 Konnor in 2016 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | Ryan Parmeter[6] (1980-02-06)February 6, 1980 (age 45)[3] |
Spouse | |
| Children | 1 |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Big Kon Kon Conor O'Brian[1] Konnor[2] Payne[3] Roughhouse O'Reilly[4] Ryan O'Reilly[3] |
| Billed height | 6 ft 5 in (196 cm)[5] |
| Billed weight | 265 lb (120 kg)[5] |
| Billed from | Boston,Massachusetts |
| Trained by | Alex G[3] Rusty Brooks[3] Bill DeMott[3] Jody Hamilton[3] Norman Smiley[3] |
| Debut | 2001[3] |
Ryan Parmeter[1] (born February 6, 1980)[3] is an Americanprofessional wrestler, He is best known for his work inWWE, where he wrestled under the ring nameKonnor. He was part of thefourth season ofNXT, and earned fourth place on the show's fifth season,NXT Redemption[broken anchor].[7]he also competed inTotal Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he performed under the ring nameKon.
After spending four years wrestling on theindependent circuit as Ryan Payne O'Reilly, Parmeter signed a WWE contract in 2005, and was assigned toDeep South Wrestling (DSW), adevelopmental territory, where he wrestled as Rough House O'Reilly.[1][4] He won theDSW Heavyweight Championship twice, before briefly appearing inFlorida Championship Wrestling (FCW). He also appeared in severaldark matches prior toRaw andSmackDown, and at severalECWhouse shows. In October 2007, both Parmeter and his girlfriend,Krissy Vaine, requested to be released from their WWE contracts for personal reasons.[8][9]
Following his release, Parmeter took time off from wrestling, before debuting for NWA Charlotte in February 2009. In July 2010, he was re-signed by WWE, and returned to FCW where he began wrestling as Conor O'Brian. In November 2010, he was announced as a participant in the fourth season ofNXT.
Parmeter initially trained at the School of Hard Knocks in southern Florida underRusty Brooks, and made hisprofessional wrestling debut in 2001.[1][3] He went on to compete in Brooks'promotion,Four Star Championship Wrestling (FSCW) as Ryan Payne O'Reilly, and formed atag team with Jeff "J-Dawg" Brooks, known as the "Irish Thug Connection". Together, the Irish Thug Connection won the FSCW Tag Team Championship.[10] He also won the FSCW Heavyweight Championship,[1] and spent mid-2004feuding withNorman Smiley over it.[11][12] O'Reilly also competed for Florida's Coastal Championship Wrestling (CCW) promotion, and won the CCW Heavyweight Championship.[1] He appeared forTotal Nonstop Action Wrestling during the promotion's early shows.[8]
After four years on the independent circuit, O'Reilly signed a contract withWorld Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) in 2005.[1] He was assigned toDeep South Wrestling (DSW), a WWEdevelopmental territory as Roughhouse O'Reilly, and made his DSW debut at the inaugural DSW show on September 1, in a loss toJack Bull. Over the next several months, he faced wrestlers including "Big Time"Nick Mitchell,Mike Mizanin, Shawn Schultz,Derrick Neikirk,[13]Eric Pérez andFreakin Deacon. In December, he appeared in adark match prior to theSmackDown tapings.
