James Ellsworth (wrestler)

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This article is about the professional wrestler. For other people with the same name, see James Ellsworth (disambiguation).
James Ellsworth
Birth nameJacob Ellsworth Moody[1]
Born (1984-12-11) December 11, 1984 (age 39)[1]
Baltimore, Maryland,
United States[1]
Children2[citation needed]
FamilyChris Nightmare[citation needed]
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)James Ellsworth[1]
Jacob "Jake" Moody[1]
Billed height5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[2]
Billed weight176 lb (80 kg)[1]
Trained byAxl Rotten[1]
DebutJune 5, 2002[1]

James Ellsworth "Jimmy" Morris (born December 11, 1984) is an American professional wrestler and promoter currently signed to WWE, where he performs under the ring name James Ellsworth on the SmackDown brand.[3] He is a member of the stable The Welcoming Committee. Morris has also competed on the independent circuit under the ring name "Pretty" Jimmy Dream.[1]. He is currently Miss Money in the Bank after retrieving the briefcase during the Money in the Bank (2017) pay-per-view ladder match.

Early life

Morris was born in Baltimore, Maryland.[1] He trained under Axl Rotten.[1]

Professional wrestling career

Independent circuit (2002–2016)

Throughout most of his career, Morris has performed on the independent circuit under the ring name "Pretty" Jimmy Dream, often as part of a tag team with Adam Ugly as The Pretty Ugly.[4] The duo have won several regional championships throughout the Northeastern United States, including American Combat Wrestling, Big Time Wrestling, and First State Championship Wrestling.[5] Pretty Ugly debuted in 302 Pro Wrestling at their first show.[6] In 2006, Morris made his Combat Zone Wrestling (CZW) debut at CZW Tournament of Death V teaming with Drew Gulak on a losing end to BLKOUT (Ruckus and Robbie Mireno).[7] Morris returned to CZW again in 2009, losing to Jon Dahmer in a battle royal.[8] In 2009 at Covey Promotions All Or Nothing 3, Morris defeated Draven, Thomas Rodriguez and Crazii Shea in a four-way ladder match to become the Covey Promotions Cruiserweight Champion.[9] Morris dropped the championship at CP Hot and Bothered 2009 to Crazii Shea.[10] He won the Cruiserweight title in 2009.

On June 4, 2016, Pretty Ugly won a tournament to be crowned the inaugural 302 Pro Wrestling Tag Team Champions by defeating The Dub Boys and Riot City's Most Wanted in the tournament finals.[11] Morris also runs a professional wrestling promotion known as Adrenaline Championship Wrestling (ACW), which was founded in September 2009.[12]

WWE

Early appearances (2014–2016)

Prior to his initial WWE run, Morris appeared a couple of times as one of Adam Rose's "Rosebuds" whenever the company came into the Baltimore area.[13] Morris, as James Ellsworth, had his first WWE singles match on the July 25, 2016 episode of Raw as an enhancement talent, being quickly defeated by Braun Strowman.[14] Ellsworth gained some praise and subsequently developed a cult following due to his meek appearance and enthusiastic pre-match promo, in which he declared that "any man with two hands has a fighting chance" before being easily defeated by Strowman.[15]

Storyline with Dean Ambrose & AJ Styles (2016–2017)

Ellsworth resurfaced in the main event of the September 13 episode of SmackDown Live as the mystery tag team partner for WWE World Champion AJ Styles against Dean Ambrose and John Cena, only to be attacked by Intercontinental Champion The Miz (his replacement in the actual match) as he walked down to the ring.[16][17] On the October 11 episode of SmackDown Live, Ellsworth was chosen by Styles as his opponent in a non-title match, but SmackDown general manager Daniel Bryan made Ambrose the special guest referee for the match, stating that Ambrose was to be treated with the same level of respect as a regular WWE referee and that if Styles put his hands on Ambrose, he would be disqualified and suspended.[18] Ambrose favored Ellsworth during the match due to his rivalry with Styles, culminating in Ambrose attacking Styles and allowing Ellsworth to win.[19] Ellsworth was granted a WWE World Championship match the following week on the October 18 episode of SmackDown Live, with Ambrose serving as the timekeeper and ring announcer (Ellsworth won the match by disqualification, but not the title).[20] Ellsworth continued to be involved in Styles' rivalry with Ambrose, as he felt that he owed Ambrose a favor due to his support and aiding him in his matches with Styles, offering Ambrose assistance, but this backfired on the October 25 episode of SmackDown Live, when Ellsworth (at ringside to cheer Ambrose on during his match with Styles) accidentally cost Ambrose the match after executing No Chin Music on Styles, meaning Ambrose was disqualified.[21] On the November 1 episode of SmackDown Live, Ellsworth would attempt to apologize to Ambrose, who would kick Ellsworth out of the building.[22] Ellsworth would nonetheless interfere in the rematch, being chased around by security, distracting Styles and allowing Ambrose to win an opportunity for the title.[23] SmackDown commissioner Shane McMahon also named Ellsworth the SmackDown mascot for the 2016 Survivor Series match on the November 8 episode of SmackDown Live.[24][25]

Ellsworth (laying down) after being defeated by AJ Styles for the WWE Championship on SmackDown Live

