Theodore James Perkins
(born September 3, 1984)
is an American
professional wrestler
Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring or ...
of
Filipino
Filipino may refer to:
* Something from or related to the Philippines
** Filipino language, standardized variety of 'Tagalog', the national language and one of the official languages of the Philippines.
** Filipinos, people who are citizens of th ...
descent, better known by the
ring name
A ring name is a type of stage name used by an athlete such as a professional wrestler, mixed martial artist, or boxer whose real name is considered unattractive, dull, difficult to pronounce or spell, amusing for the wrong reasons, or projecting ...
T. J. Perkins (or simply TJP) currently signed to
New Japan Pro-Wrestling
(NJPW) is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion based in Nakano, Tokyo. Founded on January 13, 1972, by Antonio Inoki, the promotion was sold to Yuke's, who later sold it to Bushiroad in 2012. TV Asahi and Amuse, Inc. own minority shares ...
where he is a member of the
United Empire
, originally , is a professional wrestling faction, performing in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and RevPro, the faction is led by Will Ospreay.
The group was formed in October 2020 by Ospreay and Great-O-Khan, when Ospreay turned on his Chao ...
stable and current
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion
The is a professional wrestling tag team championship owned by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion. "IWGP" is the acronym of NJPW's governing body, the . The title was introduced on August 8, 1998, at an NJPW live event. The IWGP Junior ...
. He also makes occasional appearances for
Major League Wrestling
Major League Wrestling (MLW), is an American professional wrestling promotion based in New Rochelle, New York. The promotion was founded in 2002 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania by former WWE writer Court Bauer. The promotion markets its product as ...
. He is best known for his tenures in
WWE
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and vario ...
and
Impact Wrestling
Impact Wrestling (stylized as ''IMPACT! Wrestling''), is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Nashville, Tennessee. It is a subsidiary of Anthem Sports & Entertainment.
Founded by Jeff and Jerry Jarrett in 2002, the promot ...
.
Perkins began his
professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring o ...
career in 1998. In 2001, he went to
New Japan Pro-Wrestling
(NJPW) is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion based in Nakano, Tokyo. Founded on January 13, 1972, by Antonio Inoki, the promotion was sold to Yuke's, who later sold it to Bushiroad in 2012. TV Asahi and Amuse, Inc. own minority shares ...
(NJPW) Dojo, where he became the youngest wrestler to perform in a NJPW ring. Since then, Perkins worked in various U.S. promotions, such as
Ring of Honor
Ring of Honor (ROH) is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Jacksonville, Florida. The promotion was founded by Rob Feinstein on February 23, 2002, and was operated by Cary Silkin from 2004 until 2011, when the promotion was so ...
(ROH), Impact Wrestling, and WWE, as well as Japanese promotions, like NJPW and
Dragon Gate. In 2013, Perkins signed a contract with Impact Wrestling (then known as Total Nonstop Action Wrestling) and worked as Manik, a masked character originally based on the
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), and s ...
gimmick. During his time in TNA, he would win the
TNA X Division Championship
The Impact X Division Championship is a professional wrestling championship created and promoted by Impact Wrestling. It debuted on June 19, 2002, at the taping of then-TNA's second weekly pay-per-view (PPV) event. The current champion is Trey M ...
. He also joined
The Revolution
A revolution is a drastic political change that usually occurs relatively quickly. For revolutions which affect society, culture, and technology more than political systems, see social revolution.
Revolution may also refer to:
Aviation
*Warner ...
stable. In 2016, he left TNA and participated in the
Cruiserweight Classic
The Cruiserweight Classic, formerly the Global Cruiserweight Series, was a professional wrestling tournament and WWE Network event produced by WWE. All participants were billed at a weight of 205 lbs or less to determine the inaugural WWE Cruiserw ...
tournament produced by WWE, which he won and was crowned the
inaugural
In government and politics, inauguration is the process of swearing a person into office and thus making that person the incumbent. Such an inauguration commonly occurs through a formal ceremony or special event, which may also include an inaugur ...
WWE Cruiserweight Champion
The NXT Cruiserweight Championship was a professional wrestling championship that was created and promoted by the American promotion WWE. Before its retirement, it was defended across the NXT, NXT UK, and 205 Live brand divisions, which were de ...
. Perkins would work for WWE until his release in February 2019. He then returned to Impact Wrestling, as well as working in other companies on the side. In 2020, he won the Impact X Division Championship for a
second time.
Early life
Theodore James Perkins was born on September 3, 1984, in
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City (abbreviated KC or KCMO) is the largest city in Missouri by population and area. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 508,090 in 2020, making it the 36th most-populous city in the United States. It is the central ...
.
His mother is from
Manila, Philippines
Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populated ...
, and he learned Filipino culture growing up with his family in
Riverside, California
Riverside is a city in and the county seat of Riverside County, California, United States, in the Inland Empire metropolitan area. It is named for its location beside the Santa Ana River. It is the most populous city in the Inland Empire an ...
. He attended St. Thomas the Apostle School and Poly High School in Riverside, California.
At the age of 18, he began training in
boxing
Boxing (also known as "Western boxing" or "pugilism") is a combat sport in which two people, usually wearing protective gloves and other protective equipment such as hand wraps and mouthguards, throw punches at each other for a predetermined ...
,
mixed martial arts
Mixed martial arts (MMA), sometimes referred to as cage fighting, no holds barred (NHB), and ultimate fighting, and originally referred to as Vale Tudo is a full-contact combat sport based on striking, grappling and ground fighting, inc ...
, and
catch wrestling
Catch wrestling (originally catch-as-catch-can) is a classical hybrid grappling style and combat sport. It was developed by J. G. Chambers in Britain . It was popularised by wrestlers of travelling funfairs who developed their own submission h ...
.
Professional wrestling career
Early career (1998–2001)
Perkins first began his training at the age of 13, at a local
lucha libre
Lucha libre (, meaning "freestyle wrestling" or literally translated as "free fight") is the term used in Latin America for professional wrestling. Since its introduction to Mexico in the early 20th century, it has developed into a unique form ...
school in his hometown of
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
.
Perkins debuted in August 1998, under a mask as promoters felt he looked too young to be wrestling.
Initially, he wrestled under the
ring name
A ring name is a type of stage name used by an athlete such as a professional wrestler, mixed martial artist, or boxer whose real name is considered unattractive, dull, difficult to pronounce or spell, amusing for the wrong reasons, or projecting ...
T.J. Perkins, utilizing "Pinoy Boy" as a nickname.
In order to attend shows, he had to not attend school most Fridays.
He wrestled on independent cards in California, Nevada, Arizona, and Mexico during his first two years.
New Japan Pro-Wrestling (2001–2005)
In 2001, Perkins began training at
New Japan Pro-Wrestling
(NJPW) is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion based in Nakano, Tokyo. Founded on January 13, 1972, by Antonio Inoki, the promotion was sold to Yuke's, who later sold it to Bushiroad in 2012. TV Asahi and Amuse, Inc. own minority shares ...
(NJPW)'s Inoki Dojo in Los Angeles along with
Ricky Reyes
Reyes Nunez (born August 28, 1978), better known by the ring name Ricky Reyes, is a Cuban-American professional wrestler. He is known for his appearances in Ring of Honor, Pro Wrestling Guerrilla, World Wrestling Council, Lucha Underground and va ...
,
Rocky Romero
John R. Rivera (born October 28, 1982) is a Puerto Rican-American professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist. He is currently signed non-exclusively to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), better known by his ring name Rocky Romero (ロッ ...
, and
Bryan Danielson
Bryan Lloyd Danielson (born May 22, 1981) is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he is a member of the Blackpool Combat Club. He is also known for his time in WWE, where he worked fro ...
. They all made their debut in NJPW on the same
Korakuen Hall
is a famous sports arena in Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan, which has hosted many notable boxing, professional wrestling, kickboxing, mixed martial arts and Lethwei matches.
History
On April 16, 1962, the Korakuen Hall was officially opened with ...
card in October 2002, with Perkins debuting as the maskless "Pinoy Boy" T.J. Perkins. At the age of 18 in 2003, following his third tour with NJPW, he was given the
gimmick
A gimmick is a novel device or idea designed primarily to attract attention or increase appeal, often with little intrinsic value. When applied to retail marketing, it is a unique or quirky feature designed to make a product or service "stand ou ...
(character) of Puma, a masked character with similarities to
Tiger Mask
is a Japanese manga series written by Ikki Kajiwara and illustrated by Naoki Tsuji. The series was first published in Kodansha's ''Bokura Magazine'' from 1968 to 1970 and was later published in ''Weekly Shōnen Magazine'' from 1970 to ...
, and he began teaming with
Tiger Mask IV
is a Japanese professional wrestler, best known for being the fourth man to portray . He currently works for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) where he is a former 6-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion and 2-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team C ...
.
Perkins stated the character was created due to perceived similarities between himself and the original Tiger Mask,
Satoru Sayama
(born November 27, 1957) is a Japanese professional wrestling, Japanese professional wrestler, mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist, MMA and wrestling promoter and writer, best known as the original Tiger Mask (professional wrestling), Tige ...
, and the idea was that he would be the American version of Tiger Mask.
Independent circuit (2003–2016)
![Perkins - Its a Gift and a Curse](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/22/Perkins_-_Its_a_Gift_and_a_Curse.jpg)
In 2003, Perkins spent time in Mexico with Rocky Romero and Bobby Quance, where the trio trained with and wrestled for
Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre
Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre Co., Ltd. (CMLL; , "World Wrestling Council") is a ''lucha libre'' professional wrestling promotion based in Mexico City. The promotion was previously known as ''Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre'' (''EMLL'') (''Mexi ...
