 Heidenreich in 2005 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1969-06-28)June 28, 1969 (age 56)[7] |
| Children | 2 |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring names | |
| Billed height | 6 ft 7 in (201 cm)[4] |
| Billed weight | 285 lb (129 kg)[4] |
| Billed from |
|
| Trained by | |
| Debut | 2001 |
| Retired | February 24, 2018 |
| Football career | |
| No. 65, 74 | |
| Position | Offensive lineman |
| Personal information | |
| Listed height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
| Listed weight | 285 lb (129 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Brother Martin (New Orleans, Louisiana)[1] |
| College | Mississippi State Northeast Louisiana |
| NFL draft | 1992: undrafted |
| Career history | |
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |
Jon Heidenreich (born June 28, 1969) is an American retiredprofessional wrestler, better known simply asHeidenreich. He is best known for his tenure withWorld Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) on itsSmackDown brand where he was aone timeWWE Tag Team Champion withRoad Warrior Animal as a part of the 2005 version of theLegion of Doom.
Prior to professional wrestling, Heidenreich playedAmerican football and was invited totraining camp prior to the 1992 season by the defendingSuper Bowl XXVI ChampionWashington Redskins (Washington Commanders) as an undrafted rookie offensive tackle out of Northeast Louisiana University, which later becameUniversity of Louisiana at Monroe in 1999.[8] Heidenreich was among the first round of roster cuts by head coachJoe Gibbs on July 27, 1992.[9]
One week before training camp began in July 1993, Heidenreich signed with theNew Orleans Saints and outspoken head coachJim E. Mora. Mora had liked what he saw in Heidenreich during a late-June tryout to fill a training camp roster spot while standout offensive linemanJim Dombrowski held out until signing a five-year contract worth $11.25 million on August 13, one week before training camp ended. On the first day of camp, Heidenreich (wearing jersey #65) was involved in a fight with teammate and Saints defensive lineman Rick Dolly in the morning session. In the afternoon session, Heidenreich was involved in another skirmish when he grabbed Saints outside linebacker and 1990 first-round draft pickRenaldo Turnbull from behind and threw him to the ground after Turnbull had just beaten him on a move to the outside. Heidenreich was cut on August 24, 1993, the final day of roster cuts to meet the mandatory 60-player requirement.
In July 1994, Heidenreich was invited to training camp by first-yearAtlanta Falcons head coachJune Jones. This time Heidenreich wore jersey #74 and was often tasked with blocking fellowWWE wrestlerBill Goldberg, who played defensive tackle for the Falcons from 1992 to 1994. Heidenreich was again denied a final roster spot when the Falcons cut him on the final day of roster cuts on August 23, 1994.[10]
He played as anoffensive lineman for two seasons (1994 and 1995) in theCanadian Football League for theShreveport Pirates before playing for theTexas Terror of theArena Football League (AFL) in 1996 and theFrankfurt Galaxy ofNFL Europa in 1997.[3]
Heidenreich began training atCalifornia-basedUltimate Pro Wrestling before he was first signed to aWorld Wrestling Federation developmental contract in 2001 after he impressedBruce Prichard.[11] He lost toPerry Saturn in a dark match on December 18 2001 for Sunday Night Heat. Worked in WWF's developmental territoryOhio Valley Wrestling. After being released from the WWF, he wrestled inJapan'sPro Wrestling ZERO1-MAX promotion, where he won theNWA Intercontinental Tag Team Championship withNathan Jones and impressed WWE scouts, who re-signed him in 2003.[11]
Heidenreich made his return to the now-renamed World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) on the September 29, 2003, episode ofRaw, making his formal debut with agimmick being "controlled" by an entity known as "Little Johnny".[12] After weeks of trying to secure a tryout match, he was finally granted one on the October 27 episode ofRaw, teaming withThe Hurricane to defeatLa Resistance.[13] On the November 3 episode ofRaw, he teamed withTrish Stratus to defeatVictoria andStevie Richards.[14] Over the next month, Heidenreich remained undefeated, before his streak was snapped byRico on the December 14 edition ofSunday Night Heat beforeArmageddon.[15] On the February 8, 2004, episode ofHeat, Heidenreich was defeated byRob Van Dam.[16] After wrestling a few more times, Heidenreich disappeared from WWE television around May 2004.
