Jon Bolen

Infobox Wrestler
name=Jon Bolen

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img_capt=
names=Jon Bolen
John Bolen
height= height|ft=5|in=11
weight= convert|250|lb|kg|abbr=on
birth_date =
death_date =
birth_place = Uniontown, Pennsylvania
death_place =
resides=
billed=Uniontown, Pennsylvania
trainer=Tom Prichard
Scott D'Amore
debut=October 16, 2004
vs. Doug Furnas
retired=
website=|

Jon Bolen is an American professional wrestler and bodybuilder who competes in Northeastern independent promotions including the International Wrestling Cartel and the National Wrestling Alliance. Best known for winning the "Gut Check Challenge" in 2004, he had a brief stint in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling before being signed to a developmental contract with World Wrestling Entertainment and assigned to its developmental territories Ohio Valley Wrestling and Deep South Wrestling. While in Ohio Valley Wrestling, he was one half of High Dosage with "Silverback" Ryan Reeves.

Career

Early life and career

Born in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, Bolen became involved in weightlifting and football as a teenager. Attending California University of Pennsylvania, Bolen played football as a two-time All-Conference and All-American nose guard and two-time defensive captain. Although tearing three ligaments in his knee breaking his tibula and fibula, he spent only a year in rehab and continued playing during his senior year completing the season without missing a single game.

After graduation, he continued bodybuilding and eventually set a state bench record in the convert|275|lb|abbr=on. weight class at convert|630|lb|abbr=on. At a state power lifting meet, he attempted to qualify for the Arnold Classic by benching convert|700|lb|abbr=on. Although coming two inches of locking out the qualifying limit, he did manage to break his own record at convert|670|lb|abbr=on. During the meet, he met former Gold's Gym Venice owner Ed Conners who had happened to be in town that evening to attend a bodybuilding show. During this meeting, Conners encouraged Bolen to participate in the "Gut Check Challenge", a talent recruitment event organized by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling in conjunction with TrimSpa as part of the Show of Strength Pro Championship weekend. Bolen accepted Conners' offer to fly him to Atlanta, Georgia and eventually won the "Gut Check Challenge" on October 16, 2004. The event saw entrants rated on the basis of their performance in five categories: "back bump", "mat techniques", "ring interviews", "running the ropes" and "squat challenge". The male and female events were won by Bolen and Jaime Dauncey respectively, with Bolen and Dauncey rewarded with a $4,000 USD cash prize and a subsequent appearance on TNA programming. [cite web|url=http://www.jaimed.net/news.htm|title=Jaime D in Physical Magazine|date=2004-12-14|publisher=JaimeD.net] [cite web|url=http://www.physicalmag.com/index.php?p=9&a=2952 |title=December 2004: Special Report|year=2004|month=December|publisher=Physical Online] During the next two months, he trained under Scott D'Amore for three hours a day and five days a week and began appearing at house shows after an 8-week period. [cite web |url=http://www.iwcwrestling.com/interrogation_bolen.html|title=Interrogation with Jon Bolen |author=Dombroski, Joe|publisher=IWCwrestling.com|archiveurl=http://64.233.169.104/search?q=cache:ttuzEj4zWJQJ:www.iwcwrestling.com/interrogation_bolen.html+%22Jon+Bolen%22&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=25&gl=us|archivedate=2008-02-11]

Bolen appeared several times in TNA during 2005, including an appearance at TNA Turning Point in which he teamed with Buck Quartermain and Joe Doering in a 6-man tag team match against Lance Hoyt and The Naturals (Andy Douglas and Chase Stevens) on December 11, however he was used mainly as a preliminary wrestler during his later appearances with the promotion.

