Thumbtack Jack
Encyclopedia
Alexander Bedranowsky better known by his ring name
Thumbtack Jack and its abbreviation TJ, is a retired German professional wrestler
, best known for his work in westside Xtreme wrestling
, Combat Zone Wrestling
and IWA East Coast. He is well known for his hardcore style of wrestling
.
He held the Toughest MF-er of Europe Championship. Jack is known for using raw syringe
as his signature weapon. In 2007, Jack faced Drake Younger
in a death match in westside Xtreme wrestling (wXw) in Germany titled "TJ's Ultraviolent Underground" where the elements included barbed wires, broken glass, razor blades, and a saw. Towards the end of the match, Jack brought a pile of syringes to the ringside and after being slammed into it by Younger, he scattered it on the ring. He also used it in CZW at Tournament of Death 8
against D. J. Hyde., and Tournament of Death 8.5 : Rewind against MASADA
. His career was ended on October 2, 2010, when he fractured his thoracic vertebrae in a match against MASADA
and German Stampede Wrestling, and in Switzerland
, France
, the Netherlands
and the United Kingdom
.
in March 2009 at the CZW's Total Havoc. Jack vied for Havoc's Ultraviolent Underground Title
, but ultimately, came out on the losing end.
However, he would make his return to the Combat Zone on June 6, 2009, at CZW's annual, Tournament of Death
(TOD). Jack would defeat D.J. Hyde in a Jack In the Box Death Match, which consisted of syringes, cinder blocks, panes of glass, light tubes & fire, in the first round. The match was considered "Match of the Night" by many. In the second round, Thumbtack Jack would defeat Danny Havoc and WHACKS, in a Fans Bring The Weapons Death Match. He would soon find himself in the final round against Tournament of Death 5 Champion, Nick Gage
. However, the match would end all too soon as Gage suffered a laceration on a major artery due to a bump through the ropes and through light tubes. The match would soon deteriorate into an Ultraviolent Battle Royal. Zandig, then the owner of CZW, would present the Tournament of Death 8 trophy to Jack, as well as invite him to the upcoming Best of the Best
, to put his trophy up for grabs.
At the Best of the Best 9, Thumbtack Jack would compete in a 4-Way Bring Your Own Weapon Match with his TOD Trophy on the line, against D.J. Hyde, Jon Moxley
& Danny Havoc. Jack would lose the match to D.J. Hyde, essentially making him the new Tournament of Death Champion. A returning Nick Gage would also make his presence felt at the show, by attacking Jack.
With the loss of his Tournament of Death 8 Trophy, Thumbtack Jack would get a chance to redeem himself at the second tournament of the year, Tournament of Death: Rewind. In the opening round, Jack defeated Jon Moxley in a Four Corners of Fun Dog Collar Match, which consisted of Lego Bricks, a Staple Gun, Board of Mouse Traps, and Cinderblocks. Jack's second round opponent would be Sami Callihan as they faced one another for Sami's Ultraviolent Underground Championship, which would be on the line throughout the whole night. Jack would defeat Callihan in a Transylvania Death Match, which is basically a Light Tube Casket Match, to become the new UVU Champion. He would now find himself in the Tournament of Death finals for the second time in less than six months against, MASADA
. The two faced each other in a brutal House of Pain Death Match, which consisted of Barbed Wire Ropes, Light Tube Ropes, Cinder Blocks, Barbed Wire Platform & Home Run Derby Weapons. Jack would come out of the match, the victor, remaining the UVU Champion, as well as becoming the new Tournament of Death Champion.
The new Ultraviolent Underground Champion would find himself in an all-too familiar place at Cage of Death XI, as he stood across the ring from "The Man" Nick Gage, once again. The two would collide in a No Ropes Barbed Wire Match, which saw Jack get the victory over Gage, following a sadistic and brutal match between the two. Afterwards, J. C. Bailey
would make his return to wrestling and the Combat Zone, accompanied by the Halfbreed Billy Gram, and attack Thumbtack Jack from behind.
