 Kazarian in 2016 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | Frank Benedict Gerdelman[6] (1977-08-04)August 4, 1977 (age 48)[5] |
Spouse | |
| Children | 1 |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Frankie[1] Frankie Gerdelman[1] Frankie Kazarian[2][3] Kaz[3] Kazarian[1] Suicide[1] |
| Billed height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)[4] |
| Billed weight | 210 lb (95 kg)[4] |
| Billed from | Anaheim, California[4] "Beautiful" Southern California Yucca Valley, California |
| Trained by | Killer Kowalski[5] Jesse Hernandez Bill Anderson Ultimate Pro Wrestling |
| Debut | May 15, 1998[1] |
Frank Benedict Gerdelman[6][7] (born August 4, 1977)[5] is an Americanprofessional wrestler. He is signed toTotal Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), where he performs under thering nameFrankie Kazarian, where he is the currentTNA World Champion in hisfirst reign. He is also known for his work inRing of Honor (ROH) andAll Elite Wrestling (AEW), as well as severalindependent promotions, most notablyPro Wrestling Guerrilla (PWG), where he has won multiple tag-team and singles championships.
Kazarian began his career in 1998 and performed on several independent promotions. During the 2000s, he worked for Pro Wrestling Guerrilla, where he became the inaugural and two-timePWG World Champion. From 2003 until 2014, he wrestled forTotal Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA). He began a tag team withMichael Shane known asShazarian. In 2007, he shortened his name toKaz and briefly worked under theSuicide character between 2008 and 2010. After returning to the Kazarian name, he joined theFourtune stable, where he stayed until 2012. In 2012, he began to work withChristopher Daniels as a tag team namedBad Influence, winning theTNA World Tag Team Championship twice. With a total of 4 reigns asX Division champion (one as co-champion with Shane and one as Suicide) and three as World Tag Team Champion, he left the company in 2014.
After leaving TNA, Daniels and Kazarian reunited in Ring of Honor, where they stayed until 2018. They changed the name of the tag team to The Addiction and later, they were joined byScorpio Sky as SoCal Uncensored. He won theROH Tag Team Championship twice with Daniels and once with Sky and the trio won theROH World Six-Man Tag Team Championship. During this time, Daniels and Kazarian appeared in international promotions, such asNew Japan Pro-Wrestling. After leaving ROH, the trio joined the new promotionAll Elite Wrestling, where Kazarian and Sky became the firstAEW World Tag Team Champions. In 2022, Kazarian also worked with Impact Wrestling, where he won his fifth X Division Championship (becoming the title’s 100th champion in the process), later signing with the company in 2023, after being granted his release from AEW.
Frank Benedict Gerdelman was born on August 4, 1977, inPalm Springs, California.[5][6][7]
Kazarian began training withKiller Kowalski inMalden, 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 toSouthern California and began wrestling on theindependent circuit, primarily in theEmpire Wrestling Federation,[5] where he continued his training and teamed with Josh Galaxy as "Bad Influence".
Impact Wrestling commentatorMike Tenay revealed in a late 2007 shoot interview that during aWorld Championship Wrestling event inSan Diego, California in 2000, a fan appeared to him and boldly declared that "someday, [Tenay] will be calling one of [his] matches". That fan was none other than Kazarian himself.
In 2000, Kazarian joinedUltimate Pro Wrestling, and in March 2001 he formed atag team withNova known as "Evolution".[5] On March 10, 2001, he became the first Millennium Pro Wrestling (MPW) World Champion by defeatingChristopher Daniels andAdam Pearce in a three-way dance.[8] On May 30, 2001, Evolution won the vacantUltimate Pro Wrestling Tag Team title.[5] He travelled to Japan as part of theUltimate Pro Wrestling (UPW) roster in 2002, where he facedSteve Corino, and also as part of Evolution he and Nova were defeated byEdge and Christian. He used tofreestyle rap along with his close friendsJohn Cena andSamoa Joe while the three of them were on the road in UPW.
He toured the UK, Australia and New Zealand with the now defunctWorld Wrestling All-Starspromotion in May 2003, where he metGlenn Gilberti andScott D'Amore, leading to his being offered a job byTotal Nonstop Action Wrestling.
Kazarian worked for the upstart Southern Californian promotionPro Wrestling Guerrilla from the very beginning, headlining its first event on July 26, 2003 againstAJ Styles in a losing effort. The following month, Kazarian participated in theBad Ass Mother 3000 tournament to determine the first-everPWG Champion. He defeatedScott Lost in the opening round on August 29 and Lil Cholo in the quarterfinals, Christopher Daniels in the semifinals and Joey Ryan in the final to win the tournament and become the inaugural PWG Champion on August 30.[5][9] Kazarian successfully defended the title against Styles and Daniels in a three-way match atAre You Adequately Prepared To Rock? andAmerican Dragon atAn Inch Longer Than Average.
Kazarian began his first major feud as champion with Adam Pearce after Pearce pinned Kazarian in a six-man tag team match atPimpin' In High Places. Pearce earned a title shot against Kazarian on the night one ofTango & Cash Invitational, which ended in a time limit draw, resulting in Kazarian retaining the title. Kazarian successfully defended the title againstBabi Slymm,Jonny Storm andM-Dogg 20 in afour-way elimination match on the second night of the tournament. Kazarian lost the title to Pearce atTaste The Radness on February 22, 2004.[10]
Kazarian spent the next few months, feuding with Pearce and his Hardkore Inc. stablemates. He received a title shot against Pearce in afour-way dance, also involving Babi Slymm and Jardi Frantz atRocktoberfest, where Pearce retained the title via disqualification. At the company's first anniversary show,The Reason for the Season on July 10, Kazarian became the first two-time PWG Champion by defeating Pearce in a "Loser Leaves PWG"steel cage match.[11] He would hold the title for the next four months, retaining it againstColt Cabana, Samoa Joe andRicky Reyes untilFree Admission! (Just Kidding on November 13, when he was defeated bySuper Dragon.[12]
In early 2005, Kazarian feuded with Arrogance (Chris Bosh andScott Lost), with the rivalry beginning after Arrogance cost Kazarian, a match againstTony Stradlin atAll Nude Revue. Kazarian began pursuing thePWG Tag Team Championship, with Kazarian and a mystery partner set to challenge Arrogance for the Tag Team Championship atThe Ernest P. Worrell Memorial. Kazarian revealed his tag team partner to be Lost's former X Foundation tag team partner Joey Ryan. Kazarian and Ryan lost after Kazarian prevented him from using a steel chair. Ryan turned on Kazarian by attacking him after the match and joined Arrogance. Kazarian teamed with The Aerial Express (Quicksilver andScorpio Sky) to defeat the Arrogance trio on the first night of All Star Weekend. On the night two, Kazarian teamed withChris Sabin to unsuccessfully challenge Bosh and Lost for the Tag Team Championship.
