Under the ring names Lotus and Crazy J respectively, Dave and Jake Crist made their debut in Buckeye Pro Wrestling against Dean and Chet Jablonski in which they lost the match.[2] The Crists continued to wrestle their way through the ranks of BPW often feuding with the team of American Youth, ultimately defeating them on February 24, 2004 to become the BPW Tag Team Champions.[2] During their time in BPW, the Irish Airborne had chances to work on cross promotion shows withHeartland Wrestling Association and were eventually offered a match with the HWA.
The Irish Airborne then entered HWA, where they instantly became fan favorites due to their performance in BPW and the shared fan base. Their first match was a four-way tag match where they teamed up with Viper and Zeta against 4BJ, J.T. Stahr & Jimmy Turner & Ala Hussein.[3] The Irish Airborne continued to have success in HWA leading to a tag team title championship victory against Necessary Roughness in May 2005. As success came quickly for the brothers, tension ensued, ultimately leading to a bloody feud that began in the Autumn 2005 and lasted through early 2006. The feud culminated in a best of seven series in which both brothers would attempt to top the other in amounts of violence and wit. The feud finally ended in one of HWA's bloodiest and most gruesome ladder matches to date. Both men realizing neither of them could top the other ended the feud and began to wrestle as a team once again.
On January 27, 2006, the Crists were invited to wrestle a dark match inRing of Honor against each other in which Lotus defeated Crazy J.[4] The following night, they were again allowed to wrestle in a dark match, this time as a tag team against Shane Hagadorn &Conrad Kennedy III in which they won. On March 4, 2006, at an Insanity Pro Wrestling show inIndianapolis, Indiana, the Airborne announced that they would no longer use the ring names of Lotus and Crazy J, but instead under their real names of Dave and Jake Crist. John decided to use the first name "Jake" rather than John due to the fact there were too many well known Johns in professional wrestling. On March 11, 2006, atArena Warfare, the Crists earned a roster spot with ROH as they took on and defeatedTony Mamaluke andSal Rinauro at the New Alhambra Arena (now2300 Arena).
The Irish Airborne making their ring entrance in July 2012
On April 9, 2011, Crist was invited to compete in Combat Zone Wrestling's "Best Of The Best X" representing Insanity Pro Wrestling. He would go on to lose in the first round losing againstSami Callihan in a triple threat match that also involvedAR Fox.[5] The next night on April 10, 2011 at CZW's "International Incident", Crist would go on to wrestleJon Moxley in Moxley's final match in CZW in another losing effort. After the match, Crist would be attacked by both Moxley andRobert Anthony until Devon Moore made the save.[6] Crist return to CZW on May 14, 2011 in a losing effort against Ryan Mcbride; after which fans chanted "Please Come Back" after the match.[7] On June 11, 2011, at CZW "Prelude To Violence", Crist was told by CZW OwnerDJ Hyde that if Crist wanted a CZW Contract then he would have to go and defeat Sami Callihan. However Callihan would go on to defeat Crist again. After the match, both men showed respect by shaking hands.Adam Cole andMia Yim would come down to mock Callihan. During the verbal confrontation DJ Hyde would come out and lariat Callihan. Jake Crist would try to save Callihan but wound up attacked by DJ Hyde.[8] On July 9, 2011 at CZW "New Heights" AR Fox would offer aCZW Wired TV Championship title match to Crist. Crist would go on to gain his first win in CZW by defeating AR Fox to become the new CZW Wired TV Champion.[9] On September 10, 2011, Crist was originally supposed to defend his newly won title against Chrisjen Hayme. However, Hayme would withdraw from the match and was replaced by Dustin Rayz. Crist would go on to retain against Dustin Rayz. Dave Crist though, would show more concern about his brothers' TV title than in Jake Crist's well being.[10] After the show Dustin Rayz would confront the Irish Airborne about Dave getting involved in his match against Jake.[11] Crist successfully defended his Wired TV title against Latin Dragon earlier that night.[12] On April 14, 2012, he lost the title to his brother Dave after the latter used with a low blow to win the CZW Wired TV Championship.[13] Upon entering CZW, the Irish Airborne formed Ohio is 4 Killers stable withNevaeh and Sami Callihan.
