Josh Lewis (wrestler)

Joshua Ryan Lewis (born August 27, 1975), better known by his ring name " Big Time" Josh Lewis is a Professional wrestler and former Arnold Classic competitor and National level competitive Bodybuilder currently wrestling for the National Wrestling Alliance.^[1] He has wrestled for several of the NWA's promotions including NWA Supreme,^[2] NWA Mid-South^[3], and NWA Circle City Wrestling^[4]. Josh is currently ranked ninth in the National Wrestling Alliance according to Pro Wrestling Illustrated.^[5]

Bodybuilding career

Josh Lewis has competed at the national level in several bodybuilding competitions throughout his career including 37 competitions for the National Physique Committee (NPC).^[6] He achieved 1st place in 14 of these competitions, including his most recent one in 2013, the NPC Southern Indiana Championships in Super Heavyweight weight class. He has also competed in 3 Arnold Classic competitions in 2009, 2010, and 2013.^[7][8]

Professional wrestling career (2015–present)

Beginning in 2001, Josh Lewis began training for a professional wrestling career in Heartland Wrestling Association under the tutelage of renowned professional wrestler and trainer, Les Thatcher. However, at a career crossroads, Lewis decided to move towards bodybuilding. It was at a bodybuilding event in Indiana that Lewis struck up a friendship with Rob Conway a three time WWE World tag team champion, who was then wrestling for the National Wrestling Alliance. Once Conway found out about Lewis's love for professional wrestling, he took him under his wing and trained him to become a wrestler. In 2015, Lewis made his debut with the National Wrestling Alliance. In just under a year's time, Lewis has become a multiple time champion, as well as competed for several major National Wrestling Alliance championships. He has competed in NWA promotions including NWA Mid South,^[9] NWA Circle City Wrestling, and NWA Supreme.^[10] The first championship he held was the Wild Championship Wrestling Outlaws (WCWO) Tag Team Championship with Rob Conway.^[11]

National Wrestling Alliance

Josh Lewis made his debut with the National Wrestling Alliance, the oldest sanctioning body in professional wrestling, debuting for NWA Mid-South, NWA Supreme and NWA Circle City Wrestling in October 2015. In early 2016, he teamed with Jeremy Moore to take on former partner Rob Conway and "Loverboy" Matt Riviera, collectively known as The Iron Empire to challenge for the NWA World Tag Team Championship.^[3] It was during this time that he began feuding with Rob Conway. While in NWA Mid South, Lewis also challenged top NWA stars for championship gold. He challenged Tim Storm for the NWA North American Heavyweight Championship, as well as for the NWA National Heavyweight Championship against champion Greg Anthony.

In NWA CCW, he had matches against top wrestlers such as Kevin Thorn and former NWA and Total Non-Stop Action Wrestling World Heavyweight Champion Abyss (wrestler).^[4]

In NWA Supreme Josh Lewis Made an immediate impact, Lewis faced off against NWA Supreme Heavyweight Champion The Texas Outlaw in his first match. Lewis won this match by countout.^[12] Over the next few months, Lewis competed against many NWA Supreme top stars. On February 27, 2016 Josh Lewis was one of the last two men standing in a battle royal where the winners would face each other later in the show to win the brand new NWA United States heavyweight Championship. He went on to defeat one of NWA Supreme's top stars, "Custom Made" Eric Draven to win the new title.^[13] He would hold this championship until losing it to "Vivacious" Van Martigan at Supershine Showdown 2016 in May.^[14] He would regain the title on May 28, 2016 when Van Martigan passed out while in the Human Torture Rack.

A week prior to this, he would win his second title while competing at NWA Supreme. "Custom Made" Eric Draven chose Josh Lewis when he needed a partner at Spring Stampede 2016 to face off against The Cross Brothers for the NWA Mid-America Tag Team Championships. Draven and Lewis won the titles, bringing them to NWA Supreme for the first time.
The pair would go on to hold the titles until June 11, 2016 when they lost them to The King's Court.
Josh Lewis faced off against NWA Supreme Heavyweight Champion Rob Conway in a champion vs champion match in June 2016. Lewis won this match by disqualification when Conway hit him with the NWA Supreme title belt.

On September 16, 2016 Josh Lewis defeated "The Ironman" Rob Conway for The NWA Supreme Heavyweight Championship at Surviving the Steel.^[15] This was his first reign as Supreme Heavyweight Champion.

On September 24, 2016 Josh Lewis put both of his NWA sanctioned championships on line against NWA Mid-America Champion Johnny Justice. Josh won adding the very historic and prestigious championship to his accomplishments. 

On October 7, 2016 at NWA Supreme 3 Generations of Excellence, Josh lost the NWA Supreme Heavyweight Championship to Rob Conway. On November 5, 2016 Josh Lewis lost the NWA Mid-America Heavyweight Championship to Nicolas Noble. On January 6, 2017 Josh Lewis was awarded the NWA Tri State Television Championship in Dyersburg, Tennessee, when Van VanHorn refused to defend the title. On February 18, 2017 Josh Lewis put the NWA Tri State Television championship on the line in a triple threat match. Colton Cage captured the championship when he pinned Timmy Danger in Madison, Indiana. One week later, Josh Lewis would regain the NWA Tri State Television Championship by defeating Colton Cage. Lewis 2nd reign as NWA Tri State Television champion lasted 120 days. Eventually loseing the championship to "The Iornman" Rob Conway in Dale Indiana.