On the first night of the2nd Annual PWG Bicentennial Birthday Extravaganza, Kazarian challenged AJ Styles for the PWG Championship, with the match ending in a double count-out. AtSmells Like Speen Spirit, Kazarian teamed withPetey Williams to challenge 2 Skinny Black Guys (El Generico andHuman Tornado) for the Tag Team Championship in a losing effort.[13] In September, Kazarian participated in theinaugural Battle of Los Angeles tournament, where he lost toRocky Romero in the first round. On the first night of All Star Weekend 3, Kazarian defeatedJimmy Yang in a tournament to determine the #1 contender for the PWG World Championship, thus qualifying to the fatal four-way tournament final on night two againstB-Boy, Chris Sabin andKevin Steen. B-Boy won the match.
AtPlease Don't Call It (The O.C.), Kazarian joined B-Boy as his mystery tag team partner against the World Champion Joey Ryan and Scorpio Sky. Kazarian pinned Ryan for the win and demanded a title shot against Ryan, which resulted in Ryan and Sky attacking Kazarian and B-Boy after the match and Sky cut off Kazarian's ponytail. While in WWE the previous year, Kazarian had gotten in trouble with company management after refusing to cut his hair and this was one of the reasons he had asked for his release.[14] This marked the beginning of a lengthy feud between Kazarian and the newly formed faction Dynasty, specifically Sky. Kazarian unsuccessfully challenged Ryan for the World Championship atFear of a Black Planet. Kazarian defeated Sky via disqualification in the first round of the2006 Battle of Los Angeles after Sky'smanagerJade Chung hit him with a pair of scissors.[15] Kazarian was attacked by the Dynasty before his scheduled quarterfinal match against Super Dragon, thus knocking him out. He was carried out on a stretcher and was eliminated from the tournament via forfeit.[16]
AtSelf-Titled, Kazarian lost ahandicapfirst blood match to Sky and Chung.[17] After facing off Sky and his Dynasty stablemates in a series of tag team matches over the next few months, Kazarian defeated Sky in a Loser Leaves PWG match atBased on a True Story on January 13, 2007, to end the feud, just as he did with Adam Pearce.[18] With Sky gone from PWG (in storyline), Kazarian continued his feud with Dynasty as he took on Joey Ryan in a match atGuitarmageddon II: Armoryageddon, which Kazarian lost after an interference byKarl Anderson. This led to a match between Kazarian and Anderson atHoly Diver Down, which Kazarian lost after a man wearing Scorpio Sky's mask interfered in the match. AtAlbum of the Year, Kazarian challengedDisco Machine for the latter's ownership of PWG, which Kazarian lost after a distraction by commissioner Dino Winwood and refereeRick Knox.
On the first night of All Star Weekend V, Kazarian teamed withT.J. Perkins, Ronin and Top Gun Talwar against Dynasty and Karl Anderson in a losing effort. Kazarian left PWG in May 2007, when TNA Wrestling pulled all of their talent from the company.[19] He made a one night return to the promotion, nine months later, on February 24, 2008, to participate in the¡Dia de los Dangerous! tournament for the vacant PWG World Championship, where he lost to Karl Anderson in the opening round.[20]
Kazarian knew Impact Wrestling PresidentJeff Jarrett andScott D'Amore during a World Wrestling All-Stars tour and they invited him to a tryout.[21] Kazarian joinedTotal Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) in the summer of 2003, and quickly began pursuing theTNA X Division Championship. He was part of the first everUltimate X match, on August 20, 2003, along withMichael Shane andChris Sabin, which was won by Shane.[22] Kazarian did not appear with TNA Wrestling 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, defeatingThe Amazing Red in a match for the vacant title. He lost the belt toA.J. Styles on June 9, 2004.[23]
In June 2004 he and Shane formed a tag team (informally known asShazarian) managed byTraci Brooks. They claimed to resent the fact that A.J. Styles had held the TNA X Division Championship, then theNWA World Heavyweight Championship, then had won the X Division Championship once more. This was purportedly illegal according to a previously unknown by law of the Impact Wrestling 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.[24] Kazarian and Shane were declared co-champions when both took possession of the title belt at the same time.[24] On August 11 they defended the title in a twenty two manGauntlet for the Gold match.[25] 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 byPetey Williams.[25]
Kazarian was put in the same situation at November'sVictory Road where he entered number one in a20-man X Division Gauntlet and was the last man eliminated.[26]
Throughout late 2004 and early 2005, Kazarian and Shane competed in the TNA tag team division. Kazarian's contract with TNA Wrestling expired in September 2004 and was not renewed,[27] but he continued working with the company on a per appearance basis. The duo eventually began afeud with the3Live Kru andJeff Hammond, aNASCAR analyst who was working with Impact Wrestling as a commentator. This led to a match at theAgainst All Oddspay-per-view on February 13, 2005, between Hammond and Kru memberB.G. James and Shane and Kazarian.[28] Kazarian was pinned by Hammond after Shane miscued on asuperkick and knocked him out.[28]
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On February 25, 2005, Kazarian left TNA and signed withWorld Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).[5] He was assigned toOhio Valley Wrestling, the top formative division of WWE. He made his WWE television debut in an episode ofVelocity on July 16, with the name The Future Frankie Kazarian defeatingNunzio, and remained undefeated through July and August. In this time, he picked up victories againstScotty 2 Hotty,Funaki, andPaul London. On August 15, Kazarian announced on his website that he had left WWE two days earlier.[5] He later revealed that he had asked for his release after realizing that the company had no plans to revamp its cruiserweight division.[14]
