Mason Ryan

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Mason Ryan
MasonRyan1.jpg
Ryan as the FCW Florida Heavyweight Champion in October 2010.
Ring name(s) Barri Griffiths[1]
Celtic Warrior[2][3]
Goliath[4]
Mason Ryan[3]
Smackdown Warrior[2]
Billed height 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)[5]
Billed weight 295 lb (134 kg)[5]
Born (1982-01-13) January 13, 1982 (age 31)[4]
Tremadog, Wales[3]
Billed from Cardiff, Wales[6]
Trained by Orig Williams[3]
Brian Dixon[7]
FCW Training[1]
Debut 2007[7]

Barri Griffiths (born January 13, 1982)[4] is a Welsh professional wrestler and former Gladiators competitor, also known as Goliath and by his ring name Mason Ryan. He is currently signed to WWE.[6]

Griffiths studied construction management at Cardiff University, before working as a trainee carpenter in his family's funeral home. He also played as a centre-back for Porthmadog F.C., but a knee injury curtailed his career. Griffiths appeared as "Goliath" on Gladiators in 2009.

Griffiths began training to be a professional wrestler in 2006, and competed around Europe for the next three years. In 2009, he signed a contract with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), and debuted in Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW), WWE's developmental territory, in January 2010. In July, he won the FCW Florida Heavyweight Championship and held the championship until February 2011. Griffiths debuted as Mason Ryan on the Raw brand in January 2011, where he aligned himself with The New Nexus.

Contents

Early life[edit]

Grifftihs is the son of Malcolm Griffiths (father) and Carys Griffiths (mother).[8] Griffiths attended both Ysgol y Gorlan primary school in Tremadog, Wales and Ysgol Eifionydd secondary school in Porthmadog, before studying construction management at Cardiff University for 18 months.[9][10] Griffiths worked as a trainee carpenter and in his family's funeral home business prior to becoming a professional wrestler.[2][3] He has a sister named Catrin.[8][9] Griffiths played football as a centre-back for Welsh Premier League side Porthmadog F.C., but had to curtail due to a knee injury he suffered.[11]

Gladiators[edit]

Griffiths appeared in the second series of the revived Gladiators television show in 2009, and competed under the name "Goliath".[4] When he was working on a television show in Wales about being a wrestler, he was told that producers were looking for new gladiators, and he applied with the encouragement of his trainer, Orig Williams.[2][11] He began filming the first show approximately a month later and he had to grow long hair especially for the role.[2][9]

Professional wrestling career[edit]

Training and early career (2006–2008)[edit]

Griffiths began training to be a professional wrestler in 2006 after attending a wrestling show with a friend where the promoter Orig 'El Bandito' Williams, recommended he start wrestling.[2][7][9] He trained at a professional wrestling school in Birkenhead.[2][7] Prior to appearing on Gladiators, Griffiths had wrestled under the names "Celtic Warrior" and "Smackdown Warrior" since 2007, and had competed in almost 100 matches in countries including Egypt and Venezuela.[2] He represented the UK in a 'Battle of the Nations' tag team match between the UK and Austria, teaming with Drew McDonald and Sheamus O'Shaunessy in a losing effort to Chris Raaber, Michael Kovac, and Robert Ray Kreuzer at the European Wrestlng Association's Night of Gladiators show in June 2007.[12] After signing with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), Griffiths had his final show in Wales at Y Ganolfan, Porthmadog in October 2008, where he first won a singles match, before winning a battle royal.[13]

World Wrestling Entertainment / WWE[edit]

Florida Championship Wrestling (2009–2011)[edit]

In mid-2009, Griffiths signed a five-year contract with WWE.[14] When he received his work visa, he debuted in their developmental territory, Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW) in January 2010.[3] Under the name Mason Ryan, he competed against wrestlers including Johnny Curtis, Tyler Reks, Johnny Prime, and Hunico in his first matches.[1]

