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*The voice featured on Heidenreich's theme song is that of [[Paul Heyman]].
*The voice featured on Heidenreich's theme song is that of [[Paul Heyman]].
*He is unbeaten at arm-wrestling within WWE.
*He is unbeaten at arm-wrestling within WWE.
*His father is the world renowned geographer, Ron Heidenreich.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Heidenreich, Jon}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Heidenreich, Jon}}
[[Category:1972 births]]
[[Category:1972 births]]

Revision as of 19:30, 23 April 2007

Jon Heidenreich
BornJune 28, 1972
Los Angeles, California
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)Big Jon Heidenreich
Big Bad Jon
Jon Heidenreich
Heidenreich
Billed height6 ft 5 in (196 cm)
Billed weight285 lb (125 kg)
Billed fromNew Orleans, Louisiana
Trained byUltimate Pro Wrestling
Debut2001

Jon Heidenreich, better known simply as Heidenreich (born June 28, 1972 in Los Angeles, California) is an American professional wrestler, currently working for the World Wrestling Council, Nu-Wrestling Evolution and making appearances on 1 Pro Wrestling wrestling as a part of NWE. He is probably best known for his stint with World Wrestling Entertainment.

Career

Early Career

Jon Heidenreich is an accomplished martial artist who began training at age six, earning his first-degree black belt at the age of 12. He also played professional football as an offensive lineman for 2 seasons (1994 and 1995) in the Canadian Football League for the Shreveport Pirates before playing for the Texas Terror of the Arena Football League (AFL) in 1996 and the Frankfurt Galaxy of NFL Europa in 1997. Curiously, the AFL lists his year of birth as 1969 and his hometown as Duluth, Georgia. Though he was signed by several National Football League (NFL) teams (New Orleans, Atlanta, and Washington) he never played an NFL league game, always getting cut in training camp. As such he does not appear on any NFL teams all-time roster.

After his departure from football, he was trained by the California-based Ultimate Pro Wrestling before he was first signed to a World Wrestling Federation (WWF-later WWE) developmental contract in 2001. After being released from the WWF he wrestled in Japan's Zero1-MAX promotion, where he won the NWA Intercontinental Tag Team Championship with Nathan Jones, and impressed WWE scouts, who re-signed him in 2003.

World Wrestling Entertainment

Heidenreich made his WWE debut on the September 29, 2003 episode of WWE RAW with a gimmick that had him first trying to secure a tryout on the different WWE brands, then being "controlled" by an entity known as "Little Johnny". Despite speculation as to Little Johnny's identity - Heidenreich's son, a doll similar to George "The Animal" Steele's "Mine," a split personality, or even Heidenreich's penis - the angle was dropped before being resolved. In an interview with WrestlingRadioNetwork [1], Heidenreich revealed that "Little Johnny" was actually meant to be his inner child who was angry at the world for being teased about his obesity, in an angle supposedly inspired by Heidenreich's own childhood.

Heidenreich and Undertaker wrestle a match in Iraq.

Heidenreich was then sent to Ohio Valley Wrestling to further hone his skills.

He returned to SmackDown! as a heel under the management of agent Paul Heyman. His new gimmick was as a psychopath: running in during random matches, attacking fans, and reciting hateful poetry. His first feud came against The Undertaker, and began after Heidenreich ran in during Undertaker's WWE Championship shot at No Mercy 2004. Undertaker beat Heidenreich at the next months Survivor Series, but again Heidenreich cost him a WWE Championship shot at Decembers Armageddon when he interfered in the main event fatal four way match not once, but twice.

At Survivor Series 2004, and at 2005's Royal Rumble, Heidenreich had encounters with like-minded psychotic from the RAW brand, Snitsky. During their brief Survivor Series meeting they exchanged their views on each other -- while breathing heavily, a mannerism they shared, Snitsky told Heidenreich "I like... your...poetry."; and Heidenreich replied "I...like what you do...to babies."-- referencing an earlier RAW storyline that had Snitsky accidentally cause the miscarriage of Lita's baby.