Kazarian returned to TNA on July 16, 2006, atVictory Road, in a Championship match loss to TNA X Division ChampionSenshi.[5][29] Afterwards he and his old tag team partner Michael Shane (now known as "Maverick" Matt Bentley due to name trademark issues) resumed in their tag team, before disappearing from television for weeks.[3] Later resurfacing with a newgoth look, the duo would be joined byJohnny Devine and all became subservient toRaven, forming thestableSerotonin.[3] As part of Serotonin, his name was shortened to the simple and supposedly cryptic "Kaz".[3] Kaz eventually became the first Serotonin member to become very rebellious towards Raven. Kaz turned on Raven on June 21, 2007, by attacking fellow members of Serotonin,Havok andMartyr, costing him a match againstChris Harris.[30]
After his split with Serotonin, he began using his old ring attire andentrance video which both said the full "Kazarian" - though it was all later changed to only say the simple Kaz except for a few references on the TNA website. Shortly after this, he engaged in a brief feud withRobert Roode over his treatment ofMs. Brooks.[3] Kaz would take part in theUltimate X Gauntlet match to determine the #1 contender to the TNA X Division Championship atVictory Road. Although he lost the match, his cutter onChristopher Daniels off the cable ropes while the latter was hanging upside down became a notable spot.[31]Kaz would next be entered in the2007 Fight for the Right Tournament, which he won by defeatingChristian Cage atGenesis in the finals in aladder match.[32] On theImpact! following Genesis,Kurt Angle barely defeated Kaz to retain the TNA World Championship.[33]
At the 2007Turning Point pay-per-view, he was partnered withBooker T againstChristian Cage and Robert Roode, with Kaz and Booker winning.[34] He then began attackingDustin Rhodes, and stealing things from Rhodes' alter ego "Black Reign". He defeated Black Reign atFinal Resolution.[35] After defeating Black Reign, Kaz and Black Reign competed in a Four Corner Mouse Trap match were Kaz won but Black Reign ended up getting his things back from Kaz after hitting Kaz with his Darkness Falls weapon. On February 23, Kaz defeated Rellik. After the match, Black Reign and Rellik attacked Kaz.Eric Young ran out to help but got too scared to do anything. AtDestination X, Kaz and Young defeated Black Reign and Rellik leading to Kaz and Young (now 'Super Eric') becoming a tag team.[36] On April 13, atLockdown 2008, they won the Cuffed in a Cage match.[37] On the April 17 episode ofTNA Impact!, following Lockdown, Kaz and Young defeated the holders of theTNA World Tag Team Championship,AJ Styles and Tomko andThe Latin American Xchange (LAX) in atriple threat tag team match for the titles after Young's alter ego, "Super Eric" pinned Styles with a bridging suplex.[38] Later in the night, Styles complained toJim Cornette that since Young was signed to the match, not Super Eric, and Young claimed that he and Super Eric are different people, Super Eric's involvement was outside interference.[38] When Eric refused to admit that he was Super Eric, Cornette vacated the titles.[38]
Following Kaz and Young's loss to LAX in aDeuces Wild Tournament qualifying match, Kaz competed in and won the Terror Dome Match atSacrifice, becoming number one contender to the X Division Championship, and also taking Kurt Angle's place inthe triple threat match for theTNA World Heavyweight Championship.[39] The match was won by Samoa Joe, who retained the title.[39] On the June 5 episode ofImpact! Kaz won a future title match for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship in the first everX Division King of the Mountain Match.[40] He then failed to win theX Division championship atSlammiversary, losing to the X Division Champion Petey Williams.[41] He then challenged Joe the following Thursday onImpact! for theTNA World Heavyweight Championship in a losing effort.[42] He ledTeam TNA in the2008 World X Cup and was in the final round atVictory Road, but lost after he pulled off a huge leg drop onDaivari off the top of theUltimate X structure.[43] On July 21, 2008, TNA's official website announced that Kaz had been released, but it was revealed to be a storyline.[44] He was later interviewed byKaren Angle to further the storyline, and claimed that after failing to beat Kurt Angle for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship and letting down his company in the finals of the World X Cup, he had fallen out of love with wrestling and, so, had made the decision to leave.[45][46]
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In late 2008 Kazarian made his return to TNA Wrestling as a masked wrestler namedSuicide,[47] who was featured in Midway'sTNA Impact! video game. He debuted atFinal Resolution in December 2008 as aface, swinging to the ring on a cable, attackingthe Motor City Machine Guns.[48] AtDestination X Suicide won theTNA X Division Championship, in his debut match, in the Ultimate X match. Because of an injury to Kazarian, Suicide was portrayed for several weeks byChristopher Daniels, who was in the costume when the character won the X Division Championship.[49] Afterwards, Daniels began feuding with the Motor City Machineguns ofAlex Shelley and Chris Sabin, who on the April 30 episode ofImpact! accused him of being Suicide. On the May 7 episode ofImpact!,Jay Lethal andConsequences Creed joined the accusations by also accusing Daniels of being Suicide. On the May 14 episode ofImpact! the Motor City Machineguns and Lethal Consequences were trying to unmask Suicide in an attempt to prove that they were right about his true identity, but Daniels made the save and helped Suicide clear the ring of Shelley, Sabin, Lethal, and Creed. AtSlammiversary, Suicide retained the TNA X Division Championship against Shelley, Sabin, Lethal, and Creed, in a King of the Mountain match. On the July 16 episode ofImpact! Suicide lost his X Division title toHomicide after he cashed in his "Feast or Fired" briefcase.[50]