On 22 July, Ryan won a triple threat match against defending champion Alex Riley and Johnny Curtis by pinning Riley to win the FCW Florida Heavyweight Championship for the first time.[3][7][15] Over the next few months, Ryan successfully defended the championship against wrestlers including Bo Rotundo, Richie Steamboat, and Eli Cottonwood.[16] At the tapings of FCW television on 2 September, Ryan successfully defended the championship against Johnny Curtis when FCW commentator Byron Saxton interfered and aided him.[16] The following week, Saxton became aligned with Ryan, accompanying him to the ring and acting as his manager.[16] In November 2010, Ryan toured Europe with the SmackDown brand, defeating Chavo Guerrero in Belfast on 4 November and again in Liverpool on 6 November.[17][18] On 3 February 2011, Ryan lost the Florida Heavyweight Championship to Bo Rotundo, ending a six-and-a-half month reign.[19]

Debut and The New Nexus (2011)[edit]

See also: The New Nexus
Ryan as part of the New Nexus in April 2011.

Griffiths, as Mason Ryan, made his WWE television debut on 17 January 2011 episode of Raw by interfering in a match between CM Punk and John Cena. Following his interference, Punk presented him with a 'Nexus' armband, inducting him into the New Nexus.[14][20] Ryan then participated in the 2011 Royal Rumble match where he eliminated The Great Khali and Booker T.[21] On 7 February Ryan had his debut match on Raw when he lost to R-Truth via disqualification.[22] In late February, it was announced that Punk would face Randy Orton at WrestleMania XXVII, with each member of the New Nexus facing Orton to win the right to accompany Punk to the ring in the preceeding weeks.[23] Ryan was the final member to face Orton, but lost on 14 March episode of Raw. Following the match, Orton punted Ryan in the head.[24] Ryan was absent from television for nearly a month, making his return on 11 April on Raw with the other New Nexus members, attacking Orton and preventing him from earning a WWE Championship match.[25] On the episode of Raw on 2 May, Ryan lost to Kane by disqualification following interference from Punk, and went on to attack both Kane and Big Show.[26] Afterward he left the ring without celebrating with the other members of the New Nexus. At the Over the Limit pay-per-view on 22 May, Ryan and Punk challenged Big Show and Kane for the WWE Tag Team Championship, but were unsuccessful.[27] Mason Ryan was voted to face Evan Bourne in a singles match and won, but Ryan winning the vote was later revealed to be due to a technical error, as Sin Cara was the actual winner of the vote.[28] The following month, Ryan suffered an injury and was absent from television to recuperate.[29]

Return and NXT (2011–present)[edit]

Ryan returned from injury at a house show in Jackson, Mississippi in late August.[30] He made his television return on the 8 September episode of WWE Superstars, defeating JTG.[31] On 26 September episode of Raw, Ryan was chosen by Vickie Guerrero as the partner for Jack Swagger and Dolph Ziggler in a six-man tag team match against Zack Ryder and Air Boom (Evan Bourne and Kofi Kingston), but Ryan turned on Swagger and Ziggler, allowing Ryder to pick up the victory for his team, this turned Ryan face.[32] The following week on Raw, Ryan teamed with Air Boom, Sheamus, CM Punk and John Cena in a 12-man tag team match to defeat the team of Alberto Del Rio, Christian, Cody Rhodes, David Otunga, Ziggler, and Swagger.[33] Ryan began feuding with Ziggler, with the pair trading wins via disqualification.[34][35] Ryan was part of Team Orton at the Survivor Series pay-per-view in November 20, where he was eliminated by Cody Rhodes.[36] After Survivor Series, Ryan was confined to wrestling on Superstars mainly for the first half of 2012, but did not wrestle a single televised match in the second half of 2012.[37]

When WWE rebranded its developmental territory, FCW, into NXT Wrestling,[38] Ryan returned to the ring on the rebooted WWE NXT and began his singles winning streak on 30 January 2013, by defeating Sakamoto.[39] After squashing Enzo Amore on the May 22 episode of NXT,[40] on the next episode Ryan took part in an 18-man battle royal to determine the number one contender to the NXT Championship, where he dominantly eliminated 11 wrestlers before being eliminated by Adrian Neville.[41] He continued his winning streak by squashing the debuting Colin Cassady.[42]

Other media[edit]

Griffiths has appeared on The Paul O'Grady Show.[43] Barri Griffiths: Y Reslar, a documentary about Griffiths' life in the months before he moved to the United States, aired in September 2010 on S4C.[44] In December 2011, Griffiths appeared on the TV documentary Orig, where he was interviewed by Tara Bethan, the daughter of his first trainer Orig Williams.[45]

Personal life[edit]

Ryan speaks Welsh[2][46] and is an avid weightlifter.[47]

In wrestling[edit]

Ryan posing in 2011 at a house show in London, England.