In early 2006, O'Reilly took a leave of absence. Upon his return, he and Danny Germundo entered a tournament for theDSW Tag Team Championship but were eliminated by Team Elite (Mike Knox and Neikirk) on May 11.[13] On June 22, O'Reilly defeated Neikirk to win theDSW Heavyweight Championship.[13] He successfully defended the championship against Knox, Neikirk,[13] andMontel Vontavious Porter.[14] On September 7, O'Reilly lost the championship toBradley Jay. During mid-2006, O'Reilly made several appearances atECWhouse shows, teaming with Neikirk to faceThe FBI (Little Guido andTony Mamaluke).[13] O'Reilly was scheduled to become part of the regular ECW roster in September, but violated theWWE Wellness Program, and was suspended for 30 days.[1]
When he returned, he became thepersonal assistant of DSW General ManagerKrissy Vaine.[1] In December, O'Reilly appeared on an episode ofECW as one ofPaul Heyman's personal enforcers alongsideDoug Basham.[1] In March 2007, O'Reilly won the DSW Heavyweight Championship for the second time.[8] He lost the championship to Bradley Jay a week later. O'Reilly and Eric Perez were originally scheduled to face The Samoans (Afa Anoa'i Jr. andSonny Siaki) in themain event of DSW's final event, but he and Perez were replaced byThe Major Brothers.[15] During mid-2007, O'Reilly would appear in dark matches prior toRaw andSmackDown againstSylvan Grenier,Chuck Palumbo,Super Crazy,Cody Rhodes andD'Lo Brown.[1][16]
He briefly appeared inFlorida Championship Wrestling (FCW), another WWE developmental territory, where bothLacey Von Erich andMaryse acted as hisvalets.[1]
In October 2007, both Parmeter and his girlfriend Krissy Vaine requested and were granted their release from WWE.[1] They cited health problems suffered by members of both of their families as the reason.[1][8][17]
In October 2007, Parmeter stated that he was taking time off from wrestling.[18] He returned to wrestling in February 2009, working for NWA Charlotte.[1] He wrestled against Truitt Fields for the territory's Heavyweight Championship, but was unable to win the title. After the loss, O'Reilly formed an alliance with Mikael Judas and Phill Shatter called III, which lasted until the territory's closure.
Parmeter was re-signed by the WWE on July 14, 2010, and was reassigned to the FCW developmental territory.[19] On August 12, he debuted forFlorida Championship Wrestling as Ryan O'Riley losing to Conrad Tanner. He would compete under this name for a short while before becoming Conor O'Brian on September 30.
On November 30, 2010, during the season finale of season three ofNXT, it was announced that Parmeter, under the name Conor O'Brian, would be appearing on season four, withAlberto Del Rio as his mentor.[7][2][20] He made his in-ring debut onNXT the following week, teaming with Del Rio to defeat rookieDerrick Bateman and Bateman's mentorDaniel Bryan.[21] O'Brian won his first challenge on the January 4, 2011 episode ofNXT, when he won the 'Battle of the Mic Challenge' to earn four immunity points.[22] Two weeks later, on January 18, O'Brian was the second contestant eliminated fromNXT. Earlier that night, O'Brian competed in a match againstRicardo Rodriguez in a losing effort.[23]
In March 2011, O'Brian was selected as one of the six formerNXT contestants to return to the show in its fifth season, NXT Redemption. During this season, O'Brian was mentored byVladimir Kozlov.[24] He was later eliminated from competition on the June 28, 2011 episode ofNXT, and would later be joined, and eventually replaced, by a returning Derrick Bateman and Daniel Bryan.
On August 28, 2011, Ricardo Rodriguez announced the formation of astable calledThe Ascension, with members including O'Brian,Kenneth Cameron,Tito Colon andRaquel Diaz. The first match to include all members in some capacity came on September 1, 2011, and saw Cameron, Colon and O'Brian, accompanied by Diaz, defeatingCJ Parker,Donny Marlow andJohnny Curtis.[25] On September 30, Cameron and Colon had a shot at theFCW Tag Team Championship but lost to the current champions of CJ Parker and Donny Marlow. By October, however, video packages appeared promoting the Ascension under new seemingly demonic, supernatural characters, and did not include Rodriguez as he was disassociated from the team. By the end of November the Ascension had all but disbanded because O'Brian was injured, Colon had been called up to WWE to team with his cousin Primo, and Diaz becameQueen of FCW and distanced herself from the group. This left Cameron as the sole survivor of the Ascension, continuing to use the Ascension gimmick during his appearances. On March 15, 2012, O'Brian returned accompanying Cameron to the ring in his match againstByron Saxton; the match ended in disqualification when O'Brian interfered. Cameron and O'Brian began wrestling as a tag team using the name The Ascension, and their first tag team match together came on March 23 when the two defeatedJason Jordan andXavier Woods. The Ascension suffered their first loss when the pair lost to the FCW Tag Team ChampionsCorey Graves andJake Carter, in a title match.[26]
With the conclusion ofNXT Redemption, WWErebranded its developmental territory FCW intoNXT.[27] O'Brian and Cameron, as The Ascension, debuted on the June 20 episode of the rebootedNXT taped atFull Sail University, where they defeatedMike Dalton and CJ Parker.[28][29] The Ascension then started a feud withThe Usos,[30] defeating them on the September 5NXT,[31] and also scored a win overJustin Gabriel andTyson Kidd on the October 3NXT.[32] Two weeks later, the Ascension teamed up withKassius Ohno to defeatRichie Steamboat and the Usos.[33] The Ascension disbanded on November 30, 2012 when Cameron was released from WWE.[34]
O'Brian retained his character while using "The Ascension" as his nickname as he started to feud withBig E Langston for theNXT Championship.[35][36] O'Brian first faced Langston in a non-title match, which ended in a double disqualification.[37] O'Brian then faced Corey Graves in a number one contender match which had no winner whenthe Shield attacked both men to make a statement.[38] The next week, O'Brian defeated Graves andBo Dallas to become the number one contender.[39] The feud ended after O'Brian was defeated in a title match on the April 4 episode ofNXT.[40] On the May 29NXT, O'Brian competed in an 18-man number one contenderbattle royal and was eliminated by Corey Graves and Kassius Ohno.[41] To reform the Ascension tag team,Rick Victor allied himself with O'Brian and they managed to win theNXT Tag Team Championships held byAdrian Neville and Corey Graves. On November 10, 2013 O'Brian's name was tweaked and shortened to "Konnor". On February 27, 2014 atNXT Arrival, he and Viktor successfully defended the NXT Tag Team Championships againstToo Cool, repeating the feat on May 29, 2014 atNXT TakeOver against the team ofEl Local andKalisto.
