Dru Onyx

Dru Onyx

Dru Onyx
Birth name Rodney Kellman
Born September 24, 1974
Saint Michael, Barbados
Resides Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s) Dru Onyx
Soa Amin
S.O.A.
Spirit of Allah
Son of Abdullah
Tenbatsu
Billed height 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)[1]
Billed weight 320 lb (150 kg)[2]
Billed from Saint Michael, Barbados
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Trained by Marc Pilon[3]
Kendo Kashin
Debut 1999[3]

Rodney Kellman[1] (born September 24, 1974), better known by his ring names Dru Onyx and Soa Amin, is a Canadian professional wrestler. He has wrestled the majority of his career in Canada for the Northern Championship Wrestling, National Wrestling Alliance, and Montreal Wrestling Association, and Championship Wrestling Association promotions. He has also wrestled in Europe and the United States.

Early life

Kellman was born in Saint Michael, Barbados, but when he was still young, his family moved to Montreal, Quebec, Canada.[2] Six years later, they relocated to Chomedey Laval where, as a teen, he played both baseball and football. Kellman played football for the John Abbott Islanders and the University of Ottawa Gee Gees.[2] He also played Semi Pro for the Montreal Condors, Plattsburg North Stars, and Lake City Stars. He then worked as a security for the Saudi Arabian Embassy Consulate Section in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

Professional wrestling career

Kellman started his professional wrestling career in February 1999 as a graduate of the Northern Championship Wrestling’s school. He was trained under the guidance of Marc Pilon.[3] He debuted six months later against Pilon for the NCW Quebec Heavyweight Championship.[2] In the fall, wrestling was put on hold to go play university football for the Ottawa Gee Gees. In 2002, he came back to the Montreal wrestling scene for Paul Leduc’s Federation Lutte Québécoise.

He then joined Internet Wrestling Syndicate (IWS) where he feuded with the Green Phantom over the IWS version of the World Heavyweight Championship for almost half a year.[2] Upon winning the title on March 15, 2003 in his hometown of Quebec, he defended the title five months before losing the title to Arsenal in a ladder match.

National Wrestling Alliance and Championship Wrestling Association

Squaring off with Prince Devitt.

Onyx first worked with the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) was going on a one week tour in 2004 for Andre Baker's NWA UK Hammerlock where he wrestled in tag team matches siding with Dany Williams in a series of matches against Fergal Devitt and Paul Tracey.[2] In the United Kingdom, Onyx used his "Son of Abdullah" alter-ego, which is influenced by Abdullah the Butcher.[2][3]

Shortly after a tour with NWA UK Hammerlock, Onyx joined Championship Wrestling Association (CWA) on January 28, 2004 and was their federation’s first champion holding the title for three months before losing the title to Sunny Warcloud on May 29, 2004 in an Indian Strap match. Onyx regained the Quebec title a month later in a three-way dance with Sunny Warcloud and Manuel Vegas. Later on when CWA joined partnership with NWA Quebec, the CWA title was then recognized as the NWA Quebec Heavyweight Championship. On October 15, 2004 Onyx won the NWA British Commonwealth Heavyweight Championship defeating Australia's Will Phoenix in Winnipeg. He then toured for NWA Ireland again using his "Son of Abdullah" alter-ego.[3]

On his second tour with NWA UK Hammerlock, after making three mandatory defenses in England, he lost the NWA British Commonwealth title to Fergal Devitt (Pegasus 2) on October 27 in Cardiff Wales in a hardcore match. Two days later, Onyx beat Paul Tracey for the NWA United Kingdom Heavyweight Championship in Maidstone Kent. On October 29 in Ashford Kent, England he also won back the NWA British Commonwealth title from Devitt in a handicap match with Devitt and Tracey working together. Due to the fact the UK Heavyweight Championship had to be defended within the next 30 days, Onyx was forced to relinquish the title and concentrate on defending the British Commonwealth title for the last two days of his two-week tour. On January 26, 2005 Jake Mathews defeated Onyx for the NWA Quebec Heavyweight title. On October 8, 2005 in Nashville, Tennessee at the NWA 57th anniversary show Fergal Devitt once again defeated Onyx for the British Commonwealth title. After the match both participants were invited to the New Japan Inoki Dojo in Santa Monica, California to train in the Japanese style of pro wrestling. Onyx lived at the dojo for two months and was trained by Tokimitsu Ishizawa. After coming back from the dojo, Onyx took some time off to heal nagging injuries.

Sabu with the camel clutch on Dru Onyx at an IWS event.

Once recuperated, he went back out and captured more NWA gold on April 22, 2006 in Southern Championship Wrestling. In Almonte Springs, Florida, Onyx defeated Thomas Marr and Chasyn Rance in a three-way to win the NWA North American Heavyweight Championship. Onyx returned to the IWS on June 3, 2005 to team up with his nemesis Green Phantom to battle Pierre Carl Ouellet and Sabu in what was Sabu’s last indie appearance before going to World Wrestling Entertainment. Subsequently, he defended the North American title in both Canada and the United States, including on July 7, 2006 at a Total Nonstop Action Wrestling house show. He also defended the title overseas in both Ireland and in the UK. After an over one year reign as North American Heavyweight Champion, he lost the title to Damien Waynes on August 24, 2007 in Las Vegas, Nevada. On October 26, 2007 in St. Albans, Vermont, Onyx defeated Paul Tracey to once again become the NWA British Commonwealth Champion.