After not being seen for a few weeks, Suicide made his return atHard Justice to compete in theSteel Asylum match, which he lost because ofD'Angelo Dinero.[51] On the August 20 episode ofImpact! Suicide attacked Dinero after his match with Consequences Creed sparking a feud between the two.[52] On the September 17 episode ofImpact! Dinero defeated Suicide in a grudge match.[53] AtNo Surrender Dinero defeated Suicide again, this time in aFalls Count Anywhere match.[54] The following week onImpact! Suicide finally defeated Dinero, by pinning him in astreet fight.[55] On the October 15 episode ofImpact! Homicide stole Suicide's costume and claimed to now know his true identity.[56] On the December 3 episodeImpact! Suicide made peace with Dinero and joined him,Matt Morgan andHernandez in their war withRhino,Team 3D andJesse Neal.[57] AtFinal Resolution Morgan, Hernandez, Dinero and Suicide defeated Neal, Team 3D and Rhino in an eight-man elimination tag team match.[58] On the February 11, 2010, episode ofImpact! Gerdelman made his final TV appearance as Suicide, losing to Matt Morgan in an8 Card Stud Tournament qualifying match.[59]
On the February 18, 2010, episode ofImpact!, Gerdelman made his return as Kazarian, teaming up with Amazing Red andGeneration Me (Jeremy Buck and Max Buck) in an eight-man tag team match, where they defeated X Division ChampionDoug Williams,Brian Kendrick and the Motor City Machineguns, after Kazarian pinned Williams.[60] The following week he defeated Kendrick to earn himself a match for the X Division Championship atDestination X.[61] However, instead of waiting for the pay-per-view, Kazarian was given his title shot on the March 8 Monday night episode ofImpact in a three-way match, which also included Daniels. In the end Williams was able to retain his title by pinning Daniels.[62] At Destination X Kazarian defeated Daniels, Kendrick and Amazing Red in a four-way ladder match to earn another shot at the X Division Championship.[63] AtLockdown Kazarian defeated Homicide and Shannon Moore in a three-way steel cage match to win the vacant TNA X Division Championship for the fourth time (counting his reign as Suicide), after Douglas Williams was stripped of the title due to being unable to attend the event.[64] Upon Williams' return to TNA two weeks later, he refused to hand the X Division Championship belt over to Kazarian, unless he was able to defeat him for it.[65] AtSacrifice Kazarian lost the X Division Championship to Williams without ever actually holding the physical belt.[66]
On the following episode ofImpact! Kazarian started showing signs of a heel turn, when he won an X Division battle royal to earn spot number ten in the TNA rankings for a World Title shot, impressingRic Flair in the process.[67] The heel turn was completed the following week, when Flair interfered in his match with Jay Lethal, which led to Kazarian scoring the roll-up victory, while grabbing a hold of his opponent's tights. After the match, Flair's other associate A.J. Styles, trying to impress his mentor, attacked Lethal, which led to an argument between him and Kazarian, who wanted to finish Lethal off himself. The distraction was enough for Lethal to dropkick both of them out of the ring.[68] AtSlammiversary VIII Kazarian lost his spot in the rankings to Kurt Angle.[69]
On the following episode ofImpact! Ric Flair, who had aligned himself with Kazarian, Styles,Desmond Wolfe, Robert Roode andJames Storm, announced that he would reform theFour Horsemen under the new nameFourtune, stating that each of them would have to earn their spots in the group and in order for Kazarian to earn his spot, he needed to become theBarry Windham of the group.[70][71] Flair, wanting peace between Kazarian and Styles, booked them in a tag team match against Samoa Joe andRob Terry atVictory Road.[72] The plan seemed to work as Kazarian and Styles were victorious due to outside interference from Desmond Wolfe and in the process earned themselves spots in Fourtune.[73] On the July 22 episode ofImpact! Kazarian helped Styles defeat Rob Terry to win theTNA Global Championship.[74] The following week Fourtune's lineup was seemingly completed with the addition of Robert Roode and James Storm as the final two members of the group.[75] However, on the August 12 episode ofImpact! Douglas Williams and Matt Morgan were added to Fourtune, as the stable attackedEV 2.0, a stable consisting of formerExtreme Championship Wrestling performers.[76] In the weeks leading toBound for Glory, the stable's name was tweaked to Fortune to represent the expansion in the number of members in the group.[77][78] At Bound for Glory Kazarian, Styles, Morgan, Roode and Storm were defeated in aLethal Lockdown match by EV 2.0 membersTommy Dreamer, Raven, Rhino,Sabu andStevie Richards.[79] On the following episode ofImpact! Fortune formed an alliance withHulk Hogan's andEric Bischoff's new stable,Immortal.[80] The following week Kazarian was given the objective of endingMr. Anderson's World Heavyweight title aspirations in an Ultimate X match. Though Kazarian managed to win the match, with help from Fortune, Anderson survived and thus earned himself a title match against Immortal'sJeff Hardy.[81] The following week tensions rose between former rivals and Fortune stable mates Kazarian and Douglas Williams, when Williams claimed he had not been given a chance to spotlight his talent, after joining Fortune, while Kazarian claimed Williams had a bad attitude and dubbed himself, Styles, Roode and Storm the "Core Four" of Fortune.[82][83] On the November 4 episode ofImpact!, Flair ordered Kazarian and Williams to settle their differences in the ring. Kazarian won the match between the members of Fortune, after a miscommunication between Williams and James Storm. After the match Flair made Kazarian and Williams shake hands.[84] AtTurning Point the seemingly re–united Fortune defeated EV 2.0 in a ten-man tag team match and, as a result, EV 2.0's Sabu was released from TNA.[85] However, on the November 18 episode ofImpact! Williams turned on Fortune and joined Matt Morgan, who had been kicked out of the group the previous month, reigniting the feud between Kazarian and Williams.[86] This was followed by Williams scoring back–to–back pinfall victories over Kazarian, first in an eight-man elimination tag team match on the November 25 episode ofImpact! and then in a singles match on the December 2 episode ofImpact!.[87][88] On the December 23 episode ofImpact! Kazarian defeated Jeremy Buck, Max Buck andRobbie E in a four-way match to become the number one contender to the X Division Championship, held by Jay Lethal.[89] On January 9, 2011, atGenesis Kazarian defeated Lethal to win the X Division Championship for the fifth time.[90]
