Martin Casaus

Martin Casaus (born March 5, 1985) is an American professional wrestler, actor, voice over artist, and entrepreneur of Mexican descent. He is a former contestant on WWE Tough Enough and currently wrestles on Lucha Underground.

Personal life

Martin was born March 5, 1985 to Francis and Cheryl Casaus in West Jordan, Utah. Casaus was a 4 sport student athlete in high school and turned down college scholarships in Lacrosse and Football to pursue his academic studies. His parents put in overtime at their jobs so they could enroll Casaus in private schools until college. Casaus was the first in his family to graduate college. He received a bachelor's degree in Business Administration with a 3.98 GPA. Casaus has one brother who is currently in the United States Navy. Casaus holds a series 7 and 63 financial professional licenses^[2]

Career

Ultra Championship Wrestling-Zero and independents

Casaus first started training to become a wrestler in 2003 at the Utah-based Ultra Championship Wrestling-Zero (UCW). He was trained by Derrick Jannetty and Steve Nielson. Adopting the ring name "Tristan Gallo", he was placed in Stevie Slick's faction, "The Dynasty", as an arrogant heel and cronie to Slick. He made his debut in a singles match against Mochi Pedro in October 2003 at "Hallowicked". Setting up a tag team with Justin Wilde called Double Cross and beginning a feud against the masked group Los Mochis.

Gallo teamed with UCW-Zero wrestler Khan Kussion to win his first wrestling title, the UCW-Zero Tag Team Championship against the same Los Mochis, Mochi Paco and Mochi Damien. They lost the titles to the Mochis in a rematch the next show. After Khan Kussion was fired from UCW; Tristan teamed with cousin, GQ Gallo, to win the UCW Tag Team titles a second time from the Mochis. He won the first ever UCW Ultra X title match in a four way elimination match with Derrick Jannetty, Mochi Paco, and Nature Boy X. This began a lasting feud against Mochi Paco.

Gallo had his first Heavyweight Title Match against Derrick Jannetty. He was unsuccessful even with the help of CEO Stevie Slick. Tristan and GQ Gallo won back the UCW Tag Team Titles from the Mochis once more only to lose them from the team of Tyson Ferrari and JMB.

In 2006, Gallo got his second chance to win the UCW heavyweight title against JMB, but he lost. On his third attempt he won the UCW heavyweight Title at "Survival Quest" on July 28, 2006, Gallo lost again. After his partner GQ Gallo and former partner Khan Kussion began a feud, he found a new tag team partner in Devon Payne. They won the UCW Tag Titles for Tristan's fourth time. They teamed up to form the team "Total Control." At the time they were holding 3 of the 4 belts in UCW. They began a feud with Derrick Jannetty and Radical Ricky, or "High Risk" as they were known. High risk ended up winning the tag titles on "Season Beatings 5" December 2, 2006 in a 30-minute tag team iron man match.

On January 20, 2007 Gallo faced David Young in his first title defense. Tristan Gallo was pushed into Young's spinebuster by Devon Payne and lost the Heavyweight Title.^[3] The tensions in Stevie Slicks dynasty grew when Stevie slick hit Tristan with a chair in a match vs Jean Martell. Tristan soon began getting mixed reactions from fans because of the tension between him and his teammates, Devon Payne and Stevie Slick. Devon Payne won the UCW heavyweight match at "Ring of Rage" on February 17, 2007 against Young. The match was a lumberjack match with only high risk as David Young's lumberjacks.

On March 24, High risk (Radical Ricky and Derrick Jannetty) teamed with Marty Jannetty to take on Total Control (Tristan Gallo and Devon Payne) and Validus. The team lost to a superkick by Jannetty and challenged High Risk to a TLC match for the tag titles. On April 14, 2007 at "TLC Carnage" High Risk retained their tag titles when Devon Payne turned on Gallo pushing him off of a 12-foot ladder to the floor. Gallo was formally kicked out of the Dynasty when Devon Payne, Magnus, Validus, and Stevie Slick pummeled him after the match. David Young, Derrick Jannetty, and Radical Ricky made the save. Tristan was granted a title shot at "Revenge" with a match choice Tristan said he would have the fans choose.