On January 17, 2010, Thumbtack Jack lost his Ultraviolent Underground Title to Adam Polak at the wXw 18+ Underground Chapter 2 Show
Thumbtack Jack retired from the deathmatch genre of wrestling on April 18. His final deathmatch in the United States was on March 13, 2010 and he lost to JC Bailey in a Barefoot thumbtacks match. His final deathmatch of his career took place on April 18, 2010 in Germany against former rival Drake Younger
. However, due to the Volcanic eruption in Iceland on April 16, 2010, German Airspace was restricted, forcing Drake Younger to cancel his appearance at the wXw Show. Thumbtack Jack ended up facing long time friend "HATE" and losing in a 200 light tube deathmatch.
, and Ryuji Ito
. 2009 he competed at the IWA Mid-South's tournament King of the Deathmatch
, where he lost to Masada
in the final after defeating Nick Gage
and Mad Man Pondo.
On the 29th of May, Thumbtack Jack retained his title in a best of 5 Tables match in which he got slammed through the fifth table when the referee was knocked out and afterward completed his finisher upon an unsuspecting Jimmy Havoc and placed him on the wrecked table, thus turning heel.
On January 2011 PWS announced that Thumbtack Jack ended his career and that he and the Toughest MOFO championship will not return.
and sternum
in a match against MASADA on October 2, 2010, Bedranowsky announced the following day that his professional wrestling career was over.
Ring name
A ring name is a stage name used by a professional wrestler, martial artist, or boxer. While some ring names may have a fictitious first name and surname, others may simply be a nickname, such as The Undertaker.-Wrestling:...
Thumbtack Jack and its abbreviation TJ, is a retired German 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...
, best known for his work in westside Xtreme wrestling
Westside Xtreme Wrestling
Westside Xtreme Wrestling, officially stylized as westside Xtreme wrestling «wXw», is a professional wrestling promotion based in Oberhausen, Germany...
, Combat Zone Wrestling
Combat Zone Wrestling
Combat Zone Wrestling is a independent wrestling promotion. In 1999, John Zandig and four of his students, Ric Blade, Lobo, Nick Gage and Justice Pain began to run backyard wrestling shows in New Jersey and Delaware, showcasing a brand of hardcore wrestling dubbed as "ultraviolence"...
and IWA East Coast. He is well known for his hardcore style of wrestling
Hardcore wrestling
Hardcore wrestling is a form of professional wrestling that eschews traditional concepts of match rules in favor of matches that take place in unusual environments, using foreign objects that are not normally permitted...
.
He held the Toughest MF-er of Europe Championship. Jack is known for using raw syringe
Syringe
A syringe is a simple pump consisting of a plunger that fits tightly in a tube. The plunger can be pulled and pushed along inside a cylindrical tube , allowing the syringe to take in and expel a liquid or gas through an orifice at the open end of the tube...
as his signature weapon. In 2007, Jack faced Drake Younger
Drake Younger
Drake Wuertz is an American professional wrestler known by his ring name Drake Younger. He has worked for a number of major independent promotions including Combat Zone Wrestling, IWA Mid-South and Chikara...
in a death match in westside Xtreme wrestling (wXw) in Germany titled "TJ's Ultraviolent Underground" where the elements included barbed wires, broken glass, razor blades, and a saw. Towards the end of the match, Jack brought a pile of syringes to the ringside and after being slammed into it by Younger, he scattered it on the ring. He also used it in CZW at Tournament of Death 8
CZW Tournament of Death
The Tournament of Death is an annual professional wrestling tournament organised by Combat Zone Wrestling since 2002, during which a number of wrestlers compete in various deathmatches in a single-elimination tournament which is similar to World Wrestling Entertainment's King of the Ring tournament...
against D. J. Hyde., and Tournament of Death 8.5 : Rewind against MASADA
Masada (wrestler)
Not to be confused with Kazuhiko Masada, who also wrestles under the ring name MASADA.Brigham Paul Doane , better known by his ring name MASADA, is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances in Ring of Honor, Combat Zone Wrestling, Full Impact Pro, NWA Wildside, and his...