.
In January 2004, the masked Puma wrestled on two
Major League Wrestling
Major League Wrestling (MLW), is an American professional wrestling promotion based in New Rochelle, New York. The promotion was founded in 2002 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania by former WWE writer Court Bauer. The promotion markets its product as ...
television tapings, teaming with Bobby Quance in a loss to
The Stampede Bulldogs
The Hart wrestling family, sometimes known as the Hart dynasty, is a mainly Canadian family with a significant history within professional wrestling. The patriarch of the family was wrestling legend Stu Hart (1915–2003). An amateur and professi ...
(
Harry Smith and
TJ Wilson
Theodore James "TJ" Wilson (born July 11, 1980) is a Canadian retired professional wrestler better known by the ring name Tyson Kidd. He is currently signed to WWE, where he works as a producer.
The final graduate of the Hart Dungeon, Wilson ...
). The following night, Puma lost a four-way match featuring
Jack Evans, Chasyn Rance and MLW Junior Heavyweight Champion Sonjay Dutt. In December 2004, Puma won the
All Pro Wrestling
All Pro Wrestling is an American professional wrestling promotion and training school, based in Hayward, California. The company was founded by Roland Alexander and managed by him until his death on November 5, 2013. It is located 45 miles so ...
(APW) Worldwide Internet Championship by defeating J.J. Perez. He held the championship until July 2005, when he lost it to Perez.
In January 2005, Perkins as Puma debuted in
Full Impact Pro
Full Impact Pro (FIP) is an American professional wrestling promotion. It is currently part of the World Wrestling Network (WWN) along with Shine Wrestling. Sal Hamaoui founded the company and serves as the President while Trevin Adams is the ...
(FIP) by defeating Azrieal.
At ''Unfinished Business'', Puma was attacked by Azrieal and his ally
CM Punk
Phillip Jack Brooks (born October 26, 1978), better known by the ring name CM Punk, is an American professional wrestler, sports commentator, actor, and retired mixed martial artist currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW). Best known for ...
, and at the following show Puma lost a singles match to Punk.
On February 12, Puma won a
four-way match
Many types of wrestling matches, sometimes called "concept" or "gimmick matches" in the jargon of the business, are performed in professional wrestling. Some gimmick matches are more common than others and are often used to advance or conclude a ...
against Azrieal, Jerrelle Clark, and Eddie Vegas.
Four years later, he returned to FIP as T.J. Perkins, in a loss to Davey Richards on March 28, 2009.
He developed a winning streak, defeating
Jay Bradley
Bradley Thomas Jay (born November 17, 1980) is an American professional wrestler, best known for his time in Impact Wrestling under the ring names of Jay Bradley and Aiden O'Shea, and WWE as Ryan Braddock.
Professional wrestling career Early ...
, Nigel McGuinness, and
Sal Rinauro
Salvatore Rinauro (born September 12, 1982) is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his work in Ring of Honor, Full Impact Pro and National Wrestling Alliance in addition to being a member of The Embassy. He currently wrestles ...
.
In November 2009, Perkins entered the
2009
File:2009 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The vertical stabilizer of Air France Flight 447 is pulled out from the Atlantic Ocean; Barack Obama becomes the first African American to become President of the United States; 2009 Iran ...
Jeff Peterson Memorial Cup
The Jeff Peterson Memorial Cup was an annual professional wrestling memorial show produced by Full Impact Pro (FIP) promotion, typically between October and December. The event was established to honor the memory of independent wrestler "All A ...
, defeating
Arik Cannon
Arik Cannon (born December 23, 1981) is an American professional wrestler known for competing in companies such as Chikara, Dragon Gate USA, IWA Mid-South, All American Wrestling and Wrestling Society X. He also runs the Minneapolis-based wrest ...
and Shane Hollister en route to the semi-finals, where he lost to Richards.
In April 2010 at ''Southern Stampede'', he returned to FIP using the ring name TJP, where he participated in a battle royal before he defeated Chasyn Rance.
Puma wrestled in the
2005 edition of the
East Coast Wrestling Association
East Coast Wrestling Association (ECWA) is an American professional wrestling promotion, founded by promoter Jim Kettner. It is home to the annual ECWA Super 8 Tournament, Super 8 Tournament, one of the longest-running independent wrestling tourn ...
'a
Super 8 tournament
The Super 8 Tournament is an annual professional wrestling tournament held by the East Coast Wrestling Association. The tournament is contested by eight wrestlers in a one-night single-elimination format.
History
The ECWA Super 8 Tournament was f ...
and made it to the final by defeating Eric Matlock and J.J. Perez, before losing to Petey Williams. He also competed in
Extreme Canadian Championship Wrestling
Elite Canadian Championship Wrestling (ECCW) (formerly known as NWA: Extreme Canadian Championship Wrestling and Extreme Canadian Championship Wrestling) is a Western Canada-based professional wrestling promotion and a former member of the Nati ...
's
Pacific Cup
The Pacific Cup was a rugby league football competition for national teams from the Pacific region.
History
The Pacific Cup was started in 1975 by Keith Gittoes of the New South Wales Rugby League.Aaron Idol
Aaron Idol (born July 4, 1980) is a Canadian professional wrestler who is best known for his work in Extreme Canadian Championship Wrestling, where he rose to become the ECCW Heavyweight Champion.
Career
Training
Idol trained at the ECCW traini ...
and Bryan Danielson in a three-way match in the final, which was won by Idol.
In August 2005, Perkins debuted in UWA Hardcore Wrestling as Puma, in a loss to Ricky Reyes. In May 2006, Puma defeated
M-Dogg 20
Matthew Capiccioni (born December 31, 1980) is an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler, better known by his ring names M-Dogg 20, Matt Cross and Son of Havoc. He currently competes on the independent circuit and Major League Wr ...
to win the UWA Canadian Championship. He successfully defended the championship against Petey Williams the following month, before losing the championship to M-Dogg 20 in July. In October, Puma participated in UWA's Grand Prix Tournament, where he defeated
Kazuchika Okada
(born November 8, 1987) is a Japanese professional wrestler
Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramati ...
and Dan Paysan en route to the final, where he lost to Sonjay Dutt. He continued wrestling for UWA throughout 2007, competing against wrestlers including
Último Dragón
(born December 12, 1966) is a Japanese professional wrestler and actor, better known as . In addition to having trained in Japan, Asai learned to wrestle in the lucha libre style while working in Mexico. He is credited with popularizing the "Asa ...
and Daisuke Hanaoka.
![TJ Perkins EVOLVE](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/88/TJ_Perkins_EVOLVE.jpg)
Perkins debuted in the
Empire Wrestling Federation
The Empire Wrestling Federation (EWF) is an independent wrestling promotion based in Covina, California. It is owned and operated by Jesse Hernandez. The EWF is also tied to Hernandez's wrestling school, ''The School Of Hard Knocks''. The EWF is t ...
(EWF) on September 22, 2005, at ''Chaos'', teaming with Dan Kobrick to defeat Big Ugly and Vinnie Massaro. On December 23, at EWF's ''Holiday Fear'' Perkins challenged EWF Cruiserweight Champion Joey Harder in a Triple Threat Championship match, which also involved Rocky Romero and was won by the defending champion Harder.
Perkins continued to challenge Harder for the Cruiserweight Championship. In a match on February 12, 2006, Harder defeated Perkins by submission. On September 8, Perkins faced EWF World Champion Bino Gambino, defeating him by countout. When the match was restarted, they wrestled to a draw.
On November 21, Perkins again failed to win the EWF Cruiserweight Championship, when he was defeated by new champion
Ryan Taylor.
In November 2006, Perkins entered the EWF's Inland Title Series Tournament. His first match against Harder ended in a draw, before he defeated Hook Bomberry in the second round and Jason King in the third round. He faced Harder in the final on January 5, 2007, but lost via submission.
On June 27, 2008, at ''Knockdown Dragout 2'', the team of Perkins and Liger Rivera (collectively known as Famous For Fearless) challenged La Ola Del Mal for the EWF Tag Team Championship, and were successful.
In 2006, Puma wrestled as part of
MTV
MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
's inaugural television taping for the
Wrestling Society X
Wrestling Society X (WSX) is a short-lived American professional wrestling promotion and professional wrestling-based television series created in 2006 by Big Vision Entertainment. The weekly television series formerly aired on MTV, MTV2, MTV Tr3 ...
(WSX) promotion, participating in a battle royal but being eliminated by
Vampiro
Ian Richard Hodgkinson (born May 31, 1967), better known by his ring name Vampiro, is a Canadian semi-retired professional wrestler who most recently served as director of talent for Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide (AAA). He also worked for Lucha Unde ...
and competing in dark matches against
Altar Boy Luke and
Human Tornado
Craig Williams (born May 1, 1983), better known by his ring name, Human Tornado, is a semi-retired American professional wrestler. His character was that of a 1970s blaxploitation street pimp.
He performed primarily on the California independen ...
.
In a 2009 interview, Perkins stated he asked to be released from his contract with WSX, calling the promotion "terrible".
Over the next two years, Perkins competed for several different
National Wrestling Alliance
The National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) is an American professional wrestling professional wrestling promotion, promotion and former professional wrestling governing body operated by its parent company Lightning One, Inc.
Founded in 1948, the NWA ...
promotions, and on June 1, 2008, at Mach One Wrestling's debut show, he won a battle royal to become the
NWA Heritage Champion.
