Alastair Ralphs
Encyclopedia
Alastair Charles Ralphs (born May 22, 1977), better known as A-1 (sometimes spelled as A1), is a Canadian
professional wrestler
and former bodybuilder
.
at the age of five. He later moved to Windsor, Ontario
to attend the University of Windsor
, but was forced to drop out due to financial issues.
in the Can-Am Wrestling School, and debuted in D'Amore's Border City Wrestling
promotion in 2001. After spending three years as an undercard talent
, Ralphs became A-1, a cocky, arrogant heel
, forming an alliance with Johnny Swinger
. He defeated D'Lo Brown for the BCW Heavyweight Championship on December 12, 2004 in Belleville, Michigan
at "A Night of Appreciation for Sabu
".
On January 23, 2005 at New Year's Revolution, Ralphs interrupted the Hall of Fame induction ceremony, complaining that he was being overshadowed by older wrestlers. Scott D'Amore responded with a jibe aimed at Ralph's previous career as a bodybuilder
, leading to a brawl between Ralphs and D'Amore. Following a distraction from Jade, A-1 was able to powerbomb D'Amore through a table. Ralphs went on to retain the heavyweight title in a match with Abyss
, using Abyss's own chain to knock him unconscious.
Ralphs lost the BCW Heavyweight Championship to Bobby Roode on July 22, 2005. In the course of his reign as champion he faced well-known veterans such as Jim Neidhart
and King Kong Bundy
.
, losing to Sabu. He reappeared on March 13, 2005 as a member of Team Canada
, replacing the injured Johnny Devine
at Destination X 2005 and teaming with Bobby Roode, Eric Young
and Petey Williams
to face Chris Harris
, James Storm
, B.G. James
and Konnan
. He wrestled on TNA Impact!
throughout April and May 2005, teaming
with other members of Team Canada or accompanying them to the ring.
At Hard Justice
on May 15, Ralphs took part in the Gauntlet for the Gold
. He entered at number six and was eliminated by The Outlaw
and B.G. James.
During his tenure with Team Canada, he was typically made fun of for his ring name, with fans typically bringing bottles of A1 Steak Sauce
when heckling him.
On the May 11, 2006 episode of TNA Impact!
, Larry Zbyszko
asked Team Canada coach Scott D'Amore
for assistance in his feud with Raven
. D'Amore eventually agreed to help Zbyszko rid TNA of Raven, and nominated A-1 to face Raven in a match at TNA Sacrifice 2006 on May, 2006, a match that A-1 lost.
On the June 29, 2006 episode of Impact!, TNA Management Director Jim Cornette
disbanded Team Canada.
A-1 soon began wrestling sporadically, facing Ron Killings in the pre-show of the Hard Justice pay-per-view and against Eric Young at the No Surrender pay-per-view, losing both times. He also took part in the Kevin Nash Open Invitational X-Division Gauntlet Battle Royal at Bound For Glory, despite not being a part of the X-Division. He was eliminated by both Maverick Matt
and Kazarian
.
A-1's profile was removed from the roster page on the TNA website along with Elix Skipper
, David Young
, Jackie Gayda
, and Simon Diamond. Ralphs' was later officially released by TNA on February 23, 2007.
On June 6, 2008, Scott D'Amore
and his independent promotion Border City Wrestling
began promoting in the Ontario and Michigan areas featuring a host of stars, including Ralphs, who has apparently come out of retirement.http://wrestlezone.com/article.php?articleid=214806086 On June 18, Ralphs made an appearance with Grand Prix Wrestling
in Sackville, New Brunswick
.
Ralphs now wrestles in for the Universal Wrestling Alliance, a small based promotion in Ottawa, Ontario under the new ring name A-One. He also works at a nightclub as a doorman part time.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
professional wrestler
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
and former bodybuilder
Bodybuilding
Bodybuilding is a form of body modification involving intensive muscle hypertrophy. An individual who engages in this activity is referred to as a bodybuilder. In competitive and professional bodybuilding, bodybuilders display their physiques to a panel of judges, who assign points based on their...
.
Early life
Ralphs was born in Placentia Bay, Newfoundland, and relocated to Dunnville, OntarioDunnville, Ontario
Dunnville is an unincorporated community of 6,000 people located near the mouth of the Grand River in Haldimand County, Ontario, Canada, near the historic Talbot Trail...
at the age of five. He later moved to Windsor, Ontario
Windsor, Ontario
Windsor is the southernmost city in Canada and is located in Southwestern Ontario at the western end of the heavily populated Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. It is within Essex County, Ontario, although administratively separated from the county government. Separated by the Detroit River, Windsor...
to attend the University of Windsor
University of Windsor
The University of Windsor is a public comprehensive and research university in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's southernmost university. It has a student population of approximately 15,000 full-time and part-time undergraduate students and over 1000 graduate students...
