.gif)
Tony Jones (wrestler)
Encyclopedia
Anthony "Tony" Jones is an American professional wrestler
who competes in North American independent promotions, specifically California-based All-Pro Wrestling, Ultimate Pro Wrestling and Xtreme Pro Wrestling
.
He has also had stints in World Wrestling Entertainment
in 1998, 2001, 2003, and 2007 although he is best known for his appearance with sometimes tag team partner Mike Modest in Barry Blaustein's 1999 documentary Beyond the Mat
.
in 1989 and later attended San Francisco State University
earning a bachelor arts degree
in broadcasting and electronic communication arts and a minor in speech communication arts. He also achieved a successful five-year amateur wrestling career during his time at SFSU winning the Bay Area Freestyle Championship eight times, the Bay Area Greco-Roman Championship seven times and becoming a nationally ranked contender in NCAA collegiate wrestling
and eventually became the NCAA Division II California Collegiate Champion in 1994; during this time, he defeated NCAA champion Stephen Neal
and was in several tournaments with Kurt Angle
(although the two never wrestled each other, they both were eliminated by the same man).
He also served as an assistant coach for the SFSU Greco-Roman freestyle wrestling team before his graduation in 1995.
and Vic Grimes
graduating from the training camp making his professional debut wrestling against Manny "The Raging Bull" Fernandez at APW Gym Wars on January 15, 1997.
Feuding with Vic Grimes in his early months with the promotion, he lost to Grimes at APW Gym Wars on April 19 and on June 20, the latter defeat eliminating him from the opening round of a tournament for the APW Universal Championship.
He soon found success in the tag team division however forming the Westside Connection with Jay Smooth
defeating Donovan Morgan and Robert Thompson
for the APW Universal Tag Team titles on August 1, 1997. Successfully defending the titles for over a month, including a victory over Vic Grimes & Chris Cole on August 15, he and Smooth lost the titles to the Grimes Brothers (Vic & Little Dic Grimes) at APW Sports Annihilation on September 5, 1997.
Jones attempted to regain the titles teaming with Rick Turner
, although they lost to the Grimes Brothers in a Best of 3 Falls match at APW Night of the Return on October 3. He later lost to Grimes at APW Halloween Hell on October 31, although he later won a 6-man tag team match with Elijah Wisdom and Truth against Rick Thompson and the Grimes Brothers at APW Final Friday on November 7, 1997.
Teaming with Steve Rizzono
, Jones regained the tag team titles defeating Robert Thompson & Chris Cole on December 6. After Rizzono was suspended by the promotion, Jones was forced to surrender the titles to APW which were officially vacated on January 17, 1998. That same night, he was given an opportunity to win back the titles and chose Mike Modest who together went on to defeat Frank Murdoch and his former tag team partner Jay Smooth.
Forming Wrestling Inc., he and Modest had a highly successful tag team career eventually voted APW Tag Team of the Year and, as tag team champions, held the titles for almost four months defeating Vic Grimes & Erin O'Grady
at APW Wrestling Inc on March 6 and wrestled to a no-contest against Vic Grimes & Boyce LeGrande at APW Turn Back The Clock on April 3 before losing the title to Frank Murdoch & Boom Boom Comini on May 16, 1998.
in September and later led to Jones being invited to the WWF Dojo Training Camp training under Tom Prichard
in November 1999.
Involved in a West Coast vs. East Coast feud with wrestlers from Pennsylvania Championship Wrestling in early 1999, he won the APW Universal Heavyweight titles defeating his former tag team partner Mike Modest on January 15, 2000. After losing the title to Ma'och with interference from Crash Holly
on March 11, he began competing with hip-hop based Urban Wrestling Alliance under the name H.T.K. or Hard To Kill during most of 2000. In February 2000, he participated in a closed tryout match for World Championship Wrestling
with Terry Taylor
, Kevin Sullivan
and Mike Graham and, after touring Japan with the shoot-style wrestling promotion BattlARTS
in April, was invited back to train at the WCW Power Plant
with Buddy Lee Parker, Paul Orndorff
and Terry Taylor in May.
Returning BattlArts in May and June 2000, he began wrestling for Ultimate Pro Wrestling in May and had a brief stint in Xtreme Pro Wrestling in a series of high profile matches against Tracy Smothers
at XPW D-Day. After losing to Pogo the Clown on May 28, he was invited by BattlARTS for another tour however he declined being under contract with the Urban Wrestling Alliance and remained with the promotion until its close in December 2000.
and Keiji Sakoda on September 29; the titles were forfeited however when Jones attacked Thompson after the match and left the promotion in November.
in May 2001, he wrestled in the Chicago-based Midwest Championship Wrestling from August to September 2001.
