Rob Conway
Encyclopedia
|birth_date =November 28, 1972 (age 39)
|birth_place=Louisville, Kentucky
|death_date =
|resides =
|billed=Atlantic City, New Jersey
|trainer=Danny Davis
OVW Staff
|debut = 1997
|retired =
}}
Robert Thomas Conway (November 28, 1972), better known as Rob Conway, is an American
professional wrestler
best known for his seven year stint with World Wrestling Entertainment
. He is currently employed by Juggalo Championship Wrestling.
(MCW) and Ohio Valley Wrestling
(OVW), teaming
with Nick Dinsmore
under the names Limited Edition (MCW), the Borkcin Brothers, and the Lords of the Ring (OVW). While in OVW, he and Dinsmore were also members of Kenny Bolin
's Bolin Services along with The Prototype
, Bull Buchanan
, and Mark Henry
. As the Lords of the Ring, Conway and Dinsmore won the OVW Southern Tag Team Championship
on 10 occasions and captured the MCW North American Tag Team Championship once. On April 28, 1999 Rob Conway defeated his partner Nick Dinsmore to win the OVW Heavyweight Championship
, but lost it back to him the next week. Conway won the OVW Heavyweight Championship a second time on August 17, 1999, pinning Damaja. He lost the title to Rico Constantino
on November 10, regaining it on September 6, 2000, with another victory over Dinsmore.
and Headbanger Mosh
, then known as Beaver Cleavage. Conway's TV debut in the World Wrestling Federation
(WWF) was on the May 20, 2000, episode of Jakked
, where he was defeated by Bull Buchanan
. Over the next three years, Conway appeared in tryout matches on Velocity
and Sunday Night Heat
, losing to wrestlers such as A-Train, Randy Orton
, and The Hurricane
.
In a match taped for the July 17, 2003 episode of SmackDown!, Rob Conway and Nick Dinsmore appeared under masks
as "Los Conquistadores", losing to Rey Mysterio and Billy Kidman. On July 27, at Vengeance
, Conway once again competed as the masked Conquistador, this time with Johnny Jeter
as his partner, as part of the APA
Bar Room Brawl.
, planted in the audience dressed as an American airman
. After Conway was "harassed" by the heel
tag team
La Résistance (Sylvain Grenier
and René Duprée
), he was invited into the ring by The Dudley Boyz
, who were then feuding
with La Résistance. While "celebrating" with the Dudley Boyz and waving the American flag
, Conway suddenly hit them both with the flagpole, revealing himself to be a member of La Résistance. The trio feuded with several tag teams, including the Dudley Boyz, Hurricane and Rosey
, and Garrison Cade
and Mark Jindrak
. When Grenier suffered a back injury in October 2003, Dupree and Conway held the group together until the March 15, 2004 edition of Raw when Grenier returned. The trio did not last long after that, however, as Dupree was drafted to SmackDown! on March 22, 2004 during the Draft Lottery.
Grenier and Conway, however, continued to team together as La Résistance on Raw. With American-Franco hostility
subsiding, the WWE ceased billing the team as being from France and instead promoted them as being haughty French Canadian
s who carried the flag of Quebec
to the ring, with Grenier often singing the Canadian national anthem
. The team held the World Tag Team Championship three times. Their first title reign came when they defeated Chris Benoit
and Edge
on the May 31, 2004 edition of Raw in Grenier's home town of Montreal, Quebec. Shortly after this Conway grew his hair out and combed it back. The team dropped the belts to the same team of Benoit and Edge at Taboo Tuesday
on October 19 when, even though Edge walked out on Benoit, Benoit was able to defeat La Résistance by himself. It was not long before La Résistance reclaimed the tag team gold for the second time on the November 1 edition of Raw, defeating Chris Benoit after Edge walked out on Benoit again. This time La Résistance did not hold the title as long as their last reign; they lost the belts two weeks later on Raw when they faced the team of William Regal
and Eugene
as well as Tajiri
and Rhyno
. In a 3-Way Elimination match, they dropped the title to Regal and Eugene. Their third, and final, Tag Team Title reign began at a Raw brand house show
on January 16, 2005 in Winnipeg, Manitoba when they defeated Regal and Jonathan Coachman
—Regal's actual partner, Eugene, had been injured and Coachman was selected to be his fill in partner, though Regal never tagged him in—to win the belts. La Résistance dropped the belts again a few weeks later on the February 7, edition of Raw, from Tokyo, Japan, to William Regal and his new tag team partner Tajiri. Conway cut his hair back short in March, 2005.
La Résistance repeatedly attempted to regain the gold (mainly on Heat) from Regal and Tajiri in a number of different matches but fell just short each time. During their "last shot" the team thought they had won back the title only to have the decision reversed by referee Mike Chioda
due to La Résistance not pinning the legal man. The match was restarted but La Résistance lost the match and their last chance against Regal and Tajiri in a normal tag team contest. The team was given one more chance at Regal and Tajiri, only this time during a Tag Team Turmoil match including five teams—La Résistance, Regal and Tajiri, The Heart Throbs
(Romeo Roselli
and Antonio Thomas
), Simon Dean
and Maven
, and The Super Heroes Hurricane
and Rosey
, at Backlash
. During the match La Résistance managed to eliminate the champions, but were defeated by the last remaining team (and winners of the match) Hurricane and Rosey.
, while Grenier was defeated by both Venis and Chris Jericho
. Both men competed in a triple threat match against Intercontinental Champion
Shelton Benjamin
for the title; Benjamin won the match not long after the La Résistance members began to argue and fight with each other. This altercation led to a main event match for the June 12 Heat (taped on June 6) in which Rob Conway portrayed the heel
, and defeated Grenier. On June 30, 2005, Grenier was a last minute trade in the 2005 WWE Draft, sending him to SmackDown! while Conway stayed on the Raw brand. Conway then began wrestling in singles competition on both Heat
and Raw.
