Nathan Jones (wrestler)

Nathan Jones
Ring name(s)	Nathan Jones
Height	2.11 m (6 ft 11 in)[1]
Weight	159 kg (350 lb; 25.0 st)[2]
Billed height	2.16 m (7 ft 1 in)
Billed weight	170 kg (370 lb; 27 st)
Born	21 August 1970 (1970-08-21) (age 41)[3] Hobart, Tasmania, Australia[4]
Trained by	Ultimate Pro Wrestling[3] Mike Bell[4] Tom Howard[4]
Debut	11 October 1997[3]
Retired	2005

Competition record
Strongman
Competitor for  Australia
World's Strongest Man
Qualified	1995 World's Strongest Man
Qualified	1996 World's Strongest Man
World Strongman Challenge
1st	1996
World Strength Championship
1st	1995
World Muscle Power Classic
5th	1995
Australia's Strongest Man
1st	1995
Callender Grand Prix
1st	1994

Nathan Boyce Jones^[5] (born 21 August 1970)^[3] is an Australian actor, powerlifting champion, strongman, and retired professional wrestler. Jones held the WWA World Heavyweight Championship once during his stint in World Wrestling All-Stars.

Pre-wrestling

Before his career as a wrestler, Jones was sentenced to 16 years in Boggo Road Gaol for eight armed robberies between 1985–1987, two of which occurred in Tasmania. During the robberies, he became one of Australia's most wanted and ended up serving seven years in a maximum-security prison and one year on work release.^[6] While in prison, he was introduced to the sport of powerlifting. Within a short space of time, he became the National Powerlifting Champion of Australia.

Jones also began competing in strongman contests and during this time, he was dubbed "The Megaman" for his imposing physique. As the reigning Australia's Strongest Man, he entered the World Strength Championship at Callander, Scotland from 29–30 July 1995. He took first place, topping a field that included 1993 World's Strongest Man Gary Taylor. The following weekend, he competed in the World Muscle Power Classic held at Mintlaw, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. That contest was won by Magnús Ver Magnússon, with Nathan finishing fifth in a field of twelve competitors.^[7]

Jones next took part in the 1995 World's Strongest Man contest. After quickly defeating Phil Martin twice in the arm wrestling event in the qualifying heat, Jones was then matched against Magnus Samuelsson, who had been Europe's arm wrestling champion for several years and who would become the World's Strongest Man in 1998. Samuelsson won the first round. In the second round Jones refused to go down and pulled with his opposite arm, twisting his body. This resulted in breaking the arm he was using to wrestle (a spiral fracture of the humerus),^[8] and he subsequently was out of the competition. Jones returned to Strongman competition in 1996 winning the World Strongman Challenge, and placed third in a World's Strongest Man qualifying heat behind Magnús Ver Magnússon and Jorma Ojanaho.^[9]

He also participated in a mixed martial arts match at KRS-Pride's debut event Pride 1 in October 1997, submitting to Japanese professional wrestler, and former sumo wrestler Koji Kitao in his only match.

Professional wrestling career

World Wrestling All-Stars and Pro Wrestling ZERO1-MAX (2001–2002)

After working as a bodyguard for multimillionaire Rene Rivkin, Jones began a career in wrestling during this time. Jones first gained fame working in World Wrestling All-Stars, making a large impression at the first WWA pay-per-view "Inception", where he was accompanied to the ring by Rove McManus. However he was defeated after Rove was smashed with Jeff Jarrett's guitar and Jones was hit with the Stroke.^[10]

During his time in the WWA, Nathan won the WWA World Heavyweight Championship on 7 April 2002 before losing the belt to Scott Steiner only 5 days later.^[10] After the title loss, Jones began performing for Pro Wrestling ZERO1-MAX in June.^[11] On 20 October, Jones and Jon Heidenreich defeated Masato Tanaka and Shinjiro Otani to win the NWA Intercontinental Tag Team Championship.^[11] On 25 October, Jones and Heidenreich successfully retained the title against Jimmy Snuka, Jr. and The Predator before losing the title the next day to Naoya Ogawa and Shinya Hashimoto.^[11]

World Wrestling Entertainment (2002–2003)

In late 2002 and early 2003, Jones began performing in dark matches for World Wrestling Entertainment.^[3][10][11] On the 8 April episode of SmackDown!, Jones made his televised WWE debut and defeated Bill DeMott.^[3][10] Upon debuting, Jones' was put into an angle with The Undertaker as he became Undertaker's storyline protégé in order to feud with A-Train and The Big Show, Undertaker's enemies at the time. At WrestleMania XIX, Jones and Undertaker were scheduled to face Big Show and A-Train in a tag team match, but Jones was attacked pre-match and left injured.^[3] Near the closing moments of the match, Jones reappeared and attacked Big Show, enabling Undertaker to pin A-Train for the victory.^[3]

After winning a match on SmackDown! by disqualification, the Full Blooded Italians attacked Jones and, in storyline, shattered his ankle with the ring steps.^[3] In reality, Jones was to sent to Ohio Valley Wrestling to improve his skills.^[3]

Jones was then absent from television for several months until returning as a villain known by the nickname "The Colossus of Boggo Road", a title referring to his time spent in Boggo Road Gaol. Upon returning, he was immediately placed into Brock Lesnar's Survivor Series team, which also included A-Train, Big Show, and Matt Morgan in order to compete against Lesnar's rival Kurt Angle and his team. At Survivor Series, Team Lesnar was defeated by Team Angle and Jones was then relegated to interfere in Lesnar's matches along with the other members of Team Lesnar. He was also placed in matches by either Lesnar or Heyman to aid them.

