Josh Hooper
From Iwe
| Josh Hooper | |
 Hooper in 2011 | |
| Ring name(s) | Galaxion Gladiator The Iceman Josh Hooper Mean Jimmy Jack Willow the Whisp Wolverine |
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
| Weight | 215 lb (98 kg) |
| Billed height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Billed weight | 215 lb (98 kg) |
| Born | August 31, 1977 (age 34) Cameron, North Carolina |
| Resides | Raleigh, North Carolina |
| Billed from | Cameron, North Carolina |
| Trained by | Dory Funk, Jr. Michael Hayes |
| Debut | October 15, 1993 |
Josh 'Nero' Hooper (born August 31, 1977) is an American professional wrestler, who is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), where he is the current TNA World Heavyweight Champion on his third reign. He is also known for his stint with the International Wrestling Federation/Entertainment (IWE), where he was a two–time World Heavyweight Champion and a one–time IWE Champion.
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 Nicole, the team became known as Team Xtreme and continued to rise in popularity. As a tag team wrestler, Hooper is a six-time World Tag Team Champion and a one-time WCW Tag Team Champion.
Hooper has also experienced success as a singles wrestler and is a five-time world champion, having held the IWE Championship once, the World Heavyweight Championship twice and the TNA World Heavyweight Championship twice, a four-time Intercontinental Champion, and has held the Light Heavyweight, and European Championships once each. He is also a former Hardcore Champion, having held the championship on three occasions. Between IWE and TNA, Hooper has won 21 total championships. He received his first major main event push towards the end of 2007, including challenging for the IWE Championship at the Royal Rumble in 2008, and eventually won the IWE Championship at the Armageddon pay-per-view in December 2008. Hooper went on to win the World Heavyweight Championship twice, before he left IWE in mid-2009. He returned to TNA in January 2010, and in October of that year, he won the TNA World Heavyweight Championship for the first time. Moreover, Hooper is involved in motocros, music, painting, and other artistic endeavors.
Contents
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Early life
Professional wrestling career
Early career
International Wrestling Federation/Entertainment
The Hooper Boyz (1998–2002)
- Main article: Hooper Boyz
Singles competition (2002–2003)
Various storylines and departure (2003)
Independent circuit (2003)
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2004–2006)
Return to International Wrestling Entertainment
Raw; Intercontinental Champion (2006)
The Hoopers reunion (2006–2007)
Main event status and departure (2007–2009)
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling return
Early storylines (2010)
Immortal and World Heavyweight Champion (2010–2011)
Road to Redemption (2011–present)
Other media
Artistic pursuits
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 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
- 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 McAlmond from the top of the Raw set (Raw, January 14)
- Slammy Award for Extreme Moment of the Year (2009) Jumping from ladder onto Justin Eldridge at SummerSlam
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter
- Best Flying Wrestler (2000)
- Feud of the Year (2009) vs. Justin Eldridge
- 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.