He began working for
Dragon Gate USA
Dragon Gate USA (DGUSA) was an American professional wrestling promotion founded in 2009 as an international expansion of the Japanese promotion Dragon Gate.
Gabe Sapolsky, former head booker of Ring of Honor, served as the promotion's Vice Pr ...
and
Evolve in 2010 as TJP. On Evolve's first show he faced
Munenori Sawa
is a Japanese retired professional wrestler. Sawa was trained by and spent his entire career in the Battlarts promotion, adopting the promotion's "Bati Bati" wrestling style, known for its stiff strikes and submission-based shoot wrestling, but ...
in a losing effort, before defeating Kyle O'Reilly at ''Evolve 3''. In Dragon Gate USA, he defeated
Gran Akuma
Gran Akuma (born December 20, 1974) is a retired professional wrestler, best known for his work in Chikara. He has also worked for Combat Zone Wrestling (CZW), Dragon Gate USA and Full Impact Pro (FIP). In Chikara, he was a member of The Kings o ...
at the
DGUSA Fearless Fearless is a series of professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) events produced by Dragon Gate USA.
Background
Fearless featured eight professional wrestling matches that involved different wrestlers from pre-existing scripted feuds and storylin ...
pay-per-view. In March 2010, Perkins made his debut for
Westside Xtreme Wrestling
Westside Xtreme Wrestling, commonly shortened to wXw, is a German professional wrestling promotion based in Gelsenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia. wXw has been one of the leading professional wrestling promotions in Germany, and most of its event ...
at their debut show in the United States, losing to
Zack Sabre Jr.
Lucas Eatwell (born 24 July 1987), better known by his ring name Zack Sabre Jr. (Katakana: ザック・セイバーJr, ''Zakku Seibā Jr.''), is an English professional wrestler. He is currently signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). Outsid ...
He also travelled to
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
to wrestle for the promotion in July 2010.
Pro Wrestling Guerrilla (2003–2015)
Perkins first began competing in the
Southern California
Southern California (commonly shortened to SoCal) is a geographic and Cultural area, cultural region that generally comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. It includes the Los Angeles metropolitan area, the second most po ...
promotion
Pro Wrestling Guerrilla
Pro Wrestling Guerrilla (PWG) is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Los Angeles, California. It is owned and operated by wrestlers themselves, having been created by Disco Machine, Excalibur, Scott Lost, Joey Ryan, Super Drago ...
(PWG) in 2003 as "Pinoy Boy" T.J. Perkins, appearing at ''Are You Adequately Prepared To Rock?!'' where he pinned
Vito Thomaselli
The Thomaselli Brothers are the professional wrestling stable that consists of real life brothers Pauly Thomaselli (Brandon Thomas), Vito Thomaselli (Kent Thomas), and storyline brother Sal Thomaselli (Sal Takavoli). Kent Thomas and Sal Takavoli a ...
and ''An Inch Longer Than Average'' where he was on the losing end of a
six-man tag team match
Much like the singles match, tag team professional wrestling matches can and have taken many forms. Just about any singles or melee match type can be adapted to tag teams; for example, hardcore tag team matches are commonplace. Tag team ladder m ...
. After changing his ring name to Puma in December 2003, he entered the Tango and Cash Invitational Tournament to determine the inaugural
PWG World Tag Team Champions
The PWG World Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling world tag team championship owned and copyrighted by the Pro Wrestling Guerrilla (PWG) promotion; it is contested for in their tag team division. The championship was created and d ...
with
Samoa Joe
Nuufolau Joel Seanoa (born March 17, 1979), is an American professional wrestler better known by the ring name Samoa Joe who is currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW). Joe is currently a double champion - in his first reign both as AEW ...
as his partner. The pair made it to the second round before being eliminated. Throughout the remainder of 2004, Puma competed regularly in singles matches, defeating competitors including Ricky Reyes,
Tony Kozina
Tony Kozina (born October 23, 1970) is an American professional wrestler who is best known for his work in the Pacific Northwest especially in Extreme Canadian Championship Wrestling and National Wrestling Alliance. He has also made appearances i ...
,
Brad Bradley
Bradley Thomas Jay (born November 17, 1980) is an American professional wrestler, best known for his time in Impact Wrestling under the ring names of Jay Bradley and Aiden O'Shea, and WWE as Ryan Braddock.
Professional wrestling career Earl ...
, and
The UK Kid
Thomas Jones is a British professional wrestler and promoter better known by his ring name The UK Kid. As well as founding his own promotion Varsity Pro Wrestling, Jones has competed in various other professional wrestling promotions in the Uni ...
. In the first half of the following year, he competed sporadically in PWG, mainly in
elimination matches.
In July 2005, he changed his ring name to TJ Perkins, and defeated
Davey Richards
Wesley David Richards (born March 1, 1983) is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to Major League Wrestling (MLW), under the ring name Davey Richards, and is the current MLW National Openweight Champion in his first reign. ...
and
Hardkore Kidd in successive singles matches, but Perkins and
Alex Shelley
Patrick Kenneth Martin (born May 23, 1983) is an American professional wrestler and physical therapy clinician, better known by the ring name, Alex Shelley, makes appearances with Impact Wrestling (formerly known as Total Nonstop Action Wrestl ...
subsequently lost a tag team match to the duo. Perkins went on to lose a singles match to Shelley at ''After School Special''. Perkins finished out the year in tag team matches with various partners, and began 2006 the same way. He transitioned back into singles competition at ''Beyond The Thunderdome'' in March 2006, defeating Mr. Excitement, before embarking on a losing streak that lasted until June, when he defeated
Excalibur
Excalibur () is the legendary sword of King Arthur, sometimes also attributed with magical powers or associated with the rightful sovereignty of Britain. It was associated with the Arthurian legend very early on. Excalibur and the Sword in th ...
. His losing streak included a loss to Rocky Romero in singles competition and alongside him in a tag team match. The duo faced off again at ''Self-Titled'' in October, which Perkins won, but he lost a rematch that same month. He later developed a
feud
A feud , referred to in more extreme cases as a blood feud, vendetta, faida, clan war, gang war, or private war, is a long-running argument or fight, often between social groups of people, especially families or clans. Feuds begin because one part ...
with Bino Gambino, facing him in several six-man tag team matches in early 2007. In May, Perkins defeated Gambino in a singles match, before they returned to being on opposite sides in tag team matches in mid-2007.
![Perkins and Bomberry](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ed/Perkins_and_Bomberry.jpg)
In January 2008 Perkins formed a regular tag team with Hook Bomberry, and the pairing competed in the
Dynamite Duumvirate Tag Team Title Tournament
The Dynamite Duumvirate Tag Team Title Tournament (''DDT4'') was an annual professional wrestling tag team Pro Wrestling Guerrilla tournaments, tournament produced by Pro Wrestling Guerrilla (PWG) between 2007 and 2015. The inaugural tournament wa ...
round robin qualifier series. At ''Pearl Habra'' the team defeated
The Young Bucks
The Young Bucks are an American professional wrestling tag team and promoters, consisting of brothers Matthew and Nicholas Massie, who are known by their ring names Matt and Nick Jackson, respectively. They are signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW ...
(Nick and Matt Jackson), but lost their next match to
Los Luchas
Los Luchas is a Mexican professional wrestling tag team that consists of Phoenix Star and Zokre. They are best known for their reign as NWA World Tag Team Champions and their tenure in Pro Wrestling Guerrilla (between 2003 and 2009).
History
Ori ...
(Phoenix Star and Zokre) at ''¡Dia de los Dangerous!''. At ''Scared Straight'' they defeated
Scorpio Sky
Schuyler Andrews (born April 2, 1983), better known by the ring name Scorpio Sky, is an American professional wrestler and mixed martial artist currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW).
Andrews is also known for his appearances with Ring of ...
and Ronin by
disqualification, and later in the night Perkins and Bomberry interrupted the match between the Young Bucks and Los Luchas, causing a
no contest
' is a legal term that comes from the Latin phrase for "I do not wish to contend". It is also referred to as a plea of no contest or no defense.
In criminal Trial (law), trials in certain United States jurisdictions, it is a plea where the def ...
. This led to a four-way elimination tag team match taking place at ''1.21 Gigawatts'', which was won by Los Luchas. After the qualifier series Perkins and Bomberry got one last chance to enter the DDT4, facing Scorpio Sky and Ronin once again at ''It's a Gift.... and a Curse'', in a losing effort. Perkins went on to defeat Charles Mercury and
Mikey Nicholls
Michael Nicholls (born 20 August 1985), better known by his ring name Mikey Nicholls, is an Australian professional wrestler currently signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling. He is best known for his work in Pro Wrestling Noah, where, as part of The ...
and Mark Davis and Ash Riot in tag team matches, before Perkins returned to singles competition. In November, Perkins participated in PWG's
Battle of Los Angeles
The Battle of Los Angeles, also known as the Great Los Angeles Air Raid, is the name given by contemporary sources to a rumored attack on the continental United States by Imperial Japan and the subsequent anti-aircraft artillery barrage which ...
for the first time. He defeated
Chuck Taylor in the first round, but was eliminated from the tournament after losing to Bryan Danielson in the second. In January and February 2009, Perkins lost singles matches to both
Austin Aries
Daniel Healy Solwold Jr. (born April 15, 1978), better known by his ring name Austin Aries, is an American professional wrestler currently signed to the Control Your Narrative wrestling promotion. He is best known for his time with Impact Wrest ...
and
B-Boy
Breakdancing, also called breaking or b-boying/b-girling, is an athletic style of street dance originating from the African American and Puerto Rican communities in the United States. While diverse in the amount of variation available in ...
