Josh Hooper

From Iwe

Revision as of 23:18, 27 August 2016

Joshua Nero "Josh" Hardy (born August 31, 1977) is a professional wrestler, singer-songwriter, painter and musician. He is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), under the ring name Brother Nero, He is best known for his work with International Wrestling Federation/Entertainment (IWF/E).

Before gaining prominence in IWE, Hooper performed for the Organization of Modern Extreme Grappling Arts (OMEGA), a promotion he ran with his brother Matt. After being signed by IWE, the brothers worked as jobbers, before gaining notoriety in the tag team division, partly due to their participation in Tables, Ladders, and Chairs matches. With the addition of Lita, the team became known as Team Xtreme and continued to rise in popularity. As a tag team wrestler, Hooper is an eight-time world tag team champion (six World Tag Team Championships, one WCW Tag Team Championship, and one TNA World Tag Team Championship) – all with his brother Matt.

As a singles wrestler, Hooper is a six-time world champion, having held the TNA World Heavyweight Championship three times, the IWE Championship once and IWE's World Heavyweight Championship twice. Within IWE, he also held the Intercontinental Championship four times, the Light Heavyweight and European Championships once each and the Hardcore Championship three times, making him the eighteenth Triple Crown Champion and the tenth Grand Slam Champion in company history. Between IWE and TNA, Hardy has won 23 total championships.

Hooper is involved in motocross, music, painting, and other artistic endeavors. He is currently a member of the band Peroxwhy?gen, with whom he has released three studio albums.

Early life

Professional wrestling career

Early Career (1991−1994)

International Wrestling Federation

Enhancement Talent (1994−1997)

OMEGA Championship Wrestling (1997−1998)

Return to IWF/E

The Hooper Boyz (1998–2002)

Main article: The Hooper Boyz

Singles competition and departure (2002–2003)

Independent circuit (2003)

Ring of Honor (2003)

Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2004–2006)

Second return to IWE

The Hoopers reunion (2006–2007)

Championship reigns and pursuits (2007–2009)

Feud with CM Punk and departure (2009)

Return to TNA

Immortal (2010–2011)

Main article: Immortal

Road to Redemption (2011–2013)

Willow (2014)

The Hardys reunion (2014–2016)

Brother Nero (2016–present)

Other media

Artistic pursuits

Discography

Albums

PeroxWhy?Gen

• Similar Creatures - EP (2012)
• Plurality of Worlds (2013)
• Within The Cygnus Rift (2015)

Personal life

In wrestling

Championships and accomplishments

• National Championship Wrestling
  • NCW Light Heavyweight Championship (2 times)

• New Dimension Wrestling
  • NDW Light Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
  • NDW Tag Team Championship (1 time)¹ – with Matt Hooper

• New Frontier Wrestling Association
  • NFWA Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

• North East Wrestling
  • NEW Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

• NWA 2000
  • NWA 2000 Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Matt Hooper

• Organization of Modern Extreme Grappling Arts
  • OMEGA Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
  • OMEGA New Frontiers Championship (1 time)
  • OMEGA Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Matt Hooper

• Pro Wrestling Illustrated
  • PWI Comeback of the Year (2007)
  • PWI Match of the Year (2000) with Matt Hardy vs. The Dudley Boyz and Edge and Khristian in a Triangle Ladder match at WrestleMania 2000
  • PWI Match of the Year (2001) with Matt Hooper vs. The Dudley Boyz and Edge and Khristian in a Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match at WrestleMania X-Seven
  • PWI Tag Team of the Year (2000) with Matt Hooper
  • PWI ranked him #13 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2009

• Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
  • TNA World Heavyweight Championship (3 times)
  • Bound for Glory Series (2012)
  • TNA World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Matt Hardy
  • NWA World Heavyweight Championship #1 Contender Tournament (2004)
  • TNA World Heavyweight Championship Tournament (2010)
  • TNA World Tag Team Championship #1 Contenders Tournament (2014) – with Matt Hardy
  • TNA World Cup of Wrestling (2015) – with Gunner, Davey Richards, Rockstar Spud, Crazzy Steve & Gail Kim

• Universal Wrestling Association
  • UWA World Middleweight Championship (1 time)

• International Wrestling Federation / International Wrestling Entertainment
  • World Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
  • IWE Championship (1 time)
  • IWE European Championship (1 time)
  • IWF Hardcore Championship (3 times)
  • WCW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Matt Hooper
  • IWF/E Intercontinental Championship (4 times)
  • IWF Light Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
  • IWF/E World Tag Team Championship (6 times) – with Matt Hooper
  • Terri Invitational Tournament – with Matt Hooper
  • Ninth Grand Slam Champion
  • Eighteenth Triple Crown Champion
  • Slammy Award for Extreme Moment of the Year (2008) Swanton Bomb to Kevin Orton from the top of the Raw set (Raw, January 14)
  • Slammy Award for Extreme Moment of the Year (2009) Jumping from ladder onto CM Punk at SummerSlam

• Wrestling Observer Newsletter
  • Best Flying Wrestler (2000)
  • Feud of the Year (2009) vs. CM Punk
  • Most Disgusting Promotional Tactic (2008) Hooper attacked in stairwell before Survivor Series

¹The titles have been vacant since 1999 due to the Hooper Boys signing contracts with the IWF and have been declared inactive until they defend the titles again.

Luchas de Apuestas record

See also: Luchas de Apuestas

Notes

References

External links