Steven Lewington
Steven Lewington | |
---|---|
![]() Lewington inHodgenville, Kentuckyin February 2007 | |
Birth name | Steven Paul Lewingston |
Born | [1] Wokingham,Berkshire,England[1] | 25 February 1983
Professional wrestling career | |
Ring name(s) | Bronson DJ Gabriel Gabriel[1] Jack Gabriel[1] Mr. FCW[2] Steve Lewington[1] Steve Sonic[1] |
Billed height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)[1] |
Billed weight | 174 lb (79 kg; 12.4 st)[1] |
Billed from | Wokingham, Berkshire, England Preston, England |
Debut | 2004[1] |
Retired | 2010 |
Steven Paul Lewington[1](born 25 February 1983)[1]is an Englishprofessional wrestler.He is best known for his time inWorld Wrestling Entertainment,where he performed under thering nameDJ Gabrielon theECWbrand. Lewington currently wrestles independently as"The Swole-verine" Bronson.
Professional wrestling career
[edit]All Star Wrestling and Ohio Valley Wrestling (2003–2005)
[edit]After graduating from Senior School Sixth Form at the Forest School Winnersh, Lewington attended Farnborough College of Technology where he earned aHigher National DiplomainAeronautical Engineering.
After developing an interest inprofessional wrestling,however, Lewington applied and was accepted to attend anOhio Valley Wrestling(OVW) tryout inAmericabetween 23 and 28 February 2003. Lewington's official training began 8 months later in the beginners' class at the Old Davis arena.
Lewington would return to England in late 2004 where he would work withAll Star Wrestling.Throughout early 2005, Lewington would train and appear with ASW as well as becoming the subject of an episode ofUKTV People'sSecret Life of the Gym.
World Wrestling Entertainment (2005–2010)
[edit]While WWE was touring England in 2005, Lewington would make three appearances on its main programming, once as ajobberonCarlito'sCabana interview segment, again as a jobber toKurt Angleafter Angle disrespected England and once as part of the WWE security squad that helped keep the warringRawandSmackDown!wrestlers apart.[3]Other British wrestlers includingRobbie Brooksideand Thunder were a part of the security team.
After his appearances in WWE programming in 2005, Lewington stayed in the United Kingdom to compete for theAll Star Wrestling(ASW) promotion, under thering nameSteve Sonic.[1]On 17 January 2006 inCroydon,Sonic facedDrew McDonaldin aladder matchfor theASW British Heavyweight Championship,and won. Sonic would remain champion for several months before relinquishing the title to return to WWE's developmental promotion in July 2006.
Developmental territories (2006–2008)
[edit]During April 2006, WWE would once again tour England allowing Lewington to make another appearance onRawon 24 April, losing toUmaga.[4]His performance in this match would earn Lewington a developmental deal.[1]After receiving his contract, Lewington was sent to OVW and formed a tag team called "Terminal Velocity" with Chet the Jett.[1][5]AfterFlorida Championship Wrestling(FCW) opened, however, Terminal Velocity was moved down to the new territory. After a brief run in FCW, Terminal Velocity was called back up to OVW and won theOVW Southern Tag Team Championshipfor the first time, giving Lewington the first tag team championship of his career. On 26 September 2007, Lewington and Chet lost the championship to The James Boys (KC JamesandKassidy James).[6]After their title loss, both members of Terminal Velocity were moved back down to FCW. After their return to FCW, however, Terminal Velocity split up when Chet renamed himself Mariouz Jablonski and developed anin-ring personabased on hisPolishancestry.
Lewington later began teaming withHeath Millerand both advanced to the finals of a tournament to crown the inauguralFCW Florida Tag Team Champions,but they were defeated by The Puerto Rican Nightmares (Eddie ColónandEric Pérez).[7]Lewington and Miller defeated Brandon Groom and Greg Jackson and The Thoroughbreds (Johnny Curtisand Kevin Kiley) en route to the finals.[8][9]On 4 March 2008 he changed his name to "Jack Gabriel".
