 Whitmer in 2012 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | Benjamin Whitmer (1978-01-25)January 25, 1978 (age 47)[1][2] |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name | B. J. Whitmer[1][2][3] |
| Billed height | 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)[1] |
| Billed weight | 235 lb (107 kg)[4] |
| Billed from | Owensboro, Kentucky[4] |
| Trained by | Les Thatcher[1][2] Ian Rotten[1] |
| Debut | January 23, 2000[1][2] |
| Retired | 2017[5] |
Benjamin Whitmer (born January 25, 1978), better known by thering nameB. J. Whitmer, is an Americanprofessional wrestling producer, professional wrestling trainer,color commentator, and retiredprofessional wrestler. He is best known for his work inRing of Honor (ROH), where he is afour-timeROH World Tag Team Champion.[1][2][3][4][6]
Whitmer was trained byLes Thatcher and debuted on January 23, 2000, in Thatcher'sOhio-basedHeartland Wrestling Association.[citation needed] Whitmerfeuded with "Ice Cream Man" Tony B. before forming atag team withJamie Knoble in 2002.[citation needed] On May 8, 2002, he won theHWA Cruiserweight Championship by defeating Knoble,Shannon Moore, andMatt Stryker in afour-man elimination match. He lost the title to Rory Fox on August 10.[citation needed]
In addition to the HWA, Whitmer also began performing forIndependent Wrestling Association Mid-South. After being unsuccessful in winning the inaugural Sweet Science Sixteen tournament and then again in 2001, Whitmer won the now-renamedTed Petty Invitational in 2002 as well as the Revolution Strong Style Tournament that same year.[citation needed] On April 9, 2004, he defeatedJerry Lynn in a thirty-minuteIron Man match for theIWA Mid-South Heavyweight Championship, which he held until May 29 when he was defeated byPetey Williams.[citation needed]
In June 2001, Whitmer touredJapan withPro Wrestling Noah, teaming on several occasions with fellowgaijinsMatt Murphy and2 Cold Scorpio. He was entered in the GHC Junior Tournament, but was eliminated byTsuyoshi Kikuchi in his final match in Japan on June 21 inToyama, Toyama. Whitmer toured with Noah once more in August and September 2005, losing most of his matches. His last appearance in Noah featured him in a three-way match for theROH World Championship against Kenta and the then-reigning championNigel McGuinness.[citation needed]
Whitmer debuted inRing of Honor in January 2003 atRevenge on the Prophecy.[4] His first major match was a bout withCM Punk atEpic Encounter on April 12, 2003. The match was declared a no-contest after Punk gave Whitmer aGerman suplex off the ring apron and through a table on the outside, leaving Punk stunned and Whitmerconcussed. Whitmer returned on May 31, losing toDan Maff, and on June 14 he teamed with Punk's other enemy,Raven, to face CM Punk andColt Cabana atNight of The Grudges. Whitmer and Raven lost when Cabana pinned Whitmer, apparently settling the issue.
Whitmer regained some momentum with a victory in a four corners survival match on June 28 atWrestleRave, and on July 19 atDeath Before Dishonor, he won another four corners survival match to become the number one contender for theROH Championship on the line. Whitmer faced the reigning champion,Samoa Joe, atWrath of the Racket on August 9, but was defeated. Between August and November, Whitmer took part in theField of Honor event, where he won his block but lost in the finals to Matt Stryker on December 22 atFinal Battle.
That same evening, CM Punk confrontedChristopher Daniels, Dan Maff andAllison Danger, members of The Prophecy, aheelstable led by Daniels, demanding to know which one of them had attacked and sidelined his girlfriend andvalet,Lucy, earlier that year. A brawl broke out with The Prophecy on one side and Punk and Colt Cabana on the other. Whitmer then approached the ring and announced that he had been behind the attack, thus joining The Prophecy. The events on December 22 led to a match on January 10, 2004, atThe Battle Lines Are Drawn between The Second City Saints (Punk, Cabana andAce Steel) and The Prophecy (Daniels, Maff and Whitmer). The match descended into a brawl, and the referee declared it a no contest after Lucy returned to ROH for one night, slapping Whitmer to gain a measure of revenge. After the match, Punk injured Daniels (in reality, Daniels had signed a contract withTotal Nonstop Action Wrestling) after performing thePepsi Plunge through a table, marking Daniels' last appearance in ROH until June 2005.
