Strauss began watching professional wrestling at the age of 4[9][10] and was a fan ofThe Ultimate Warrior,Sting[11] andShawn Michaels. He knew he wanted to become a professional wrestler while atJohn F. Kennedy Memorial High School in his hometown ofWoodbridge Township, New Jersey, even though he was skinny at 160 pounds (73 kg).[12] He saw his first live event at a local wrestling show in Woodbridge Township, headlined by"Iron" Mike Sharpe and later became interested in becoming a professional wrestler. When he turned 16, Strauss began training at Kevin Knight's Camp IWF inWoodland Park, New Jersey,[13] where he practiced regular drills and exercises for four months until his debut against Chad Warwick on October 1, 2000.[14]For a few short years, he taught at Woodbridge High School as a physical education teacher.
Strauss made an appearance on the May 5, 2005, episode ofWWE SmackDown under the ring name Rob Eckos, where he lost toMatt Morgan.On January 2, 2006, Eckos made his second appearance forWorld Wrestling Entertainment, when he was attacked in a skit byEdge, who was doing a mock impersonation ofRic Flair duringWWE Raw. The following day, Eckos appeared on the taping for Friday Night Smackdown where he teamed alongside Gus Harlacher and John Troske in a three-on-one handicap match against Mark Henry.
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling / Impact Wrestling (2010-2017)
On July 27, 2010, Strauss wrestled in a tryoutdark match for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, losing toBobby Fish.[18] On August 5, it was reported that TNA had signed Strauss to a contract.[19] At the August 10 tapings ofTNA Impact! Strauss wrestled a dark match under the ring name Robbie E with agimmick inspired byDJ Pauly D and the television showJersey Shore, defeatingJeremy Buck, while being managed byCookie.[20][21] On the August 26 edition ofImpact!, vignettes began airing to promote Strauss' upcoming debut.[22] Prior to their televised debuts, Robbie E and Cookie made an appearance on September 24 at TNA'slive event atThe Arena inPhiladelphia,Pennsylvania, interruptingJeremy Borash and insulting the crowd, before Robbie E was defeated in a match byRhyno.[23] At the following day's event inRahway, New Jersey, Robbie E and Cookie interruptedMick Foley, before Robbie E was again defeated in a match against Rhyno, with Foley serving as the special guest referee.[24] Robbie E and Cookie made their televised debuts on the October 7 live edition ofImpact!, cutting apromo insulting the Florida crowd.[25] The following Sunday atBound for Glory Robbie E attackedX Division Champion Jay Lethal after his title match withDouglas Williams, claiming he was a disgrace to New Jersey.[26] Robbie E and Cookie gained mainstream attention through the following edition ofImpact!, where Cookie had a cat fight withJersey Shore cast memberJenni "JWoww" Farley.[27][28][29]
Robbie E made his in–ring debut the following week, defeating Amazing Red, and afterwards called out X Division Champion Jay Lethal.[30] The following week Robbie E defeated Lethal in a non–titlestreet fight, after interference from Cookie, to earn the right to challenge for the X Division Championship.[31] On November 7 atTurning Point, Robbie E defeated Lethal, with help from Cookie, to win the X Division Championship for the first time.[32] The following month atFinal Resolution Robbie E retained the title in a rematch via disqualification, when Lethal was caught using Cookie's hairspray on him. During the match Cookie was suspended above the ring in a shark cage.[33] On December 7 at the tapings of the December 16 edition ofImpact!, Robbie E lost the X Division Championship back to Lethal.[34][35]