Konnor, alongside Viktor, made his main roster debut on the September 9, 2014 episode ofMain Event, with the duo defeatingLos Matadores (Diego andFernando) in a tag-team match to promote their NXT tag title defense againstThe Lucha Dragons (Kalisto andSin Cara) at theNXT TakeOver: Fatal 4-Way event. On the December 12 episode ofSmackDown, vignettes began to air promoting The Ascension's call-up to the main roster. The Ascension made their debut on the December 29 episode ofRaw, quickly defeatingThe Miz andDamien Mizdow.[42] The Ascension would continue to squashlocal athletes three weeks in a row onMain Event while indirectly criticizing ofThe Road Warriors. Their first major victory as part of the main roster was a win overThe New Age Outlaws at theRoyal Rumble. The Ascension suffered their first pinfall loss on the main roster on February 23 episode ofRaw, losing toThe Prime Time Players (Darren Young andTitus O'Neil). AtWrestleMania 31, The Ascension made theirWrestleMania debut in theAndré the Giant Memorial Battle Royal where both failed to win the match. On the May 11 episode ofRaw, during a match betweenCurtis Axel and Macho Mandow, in the guise ofRandy Savage, The Ascension attacked Axel and Mandow. It was then announced that the Ascension would face Axel and Mandow on thePayback pre-show, where they won the match. It was announced the Ascension would par take in a six team elimination chamber match for theWWE Tag Team Championship. AtElimination Chamber on May 31, he and Viktor eliminated the Los Matadores and The Lucha Dragons until they were eliminated by The Prime Time Players, ultimately losing the match.
On the September 3 episode ofSmackDown, The Ascension aligned themselves withStardust by attacking Neville before their match, and thus forming a group known as "The Cosmic Wasteland". AtNight of Champions, The Cosmic Wasteland defeated Neville and the Lucha Dragons on the pre-show. On theSurvivor Series kickoff, The Cosmic Wasteland, The Miz, andBo Dallas were defeated byThe Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray Dudley andD-Von Dudley), Neville,Goldust and Titus O'Neil, in a traditional Survivor Series elimination tag team match. On theRoyal Rumble kickoff, The Ascension lost a Fatal 4-Way tag team match to qualify for the Royal Rumble match. AtWrestleMania 32, Konnor competed in the André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal but failed to win the match. On April 16, 2016, Konnor was suspended for 60 days for his second violation of the Wellness Program.[6] On the June 24 episode ofSuperstars, Konnor returned from suspension when The Ascension faced the Golden Truth (Goldust andR-Truth) in a losing effort.