During Survivor Series on November 20, Ellsworth hid under the ring and grabbed Braun Strowman's leg to prevent him from getting back in the ring, resulting in Strowman getting eliminated by countout, only for Strowman to chase Ellsworth up the ramp and put him through a table, injuring his neck.[26] After legitimately signing a WWE contract, this was worked into a storyline on the 22 November episode of SmackDown Live, when Styles goaded the injured Ellsworth to face him in a ladder match for the right to be a SmackDown superstar with his contract suspended above the ring; Ellsworth agreed, but wanted another shot at the WWE World Championship should he win the match.[27] That night, Ellsworth defeated Styles to win a SmackDown contract, due to Ambrose (who was given the night off) helping Ellsworth yet again.[28][29] On the 29 November episode of SmackDown Live, Ellsworth suffered a storyline injury after Styles interrupted his Ambrose Asylum's segment with Ambrose, attacking both and delivering a Styles Clash to Ellsworth off the steel steps, which caused Ellsworth to be taken on a stretcher by medical personnel.[30] This led Ellsworth interfering on December 4 at TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs during the Tables, Ladders and Chairs between Styles and Ambrose to help the latter, but he ended up helping Styles instead by pushing Ambrose off the ladder and sent him through two tables, turning heel.[31] Ellsworth explained that since he had already beaten Styles three times, he helped Styles because he wanted to defeat him again, this time for the WWE World Championship, a match SmackDown's commissioner Shane McMahon granted him for the following episode of SmackDown Live.[32] Ellsworth also praised his own "brilliant strategy" to give Styles the title so his title match would be against Styles, who he had "beaten three times already", adding that Ambrose would have "done the same thing" and would "understand 'cause we go way back", also promising him an immediate shot at the title after he would defeat Styles, but Ambrose would instead end up giving him a Dirty Deeds.[33] This prompted Ellsworth trying to make it up with Ambrose by helping him defeat The Miz for the Intercontinental Championship on the December 6 episode of SmackDown Live, but his effort backfired and eventually cost Ambrose the match.[33] Furthemore, Ellsworth's title opportunity was twice postponed, first due to Styles being legitimate injured,[33] and the second time due to Ellsworth suffering from a kayfabe cold.[34] The match eventually happened on the December 20 episode of SmackDown Live, during which Styles easily defeated Ellsworth in under a minute to end their storyline.[35]

Relationship with Carmella (2017–present)

After he was defeated by AJ Styles, Ellsworth was seen by medical staff and was comforted by Carmella, who professed that she found him "uniquely attractive" and also stated that size does not always matter.[36] On January 3, 2017 episode of SmackDown Live, Ellsworth started accompanying Carmella to the ring for her matches, helping her win them; both appeared on Talking Smack the same night.[37] At the 2017 Royal Rumble pay-per-view event on January 29, Ellsworth entered at number 11 and was quickly eliminated by Braun Strowman after being in the Royal Rumble match for 15 seconds.[38] Throughout the months of January and February, Ellsworth appeared in various backstage segments with Carmella along with accompanying her to her matches, often helping Carmella win by distracting her opponents.[39] At Elimination Chamber on February 12, Ellsworth appeared with Carmella watching the event from a luxury box.[40] On the February 28 episode of SmackDown Live, Ellsworth and Carmella would confront John Cena and Nikki Bella during a backstage interview, where Cena and Bella would challenge Ellsworth and Carmella to a intergender tag team match for the next weeks episode of SmackDown Live, which Cena and Bella won.[41] Ellsworth made his WrestleMania debut at WrestleMania 33 managing Carmella in the Six Pack Challenge for the Smackdown Women's Championship won by Naomi.[42][43] On April 25, Carmella and Ellsworth formed an alliance with Natalya and the returning Tamina, interfering in a SmackDown Women's Championship match between Charlotte Flair and Naomi, which ended in a no-contest as a result.[44] On the May 16 episode of SmackDown, Carmella scored a victory over Naomi in a non-title match via distraction from Ellsworth.[45] Dubbed The Welcoming Committee, the team of Carmella, Natalya, and Tamina managed by Ellsworth competed in a six-woman tag team match against Flair, Lynch, and Naomi at Backlash, where the Welcoming Committee was victorious.[46] At the Money In the Bank pay-per-view, Ellsworth helped Carmella win the first ever Women's Money in the Bank ladder match, by climbing the ladder, unhooking the briefcase himself, and dropping it into Carmella's arms.

Personal life

Morris resides in Glen Burnie, Maryland.[1] He is a fan of The Offspring, having a tattoo of their logo on his left arm and the artwork of their 2008 album Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace on his right arm.[47] Ellsworth has two daughters and is associated with fellow professional wrestling step-brother, Chris Nightmare.[1]

In wrestling

Championships and accomplishments

  • 302 Pro Wrestling
    • 302 Pro Wrestling Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Adam Ugly[54]
  • Adrenaline Championship Wrestling
    • ACW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Adam Ugly[55]
  • Covey Promotions
    • CP Cruiserweight Championship (1 time)[56]
  • First State Championship Wrestling
    • 1CW Tag Team World Championship (2 times) – with Adam Ugly (1) and Reggie Reg (1)
  • Maximum Championship Wrestling
    • MCW Crusierweight Championship (4 times)
  • Power Pro Wrestling
    • PPW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Adam Ugly
  • Ultra Championship Wrestling
    • UCW Heavyweight Championship (3 times)
    • Dominic Denucci Tournament (2011)

References

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  2. ^ "James Ellsworth". WWE.com. Retrieved November 23, 2016.
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  51. ^ Palowski, Alex (February 8, 2017). "Off Track with A-Train: Daniel Bryan Thinks James Ellsworth Is Secretly Packing A "Big Hog"". Fightful. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
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  53. ^ "WWE: Fabulous (Carmella) - Single". iTunes. April 30, 2016.
  54. ^ "302 Tag Team Championship". Cagematch. Retrieved November 1, 2016.
  55. ^ Dream, Jimmy. "ACW Tag Team Champions". James Ellsworth. Retrieved January 7, 2017.
  56. ^ "CP Cruiserweight Championship". Cagematch. Retrieved November 1, 2016.

External links

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