North Shore Pro Wrestling

In 2010, Onyx wrestled mostly for NSPW, starting the year by losing the NWA British Commonwealth Heavyweight title to Adam Pearce on January 23 a title he had defended against Kevin Steen. In late February during the Weekend of Excellence, Onyx wrestled as Soa Amin against Darkko in a match that ended with a double countout, and on the night after Amin won a match against Pauly Platinum. For his next three NSPW appearances, he reverted to his Dru Onyx persona, winning a match against Michael Style on March 20. The month after he teamed up with Kevin Skully to take on James Stone and Michael Style on April 24 (a loss).

On May 8 Onyx participated in a 4-way match for the NSPW Heavyweight title against champion Kevin Skully, Michael Style and Mathieu St-Jacques. The match was won by St-Jacques. In July the Soa Amin character returned, teaming up with Giovanni to face the team of veteran Sunny War Cloud and Pee-Wee in a losing effort. On August 6, Onyx got another shot at the NSPW Heavyweight title again St-Jacques, once again coming up short in his bid for the championship. He bounced back with a with over Michael Style on September 8 and finished off 2010 with a loss in a chain match against Ismael.

As Soa Amin he got his revenge on Ismael, defeating him on February 5, 2011 in a falls count anywhere match. Onyx wrestled one more time for NSPW in 2011, losing to Damien Steele at NSPW Fifty on October 22. In July 2012, Onyx made a return to the company as Soa Amin, losing to Matt Falco. In late 2012 he participated in the Standing 8 Tournament, winning in the first round against Franky The Mobster before getting eliminated in the second round by Giovanni.

Montreal Wrestling Federation

Throughout 2011 and 2012, Onyx worked in the Montreal Wrestling Federation (MWF) as Soa Amin. After a loss against Franky The Mobster in September 2011, Amin defeated Jason Starr, Shayne Hawke, HC Ryder and then HC Ryder & Chris Cruze in a tag-team match where he teamed up with Hawke. In early 2012, he won against Bryan Kevins on January 14 before participating in a match with Jake Matthews that would end in a no contest on January 28. Soa Amin and Green Phantom teamed up on February 4 defeating the team of Stew Ramjattan and Jake Matthews. Later on in the same month Amin and Pat Guénette wrestled to a no contest. On March 17 at MWF No Remorse, Amin lost to Jake Matthews in a Last Man Standing match. On March 31, Amin and Darkko teamed up in a match for the MWF Tag Team titles against champions Stew Ramjattan and Pauly Platinum, losing the match by disqualification.

Northern Championship Wrestling

Pat Guénette applying the figure four leglock to a bloody Dru Onyx during the September 2013 NCW cage match for the Québec title.

In Northern Championship Wrestling (NCW), Onyx held the NCW Québec title for 11 months from June 2012 to May 2013 where he lost it to Pat Guénette. During his reign as champion, Onyx successfully defended the title against Jay Phenomenon, Handsome JF, Guénette, Gorgeous Mike, Pitbull Brando, William Brady, James Stone and Alextreme. He feuded with Pat Guénette, and they competed in a no disqualification match on June 22 at Fight Nationale for the Québec championship.

Other promotions

Onyx participated in a 3-Way casket match in March 2010 for Montreal promotion TOW against Darkko and Sylvain Grenier; the match was won by Grenier. He later won the promotion's tag team title with Carl LeDuc.[1]

In April 2010 he wrestled to a no contest against Gran Apolo for an NWA on Fire event held in Maine. Onyx along with Derek Platinum lost to the GCW-NS champions the Hillbullies (Jeff Black and Cousin Eddie) on February 4, 2012 in Oshawa.

In 2011, Onyx received in invitation to train at WWE's developmental camp in Florida and wrestle at several of their house shows.[1][4] He used his "Son of Abdullah" gimmick at the camp.[1]

On January 30, 2015, Dru Onyx wrestled his first match for Ring of Honor in Dearborn, Michigan on the Winter Warriors Tour against The Romantic Touch.

Onyx also opened his opened his own professional wrestling school in Quebec called Torture Chamber Pro Wrestling Dojo.[5] It emphasizes submission and chain wrestling.[5] It is affiliated with Fergal Devitt's Fight Factory.[5]

Other media

He released a CD titled Sinebriated in September 2004.[3] It was released under his rap alter-ego R-Kade.[3] Onyx began rapping when he was 16 and has collaborated with Bran Van 3000.[3] In addition, he is the CEO of Clutch Records and is involved with a local talent agency.[3]

In wrestling

Championships and accomplishments

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Oliver, Greg (2011-07-11). "Dru Onyx shares lessons learned in WWE camp". Slam Wrestling. Retrieved 2014-09-04.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Oliver, Greg (2003-12-04). "Lucky meeting gets Onyx to UK". Slam Wrestling. Retrieved 2014-09-05.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 Lacroix, Corey David (2004-07-04). "Dru Onyx to debut hip-hop CD". Slam Wrestling. Retrieved 2014-09-05.
  4. ↑ Laprade, Pat and Bertrand Hebert (2013). Mad Dogs, Midgets and Screw Jobs: The Untold Story of How Montreal Shaped the World of Wrestling. ECW Press.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Onyx, Dru. "On Tour in Ireland with Dru Onyx". Slam Wrestling. Retrieved 2014-09-05.
  6. ↑ "Independent Wrestling Results - June 2004". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2008-07-05.
  7. ↑ "Independent Wrestling Results - April 2006". onlineworldofwrestling.com. Retrieved 2008-07-04.
  8. ↑ Cauliflower Alley Club (2013-09-01). "CAC Future Legends featured on the PWI 500". Retrieved 2014-09-04.

Further reading

External links