The Naturals
Encyclopedia
The Naturals were a professional wrestling
tag team
made up of Andy Douglas and Chase Stevens
. They are best known for their work in TNA
, where they are multi-time former tag team champions.
.
Douglas and Stevens began working for Jerry Lawler's
Memphis Wrestling
promotion in 2003, where they were renamed "The Alternative Express". The Alternative Express—a gothic
pair of rock
fans who wore black clothing and recolored their hair and fingernails—were managed
by The Goddess Athena. Athena later left The Naturals after a falling out, and they gained a new manager, April Pennington.
(TNA) in late 2003 as "The Naturals", immediately beginning a lengthy feud
with America's Most Wanted
(AMW). In the course of the feud, they defeated AMW for the NWA World Tag Team Championship
on July 7, 2004 in a twelve-second long match after hitting James Storm
with one of the title belts. The Naturals successfully defended their titles against Triple X
, but were eventually beaten by Chris Harris
and Elix Skipper
(one member of each team) on September 8, 2004.
In 2005, the Naturals formed a stable with Chris Candido
, who also became their manager. They became peripheral members of Planet Jarrett
in early 2005. On April 26 they defeated America's Most Wanted to become NWA World Tag Team Champions for a second time. The sudden death of Candido two days later led to them turning face
due to fan reaction. They stated later in May that they were being advised through the ordeal by a "legendary figure" in professional wrestling, though they declined to say who at the time.
On June 19, 2005 at Slammiversary the Naturals were assisted in a title defense against Team Canada
by Jimmy Hart
, who was revealed to be their secret advisor. Hart acted as their manager throughout the summer of 2005 before he left his voluntary on-screen capacities with TNA in September. In their feud with Team Canada, they briefly formed an alliance with AMW. Their animosity, however, won out as infighting cost them an eight-man tag team match with Team Canada at Sacrifice on August 14.
The Naturals survived an Elimination Match involving Team Canada, AMW, and Alex Shelley
(who was supposed to team with Sean Waltman
, who no-showed, and instead was assisted by Johnny Candido
) to retain the titles at Unbreakable
on September 11. Their reign ended on the October 22 episode of Impact!
when they lost to AMW following interference from Jeff Jarrett
and Gail Kim
. They were defeated by AMW in their rematch at Bound For Glory
on October 23, again following interference from Kim.
On October 25, Stevens injured his neck when he landed bad on his head during a tag-team match being taped for the October 29 episode of Impact! The injury was minor, and not expected to require surgery. The match, however, was omitted, and a replacement match was taped the next day. He returned on November 13 at Genesis
.
The Naturals went to the background in the early months of 2006. After Scott Steiner
brutalized Douglas in March, Stevens spent about two months in singles action in the X Division
with limited success. When Douglas returned and they tagged again and "The Franchise" Shane Douglas
(no relation to Douglas), a former NWA World Heavyweight Champion and TNA official, took an interest in them. After they lost to The Diamonds in the Rough
on June 15, Shane confronted them, telling them they were squandering their talent. Invoking his friend and their former manager Chris Candido
, he offered to be their new manager. With much audience approval, they accepted Shane's offer, and, after a month of intense training overseen by The Franchise, faced and defeated The Diamonds in the Rough in a rematch at Victory Road. The Naturals then entered a feud with Team 3D, even handing Team 3D their first loss in a Tables Match in TNA, but after a loss to Team 3D in a Tables Match one month later, Shane Douglas abandoned them, saying "This experiment is over".
After the end of the Shane Douglas angle TNA were said to be done with the Naturals as a team, saying that they had given the team several opportunities to show their charisma, but had not delivered. The situation has since been rectified to an extent and after two house show appearances for TNA, one in January and one in March (2007), The Naturals returned to TNA on Xplosion, in mid-April 2007.
The Naturals appeared at the Lockdown FanFest held in St. Louis on April 14, 2007. Stevens and Douglas were released from TNA Wrestling as of May 10, 2007, but TNA Mobile announced soon afterward that they would be working for TNA without a contract from time to time.
in mid-2007, where they held the IWA World Tag Teams Championships until they vacated the titles after leaving the IWA
.
. The match was called off after Douglas announced on his MySpace that the match would take place. However, both were backstage at the March 17, 2008 edition of Raw according to numerous wrestling websites. They also competed in a taped match for the March 21 episode of SmackDown, teaming with Luke Hawx
in a losing effort against The Big Show
.. Stevens wrestled Jack Swagger on ECW in a losing effort on September 16, 2008. Stevens was later defeated by Mike Knox
on September 23's edition of ECW, followed by a post-match beating from Swagger which prompted a Tommy Dreamer
run-in.