On January 31 at the tapings of the February 3 episode ofImpact!, Fortune turned face by attacking Immortal, when they interfered in a TNA World Heavyweight Championship match between Mr. Anderson and Jeff Hardy.[91][92] Ric Flair, who did not take part in Fortune's turn due to being out with a torn rotator cuff, returned at the February 14 tapings of the February 17 episode ofImpact!, turning on Fortune and jumping to Immortal.[93][94] On March 13 atVictory Road, Kazarian successfully defended the X Division Championship in an Ultimate X match against Jeremy Buck, Max Buck and Robbie E.[95] On April 17 atLockdown, Kazarian, Roode, Storm and Christopher Daniels, who replaced an injured A.J. Styles, defeated Immortal representatives Ric Flair,Abyss,Bully Ray andMatt Hardy in a Lethal Lockdown match.[96] On May 16 at the tapings of the May 19 episode ofImpact Wrestling, Kazarian lost the X Division Championship to Abyss.[97][98] On June 12 atSlammiversary IX, Kazarian failed to regain the title from Abyss in a three-way match with Brian Kendrick.[99] In September, Kazarian began feuding withJeff Jarrett over his and his wife Karen's treatment of her newly appointed assistant,Traci Brooks.[100] In late 2011, Fortune disbanded, after both Christopher Daniels and Bobby Roode turned on their stablemates.[101][102]
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On the January 5, 2012, episode ofImpact Wrestling, Kazarian and A.J. Styles were defeated in the finals of theWild Card Tournament by the team ofMagnus and Samoa Joe, when Kazarian abandoned Styles and left the ringside area with Christopher Daniels, turning heel in the process.[103] Over the next few weeks it became apparent that Daniels was holding something over Kazarian, with Kazarian being reluctant to do his bidding.[104] On February 12 atAgainst All Odds, Kazarian defeated Styles in a singles match.[105] On the February 23 episode ofImpact Wrestling, Kazarian attacked Styles during his Television Championship match with Robbie E, allowing Robbie to retain the championship.[106] On the following episode ofImpact Wrestling, Kazarian defeated Styles in a gauntlet match; had Styles been successful, Kazarian would have to explain his alliance with Daniels.[107] On March 18 atVictory Road, Kazarian and Daniels were defeated in a tag team match by Styles and Mr. Anderson.[108] The rivalry continued on April 15 atLockdown, where the two duos were on opposing teams in the annual Lethal Lockdown match. Styles' and Anderson's team, led byGarett Bischoff, ended up defeating Kazarian's and Daniels' team, led by Eric Bischoff.[109] During Styles' absence fromImpact Wrestling, Kazarian and Daniels set their sights on the TNA World Tag Team Championship, attacking champions Magnus and Samoa Joe on the April 26 episode.[110] On the May 10 episode ofImpact Wrestling, Kazarian revealed that he originally aligned himself with Daniels to keep him from revealing Styles' secret, but changed his mind after learning what the secret was. Daniels then revealed the secret, a series of photographs insinuating a relationship between Styles and TNA presidentDixie Carter.[111] Three days later atSacrifice, Kazarian and Daniels defeated Magnus and Samoa Joe to win the TNA World Tag Team Championship, starting Kazarian's second reign with the title.[112] Later in the event, Kazarian and Daniels cost A.J. Styles his match with Kurt Angle, who afterwards turned on the two, saving Styles from a beatdown.[112] On June 10 atSlammiversary, Kazarian and Daniels lost the TNA World Tag Team Championship to Styles and Angle.[113] On the June 21 episode ofImpact Wrestling, Styles and Carter proved that Kazarian and Daniels had been lying about their relationship by producing a pregnant woman named Claire Lynch, whom they had been helping overcome her addictions.[114] The following week, Kazarian teased dissension with Daniels, claiming that he had been lied to. However, in the main event of the evening, Kazarian revealed that he was still on Daniels' side, when the two defeated Styles and Angle, after Kazarian hit Styles with a steel chair, to regain the TNA World Tag Team Championship. Following the win, Daniels admitted that Styles and Carter had told the truth about Claire, but claimed that they had left out the part about Styles being the father of her unborn baby.[115] The team, billed as "The World Tag Team Champions of the World",[116] made their first televised title defense on the August 8 episode ofImpact Wrestling, defeatingDevon and Garett Bischoff.[117] Three days later atHardcore Justice, Kazarian unsuccessfully challenged Devon for theTNA Television Championship.[118] On the August 23 episode ofImpact Wrestling, the storyline involving Claire Lynch was concluded, when she revealed that she was not pregnant after all, while also revealing Daniels' and Kazarian's plot to blackmail Styles through her fake pregnancy.[119] On September 6 as part of the first "Championship Thursday", Kazarian and Daniels successfully defended the TNA World Tag Team Championship againstChavo Guerrero Jr. and Hernandez.[120] Three days later atNo Surrender, Kazarian and Daniels made another successful title defense against previous champions, A.J. Styles and Kurt Angle.[121] On October 14 atBound for Glory, Kazarian and Daniels lost the TNA World Tag Team Championship to Chavo Guerrero Jr. and Hernandez in a three-way match, which also included A.J. Styles and Kurt Angle.[122] Kazarian and Daniels received their rematch on November 11 atTurning Point, but were again defeated by Guerrero and Hernandez.[123]