On the July 17, 2005 edition of Heat Conway brought back his original identity of Rob Conway, making his new gimmick a narcissistic
heel and developing a new appearance (similar to Buff Bagwell
) including a biker hat, sunglasses, a mustache, see through tights, and a new haircut. He began referring to himself as "The Con-Man" Rob Conway. During the WWE Homecoming edition of Raw, Conway interrupted a segment involving a number of WWE Legends. After disrespecting the legends, they assaulted him. Conway, seeking retaliation, then went on to have matches against a number of legends, picking up wins over Doink The Clown
, Greg Valentine
(by disqualification), and Koko B. Ware
.
During this time he would go on to begin feuding with Eugene
, a big fan of the legends who stuck up for them. At the Taboo Tuesday
pay-per-view, Conway teamed with Tomko
to face Eugene and a legend (as voted for by the fans). Jimmy Snuka
beat out Kamala and Jim Duggan
in the voting to become Eugene's partner and picked up the win after a Superfly Splash ending Conway's winning streak. On the next Raw, Conway attempted to take the Intercontinental Championship from Ric Flair
, but came up short when he was locked in Flair's figure four leglock.
After losing to Flair, Conway went on a long losing streak, losing almost every match he was in through the rest of the 2005 and the start of 2006. Conway went back to competing on Sunday Night Heat making few appearances on Raw and losing on every occasion. On the April 10, 2006 edition of Raw, Conway debuted a slightly changed look, including longer hair, no mustache, and blonde highlighted hair, in a loss to Rob Van Dam
. Conway finally broke his losing streak for one night only on the May 12, 2006 edition of Heat when he won a mixed tag team match with Victoria
against the team of Viscera
and Torrie Wilson
. It was short lived, however, as the next week he was defeated by Jim Duggan
, re-starting his losing streak but starting a short program with Duggan and his protege Eugene. At the start of August, Conway dropped the Con-Man Gimmick as he stopped wearing sunglasses and his ego dropped. From this point on, Conway was used as a tweener who was desperate to pick up a victory over anyone possible but failed every time he tried.
(OVW), Conway made a surprise appearance, teaming with Sylvain Grenier to reform their old stable, La Résistance. The reformed team defeated Cody Runnels and Shawn Spears
to earn a shot at the OVW Southern Tag Team Titles
. The team, however, lost the title match. After months of losing, Conway appeared on the January 1, 2007 edition of Raw. Conway proceeded to make a New Year's resolution
and vowed that he would not lose another match and if he did he would quit Raw. His opponent was the Intercontinental Champion Jeff Hardy
, but he was pinned after 21 seconds. After the match, WWE Chairman
(at that time) Vince McMahon
entered the ring and fired him. On May 11, 2007, Conway was released from his WWE contract.
, he announced that he was a master of submissions
and a wrestler for hire
. That night, Conway submitted three different opponents to showcase his skills. Two weeks later, he was hired by Breyer Wellington to face JCW Heavyweight Champion
Corporal Robinson
, but was defeated. Conway then participated in Juggalo Championship Wrestling's first internet
pay-per-view
Hatchet Attacks
, where he submitted Sal the Man of a Thousand Gimmicks
. At Up in Smoke, Conway was hired by Sabu
's manager Charlie Brown to attack 2 Tuff Tony
. After Rhino scared off Sabu and Conway, a tag team match was scheduled between the two and Rhino and Tony at St. Andrew's Brawl.
in 1990 where he was a standout basketball player. He later played basketball at the now defunct Graceland College in New Albany. Following college, Rob sold fitness equipment and worked as a personal trainer in the Southern Indiana
/Louisville
area. He broke into wrestling after driving past the old Danny Davis arena in Jeffersonville, Indiana
in 1997. After walking in and watching what he considered out of shape guys wrestle, he thought he would give it a try. Within five minutes of being in the ring, Rob stated in a 2004 article in Indianapolis Monthly he knew this is what he wanted to do. Based on the appearance of the local wrestlers, he thought it would only take six months to make it to the WWE (then WWF); it eventually took him six years. Conway and his family attend East Audubon Baptist Church in Louisville. He also starred in the movie, "Thugin' It the Conway" featuring Val Venis.
|birth_place=Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
|death_date =
|resides =
|billed=Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...
|trainer=Danny Davis
OVW Staff
Ohio Valley Wrestling
Ohio Valley Wrestling is an American independent professional wrestling promotion based in Louisville, Kentucky. OVW is run by owner Danny Davis and was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance from 1997 until 2000...
|debut = 1997
|retired =
}}
Robert Thomas Conway (November 28, 1972), better known as Rob Conway, is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional wrestler
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
best known for his seven year stint with World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
. He is currently employed by Juggalo Championship Wrestling.
Professional wrestling career
Rob Conway began his career in Memphis Championship WrestlingMemphis Championship Wrestling
Memphis Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion run by Terry Golden, based in Memphis, Tennessee. The promotion's first event was on February 20, 2000, and it remained active up until mid-2001...
(MCW) and Ohio Valley Wrestling
Ohio Valley Wrestling
Ohio Valley Wrestling is an American independent professional wrestling promotion based in Louisville, Kentucky. OVW is run by owner Danny Davis and was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance from 1997 until 2000...