.
After moving to Florida in early 2009, Perkins stopped appearing for PWG.
Following a hiatus lasting longer than eighteen months, Perkins returned to PWG at ''The Perils of Rock N' Roll Decadence'' in September 2011, losing to
Eddie Edwards. He competed regularly for the promotion in 2012 with mixed results. In September, he entered the
2012 Battle of Los Angeles, defeating
Joey Ryan in the first round before losing to
Sami Callihan
Samuel Alton Johnston (born September 1, 1987) is an American professional wrestler and promoter, better known by the ring name Sami Callihan, currently signed with Impact Wrestling and is a former Impact World Champion. He also wrestled for Luch ...
in the quarter-finals.
Ring of Honor (2003–2012)
![TJ Perkins](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cb/TJ_Perkins.jpg)
Perkins debuted in
Ring of Honor
Ring of Honor (ROH) is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Jacksonville, Florida. The promotion was founded by Rob Feinstein on February 23, 2002, and was operated by Cary Silkin from 2004 until 2011, when the promotion was so ...
(ROH) in December 2003, using the name Puma, and lost to Josh Daniels. Puma returned to ROH in February 2005, losing to
Homicide
Homicide occurs when a person kills another person. A homicide requires only a volitional act or omission that causes the death of another, and thus a homicide may result from accidental, reckless, or negligent acts even if there is no inten ...
and
James Gibson in successive singles matches. His next appearances were in August 2005, where he was on the losing end of a tag team match alongside
Jimmy Rave
James Michael Guffey (December 8, 1982 – December 12, 2021), better known by the ring name Jimmy Rave, was an American professional wrestler. He was best known for his time with Ring of Honor (ROH) and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA).
E ...
and a singles match against Ricky Reyes.
In his next appearance at ROH's ''Fifth Year Festival: Philly'' show in February 2007, saw Perkins compete under his real name and lose to
Nigel McGuinness
Steven Haworth (born 23 January 1976), better known by his ring name Nigel McGuinness, is an English actor, professional wrestling commentator and retired professional wrestler.
He is best known for his time with WWE where he worked as a color ...
.
Further losses followed in October 2007, before he gained his first victory in ROH by defeating
Kyle O'Reilly
Kyle Edward Greenwood (born March 1, 1987) is a Canadian Professional wrestling, professional wrestler currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) where he performs under the ring name Kyle O'Reilly. He is also known for his time in Ring of Hono ...
at ''Tag Title Classic II'' in December 2010.
Perkins faced off against Colt Cabana at the
Final Battle 2010
Final Battle 2010 was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by Ring of Honor (ROH). It took place on December 18, 2010, at the Manhattan Center in New York City. It was the eighth annual event in the ROH Final Battle, Final Ba ...
internet
pay-per-view
Pay-per-view (PPV) is a type of pay television or webcast service that enables a viewer to pay to watch individual events via private telecast.
Events can be purchased through a multichannel television platform using their electronic program guid ...
on December 18, 2010, in which he lost.
In January 2011, Perkins appeared for ROH at their
WrestleReunion
WrestleReunion (or Wrestle Reunion) is a professional wrestling event, and fan convention, founded by Sal Corrente in 2005.
WrestleReunion 1
The first WrestleReunion event occurred January 29, 2005, at Doubletree Hotel in Tampa, Florida. The at ...
show ''Showdown in the Sun II'', where he lost to Davey Richards. In March, he lost to
Chris Hero
Chris Spradlin (born December 24, 1979), better known by his ring name Chris Hero, is an American professional wrestler and trainer. He is currently signed to Ring of Honor as a producer. Hero has worked for a number of independent wrestling pr ...
and
El Generico
Rami Sebei ( ar, رامي سبعي; born July 12, 1984) is a Canadian professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Sami Zayn, and is a member of The Bloodline.
Prior to joi ...
, before ROH announced that Perkins had signed a contract with the promotion on October 6.
He accrued further losses to
Jay Briscoe
Jamin "Jay" Pugh (born January 25, 1984) is an American professional wrestler best known by his ring name Jay Briscoe. He is currently signed with Ring of Honor, where he is the current one-half of ROH World Tag Team Champions with Mark Briscoe ...
,
Jay Lethal
Jamar Shipman (born April 29, 1985), better known by the ring name Jay Lethal, is an American professional wrestler currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW).
Dubbed "The Franchise" of Ring of Honor, Lethal is a two-time ROH World Champion, ...
, and
Mike Bennett in November and December.
At the
Final Battle 2011
Final Battle 2011 was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by Ring of Honor (ROH). It took place on December 23, 2011 at the Manhattan Center in New York City. It was the tenth annual event in the Final Battle chronology, w ...
pay-per-view, Perkins lost to
Michael Elgin
Aaron Frobel (born December 13, 1986) is a Canadian professional wrestler and promoter, better known by his ring name Michael Elgin. He most recently worked for Pro Wrestling Noah, where he was a one-time GHC Tag Team Champion with Masa Kitami ...
. In March 2012 he appeared at the pay-per-view
10th Anniversary Show, suffering a tag team loss. As part of the
Chikara vs. ROH rivalry, Perkins wrestled at
Showdown in the Sun
Showdown in the Sun was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by Ring of Honor (ROH) that took place over two consecutive days: Friday, March 30 and Saturday, March 31, 2012 at the War Memorial Auditorium in Fort Lauderdale, ...
, defeating
Fire Ant
Fire ants are several species of ants in the genus ''Solenopsis'', which includes over 200 species. ''Solenopsis'' are stinging ants, and most of their common names reflect this, for example, ginger ants and tropical fire ants. Many of the nam ...
. At ''Unity'', Fire Ant and his allies from
The Colony defeated Perkins, Jay Lethal, and
Adam Cole
Austin Kirk Jenkins (born July 5, 1989) is an American professional wrestler currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he performs under the ring name Adam Cole. He is also known for his tenures with WWE and Ring of Honor (ROH).
Col ...
in a six-man tag team match. In April, Perkins began a feud with
Mike Mondo
Michael Brendli (born March 26, 1983) is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his time in WWE as Mike Mondo and Mikey as a member of The Spirit Squad. He also appeared in Major League Wrestling (MLW) in a tag team with fellow S ...
, defeating him in a singles match before teaming with the
All Night Express
The All Night Express (usually abbreviated ANX) was a professional wrestling tag team that primarily performed in Ring of Honor. The tag team consisted of Rhett Titus and Kenny King, who are former one-time ROH World Tag Team Champions.
History
O ...
of
Kenny King Kenneth, Ken or Kenny King may refer to: Ken King
* Ken King (born 1971), American politician and businessman
* Ken King (ice hockey) (1952–2020), Canadian sports executive
Kenneth King
* Kenneth George King or Jonathan King (born 1944), Englis ...
and
Rhett Titus
Everett Lawrence Titus (born September 15, 1987) is an American professional wrestler working for Ring of Honor (ROH). where he is a former ROH World Television Champion, an overall two-time ROH Tag Team Champion individually, as well as winn ...
to defeat Mondo and The Young Bucks (Matt and Nick Jackson) at
Border Wars.
On September 9, 2012, Perkins was released from his ROH contract. He asked for his release, as he felt his ROH contract was restricting other opportunities for him.
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Sporadic appearances (2004–2013)
![TJ Perkins BOLA 2008](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/70/TJ_Perkins_BOLA_2008.jpg)
Perkins has also made appearances as Puma with
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Impact Wrestling (stylized as ''IMPACT! Wrestling''), is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Nashville, Tennessee. It is a subsidiary of Anthem Sports & Entertainment.
Founded by Jeff and Jerry Jarrett in 2002, the promot ...
, debuting in 2004, when he worked as a jobber in several ''
TNA Xplosion
''Xplosion'' was a professional wrestling television program that was produced by the Impact Wrestling promotion. Launched in 2002, the show featured highlights from Impact's flagship television program, exclusive taped matches, and other conte ...
'' tapings. He was also the first man eliminated in the
2004 Super X-Cup. He participated in a 20-man X-Division gauntlet
battle royal
Battle royal (; also royale) traditionally refers to a fight involving many combatants that is fought until only one fighter remains standing, usually conducted under either boxing or wrestling rules. In recent times, the term has been used in a ...
at
Victory Road, but he was the first man eliminated. Two years later, he returned to TNA as a representative of Japan in an International X-Division Showcase match at
Destination X
Destination X is a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event held by Impact Wrestling currently in the month of August. The event primarily revolves around the X-Division, the 2005, 2006, 2009, and 2010 events had Ultimate X matches.
It w ...
, facing
Petey Williams
Peter Williams III (born August 26, 1981) is a Canadian professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE as a backstage producer. He is best known for his time in Impact Wrestling, where he is a two-time X Division Champion. He is also k ...
,
Chris Sabin
Joshua Harter (born February 4, 1982), better known by his ring name Chris Sabin, is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to Impact Wrestling, and is also known for his work in Ring of Honor.
After being trained by Scott D ...
, and
Sonjay Dutt
Retesh Bhalla (born April 7, 1982) is an American professional wrestler currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) as a producer and manager. He is best known for his time with Total Nonstop ActionImpact Wrestling under the ring name Sonja ...
. The match was ultimately won by Sabin. He also competed in an Xscape match at the following month's
Lockdown
A lockdown is a restriction policy for people, community or a country to stay where they are, usually due to specific risks (such as COVID-19) that could possibly harm the people if they move and interact freely.
The term is used for a prison ...