During the next year, he continued wrestling for Ultimate Pro Wrestling as well as feuding with former XPW stars Pogo the Clown, Steve Rizzono and Manny Fernandez. He also began competing for Pro Wrestling IRON, affiliated with the Japanese promotion Pro Wrestling Noah
, teaming with Jason Brisbane
to defeat Lars Dauger and Ryan Drago at a Pro Wrestling IRON event on June 11, 2004.
In March 2007, he appeared on WWE television wrestling Eugene
on WWE Heat
. Tony returned to WWE television four months later against Gene Snitsky
.
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...
who competes in North American independent promotions, specifically California-based All-Pro Wrestling, Ultimate Pro Wrestling and Xtreme Pro Wrestling
Xtreme Pro Wrestling
Xtreme Pro Wrestling is an independent professional wrestling promotion formerly owned by Extreme Associates CEO and director Rob Zicari, who appeared on shows under the name Rob Black. Zicari appeared on-camera as owner alongside his wife Lizzy Borden. The promotion focuses on hardcore wrestling,...
.
He has also had stints in 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...
in 1998, 2001, 2003, and 2007 although he is best known for his appearance with sometimes tag team partner Mike Modest in Barry Blaustein's 1999 documentary Beyond the Mat
Beyond the Mat
Beyond the Mat is a 1999 documentary directed by Barry W. Blaustein. The movie focuses on the lives of professional wrestlers outside of the ring, primarily Mick Foley, Terry Funk, and Jake Roberts, as well as some aspiring wrestlers...
.
Early life
Born in San Francisco, Jones graduated from Archbishop Riordan High SchoolArchbishop Riordan High School
Archbishop Riordan High School is an Archdiocesan, all-boys Catholic high school run by members of the Society of Mary in San Francisco, California. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Francisco. Originally called Riordan High School, the school was named after Archbishop...
in 1989 and later attended San Francisco State University
San Francisco State University
San Francisco State University is a public university located in San Francisco, California. As part of the 23-campus California State University system, the university offers over 100 areas of study from nine academic colleges...
earning a bachelor arts degree
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in broadcasting and electronic communication arts and a minor in speech communication arts. He also achieved a successful five-year amateur wrestling career during his time at SFSU winning the Bay Area Freestyle Championship eight times, the Bay Area Greco-Roman Championship seven times and becoming a nationally ranked contender in NCAA collegiate wrestling
Collegiate wrestling
Collegiate wrestling, sometimes known in the United States as Folkstyle wrestling, is a style of amateur wrestling practised at the collegiate and university level in the United States. Collegiate wrestling emerged from the folk wrestling styles practised in the early history of the United States...
and eventually became the NCAA Division II California Collegiate Champion in 1994; during this time, he defeated NCAA champion Stephen Neal
Stephen Neal
Stephen Matthew Neal is a former American football guard who played his entire career for the New England Patriots of the National Football League. He is a former national champion amateur and collegiate wrestler at Cal State-Bakersfield...
and was in several tournaments with Kurt Angle
Kurt 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...
(although the two never wrestled each other, they both were eliminated by the same man).
He also served as an assistant coach for the SFSU Greco-Roman freestyle wrestling team before his graduation in 1995.
All Pro Wrestling
During the 1996, Jones began training under Mike Modest at the APW Professional Wrestling Training Boot Camp along with Donovan MorganDonovan Morgan
Andrew Vassos is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Donovan Morgan. Best known for his appearances with Pro Wrestling Noah in Japan and Ring of Honor in the United States, Morgan received tryouts with World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation in...
and Vic Grimes
Vic Grimes
Victor "Vic" Grimes is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances with Extreme Championship Wrestling, Xtreme Pro Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation.-All Pro Wrestling:...
graduating from the training camp making his professional debut wrestling against Manny "The Raging Bull" Fernandez at APW Gym Wars on January 15, 1997.
Feuding with Vic Grimes in his early months with the promotion, he lost to Grimes at APW Gym Wars on April 19 and on June 20, the latter defeat eliminating him from the opening round of a tournament for the APW Universal Championship.
He soon found success in the tag team division however forming the Westside Connection with Jay Smooth
Jay Smooth
John Randolph, better known by his deejay name Jay Smooth, is the founder of New York City's longest-running hip hop radio program, WBAI's Underground Railroad....
defeating Donovan Morgan and Robert Thompson
Robert Thompson
Robert or Bob Thompson may refer to:*Bob Thompson , American orchestra leader, arranger, composer*Bob Thompson , American figurative painter*Bob Thompson , British producer and writer...
for the APW Universal Tag Team titles on August 1, 1997. Successfully defending the titles for over a month, including a victory over Vic Grimes & Chris Cole on August 15, he and Smooth lost the titles to the Grimes Brothers (Vic & Little Dic Grimes) at APW Sports Annihilation on September 5, 1997.