, but was forced to drop out due to financial issues.
Border City Wrestling
Alastair Ralphs was trained by Scott D'AmoreScott D'Amore
Scott Francis D'Amore is a Canadian professional wrestler, manager, promoter, booker and entrepreneur. He formerly managed Team Canada in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. He was also the former head of the creative team...
in the Can-Am Wrestling School, and debuted in D'Amore's Border City Wrestling
Border City Wrestling
Border City Wrestling was an independent professional wrestling promotion once based in Windsor, Ontario. It was the base promotion for several Total Nonstop Action Wrestling wrestlers, including all of the former Team Canada, Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley. Many BCW employees were trained by Scott...
promotion in 2001. After spending three years as an undercard talent
Job (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling slang, the term job describes a losing performance in a wrestling match. It is derived from the euphemism "doing one's job", which was employed to protect kayfabe. As professional wrestling is scripted, inevitably a wrestler will be required to lose to an opponent.The term...
, Ralphs became A-1, a cocky, arrogant heel
Heel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
, forming an alliance with Johnny Swinger
Joseph Dorgan
Joseph Robert "Joe" Dorgan is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances with Extreme Championship Wrestling and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling as Johnny Swinger and with World Wrestling Entertainment as Johnny Parisi....
. He defeated D'Lo Brown for the BCW Heavyweight Championship on December 12, 2004 in Belleville, Michigan
Belleville, Michigan
Belleville is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,991 at the 2010 census. It is the sister city of Machynlleth, Wales. Belleville is southeast of Ann Arbor and southwest of Detroit.-Geography:...
at "A Night of Appreciation for Sabu
A Night of Appreciation for Sabu
A Night of Appreciation was a professional wrestling benefit show held to raise funds for American professional wrestler Terry "Sabu" Brunk, who had incurred costly medical bills while hospitalized for several months after contracting a mysterious virus that at one point left him temporarily...
".
On January 23, 2005 at New Year's Revolution, Ralphs interrupted the Hall of Fame induction ceremony, complaining that he was being overshadowed by older wrestlers. Scott D'Amore responded with a jibe aimed at Ralph's previous career as a bodybuilder
Bodybuilding
Bodybuilding is a form of body modification involving intensive muscle hypertrophy. An individual who engages in this activity is referred to as a bodybuilder. In competitive and professional bodybuilding, bodybuilders display their physiques to a panel of judges, who assign points based on their...
, leading to a brawl between Ralphs and D'Amore. Following a distraction from Jade, A-1 was able to powerbomb D'Amore through a table. Ralphs went on to retain the heavyweight title in a match with Abyss
Chris Parks
Christopher J. "Chris" Parks , better known by his ring name "The Monster" Abyss, is an American professional wrestler currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
, using Abyss's own chain to knock him unconscious.
Ralphs lost the BCW Heavyweight Championship to Bobby Roode on July 22, 2005. In the course of his reign as champion he faced well-known veterans such as Jim Neidhart
Jim Neidhart
James Henry "Jim" Neidhart is an American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances in the 1980s and 1990s in the World Wrestling Federation as Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart. Jim is the father of WWE Diva Natalya...
and King Kong Bundy
King Kong Bundy
Christopher Alan "Chris" Pallies is an American professional wrestler, stand-up comedian and actor, better known by his ring name, King Kong Bundy.-Personal:...
.
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2004-2007)
On July 16, 2004 Ralphs appeared in Total Nonstop Action WrestlingTotal Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling is a privately held professional wrestling promotion founded by Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Jarrett. The company broadcasts its events on television and the Internet fifty two weeks a year with over a million weekly viewers on its primary television program, Impact...
, losing to Sabu. He reappeared on March 13, 2005 as a member of Team Canada
Team Canada (TNA)
Team Canada was a heel professional wrestling stable in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, which was active from 2004 to 2006.-2004 X-Cups:In 2004, wrestling promoter and personality "Coach" Scott D'Amore brought together fellow Canadians to form his own incarnation of Team Canada in Total Nonstop...
, replacing the injured Johnny Devine
Johnny Devine
John Peter "J.P." Parsonage is a Canadian professional wrestler, better known by his ring name "Hot Shot" Johnny Devine...
at Destination X 2005 and teaming with Bobby Roode, Eric Young
Eric Young (wrestler)
Jeremy Fritz is a Canadian professional wrestler, best known under his ring name Eric Young. He currently performs for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he has gained popularity using a variety of comic relief gimmicks....
and Petey Williams
Petey Williams
Peter "Petey" Williams III is a Canadian professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenure in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is a two time X Division Champion and a former captain of Team Canada. Williams Currently Wrestles for Lucha Libre USA...
to face Chris Harris
Chris Harris (wrestler)
Christopher Eric "Chris" Harris is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he was formerly one-half of the tag team America's Most Wanted along with partner & Former TNA World Heavyweight Champion James Storm.-World Championship...
