 26 2002 in Lemon Grove, California, USA

Trivia

  • Kazarian made a cameo appearance on an episode of The Man Show where Jimmy Kimmel & Adam Carolla learned on how to wrestle.
  • Kazarian appeared in the film Backyard Dogs in 2000 as "Snake Duggan".
  • Kazarian was on an episode of Distraction with Curry Man (an alter-ego of "The Fallen Angel" Christopher Daniels) and Samoa Joe.
  • Kazarian is an avid Metallica fan.
  • Kazarian has stated that he would love to have a match with his trainer Killer Kowalski.
  • Kazarian has said that his favorite move to use in the ring is his "wave of the future" finisher.
  • Kazarian used to freestyle rap along with his close friends John Cena and Samoa Joe while the three of them were on the road.

External links

American professional wrestlers | 1977 births | Living people | People from the Inland Empire, California

 

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "Frankie Kazarian".

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