Whitmer and Maff continued to team together as The Prophecy, accompanied by Allison Danger, and feuded with the Saints throughout early 2004. They defeated the Saints for theROH World Tag Team Championship atRound Robin Challenge III on May 15, but lost the title to theBriscoe Brothers later that evening.[6] On June 12, 2004, atWorld Title Classic, Maff and Whitmer defeated three other teams in a thirty-five-minute-long ultimate endurance match. After the match, Maff convinced Whitmer to discard both The Prophecy's name and the managerial services of Allison Danger, claiming that they no longer needed a leader or a manager and resulting in both menturningface. Furious over this turn of events, Danger subsequently placed abounty on the heads of Maff and Whitmer. They spent several months feuding with teams sent after them by Danger, includingSlash Venom and Chicano and theCarnage Crew. On December 26 atFinal Battle 2004, they defeated the Carnage Crew in a "Fight Without Honor", and shook hands with their opponents after the match. However, Whitmer injured his elbow in the course of the match, and was sidelined for two months. Whitmer and Maff captured the Tag Team Championship for a second time on February 19, 2005, defeating theHavana Pitbulls.[6]
After Maff left ROH following a backstage altercation withHomicide, the title was vacated. Whitmer formed a new team withJimmy Jacobs, and defeated Samoa Joe andJay Lethal in a match for the vacant title on April 2.[6] They lost the title to The Carnage Crew on July 9 atEscape from New York, but regained it two weeks later on July 23 atThe Homecoming.[6] The duo went on to lose the title again, this time to the team ofSal Rinauro andTony Mamaluke, on October 1, 2005.[6]
On October 2, 2005, atUnforgettable, Whitmer and Jacobs joined managerLacey to become the Lacey's Angels. On the ROH DVD release ofHell Freezes Over, a video segment piloted by Jimmy Jacobs revealed that Jacobs was in fact in love with Lacey. Focusing more on his love of Lacey rather than his effort in matches, Jacobs cost the Lacey's Angels team (also joined byAdam Pearce for the night) the victory atTag Wars. Jacobs also cost himself and Whitmer the Tag Team Title the following night atDissension against the championsRoderick Strong andAustin Aries. After this, Whitmer turned on Jacobs. It was also learned later on in the DVD release in a video segment that Whitmer quit Lacey's Angels altogether.
Whitmer suffered an ankle injury due to Jacobs and was kept out of action, but appeared atSurvival of the Fittest 2006 to attack Jacobs during his tag match with Colt Cabana againstChris Hero andClaudio Castagnoli. Along with Cabana andDaizee Haze, Whitmer began feuding with Lacey, Jacobs, and their hired enforcerBrent Albright in a series of violent matches, including one atFinal Battle, where Albright put Whitmer through a table with apowerbomb. The feud continued into early 2007, and saw Whitmer perform anexplodersuperplex on Albright through a table in New York on February 16.
On February 23, 2007, Whitmer lost toTakeshi Morishima in a match for theROH World Championship inDayton, Ohio.[3] In September 2007, he allied withBrent Albright andAdam Pearce to form The Hangmen Three (also spelled as The Hangm3n), which later saw them gain Shane Hagadorn as theirmanager.[7] While a member of The Hangmen Three, Whitmer challenged for the World Tag Team Championship on a number of occasions with either Pearce or Albright, but was unsuccessful in regaining the title. In March 2008, Albright and Pearce joinedSweet 'n' Sour Inc., prompting Whitmer to leave The Hangmen Three. Later that month, ROH announced that Whitmer had resigned from the promotion, praising his "immense contribution".[3]
Whitmer retired from professional wrestling shortly after leaving Ring of Honor in 2008.[2] However, Whitmer would make his return to the ring on March 19, 2011, where he returned to theHeartland Wrestling Association and defeated Gerome Phillips to win his secondHWA Heavyweight Championship, which he held until losing it to Jesse Emerson on August 27. The following month, it was announced that Whitmer was going to be taking part in Absolute Intense Wrestling's TPI tournament,[8] not to be confused with theTed Petty Invitational held byIndependent Wrestling Association Mid-South. He would be eliminated from the tournament in the semifinals byTim Donst. On September 9, Whitmer made his debut forDragon Gate USA, competing in a six-way elimination match, which was won byBrodie Lee. One week later, Whitmer returned to Independent Wrestling Association Mid-South and defeated Bucky Collins to win the vacantIWA Mid-South Light Heavyweight Championship, which he held until losing it to Collins on October 14. Whitmer's first internet pay-per-view appearance for Dragon Gate USA took place on November 11 at Revolt, where he defeatedVinny Marseglia.[9] Two days later at Freedom Fight 2011, Whitmer was defeated by Brodie Lee in a singles match.[10]