In an interview with ThePainClinic.net in 2007, Heidenreich revealed that "Little Johnny" was actually meant to be a small doll that represented hisinner child who was still angry at being born in a charity hospital. He stated that he used the character in OVW and brought the doll out to the ring with him in the same vein asAl Snow used to bring out the styrofoam head. According to Heidenreich, the angle was supposedly inspired by his own childhood where he spoke to a doll himself at one point.[17]
In 2008, former WWE writerDan Madigan revealed that in 2004 he had pitched directly toVince McMahon an idea to have Heidenreich return as aNazistormtrooper named Baron Von Bava, who had beencryogenically frozen before being revived byPaul Heyman (aJewish son of aHolocaustsurvivor), complete with Heidenreich wearing the red armband with theswastika and evengoose-stepping to the ring. While WWE would eventually have Heyman manage Heidenreich, the pitch was considered so shocking that McMahon left the board room speechless and did not return for the rest of the day. The pitch led to Madigan leaving WWE later that year.[18]
He returned on the August 26, 2004, episode ofSmackDown! as aheel under themanagement ofPaul Heyman.[19] His new gimmick was as a psychopath:running in during random matches, attacking fans, and reciting hatefulpoetry, which he referred to as "Disasterpieces."[11] On the September 16 episode ofSmackDown!, he attacked commentatorMichael Cole and dragged him backstage and "raped" him.[20] In a 2008 interview, Heidenreich explained that the Cole rape angle was McMahon's idea, and thatPulp Fiction came to mind whenStephanie McMahon approached him with the idea.[21]
His firstfeud came againstThe Undertaker, and began after Heidenreich ran in during The Undertaker'sWWE Championship match againstJohn "Bradshaw" Layfield (JBL) atNo Mercy.[22] The Undertaker beat Heidenreich at the next month'sSurvivor Series, but again Heidenreich cost him a WWE Championship match at December'sArmageddon when he interfered in the main eventfatal four-way match not once, but twice.[23][24] AtWWE Tribute to the Troops onDecember 23, Heidenreich lost to The Undertaker via countout.[25] On the January 6, 2005, episode ofSmackDown!, Heidenreich and Heyman lost to The Undertaker in a 2-on-1 handicap match, after Heyman was pinned. After the match, Heyman was placed in a casket by The Undertaker, writing him off television.[26]
AtRoyal Rumble on January 30, he faced The Undertaker in acasket match. Midway through the match,Snitsky from theRaw brand interfered on Heidenreich's behalf. However, after opening the casket, it was revealed thatKane was hidden in the casket, who pounced on both Snitsky and Heidenreich; they continued their fight in the crowd, while Heidenreich lost the match.[27] This started a chain reaction of feuds, originally planned to lead to a match atWrestleMania 21 in which The Undertaker would partner with Kane to take on Snitsky and Heidenreich. This idea was later nixed; The Undertaker instead foughtRandy Orton and Kane was placed into theMoney in the Bank ladder match.[28][29] The feud between the four instead culminated at alive event on February 6, with The Undertaker and Kane getting the win.[30]
AtNo Way Out, Heidenreich lost toBooker T by disqualification after hitting Booker T with a steel chair.[31] On the March 3 episode ofSmackDown!, Heidenreich faced Booker T in a rematch, which ended in a disqualification win for Heidenreich after Booker T performed aDDT on a chair.[32] Heidenreich and Booker T faced once again on the March 10 episode ofSmackDown! in a no disqualification match, which ended with Booker T decisively defeating Heidenreich.[33] On the March 17 episode ofSmackDown!, Heidenreich read Booker T a poem, thanking him for encouraging him to show the "real" Heidenreich,turningface in the process.[34] Heidenreich participated in a 30-man battle royal at WrestleMania 21, which was won by Booker T.[29]