(OVW), teaming
Tag team
Tag team professional wrestling is a variation in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. A tag team may comprise two wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of established teams who wrestle regularly as a unit and have a team name...
with Nick Dinsmore
Nick Dinsmore
Nicholas "Nick" Dinsmore , better known by his ring names Eugene and U-Gene, is an American professional wrestler...
under the names Limited Edition (MCW), the Borkcin Brothers, and the Lords of the Ring (OVW). While in OVW, he and Dinsmore were also members of Kenny Bolin
Kenny Bolin
Kenny Bolin is a professional wrestling manager, best known as the lead villainous manager in Ohio Valley Wrestling as the manager of Bolin Services. Hit podcast Radio show called "The Bolin Alley" he does with his son Chris...
's Bolin Services along with The Prototype
John Cena
John Felix Anthony Cena is an American professional wrestler, actor, rapper, and television personality. He is currently signed to WWE as a member of its WWE Raw brand....
, Bull Buchanan
Barry Buchanan
Barry Buchanan is an American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances as Bull Buchanan and B-2 in the World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment.-National Championship Wrestling :...
, and Mark Henry
Mark Henry
Mark Jerrold Henry is an American professional wrestler signed with WWE, where he performs on its SmackDown brand as the reigning World Heavyweight Champion. He is a 1992 Olympian, and winner of the 2002 Arnold Strongman Classic...
. As the Lords of the Ring, Conway and Dinsmore won the OVW Southern Tag Team Championship
OVW Southern Tag Team Championship
The OVW Southern Tag Team Championship is the tag team titles of Ohio Valley Wrestling. Created in 1997, the first champions were Nick Dinsmore and Flash Flanagan. As of 2011, the current champions are Ted McNaler and Adam Revolver, known as The Elite in their fourth reign...
on 10 occasions and captured the MCW North American Tag Team Championship once. On April 28, 1999 Rob Conway defeated his partner Nick Dinsmore to win the OVW Heavyweight Championship
OVW Heavyweight Championship
The OVW Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling heavyweight championship owned by the Ohio Valley Wrestling promotion. The title was introduced on August 17, 1997 at an OVW live event, then known as the NWA-OVW Heavyweight Championship due to OVW's relationship with the National...
, but lost it back to him the next week. Conway won the OVW Heavyweight Championship a second time on August 17, 1999, pinning Damaja. He lost the title to Rico Constantino
Rico Constantino
Americo Sebastiano Costantino is a retired American professional wrestler and wrestling manager of Italian origin. He is best known by his ring names Rico Costantino and Rico in World Wrestling Entertainment from 2001 to 2004...
on November 10, regaining it on September 6, 2000, with another victory over Dinsmore.
Occasional appearances (2000-2003)
Conway had dark matches previously with Kurt AngleKurt Angle
Kurt Steven Angle is an American professional wrestler, amateur wrestler, and 1996 Olympic gold medalist. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is recognized as a 15-time World Heavyweight Champion...
and Headbanger Mosh
Charles Warrington
Charles Warrington is an American former professional wrestler, better known by his ring names, Chaz and Mosh.-Career:Warrington began training under Larry Sharpe and Glen Ruth during the early 1990s, debuting in 1993...
, then known as Beaver Cleavage. Conway's TV debut in the World Wrestling Federation
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
(WWF) was on the May 20, 2000, episode of Jakked
WWE Jakked/Metal
WWE Jakked and WWE Metal were professional wrestling television programs produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . Both shows aired syndicated weekly from 1999 until 2002 and replaced WWF Shotgun Saturday Night...
, where he was defeated by Bull Buchanan
Barry Buchanan
Barry Buchanan is an American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances as Bull Buchanan and B-2 in the World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment.-National Championship Wrestling :...
. Over the next three years, Conway appeared in tryout matches on Velocity
WWE Velocity
WWE Velocity was a professional wrestling television program produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It replaced two syndicated WWE shows, Jakked/Metal. Once a weekly Saturday night show on Spike TV and on Sky Sports 2 in the UK on Sunday mornings, Velocity became a webcast from 2005 to 2006...
and Sunday Night Heat
WWE HEAT
WWE Heat was a professional wrestling television program produced by World Wrestling Entertainment...
, losing to wrestlers such as A-Train, Randy Orton
Randy Orton
Randal Keith "Randy" Orton is an American professional wrestler and actor. He is signed to WWE wrestling on its SmackDown brand...
, and The Hurricane
Gregory Helms
Gregory Shane Helms is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his time with World Wrestling Entertainment where he wrestled as The Hurricane and Gregory Helms. He is also known for his time with World Championship Wrestling where he wrestled as "Sugar" Shane Helms...
.
In a match taped for the July 17, 2003 episode of SmackDown!, Rob Conway and Nick Dinsmore appeared under masks
Lucha libre
Lucha libre is a term used in Mexico, and other Spanish-speaking countries, for a form of professional wrestling that has developed within those countries...
as "Los Conquistadores", losing to Rey Mysterio and Billy Kidman. On July 27, at Vengeance
Vengeance (2003)
Vengeance was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment , which took place on July 27, 2003 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. It was the third annual Vengeance event and starred wrestlers from the SmackDown brand.Eight professional wrestling...
, Conway once again competed as the masked Conquistador, this time with Johnny Jeter
Johnny Jeter
John "Johnny" Jeter is an American professional wrestler best known for his appearances in World Wrestling Entertainment as Spirit Squad member Johnny on the Raw brand in 2006....
as his partner, as part of the APA
Acolytes Protection Agency
The Acolytes Protection Agency , was a professional wrestling tag team that consisted of Bradshaw and Faarooq. They wrestled for the American promotion World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment between October 1998 and March 2004....
Bar Room Brawl.