Championships and accomplishments[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c "Mason Ryan". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 11 August 2010. 
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Williams, Andrew (8 January 2009). "Gladiator in hot pants trouble". Metro.co.uk. Retrieved 11 August 2010. 
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Trewyn, Hywel (2 August 2010). "North Wales man crowned heavyweight champion wrestler of Florida". Daily Post (North Wales). Retrieved 11 August 2010. 
  4. ^ a b c d "Goliath, Barri Griffiths". Gladiator Zone. Retrieved 11 August 2010. 
  5. ^ a b "Mason Ryan". Retrieved June 7, 2012. 
  6. ^ a b "Mason Ryan". World Wrestling Entertainment. Retrieved 25 January 2011. 
  7. ^ a b c d e f Jones, Geraint (5 August 2010). "Barri wrestles with rise to fame". North Wales Chronicle. Retrieved 11 August 2010. 
  8. ^ a b Gaksell, Simon. "WWE star Mason Ryan ditched undertaker's life for wrestling stardom". Wales Online. Retrieved April 28, 2013. 
  9. ^ a b c d Trewyn, Hywel (27 November 2008). "Meet North Wales’ very own Gladiators". Daily Post (North Wales). Retrieved 11 August 2010. 
  10. ^ Hughes, Owen R (26 January 2011). "Gwynedd WWE star Barri Griffiths billed as from Cardiff". Daily Post (North Wales). Retrieved 30 January 2011. 
  11. ^ a b Devine, Darren (4 January 2009). "Welsh duo are TV gladiators". Wales Online. Retrieved 11 August 2010. 
  12. ^ "EWA Results". European Wrestling Association. Retrieved 9 November 2010. 
  13. ^ Jones, Geraint (28 October 2008). "North Wales Nexus Leader Barri Griffiths off to the USA". North Wales Chronicle. Retrieved 11 August 2010. [dead link]
  14. ^ a b "Welsh wrestler Mason Ryan is a stateside hit". BBC. 20 January 2011. Retrieved 20 January 2011. 
  15. ^ "Florida Championship Wrestling roster". Florida Championship Wrestling. Archived from the original on 23 December 2010. Retrieved 11 August 2010. 
  16. ^ a b c d "Florida Championship Wrestling (2010)". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 23 January 2011. 
  17. ^ Gerweck, Steve (5 November 2010). "11/4 WWE Results: Belfast, Northern Ireland". WrestleView. Retrieved 5 November 2010. 
  18. ^ Martin, Adam (7 November 2010). "11/6 WWE Results: Liverpool, England". WrestleView. Retrieved 8 November 2010. 
  19. ^ "Champions Roll Call". Florida Championship Wrestling. Retrieved 20 February 2011. 
  20. ^ Plummer, Dale (17 January 2011). "RAW: The Rumble and The Nexus grow". Slam! Sports. Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved 22 January 2011. 
  21. ^ Plummer, Dale; Tylwalk, Nick (30 January 2011). "Super-size Royal Rumble saves biggest surprise for last". Slam! Sports. Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved 1 February 2011. 
  22. ^ Plummer, Dale (7 February 2011). "RAW: Punk, Nexus battle Elimination Chamber entrants". Slam! Sports. Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved 13 February 2011. 
  23. ^ Plummer, Dale (28 February 2011). "RAW: Triple H talks Wrestlemania; The Miz loses an ally". Slam! Sports. Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved 2 April 2011. 
  24. ^ Plummer, Dale (14 March 2011). "RAW: Cena wrecked on the Road to Wrestlemania". Slam! Sports. Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved 18 March 2011. 