On December 9 atFinal Resolution, Kazarian was defeated by James Storm in a singles match,[124] and again on the January 3, 2013, episode ofImpact Wrestling, beginning a rivalry between the newly christened Bad Influence and Storm.[125] On March 10 atLockdown, Bad Influence unsuccessfully challengedAustin Aries and Bobby Roode for the TNA World Tag Team Championship in a three-way match, also involving Chavo Guerrero Jr. and Hernandez.[126] In April, Kazarian and Daniels began teasing a Fortune reunion to battle theAces & Eights stable, however, this plan was foiled by A.J. Styles and Bobby Roode both turning down offers to join them.[127][128] Bad Influence faced Austin Aries and Bobby Roode in a number one contenders match on the May 9 episode ofImpact Wrestling, however, the match ended in a no contest after special guest referee James Storm superkicked Aries and Daniels and walked out on the match.[129] On June 2 atSlammiversary XI, Bad Influence failed to capture the TNA World Tag Team Championship from Chavo Guerrero Jr. and Hernandez in a fatal four-way elimination match, which also included Austin Aries and Bobby Roode and was won byGunner and James Storm.[130] On the June 13 episode ofImpact Wrestling, Kazarian and Daniels defeated Gunner and Storm in a non-title match to qualify for the2013 Bound for Glory Series.[131] Kazarian would begin the BFG series by losing to the likes of Magnus and A.J. Styles.[132][133] On the July 11 episode ofImpact Wrestling, Kazarian and Bobby Roode defeated Austin Aries and Christopher Daniels in a tag team match, with Kazarian pinning his Bad Influence partner for the win, to qualify for the BFG series gauntlet match later in the evening. During the match, however, Kazarian was the first man eliminated by A.J. Styles.[134] On the August 8 episode ofImpact Wrestling, Kazarian and Daniels faced off in a BFG series match, but despite teasing tension earlier in the night, got themselves intentionally counted out to gain two points in the tournament. Afterwards, Kazarian and Daniels allied themselves with Bobby Roode to form a new force, and so that one of them would win the Bound for Glory series.[135] The following week atImpact Wrestling: Hardcore Justice, Kazarian defeated A.J. Styles, Austin Aries, and Jeff Hardy in a ladder match, following interference from Daniels and Roode, to capture twenty points in the BFG Series.[136] On the August 8Impact Wrestling, Daniels and Kazarian faced off in a BFG series match. Despite teasing tension earlier in the night, they both intentionally got counted out to gain two points each. Afterward, they allied with Bobby Roode, in hopes it would help one of them win the tournament.[137]
At theBound for Glory pre-show, Bad Influence were defeated by the tag team of Eric Young andJoseph Park in a tag teamgauntlet match to determine the number one contenders to face the TNA World Tag Team Champions, James Storm and Gunner, during the Bound For Glory PPV later that night. Following their elimination, Bad Influence attacked Park causing him to bleed from the mouth. The same night, during the PPV, Bad Influence interrupted the show to petition TNA management to place themselves into the TNA World Tag Team Championship match later that night between James Storm & Gunner and challengersThe BroMans. However, before they got an answerAbyss appeared and attacked them. Over the following few weeks, Bad Influence would mock Park and try to reveal his true identity. On the November 5 edition ofImpact Wrestling, Bad Influence revealed that Park's law firm (Park, Park & Park) had closed 15 years ago and consequently Park had been lying about being alawyer. On December 12, Bad Influence were defeated by Park & Young when Young caused his own partner to bleed resulting in Park transforming into Abyss, as a result of seeing his own blood, and gaining the victory. On December 26, Bad Influence were defeated again by Park in aMonster's BallHandicap match. On March 2, 2014, Bad Influence were part of a group of TNA wrestlers that took part inWrestle-1'sKaisen: Outbreak event inTokyo, Japan, defeating Junior Stars (Koji Kanemoto andMinoru Tanaka) in a tag team match. On March 9, 2014, at TNA Lockdown, Bad Influence along with Chris Sabin were defeated by Wrestle-1's The Great Muta, Sanada, and Yasu in a six-man interpromotional tag team steel cage match. On April 12, 2014, at TNA One Night Only's X-Travaganza 2 event Bad Influence were defeated by The Wolves (Eddie Edwards and Davey Richards) in the EC3 Invitational Ladder match where the winners received $25,000. On April 23 Daniels announced his departure from TNA thus dissolving the team. On May 11, it was reported that Kazarian had also worked the final dates of his contract with TNA.[138]
While Bad Influence were in TNA, they appeared in other promotions. On January 24, 2014, Bad Influence appeared at Big Time Wrestling's Battle Royal, where they defeated The Ballard Brothers (Shane Ballard andShannon Ballard).[139] On April 5, Bad Influence appeared in two events. First, they defeatedThe Bravado Brothers (Harlem Bravado & Lancelot Bravado) atDragon Gate USA's Mercury Rising.[140] After, they defeatedThe Irish Airborne (Dave Crist and Jake Crist) atWrestleCon.[141] On June 6, 2014, Bad Influence made their debuts in Tommy Dreamer'sHouse of Hardcore, defeating Outlaw Inc. (Eddie Kingston and Homicide).[142] On June 7, 2014, Bad Influence returned to House of Hardcore at HOH 5, defeatingPetey Williams andTony Nese.[143] In November and December 2015, The Addiction took part inNew Japan Pro-Wrestling's2015 World Tag League, where they finished with a record of three wins and three losses, failing to advance from their block.[144]
After his TNA contract expired on June 1, 2014, Kazarian was announced to debut inRing of Honor.[145][146] atBest in the World, Kazarian made his ROH debut, teaming with Christopher Daniels to challengereDRagon (Bobby Fish andKyle O'Reilly) for theROH World Tag Team Championship in a losing effort. AtSupercard of Honor IX Kazarian was defeated byMichael Elgin. On April 25, 2015, The Addiction defeatedreDRagon to win theROH World Tag Team Championship with the help fromChris Sabin. AtField of Honor Kazarian was involved in a nine-way gauntlet match for anROH World Television Championship shot, which was won byTakaaki Watanabe. AtAll Star Extravaganza VII The Addiction lost theROH World Tag Team Championship toThe Kingdom in a triple threat tag team match involvingThe Young Bucks. AtSurvival of the Fittest Kazarian was involved in a Survival of the Fittest tournament match which was won byJay Briscoe alsoRaymond Rowe andRhett Titus was in the match.