La Résistance (2003-2005)
Conway made his proper debut for the company on the August 18, 2003, episode of RawWWE RAW
WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
, planted in the audience dressed as an American airman
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
. After Conway was "harassed" by the heel
Heel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
tag team
Tag team
Tag team professional wrestling is a variation in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. A tag team may comprise two wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of established teams who wrestle regularly as a unit and have a team name...
La Résistance (Sylvain Grenier
Sylvain Grenier
Sylvain Grenier is a Canadian professional wrestler, who is best known for his appearances with World Wrestling Entertainment in the La Résistance tag team. He is currently a French language announcer for TNA Impact! on RDS....
and René Duprée
René Goguen
René Goguen better known by his ring name René Duprée, is a French Canadian professional wrestler. Goguen is best known for his tenure in World Wrestling Entertainment, where he is a one-time World Tag Team Champion with Sylvain Grenier as the tag team La Résistance and a one time WWE Tag Team...
), he was invited into the ring by The Dudley Boyz
Dudley Boyz
Team 3D was a professional wrestling tag team, consisting of Brother Ray and Brother Devon, formerly sporadically joined into a stable by Brother Runt on several intervals...
, who were then feuding
Feud (professional wrestling)
A professional wrestling feud is a staged rivalry between multiple wrestlers or alliances of wrestlers. They are integrated into ongoing storylines, particularly in events which are televised...
with La Résistance. While "celebrating" with the Dudley Boyz and waving the American flag
Flag of the United States
The national flag of the United States of America consists of thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red alternating with white, with a blue rectangle in the canton bearing fifty small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars alternating with rows...
, Conway suddenly hit them both with the flagpole, revealing himself to be a member of La Résistance. The trio feuded with several tag teams, including the Dudley Boyz, Hurricane and Rosey
Hurricane and Rosey
Rosey and The Hurricane were a professional wrestling tag team in World Wrestling Entertainment based on the Raw brand. While in the WWE, their ring personas were those of a duo of superheroes....
, and Garrison Cade
Lance Cade
Lance Kurtis McNaught was an American professional wrestler. He was best known for his time in World Wrestling Entertainment where he performed under the ring names Garrison Cade and Lance Cade....
and Mark Jindrak
Mark Jindrak
Mark Robert Jindrak is an American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment...
. When Grenier suffered a back injury in October 2003, Dupree and Conway held the group together until the March 15, 2004 edition of Raw when Grenier returned. The trio did not last long after that, however, as Dupree was drafted to SmackDown! on March 22, 2004 during the Draft Lottery.
Anti-French sentiment in the United States
Anti-French sentiment in the United States is the manifestation of Francophobia by Americans. It signifies a consistent hostility toward the government, culture, and people of France that employs stereotypes.-Understanding anti-French sentiments:...
subsiding, the WWE ceased billing the team as being from France and instead promoted them as being haughty French Canadian
French Canadian
French Canadian or Francophone Canadian, , generally refers to the descendents of French colonists who arrived in New France in the 17th and 18th centuries...
s who carried the flag of Quebec
Flag of Quebec
The flag of Quebec, called the Fleurdelisé, was adopted for the province by the government of Quebec, during the administration of Maurice Duplessis. It was the first provincial flag officially adopted in Canada, first shown on January 21, 1948, at the Parliament Building of the National Assembly...
to the ring, with Grenier often singing the Canadian national anthem
O Canada
It has been noted that the opening theme of "O Canada" bears a strong resemblance to the "Marsch der Priester" , from the opera Die Zauberflöte , composed in 1791 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and that Lavallée's melody was inspired by Mozart's tune...
. The team held the World Tag Team Championship three times. Their first title reign came when they defeated Chris Benoit
Chris Benoit
Christopher Michael "Chris" Benoit was a Canadian professional wrestler whose career and life ended in a murder–suicide...
and Edge
Adam Copeland
Adam Joseph Copeland is a retired Canadian professional wrestler and actor, better known by his ring name Edge. He is currently signed to WWE under a Legends contract....
on the May 31, 2004 edition of Raw in Grenier's home town of Montreal, Quebec. Shortly after this Conway grew his hair out and combed it back. The team dropped the belts to the same team of Benoit and Edge at Taboo Tuesday
Taboo Tuesday (2004)
Taboo Tuesday was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment , which took place on October 19, 2004 at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It was the first annual Taboo Tuesday event, marking the first time in which the fans were given the chance...
on October 19 when, even though Edge walked out on Benoit, Benoit was able to defeat La Résistance by himself. It was not long before La Résistance reclaimed the tag team gold for the second time on the November 1 edition of Raw, defeating Chris Benoit after Edge walked out on Benoit again. This time La Résistance did not hold the title as long as their last reign; they lost the belts two weeks later on Raw when they faced the team of William Regal
Darren Matthews
Darren Kenneth Matthews , is an English professional wrestler, author and color commentator currently signed to WWE and competing on the SmackDown brand under the ring name William Regal. He is also known for his time in World Championship Wrestling under the ring name Steven Regal...
and Eugene
Nick Dinsmore
Nicholas "Nick" Dinsmore , better known by his ring names Eugene and U-Gene, is an American professional wrestler...
as well as Tajiri
Yoshihiro Tajiri
, is a Japanese professional wrestler, perhaps best known for his appearances with Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment. He is currently competing in SMASH as TAJIRI.-Early years :...
and Rhyno
Terry Gerin
Terrance "Terry" Gerin is an American professional wrestler and actor, better known by the ring name Rhino . He is best known for his career in Extreme Championship Wrestling, World Wrestling Federation / Entertainment and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
. In a 3-Way Elimination match, they dropped the title to Regal and Eugene. Their third, and final, Tag Team Title reign began at a Raw brand house show
House show
A house show is a professional wrestling show run by a major promotion that is not televised, though they can be recorded. Promotions use house shows mainly to cash in on the exposure that they and their wrestlers receive during televised events, as well as test reactions to matches, wrestlers, and...
on January 16, 2005 in Winnipeg, Manitoba when they defeated Regal and Jonathan Coachman
Jonathan Coachman
Jonathan William Coachman , also known as "The Coach", is a former professional wrestling color commentator and authority figure. He is also a former college basketball player, and football play-by-play announcer...