  25. ^ Plummer, Dale (11 April 2011). "RAW: Edge calls it a career". Slam! Sports. Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved 12 April 2011. 
  26. ^ Plummer, Dale (2 May 2011). "RAW: Happy Birthday Rock". Slam! Sports. Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved 8 May 2011. 
  27. ^ Hillhouse, Dave (22 May 2011). "Over the Limit: Unpredictability makes for a good show". Slam! Sports. Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved 23 May 2011. 
  28. ^ Caldwell, James. "WWE News: Why Bourne vs. Sin Cara did not occur on Raw, WWE apologizes for error creating Bourne vs. Ryan match". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 13 January 2013. 
  29. ^ Martin, Adam (10 July 2011). "Update on Mason Ryan and his WWE status". WrestleView. Retrieved 19 December 2011. 
  30. ^ Tedesco, Mike (27 August 2011). "Injured WWE star makes his return". WrestleView. Retrieved 19 December 2011. 
  31. ^ a b Caldwell, James (8 September 2011). "Caldwell's WWE Superstars Report 9/8: Bryan dominates main event, Fox vs. Tamina, returns & TV debuts & squash matches". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 19 December 2011. 
  32. ^ Waldman, Jon (26 September 2011). "Raw: Building to the Cell". Slam! Sports. Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved 19 December 2011. 
  33. ^ Waldman, Jon (3 October 2011). "Raw: WWE roster walks out on HHH". Slam! Sports. Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved 19 December 2011. 
  34. ^ Bishop, Matt (18 October 2011). "Raw: JR gains measure of revenge, makes Cole tap". Slam! Sports. Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved 19 December 2011. 
  35. ^ Tylwalk, Nick (14 November 2011). "Raw: The Rock (and The Sock) return to electrify Boston". Slam! Sports. Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved 19 December 2011. 
  36. ^ Tylwalk, Nick (21 November 2011). "No swerves but plenty of Rock and Punk at Survivor Series". Slam! Sports. Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved 19 December 2011. 
  37. ^ "WWE matches wrestled by Mason Ryan during 2012". The Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved 27 December 2012. 
  38. ^ "WWE News: FCW name being phased out". Wrestling Observer. Retrieved August 14, 2012. 
  39. ^ James, Justin. "JAMES'S WWE NXT RESULTS 1/30: Tournament continues, Bo Dallas in main event, returns of Bateman, A-Ry & Mason Ryan". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 3 June 2013. 
  40. ^ James, Justin. "JAMES'S WWE NXT REPORT 5/15 & 5/22: El Generico debuts, O'Brian beats two NXT releases in same match, Bray Wyatt debuts mask, Natalya vs. Rae, more developments". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 3 June 2013. 
  41. ^ Trionfo, Richard (2013-05-29). "WWE NXT report: number one contender battle royal; big announcement from Stephanie McMahon; and more". Pro Wrestling Insider. Retrieved 2013-06-01. 
  42. ^ Santiago, Andres. "5/23 WWE NXT SPOILERS FROM FULL SAIL UNIVERSITY". PWInsider. Retrieved June 8. 
  43. ^ a b c Jones, Dion (19 October 2009). "Tremadog wrestler is off to the US to join WWE". Caernarfon Herald. Retrieved 11 August 2010. 
  44. ^ White, Kevin (26 August 2010). "Big Barri’s preparations for stardom". Caernarfon Herald. Retrieved 8 November 2010. 
  45. ^ "Sharing memories about Orig, with a smile and tears". S4C. Retrieved 26 April 2012. 