On September 27, 2014, at Deja Vu, OI4K defeated the Juicy Product to win theCZW World Tag Team Championship.[14] On July 11, 2015, at New Heights, OI4K lost the CZW World Tag Team Championship to Team Tremendous.[15] In Infinity Pro Wrestling, the Crist Brothers defeated Donnie and Jacob Hollows.[16]
The Irish Airborne debuted inJuggalo Championship Wrestling on May 16, 2010 where they lost toJCW Tag Team ChampionsThomaselli Brothers.[17] On May 26, the tag team debuted as the masked tag team Ring Rydas.[18] Jake and Dave, as Ring Ryda Red and Ring Ryda Blue respectively, lost to Thomaselli Brothers once again.[18] At Oddball Wrestling 2010, the Ring Rydas defeated The Daivari Brothers (Shawn andAriya Daivari).[19] The following night atBloodymania IV, the duo competed in aFatal 4 way Tag Team match where they lost.[19] At 2011's Up in Smoke, the duo defeatedMad Man Pondo andNecro Butcher to become JCW Tag Team Champions.[20] At the next JCW iPPV "St. Andrews Brawl" they defeated the Haters, fka Thomaselli Brothers, in their first title defense.[21] On July 28, the Ring Rydas lost the JCW Tag Team Championship toU-Gene andZach Gowen.[22] However, Gowen forfeited the championship after realizing that U-Gene cheated to win and gave the championships back to the Rydas.[22] On December 20, 2014, at Big Ballas, Ring Rydas lost the title against The Hooligans.[23]
On September 10, 2013, it was announce that the Irish Airborne would make theirJapanese debuts inBig Japan Pro Wrestling, in which they would take part in the 2013 Dai NihonSaikyo Tag League, which ran from September 25 to November 22.[24] The Irish Airborne finished their tournament on October 18 with a record of two wins and three losses, failing to advance from their block.[25]
On June 4, 2017, Crist competed in a gauntlet match at ROH Gateway to Gold for a chance to compete against Christopher Daniels for his ROH World Title later that night. However, he lost toJonathan Gresham.[26]
At Bound for Glory on November 5, Callihan made his Impact debut as well as established his alliance with the Crists by helping them defeat LAX, with Crist himself low blowing Ortiz before Callihan delivered a piledriver through a table for the win.[31] They proceeded to attack LAX after the match, resulting in adouble turn, with oVe turningheel and adding Callihan the process.[32] On the January 4, 2018 episode ofImpact!, they lost the title to LAX, ending their reign at 164 days.[33] OVe were later joined byMadman Fulton in March 2019.[34]
On the April 21, 2020 episode ofRebellion Callihan had a match againstKen Shamrock. During the match the other members of OVE, including Crist, interfered and attacked Shamrock. Callihan than attacked them thus leaving the group. On the May 19, 2020 episode of Impact, when Dave Crist was defeated byCrazzy Steve, Madman Fulton attacked both Crists and announced he quit OVE, disbanding the stable in the process. After turning on Dave, Jake joined the censorious stable called "Cancel Culture" along withJoey Ryan andRob Van Dam. However, this story abruptly ended when Ryan's contract was terminated alongside Dave Crist amid over a dozen allegations of sexual assault.[39][40] On December 15, Crist announced his departure from the company.[41]
On September 11, 2021, at Ted Petty Invitational 2021, Crist won the IWA Mid-South Heavyweight Championship for the third time.[42] One month later, he also won the IWA Mid-South Junior Heavyweight Championship before vacating both titles for not being paid for one month.[43]
On the September 2, 2021 episode ofImpact!, Crist answeredJosh Alexander's open challenge for the X Division Championship in a losing effort.[44] On May 26, 2023, atUnder Siege, Crist was revealed as the mystery partner of Rich Swann and Sami Callihan, defeatingThe Design (Deaner,Angels, andKon).[45]
Crist is married to fellow professional wrestler Nevaeh.[46][47] The couple werechildhood sweethearts while attendingTecumseh High School and have a daughter, Brooklynn, who was born when both were teenagers.[46] Nevaeh gave birth to the couple's second daughter, Johnnie, on November 23, 2015.
^"David Crist profile". Online World of Wrestling. April 18, 2005. RetrievedAugust 17, 2017.
^Kevin Gill."KG's Referee-Cap #3".KG’s Referee-Cap. Psychopathic Records. Archived fromthe original on July 26, 2010. RetrievedAugust 19, 2012.
^abJCW - Slam TV Express - Episode 2(flv) (webcast). Minneapolis, Minnesota: Psychopathic Sports. June 29, 2010.Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. RetrievedJuly 8, 2010.
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