On February 17, 2012, Whitmer returned to ROH after a four-year absence, where he lost toROH World Television Champion Jay Lethal in a non-title Proving Ground match.[12] After this, Whitmer allied himself with Rhett Titus to feud with Wrestling's Greatest Tag Team. Both teams competed against each other atGlory By Honor XI and a street fight atFinal Battle 2012: Doomsday, where Whitmer and Titus lost both matches, the second of which saw Haas throw Whitmer into a table. As a result, Haas and Whitmer faced each other at the 11th Anniversary Show in a No Holds Barred match, which Whitmer won by referee decision. On May 18, 2013, Whitmer unsuccessfully challengedJay Briscoe for theWorld Championship.[13] On June 22 atBest in the World 2013, Whitmer defeatedMike Bennett and both subsequently beganfeuding with each other.[14] On July 12 at Reclamation, Whitmer and the newly renamed Michael Bennett faced off in a rematch, where Bennett defeated Whitmer.[15] August 3 at All Star Extravaganza, Whitmer entered a tournament for the newly vacant World Championship, where he faced Bennett in a first round match. However, the match ended without a winner after Whitmer waslegitimately injured after beingpiledriven on the ring apron.[16][17] On September 20 atDeath Before Dishonor XI, Whitmer announced his retirement due to the neck injury he suffered from Bennett's piledriver.[18]
On December 14 atFinal Battle 2013, Whitmer came out of retirement and teamed withEddie Edwards in a winning effort againstJay Lethal andRoderick Strong. After the match, Whitmer turnedheel by attacking Edwards with the assistance of Strong and former tag team partner Jimmy Jacobs.[19] Whitmer then reunited with Jacobs and they both allied with Strong to formThe Decade, with thestable's name being a reference to all three men's long tenures with the company. On the January 4, 2014, The Decade secured its first victory as Whitmer and Jacobs defeatedAdam Page andMark Briscoe in a tag team match.[20] Whitmer successfully recruitedColby Corino, the 18-year-old son of Whitmer rival Steve Corino to join the Decade. This caused friction between Jacobs and Whitmer, feeling that taking Corino's son was too much, On March 27, 2015, atSupercard of Honor IX Whitmer defeated Jimmy Jacobs.
Whitmer feuded withAdam Page after Page left The Decade. Whitmer faced Page atROH 14th Anniversary Show, and defeated him. AtBest in the World '16 Whitmer defeatedSteve Corino in aFight Without Honor with the help fromKevin Sullivan. Later Whitmer and Sullivan would align withPunisher Martinez. On January 7, 2017, Whitmer was defeated byJay Briscoe in the Decade of Excellence. On February 11, Whitmer and Punishment Martinez defeatedWar Machine, after the match Martinez turned on Whitmer, hitting him with South of Heaven. Whitmer retired as a professional wrestler in 2017.[5]
After retiring, Whitmer worked as backstage producer and sometimes, on commentary. On May 19, 2018, he became one of the trainers at the Baltimore Dojo.[21] However, Whitmer left the promotion on December 20, 2018. He mentioned that the departure was down to ROH not letting him work at WWE's Performance Center as a guest trainer.[22]
In 2022, Whitmer was a judge atSupercard of Honor XV for aROH Pure Championship match. On December 10, 2022, he returned as a judge during the ROH Pure Championship match atFinal Battle.
In 2019, Whitmer signed a contract with the newly formedAll Elite Wrestling (AEW) to serve as acoach.[23][24] In June 2023, Whitmer was fired from AEW following a domestic violence arrest.[25][26]
On June 12, 2023, Whitmer was arrested inBoone County, Kentucky onfelony domestic violence and burglary charges after breaking into his ex-girlfriend's home, strangling her, and threatening to kill her. He was released from jail approximately one week later on a $25,000 cash bond, and was subsequently fired from hiscoaching job withAll Elite Wrestling.[25] On September 8, 2023, Whitmer was formally arraigned on felony charges for domestic battery by strangulation and burglary, and entered a not guilty plea.[27][26] In March 2024, Whitmer accepted anAlford plea and was sentenced to serve 120 days ofhouse arrest, in addition to five years ofprobation.[26]