  46. ^ Evans, Dafydd (19 April 2012). "Mason Ryan yn perfformio yn ôl adre'". Newyddion, BBC Cymru. Retrieved 26 April 2012.  (Welsh)
  47. ^ Greenhouse, Debra (23 January 2009). "Goliath making waves on Gladiators". Daily Post (North Wales). Retrieved 11 August 2010. 
  48. ^ a b c d Namako, Jason. "WWE Superstars Results 12/8/11". Wrestleview. Retrieved 16 February 2012. 
  49. ^ a b c d Johnson, Mike. "11/18 THIS DAY IN HISTORY". PW Insider. Retrieved 14 January 2013. 
  50. ^ a b c d Trionfo, Richard. "WWE SUPERSTARS TV REPORT". PWInsider. Retrieved 14 January 2013. 
  51. ^ Namako, Jason. "WWE NXT Results - 6/6/13 (Wyatt Family vs. Ohno/Graves)". WrestleView. Retrieved June 10. 
  52. ^ Trionfo, Richard. "WWE NXT REPORT: SAMI ZAYN'S DEBUT IS NOT GENERIC; A FEUD THAT MOST WILL WANT TO SEE; MASON RYAN RETURNS; WYATT VERSUS GRAVES; BIG ANNOUNCEMENT AND BATTLE ROYAL NEXT WEEK". PWInsider. Retrieved May 24. 
  53. ^ Miller, Christian. "WWE NXT Recap: Women's Tournament Opening Round Begins, NXT Tag Titles Defended, More". Wrestling Inc. Retrieved June 8. 
  54. ^ DeNucci, Mike. "TOP 10 MOVES OF THE WEEK (1/17-1/23): Debut column ranks the top moves & moments of the past week in WWE & TNA". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 25 March 2012. 
  55. ^ a b Trionfo, Richard. "WWE SUPERSTARS REPORT: BATTLE OF SEASON TWO NXT PARTICIPANTS; REKS/RYAN; AND MAHAL/GABRIEL IN ACTION". PWInsider. Retrieved 14 January 2013. 
  56. ^ a b Trionfo, Richard. "WWE SUPERSTARS REPORT". PW Insider. Retrieved 14 January 2013. 
  57. ^ Trionfo, Richard. "WWE.COM SUPERSTARS REPORT: TYSON KIDD VERSUS TED DIBIASE; THE BRODUS CLAY DESTRUCTION TOUR CONTINUES; AND MORE". PWInsider. Retrieved 15 January 2013. 
  58. ^ a b c d Trionfo, Richard. "WWE NXT REPORT: FIRST ROUND OF TAG TEAM TOURNAMENT CONTINUES; DID SUMMER RAE MAKE THE BIGGEST MISTAKE OF HER NXT CAREER; AND MORE". PWInsider. Retrieved February 1, 2013. 
  59. ^ a b c Trionfo, Richard. "WWE SUPERSTARS REPORT: ROSA MENDES AND THOSE TWO GUYS SHE MANAGES IN ACTION; DIVAS OPEN THE SHOW". PWInsider. Retrieved 14 January 2013. 
  60. ^ Johnson, Mike. "Complete WWE Survivor Series Coverage". PWInsider. Retrieved 14 January 2013. 
  61. ^ Trionfo, Richard. "WWE NXT REPORT: SAMI ZAYN'S DEBUT IS NOT GENERIC; A FEUD THAT MOST WILL WANT TO SEE; MASON RYAN RETURNS; WYATT VERSUS GRAVES; BIG ANNOUNCEMENT AND BATTLE ROYAL NEXT WEEK". PWInsider. Retrieved May 24. 
  62. ^ Trionfo, Richard. "WWE NXT REPORT: SAMI ZAYN'S DEBUT IS NOT GENERIC; A FEUD THAT MOST WILL WANT TO SEE; MASON RYAN RETURNS; WYATT VERSUS GRAVES; BIG ANNOUNCEMENT AND BATTLE ROYAL NEXT WEEK". PWInsider. Retrieved May 24. 
  63. ^ Trionfo, Richard. "WWE NXT REPORT: SAMI ZAYN'S DEBUT IS NOT GENERIC; A FEUD THAT MOST WILL WANT TO SEE; MASON RYAN RETURNS; WYATT VERSUS GRAVES; BIG ANNOUNCEMENT AND BATTLE ROYAL NEXT WEEK". PWInsider. Retrieved May 24. 
  64. ^ Namako, Jason. "WWE NXT Results - 6/6/13 (Wyatt Family vs. Ohno/Graves)". WrestleView. Retrieved June 10. 
  65. ^ "Thanks for using...". The Heroes Lie. Retrieved 27 September 2011. 
  66. ^ ""PWI 500": 101–200". Pro Wrestling Illustrated. 8 August 2011. Retrieved 8 August 2011. 

External links[edit]

Portal icon Professional wrestling portal
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Mason Ryan
Members
See also
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mason_Ryan&oldid=559775283"