Josh Lewis (wrestler)

Josh Lewis
Birth name	Joshua Ryan Lewis
Born	(1975-08-27) August 27, 1975 Noblesville, Indiana
Residence	Indianapolis, Indiana
Website	https://www.facebook.com/josh.lewis.735
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)	Big Time Josh Lewis
Billed height	6'2"
Billed weight	265 lb (120 kg).
Billed from	Indianapolis, Indiana
Trained by	Rob Conway
Debut	2015

Joshua Ryan Lewis (born August 27, 1975), better known by his ring name " Big Time" Josh Lewis is a Professional wrestler and former National level competitive Bodybuilder currently wrestling for the National Wrestling Alliance. He has wrestled for several of the NWA's promotions including NWA Supreme, NWA Mid South, and NWA Circle City Wrestling.

Bodybuilding career

Josh Lewis has competed at the national level in several bodybuilding competitions throughout his career including 37 competitions for the National Physique Committee (NPC).^[1] He achieved 1st place in 14 of these competitions, including his most recent one in 2013, the NPC Southern Indiana Championships in Super Heavyweight weight class. He has also competed in 3 Arnold Classic competitions in 2009, 2010, and 2013.^[2]

Josh Lewis Competing at the Arnold Classic

Professional wrestling career (2015–present)

Beginning in 2001, Josh Lewis began training for a professional wrestling career in Heartland Wrestling Association under the tutelage of renowned professional wrestler and trainer, Les Thatcher. However, at a career crossroads, Lewis decided to move towards bodybuilding. It was at a bodybuilding event in Indiana that Lewis struck up a friendship with former WWE superstar Rob Conway who was then wrestling for the National Wrestling Alliance. Once Conway found out about Lewis's love for professional wrestling, he took him under his wing and trained him to become a wrestler. In 2015, Lewis made his debut with the National Wrestling Alliance. In just under a year's time, Lewis has become a multiple time champion, as well as competed for several National Wrestling Alliance championships as well. He has competed in NWA promotions including NWA Mid South,^[3] NWA Circle City Wrestling, and NWA Supreme.^[4] The first championship he held was the Wild Championship Wrestling Outlaws (WCWO) Tag Team Championship with Rob Conway. ^[5]

NWA Mid South

Josh Lewis made his debut with NWA Mid South, an NWA territory based out of Tennessee, in October 2015. In early 2016, he teamed with Jeremy Moore to take on former partner Rob Conway and "Loverboy" Matt Riviera, collectively known as The Iron Empire to challenge for the NWA World Tag Team Championship.^[6] It was during this time that he began feuding with Rob Conway. While in NWA Mid South, Lewis also challenged top NWA stars for championship gold. He challenged Tim Storm for the NWA North American Heavyweight Championship, as well as for the NWA National Heavyweight Championship against champion Greg Anthony.

Josh Lewis vs Greg Anthony for the NWA National Heavyweight Championship

NWA Circle City Wrestling

Josh Lewis also began competing in NWA Circle City Wrestling (NWA CCW) in early 2016. It is there where he had one of his most high profile matches when he teamed up with Dru Skillz to take on the team of "The Ironman" Rob Conway and former Total Nonstop Action Wrestling World Heavyweight Champion Abyss (wrestler).

Josh Lewis facing off against "The Ironman" Rob Conway

NWA Supreme

Josh Lewis made his debut with NWA Supreme, a promotion out of Madison, Indiana in October 2015. Making an immediate impact, Lewis faced off against NWA Supreme Heavyweight Champion The Texas Outlaw in his first match at Shawe Memorial High School. Lewis won this match by countout.^[7] Over the next few months, Lewis competed against many competitors from NWA Supreme such as the Red Dragon, Cody Matthews, Angus Barnett, and Van Martigan. On February 27, Josh Lewis was one of the last two men standing in a battle royal where the winners would face each other later in the show to win the brand new NWA Supreme United States Championship.