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...
tag team
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...
made up of Andy Douglas and Chase Stevens
Chase Stevens
Chase Stevens is an American professional wrestler. He is known for his work in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling where he was a member of The Naturals alongside his tag team partner Andy Douglas.-Career:...
. They are best known for their work in TNA
Total 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...
, where they are multi-time former tag team champions.
History
While working for USA Championship Wrestling, Douglas and Stevens were paired together by booker Bob Ryder. They were briefly known as "Natural Heat" before shortening their name to "The Naturals". In USA CW, The Naturals were old-school Southern style heelsHeel (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...
.
Douglas and Stevens began working for Jerry Lawler's
Jerry Lawler
Jerry O'Neil Lawler is an American professional wrestler, wrestling commentator, musician, businessman, commercial artist and film actor, known throughout the wrestling world as Jerry "The King" Lawler. He is currently signed to WWE, working on its Raw brand as the color commentator and occasional...
Memphis Wrestling
Memphis Wrestling
Memphis Wrestling is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Memphis, Tennessee.-History:Memphis Wrestling evolved from an earlier short-lived promotion called Memphis Championship Wrestling.-Television:...
promotion in 2003, where they were renamed "The Alternative Express". The Alternative Express—a gothic
Gothic rock
Gothic rock is a musical subgenre of post-punk and alternative rock that formed during the late 1970s. Gothic rock bands grew from the strong ties they had to the English punk rock and emerging post-punk scenes...
pair of rock
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
fans who wore black clothing and recolored their hair and fingernails—were managed
Manager (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...
by The Goddess Athena. Athena later left The Naturals after a falling out, and they gained a new manager, April Pennington.
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Douglas and Stevens were brought into 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...
(TNA) in late 2003 as "The Naturals", immediately beginning a lengthy feud
Feud (professional wrestling)
A professional wrestling feud is a staged rivalry between multiple wrestlers or alliances of wrestlers. They are integrated into ongoing storylines, particularly in events which are televised...
with America's Most Wanted
America's Most Wanted (professional wrestling)
America's Most Wanted was a professional wrestling tag team consisting of "Wildcat" Chris Harris and "Tennessee Cowboy" James Storm, who competed in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
(AMW). In the course of the feud, they defeated AMW for the NWA World Tag Team Championship
NWA World Tag Team Championship
The National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Championship is the professional wrestling world tag team championship within the NWA framework.-History:...
on July 7, 2004 in a twelve-second long match after hitting 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...
with one of the title belts. The Naturals successfully defended their titles against Triple X
Triple X (professional wrestling)
Triple X was a wrestling stable in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. The team consisted of Christopher Daniels, Elix Skipper, and Low Ki . The team was originally formed in late 2002 as part of Vince Russo's Sports Entertainment Xtreme superstable...
, but were eventually beaten by 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...
and 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...
(one member of each team) on September 8, 2004.
In 2005, the Naturals formed a stable with Chris Candido
Chris Candido
Christopher Raul Candito was an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Chris Candido...
, who also became their manager. They became peripheral members of Planet Jarrett
Planet Jarrett
Planet Jarrett was a professional wrestling stable in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, led by the eponymous Jeff Jarrett and containing many of the main event heels in the promotion...
in early 2005. On April 26 they defeated America's Most Wanted to become NWA World Tag Team Champions for a second time. The sudden death of Candido two days later led to them turning face
Face (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a babyface or face or in simple words, a fan favorite is a character who is portrayed as a heroic relative to the heel wrestlers, who are analogous to villains...
due to fan reaction. They stated later in May that they were being advised through the ordeal by a "legendary figure" in professional wrestling, though they declined to say who at the time.
On June 19, 2005 at Slammiversary the Naturals were assisted in a title defense against 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...
by Jimmy Hart
Jimmy Hart
James "Jimmy" Ray Hart is a professional wrestling manager, executive, composer, and musician currently signed with WWE. He is best known for his work in the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling under his nickname "The Mouth of the South." He has managed many professional...
, who was revealed to be their secret advisor. Hart acted as their manager throughout the summer of 2005 before he left his voluntary on-screen capacities with TNA in September. In their feud with Team Canada, they briefly formed an alliance with AMW. Their animosity, however, won out as infighting cost them an eight-man tag team match with Team Canada at Sacrifice on August 14.