On the February 10 edition ofImpact!, Robbie E entered a tournament to determine a new number one contender to the X Division Championship, now held byKazarian, and defeatedBrian Kendrick andSuicide in a three-way match to advance to the finals atAgainst All Odds.[36] Robbie E won the finals at Against All Odds via forfeit, after both of his competitors, Jeremy andMax Buck were unable to attend the event due to travel issues. Kazarian granted Robbie E his title match immediately afterwards and defeated him to retain the X Division Championship.[37] On the following edition ofImpact! Robbie E complained about the rushed title match and was granted another shot at the X Division Championship, but lost via disqualification, after Cookie interfered in the match. After the match Kazarian's real life wifeTraci Brooks returned to TNA and helped her husband chase Robbie E and Cookie out of the ring.[38] On the March 3 edition ofImpact! Robbie E and Cookie aligned themselves with formerJersey Shore cast memberAngelina Pivarnick, with whom they bonded through their mutual dislike of Jenni "JWoww" Farley, whom Pivarnick proceeded to challenge to a match.[39] On March 13 atVictory Road, Robbie E received another shot at Kazarian and the X Division Championship, this time in anUltimate X match, which also included Jeremy and Max Buck, but was again unsuccessful in his attempt to regain the title.[40] On the August 11 edition ofImpact Wrestling, Robbie E broke up with Cookie, after she inadvertently cost him his match against X Division Champion Brian Kendrick.[41]
From 2011, Robbie E started an alliance withRobbie T as hisenforcer
After Cookie's departure from TNA, Robbie E began looking for a new partner and, on the August 25 edition ofImpact Wrestling, Robbie E made an offer toRob Terry.[42] On the September 8 edition ofImpact Wrestling, Terry attacked Eric Young after his match with Robbie E, signifying a new alliance between the two.[43][44] After losing another match against Young on the October 27 edition ofImpact Wrestling, Robbie E and Terry, now dubbed "Robbie T", again attacked the Television Champion, which led to him announcing that he was going to bring anotherJersey Shore cast member,Ronnie, to face the two the following week.[45] After a confrontation, which led to Robbie E and Robbie T attacking Young and Ronnie, on the November 3 edition ofImpact Wrestling, the two teams faced each other in a tag team match the following week, where Ronnie was able to pick up the win for his team by pinning Robbie E.[46][47] On November 13 atTurning Point, Robbie E defeated Young to win the TNA Television Championship for the first time.[48] He would go on to defend his title againstDevon andRob Van Dam on the November 17 and December 1 editions ofImpact Wrestling.[49][50] On December 11 atFinal Resolution, Robbie E successfully defended the title against Young in a rematch.[51] On February 12, 2012, atAgainst All Odds, Robbie E retained his title againstShannon Moore, who answered his open challenge.[52] On the February 23 edition ofImpact Wrestling, Robbie E was defeated byA.J. Styles via disqualification, following interference from Kazarian andChristopher Daniels; as a result Robbie E retained his title.[53] On March 18 atVictory Road, Robbie E lost the Television Championship to Devon after Devon answered his open challenge.[54] During the next two months, Robbie E made three unsuccessful attempts at regaining the Television Championship from Devon; first in asteel cage match on April 15 atLockdown,[55] then in a singles match on the May 3 episode ofImpact Wrestling,[56] and finally in a three-way match, also involving Robbie T, on May 13 atSacrifice.[57] Robbie E and Robbie T would continue their feud with Devon by attacking him during his title matches.[58][59] On the June 7 episode ofImpact Wrestling, Robbie E received another shot at Devon's Television Championship, but was defeated following outside interference fromGarett Bischoff.[60] Three days later atSlammiversary, Robbie E and Robbie T were defeated in a tag team match by Devon and Bischoff.[61]
On the following episode ofImpact Wrestling, Robbie E entered the2012 Bound for Glory Series, taking part in the openinggauntlet match, from which he was eliminated bySamoa Joe.[62] Robbie E ended his participation in the tournament on the August 23 episode ofImpact Wrestling with a win over A.J. Styles and Rob Van Dam in a three-way match, finishing eleventh out of the twelve wrestlers in the tournament.[63] On the October 18 episode ofImpact Wrestling, Robbie E unsuccessfully challenged Samoa Joe for the TNA Television Championship.[64] Going into 2013, tension began to be teased between the Robbies, with Robbie T constantly upstaging and defying Robbie E.[65][66][67][68][69] On the February 28 episode ofImpact Wrestling, the alliance between the Robbies ended with Robbie E, who was pretending to reconcile with Robbie T, hitting him over the head with his VIP sign before being chased off.[70] The rivalry culminated in a singles match on March 10 atLockdown, where Robbie T emerged victorious.[71] On the following episode ofImpact Wrestling, Robbie E was again defeated by Robbie T, now using his real name Rob Terry, in a rematch to end the feud.[72]