On 6 December 2003, Jones quit the company due to the rigor of WWE's heavy travel schedules while on the WWE Passport to SmackDown! Tour in Perth, Australia.^[4][12]

Post-WWE and retirement

After leaving WWE, Jones was scheduled to make his pro wrestling return in 2004 at the Australian Wrestling Supershow III, booked against Mark Mercedes. Jones did not appear as advertised and a battle royal was held following an angry shoot promo on Jones by Mercedes and promoter Andy Raymond.

In 2005, he wrestled three matches for World Series Wrestling. On 5 October, he defeated Lee Star and on 7 October and 8 October, he defeated Mark Hilton.^[10] After his last match with Hilton, Jones immediately retired from wrestling.^[4]

Media

Acting career

• Police Story 4: First Strike (1996) as Hitman^[2]
• Doom Runners (1997) as Vike^[2]
• Troy (2004) as Boagrius^[3][2]
• Tom-Yum-Goong aka The Protector, aka The Warrior King (2005) as T.K.^[2]
• Fearless (2006) as Hercules O'Brien^[3][2]
• The Condemned (2007) as Petr Raudsep^[3][2]
• Somtum AKA Muay thai Giant (2008) as Barney Emerald^[2]
• Asterix at the Olympic Games (2008) as Humungus^[2]
• Conan the Barbarian (2011) – as Akhun

Mixed martial arts record

Professional record breakdown
1 match	0 wins	1 loss
By submission	0	1
Draws	0

Result	Record	Opponent	Method	Event	Date	Round	Time	Location	Notes
Loss	0–1	KitaoKōji Kitao	Submission (keylock)	PRIDE 1	01997-10-11 11 October 1997	1	2:14	Tokyo, Japan

Personal life

Jones has one degree in economics.^[4]

In wrestling

• Finishing moves
  • Backbreaker rack^[4]
  • Chokeslam^[3]
  • Gutwrench suplex^[13]

• Signature moves
  • Big boot^[3]
  • Giant swing
  • Military press slam
  • Scoop lift dropped into an inverted DDT^[3]
  • Sidewalk slam
  • Slingshot lariat^[3]
  • Spin kick^[3]
  • Tilt-a-whirl slam^[3]

• Managers
  • Rove McManus
  • Paul Heyman
  • Ashley Henning

• Nicknames
  • "The Front Row" (WWA)^[3]
  • "The Colossus of Boggo Road" (WWE)

Championships and accomplishments

• Pro Wrestling Illustrated
  • PWI ranked him #137 of the Top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2003

• Pro Wrestling ZERO1-MAX
  • NWA Intercontinental Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Jon Heidenreich^[3][14]

• World Wrestling All-Stars
  • WWA World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)^[3][14]

• Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
  • Most Embarrassing Wrestler (2003)

References

1. ^ Boggo Road Prison Historical Society. Boggoroadgaol.com.au. Retrieved on 2011-10-23.
2. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i} Nathan Jones (I). IMDB.com
3. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v} "OWOW profile". http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/n/nathan-jones.html. 
4. ^ ^{a b c d e f g} "Cagematch profile". http://www.cagematch.de/?id=2&nr=361. 
5. ^ ★ Nathan Jones Address. Fanmail.biz. Retrieved on 2011-10-23.
6. ^ Alex Marvez's weekly look at professional wrestling. Shns.com. Retrieved on 2011-10-23.
7. ^ Milo, October 1995, pp. 37–42
8. ^ Milo, January 1996, pp. 41–46
9. ^ World's Strongest Man competition page. Strongestman.billhenderson.org. Retrieved on 2011-10-23.
10. ^ ^{a b c d e} "Cagematch match listings". http://www.cagematch.de/?id=2&nr=361&view=matches#matches. 
11. ^ ^{a b c d} "Cagematch match listings, page 2". http://www.cagematch.de/?id=2&nr=361&view=matches&gimmick=&jahr=&liga=&region=&art=&artmatches=&suchbegriff=Suchbegriff&Start=51#matches. 
12. ^ Madigan, TJ (2003-12-13). "TJ Ain't Bob Hope". SLAM! Sports. http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/2003/12/13/286307.html. Retrieved 2008-11-29. 
13. ^ Waldman, Jon (28 November 2003). "Smackdown!: Battle royal mayhem". Slam! Sports. Canadian Online Explorer. http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/2003/11/28/271294.html. Retrieved 2010-04-30. 
14. ^ ^{a b} "Cagematch title listings". http://www.cagematch.de/?id=2&nr=361&view=erfolge#erfolge. 

External links

• Nathan Jones at the Internet Movie Database
• Professional MMA record for Nathan Jones (wrestler) from Sherdog

Preceded by Bill Lyndon

Australia's Strongest Man 1995

Succeeded by Bill Lyndon

Professional wrestling portal

Persondata
Name	Jones, Nathan
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	21 August 1970
Place of birth	Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
Date of death
Place of death