On May 9, 2016, atWar of the Worlds, The Addiction defeatedWar Machine to win the ROH World Tag Team Championship for the second time.[147] AtDeath Before Dishonor XIV The Addiction defeatedLos Ingobernables de Japón andHiroshi Tanahashi andMichael Elgin in a Three-way Tag team match for theROH World Tag Team Championship. On September 30 atAll Star Extravaganza VIII, The Addiction lost the ROH World Tag Team Championship to The Young Bucks in a three-way ladder match, which also included The Motor City Machine Guns.[148] Kazarian would face and was defeated byJay Lethal andKyle O'Reilly.
In early 2017, The Addiction began feuding withBullet Club, turning face in the process. On February 11, 2017, during Ring of Honor tapings, Kazarian turned on Daniels and joined Bullet Club.[149] On March 10 at theROH 15th Anniversary Show Kazarian defeatedCheeseburger,Chris Sabin,Punisher Martinez,Hangman Page andSilas Young in a six-man mayhem match number one contender for theROH World Television Championship. Later that same event, Kazarian turned onAdam Cole and Bullet Club, revealing his betrayal of Daniels to have been a ruse and helping Daniels win theROH World Championship.[150] On ROH TV taping Kazarian was unsuccessful at winning the ROH World Television Championship againstMarty Scurll. During the matchHangman Page got involved and caused distractions and ended up hitting Kaz with a chair. After the match,Matt Sydal made his return to lay out Scurll and even the odds.
On the Ring of Honor Tapings, Kazarian would win theHonor Rumble last eliminatedJay Lethal. Later that night, Kazarian was unsuccessful at winning theROH World Championship againstCody. On March 9, 2018, atROH 16th Anniversary Show, SoCal Uncensored defeatedThe Hung Bucks to win theROH World Six-Man Tag Team Championship. At War of the Worlds: Lowell, they lost the Six-Man Tag Team Title against The Kingdom.
On October 14, 2018, Kazarian and SoCal Uncensored teammateScorpio Sky won a triple threat tag team match to become ROH World Tag Team Champions, marking Kazarian's third reign with those titles. At Final Battle, they lost the Tag Team title against The Briscoe Brothers in a Ladder War. The next day, SoCal Uncensored left ROH.[151]
In January 2019 it was revealed that Kazarian would be one of the first signees toAll Elite Wrestling, a new wrestling promotion started by wrestlersCody Rhodes andThe Young Bucks.[152][153][154] SCU made their debut atDouble or Nothing defeating Strong Hearts (CIMA,El Lindaman, andT-Hawk) in a six-man tag team match. On the October 30th 2019 episode ofAEW Dynamite, Kazarian and SoCal Uncensored teammateScorpio Sky became the inauguralAll Elite Wrestling Tag Team Champions. Kazarian and Sky would lose the Tag Team Championship toKenny Omega and"Hangman" Adam Page atChris Jericho's Rock 'N' Wrestling Rager at Sea Part Deux: Second Wave. Following this, SCU would start a feud withThe Dark Order. On the March 18, 2020 episode of Dynamite (first show with no crowd), Kazarian and Daniels would be attacked by The Exalted One of The Dark Order,Brodie Lee. Kazarian then returned to teaming with his longtime tag team partner Christopher Daniels, as Scorpio Sky would distance himself from SCU. Kazarian would also try out singles competition for himself, facing and losing toJon Moxley on the May 6, 2020 episode of Dynamite.[155] On the September 30 episode of Dynamite, Kazarian and Scorpio Sky would team once again, losing toFTR for theAEW World Tag Team Championships.[156] On December 2, 2020, atWinter is Coming, Kazarian would lose to Jericho in a singles match.[157] AtAEW Blood and Guts, Kazarian and Daniels would defeat The Varisity Blondes (Brian Pillman Jr. and Griff Garrison), The Acclaimed (Anthony Bowens andMax Caster), and Jurassic Express (Jungle Boy andLuchasaurus) to earn a shot at the AEW World Tag Team Championships. On May 14, 2021, Kazarian and Daniels failed to defeatThe Young Bucks for the titles, thus forcing the team to disband.
