Austin Aries
| Dan Solwold | |
|---|---|
| File:Austin-aries.jpg | |
| Born | April 15, 1978 Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Austin Aries Dan "Casual" Sexon |
| Billed height | 5 ft 9 in (175 cm) |
| Billed weight | 215 lb (98 kg) |
| Trained by | Eddie Sharkey Terry Fox |
| Debut | November 11, 2000 |
Dan Solwold (born April 15, 1978 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin) is an American professional wrestler better known by his stage name Austin Aries. He is known as a well-rounded wrestler, employing a very explosive, at times high flying style, along with high-impact and ground-based techniques.
Early life
Aries grew up with three younger siblings in a middle class household in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Throughout his schooldays, he participated in football, wrestling and baseball. His prowess in the latter - Aries was a left-handed center field pitcher - eventually earned him several scholarships, and Aries began studying Communications at Winona State University in Winona, Minnesota, later changing his degree to Psychology. While in university, he subsidised his income by working as a bartender for the American Legion. He remained in university for several years before dropping out, and subsequently formed a band known as "Zeno's Revenge" (with Aries the lead singer) before deciding to become a professional wrestler.
Wrestling career
Aries began training under Eddie Sharkey and Terry Fox in 1998 and debuted on November 11, 2000, facing "Sheriff" Johnny Emerald. He wrestled in the midwest for several years before his east coast wrestling career was jumpstarted after he was booked to progress to the finals of the ECWA Super 8 Tournament, where he was defeated by Christopher Daniels.
Ring of Honor
From there, Aries joined Ring of Honor. Aries made his ROH main show debut at ROH: Reborn Stage 2 in Chicago Ridge, Illinois on April 24, 2004. Aries was unsuccessful, though, losing a four corner survival match also involving Jimmy Rave, Rocky Romero, and the winner, Nigel McGuinness. Aries was scheduled to return at the May 22 show, Generation Next, to compete in a one night series which would showcase young, upcoming ROH talent. Alex Shelley, however, hand-picked Aries, along with Roderick Strong and Jack Evans, as members of a new stable (also meant to promote young, upcoming ROH talent) who, instead of earning their spots, would simply take them. The group took the name Generation Next as their own, and went on a tear throughout the summer of 2004 against all sorts of ROH talent.
Aries captured the ROH World Heavyweight Championship on December 26, 2004, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by defeating the then-champion, Samoa Joe. After a six month string of non-stop defenses, many of which were international, Aries lost the championship to CM Punk on June 18, 2005. Aries then became the head trainer at the ROH wrestling school, replacing the former head trainer, CM Punk.
On December 17 in Edison, New Jersey at Final Battle 2005, Aries teamed with Strong to defeat Sal Rinauro and Tony Mamaluke for the ROH Tag Team Championships. The two would then disband Generation Next on June 6.
In a first time ever match, Aries took on Pro Wrestling NOAH star and former GHC Jr. Heavyweight champion KENTA in Chicago on June 24th, but was defeated following KENTA's Go 2 Sleep.
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
In July 2005, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling held an Internet poll to select an opponent for the TNA X Division Champion "The Fallen Angel" Christopher Daniels at their August 14 pay-per-view, TNA Sacrifice. Billed as an "Internet dream match", the poll offered voters the choice of Aries, Roderick Strong, Jay Lethal and Matt Sydal (none of whom were contracted to TNA or had even appeared with the company on a regular basis in the past). Aries won the poll by a landslide, and thus faced Daniels in a non-title match at Sacrifice, which he lost. Following the event, it was rumored that TNA officials had been impressed by Aries and were considering offering him a contract, and these rumors were seemingly substantiated when Aries faced and defeated Roderick Strong at TNA Unbreakable on September 11 in a "Showcase match".
On September 22, 2005, Aries announced on his website that he had received a contract offer from TNA, and intended to sign it. He has since become a regular member of the TNA roster, and has formed a stable with Roderick Strong and Alex Shelley. The fans have grown to call this group second coming of Generation Next, a title of the group that Aries, Strong and Shelly were in while in Ring of Honor.
In February 2006, he and Strong were both suspended for two months for arriving four hours late for the pay-per-view TNA Against All Odds (although they arrived in time for their scheduled match against The Naturals). This occurred because of Aries and Strong's decision to remain in Long Island for a ROH show, even though TNA summoned them to return to Florida because of the potential of a snowstorm.
Finishing and signature moves
- 450° Splash
- Rings of Saturn (Scissored armbar)
- Brainbuster
- Crucifix bomb
- Powerdrive elbow (Pendulum elbow drop)
- Fish Hook of Doom (Half surfboard fish hook)
- Heat Seeking Missile (Suicide dive)
- Macho Neck Snap (Over the top rope neck snap)
- Rolling fireman's carry slam
- Inverted rolling fireman's carry slam
- Corner leap over evasion into a forward roll to the opposite corner followed by a flying back elbow
- Handstand escape from a neck scissors followed by a dropkick to the sitting opponent
- High angle sidewalk slam
- Running corner dropkick
- Shin breaker to modified leg hook Saito suplex
- Slingshot back elbow to an opponent in a corner
- Slingshot corkscrew splash
Championships and accomplishments
- Mid-American Wrestling
- 1-time MAW Junior Heavyweight Champion
- Midwest Championship Wrestling
- 1-time MWCW Light Heavyweight Champion
- Midwest Independent Association of Wrestling
- 1-time MIAW Cruiserweight Champion
- Minnesota Independent Wrestling
- 1-time MIW Cruiserweight Champion
- National Wrestling Alliance
- 1-time NWA Midwest X-Division Champion (first)
- Neo Pro Wrestling
- 1-time Neo-Pro Cruiserweight Champion
- Pro Wrestling WAR
- 1-time PWW Heavyweight Champion
- Ring of Honor
- 1-time ROH World Heavyweight Champion
- 1-time ROH Tag Team Champion (with Roderick Strong) (current)
- Steel Domain Wrestling
- 1-time SDW Tag Team Champion (with Big Daddy Hoofer)
Championship succession
Personal life
Aries is currently dating female wrestler Lacey, who also originated in the Midwest and has since moved to the East Coast. He is a strict vegetarian and often posts pro-vegetarian facts on his website. His ring name is a combination of his star sign (Aries) and the first name of one of his favourite wrestlers when he was growing up (Austin Idol). He has a tattoo of the Chinese symbol for Aries on his arm, which is one of the distinguishing features he uses to claim that he and former persona Dan 'Casual' Sexon are in fact different people (the other being that he no longer has a mustache).