. His career was ended on October 2, 2010, when he fractured his thoracic vertebrae in a match against MASADA
Professional wrestling career
Thumbtack Jack made his professional wrestling debut on August 4, 2001. Since then he has wrestled for numerous European-based promotions, including German-based westside Xtreme wrestlingWestside Xtreme Wrestling
Westside Xtreme Wrestling, officially stylized as westside Xtreme wrestling «wXw», is a professional wrestling promotion based in Oberhausen, Germany...
and German Stampede Wrestling, and in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
Combat Zone Wrestling
Jack made his long awaited debut against Danny HavocDanny Havoc
Danny Havoc is an American professional wrestler, best known for his work in Combat Zone Wrestling, IWA Mid-South, and IWA Deep-South, where he is known as a hardcore wrestler.-Career:...
in March 2009 at the CZW's Total Havoc. Jack vied for Havoc's Ultraviolent Underground Title
CZW Ultraviolent Underground Championship
The CZW Ultraviolent Underground Championship is a professional wrestling hardcore wrestling championship owned by the Combat Zone Wrestling promotion. The title was introduced on February 5, 2005 at CZW's Only the Strong event....
, but ultimately, came out on the losing end.
However, he would make his return to the Combat Zone on June 6, 2009, at CZW's annual, Tournament of Death
CZW Tournament of Death
The Tournament of Death is an annual professional wrestling tournament organised by Combat Zone Wrestling since 2002, during which a number of wrestlers compete in various deathmatches in a single-elimination tournament which is similar to World Wrestling Entertainment's King of the Ring tournament...
(TOD). Jack would defeat D.J. Hyde in a Jack In the Box Death Match, which consisted of syringes, cinder blocks, panes of glass, light tubes & fire, in the first round. The match was considered "Match of the Night" by many. In the second round, Thumbtack Jack would defeat Danny Havoc and WHACKS, in a Fans Bring The Weapons Death Match. He would soon find himself in the final round against Tournament of Death 5 Champion, Nick Gage
Nick Gage
Nicholas W. "Nick" Wilson is a hardcore professional wrestler best known from Combat Zone Wrestling. Along with being the first-ever CZW World Heavyweight Champion, he has wrestled at nearly every CZW show and has competed in more CZW matches than anyone...
. However, the match would end all too soon as Gage suffered a laceration on a major artery due to a bump through the ropes and through light tubes. The match would soon deteriorate into an Ultraviolent Battle Royal. Zandig, then the owner of CZW, would present the Tournament of Death 8 trophy to Jack, as well as invite him to the upcoming Best of the Best
CZW Best of the Best
Combat Zone Wrestling's Best of the Best is a professional wrestling tournament and supershow held in the CZW promotion. The annual Best of The Best was originally a junior heavyweight tournament, which in 2005 was repurposed as an all weight tournament....
, to put his trophy up for grabs.
At the Best of the Best 9, Thumbtack Jack would compete in a 4-Way Bring Your Own Weapon Match with his TOD Trophy on the line, against D.J. Hyde, Jon Moxley
Jon Moxley
Jonathan Good is an American professional wrestler known by his ring name Jon Moxley. He is signed to WWE, wrestling in their developmental territory, Florida Championship Wrestling , under the ring name Dean Ambrose...
& Danny Havoc. Jack would lose the match to D.J. Hyde, essentially making him the new Tournament of Death Champion. A returning Nick Gage would also make his presence felt at the show, by attacking Jack.
With the loss of his Tournament of Death 8 Trophy, Thumbtack Jack would get a chance to redeem himself at the second tournament of the year, Tournament of Death: Rewind. In the opening round, Jack defeated Jon Moxley in a Four Corners of Fun Dog Collar Match, which consisted of Lego Bricks, a Staple Gun, Board of Mouse Traps, and Cinderblocks. Jack's second round opponent would be Sami Callihan as they faced one another for Sami's Ultraviolent Underground Championship, which would be on the line throughout the whole night. Jack would defeat Callihan in a Transylvania Death Match, which is basically a Light Tube Casket Match, to become the new UVU Champion. He would now find himself in the Tournament of Death finals for the second time in less than six months against, MASADA
Masada (wrestler)
Not to be confused with Kazuhiko Masada, who also wrestles under the ring name MASADA.Brigham Paul Doane , better known by his ring name MASADA, is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances in Ring of Honor, Combat Zone Wrestling, Full Impact Pro, NWA Wildside, and his...