On July 19 at the2016 WWE draft, The Ascension were drafted toSmackDown, making their debut on the July 26 episode in aWWE World Championship No. 1 Contender's Six-Pack Qualifying Battle Royal, which was won byApollo Crews. At theSummerSlam kickoff, The Ascension competed in a 12-man tag team match where their team lost. They then entered theSmackDown Tag Team Championship tournament, where they were eliminated in the first round by The Usos. On the September 27 episode ofSmackDown Live, The Ascension picked up their first win on the brand, when The Ascension and The Usos defeatedHeath Slater,Rhyno andAmerican Alpha (Chad Gable andJason Jordan) in an eight-man tag team match. At2017 Elimination Chamber, The Ascension competed in a tag team turmoil match for the SmackDown Tag Team Championship where they were the final team eliminated. Konnor, alongside Viktor, would later enter the André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal atWrestleMania 33, but both men were eliminated from the match. AtMoney in the Bank (2017), The Ascension lost to Breezango after they claimed responsibility for a vandal attack in their office. On the June 27 episode ofSmackDown Live, The Ascension was interrogated by Breezango on "Fashion Vice", admitting that they didn't commit the crime and only took responsibility, because they wanted a match at the PPV. In September, the duo turnedface when they started trying to befriend Breezango during the latter's 'Fashion Files' segments. On the January 9 episode ofSmackDown Live, The Ascension a loss toThe Bludgeon Brothers (Harper andRowan), for a while the duo would only appear as supporting characters in Breezango's Fashion Files skits. The duo were participants in the André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal atWrestleMania 34, with Konnor being the first of the duo to be eliminated.
During the2018 Superstar Shake-up, The Ascension were traded toRaw. On the April 23 episode ofRaw, The Ascension, once again asheels, facing against the team ofMatt Hardy andBray Wyatt in a losing effort. At theGreatest Royal Rumble event, Konnor entered at number 19 but was eliminated byElias. On the September 24 episode ofRaw, he got a victory overChad Gable in singles competition. On the October 1 episode ofRaw, he defeatedBobby Roode. AtWrestleMania 35, Konnor competed in the André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal but failed to win the match. On the April 12, 2019 episode ofMain Event, The Ascension lost to Heavy Machinery (Otis andTucker), in what would be their final match in WWE.[43]
On December 8, 2019, WWE announced it had come to terms on the release of Parmeter along with his partner, ending his nine year run with the company.[44]
Following their departure from WWE, Konnor and Viktor were announced for Wrestling Revolver's Pancakes and Piledrivers event during WrestleMania 36 weekend.[45] On February 20, 2020, The Ascension competed in their first match since leaving WWE at Outlaw Wrestling defeatingBull James and Bill Carr. Konnor joined the Isolation Wrestling Federation on May 9, 2020.[46]
On the February 10, 2022 episode ofImpact!, Konnor, under the ring nameBig Kon, would make hisImpact Wrestling debut, where he was defeated byJosh Alexander.[47][48]
On November 3, 2022 edition of Impact, Konnor returned to Impact Wrestling joiningViolent by Design, which would later be renamed to The Design.
On the February 1, 2024 edition of Impact!, Kon ended his partnership with Deaner, declaring that The Design is dead. Later that night, following a match betweenPCO and Deaner, Kon would attack both men, further signaling the end of The Design and beginning a feud with PCO. Following weeks of attacks against each other, a match between Kon and PCO was made forNo Surrender. At the event, Kon lost to PCO by disqualification. AtSacrifice, Kon lost to PCO in a No Disqualification match. AtUnder Siege, Kon andSteph De Lander lost to PCO andJordynne Grace in aIntergender tag team match.
On the August 22, 2024 edition of Impact!, Kon,Madman Fulton andSteph De Lander lost toPCO,Rhino andXia Brookside in Kon's last match for the company.
In January 2025, Big Kon was no longer on the TNA roster page after his contract ended at the beginning of the year.
Parmeter began dating fellow professional wrestlerKristin Eubanks better known as Krissy Vaine in 2006.[8] In an interview in October 2007, Parmeter announced the two were engaged.[18] In September 2017, the couple had their first child, a boy, named Elijah.[49]
Konnor made his video game debut as a part of the NXT ArrivalDLC pack inWWE 2K15, then reappeared as part ofWWE 2K16,WWE 2K17,WWE 2K18 andWWE 2K19.
Konnor appeared as uncredited in the filmCountdown.
heir gimmick is Brood-esque, selling they have demonic supernatural qualities such as hanging out a top building sites without even wearing a hard hat.
He's facing Conor O'Brien, who has new music but is keeping his persona from The Ascension. He's now being referred to as "The Ascension."
just as Langston looks to hit his finisher again, Conor O'Brian gets on the screen and says that in two weeks, he will show Langston what he thinks of five counts, when it only takes a three count to win.