, James Storm
James Storm
James Allen Cox is an American professional wrestler who competes under the ring name "The Cowboy" James Storm. Since 2002, Storm has been employed by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he, along with A.J...
, B.G. James
Brian Gerard James
Brian Gerard James is an American professional wrestler, currently signed to WWE as an agent and producer. He is best known for his tenure with the World Wrestling Federation as "The Road Dogg" Jesse James or simply Road Dogg...
and Konnan
Konnan
Carlos Santiago Espada Moises , also known as Charles Ashenoff and better known by his ring name, Konnan, is a Cuban professional wrestler and rapper of Puerto Rican descent...
. He wrestled on TNA Impact!
TNA iMPACT!
Impact Wrestling is a professional wrestling television program for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling that currently airs in the United States and Canada on Spike...
throughout April and May 2005, teaming
Tag team
Tag team professional wrestling is a variation in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. A tag team may comprise two wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of established teams who wrestle regularly as a unit and have a team name...
with other members of Team Canada or accompanying them to the ring.
At Hard Justice
TNA Hard Justice
Hardcore Justice is an annual professional wrestling pay-per-view event held by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. The first event was held in May 2005 and since 2006, they have all been held in August...
on May 15, Ralphs took part in the Gauntlet for the Gold
Gauntlet for the Gold
The Gauntlet match as defined by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, is a battle royal-style match. When it involves title implications, such as a title on the line or contendership for a title, it is called a Gauntlet for the Gold...
. He entered at number six and was eliminated by The Outlaw
Monty Sopp
Monty Kip Sopp is an American professional wrestler, best known as Billy Gunn during his tenure for World Wrestling Entertainment. He is probably best known as one of the members of the New Age Outlaws. He also worked for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the ring name Kip James...
and B.G. James.
During his tenure with Team Canada, he was typically made fun of for his ring name, with fans typically bringing bottles of A1 Steak Sauce
A1 Steak Sauce
A1 is a steak sauce and condiment for use with meat or game dishes. It was developed in the United Kingdom as a brand in the year 1831 and was later introduced to the United States by G.F...
when heckling him.
On the May 11, 2006 episode of TNA Impact!
TNA iMPACT!
Impact Wrestling is a professional wrestling television program for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling that currently airs in the United States and Canada on Spike...
, Larry Zbyszko
Larry Zbyszko
Lawrence "Larry" Whistler is a professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Larry Zbyszko. Zbyszko is perhaps best known for his feud with his mentor, wrestling legend Bruno Sammartino during the early 1980s....
asked Team Canada coach Scott D'Amore
Scott D'Amore
Scott Francis D'Amore is a Canadian professional wrestler, manager, promoter, booker and entrepreneur. He formerly managed Team Canada in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. He was also the former head of the creative team...
for assistance in his feud with Raven
Scott Levy
Scott Anthony Levy , better known by his ring name Raven, is an American professional wrestler, wrestling producer, wrestling writer, and occasional author and actor currently working for Juggalo Championship Wrestling , where he is co-holder of the JCW Tag Team Championship, as well as other...
. D'Amore eventually agreed to help Zbyszko rid TNA of Raven, and nominated A-1 to face Raven in a match at TNA Sacrifice 2006 on May, 2006, a match that A-1 lost.
On the June 29, 2006 episode of Impact!, TNA Management Director Jim Cornette
Jim Cornette
James Mark "Jim" Cornette is an American professional wrestling manager, commentator, promoter, and booker. As a manager, he has worked for Jim Crockett Promotions, World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Federation and from 1991 to 1995, was the owner of Smoky Mountain Wrestling...
disbanded Team Canada.
A-1 soon began wrestling sporadically, facing Ron Killings in the pre-show of the Hard Justice pay-per-view and against Eric Young at the No Surrender pay-per-view, losing both times. He also took part in the Kevin Nash Open Invitational X-Division Gauntlet Battle Royal at Bound For Glory, despite not being a part of the X-Division. He was eliminated by both Maverick Matt
Matt Bentley
Matthew James "Matt" Bentley is an American professional wrestler best known for his work in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling by the ring name Michael Shane. He was trained by his cousin, former World Wrestling Entertainment wrestler Shawn Michaels, and he took the name Michael Shane as a play on...
and Kazarian
Frankie Kazarian
Frank B. Gerdelman is an Armenian-American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Frankie Kazarian or simply Kazarian. He is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
.