In June 2021, Kazarian returned and began attacking members of The Elite, aidingEddie Kingston,Pac, andPenta el Zero M. He would label himself as ‘The Elite Hunter’ and over the upcoming weeks he would attack members of The Elite usually when they attempted to cheat in matches.[158] This would lead to match onFyter Fest (Night 2), where Kazarian would lose to Elite memberDoc Gallows. In 2022, Kazarian engaged in a feud with his former tag team partnerScorpio Sky over theTNT Championship, which led to Sky turning on Kazarian by hitting him with the TNT Championship belt after defeating him on the May 13, 2022 episode ofAEW Rampage.[159][160] AtDouble or Nothing on May 29, 2022, Sky,Paige Van Zant andEthan Page defeated Kazarian,Sammy Guevara andTay Conti in a six-person tag team match after Sky pinned Kazarian, with Kazarian and Guevara losing the right to further challenge Sky for the TNT Championship as a result.[161][162] At theImpact Wrestling Hard to Kill pay-per-view, Kazarian cut a promo saying he was done withAEW and he had signed a contract withImpact Wrestling. Reportedly, Kazarian had asked for his release from AEW in November, and it was later granted. His last match for the promotion took place on the December 26, 2022 episode ofAEW Dark: Elevation, losing toKonosuke Takeshita. It was noted that Kazarian was well liked by AEW officials and fellow talent, and that he "did business the right way" by losing to Takeshita before leaving. Sources also stated that Kazarian would be welcomed back to AEW if he chose to return in the future.[163][164]
On the July 29, 2021 episode ofImpact, Kazarian made his return to TNA, now known asImpact Wrestling, attackingThe Elite (Kenny Omega,Doc Gallows, andKarl Anderson).[165][166] The following week onImpact!, Kazarian teamed withEddie Edwards andSami Callihan to defeat The Elite.[167][168] In May 2022, he would make another appearance, wrestling Chris Sabin.[169] Kazarian would later return at Victory Road as part of the X Division Triple Threat Revolver match to determine the number 1 contender forMike Bailey's title at theBound For Glory pay-per-view. Kazarian would defeat Bailey to win theX-Division Championship for the fifth time in his career. On the October 20, 2022 episode of IMPACT, Kazarian announced that he was going to invokeOption C and vacated the X Division Championship in exchange for an opportunity to wrestleJosh Alexander for theImpact World Championship, though he was defeated. AtHard To Kill, Kazarian made his first appearance since losing to Alexander, cutting a promo saying he is officially signed to Impact.[170]
On March 24 atSacrifice, Kazarian teamed withRich Swann andSteve Maclin losing toTimeMachine (Alex Shelley,Chris Sabin, andKushida).[171] On April 16, atRebellion, Kazarian fought for TeamDreamer and won a10-wrestlerHardcore War against TeamBully.[172] On June 9 atAgainst All Odds, Kazarian defeated Eddie Edwards.[173] On July 15 atSlammiversary, Kazarian was defeated by Eddie Edwards.[174] On August 27 atEmergence, Kazarian was defeated by Eddie Edwards again but this time in a "Back to School" match.[175]
On January 13, 2024 at the "Countdown toTNA Hard to Kill", Kazarian teamed withEric Young losing to The System (Eddie Edwards andBrian Myers).[176] On January 18 episode ofTNA Wrestling, Kazarian and Young was defeated by theGrizzled Young Veterans (James Drake &Zack Gibson). Following the match, Kazarian turned heel by attacking Young, exclaiming that 2024 was to be "his year".[177] Two weeks later, Kazarian explained his actions in the ring, saying he saved TNA when he resigned in 2023, but after a career of simply being a "soldier" for the promotion, he vowed to be remembered as a "king," which is what he called Young.[178] On February 23 atNo Surrender, Kazarian was defeated by Young, Kazarian later attacking the referee in anger.[179][180] TNA Director of AuthoritySantino Marella would suspend Kazarian for his actions. Kazarian, however, continued to target Young, costing him his world title match against Moose at Sacrifice.[180] On April atRebellion, Kazarian defeated Young in aFull Metal Mayhem match.[181]
On the June 18 episode ofWWE NXT, Kazarian made a one-off return appearance and participated in a Battle Royal for a shot at theNXT Championship. In this match, he eliminated his on-screen rivalJoe Hendry.[182]
AtBound for Glory in October 2024, Kazarian won the 20-personIntergenderCall Your Shot Gauntlet and earned a championship match of his choosing up to one year.[183] Over the next few months, Kazarian made several unsuccessful attempts to call his shot, most notably atGenesis where Joe Hendry defeatedNic Nemeth to win the title.[184] AtRebellion, Kazarian failed to win the TNA World Championship from Hendry, this was a triple threat match withNXT'sEthan Page.[185] AtVictory Road, Kazarian would defeatSteve Maclin to win theTNA International Championship for the first time.[186] However, he would lose the title back to Maclin on October 12 atBound for Glory, ending his reign at 16 days.[187] Later that night, Kazarian attackedJody Threat and took her spot in the Call Your Shot Gauntlet, winning the match alongside Nic Nemeth, becoming the first wrestler to win back-to-back Call Your Shot Gauntlets.[187] On the November 13, 2025 episode of Impact!, Kazarian cashed in his Call Your Shot, defeatingTNA World ChampionMike Santana to win the title for the first time. This victory made him an TNAGrand Slam winner.[188]
Gerdelman became a fan of wrestling due in large part to Hulk Hogan's role inRocky III and also watchingWrestleMania I. His favorite wrestler wasThe Ultimate Warrior, followed byShawn Michaels,Ricky Steamboat,Tito Santana andThe British Bulldogs.[21]
Gerdelman married fellow professional wrestlerTracy Brookshaw on January 7, 2010.[189] The couple have a son together. Gerdelman is known to be a massive fan of theheavy metal bandMetallica. He playsbass guitar and is in a band called VexTemper.[190]
Kazarian made a cameo appearance on an episode ofThe Man Show whereJimmy Kimmel andAdam Carolla learned how to wrestle. He also appeared in the filmBackyard Dogs in 2000 as "Snake Duggan" and was on an episode ofDistraction withCurry Man andSamoa Joe. Kazarian was also referenced inMike Vallely's documentary,Mike V's Greatest Hits, in which one part of it involved the pro skater spending part of his time as a wrestler. He also made a cameo appearance inMTV'sMade whenThe Motor City Machine Guns were making a Michigan choir boy into a professional wrestler.
He is also the bass guitarist of the band VexTemper, whose song "Get Addicted" was used as his and Christopher Daniels' entrance theme in ROH.
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1Kazarian andMichael Shane were declared co-champions after defeatingA.J. Styles in an Ultimate X match at the weekly pay-per-view #104 by grabbing the belt at the same time. This co-reign was the second time that both men had won the championship.
2Won as Suicide.
And yes, that is Frankie Kazarian under the mask as Suicide.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)We are told that after his 40 minute+ match with Josh Alexander, Kazarian asked AEW to be released and it was granted. We are told it was a completely amicable situation based around Kazarian wanting to push himself harder as he's getting closer to the latter point of his career...