Jones attempted to regain the titles teaming with Rick Turner
Rick Turner
Rick Turner co-founded Alembic in 1970 and was involved in the design and construction of the Alembic instruments. He founded Rick Turner Guitars in 1979 and joined Gibson in 1988 where he served as president of Gibson Labs West Coast R&D Division.Turner left Gibson in 1992 and ran a guitar repair...
, although they lost to the Grimes Brothers in a Best of 3 Falls match at APW Night of the Return on October 3. He later lost to Grimes at APW Halloween Hell on October 31, although he later won a 6-man tag team match with Elijah Wisdom and Truth against Rick Thompson and the Grimes Brothers at APW Final Friday on November 7, 1997.
Teaming with Steve Rizzono
Steve Rizzono
Steve Coombs is a former professional wrestler best known for his stint in Xtreme Pro Wrestling. Coombs competed primarily as "The Gigolo" Steve Rizzono...
, Jones regained the tag team titles defeating Robert Thompson & Chris Cole on December 6. After Rizzono was suspended by the promotion, Jones was forced to surrender the titles to APW which were officially vacated on January 17, 1998. That same night, he was given an opportunity to win back the titles and chose Mike Modest who together went on to defeat Frank Murdoch and his former tag team partner Jay Smooth.
Forming Wrestling Inc., he and Modest had a highly successful tag team career eventually voted APW Tag Team of the Year and, as tag team champions, held the titles for almost four months defeating Vic Grimes & Erin O'Grady
Mike Lockwood
Michael John "Mike" Lockwood was an American professional wrestler best known for his time with World Wrestling Federation / Entertainment under the ring name Crash Holly....
at APW Wrestling Inc on March 6 and wrestled to a no-contest against Vic Grimes & Boyce LeGrande at APW Turn Back The Clock on April 3 before losing the title to Frank Murdoch & Boom Boom Comini on May 16, 1998.
Independent promotions
During that year, he and Modest were selected by Barry Blaustein to appear in his wrestling documentary Beyond the Mat which profiled their lives as independent wrestlers breaking into professional wrestling. The documentary, which was released theatrically in 2000, gave both wrestlers national exposure as Jones and Modest had a tryout match with the World Wrestling FederationWorld 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...
in September and later led to Jones being invited to the WWF Dojo Training Camp training under Tom Prichard
Tom Prichard
Thomas Prichard is an American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE, working in their developmental territory, Florida Championship Wrestling as a trainer using his ring name Tom Prichard...
in November 1999.
Involved in a West Coast vs. East Coast feud with wrestlers from Pennsylvania Championship Wrestling in early 1999, he won the APW Universal Heavyweight titles defeating his former tag team partner Mike Modest on January 15, 2000. After losing the title to Ma'och with interference from Crash Holly
Mike Lockwood
Michael John "Mike" Lockwood was an American professional wrestler best known for his time with World Wrestling Federation / Entertainment under the ring name Crash Holly....
on March 11, he began competing with hip-hop based Urban Wrestling Alliance under the name H.T.K. or Hard To Kill during most of 2000. In February 2000, he participated in a closed tryout match for World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
with Terry Taylor
Terry Taylor
Terry Taylor , is an American retired professional wrestler best known for his time in the National Wrestling Alliance, World Championship Wrestling, and the World Wrestling Federation...
, Kevin Sullivan
Kevin Sullivan (wrestler)
Kevin Francis Sullivan is an American professional wrestler and booker, perhaps best known for his role in WCW as "The Taskmaster" and his leading of the "Dungeon of Doom".-Early career:...
and Mike Graham and, after touring Japan with the shoot-style wrestling promotion BattlARTS
BattlARTS
was a professional wrestling promotion based in Koshigaya, Saitama, Japan. The promotion was formed in 1996 by Japanese wrestler Yuki Ishikawa and featured all of the wrestlers from the Fujiwara Gumi promotion, who had abandoned the promotion in favor of Battlarts...
in April, was invited back to train at the WCW Power Plant
WCW Power Plant
The WCW Power Plant was a professional wrestling school located in Atlanta, Georgia and owned and operated by World Championship Wrestling. The Power Plant, which was developed from a school operated by Jody Hamilton, was in operation throughout the 1990s...
with Buddy Lee Parker, Paul Orndorff
Paul Orndorff
Paul Parlette Orndorff, Jr. is a retired American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling as "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff...
and Terry Taylor in May.