—Regal's actual partner, Eugene, had been injured and Coachman was selected to be his fill in partner, though Regal never tagged him in—to win the belts. La Résistance dropped the belts again a few weeks later on the February 7, edition of Raw, from Tokyo, Japan, to William Regal and his new tag team partner Tajiri. Conway cut his hair back short in March, 2005.
La Résistance repeatedly attempted to regain the gold (mainly on Heat) from Regal and Tajiri in a number of different matches but fell just short each time. During their "last shot" the team thought they had won back the title only to have the decision reversed by referee Mike Chioda
Mike Chioda
Michael Joseph "Mike" Chioda, is a senior referee who is currently signed to WWE. While not refereeing, Chioda, as well as the other referees in WWE, help set up the arena before shows, constructing the ring and stage areas.-WWF:...
due to La Résistance not pinning the legal man. The match was restarted but La Résistance lost the match and their last chance against Regal and Tajiri in a normal tag team contest. The team was given one more chance at Regal and Tajiri, only this time during a Tag Team Turmoil match including five teams—La Résistance, Regal and Tajiri, The Heart Throbs
The Heart Throbs
The Heart Throbs is the name of a professional wrestling tag team consisting of Antonio Thomas and Romeo Roselli, currently wrestling on the independent circuit. Thomas and Roselli are billed as being popular "with the ladies", and typically approach the ring while performing pelvic thrusts to the...
(Romeo Roselli
Romeo Roselli
Giovanni Roselli best known as Romeo Roselli is a professional wrestler and actor best known for his stint with World Wrestling Entertainment on the Raw brand as one half of the "Heart Throbs" and is not to be confused with another wrestler by the name of Kid Romeo.-Career:Roselli began wrestling...
and Antonio Thomas
Tom Matera
Thomas "Tom" Matera is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Antonio Thomas. He is best known for his stint with World Wrestling Entertainment on the Raw brand as one half of The Heart Throbs....
), Simon Dean
Mike Bucci
Michael "Mike" Bucci is an American semi-retired professional wrestler. Bucci is probably best known for his appearances in Extreme Championship Wrestling as Nova, Super Nova, and "Hollywood" Nova and World Wrestling Entertainment as Simon Dean...
and Maven
Maven Huffman
Maven Klint Huffman is an American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with World Wrestling Entertainment between October 2001 and July 5, 2005 under the name Maven. In 2008 he became a guest expert on the Home Shopping Network.-Early life:Maven was born to an African-American...
, and The Super Heroes Hurricane
Gregory Helms
Gregory Shane Helms is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his time with World Wrestling Entertainment where he wrestled as The Hurricane and Gregory Helms. He is also known for his time with World Championship Wrestling where he wrestled as "Sugar" Shane Helms...
and Rosey
Matt Anoa'i
Matthew "Matt" Anoa'i is a professional wrestler, best known for his time on the independent circuit under numerous ring names, and his time in World Wrestling Entertainment , where he competed as Rosey....
, at Backlash
Backlash (2005)
Backlash was the seventh annual Backlash professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Entertainment , which took place on May 1, 2005 at the Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester, New Hampshire. The show's six matches showcased prominent WWE wrestlers, who acted out...
. During the match La Résistance managed to eliminate the champions, but were defeated by the last remaining team (and winners of the match) Hurricane and Rosey.
Split and singles competition (2005-2007)
The team split in mid-May after repeatedly quarreling over his attitude towards men which of them was the superior wrestler. Grenier and Conway went into singles competition with announcers claiming that the members of La Résistance were trying to "one up" each other in singles matches without the other man in their corner. This saw Conway defeat a jobber and Val VenisSean Morley
Sean Allen Morley is a Canadian professional wrestler better known by his ring name Val Venis, during his time with World Wrestling Federation, later known as World Wrestling Entertainment...
, while Grenier was defeated by both Venis and Chris Jericho
Chris Jericho
Christopher Keith Irvine , better known by his ring name Chris Jericho, is an inactive Canadian-American professional wrestler, musician, songwriter, radio personality, television host, actor, author, and dancer...
. Both men competed in a triple threat match against Intercontinental Champion
WWE Intercontinental Championship
The WWE Intercontinental Championship is a professional wrestling championship in WWE. It is the original secondary title of the promotion. Currently, it is the secondary championship exclusive to the SmackDown brand...
Shelton Benjamin
Shelton Benjamin
Shelton James Benjamin is an American professional wrestler and former amateur wrestler best known for his tenure in World Wrestling Entertainment. Benjamin has an amateur wrestling background, including wrestling in high school and at the University of Minnesota. In addition, Benjamin has acted...
for the title; Benjamin won the match not long after the La Résistance members began to argue and fight with each other. This altercation led to a main event match for the June 12 Heat (taped on June 6) in which Rob Conway portrayed the heel
Heel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
, and defeated Grenier. On June 30, 2005, Grenier was a last minute trade in the 2005 WWE Draft, sending him to SmackDown! while Conway stayed on the Raw brand. Conway then began wrestling in singles competition on both Heat
WWE HEAT
WWE Heat was a professional wrestling television program produced by World Wrestling Entertainment...
and Raw.