Ohio Valley Wrestling & Deep South Wrestling

Appearing on the undercard of the final episode of WWE Velocity, he and Sterling James Keenan had a WWE tryout match losing to Kid Kash & Jamie Noble. Bolen eventually signed a developmental contract with World Wrestling Entertainment in July 2006 and assigned to Ohio Valley Wrestling, a WWE developmental territory based in Louisville, Kentucky. On July 27, Bolen made his OVW debut losing to Elijah Burke at a house show. Two days later at an event at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom, he teamed with Aaron Stevens, Rod Steel & Eddie Craven in an 8-man tag team match losing to Chet the Jet, Brent Albright, Cody Runnels and Shawn Osborne. On August 11, he participated in a 15-man battle royal which included Shawn Osborne, Elijah Burke, Eddie Craven III, Pat Buck, Mike Kruel, Shad Gaspard, Lennox Lightfoot, Ranger Milton, Neighborhoodie, Johnny Punch, Seth Skyfire, Rod Steele, Jack Bull, Los Locos (Ramón and Raúl) and The Untouchables (Deuce Shade & Dice Domino). [ cite web |url=http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/misc/ovw/sixflags.html |title=Ohio Valley Wrestling: Six Flag Shows |accessdate= |author= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year=2007 |month= |format= |work= |publisher=ProWrestlingHistory.com |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ]

In September, Bolen teamed with Ryan Reeves as one half of the tag team High Dosage. Although the team met with success in the tag team division, the team lasted only a few months until Ryan's release from OVW on January 19, 2007.

On January 20, Bolen teamed up with Katie Lea to defeat Domino and Cherry in a mixed tag team match in Hillview, Kentucky. He would again team with Katie Lea in a handicap mixed tag team match against Cherry & Deuce 'n Domino on January 24. The following night, he and Ariel defeated Idol Stevens & Beth Phoenix. Bolen would remain in OVW only a brief time before his final television appearance in the promotion teaming with T.J. Dalton against Charles "The Hammer" Evans & Justin "The Ox" LaRoche on January 31.

By mid-February, Bolen appeared in Deep South Wrestling teaming with Shawn Osborne in a losing effort against Freakin' Deacon & G-Rilla on February 15. Defeating Heath Miller in a dark match several days later, Bolen continued to team with Osborne although the two were less then successful. On March 16, he also lost to Kofi Kingston at a DSW event in Atlanta, Georgia. [ cite web |url=http://www.georgiawrestlinghistory.com/news-notes/2007/03/20.html |title=News and Notes: March 20, 2007 |accessdate= |author= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date=2007-03-20 |year= |month= |format= |work= |publisher=GeorgiaWrestlingHistory.com |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ] In his final appearance teaming with Shawn Osborne to defeat Robert Anthony & Johnny Curtis at the DSW Arena in McDonough, Georgia on April 5, [ cite web |url=http://www.wrestleview.com/news2006/1177355311.shtml |title=Deep South Wrestling 4/15 TV report & full 4/21 NWA Anarchy Report |accessdate= |author=Goodman, Larry |authorlink= |coauthors=Adam Martin |date=2007-04-23 |year= |month= |format= |work= |publisher=WrestleView.com |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ] WWE.com announced Bolen's release the following day. [ cite web |url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/news/354952824 |title=Inside WWE: Developmental talents released |accessdate= |author= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date=2007-04-06 |year= |month= |format= |work= |publisher=WWE.com |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ]

Recent years

During the summer, he made his return to the International Wrestling Cartel making a surprise appearance at the supercard Super Indy IV interfering on behalf on former IWC Heavyweight Champion Ricky Reyes who was being attacked by Dennis Gregory and Brent Albright. Although scheduled to face Albright the following month at Summer Sizzler 4: Checkmate, Albright was unable to make the event due to "travel issues" and instead faced Chris Hero who he later defeated.

At 2007 Ellsworth Basebrawl, Bolen was to team with former tag team partner Sterling James Keenan against Unholy Alliance members Brent Albright & Sebastian Dark however Bolen was unable to make it to the event and instead Keenan ended up defeating Albright in an Ellsworth Street Fight. [ cite web |url=http://www.1wrestling.com/news/newsline.asp?news=29511 |title=The Indy Buzz - IWC Pro Wrestling |accessdate= |author= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date=2007-07-30 |year= |month= |format= |work= |publisher=1wrestling.com |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ]

Wrestling facts

*Finishing and signature moves:*Pumphandle slam

Championships and accomplishments

*National Wrestling Alliance:*Regional ::*NWA Upstate Kayfabe Dojo Championship (1 time)

References

External links

* [http://www.obsessedwithwrestling.com/profiles/j/jon-bolen.php Profile at Online World of Wrestling]
* [http://www.geocities.com/swcbios/jonbolen Super Wrestling Center - Jon Bolen]