Returning BattlArts in May and June 2000, he began wrestling for Ultimate Pro Wrestling in May and had a brief stint in Xtreme Pro Wrestling in a series of high profile matches against Tracy Smothers
Tracy Smothers
Tracy Smothers is an American professional wrestler.-Early career:Tracy started his career in the Memphis promotion on Saturday morning TV. Steve Armstrong and Tracy Smothers started teaming as The Southern Boys in Florida Championship Wrestling in 1987 where they feuded with The New Breed...
at XPW D-Day. After losing to Pogo the Clown on May 28, he was invited by BattlARTS for another tour however he declined being under contract with the Urban Wrestling Alliance and remained with the promotion until its close in December 2000.
Return to APW
Returning to All Pro Wrestling for a brief time, he teamed with Giant Khali in his wrestling debut against the Westside Playaz 2000 on October 7, 2000 and later with his old rival Robert Thompson as the Original Westside Playaz defeating the Ballard Brothers for the titles on April 14, 2001. Losing the titles to Boyce LeGrande and Mark Smith on June 9, they later regained the titles defeating the Ballard Brothers and Samoa JoeSamoa Joe
Nuufolau Joel "Joe" Seanoa is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Samoa Joe. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling....
and Keiji Sakoda on September 29; the titles were forfeited however when Jones attacked Thompson after the match and left the promotion in November.
Recent years
Appearing on WWF Jakked against RavenScott Levy
Scott Anthony Levy , better known by his ring name Raven, is an American professional wrestler, wrestling producer, wrestling writer, and occasional author and actor currently working for Juggalo Championship Wrestling , where he is co-holder of the JCW Tag Team Championship, as well as other...
in May 2001, he wrestled in the Chicago-based Midwest Championship Wrestling from August to September 2001.
During the next year, he continued wrestling for Ultimate Pro Wrestling as well as feuding with former XPW stars Pogo the Clown, Steve Rizzono and Manny Fernandez. He also began competing for Pro Wrestling IRON, affiliated with the Japanese promotion Pro Wrestling Noah
Pro Wrestling Noah
is a major Japanese professional wrestling promotion, founded in 2000 by former All Japan Pro Wrestling ace Mitsuharu Misawa. NOAH is broadcast weekly in Japan...
, teaming with Jason Brisbane
Jason Brisbane
Jason Brisbane Jason Brisbane Jason Brisbane (born March 8, 1983 in London, England is a American football player and coach. He was signed by the San Diego Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2008 and currently is defensive coordinator of the Leicester Falcons.-Playing career:...
to defeat Lars Dauger and Ryan Drago at a Pro Wrestling IRON event on June 11, 2004.
In March 2007, he appeared on WWE television wrestling Eugene
Nick Dinsmore
Nicholas "Nick" Dinsmore , better known by his ring names Eugene and U-Gene, is an American professional wrestler...
on WWE Heat
WWE HEAT
WWE Heat was a professional wrestling television program produced by World Wrestling Entertainment...
. Tony returned to WWE television four months later against Gene Snitsky
Gene Snitsky
Eugene Alan "Gene" Snisky is a professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Snitsky, who is best known for his time spent with World Wrestling Entertainment. He had played college football at the University of Missouri and was on the pre-season roster in 1995 for the Birmingham Barracudas...
.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- German Automatic (Rolling German suplexes)
- Signature moves
- Holy Shoot (Shoot kick combination)
- Multiple suplexSuplexA suplex is an offensive move used in professional sport wrestling . The move consists of one wrestler picking up his or her opponent off the ground and then using a large portion of his or her own body weight to drive the opponent down on the mat. Nearly all suplexes have the attacker going down...
variations- Dragon
- Exploder
- Underhook
Championships and accomplishments
- All Pro WrestlingAll Pro WrestlingAll Pro Wrestling Gym Wars is a professional wrestling television program produced by APW which originally aired weekly on Saturday mornings on KFTY Channel 50 in the San Francisco Bay Area, beginning December 5, 2009. The series features the professional wrestlers of All Pro Wrestling competing in...
- APW Universal Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- APW Universal Tag Team Championship (5 times) - with Jay Smooth (1), Steve Rizzono (1), Mike Modest (1) and Robert Thompson (2)
- APW Tag Team of the Year (1998) - with Mike Modest
- Ultimate Pro Wrestling
- UPW Southern California Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- 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 # 213 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the PWI 500 in 2004