Robbie started allying himself withJessie Godderz on the May 2 episode ofImpact Wrestling, where they teamed withJoey Ryan in a handicap match against Rob Terry, which the team lost after Robbie and Godderz walked out on Ryan and left him to be pinned. On the June 27 episode ofImpact Wrestling, Robbie and Godderz, accompanied byTara, confrontedTNA World Tag Team ChampionsGunner andJames Storm and presented themselves asthe BroMans.[73] The following week, The Bro Mans were defeated by Gunner and Storm in a non-title match.[74] On October 20, during theBound for Glory pre-show, accompanied by "Mr. Olympia"Phil Heath, the Bro-Mans won a four-way tag team gauntlet to become the number one contenders for the TNA World Tag Team Championship later in the night, where they defeated Gunner and Storm for the titles.[75][76] The BroMans made their first televised title defense on the October 31 episode ofImpact Wrestling, defeating Gunner and Storm in a rematch.[77] On the November 28 Thanksgiving edition ofImpact Wrestling, The BroMans won the first ever tag team turkey bowl match defeating Dewey Barnes and Norv Fernum, in the process forcing them to wear the annual turkey suits. BroMans lost the titles against The Wolves in a house show on February 23, 2014.[78] They regained the title by defeating The Wolves and Team 246 (Kaz Hayashi andShuji Kondo) at theWrestle-1Kaisen: Outbreak show inTokyo,Japan on March 2. On April 26, At TNA PPV Sacrifice, The Bromans lost their titles to The Wolves in a 3 vs 2 handicap match withZema Ion as their 3rd partner[79] Robbie E began using Boom as his own.[80] The BroMans would next pursue a feud withKnux and his new stable 'The Menagerie' stemming from Robbie's fear of clowns, which would prevent him from competing in matches. His fear would eventually become so intense he would be written off television to overcome his fear. Robbie returned to Impact Wrestling on the July 24 edition losing toThe Great Muta.
On November 1, 2014, The BroMans (Robbie E and Godderz) along with DJZ were defeated by Team 246 withMinoru Tanaka during theWrestle-1's Keiji Mutoh 30th Anniversary show.[81] On January 23, 2015, episode ofImpact Wrestling, Robbie E competed in theFeast or Fired match, during the matchVelvet Sky assisted Robbie E by grabbing a feast or fired brief case but during the brief case reveal Robbie turned this around on Sky claiming that she should open the case since she was the one who originally retrieved it. Sky opened the brief case to containing the pink slip.[82]
On the April 17 episode ofImpact Wrestling, after losing a tag team match toThe Dirty Heels, Robbie E and Godderz got into a brawl. On the June 17 episode ofImpact Wrestling, Robbie E turnedface for the first time in his TNA career when he saved DJZ from Godderz. On June 28, 2015, atSlammiversary, he defeated his former BroMans partner Godderz. Robbie E would go on to face Godderz again in a street fight the following edition of Impact Wrestling which he lost. On the August 12 episode ofImpact Wrestling, Robbie E competed in a King of the Mountain Match for the namesake championship (formerly theTelevision Championship) which he lost after being incapacitated from a piledriver by participant Eric Young. After Impact went off the air, Robbie E was examined for possible neck damage. During October and November (taped in July), Robbie E participated in theTNA World Title Series. defeatingEddie Edwards in his first match. However, he then lost singles matches toMatt Hardy andDavey Richards and thus finished in third place in his group, so he did not advance to the elimination rounds. Robbie E competed in the 2016Feast or Fired match on January 26 but was unable to retrieve a briefcase.
On the March 22, 2016, episode ofImpact Wrestling, Robbie E reunited with Jessie Godderz as fan favorites to faceBeer Money for theTNA World Tag Team Championship, but were unsuccessful in winning the titles. AtSlammiversary, Robbie E and Jessie Godderz foughtDecay for the TNA World Tag Team Championship, in a losing effort.