. The two faced each other in a brutal House of Pain Death Match, which consisted of Barbed Wire Ropes, Light Tube Ropes, Cinder Blocks, Barbed Wire Platform & Home Run Derby Weapons. Jack would come out of the match, the victor, remaining the UVU Champion, as well as becoming the new Tournament of Death Champion.
The new Ultraviolent Underground Champion would find himself in an all-too familiar place at Cage of Death XI, as he stood across the ring from "The Man" Nick Gage, once again. The two would collide in a No Ropes Barbed Wire Match, which saw Jack get the victory over Gage, following a sadistic and brutal match between the two. Afterwards, J. C. Bailey
J. C. Bailey
Joseph Carl Bailey, Jr. was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name J. C. Bailey...
would make his return to wrestling and the Combat Zone, accompanied by the Halfbreed Billy Gram, and attack Thumbtack Jack from behind.
On January 17, 2010, Thumbtack Jack lost his Ultraviolent Underground Title to Adam Polak at the wXw 18+ Underground Chapter 2 Show
Thumbtack Jack retired from the deathmatch genre of wrestling on April 18. His final deathmatch in the United States was on March 13, 2010 and he lost to JC Bailey in a Barefoot thumbtacks match. His final deathmatch of his career took place on April 18, 2010 in Germany against former rival Drake Younger
Drake Younger
Drake Wuertz is an American professional wrestler known by his ring name Drake Younger. He has worked for a number of major independent promotions including Combat Zone Wrestling, IWA Mid-South and Chikara...
. However, due to the Volcanic eruption in Iceland on April 16, 2010, German Airspace was restricted, forcing Drake Younger to cancel his appearance at the wXw Show. Thumbtack Jack ended up facing long time friend "HATE" and losing in a 200 light tube deathmatch.
IWA
2008 he won the IWA East Coast's deathmatch tournament Masters of Pain after defeating Mad Man Pondo, Necro ButcherNecro Butcher
Dylan Keith Summers is an American professional wrestler best known by his ring name Necro Butcher. Throughout the years he has worked for various promotions, including Beyond Wrestling, Firestormpro, Ring of Honor, Full Impact Pro, IWA-Mid South, Pro Wrestling Guerrilla, Big Japan Pro Wrestling,...
, and Ryuji Ito
Ryuji Ito
is a Japanese professional wrestler currently competing in Big Japan Pro Wrestling. He is well known for his death match style of wrestling.- Career :...
. 2009 he competed at the IWA Mid-South's tournament King of the Deathmatch
IWA Mid-South King of the Deathmatch
The Independent Wrestling Association Mid-South King of the Deathmatch is an annual professional wrestling tournament running since 1997 in which a number of wrestlers compete in various deathmatches, in a single-elimination tournament which is similar to World Wrestling Entertainment's King of...
, where he lost to Masada
Masada (wrestler)
Not to be confused with Kazuhiko Masada, who also wrestles under the ring name MASADA.Brigham Paul Doane , better known by his ring name MASADA, is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances in Ring of Honor, Combat Zone Wrestling, Full Impact Pro, NWA Wildside, and his...
in the final after defeating Nick Gage
Nick Gage
Nicholas W. "Nick" Wilson is a hardcore professional wrestler best known from Combat Zone Wrestling. Along with being the first-ever CZW World Heavyweight Champion, he has wrestled at nearly every CZW show and has competed in more CZW matches than anyone...
and Mad Man Pondo.
Pro Wrestling Showdown
Thumbtack Jack made his debut at Pro Wrestling Showdown 3: The Aftermath Defeating Johny B-wire in a one million Thumbtack match and winning the Toughest MoFo Trophy in the progress.On the 29th of May, Thumbtack Jack retained his title in a best of 5 Tables match in which he got slammed through the fifth table when the referee was knocked out and afterward completed his finisher upon an unsuspecting Jimmy Havoc and placed him on the wrecked table, thus turning heel.
On January 2011 PWS announced that Thumbtack Jack ended his career and that he and the Toughest MOFO championship will not return.