. Puma was later a member of
Team Mexico
Team Mexico is a professional wrestling stable that was first formed in 2004 to compete in TNA Wrestling's America's X-Cup Tournament and has since returned to compete in other TNA X Cup Tournaments.
History 2004
The original team consisted of ...
in the
2006 World X-Cup, alongside
Incognito
Incognito is an English adjective meaning "in disguise", "having taken steps to conceal one's identity".
Incognito may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''Incognito'' (1937 film), a Danish film
* ''Incognito'' (1997 film), an American crime ...
,
Magno and
Shocker. In that tournament, he lost a second round match to Team USA captain Chris Sabin. Puma was the last man eliminated in the third round gauntlet match, by Team Canada captain Petey Williams. Team Mexico finished third, with four points. In July 2007, Perkins returned to TNA as Puma, wrestling in a 10-man Ultimate X Gauntlet at
Victory Road, but was the first man eliminated. He returned at the
2008 Victory Road pay-per-view, representing Team Japan in an elimination match, where he was the second one eliminated.
On September 22, 2009, Perkins, under his Puma gimmick, returned to TNA to wrestle in a
dark match
Professional wrestling has accrued a considerable amount of jargon throughout its existence. Much of it stems from the industry's origins in the days of carnivals and circuses. In the past, professional wrestlers used such terms in the presence ...
, in which he was defeated by
Colt Cabana
Scott Colton (born May 6, 1980), better known by the ring name Colt Cabana, is an American professional wrestler, color commentator, and podcaster. He is signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) as a wrestler and as a coach, and he performs the same d ...
. Perkins worked two more dark matches under the ring name T.J. Perkins during the January 10–12, 2011, tapings of ''
TNA Impact!
''Impact!'' (stylized as ''IMPACT!''), also known as ''IMPACT! on AXS TV'',
is an American professional wrestling television program produced by the American promotion Impact Wrestling (formerly known as Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA)) tha ...
'' losing to
Shannon Moore
Shannon Moore (born July 27, 1979) is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his work with World Championship Wrestling (WCW) between 1999 and 2001 and with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) for several years in the 2000s. H ...
and El Generico. In September 2012, Perkins competed as Puma against
Zema Ion
Michael Paris (born October 5, 1986) is a American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Smackdown brand, under the ring name Joaquin Wilde. He is a member of Legado Del Fantasma.
Paris began his career in 2004, ...
in a dark match main event of a September taping of ''Impact!''. On January 12, 2013, Perkins, as Puma, took part in the tapings of TNA's
One Night Only:
X-Travaganza special, wrestling in a seven-man
Xscape match
Many types of wrestling matches, sometimes called "concept" or "gimmick matches" in the jargon of the business, are performed in professional wrestling. Some gimmick matches are more common than others and are often used to advance or conclude a ...
, which was won by
Christian York
Jason Spence (born April 13, 1977) is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Christian York. He is best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling, Extreme Championship Wrestling and Impact Wrestling. C ...
.
Manik (2013–2016)
On May 23, 2013, Perkins wrestled on an episode of ''
Impact Wrestling
Impact Wrestling (stylized as ''IMPACT! Wrestling''), is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Nashville, Tennessee. It is a subsidiary of Anthem Sports & Entertainment.
Founded by Jeff and Jerry Jarrett in 2002, the promot ...
'' as
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), and s ...
, defeating Petey Williams and
Joey Ryan. The win earned him an X Division Championship match against Kenny King and Chris Sabin at
Slammiversary XI
Slammiversary XI was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) promotion, which took place on June 2, 2013 at the Agganis Arena in Boston, Massachusetts. It was the 11th anniversary cel ...
in an Ultimate X match, which was won by Sabin. On the June 27 episode of ''Impact Wrestling'', Perkins was revealed as the man behind the mask of Suicide as part of a storyline where he had been attacked and the Suicide costume and mask stolen and utilized by Austin Aries to win the X Division Championship.
On June 29, at the tapings of the July 4 episode of ''Impact Wrestling'', Perkins began using the ring name "Manik", while retaining a modified version of the Suicide costume and mask.
He participated in a three-way match for the X Division Championship against Sabin and Aries, which Sabin won to regain the championship; Manik was removed from the match after being attacked by the
Aces & Eights
Aces & Eights are an American Glossary of professional wrestling terms#Stable, stable in the Professional wrestling promotion, promotion Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), initially consisting of a group of Wrestling mask, masked wrestlers bef ...
. After Sabin
vacated
A vacated judgment (also known as vacatur relief) makes a previous legal judgment legally void. A vacated judgment is usually the result of the judgment of an appellate court, which overturns, reverses, or sets aside the judgment of a lower court. ...
the championship, Manik entered the tournament to determine the new champion, and advanced to the final by defeating
Chavo Guerrero Jr.
Salvador Guerrero IV (born October 20, 1970) better known by his ring names Chavo Guerrero and Chavo Guerrero Jr., is an American professional wrestler. He has previously worked for World Championship Wrestling (WCW), WWE, World Wrestling Feder ...
and Kenny King. On July 18, at the tapings of the July 25 episode of ''Impact Wrestling'', Manik won the vacant X Division Championship by defeating
Greg Marasciuolo and Sonjay Dutt in a three-way Ultimate X match.
Including a successful defense against Chris Sabin on the September 26 episode of ''Impact Wrestling'', Manik held the championship until
Bound for Glory on October 20, when he lost it to Sabin in a five-way Ultimate X match. Following a hiatus lasting several months, Manik returned to the promotion at
2014 Lockdown losing to
Tigre Uno
Tigre Uno (born April 4, 1981) is a Mexican professional wrestler. He is best known for his time with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is a one-time X Division Champion. Outside of the United States he is best known for his work in Luch ...
in a
steel cage match
Many types of wrestling matches, sometimes called "concept" or " gimmick matches" in the jargon of the business, are performed in professional wrestling. Some gimmick matches are more common than others and are often used to advance or conclude a ...
. At
Slammiversary
Slammiversary is a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by the American promotion Impact Wrestling. It is one of Impact's “Big Four” PPV events (along with Hard to Kill, Rebellion, and Bound for Glory), and celebrates ...
, he participated in a Ladder match for the TNA X Division Championship, but lost the match.
On the September 3, 2014, episode of ''Impact Wrestling'', Manik was kidnapped by
James Storm
James Allen Cox (born June 1, 1977) is an American professional wrestler better known by the ring name James Storm. He is best known for his time in Impact Wrestling.
He started his career in 1997 and after working on several independent pr ...
and
Sanada Sanada is a Japanese surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Asami Sanada (born 1977), Japanese voice actress
*, Japanese shogi player
* Juzo Sanada (1923–1994), Japanese baseball player
* Hiroki Sanada (born 1984), Japanese basebal ...
; the following week, Storm was shown initiating Manik into a new faction, later called "
The Revolution
A revolution is a drastic political change that usually occurs relatively quickly. For revolutions which affect society, culture, and technology more than political systems, see social revolution.
Revolution may also refer to:
Aviation
*Warner ...
", and the trio later attacked
Samoa Joe
Nuufolau Joel Seanoa (born March 17, 1979), is an American professional wrestler better known by the ring name Samoa Joe who is currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW). Joe is currently a double champion - in his first reign both as AEW ...
and
Homicide
Homicide occurs when a person kills another person. A homicide requires only a volitional act or omission that causes the death of another, and thus a homicide may result from accidental, reckless, or negligent acts even if there is no inten ...
, turning
heel
The heel is the prominence at the posterior end of the foot. It is based on the projection of one bone, the calcaneus or heel bone, behind the articulation of the bones of the lower Human leg, leg.
Structure
To distribute the compressive for ...
in the process. At
Bound for Glory, Manik wrestled against
Minoru Tanaka but lost the match. At
Slammiversary
Slammiversary is a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by the American promotion Impact Wrestling. It is one of Impact's “Big Four” PPV events (along with Hard to Kill, Rebellion, and Bound for Glory), and celebrates ...
, Manik wrestled in a three-way match for the TNA X Division Championship, in a losing effort.
On the September 23, 2015, episode of ''Impact Wrestling'', Manik quit The Revolution and took his mask off, turning
face
The face is the front of an animal's head that features the eyes, nose and mouth, and through which animals express many of their emotions. The face is crucial for human identity, and damage such as scarring or developmental deformities may aff ...
in the process. At
Bound for Glory, he participated in an Ultimate X match for the
TNA X Division Championship
The Impact X Division Championship is a professional wrestling championship created and promoted by Impact Wrestling. It debuted on June 19, 2002, at the taping of then-TNA's second weekly pay-per-view (PPV) event. The current champion is Trey M ...
, in a losing effort. During October and November, Manik participated in
TNA World Title Series
The ''TNA World Title Series'' was a professional wrestling round-robin tournament produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA). It was taped between July 22 and July 25, 2015 (except the semifinals and finals, which ran live on January 5, 2016 ...
where he defeated
Mandrews
Mark Andrews (born 25 January 1992) is a Welsh Professional wrestling, professional wrestler and musician. He is most well known for his time in WWE where he performed on the NXT UK brand. Andrews was one of the first Welsh Champions in WWE hi ...
and
DJ Z
Michael Paris (born October 5, 1986) is a American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Smackdown brand, under the ring name Joaquin Wilde. He is a member of Legado Del Fantasma.
Paris began his career in 2004, ...
with the exception of
Tigre Uno
Tigre Uno (born April 4, 1981) is a Mexican professional wrestler. He is best known for his time with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is a one-time X Division Champion. Outside of the United States he is best known for his work in Luch ...
to gain 6 points, however on the November 25 episode of ''Impact Wrestling'', he unexpectedly ended third of his block when he was pinned by DJ Z before Uno could pin him in the three-way match, thus failing to advance the round of 16. On January 12, 2016, Perkins stated that TNA had given him notice that his contract was not being renewed.