On May 12, 2007 at "Revenge" Gallo faced Payne in a fan picked "No DQ, No Holds Barred, Last Man Standing match", Gallo with the help of Derrick Jannetty and Radical Ricky fought back every member of Stevie Slicks dynasty to win the UCW heavyweight championship back for the second time. Devon Payne was unable to get up to a 10 count from a "Perfector" from the top rope through a table. At "Summer Assault" Tristan was hit with the UCW heavyweight title by Validus and lost the belt. He was granted a rematch and won the UCW Heavyweight title for the third time by defeating Validus at "Survival Quest".

In the early 2000s Casaus began working in the independent wrestling scene. He wrestled as Tristan Gallo in many promotions across the country, especially in the mid west. He later changed his name to reflect his real name after WWE Tough Enough used it during the show

World Wrestling Entertainment/WWE (2007, 2011)

Casaus had his first WWE tryout at the FCW training center in 2007. Casaus was announced as a competitor on the revival of WWE Tough Enough season five which began airing on April 4, 2011. The competition consisted of in and out of ring training, along with challenges in and out of the ring.

On the seventh episode ("Running With Wolves"), Casaus had a freak accident that sent him to the emergency room. He later returned to the training center on crutches with his title belt around his waist, revealing to Tough Enough host Stone Cold Steve Austin that he was forced to leave the competition after doctors would not allow him to continue. Casaus was the only contestant that got to hang his belt up, as well as the only competitor to never be in the "Bottom Three".^[4]

Lucha Underground (2014–present)

In September 2014, Casaus confirmed he signed with El Rey network's new show Lucha Underground, that began airing on October 29.^[5] He worked the tapings under the ring name "Magnificent Martin".^[1] Casaus debuted on (aired April 29, 2015) as Marty "The Moth" Martinez, a fan who interfered in the match between Cage, King Cuerno and Hernandez. On February 22, 2015, Martinez had his first aired match, where he was defeated by Prince Puma.^[6] July 15, Marty demanded and lost a match against Sexy Star for one of the seven ancient Aztec medallions which she had won only moments before, due to the fact the insignia on the medallion was of a moth; confirming his claims of having "Aztec blood". His character then was tweaked to be mentally unhinged after he kidnapped Sexy Star and likely tortured her along with his storyline sister Mariposa for the duration of Lucha Undergrounds hiatus in the summer.

Acting career

In 2004 Casaus had his first taste of the entertainment business when we went on the set of Everwood to play an uncredited featured folk style wrestler. He immediately began acting training. Casaus signed with Broadway Talent Management in 2015^[2]

Television

Film

In wrestling

• Finishing moves
  • Full Nelson Neckbreaker
  • Perfector (Rolling cutter)
  • Sharpshooter
  • Spear
  • Diving curb stomp
• Signature moves
  • Diving leg drop bulldog
  • Multiple suplex variations
    • Belly-to-belly
    • Northern Lights
    • Triple rolling Germans
• Managers
  • Holly Michelle
  • Stevie Slick
• Nicknames
  • "The Reflection of Perfection"
  • "The Man Men Want to Be and Women Want to Be With"
  • "The Halfbreed Heart Throb"
  • "The Moth"

Championships and accomplishments

• American Championship Wrestling
  • ACW Midwest Championship (1 time)
  • ACW Match of the Year 2005
• Asylum Championship Wrestling
  • ACW Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Josh Evans^[7]
  • ACW Championship (1 time)
• Ultra Championship Wrestling-Zero
  • UCW-Zero Heavyweight Championship (6 times)
  • UCW-Zero Tag Team Championship (5 times) - with Justin Wilde (1), G.Q. Gallo (1), Devan Payne (1), Derrick Jannetty (2)
  • UCW-Zero Ultra-X Championship (1 time)

References

External links

• Martin Casaus on Facebook