On the July 17, 2005 edition of Heat Conway brought back his original identity of Rob Conway, making his new gimmick a narcissistic
Narcissism
Narcissism is a term with a wide range of meanings, depending on whether it is used to describe a central concept of psychoanalytic theory, a mental illness, a social or cultural problem, or simply a personality trait...
heel and developing a new appearance (similar to Buff Bagwell
Buff Bagwell
Marcus Alexander Bagwell is an American professional wrestler and actor, better known by his ring name, Buff Bagwell. He is best known for his tenure with World Championship Wrestling between 1991 and 2001, where he was a five time World Tag Team Champion.-Professional wrestling career: Bagwell...
) including a biker hat, sunglasses, a mustache, see through tights, and a new haircut. He began referring to himself as "The Con-Man" Rob Conway. During the WWE Homecoming edition of Raw, Conway interrupted a segment involving a number of WWE Legends. After disrespecting the legends, they assaulted him. Conway, seeking retaliation, then went on to have matches against a number of legends, picking up wins over Doink The Clown
Doink the Clown
Doink the Clown is a professional wrestling gimmick, originally used by Matt Osborne in the World Wrestling Federation from 1993 to 1995. Since Osborne's departure from the WWF, the character has been played by several wrestlers, primarily on the independent circuit, as well as in sporadic special...
, Greg Valentine
Greg Valentine
John Wisniski, Jr. is an American professional wrestler, better known as Greg "The Hammer" Valentine. He is the son of wrestler Johnny Valentine.-Training:...
(by disqualification), and Koko B. Ware
James Ware (wrestler)
James Ware , better known by his ring name Koko B. Ware, is a retired American professional wrestler who made his professional wrestling debut in 1978. He gained most of his popularity in the World Wrestling Federation when he was known as the Birdman...
.
During this time he would go on to begin feuding with Eugene
Nick Dinsmore
Nicholas "Nick" Dinsmore , better known by his ring names Eugene and U-Gene, is an American professional wrestler...
, a big fan of the legends who stuck up for them. At the Taboo Tuesday
Taboo Tuesday (2005)
Taboo Tuesday was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment , which took place on November 1, 2005 at the iPayOne Center in San Diego, California. It was the second annual Taboo Tuesday event in which the fans were given the chance to vote on...
pay-per-view, Conway teamed with Tomko
Travis Tomko
Travis David Tomko is an American professional wrestler, known by his ring name Tomko, who most recently worked for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he previously was a member of Christian's Coalition and the Angle Alliance and often worked alongside A.J. Styles. He was also notable for his...
to face Eugene and a legend (as voted for by the fans). Jimmy Snuka
Jimmy Snuka
James William "Jimmy" Reiher is a semi-retired Fijian professional wrestler and actor, better known by his ring name Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka. Originally from the Fiji Islands, Snuka wrestled for several promotions in the 1970s and 1980s. Snuka is a two-time world heavyweight champion, having been a...
beat out Kamala and Jim Duggan
Jim Duggan
James Edward Duggan , better known by his ring name "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan, is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his time with World Wrestling Entertainment in the 1980s, when it was known as World Wrestling Federation , and World Championship Wrestling...
in the voting to become Eugene's partner and picked up the win after a Superfly Splash ending Conway's winning streak. On the next Raw, Conway attempted to take the Intercontinental Championship from Ric Flair
Ric Flair
Richard Morgan Fliehr is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Ric Flair. Also known as "The Nature Boy", Flair is one of the most well-known professional wrestlers in the world....
, but came up short when he was locked in Flair's figure four leglock.
After losing to Flair, Conway went on a long losing streak, losing almost every match he was in through the rest of the 2005 and the start of 2006. Conway went back to competing on Sunday Night Heat making few appearances on Raw and losing on every occasion. On the April 10, 2006 edition of Raw, Conway debuted a slightly changed look, including longer hair, no mustache, and blonde highlighted hair, in a loss to Rob Van Dam
Rob Van Dam
Robert Alexander "Rob" Szatkowski , better known by his ring name Rob Van Dam , is an American professional wrestler and actor who is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
. Conway finally broke his losing streak for one night only on the May 12, 2006 edition of Heat when he won a mixed tag team match with Victoria
Lisa Marie Varon
Lisa Marie Varon , is an American professional wrestler, bodybuilder and fitness competitor of Puerto Rican and Turkish descent...
against the team of Viscera
Nelson Frazier, Jr.
Nelson Frazier, Jr. is an American professional wrestler and actor, better known by his ring names Mabel, Viscera, Big Daddy V, and King V. He is best known for his work with World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment...
and Torrie Wilson
Torrie Wilson
Torrie Anne Wilson is a retired American professional wrestler, fitness competitor and model. She is best known for her tenures in World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment , where she worked on both their SmackDown and Raw brands throughout her eight-year run.As a fitness...
. It was short lived, however, as the next week he was defeated by Jim Duggan
Jim Duggan
James Edward Duggan , better known by his ring name "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan, is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his time with World Wrestling Entertainment in the 1980s, when it was known as World Wrestling Federation , and World Championship Wrestling...
, re-starting his losing streak but starting a short program with Duggan and his protege Eugene. At the start of August, Conway dropped the Con-Man Gimmick as he stopped wearing sunglasses and his ego dropped. From this point on, Conway was used as a tweener who was desperate to pick up a victory over anyone possible but failed every time he tried.