Return to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (2011)
In late May and early June 2011, Perkins, under the ring name TJP, took part in NJPW's
Best of the Super Juniors
The Best of the Super Juniors (often abbreviated BOSJ) is an annual professional wrestling tournament held by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), typically in May or June. Originally known as Top of the Super Juniors, the first tournament was held in ...
tournament. After winning three of his eight matches in the round robin stage of the tournament, TJP finished seventh out of the nine wrestlers in his block and did not advance to the semifinals.
WWE (2016–2019)
Prior to signing to
WWE
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and vario ...
in 2016, Perkins competed in multiple tryouts for the promotion in 2009.
Perkins appeared on the October 19, 2009, episode of ''
Raw
Raw is an adjective usually describing:
* Raw materials, basic materials from which products are manufactured or made
* Raw food, uncooked food
Raw or RAW may also refer to:
Computing and electronics
* .RAW, a proprietary mass spectrometry dat ...
''; he was scheduled to face
The Miz
Michael Gregory Mizanin (born October 8, 1980) is an American professional wrestler, actor, and television personality. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand under the ring name The Miz.
Mizanin first gained fame a ...
but was replaced by
Marty Jannetty
Fredrick Martin Jannetty (born February 3, 1960) is an American professional wrestler who has worked for promotions including the World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment (WWF/E), the American Wrestling Association (AWA), World Championship Wres ...
before the match as a part of the storyline. The following day Perkins, under the name J.T. Quinn, appeared on ''
ECW ECW may refer to:
Professional wrestling
* Extreme Championship Wrestling (originally Eastern Championship Wrestling), a professional wrestling promotion that operated from 1992 to 2001
* The Alliance (professional wrestling) (originally the WCW/E ...
'' in a match against
Sheamus
Stephen Farrelly (born 28 January 1978) is an Irish professional wrestler and actor. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Sheamus.
Prior to joining WWE, he wrestled on the European indep ...
. The match resulted in a disqualification after
Shelton Benjamin
Shelton James Benjamin (born July 9, 1975) is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand under his real name.
He is also known for his work in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and Pro Wres ...
attacked Sheamus. He also wrestled at
Florida Championship Wrestling
Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW) was a professional wrestling promotion based on the former National Wrestling Alliance member promotion, Championship Wrestling from Florida, which operated from 1961 until 1987. From October 2007 to August ...
, WWE's
developmental territory
In sports, a farm team, farm system, feeder team, feeder club, or nursery club is generally a team or club whose role is to provide experience and training for young players, with an agreement that any successful players can move on to a higher ...
multiple times that year.
On May 7, 2016, Perkins defeated
Fred Yehi
Fred Yehi is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances in Full Impact Pro, Major League Wrestling and Evolve.
Professional wrestling career
Evolve and Full Impact Pro (2015–2020)
Yehi made his Evolve debut at E ...
at Evolve 61 to qualify for WWE's
Cruiserweight Classic
The Cruiserweight Classic, formerly the Global Cruiserweight Series, was a professional wrestling tournament and WWE Network event produced by WWE. All participants were billed at a weight of 205 lbs or less to determine the inaugural WWE Cruiserw ...
tournament. In the tournament he defeated Da Mack in the first round,
Johnny Gargano
John Anthony Nicholas Gargano (born August 14, 1987) is an American professional wrestler best known under the ring name Johnny Gargano. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand. He is best known for his time in NXT, wh ...
in the second round,
Rich Swann
Richard Allen Swann (born February 15, 1991) is an American professional wrestler currently signed to Impact Wrestling. He is a former Impact World Champion, TNA World Heavyweight Champion, Impact X Division Champion and Impact Digital Media Cham ...
in the quarter finals,
Kota Ibushi
is a Japanese professional wrestler and martial artist signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), but is currently inactive due to suffering a shoulder injury. In March 2021, he became the company's inaugural IWGP World Heavyweight Champion by ...
in the semifinals and
Gran Metalik
Máscara Dorada (born August 24, 1988) is the ring name of a Mexican ''luchador'' '' enmascarado'' (masked professional wrestler) currently working for Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL). He is best known for his time in WWE where he performe ...
in the finals to win the tournament and become the inaugural
WWE Cruiserweight Champion
The NXT Cruiserweight Championship was a professional wrestling championship that was created and promoted by the American promotion WWE. Before its retirement, it was defended across the NXT, NXT UK, and 205 Live brand divisions, which were de ...
.
His entrance paid homage to the
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) is an 8-bit third-generation home video game console produced by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan in 1983 as the commonly known as the The NES, a redesigned version, was released in America ...
. Perkins retained the title against
Brian Kendrick
Brian David Kendrick (born May 29, 1979) is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his time in WWE. Kendrick is also known for his appearances with Ring of Honor (ROH), Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), New Japan Pro-Wrestli ...
at
Clash of Champions
''Clash of the Champions'' is an American series of professional wrestling television specials that were produced by World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP) in conjunction with the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA). ...
,
but lost the title in a rematch at
Hell in a Cell
Hell in a Cell is a professional wrestling steel cage-based match which originated in 1997 in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE). It features a large cell structure, a five-sided cuboid made from open-weave steel mesh chain-link fenci ...
after Kendrick faked a knee injury. At
Roadblock: End of the Line, Perkins failed to regain the title in a triple threat match against Kendrick and new champion, Rich Swann.
Beginning with an attack on
Austin Aries
Daniel Healy Solwold Jr. (born April 15, 1978), better known by his ring name Austin Aries, is an American professional wrestler currently signed to the Control Your Narrative wrestling promotion. He is best known for his time with Impact Wrest ...
on the April 10, 2017 episode of ''Raw'', Perkins formed an alliance with Neville and turned
heel
The heel is the prominence at the posterior end of the foot. It is based on the projection of one bone, the calcaneus or heel bone, behind the articulation of the bones of the lower Human leg, leg.
Structure
To distribute the compressive for ...
, shortening his ring name to "TJP". The alliance ended when Neville attacked TJP on the June 5 episode of ''Raw''. TJP failed to win the Cruiserweight Championship the following night on ''205 Live'' and then took a hiatus in order to rehab his knee. TJP returned on the January 2, 2018 episode of ''205 Live''. At
Royal Rumble
The Royal Rumble is a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming event, produced annually since 1988 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. It is named after the Royal Rumble match, a modified battle roya ...
, he teamed with Drew Gulak and Jack Gallagher in a losing effort against Gran Metalik, Kalisto and Lince Dorado. On the January 30 episode of ''205 Live'', TJP defeated
Tyler Bate
Tyler Bate (born 7 March 1997) is an English professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE where he performs on the NXT brand.
In 2017, he became the inaugural WWE United Kingdom Champion (later renamed NXT United Kingdom Championship), ...
in the first round of the
WWE Cruiserweight Championship tournament. He would go on to face eventual winner Cedric Alexander in the quarterfinals on the February 27 episode in a losing effort. TJP appeared again on September 4, challenging Cruiserweight Champion Cedric Alexander in a non-title losing effort. TJP then began feuding with the Lucha House Party, consisting of Kalisto, Metalik and Dorado, forming an alliance with
Mike
Mike may refer to:
Animals
* Mike (cat), cat and guardian of the British Museum
* Mike the Headless Chicken, chicken that lived for 18 months after his head had been cut off
* Mike (chimpanzee), a chimpanzee featured in several books and documenta ...
and
Maria Kanellis
Mary Louis "Maria" Kanellis-Bennett (born February 25, 1982) is an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler, Manager (professional wrestling), professional wrestling manager, actress, model and former singer, She is best known for h ...
. In February 2019, TJP took part in the
Worlds Collide tournament, but was eliminated by
Dominik Dijakovic
Christopher James Dijak (born April 23, 1987) is an American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the NXT brand under the ring name Dijak.
Dijak began his professional wrestling career in 2013 under the ring name ...
in the first round. On the February 19 episode of ''205 Live'', TJP was defeated by
Humberto Carrillo
Humberto Garza Carrillo (born October 20, 1995) is a Mexican professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Humberto. He previously worked under the ring name Último Ninja whi ...
in what would be his final WWE match. On February 22, 2019, Perkins was released from his WWE contract.
Return to independent circuit (2019)
On May 3, 2019, Perkins returned to the ring following his release from WWE. In his first match back, he competed for
Empire Wrestling Federation
The Empire Wrestling Federation (EWF) is an independent wrestling promotion based in Covina, California. It is owned and operated by Jesse Hernandez. The EWF is also tied to Hernandez's wrestling school, ''The School Of Hard Knocks''. The EWF is t ...
in
Covina, California
Covina is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, about east of downtown Los Angeles, in the San Gabriel Valley. The population was 51,268 according to the 2020 census, up from 47,796 at the 2010 census. The city's slogan, " ...
. A few days later he would wrestling for
Sami Callihan
Samuel Alton Johnston (born September 1, 1987) is an American professional wrestler and promoter, better known by the ring name Sami Callihan, currently signed with Impact Wrestling and is a former Impact World Champion. He also wrestled for Luch ...
's promotion, The Wrestling Revolver in a triple-threat with
Rich Swann
Richard Allen Swann (born February 15, 1991) is an American professional wrestler currently signed to Impact Wrestling. He is a former Impact World Champion, TNA World Heavyweight Champion, Impact X Division Champion and Impact Digital Media Cham ...
and
Ace Austin
Austin James Highley (born February 28, 1997), better known by the ring name Ace Austin, is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to Impact Wrestling, where he is a former three-time X Division Champion. He also makes appearan ...