A-1's profile was removed from the roster page on the TNA website along with Elix Skipper
Elix Skipper
Elix Skipper is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling, where he was a one-time Cruiserweight Champion and a one-time Cruiserweight Tag Team Champion, and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is a four-time NWA World Tag Team...
, David Young
David Young (wrestler)
David Williams , better known by his ring name, David Young, is an American professional wrestler. Though he has mainly appeared with NWA Wildside and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, Young has also competed for Ring of Honor, Asistencia Asesoría y Administración and ZERO-ONE...
, Jackie Gayda
Jackie Gayda
Jacquelyn Gayda-Haas is an American semi-retired professional wrestler and valet, best known for her work on World Wrestling Entertainment 's Raw and SmackDown! brands and in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling as a TNA Knockout...
, and Simon Diamond. Ralphs' was later officially released by TNA on February 23, 2007.
Retirement and return
In 2007, according to Ralphs' official MySpace page, he had announced his retirement from wrestling. However, the reason behind his retirement was not revealed.On June 6, 2008, Scott D'Amore
Scott D'Amore
Scott Francis D'Amore is a Canadian professional wrestler, manager, promoter, booker and entrepreneur. He formerly managed Team Canada in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. He was also the former head of the creative team...
and his independent promotion Border City Wrestling
Border City Wrestling
Border City Wrestling was an independent professional wrestling promotion once based in Windsor, Ontario. It was the base promotion for several Total Nonstop Action Wrestling wrestlers, including all of the former Team Canada, Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley. Many BCW employees were trained by Scott...
began promoting in the Ontario and Michigan areas featuring a host of stars, including Ralphs, who has apparently come out of retirement.http://wrestlezone.com/article.php?articleid=214806086 On June 18, Ralphs made an appearance with Grand Prix Wrestling
Grand prix wrestling
Grand Prix Wrestling is a wrestling promotion run and owned by Emile Duprée. Grand Prix Wrestling has currently stopped touring due to heavy traveling costs...
in Sackville, New Brunswick
Sackville, New Brunswick
Sackville is a Canadian town in Westmorland County, New Brunswick.Mount Allison University is located in the town...
.
Ralphs now wrestles in for the Universal Wrestling Alliance, a small based promotion in Ottawa, Ontario under the new ring name A-One. He also works at a nightclub as a doorman part time.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Royal Flush (Arm trap hangman's neckbreaker)
- Pumphandle powerbombPowerbombA powerbomb is a professional wrestling throw in which an opponent is lifted up and then slammed back-first down to the mat. The standard powerbomb sees an opponent first placed in a standing headscissors position...
- Signature moves
- BrainbusterBrainbusterA brainbuster is a professional wrestling throw in which a wrestler puts his/her opponent in a front facelock, hooks his/her pants, and lifts him/her up as if he/she was executing a vertical suplex. The wrestler then falls onto his/her back so that the opponent lands on his/her head while remaining...
- PowerbombPowerbombA powerbomb is a professional wrestling throw in which an opponent is lifted up and then slammed back-first down to the mat. The standard powerbomb sees an opponent first placed in a standing headscissors position...
- Running powerslam
- Spear
- Brainbuster
- ManagerManager (professional wrestling)In professional wrestling, a manager is a secondary character paired with a wrestler for a variety of reasons. The manager is often either a non-wrestler, an occasional wrestler, an older wrestler who has retired or is nearing retirement or, in some cases, a new wrestler who is breaking into the...
s- Jade ChungJade ChungJade Chung is a Canadian professional wrestler and wrestling manager who has appeared in Border City Wrestling, IWA Mid-South, the National Wrestling Alliance, Ring of Honor and Pro Wrestling Guerrilla...
- Scott D'AmoreScott D'AmoreScott Francis D'Amore is a Canadian professional wrestler, manager, promoter, booker and entrepreneur. He formerly managed Team Canada in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. He was also the former head of the creative team...
- Jade Chung
Championships and accomplishments
- Border City WrestlingBorder City WrestlingBorder City Wrestling was an independent professional wrestling promotion once based in Windsor, Ontario. It was the base promotion for several Total Nonstop Action Wrestling wrestlers, including all of the former Team Canada, Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley. Many BCW employees were trained by Scott...
- BCW Can-Am Heavyweight ChampionshipBCW Can-Am Heavyweight ChampionshipThe BCW Can-Am Heavyweight Championship is the top title contested for in the Ontario-based professional wrestling promotion Border City Wrestling.-Title history:...
(1 time)
- BCW Can-Am Heavyweight Championship