Ohio Valley Wrestling (2007-2009)
On the November 15 edition of Ohio Valley WrestlingOhio Valley Wrestling
Ohio Valley Wrestling is an American independent professional wrestling promotion based in Louisville, Kentucky. OVW is run by owner Danny Davis and was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance from 1997 until 2000...
(OVW), Conway made a surprise appearance, teaming with Sylvain Grenier to reform their old stable, La Résistance. The reformed team defeated Cody Runnels and Shawn Spears
Ronnie Arniell
Ronnie William Arneill is a Canadian professional wrestler, better known by his ring name as Shawn Spears. He is perhaps best known for his stint with World Wrestling Entertainment on its ECW brand, where he briefly performed under the ring name Gavin Spears.-Early life:Born and raised in St...
to earn a shot at the OVW Southern Tag Team Titles
OVW Southern Tag Team Championship
The OVW Southern Tag Team Championship is the tag team titles of Ohio Valley Wrestling. Created in 1997, the first champions were Nick Dinsmore and Flash Flanagan. As of 2011, the current champions are Ted McNaler and Adam Revolver, known as The Elite in their fourth reign...
. The team, however, lost the title match. After months of losing, Conway appeared on the January 1, 2007 edition of Raw. Conway proceeded to make a New Year's resolution
New Year's resolution
A New Year resolution is a commitment that an individual makes to one or more personal goals, projects, or the reforming of a habit. This lifestyle change is generally interpreted as advantageous. A New Years Resolution is generally a goal someone sets out to accomplish in the coming year...
and vowed that he would not lose another match and if he did he would quit Raw. His opponent was the Intercontinental Champion Jeff Hardy
Jeff Hardy
Jeffrey Nero "Jeff" Hardy is an American professional wrestler, who is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , where he is a former two–time TNA World Heavyweight Champion...
, but he was pinned after 21 seconds. After the match, WWE Chairman
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
(at that time) Vince McMahon
Vince McMahon
Vincent Kennedy "Vince" McMahon is an American professional wrestling promoter, announcer, commentator, film producer, actor and former occasional professional wrestler. McMahon is the current Chairman, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Committee of professional wrestling promotion WWE...
entered the ring and fired him. On May 11, 2007, Conway was released from his WWE contract.
Juggalo Championship Wrestling (2011-present)
Conway debuted in Juggalo Championship Wrestling at the event Hardcore Hell. Per storylineNarrative thread
A narrative thread, or plot thread , refers to particular elements and techniques of writing to center the story in the action or experience of characters rather than to relate a matter in a dry 'All knowing' sort of narration...
, he announced that he was a master of submissions
Submission wrestling
Submission wrestling or Combat wrestling in Japan, is a formula of competition and a general term describing the aspect of martial arts and combat sports that focus on clinch and ground fighting with the aim of obtaining a submission using submission holds...
and a wrestler for hire
Mercenary
A mercenary, is a person who takes part in an armed conflict based on the promise of material compensation rather than having a direct interest in, or a legal obligation to, the conflict itself. A non-conscript professional member of a regular army is not considered to be a mercenary although he...
. That night, Conway submitted three different opponents to showcase his skills. Two weeks later, he was hired by Breyer Wellington to face JCW Heavyweight Champion
JCW Heavyweight Championship
The JCW Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling heavyweight championship in Juggalo Championship Wrestling. It was established in 1999 at JCW's first show, the taping for the DVD JCW Volume 1, with Evil Dead winning a 20-man battle royal...
Corporal Robinson
Steve Robinson (wrestler)
Steve Robinson, known by the ring name Corporal Robinson, is an American professional wrestler best known for his hardcore wrestling style. Robinson has wrestled for various wrestling promotions, including Combat Zone Wrestling, and Independent Wrestling Association Mid-South...
, but was defeated. Conway then participated in Juggalo Championship Wrestling's first internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
pay-per-view
Pay-per-view
Pay-per-view provides a service by which a television audience can purchase events to view via private telecast. The broadcaster shows the event at the same time to everyone ordering it...
Hatchet Attacks
Hatchet Attacks (2011)
Hatchet Attacks was a professional wrestling pay-per-view produced by Juggalo Championship Wrestling , which was only available online. It took place on March 26, 2011 at The Rave in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Professional wrestling is a type of sports entertainment in which theatrical events are...
, where he submitted Sal the Man of a Thousand Gimmicks
Thomaselli Brothers
The Thomaselli Brothers are the professional wrestling stable that consists of real life brothers Pauly Thomaselli , Sal Thomaselli , and Vito Thomaselli...
. At Up in Smoke, Conway was hired by Sabu
Sabu (wrestler)
Terry Michael Brunk , better known by his ring name Sabu, is an American professional wrestler best known for his extreme wrestling style...
's manager Charlie Brown to attack 2 Tuff Tony
2 Tuff Tony
Tony Borcherding , better known by his ring name 2 Tuff Tony, is an American professional wrestler best known for his hardcore wrestling style...
. After Rhino scared off Sabu and Conway, a tag team match was scheduled between the two and Rhino and Tony at St. Andrew's Brawl.
Personal life
Rob graduated from Indiana's New Albany High SchoolNew Albany High School (Indiana)
Founded in 1853, New Albany High School is one of the oldest public high schools west of the Alleghenies and the first in Indiana. New Albany High School has the first rastafarian-run FM radio station to be licensed by the Federal Communications Commission and has had their own cable TV channel ...
in 1990 where he was a standout basketball player. He later played basketball at the now defunct Graceland College in New Albany. Following college, Rob sold fitness equipment and worked as a personal trainer in the Southern Indiana
Southern Indiana
Southern Indiana, in the United States, consists of the 33 counties located in the southernmost part of the state. The region's history and geography has led to a blend of Northern and Southern culture distinct from the remainder of Indiana. It is often considered to be part of the Upland South...
/Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
area. He broke into wrestling after driving past the old Danny Davis arena in Jeffersonville, Indiana
Jeffersonville, Indiana
Jeffersonville is a city in Clark County, Indiana, along the Ohio River. Locally, the city is often referred to by the abbreviated name Jeff. It is directly across the Ohio River to the north of Louisville, Kentucky along I-65. The population was 44,953 at the 2010 census...
in 1997. After walking in and watching what he considered out of shape guys wrestle, he thought he would give it a try. Within five minutes of being in the ring, Rob stated in a 2004 article in Indianapolis Monthly he knew this is what he wanted to do. Based on the appearance of the local wrestlers, he thought it would only take six months to make it to the WWE (then WWF); it eventually took him six years. Conway and his family attend East Audubon Baptist Church in Louisville. He also starred in the movie, "Thugin' It the Conway" featuring Val Venis.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Ego Trip (Whiplash, sometimes to a rope hung opponent)
- Iron Fist (Punch with loaded glove) - OVW
- Signature moves
- DDTDDT (professional wrestling)In professional wrestling a DDT is any move in which the wrestler has the opponent in a front facelock, and falls down or backwards to drive the opponent's head into the mat...
- Neckbreaker slam
- DDT
- With Sylvain GrenierSylvain GrenierSylvain Grenier is a Canadian professional wrestler, who is best known for his appearances with World Wrestling Entertainment in the La Résistance tag team. He is currently a French language announcer for TNA Impact! on RDS....
- Au Revoir (Aided Whiplash)
- La Crêpe / Bonne Nuit (Hart Attack)
- ManagersManager (professional wrestling)In professional wrestling, a manager is a secondary character paired with a wrestler for a variety of reasons. The manager is often either a non-wrestler, an occasional wrestler, an older wrestler who has retired or is nearing retirement or, in some cases, a new wrestler who is breaking into the...
- Kenny BolinKenny BolinKenny Bolin is a professional wrestling manager, best known as the lead villainous manager in Ohio Valley Wrestling as the manager of Bolin Services. Hit podcast Radio show called "The Bolin Alley" he does with his son Chris...
- Nikita Fink
- Jackie GaydaJackie GaydaJacquelyn Gayda-Haas is an American semi-retired professional wrestler and valet, best known for her work on World Wrestling Entertainment 's Raw and SmackDown! brands and in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling as a TNA Knockout...
- Linda MilesLinda MilesLinda M. Miles is an American former professional wrestler and manager. She worked under the ring name Shaniqua for World Wrestling Entertainment's SmackDown! brand between 2002 and 2004. Miles was one of two female winners from WWE Tough Enough season two.-Basketball:Miles was a member of the...
- Sherri MartelSherri MartelSherri Schrull was an American professional wrestler and manager, better known by her ring names, Sherri Martel and Sensational Sherri....
- VictoriaLisa Marie VaronLisa Marie Varon , is an American professional wrestler, bodybuilder and fitness competitor of Puerto Rican and Turkish descent...
- Sam McCoy
- Battle Baxter
- Kenny Bolin
- Nicknames
- "The Iron Man"
- "The Submissionary"
- "The Con Man"
- Entrance themes
-
- "Hendrix Bleeds" by Jim Johnston
- "Just Look at Me" b Jim Johnston
Championships and accomplishments
- Music City Wrestling
- MCW North American Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Nick DinsmoreNick DinsmoreNicholas "Nick" Dinsmore , better known by his ring names Eugene and U-Gene, is an American professional wrestler...
- Northern Championship WrestlingNorthern Championship WrestlingNorthern Championship Wrestling is an independent professional wrestling promotion based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.It was founded in 1986 by François Poirier and Phil Bélanger in Joliette, Quebec...
- NCW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Sylvain GrenierSylvain GrenierSylvain Grenier is a Canadian professional wrestler, who is best known for his appearances with World Wrestling Entertainment in the La Résistance tag team. He is currently a French language announcer for TNA Impact! on RDS....
- Ohio Valley WrestlingOhio Valley WrestlingOhio Valley Wrestling is an American independent professional wrestling promotion based in Louisville, Kentucky. OVW is run by owner Danny Davis and was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance from 1997 until 2000...
- OVW Heavyweight ChampionshipOVW Heavyweight ChampionshipThe OVW Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling heavyweight championship owned by the Ohio Valley Wrestling promotion. The title was introduced on August 17, 1997 at an OVW live event, then known as the NWA-OVW Heavyweight Championship due to OVW's relationship with the National...
(4 times) - OVW Southern Tag Team ChampionshipOVW Southern Tag Team ChampionshipThe OVW Southern Tag Team Championship is the tag team titles of Ohio Valley Wrestling. Created in 1997, the first champions were Nick Dinsmore and Flash Flanagan. As of 2011, the current champions are Ted McNaler and Adam Revolver, known as The Elite in their fourth reign...
(11 times) – with Nick Dinsmore (10) and Pat Buck (1)
- Pro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling Illustrated is a professional wrestling magazine. PWI is currently based in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and published by Kappa Publishing Group.-History:The first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated was released in 1979...
- PWI ranked him #45 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2004
- World Wrestling EntertainmentWorld Wrestling EntertainmentWorld Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
- World Tag Team Championship (3 times) – with Sylvain GrenierSylvain GrenierSylvain Grenier is a Canadian professional wrestler, who is best known for his appearances with World Wrestling Entertainment in the La Résistance tag team. He is currently a French language announcer for TNA Impact! on RDS....