In October, followingBound for Glory, the team quietly disbanded when Godderz went in a feud withAron Rex for theImpact Grand Championship, and Robbie started comical segments withGrado in an attempt to introduce him in the BroMans. On the January 19 episode ofImpact Wrestling, Robbie E andSwoggle lost toAron Rex and Rockstar Spud. On the February 9 episode ofImpact Wrestling, Robbie E lost to Rex in his final match for TNA. On September 29, Robbie E announced on Twitter that he had parted ways with Impact Wrestling.[83]
After Strauss decided to part ways with Global Force Wrestling he decided to return to the independent circuit. On April 6, 2017, Robbie E unsuccessfully challenged The Black Leopard for theIWL Heavyweight Championship inPetah Tikva,Israel at theIsraeli Wrestling League's IWL XIV.[87] At the end of 2018, Strauss retired the Robbie E character and performed under his real name.[88]
On March 11, 2019, it was reported that Strauss had signed with WWE and would be reporting to theWWE Performance Center.[89] On March 21, he debuted at aNXT house show under his real name as a villainous manager, managingRinku Singh andSaurav Gurjar.[90] Shortly after his stable of clients grew to includeRiddick Moss.[91] He started appearing at house shows as the manager of The Outliers, a tag team consisting of Riddick Moss and Dan Matha.[92] After 14 years not appearing on television since hisSmackDown match in 2006, he made his re-debut as Robert Stone, onNXT, introducingChelsea Green as his new client of his own stable the Robert Stone Brand. On the May 27, 2020, episode ofNXT, after Chelsea Green and Charlotte Flair defeated Rhea Ripley and Io Shirai, Green fired Stone. Over the next few weeks, Stone would appear onNXT with tattered clothes and unkempt hair after being fired by Green as he tried to recruitRhea Ripley as his new client to no avail. On the June 17 episode ofNXT, Stone would officially recruitAliyah after he helped her defeatXia Li.[93] Stone and Aliyah would feud with Ripley as Ripley defeated Aliyah on the June 24 episode ofNXT.[94] The following week on Night 1 ofNXT: The Great American Bash, Stone competed in his debut match alongside Aliyah against Ripley in ahandicap match, with the stipulation that if Ripley lost then she would join the Robert Stone Brand, but they were defeated.[95] On the July 22 episode ofNXT, Stone officially recruitedMercedes Martinez into the Robert Stone Brand after she attackedShotzi Blackheart. Martinez would later joinRetribution stable and returned to NXT a year later. His name has since been changed to Mr. Stone and is currently the manager ofVon Wagner alongsideSofia Cromwell until July 22, 2022, when Cromwell made her main roster debut as Maxxine Dupri onSmackDown. In August 2023, Von Wagner turned face when he began opening up about his childhood struggles to Stone and subsequently began feuding withBron Breakker who recently turned heel; this effectively turned Stone face as well. In April 2024, Wagner was released from WWE, effectively ending their partnership and Stone transitioned into abackstage producer.[96] On the 2024 NXTSpring Breakin', Stone reunited with his friend Chelsea Green (who was once part of his "Robert Stone Brand" stable four years ago) during her interview segment, seemingly teasing a potential reunion between Green and Stone, withFightful Select having reported that WWE creative made pitches to reunite both Green and Stone moving forward, although the idea never materialized on-screen.[97] On the May 21 episode ofNXT, Stone accompaniedDante Chen when he facedLexis King in a match, which Chen won.[98] However, the storyline was soon scrapped, and he has since become the assistant to NXT General ManagerAva alongsideStevie Turner. On March 5, Stone was named color commentator forWWE Evolve alongsidePeter Rosenberg.
On the May 1st episode ofImpact!, Stone returned toTNA with the debutingVictoria Crawford where he interrupted and informsSantino Marella that his actions as the company's director of authority were under review and in turn, Stone claimed that he and Crawford were now both deputy directors of authority and that Crawford would challengeMasha Slamovich for theTNA Knockouts World Championship atUnder Siege which was made official following the segment.[99]
On November 10, 2012, Strauss, along with several other TNA workers, was featured in an episode ofMTV'sMade.[100]
In 2014, Strauss and former TNA KnockoutBrooke Adams participated in the25th season ofThe Amazing Race. They survived until the middle part of the final leg of the race, where they were the eighth team to be eliminated and placed fourth.[101]
Strauss participated inThe Titan Games: Trials 2 (Season 1, Episode 3), that aired on January 10. He was defeated, in the first round by Bridger Buckley, in the event: Hammering Ram.[102]
In 2011, Strauss married his longtime girlfriend Tara Sue Gally, until their divorce in 2013. Strauss and Gally remarried in 2015.[103] Together, they have twin sons (born 2016).[104]
^Staff."Pro Wrestler Robbie E.", Living In Media, September 21, 2016. Accessed September 17, 2017. "Some people laughed because I was thin and only 160 pounds when I was at John F. Kennedy High School in Iselin."
^"411MANIA".Robert Strauss Explains Why He Retired the Robbie E Character, Says WWE Is His Ultimate Goal, Discusses Interacting With The Rock on The Titan Games.
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