The Naturals survived an Elimination Match involving Team Canada, AMW, and Alex Shelley
Alex Shelley
Patrick Martin , is an American professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Alex Shelley. He wrestles for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he currently teams with Chris Sabin as The Motor City Machine Guns. He previously gained fame on the independent circuit, working most notably for...
(who was supposed to team with Sean Waltman
Sean Waltman
Sean Michael Waltman is an American professional wrestler currently signed with WWE in their developmental program. He wrestled there under the ring names 1–2–3 Kid and X-Pac off and on from 1993–2002, World Championship Wrestling under the ring name Syxx, and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ...
, who no-showed, and instead was assisted by Johnny Candido
Johnny Candido
Johnny Candido is an American professional wrestler, and is the younger brother of Chris Candido.-Career:Candido trained under his brother and debuted in 2000. He did not reach a prominent position on the independent circuit until the death of his brother in April 2005, at which point he competed...
) to retain the titles at Unbreakable
TNA Unbreakable
Unbreakable was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event held by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, which took place on September 11, 2005 from the TNA Impact! Zone in Orlando, Florida...
on September 11. Their reign ended on the October 22 episode of 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...
when they lost to AMW following interference from Jeff Jarrett
Jeff Jarrett
Jeffrey Leonard Jarrett is an American professional wrestler and wrestling promoter. He is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , an organization he co-founded along with his father and in which he holds some stock but not total control...
and Gail Kim
Gail Kim
Gail Kim is a Canadian professional wrestler of Korean descent, who is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , where she is the current TNA Women's Knockout Champion and one half of the TNA Knockouts Tag Team Champions with Madison Rayne...
. They were defeated by AMW in their rematch at Bound For Glory
TNA Bound For Glory
Bound for Glory is a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced every October by the American Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion. The event was created in 2005 to be their premier event of the year, similar to the company's main rival World Wrestling Entertainment and its...
on October 23, again following interference from Kim.
On October 25, Stevens injured his neck when he landed bad on his head during a tag-team match being taped for the October 29 episode of Impact! The injury was minor, and not expected to require surgery. The match, however, was omitted, and a replacement match was taped the next day. He returned on November 13 at Genesis
TNA Genesis
Genesis is an annual professional wrestling pay-per-view event promoted by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. The name was originally used on May 9, 2003 for a two-hour DirecTV special that highlighted early moments in TNA’s history....
.
The Naturals went to the background in the early months of 2006. After Scott Steiner
Scott Steiner
Scott Carl Rechsteiner is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Scott Steiner. Steiner is perhaps best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling alongside his older brother Rick as the Steiner Brothers and as a member of the New World Order...
brutalized Douglas in March, Stevens spent about two months in singles action in the X Division
X Division
The X Division is a high-flying, high-risk, fast-paced style of professional wrestling seen originally in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling and since then in various NWA member promotions...
with limited success. When Douglas returned and they tagged again and "The Franchise" Shane Douglas
Shane Douglas
Troy Alan Martin is an American professional wrestler and promoter, better known by his ring name "The Franchise" Shane Douglas. In the course of his career, which has spanned nearly three decades, Douglas has wrestled in Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling and briefly...
(no relation to Douglas), a former NWA World Heavyweight Champion and TNA official, took an interest in them. After they lost to The Diamonds in the Rough
The Diamonds in the Rough
The Diamonds in the Rough was a professional wrestling stable in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, led by the eponymous Simon Diamond and consisting primarily of lower- to mid-card wrestlers...
on June 15, Shane confronted them, telling them they were squandering their talent. Invoking his friend and their former manager Chris Candido
Chris Candido
Christopher Raul Candito was an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Chris Candido...
, he offered to be their new manager. With much audience approval, they accepted Shane's offer, and, after a month of intense training overseen by The Franchise, faced and defeated The Diamonds in the Rough in a rematch at Victory Road. The Naturals then entered a feud with Team 3D, even handing Team 3D their first loss in a Tables Match in TNA, but after a loss to Team 3D in a Tables Match one month later, Shane Douglas abandoned them, saying "This experiment is over".
After the end of the Shane Douglas angle TNA were said to be done with the Naturals as a team, saying that they had given the team several opportunities to show their charisma, but had not delivered. The situation has since been rectified to an extent and after two house show appearances for TNA, one in January and one in March (2007), The Naturals returned to TNA on Xplosion, in mid-April 2007.
