Jason Arhndt

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Jason Arhndt
Statistics
Ring name(s) Joey Abs
Venom
Billed height 6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Billed weight 275 lb (125 kg)
Born October 15, 1971 (1971-10-15) (age 36)
Carthage, Connecticut
Trained by OMEGA, MCW
Debut 1999

Jason Arhndt (born October 15, 1971) is a professional wrestler, best known for his work in World Wrestling Entertainment, as part of the three man team known as the Mean Street Posse. He made his WWF debut on the June 21, 1999 episode of Raw is War. He achieved little success, usually acting as a jobber, and was released from the WWF in early 2001.

Contents

[edit] Career

Arhndt began his career as a member of Matt and Jeff Hardy's Organization of Modern Extreme Grappling Arts in Cameron, North Carolina.[1]

He worked as "enhancement talent" for the WWF in the mid-1990s. Towards the end of his run with the company, in 1996, he managed to defeat Stone Cold Steve Austin in a handicap match.

In early 1999, he joined WWF as part of the Mean Street Posse, a heel stable, clad in sweater vests and dress pants. They started off as a group from Greenwich, Connecticut of about ten people in early 1999, but then as the year went on the stable whittled its way down to three members. The group was closely allied with Shane McMahon, often helping him defend the WWE European Championship throughout early 1999. Pete Gas and Rodney were legitimate school friends of Shane McMahon, whereas Joey Abs was a wrestler brought in to be the worker of the group. At WrestleMania 2000, each member won the WWF Hardcore Championship for a short while. Abs also became the first person in the WWF to be slapped by Stephanie McMahon.

All three Posse members were briefly signed to the WWF developmental territory of Memphis Championship Wrestling, before being released from their contracts. After they split up in 2000, Abs went to Ohio Valley Wrestling and had a somewhat successful run before being released. He now goes under the name Venom.

In their magazine commemorating the 15th anniversary of Raw, WWE listed Abs as one of "15 superstars who overstayed their welcome."

[edit] Controversy

In the documentary, Omega: Uncommon Passion, released in 2007, it was revealed that Arhndt now works as a car mechanic. Prior to joining the WWE, Arhndt had begun a relationship with a girl also liked by Matt Hardy. Hardy claimed that he told Arhndt to choose between himself, and the girl. Arhndt chose the girl, and while Hardy maintains that he and Arhndt remained on speaking terms, their relationship deteriorated after that point.

Hardy had also been very helpful to Arhndt during his early career and often provided advice on the wrestling business, and with planning his matches. This stopped after the falling out and Arhndt's in ring work suffered. It is alleged in the documentary that during his stay in WWE, Arhndt suffered from drug problems and had to be physically stopped by Hardy from leaving a dressing room under the influence, as Jim Ross and Vince McMahon were outside the dressing room and being seen by them would have cost Arhndt his job with WWE. It is also alleged that Arhndt collapsed at an airport and had to be helped on to the plane by Matt and Jeff Hardy.

Matt Hardy maintains that Arhndt had the most potential of any of the OMEGA alumni, and could have been WWE champion if he hadn't succumbed to his demons.

[edit] In wrestling

[edit] Championships and accomplishments

  • National Championship Wrestling
    • NCW Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
  • Other Titles
    • CWF Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
    • NFWA Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Matt Hardy
    • OPW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

[edit] References

Professional wrestling
Portal
  1. ^ Matt Hardy (May 29, 2007). Will Not Die-aries: Thoughts on rival Gregroy Helms. Retrieved on 2007-05-29.