On May 12, 2017 Josh Lewis's 2nd reign as NWA United States heavyweight champion came to a end after 350 days when he was defeated by Rob Conway in Hanover Indiana at NWA Supreme Rebelution 2017. Just 15 days later Josh would regain the NWA United States heavyweight championship by defeating Conway in Madison Indiana. ^[16][13]

June 10, 2017 "Big Time"Josh Lewis teamed up with "Fantastic" Bobby Fulton to win the NWA Mid-America Tag Team Championship from the East and West Express in NWA Supreme. The East and West Express regained the championship on June 23, 2017. At this time Rob Conway convinced Josh Lewis to leave Custom Made and become his tag team partner. On July 14, 2017 Josh Lewis teamed with "The Ironman" Rob Conway to win the NWA Mid-America Tag Team Championship from Custom Made (Eric Draven and Roger Malcolm) at NWA Supreme in Madison, Indiana.^[17]

In wrestling

• Finishing Moves
  • Human Torture Rack
  • Catatonic Backbeaker (Swinging Backbreaker)

Signature Moves

• Powerslam
• Vertical suplex
• Press Slam
• Clothesline
• Knee lift
• Bear hug

Nicknames

• Big Time

Entrance Themes Used

• "Just Look at Me" by Jim Johnston
• "Requiem for a Tower, Movement 4" by Corner Stone Cues (When teaming with "Custom Made" Eric Draven)
• For Whom the Bell Tolls (Metallica song)
• "Overdrive"

Championships and accomplishments

Bodybuilding

• 2003 National Physique Committee Central States Super Heavyweight 2nd place
• 2003 National Physique Committee Indiana Championships, Super-Heavyweight, 1st Place^[7]
• 2003 National Physique Committee Midwest Championships Heavyweight 3rd Place^[7]
• 2004 National Physique Committee Indianapolis, 5th Place
• 2005 National Physique Committee Big Dust Classic 1st Place^[7]
• 2006 National Physique Committee Big Dust Classic 1st Place^[7]
• 2006 National Physique Committee Monster Mash, Heavyweight, 2nd Place
• 2007 National Physique Committee Indianapolis, 4th Place
• 2007 National Physique Committee Upper Ohio Valley 1st Place ^[6]
• 2007 National Physique Committee Mike Francois Classic Bodybuilding And Figure Contest 3rd Place.^[6]
• 2008 National Physique Committee Indianapolis, 3rd Place
• 2008 National Physique Committee Julie Palmers Ultimate Bodybuilding, Fitness & Figure Showdown 3rd Place.^[6]
• 2008 National Physique Committee Mike Francois Classic Bodybuilding & Figure Championships 3rd Place.^[6]
• 2008 National Physique Committee Kentucky Championships 1st Place
• 2009 International Federation of BodyBuilding & Fitness Arnold Classic Amateur, 11th Place^[18]
• 2009 National Physique Committee Southern Indiana, Super Heavyweight, 2nd Place
• 2010 International Federation of BodyBuilding & Fitness Arnold Classic Amateur^[18]
• 2010 National Physique Committee Northern Kentucky, Super Heavyweight, 3rd Place
• 2011 National Physique Committee Northern Kentucky Bodybuilding, Figure & Bikini Championships 2nd Place.^[6]
• 2011 National Physique Committee Southern Indiana Bodybuilding Championship 1st Place.
• 2011 National Physique Committee Cincinnati Bodybuilding Championships 2nd Place
• 2011 National Physique Committee Mike Francois Classic ^[19]
• 2012 National Physique Committee Grand Rapids ^[19]
• 2012 National Physique Committee Julie Palmer Showdown 3rd Place.^[6]
• 2012 National Physique Committee Indianapolis Bodybuilding Competition 1st Place.
• 2012 National Physique Committee Indiana Championships, Super-Heavyweight, 1st Place.^[20]
• 2012 National Physique Committee Mike Francois Classic ^[19]
• 2013 International Federation of BodyBuilding & Fitness Arnold Classic Amateur, 12th Place^[18]
• 2013 National Physique Committee Kentucky Derby ^[19]
• 2013 National Physique Committee Mike Francois Classic ^[19]
• 2013 National Physique Committee Southern Indiana Championships 1st Place.^[20]

Pro wrestling

• National Wrestling Alliance
  • NWA United States Championship^{[21] [13]}(3 times, current)
  • NWA Mid-America Heavyweight Championship^{[21] [22][23]}(1 time)
  • NWA Mid-America Tag Team Championship^[21][24] (3 times, current) with Bobby Fulton (1) Eric Draven (1) and Rob Conway (1)
  • NWA Supreme Heavyweight Championship^[21][15] (1 time)
  • NWA Tri State Television Championship^[21] (2 times)

• Wild Championship Wrestling Outlaws
  • WCWO Tag Team Championship^[11] (1 time) - with Rob Conway

References