The Naturals appeared at the Lockdown FanFest held in St. Louis on April 14, 2007. Stevens and Douglas were released from TNA Wrestling as of May 10, 2007, but TNA Mobile announced soon afterward that they would be working for TNA without a contract from time to time.
International Wrestling Association
The Naturals went to IWAInternational Wrestling Association
The International Wrestling Association is a wrestling promotion in Puerto Rico, started in Japan in 1994 by promoter Victor Quiñones. The Hispanic division was created in 1999. The company was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance until 2001, but again became a member in 2007...
in mid-2007, where they held the IWA World Tag Teams Championships until they vacated the titles after leaving the IWA
IWA
IWA may refer to:*Independent Wrestling Association Mid-South*Indian Workers' Association*Industrial, Wood and Allied Workers of Canada , an autonomous branch of the former International Woodworkers of America trade union...
.
World Wrestling Entertainment
The Naturals were scheduled to wrestle a dark match before the September 17 edition of RawWWE RAW
WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
. The match was called off after Douglas announced on his MySpace that the match would take place. However, both were backstage at the March 17, 2008 edition of Raw according to numerous wrestling websites. They also competed in a taped match for the March 21 episode of SmackDown, teaming with Luke Hawx
Oren Hawxhurst
Oren Hawxhurst is an American professional wrestler, actor and stuntman. He is best known as Luke Hawx and is also known for his time in Xtreme Pro Wrestling under the ring name Altar Boy Luke.-Professional wrestling career:...
in a losing effort against The Big Show
Paul Wight
Paul Donald Wight, Jr. , better known by his ring name, Big Show, is an American professional wrestler and actor, currently signed to WWE on its Raw brand....
.. Stevens wrestled Jack Swagger on ECW in a losing effort on September 16, 2008. Stevens was later defeated by Mike Knox
Mike Knox
Michael Shawn Hettinga is a American professional wrestler. He is best known for wrestling for World Wrestling Entertainment as Mike Knox. He is also an avid fisherman, and fishes in his spare time.-Independent circuit :...
on September 23's edition of ECW, followed by a post-match beating from Swagger which prompted a Tommy Dreamer
Tommy Dreamer
Thomas James "Tom" Laughlin is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Tommy Dreamer. He is currently working for various promotions on the independent circuit. He is best known for his time spent with Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment...
run-in.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Candido'sChris CandidoChristopher Raul Candito was an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Chris Candido...
Way (Sitout powerbomb / Missile dropkick combo) - Natural Disaster (Tilt-a-whirl flapjack (Douglas) into an elevated jawbreaker (Stevens) combination)
- Candido's
- Signature moves
- Natural High (Running bulldog by Douglas onto Stevens' knee)
- Double running jumping shoulder block
- Fireman's carry facebreaker by Stevens followed by a jumping high knee strike by Douglas
- ManagersManager (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...
- The Goddess Athena
- April Pennington
- Chris CandidoChris CandidoChristopher Raul Candito was an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Chris Candido...
- February 2005 - April 2005 - Jimmy HartJimmy HartJames "Jimmy" Ray Hart is a professional wrestling manager, executive, composer, and musician currently signed with WWE. He is best known for his work in the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling under his nickname "The Mouth of the South." He has managed many professional...
- May-September 2005 - Shane DouglasShane DouglasTroy Alan Martin is an American professional wrestler and promoter, better known by his ring name "The Franchise" Shane Douglas. In the course of his career, which has spanned nearly three decades, Douglas has wrestled in Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling and briefly...
- June 2006 - December 2006 - Orlando Toledo - 2007 -
Championships and accomplishments
- Birchfield Pro Wrestling
- BPW Tag Team Championship (1 time)
- Great Championship Wrestling
- GCW Tag Team Championionship (1 time, current)
- Total Nonstop Action WrestlingTotal Nonstop Action WrestlingTotal 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...
- NWA World Tag Team ChampionshipNWA World Tag Team ChampionshipThe National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Championship is the professional wrestling world tag team championship within the NWA framework.-History:...
(3 times)
- NWA World Tag Team Championship
- USA Championship Wrestling
- USA CW Tag Team Championionship (1 time)
- International Wrestling AssociationInternational Wrestling AssociationThe International Wrestling Association is a wrestling promotion in Puerto Rico, started in Japan in 1994 by promoter Victor Quiñones. The Hispanic division was created in 1999. The company was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance until 2001, but again became a member in 2007...
- IWA World Tag Team Championship (1 time)