NWA Mid America Heavyweight Champion Josh Lewis

He went on to defeat one of NWA Supreme's top stars, "Custom Made" Eric Draven (Professional Wrestler) to win the new title. He would hold this championship until losing it to "Vivacious" Van Martigan at Supershine Showdown 2016 in May. He would regain the title on May 28 when Van Martigan passed out while in the Human Torture Rack. A week prior to this, he would win his second title while competing at NWA Supreme. "Custom Made" Eric Draven (Professional Wrestler) chose Josh Lewis when he needed a partner at Spring Stampede 2016 to face off against The Cross Brothers for the NWA Mid-America Tag Team Championships. Draven and Lewis won the titles, bringing them to NWA Supreme for the first time. The pair would go on to hold the titles until June 11 when they lost them to The King's Court. Josh Lewis faced off against NWA Supreme Heavyweight Champion Rob Conway in a champion vs champion match in August 2016. Lewis won this match by disqualification when Conway hit him with the NWA Supreme title.

On September 16th, 2016, Josh Lewis defeated "The Ironman" Rob Conway for The NWA Supreme Championship at Surviving the Steel. This was his first reign as Supreme Heavyweight Champion. On September 24th, 2016, Josh Lewis put both of his NWA sanctioned championships on line against NWA Mid-America Champion Johnny Justice. Josh won adding the very historic and prestigious championship to his accomplishments. On October 7th at NWA Supreme 3 Generations of Excellence, Josh lost the NWA Supreme Heavyweight Championship to Rob Conway. On November 5th, Josh Lewis lost the NWA Mid-America Heavyweight Championship to King Nicolas Noble.

Josh Lewis with the NWA Mid America, NWA Supreme Heavyweight, and NWA Supreme United States Championships

In wrestling

• Finishing Moves
  • Human Torture Rack
  • Catatonic Backbeaker (Swinging Backbreaker)

Signature Moves

• Powerslam
• Vertical suplex
• Press Slam
• Clothesline
• Knee lift
• Bear hug

Nicknames

• Big Time

Entrance Themes Used

• "Just Look at Me" by Jim Johnston (Current)
• "Requiem for a Tower, Movement 4" by Corner Stone Cues (When teaming with "Custom Made" Eric Draven)
• For Whom the Bell Tolls (Metallica song) (former)

Championships and accomplishments

Bodybuilding

• 2003 National Physique Committee Indiana Championships,Super-Heavyweight, 1st Place^[2]
• 2003 National Physique Committee Midwest Championships Heavyweight 3rd Place^[2]
• 2005 National Physique Committee Big Dust Classic 1st Place^[2]
• 2006 National Physique Committee Big Dust Classic 1st Place^[2]
• 2007 National Physique Committee Upper Ohio Valley 1st Place ^[1]
• 2007 National Physique Committee Mike Francois Classic Bodybuilding And Figure Contest 3rd Place.^[1]
• 2008 National Physique Committee Julie Palmers Ultimate Bodybuilding, Fitness & Figure Showdown 3rd Place.^[1]
• 2008 National Physique Committee Mike Francois Classic Bodybuilding & Figure Championships 3rd Place.^[1]
• 2008 National Physique Committee Kentucky Championships 1st Place
• 2011 National Physique Committee Northern Kentucky Bodybuilding, Figure & Bikini Championships 2nd Place.^[1]
• 2011 National Physique Committee Southern Indiana Bodybuilding Championship 1st Place.
• 2011 National Physique Committee Cincinnati Bodybuilding Championships 2nd Place
• 2012 National Physique Committee Julie Palmer Showdown 3rd Place.^[1]
• 2012 National Physique Committee Indianapolis Bodybuilding Competition 1st Place.
• 2012 National Physique Committee Indiana Championships, Super-Heavyweight, 1st Place.
• 2013 National Physique Committee Southern Indiana Championships 1st Place.

Pro wrestling

• National Wrestling Alliance
  • NWA Supreme Champion (1 Time)
  • NWA Supreme United States Championship (2 times) (Current)
  • NWA Mid-America Heavyweight Championship (1 Time)
  • NWA Mid-America Tag Team Championship (1 Time) w/ Eric Draven

• Wild Championship Wrestling Outlaws
  • WCWO Tag Team Champion (1 time) w/ Rob Conway

References