Christopher Ashford-Smith
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| Christopher Ashford-Smith II | |
|---|---|
| Statistics | |
| Ring name(s) | Dennis Smith Chris Champion Kowabunga Yoshi Kwan Synn |
| Billed height | 6 ft 1 in (185 cm) |
| Billed weight | 222 lb (101 kg) |
| Born | february 17, 1961 Tampa, Florida |
| Trained by | Boris Malenko Dean Malenko Joe Malenko |
| Debut | 1984 |
Christopher Ashford-Smith is a professional wrestler better known as Chris Champion or Yoshi Kwan.
Contents |
[edit] Career
Chris Champion (born Christopher Dennis Ashford-Smith) started wrestling in 1984 as Dennis Smith. He went to Florida Championship Wrestling in 1986 and changed his name to Chris Champion. He formed a tag team with Sean Royal called The New Breed, who claimed that they were from the year 2002. They won the Florida Tag Team Titles and left for the NWA's Jim Crockett Promotions in 1987.
In the NWA, they started a feud with the Rock 'N Roll Express but it was ended when they had a car wreck and Champion was not able to wrestle for several months. The New Breed split up during this time.
The New Breed memorably claimed that Dusty Rhodes would be elected President of the United States in the 2000 election, and addressed him as "Mr. President". Their entrance music was the Beastie Boys song "Fight For Your Right To Party".
Champion briefly wrestled in the NWA after the New Breed split as "The Karate Kid". Ric Flair, Barry Windham and others complained of Champion's stiff kicks and he was soon out of the NWA.
Champion showed up in CWA teaming with his brother, Mark Starr, in 1989. They were called "Wildside" and feuded with the Rock 'N Roll Express. They were also tag team champions there.
After Starr left the federation Champion turned face and feuded with Jerry Lawler and later "Dirty White Boy" Tony Anthony. He was one of the top faces in the federation at this time.
Champion left CWA and later went to World Championship Wrestling as Yoshi Kwan where he was managed by Harley Race and feuded with Cactus Jack. Despite not being Asian, he played an Asian character sometimes being billed from Hunan and other times being billed from Hong Kong. After the feud with Cactus Jack he was scheduled to be in a feud with Ricky Steamboat but a knee injury forced him out of action. He soon left WCW and went back to the independent circuit, where he continued to wrestle as Yoshi Kwan and later wrestled as Synn in U.S. independents and in England.
He returned to the United States in 2002 and suffered a stroke.
Champion recovered well from the stroke and currently wrestles in the SWF, an independent promotion in Tennessee. He is once again competing as Synn in the federation. He is a three time tag team champion there.
Champion claimed in a "shoot interview" with RF Video in 2001 that he had a fling with Stacy Carter years ago when he wrestled in Memphis.
[edit] In wrestling
[edit] Finishing and signature moves
- Igetchasucker (Trapezius Grip Armbar Submission)
- Swan Kick
- Superkick
[edit] Managers
- Ronald Gossett
- Harley Race
- Nathaniel Whitlock
- Marcus Woodrow III
[edit] Championships and accomplishments
- National Wrestling Alliance
- 1-Time NWA Florida Tag Team Champion (with Sean Royal)
- 1-Time NWA Florida Bahamian Champion
- Other Titles
- 1-Time CWA Tag Team Champion (with Mark Starr)
- 1-Time TWC Heavyweight Champion
- 1-Time SWA North American Champion
- 3-Time SWF Tag Team Champion (with Blackie West)