. Following that he would wrestle for various promotions including
AAW Wrestling
AAW Wrestling (AAW) or AAW: Professional Wrestling Redefined and formerly known as All American Wrestling, is an American independent professional wrestling promotion, based in the Chicago area - originally holding shows in Berwyn, Illinois, an ...
, PCW Ultra and Defy Wrestling. On October 12, 2019, Perkins wrestled for the
Philippine Wrestling Revolution
Philippine Wrestling Revolution (PWR) was an independent professional wrestling promotion based in the Philippines. PWR was founded in December 2013, and closed in September 14, 2022.
History
Professional wrestling in the Philippines started i ...
against former PWR Champion
Jake de Leon
Mark Gabriel G. Javellana, better known by his ring name "The Senyorito" Jake de Leon, is a Filipino professional wrestler most commonly known for his time with Philippine Wrestling Revolution.
Early life
Mark Gabriel G. Javellana is a native o ...
in PWR: Homecoming. Perkins won the match after he countered De Leon's submission move into a pinfall win. On November 16, 2019, Perkins appeared at
Amazing Red
Jonathan Figueroa (born April 26, 1982), better known by his ring name Amazing Red, is a Puerto Rican professional wrestler and promoter. He is best known for working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), where he is a former three-time ...
's promotion
House of Glory
House of Glory (HOG) is an American professional wrestling school and promotion created by Amazing Red and is now owned by Master P.
House of Glory was featured in an MTV news article. The promotion has run shows in New York and Toronto.
Curren ...
for their "No Limit" event and defeated Mantequilla to win the HOG Crown Jewel Championship.
Return to Impact Wrestling (2019–2021)
TJP returned to
Impact Wrestling
Impact Wrestling (stylized as ''IMPACT! Wrestling''), is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Nashville, Tennessee. It is a subsidiary of Anthem Sports & Entertainment.
Founded by Jeff and Jerry Jarrett in 2002, the promot ...
on the June 21, 2019 episode of ''
Impact
Impact may refer to:
* Impact (mechanics), a high force or shock (mechanics) over a short time period
* Impact, Texas, a town in Taylor County, Texas, US
Science and technology
* Impact crater, a meteor crater caused by an impact event
* Impact ...
'', defeating
Ace Austin
Austin James Highley (born February 28, 1997), better known by the ring name Ace Austin, is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to Impact Wrestling, where he is a former three-time X Division Champion. He also makes appearan ...
. TJP made an unannounced appearance at
Slammiversary XVII
Slammiversary XVII was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by Impact Wrestling. It took place on July 7, 2019 at the Gilley's Dallas in Dallas, Texas. It was the fifteenth event under the Slammiversary chronology.
Eight m ...
, where he competed in a four-way match, which was won by
Willie Mack
Willie McClinton Jr. (born January 5, 1987) is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Willie Mack, currently appearing in Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide. He is best known for his tenure with Impact Wrestling, where he is a ...
. In September, he forged an alliance with
Fallah Bahh
Francis Flores (born August 12, 1985) is an American professional wrestler best known for his time with Impact Wrestling, where he performed under the ring name Fallah Bahh. He began his wrestling career on New Jersey's independent circuit, wre ...
and they began feuding with
Michael Elgin
Aaron Frobel (born December 13, 1986) is a Canadian professional wrestler and promoter, better known by his ring name Michael Elgin. He most recently worked for Pro Wrestling Noah, where he was a one-time GHC Tag Team Champion with Masa Kitami ...
. On the March 31, 2020 special episode of ''Impact'', TJP returned as
Manik, teaming with Suicide as his two former personas joined to pick up a victory. On the
August 18 special episode of ''Impact'', TJP would fail to win the
Impact X Division Championship
The Impact X Division Championship is a professional wrestling championship created and promoted by Impact Wrestling. It debuted on June 19, 2002, at the taping of then-TNA's second weekly pay-per-view (PPV) event. The current champion is Trey M ...
after
Rohit Raju
Rohit Raju is an American professional wrestler best known for his time with Impact Wrestling, where he is a former one-time Impact X Division Champion. Before working for Impact Wrestling, he worked over 10 years on the independent circuit in ...
pinned the champion
Chris Bey
Chris Bey (born February 13, 1996) is an American professional wrestler currently signed with Impact Wrestling, where he is a former one-time X Division Champion. He is also known for his work on the independent scene. He has also made appearanc ...
. He would then fail to win the championship from Raju at
Bound for Glory in a Scramble match and on the November 10 episode of ''Impact''.
At
Final Resolution
Final Resolution is a professional wrestling Impact Plus event held by Impact Wrestling in December. Initially introduced as a pay-per-view by TNA in 2005, the event originally took place in January until 2008, when TNA moved the event to Decem ...
, TJP revived his Manik persona and defeated Raju to win the Impact X Division Championship, using a loophole through a clause that said TJP could not compete for the title as long as Raju was champion. Raju and Chris Bey would attempt to prove that TJP was in fact Manik but all attempts failed. He retained at
Hard To Kill
''Hard to Kill'' is a 1990 American action thriller film directed by Bruce Malmuth, starring Steven Seagal, Kelly LeBrock, William Sadler and Frederick Coffin. Seagal's second film after '' Above the Law'', it features him as Mason Storm, a d ...
despite attempts to unmask him (which he thwarted by simply wearing face paint). TJP lost the title to Ace Austin at
Sacrifice
Sacrifice is the offering of material possessions or the lives of animals or humans to a deity as an act of propitiation or worship. Evidence of ritual animal sacrifice has been seen at least since ancient Hebrews and Greeks, and possibly exi ...
, ending his reign at 92 days. He was released by Impact in November 2021, clarifying he'd never been signed to the promotion
Second return to NJPW (2019–present)
Teaming with LA Dojo (2019–2020)
In late July it was announced that Perkins would be wrestling during
New Japan Pro-Wrestling
(NJPW) is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion based in Nakano, Tokyo. Founded on January 13, 1972, by Antonio Inoki, the promotion was sold to Yuke's, who later sold it to Bushiroad in 2012. TV Asahi and Amuse, Inc. own minority shares ...
's
Super J-Cup
The Super J-Cup is a periodically held professional wrestling tournament featuring junior heavyweight wrestlers from all over the world promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). This tournament differs from NJPW's annual Best of the Super Junio ...
tournament that would take place during August. He would reach the second round of the tournament after defeating
Clark Connors
Connor Deutsch (born October 6, 1993), better known by the ring name Clark Connors is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he was the winner of the 2020 Lion's Break Crown.
Profession ...
, before being eliminated by
El Phantasmo
Riley Vigier (born October 24, 1986), otherwise known as El Phantasmo (ELP), is a Canadian professional wrestler currently signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he is currently performing in the Junior Heavyweight division as part of Bu ...
. After the tournament, TJP began teaming with Connors regularly. He would then be booked for the
Fighting Spirit Unleashed
Fighting Spirit Unleashed is a series of professional wrestling events produced annually in September by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), a Japanese professional wrestling promotion, in the United States. NJPW first produced the event in 2018 and ha ...
tour that took place in September. In October, TJP would team with Connors in the
Super Junior Tag League tournament, where they lost all but one match, therefore finishing the tournament with 2 points and failing to advance to the finals. Perkins would be booked for the New Beginning in USA tour in January and February. In June, TJP took part in secret TV tapings at NJPW's Los Angeles Dojo for a new show named Lion's Break Collision where he teamed with
Karl Fredericks
Karl Fredericks (born July 15, 1990) is an American professional wrestler signed with WWE, where he performs on NXT. He is known for his stint in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he was the winner of the 2019 Young Lion Cup.
Professional wr ...
to defeat
Jeff Cobb
Jeffrey Cobb (ジェフ・コブ ''Jefu Kobu'', born July 11, 1982) is an American professional wrestler and former amateur wrestler currently signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) where he is a two-time IWGP Tag Team Champion with United Emp ...
and
Rocky Romero
John R. Rivera (born October 28, 1982) is a Puerto Rican-American professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist. He is currently signed non-exclusively to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), better known by his ring name Rocky Romero (ロッ ...
. Perkins once again teamed with Connors in the Tag Team Turbulence tournament, however they lost to eventual winners
The Good Brothers
The Good Brothers are a Canadian country, bluegrass and folk music group originating from Richmond Hill, Ontario. The band's core members are Brian Good (guitar), his twin brother Bruce Good (autoharp) and younger brother Larry Good (banjo).
B ...
, in the first round.
United Empire (2021–Present)
On September 26, TJP joined up with
Will Ospreay
William Peter Charles Ospreay (born 7 May 1993) is an English professional wrestler who is currently signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he is the current IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion in his first reign and leader of the ...
and joined the
United Empire
, originally , is a professional wrestling faction, performing in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and RevPro, the faction is led by Will Ospreay.
The group was formed in October 2020 by Ospreay and Great-O-Khan, when Ospreay turned on his Chao ...
, turning his back on Connors and beginning a feud between the two. The feud ended when Connors defeated TJP. On May 1, 2022, TJP was announced to be competing in the
Best of the Super Juniors
The Best of the Super Juniors (often abbreviated BOSJ) is an annual professional wrestling tournament held by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), typically in May or June. Originally known as Top of the Super Juniors, the first tournament was held in ...