ECW (2008–2009)
[edit]On 18 November 2008, Lewington made his debut as afaceinECW,under the ring name "DJ Gabriel", with a dancing persona, and was managed byAlicia Fox.[10]He defeated local wrestlerSal Rinauroin his debut match for the brand. Over the next weeks, he defeated several jobbers, before defeatingPaul Burchillon the last episode ofECWin 2008.[11]On 13 January 2009 episode ofECW,Gabriel and Fox defeated The Burchills, Paul andKatie Lea,in a mixed tag team match.[12]On 24 February, Lewington suffered hisECWfirst loss since coming to the brand againstMark Henry.[13]Several weeks later Gabriel lost toTyson Kiddin a singles match, which was his last televised match on the brand. On 15 April 2009, Fox returned to the SmackDown brand as a part of the2009 Supplemental Draft,leaving Gabriel on his own.[14]
Departure (2009–2010)
[edit]After Fox returned to SmackDown, Lewington was sent back to FCW and developed a new character of a "true British man", while his ring name was tweaked to simply Gabriel. After losing a match and,in storyline,being suspended from FCW, Lewington then began wrestling under amaskas Mr. FCW.[2]Lewington would eventually "win" back his place on the FCW roster, and would alternate between his Gabriel and Mr. FCW characters before being released from his contract in January 2010.[15]
Independent circuit (2010)
[edit]After leaving WWE, Lewington continued the DJ Gabriel gimmick working for American Combat Wrestling in Florida from March to April 2010. He retired afterwards.
Championships and accomplishments
[edit]- All Star Wrestling
- Ohio Valley Wrestling
- OVW Southern Tag Team Championship(1 time) – with Chet the Jet[17]
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
References
[edit]- ^abcdefghijklmn"Steve Lewington Profile".Online World of Wrestling.Retrieved5 February2011.
- ^abMartin, Adam (2 November 2009)."News and notes on WWE's FCW".WrestleView.Retrieved2 November2009.
- ^"WWE SmackDown! Results – April 28, 2005".Online World of Wrestling. 28 April 2005.Retrieved25 March2009.
- ^Plummer, Dale (25 April 2006)."Raw: Getting into the Backlash Spirit".Slam! Sports. Archived from the original on 16 July 2012.Retrieved20 March2009.
{{cite web}}
:CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^Buescher, Josh (21 April 2007)."April 21, 2007–Ohio Valley Wrestling in Cincinnati, Ohio".Online World of Wrestling.Retrieved22 June2009.
- ^"September 26, 2007–OVW TV Tapings in Louisville, Kentucky".Online World of Wrestling. 26 September 2007.Retrieved22 June2009.
- ^"February 23, 2008–Florida Championship Wrestling in New Port Richey, Florida at the Jewish Community Center".Online World of Wrestling. 23 February 2008.Retrieved22 June2009.
- ^"February 19, 2008 FCW results"(in German). Cagematch.de. 19 February 2008.Retrieved21 February2008.
- ^"February 23, 2008 FCW results"(in German). Cagematch.de. 23 February 2008.Retrieved24 February2008.
- ^Burdick, Michael (18 November 2008)."Survivor showdown".World Wrestling Entertainment.Retrieved28 November2008.
- ^Bishop, Matt (30 December 2008)."ECW: Hardy, Henry renew rivalry".Slam! Sports.Canadian Online Explorer.Archived from the original on 1 August 2012.Retrieved8 February2009.
{{cite web}}
:CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^Bishop, Matt (13 January 2009)."ECW: Jack Swagger, the new face of Extreme".Slam! Sports.Canadian Online Explorer.Archived from the original on 29 June 2012.Retrieved8 February2009.
{{cite web}}
:CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^Bishop, Matt (24 February 2009)."ECW: Christian goes for Swagger's silver".Slam! Sports.Canadian Online Explorer.Archived from the original on 16 July 2012.Retrieved2 March2009.
{{cite web}}
:CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^"2009 WWE Supplemental Draft results".World Wrestling Entertainment.15 April 2009.Retrieved15 April2009.
- ^Meltzer, Dave(9 January 2010)."SAT. UPDATE: Doc funeral, Southern star passes away; wrestling wedding & engagement; Lesnar; Foley".Wrestling Observer/Figure Four Online.Retrieved10 January2010.
Steve Lewington (D.J. Gabriel) was released by WWE.
- ^"British Heavyweight Championship history".
- ^"OVW Southern Tag Team Championship history".Archived fromthe originalon 1 July 2009.
- ^"Complete PWI 500 list for 2008".Pro Wrestling Illustrated.Wrestling Inc. Archived fromthe originalon 21 October 2008.Retrieved27 August2008.