Retirement
After breaking both his thoracic vertebraeThoracic vertebrae
In human anatomy, twelve thoracic vertebrae compose the middle segment of the vertebral column, between the cervical vertebrae and the lumbar vertebrae. They are intermediate in size between those of the cervical and lumbar regions; they increase in size as one proceeds down the spine, the upper...
and sternum
Sternal fracture
A sternal fracture is a fracture of the sternum , located in the center of the chest. The injury, which occurs in 5–8% of people who experience significant blunt chest trauma, may occur in vehicle accidents, when the still-moving chest strikes a steering wheel or dashboard or is injured by a...
in a match against MASADA on October 2, 2010, Bedranowsky announced the following day that his professional wrestling career was over.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Brace to the Face (Cross-legged brainbuster onto the knee) - 2008–2010
- Bloodshed Bomb (Cross–legged Michinoku driver II) - 2006–2010
- Thumbattack (450° splash) - 2001-2006
- Signature moves
- Corkscrew neckbreaker, sometimes from the top rope
- Frog splash transitioned into an elbow drop
- MoonsaultMoonsaultA moonsault, moonsault press, or back flip splash is a professional wrestling aerial technique. Much of its popularity in American wrestling is attributed to The Great Muta, despite it being used in North America by "Leaping" Lanny Poffo years before Muta came from Japan.In a standard moonsault,...
- Pumphandle drop
- Tear Down (Full nelson transitioned into an inverted DDT) 2001-2002
- Entrance themesMusic in professional wrestlingMusic in professional wrestling serves a variety of purposes. The most common uses of music in professional wrestling is that of the entrance theme, a song or piece of instrumental music which plays as a performer approaches the ring...
- "I'm So Sick" by FlyleafFlyleafFlyleaf is an American alternative metal band, formed in the Belton and Temple, Texas regions in 2000. The band has charted on mainstream rock, Christian pop and Christian metal genres. They performed around the United States in 2003 until releasing their eponymous debut album, Flyleaf, in 2005....
- "Diamond Eyes" by ShinedownShinedownShinedown is an American rock band from Jacksonville, Florida, formed in 2001 and founded by members Brent Smith , Brad Stewart , Jasin Todd , and Barry Kerch . A few line-up changes followed, and the band's current line-up consists of Smith and Kerch, the band's only two remaining original...
- "I'm So Sick" by Flyleaf
Championships and accomplishments
- Combat Zone WrestlingCombat Zone WrestlingCombat Zone Wrestling is a independent wrestling promotion. In 1999, John Zandig and four of his students, Ric Blade, Lobo, Nick Gage and Justice Pain began to run backyard wrestling shows in New Jersey and Delaware, showcasing a brand of hardcore wrestling dubbed as "ultraviolence"...
- Tournament of DeathCZW Tournament of DeathThe Tournament of Death is an annual professional wrestling tournament organised by Combat Zone Wrestling since 2002, during which a number of wrestlers compete in various deathmatches in a single-elimination tournament which is similar to World Wrestling Entertainment's King of the Ring tournament...
(8) - CZW Ultraviolent Underground ChampionshipCZW Ultraviolent Underground ChampionshipThe CZW Ultraviolent Underground Championship is a professional wrestling hardcore wrestling championship owned by the Combat Zone Wrestling promotion. The title was introduced on February 5, 2005 at CZW's Only the Strong event....
(1 time) - Tournament of DeathCZW Tournament of DeathThe Tournament of Death is an annual professional wrestling tournament organised by Combat Zone Wrestling since 2002, during which a number of wrestlers compete in various deathmatches in a single-elimination tournament which is similar to World Wrestling Entertainment's King of the Ring tournament...
(Rewind)
- Tournament of Death
- German Stampede Wrestling
- GSW Breakthrough Championship (2 times) - with Steve Douglas (1 time)
- Independent Wrestling Association East Coast
- Masters of Pain (2008)
- Pro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling Illustrated is a professional wrestling magazine. PWI is currently based in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and published by Kappa Publishing Group.-History:The first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated was released in 1979...
- PWI ranked him #409 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2010
- Pro Wrestling Showdown
- Toughest MF-er of Europe (1 time)(Current)
- westside Xtreme wrestlingWestside Xtreme WrestlingWestside Xtreme Wrestling, officially stylized as westside Xtreme wrestling «wXw», is a professional wrestling promotion based in Oberhausen, Germany...
- wXw Extreme Championship (1 time)
- Gorefest II
- wXw hall of fame