Rohit Raju (born March 20, 1980) is an Americanprofessional wrestler best known for his time withImpact Wrestling, where he is a formerone-timeImpact X Division Champion. Before working for Impact Wrestling, he worked over 10 years on theindependent circuit in promotions including Xtreme Intense Championship Wrestling (XICW), Glory Pro Wrestling, andAAW Wrestling under the nameHakim Zane. He signed a contract with Impact in 2017, where he was shortly repackaged as Rohit Raju and joined Desi Hit Squad. Rohit left Impact in 2022 and currently makes sporadic appearances forAll Elite Wrestling, performing onAEW Dark andRing of Honor.
Under the ring name Hakim Zane, he debuted between 2008 and 2009. From then on, Zane worked in matches in promotions including for theNational Wrestling Alliance and several NWA affiliates.
On April 14, 2013, Zane held his first title as co-holder of the XICW Tag Team Championship with TD Thomas.[1] They held the tag titles until September 8, 2013 atXICW 167: Jacobs vs. Venom, where they lost the titles to challengers Sonny Scarboni and Vinnie Scarboni.[2] The following year, Zane won his first singles championship on April 27, 2014 atXICW 177: Jacobs vs. Shelley, where he defeated The DBA to win the XICW Midwest Heavyweight Championship.[3] He later lost the title on December 14 atXICW 187 Hardcore with a Heart, to formerWWECruiserweightShannon Moore.[4]
The following year in 2015, Zane won the XICW Light Heavyweight Championship on January 17, 2015 atXICW Best in Detroit VIII, defeating Caleb Stills,Chris Sabin and Owen Travers in afour-way match.[5] Three months later on April 12 atXICW 192, Zane lost the Light Heavyweight title to Owen Travers in atwo-out-of-three-falls match.[6] Zane later won the Midwest Heavyweight title for a second time. His second reign began on June 5, 2016 atXICW 210 after defeatingRhino.[7] He went on to defend the Midwest Heavyweight title against challengers includingRobbie E andMatt Cross. His final title defense was August 7, 2016 atXICW 213, successfully defeating Cross.
During 2017, Zane competed for the XICW Tag Team and Midwest Heavyweight titles on several occasions, however did not succeeding either title for a second time. He returned for one last match during a July 13, 2018 XICW show, challengingJimmy Jacobs for the Midwest Heavyweight title but did not succeed in winning the championship.
On the May 11, 2017, episode ofImpact!, Zane teamed with Idris Abraham in a tag match lost againstGarza Jr. andLaredo Kid.[8] Six months later, Zane returned and wrestled in his first singles match. During the November 30 episode ofImpact!, Zane lost his debut singles match toTaiji Ishimori.[9] He made his final televised appearance of the year on the December 9 episode ofXplosion, losing toEddie Edwards.[10]
Zane returned the following year on the January 11, 2018, episodeImpact!, teaming withCaleb Konley andTrevor Lee in a six-man tag match lost toDezmond Xavier, Garza Jr. andSonjay Dutt.[11] The following month on the February 8 episode ofImpact!, Zane debuted the ring nameRohit Raju, teaming withEl Hijo del Fantasma in a tag match lost against Ishimori andMatt Sydal.[12]
On March 16 (which was taped on March 3) atImpact One Night Only: March Breakdown, Raju debuted with Gursinder Singh as theDesi Hit Squad. During the event, they defeated Sheldon Jean and Stone Rockwell.[13][14] On the March 22 episode ofImpact!, Raju challenged for theX Division Championship but lost to the reigning champion Sydal.[15] For the course of the year, Raju and Gursinder Singh shared the ring as teammates and as opponents. Their final match was a singles competition during the October 11 episode ofImpact! in which he defeated Gursinder Singh. By the November 1 episode ofImpact!, the Desi Hit Squad was modified with the addition ofRaj Singh, replacing Gursinder Singh. During the episode, they defeated The Beach Bums (Freddie IV and TJ Crawford). Raju wrestled his final match of the year on the November 22 episode ofImpact!, teaming withEli Drake,Jake Crist,Katarina andGlenn Gilbertti in the Second Annual Eli DrakeGravy Train Turkey Trot match, losing toFallah Bahh,Alisha Edwards,Kikutaro,KM and Dezmond Xavier.[16]
The following year, Raju returned with Raj Singh on the January 3, 2019, episode ofImpact! in a tag team match against Bahh and KM, which was observed an "audition" byImpact KnockoutScarlett Bordeaux. The match concluded with the Desi Hit Squad losing to Bahh and KM.[17] During the January 25 episode ofImpact!, the Desi Hit Squad lost another tag team bout toThe Rascalz (Dez andWentz).[18] During the early months of 2019, Raju competed in tag matches. On March 9 atImpact Wrestling-OVW One Night Only: Clash In The Bluegrass, Raju teamed with oVe (Dave Crist and Jake Crist), Madman Fulton in a tag match against Dustin Jackson, Melvin Maximus, Sam Thompson and Shiloh Jonze.