His "disasterpieces" became more light-hearted and began receiving cheers from the crowd.[35] Heidenreich was then given a segment onSmackDown! in which he "made friends" with audience members, read them a piece of his poetry, and had them stand in his corner during his match.[11] He also had a brief feud withOrlando Jordan, unsuccessfully challenging him for theUnited States Championship atJudgment Day.[35][36]
Heidenreich went on to feud withMNM (Melina,Johnny Nitro, andJoey Mercury) after they attacked him while he was eating chocolate withdivas on the June 16 episode ofSmackDown!.[37] After being attacked week in and week out by the trio, he was finally helped out byRoad Warrior Animal on the July 14 episode ofSmackDown!.[38][39] Animal and Heidenreich then challenged MNM to a match at theGreat American Bash, where they defeated them to win theWWE Tag Team Championship.[40]
On the July 28 episode ofSmackDown!, Heidenreich reluctantly shaved his hair into amohawk at Animal's request.[41] After Animal convinced him he wasn't looking for a "replacement" forRoad Warrior Hawk, but simply a partner with talent, Animal talked him into wearing face paint and, on the August 18SmackDown!, he was made an "official" member of theLegion of Doom and presented with a pair of Road Warrior spikes.[42] On the October 28 episode ofSmackDown!, the Road Warriors lost the WWE Tag Team Championship back to MNM in a match also involvingThe Mexicools andWilliam Regal andPaul Burchill.[43] Heidenreich wrestled his final match, teaming up with Animal to defeatNunzio andVito, on the December 30 edition ofVelocity.[44]
On January 17, 2006, WWE announced that Heidenreich had been released from his contract.[11][45]
After his run in the WWE, Heidenreich moved on toWorld Wrestling Council, where he defeated Abbad on October 28, 2006, to win theWWC Universal Heavyweight Championship, the top title in thePuerto Rico based promotion. Two months later he lost the title toCarlito at the Lockout event. However, he was given the title back when Carlito was stripped of the title due to Carlito's contractual compromises withWorld Wrestling Entertainment. He lost the title a second time toEddie Colón, Carlito's brother, on January 6, 2007.
After leaving the WWE, Heidenreich made his debut inAll-American Wrestling, aLouisiana-based promotion on May 19, 2007, where he defeated J.T. Lamotta. On May 18, 2008, he teamed withRodney Mack to defeat Latinos Locos for the promotion's Tag Team Championship.[2] However, the title was vacated soon afterwards due to interference in the original title match.[46] On December 14, Heidenreich won the promotion's Heavyweight Championship in athree wayLoser Leaves AAW match involving then-championThe Angel of Sinn and Haniel, in which he pinned Angel to win the title.[47] He retired from professional wrestling soon after.
Heidenreich wrestled several matches in 2016, including for New York-based promotion Warriors of Wrestling on June 11, 2016, against Juba. The match ended in a double disqualification.[48] He faced off against aDoink the Clown impersonator at an event in aGolden Corral parking lot in May 2016, with the bizarre encounter gaining the attention ofWrestleCrap.[49]
On November 12, 2017, Heidenreich won the 302 Wrestling Heavyweight Championship; however the title was immediately retired after his win.[50]
Heidenreich participated in the wrestling film,Bloodstained Memoirs. He also appears as a playable character inWWE Day of Reckoning 2 andWWE SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006.[citation needed]
Heidenreich is married and has two children. In 2005, his home was damaged byHurricane Katrina.[51]
In July 2016, Heidenreich was named part of aclass action lawsuit filed against WWE which alleged that wrestlers incurred traumatic brain injuries during their tenure and that the company concealed the risks of injury. The suit was litigated by attorney Konstantine Kyros, who has been involved in a number of other lawsuits against WWE. The lawsuit was dismissed by US District JudgeVanessa Lynne Bryant in September 2018.[52][53]
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