At 2005's Royal Rumble, Heidenreich broke out on his own and secretly partnered with Snitsky with Snitsky agreeing to interfere in Heidenreich's Casket Match with The Undertaker. During the match it was revealed that Kane was hidden in the casket, and pounced on both Snitsky and Heidenreich, where they continued their fight in the crowd, before letting the Casket Match continue with Heidenreich losing. This started a chain reaction of feuds, originally planned to lead to a match at WrestleMania 21 in which The Undertaker would partner with Kane to take on Snitsky and Heidenreich. This idea was later nixed by The Undertaker, who instead fought Randy Orton.

After a short feud with Booker T, Heidenreich turned face, altering his psychotic gimmick to become a more sympathetic character, similar to Frankenstein in the James Whale films. Calling them "disasterpieces", his poetry became more light-hearted and began receiving cheers from the crowd.

Heidenreich was then given a segment on SmackDown! in which he "made friends" with audience members, read them a piece of his poetry and had them to stand in his corner during his match.

File:HeidenreichAnimal.jpg
Road Warrior Heidenreich and Road Warrior Animal as the WWE Tag Team Champions.

Heidenreich went on from the man of poetry to feuding with MNM (Melina Perez, Johnny Nitro, and Joey Mercury) after they attacked him while he was eating chocolate with the divas, during an event in Hershey, Pennsylvania. After being attacked week in and week out on Smackdown!, he was finally helped out by Road Warrior Animal. Animal and Heidenreich then challenged MNM to a match at the 2005 Great American Bash, where they defeated them to win the WWE Tag Team Championship, Heidenreich's only WWE championship.

On the July 28, 2005, episode of SmackDown!, Heidenreich shaved his hair into a mohawk at Animal's request -- with (kayfabe) reluctance. After Animal convinced him he wasn't looking for a "replacement" for Road Warrior Hawk, but simply a partner with talent, Animal talked him into wearing face paint and, on the August 18 SmackDown!, he was made an "official" member of the Legion of Doom and presented with a pair of Road Warrior Spikes. Heidenreich and Animal lost the tag titles back to MNM on the October 28 edition of SmackDown!.

On January 17, 2006 WWE released a statement on their website, WWE.com, announcing that they had come to terms with Heidenreich on a release from his contract. According to him, he did not request his release. He claims that he was not given an explanation for his release and was fired despite working ill at house shows.

Independent Circuit

After his WWE release Heidenreich started competing for independent promotions, occasionally wearing full Legion of Doom face paint and shoulder pads. In mid to late 2006, Heidenreich joined TNT Pro Wrestling. After debuting, he won the TNT Tag Team Championship with former bitter rival and fellow former WWE superstar Orlando Jordan. They held the titles until TNT Pro Wrestling folded in early 2007.

World Wrestling Council

Heidenreich moved on to World Wrestling Council, where he defeated Abbad on October 28, 2006 to win the WWC Universal Heavyweight Championship, the top title in the Puerto Rico based promotion. Two months later he lost the title to Carlito at the Event Lockout. However, he was given the title back when Carlito was stripped of the title due to Carlito's contractual compromises with World Wrestling Entertainment. He lost the title a second time to Eddie Colón, Carlito's brother, on January 6, 2007.

In wrestling

  • Finishing & Signature Moves
With Road Warrior Animal

Managers


Championships and Accomplishments

  • AWA-KY/BCW World Heavyweight Champion (1 time)
  • NWA Mid-Florida Heavyweight Champion (1 time)

Personal Life

  • Heidenreich has numerous tattoos, including a devil on his left chest.
  • In late August 2005 Heidenreich's family was stranded in Louisiana when Hurricane Katrina hit the area, he was unable to contact them and had begun a search to find them. He finally made contact with his wife, kids, and father on September 6, 2005.
  • The voice featured on Heidenreich's theme song is that of Paul Heyman.
  • He is unbeaten at arm-wrestling within WWE.
  • His father is the world renowned geographer, Ron Heidenreich.