On August 18, 2020, during Night 1 ofEmergence, Raju defeatedChris Bey to win the X Division Championship in athree-way match that also involvedTJP.[19] On the September 15 episode ofImpact!, he had Bey, TJP andTrey compete in a three-way match next week to determine who will face him for the title immediately afterwards, which Trey won but Raju quickly defeated him in his first title defense.[20][21] AtVictory Road, he issued the Defeat Rohit Challenge with his X Division Championship on the line, which was answered byWillie Mack but he took the count-out loss to retain the title.[22] On the October 6 episode ofImpact!, Raju lost toJordynne Grace who answered his challenge, but changed the rules so that the title wasn't up for grabs.[23] AtBound for Glory, Raju successfully retained his X Division Championship in a six-wayintergender scramble match that involved Bey, Grace, TJP, Mack and Trey, the latter of which he pinned to win the match.[24] On November 14 atTurning Point, Raju retained his title againstCousin Jake.[25] On the November 24 episode ofImpact!, he lost toCrazzy Steve disguised asSuicide, but managed to defeat him on the following week to retain his title.[26][27] AtFinal Resolution, Raju lost the title toManik, ending his reign at 120 days.[28]
On January 16, 2021, atHard To Kill, he failed to regain the X Division Championship in a three-way match that also involved Bey.[29] On the February 2 episode ofImpact!, Raju defeated TJP in a non-title bout, with help from returning Desi Hit Squad allyMahabali Shera.[30] AtNo Surrender, he failed to recapture the X Division title and put the blame on Shera during the following week'sImpact!, resulting in him getting shoved intoChris Sabin andJames Storm, and the latter hitting Raju with a beer bottle on the head.[31][32] Raju would lose to Storm on the March 2 episode ofBefore the Impact and team with Shera in a losing effort against him and Sabin on the following week'sImpact!, the latter of which saw his alliance with Shera end.[33][34] This led to a match between the two on the March 16 episode ofImpact!, where Raju won after using the ropes.[35] On the March 30 episode ofBefore the Impact, Raju teamed up withHernandez to defeat Shera and Fallah Bahh.[36] On April 10, atHardcore Justice, he realigned himself with Shera after helping him against Hernandez in aChairly Legal match.[37]
On the May 13 episode ofImpact!, Raju competed in a six-way match to determine the number one contender for the X Division Championship, which was won byNew Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) talentEl Phantasmo.[38] Two days later, atUnder Siege, he teamed with Shera in a four-way tag team match to determine who will get a shot at theImpact World Tag Team Championship, which was won byAce Austin andMadman Fulton.[39] On June 12, atAgainst All Odds, Raju competed in a five-way match to determine a number one contender for the X Division title, but it ended in a no contest.[40] AtSlammiversary, Raju failed to win the title in anUltimate X match, which was won by defending championJosh Alexander.[41] On the August 5 episode ofImpact!, he lost a four-way match to determine the number one contender to the X Division title, which was won byJake Something.[42] Raju went on to feud withMatt Cardona after costing him a match on the following week'sImpact!, but failed to beat him in a one-on-one bout atEmergence.[43][44] On the September 2 episode ofImpact!, Raju teamed with Shera to face Cardona andChelsea Green in a tag team match, with Raju getting the pin after hitting the latter with a knee strike.[45] AtVictory Road, he took on Cardona in ano disqualification match, but was defeated by him.[46]
On the September 23 episode ofImpact!, Raju defeated Chelsea Green in anintergender match, after a distraction from returning Desi Hit Squad ally Raj Singh.[47] On the October 14 episode ofImpact!, he competed in a three-way semi-final match to determine who will go on toBound for Glory in another three-way match for the vacant X Division Championship, which was won by El Phantasmo.[48] At Bound for Glory, Raju participated in theCall Your Shot Gauntlet match, where the winner could choose any championship match of their choice, eliminating NJPW talentRocky Romero and Madman Fulton but was eliminated byMoose andW. Morrissey.[49] He left Impact in January 2022.[50][51]
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