. He competed in the B-block, ending with a record of 4 wins and 5 losses, resulting in 10 points, therefore failing to advance to the finals. On the finals day, TJP and United Empire stablemate
Francesco Akira
Francesco Begnini (born November 12, 1999), better known by his ring name Francesco Akira is an Italian professional wrestler, working for the Japanese promotion New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he is a member of the United Empire stable and ...
defeated the
IWGP Junior Tag Team Champions Master Wato
is a Japanese professional wrestler, signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) under the ring name Master Wato (マスター・ワト ''Masutā Wato''). He was previously on an international learning excursion, working for NJPW's Mexican partner ...
and
Ryusuke Taguchi
is a Japanese professional wrestler, trained by and currently performing for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). He is a former two-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion, seven-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion and three-time NEVER Op ...
in a non-title match. On June 20, Perkins and Akira would win the titles, winning Akira's first championship in NJPW.
Return to MLW (2019-present)
In December 2019,
MLW announced that TJP would be returning for the company for the first time since 2004, as a part of the
Opera Cup tournament
A tournament is a competition involving at least three competitors, all participating in a sport or game. More specifically, the term may be used in either of two overlapping senses:
# One or more competitions held at a single venue and concentr ...
on December 5, 2019. His return match was in the opening round of the Opera Cup against
Brian Pillman Jr.
Brian Zachary Pillman (born September 9, 1993), better known by the ring name Brian Pillman Jr., is an American professional wrestler currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW). He is also known for his time in Major League Wrestling (MLW). Pil ...
in a losing effort. TJP returned to MLW, the following year for the
Opera Cup, in which he lost to
Richard Holliday
Joe Zimbardi (born November 8, 1992) is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Richard Holliday. He is currently signed to Major League Wrestling (MLW), where he was a member of The Dynasty. He is a former one-time IWA W ...
in the opening round on the November 25 episode of ''
Fusion
Fusion, or synthesis, is the process of combining two or more distinct entities into a new whole.
Fusion may also refer to:
Science and technology Physics
*Nuclear fusion, multiple atomic nuclei combining to form one or more different atomic nucl ...
''.
Return to CMLL (2021)
In October 2021,
CMLL
Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre Co., Ltd. (CMLL; , "World Wrestling Council") is a ''lucha libre'' professional wrestling promotion based in Mexico City. The promotion was previously known as ''Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre'' (''EMLL'') (''Mexi ...
announced that TJP would be returning for the company for the first time since 2008, as a part of the October 22
Viernes Espectacular.
Personal life
Perkins is a fan of
Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bean Bryant ( ; August 23, 1978 – January 26, 2020) was an American professional basketball player. A shooting guard, he spent his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Widely r ...
. After his death in 2020, Perkins began using a new finisher named The Mamba Splash in honor of him.
During the Speaking Out Movement in 2020, he came out with his own allegations of being sexually abused by older female wrestlers at age fifteen.
He is engaged to fellow wrestler Aria Blake. The couple welcomed their first child; a baby boy named James Theodore Perkins on August 26, 2021.
Other media
As TJP, he made his
video game
Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This fee ...
debut as a playable character in ''
WWE 2K18
''WWE 2K18'' is a professional wrestling video game developed by Yuke's and published by 2K Sports. It is the nineteenth installment in the WWE game series (fifth under the ''WWE 2K'' banner) and a follow-up to ''WWE 2K17''. It was released worl ...
'' and also appears in ''
WWE 2K19
''WWE 2K19'' is a professional wrestling video game developed by Yuke's and published by 2K Sports. It was released worldwide on October 9, 2018, for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. It is the twentieth overall game in the ''WWE' ...
''.
Championships and accomplishments
*Adrenaline Championship Wrestling
**King of Maryland Tournament (2019)
*
All Pro Wrestling
All Pro Wrestling is an American professional wrestling promotion and training school, based in Hayward, California. The company was founded by Roland Alexander and managed by him until his death on November 5, 2013. It is located 45 miles so ...
**
APW Worldwide Internet Championship
The APW Worldwide Internet Championship is a professional wrestling championship created and promoted by the independent professional wrestling promotion All Pro Wrestling.
Title history
As of , , there have been 53 reigns between 39 champions ...
(
1 time)
*Alternative Wrestling Show
**AWS Light Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
*Big Time Wrestling
**BTW Cruiserweight Championship (1 time)
*
Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre
Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre Co., Ltd. (CMLL; , "World Wrestling Council") is a ''lucha libre'' professional wrestling promotion based in Mexico City. The promotion was previously known as ''Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre'' (''EMLL'') (''Mexi ...
**Best New Sensation (2003)
**Feud of the Year (2003)
[
*]Empire Wrestling Federation
The Empire Wrestling Federation (EWF) is an independent wrestling promotion based in Covina, California. It is owned and operated by Jesse Hernandez. The EWF is also tied to Hernandez's wrestling school, ''The School Of Hard Knocks''. The EWF is t ...
**EWF Heavyweight Championship
The EWF Heavyweight Championship is the top professional wrestling title in the Southern California-based Empire Wrestling Federation independent promotion. It was established in 1996, with Bobby Bradley as the first champion, who defeated Zuma t ...
(1 time)
**EWF Tag Team Championship
The EWF Tag Team Championship is the tag team professional wrestling Championship (professional wrestling), title in the Southern California-based Empire Wrestling Federation independent circuit, independent Professional wrestling promotion, prom ...
( 1 time) – with Liger Rivera
*Evolve Wrestling
Evolve Wrestling (stylized as EVOLVE) was an American professional wrestling promotion founded in 2010 by former Ring of Honor booker and Dragon Gate USA vice president, Gabe Sapolsky.
The company featured a roster of wrestlers from all over A ...
**Breakout Match (2010) vs. Munenori Sawa
is a Japanese retired professional wrestler. Sawa was trained by and spent his entire career in the Battlarts promotion, adopting the promotion's "Bati Bati" wrestling style, known for its stiff strikes and submission-based shoot wrestling, but ...
on January 16
*High Risk Wrestling
**HRW Hi-Desert Championship (1 time)
*House of Glory
House of Glory (HOG) is an American professional wrestling school and promotion created by Amazing Red and is now owned by Master P.
House of Glory was featured in an MTV news article. The promotion has run shows in New York and Toronto.
Curren ...
**HOG Crown Jewel Championship (1 time)
*Mach One Wrestling
**NWA Heritage Championship
The NWA Heritage Championship is a title sanctioned by the National Wrestling Alliance.
Title history
As of , .
Combined reigns
As of , .
See also
*National Wrestling Alliance
*CWFH Heritage Heavyweight Championship
The UWN Herita ...
( 1 time)
*New Japan Pro-Wrestling
(NJPW) is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion based in Nakano, Tokyo. Founded on January 13, 1972, by Antonio Inoki, the promotion was sold to Yuke's, who later sold it to Bushiroad in 2012. TV Asahi and Amuse, Inc. own minority shares ...
**IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship
The is a professional wrestling tag team championship owned by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion. "IWGP" is the acronym of NJPW's governing body, the . The title was introduced on August 8, 1998, at an NJPW live event. The IWGP Junior ...
( 1 time, current) – with Francesco Akira
Francesco Begnini (born November 12, 1999), better known by his ring name Francesco Akira is an Italian professional wrestler, working for the Japanese promotion New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he is a member of the United Empire stable and ...
**American Young Lions Cup Tournament (2004)
*Power Precision Pro Wrestling
**3PWA Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Damian Blade
*''Pro Wrestling Illustrated
''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' (''PWI'') is an American internationally sold professional wrestling magazine that was founded in 1979 by publisher Stanley Weston. ''PWI'' is headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and published by Kappa Publish ...
''
**Ranked No. 35 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500
''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' (''PWI'') is an American internationally sold professional wrestling magazine that was founded in 1979 by publisher Stanley Weston. ''PWI'' is headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and published by Kappa Publishi ...
in 2017
*SoCal Uncensored
SoCal Uncensored (SCU) was an American professional wrestling collective that consisted of Christopher Daniels, Frankie Kazarian, and Scorpio Sky. They are signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW). Daniels and Kazarian are no longer able to team tog ...
**Rookie of the Year (2001)
* Total Nonstop Action Wrestling/Impact Wrestling
** TNA/Impact X Division Championship (2 times
"2 Times" is a song co-written and recorded by British Italian-based singer Ann Lee. It was released in 1999 as the lead single from her debut album, ''Dreams'' (1999). The single entered and peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart. Outside ...
)
** TNA X Division Championship Tournament (2013)
** Impact Year End Awards (1 time)
*** Men's Match of the Year (2021)
*United Independent Wrestling Alliance
**UIWA Lightweight Championship (1 time)[
*UWA Hardcore Wrestling
**UWA Canadian Heavyweight Championship (1 time)][
*World Power Wrestling
**Best in the World Tournament (2006)
*]WWE
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and vario ...
** WWE Cruiserweight Championship ( 1 time)
**Cruiserweight Classic
The Cruiserweight Classic, formerly the Global Cruiserweight Series, was a professional wrestling tournament and WWE Network event produced by WWE. All participants were billed at a weight of 205 lbs or less to determine the inaugural WWE Cruiserw ...
(2016)
References
External links
TJP on impactwrestling.com
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Perkins, T.J.
1984 births
Living people
American male professional wrestlers
Masked wrestlers
Sportspeople from Los Angeles
Professional wrestlers from California
American professional wrestlers of Filipino descent
Expatriate professional wrestlers in Japan
NXT/WWE Cruiserweight Champions
American people of Filipino descent
21st-century professional wrestlers
TNA/Impact X Division Champions
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions