Sonjay Dutt

Infobox Wrestler
name=Retesh Bhalla


names=Sonjay Dutt
Monster J
height=5 ft 8 in (173 cm)
weight=185 lb (84 kg)
birth_date=birth date and age|1982|4|7
death_date =
birth_place = Washington, D.C.
resides=
billed= Bombay, India

Bollywood, Bombay, India
trainer=Larry Sharpe
debut=September 2000
retired=|

Retesh Bhalla (born April 7, 1982 in Washington, D.C.), better known by his ring name, Sonjay Dutt, is an Indian American professional wrestler, currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. He is also known for his time with Combat Zone Wrestling, Major League Wrestling, and other various independent promotions. His stage name is modeled after that of famous Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt.

Career

Dutt's parents moved to United States of America from India before he was born, though most of his extended family still lives in New Delhi. Dutt graduated from the KYDA Pro Wrestling training school in northern Virginia. He perfected his craft inside the squared circle at KYDA Pro wrestling for the first two years of his professional career. [ [http://www.kyda.com/ KYDA Official Site] ]

Major League Wrestling (2003-2004)

Dutt got his first break wrestling in Major League Wrestling in 2003 where he debuted the Dragon Rana on Jimmy Yang at the promotion's August 3 event titled "Summer Apocalypse". Dutt would go on to win an international tournament, hosted by MLW in September 2003 to win the company's Junior Heavyweight Championship. Dutt defeated Tony Mamaluke, Eddie Colon and Christopher Daniels to take the tourney. In an early 2004 MLW Junior Heavyweight Title Match, Dutt pinned Jack Evans to retain the title at "MLW Reloaded".

Independent Circuit (2006-2008)

Since then, he has worked for independent promotions such as Ring of Honor, UWA, Combat Zone Wrestling, NWA Virginia and has toured Japan with Pro Wrestling ZERO1-MAX. He also has wrestled for HUSTLE in Japan as Monster J. On July 28, 2006, Sonjay Dutt lost to Último Dragón in UWA Hardcore Wrestling. In November 2006, Sonjay returned to UWA and won the 2006 Grand Prix Tournament Championship.

On May 9, 2008 Sonjay Dutt was announced as the 8th and final participant in the Chikara Rey de Voladores 2008 tournament, having previously competed in the 2007 King of Trios alongside Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin as Team TNA. On June 21, 2008, he appeared at a CZW show where he was defeated by Pinky Sanchez. He appeared on the July 12, 2008 show to team with Chuck Taylor in a losing effort against Pinky Sanchez and Ruckus.

Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2004-Current)

2004-2007

Dutt began working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling on a regular basis in 2004. Sonjay began to be noticed after he participated in the America's X-Cup as apart of Team USA along with Jerry Lynn, Chris Sabin and Elix Skipper against Team AAA (Hector Garza, Mr. Águila, Juventud Guerrera and Abismo Negro). After several months, Dutt became the onscreen protégé of Sabu, with Raven using him to vicariously assault Sabu. In addition, Dutt acted as a mouthpiece for the perpetually mute Sabu. This angle was postponed and then dropped after Sabu was sidelined with various health problems, and in the interim Dutt made appearances with World Wrestling Entertainment, provoking rumors of an imminent contract offer.

Dutt's presence in TNA was reduced in late-2004 and early-2005 during the tenure of Dusty Rhodes as booker, but his role within the promotion was once again expanded after Rhodes resigned as booker. Dutt won a four-way X Division match at No Surrender 2005 on July 17, 2005, thus qualifying for the 2005 Super X Cup, but lost to Samoa Joe in the first round of the tournament.

In September 2005, Dutt, Shark Boy and Simon Diamond spent two weeks in India, where they visited several cities, promoting the debut of Impact! on ESPN Star Sports. On September 28 in Bhopal, a riot broke out when 1000 fans were excluded from an event after attendance exceeded expectations. None of the three TNA wrestlers were injured.

At Bound For Glory on October 23, Dutt defeated Austin Aries, Roderick Strong and Alex Shelley in a four way X Division match on the pre-show.

In 2006, Dutt earned a spot on Team USA in the 2006 World X Cup.

Throughout late 2006, early 2007, Sonjay Dutt was involved in the Paparazzi Championship Series, lead by Kevin Nash, who insinuated throughout the PCS Challenge that Dutt was taking steroids, as a running joke, which would usually lead to the hotheaded Dutt comically losing his temper. Although he didn't win the series (Alex Shelley did), it put him over with the fans. After PCS ended Kevin Nash took Dutt and his new found tag team partner Jay Lethal under his wing and promised to give them an extreme makeover.

After Lethal got a new character mimicking the "Macho Man" Randy Savage, Kevin Nash attempted to get Sonjay a new character as well. All of these attempts were Kevin Nash's past gimmicks, including Oz, Vinnie Vegas, and Diesel, all of which Sonjay despised.

On the April 26 episode of Impact!, Dutt and Lethal won a shot at the X Division Championship held by Chris Sabin at Sacrifice. However, Dutt was unhappy at Lethal getting the pinfall.

After their loss to Chris Sabin, both Dutt and Lethal started brawling until Kevin Nash came out and separated the two. Dutt kicked Nash and stormed out of the ring visibly upset, but on a later episode of Impact!, Dutt said sorry to Nash and claims "it was the heat of the moment". Nash forgave Dutt but warned him not to do it again.

2008-Current

On June 7, Dutt introduced a new gimmick reminiscent of a Zen Buddhist in which he called himself "The Guru" Sonjay Dutt, apologized to Nash and Lethal for his behavior, and dressed in all white with a positive attitude. At Victory Road Dutt competed in the 10 man Ultimate X match to become the number one contender for the TNA X Division Championship. However, he was eliminated in the Gauntlet portion of the match. He still served as a friend and Guru to Jay Lethal. The two of them started having some differences as Dutt began showing interest in Lethal's on-screen girl friend SoCal Val. Dutt participated in the Xscape match at Lockdown where he was the first participant eliminated. At Slammiversary Sonjay ruined the kayfabe wedding of Jay Lethal and SoCal Val when Dutt begged Val to marry him instead and Dutt and Lethal got into an argument. After that Dutt blindsiding Lethal by attacking him thus turning him heel in the process. The two faced off in two matches first at Victory Road, where Dutt defeated Lethal in a grudge match and the second at Hard Justice, in a Brawl n' Chain tuxedo match that Lethal won. At No Surrender, Val turned on Lethal and assisted Dutt in winning a "Ladder of Love" ladder match.

On September 19 he teamed up with Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin to challenge Último Guerrero, Atlantis and Negro Casas for the CMLL World Trios Championship at the company's 75th Anniversary show, but in the end they were unable to defeat the reigning champions.

In wrestling

*Finishing and signature moves:*"Hindu Press" (Corkscrew 450° splash):*"Sonjay Cutter" (Standing sitout shiranui):*450° splash:*Camel clutch:*Running shooting star press:*"Bombay Blast" (Springboard somersault hurricanrana):*"Bombay Buster" (Suplex slam twisted and dropped into a facebreaker knee smash):*"Bombay Boom" (Tiger feint kick):*"Calcutta Cutter" (Facebreaker knee smash followed by a jumping neckbreaker):*"Indian Summer" (Elevated cradle neckbreaker):*"Sprinkler Elbow" (Arm twist ropewalk elbow drop):*Moonsault double foot stomp:*Tilt-a-whirl tornado DDT:*Hurricanrana:*Half nelson bulldog:*Inverted suplex stunner:*Brainbuster:*Springboard moonsault:*Exploder DDT:*Headscissors takedown transitioned into a wrist lock

*Nicknames:*The Mamu (TNA):*The American Monkey :*The Guru (TNA):*The Original Playa from the Himalaya

*Managers:*Kevin Nash:*SoCal Val

*Entrance themes:*"Addictive (Remix)" by Truth Hurts:*"Beware of the Boys (Remix)" by Panjabi MC and Jay Z:*"Cobra Dance by Dale Oliver:*Guru by Dale Oliver

Championships and accomplishments

*KYDA Pro Wrestling :*KYDA Pro Mid-Atlantic Champion (2 times)

*Combat Zone Wrestling:*CZW World Junior Heavyweight Championship (2 times):*CZW Best of the Best 4 winner

*CyberSpace Wrestling Federation:*CSWF Cruiser X Championship (1 time):*CSWF Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Ruckus (1) and Prince Nana (1)

*Danger Zone Wrestling:*DZW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Sean Lei

*Global Wrestling Alliance:*GWA Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Sean Lei

*Major League Wrestling:*MLW Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time; only champion) [cite web|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/mlw/ | title=Major League Wrestling | accessdate=2008-07-08|publisher=onlineworldofwrestling.com]

*National Wrestling Alliance:*NWA Impact Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

*Plymouth Championship Wrestling:*PCW Heavyweight Championship (1 time) [cite web|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/other/2005-02.html | title=Independent Wrestling Results - February 2005 | accessdate=2008-07-04|publisher=onlineworldofwrestling.com]

*Total Nonstop Action Wrestling:*2006 World X Cup winner (with Alex Shelley, Chris Sabin and Jay Lethal as Team USA)

*UWA Hardcore Wrestling:*2006 Grand Prix Tournament Champion

*Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards:*Worst Worked Match of the Year (2006) TNA Reverse Battle Royal at Bound for Glory

References

External links

* [http://www.tnawrestling.com/roster/sonjaydutt/index.html TNA Profile]
* [http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/s/sonjay-dutt.html Online World of Wrestling Profile]
* [http://armpitwrestling.com/Pick-My-Brain/Pick-My-Brain-Sonjay-Dutt.htm Pick My Brain interview with Sonjay Dutt]