Wesley Blake

Wesley Blake

Blake in March 2015.
Birth name Cory James Weston[1]
Born (1987-09-04) September 4, 1987
San Marcos, Texas,
United States[2]
Alma mater Texas State University
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s) Blake
Cory Weston[3]
Wesley Blake[4][5]
Billed height 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)[5]
Billed weight 240 lb (110 kg)[5]
Billed from San Antonio, Texas[5]
Trained by Dory Funk Jr.[3]
Debut 2011

Cory James Weston[1] (born September 4, 1987) is an American professional wrestler. He is signed to WWE, where he wrestles in their developmental territory WWE NXT under the ring name Wesley Blake. He is a one-time NXT Tag Team Champion with Buddy Murphy.

Professional wrestling career

Funking Conservatory (2011–2013)

Weston wanted to be a wrestler since the age of 3.[2] He eventually became a student of Dory Funk Jr.'s wrestling school, the Funking Conservatory,[2] appearing on the school's !Bang! TV show under his real name of Cory Weston.[3] Immediately after graduating from university, Weston moved to Ocala, Florida in 2011, where the school was located.[2] Documented to have been wrestling there since May 2011,[6][7] Weston managed to become the Funking Conservatory World Champion,[8] as well as the European Champion and the Florida Heavyweight Champion.[6][9] Weston wrestled against Jerry Lawler in an eight-person tag team match in May 2013, which was Lawler's first match since suffering a heart attack in September 2012.[10][11]

WWE

NXT (2013–present)

Weston signed with WWE in June 2013[12] and reported to NXT in July 2013 when the WWE Performance Center opened; at the same time as his future NXT tag team partner Buddy Murphy.[13] Weston made his television debut as Wesley Blake on the January 22, 2014 episode of NXT with the character of a cowboy and lost his debut match to Adrian Neville.[14][15] Blake continued in his jobber role with losses in singles matches to the likes of Adam Rose, Mason Ryan and Sin Cara, as well as a loss in a tag-team match against the Ascension with Cal Bishop as his partner.[16][17][18][19]

In August 2014, Blake abandoned the cowboy character and formed a tag team with Buddy Murphy. On the August 14 episode of NXT, Blake and Murphy were defeated in the first round of a number one contender tag team tournament by Kalisto and Sin Cara,[20] later known as The Lucha Dragons. For the rest of 2014, Blake and Murphy lost multiple matches to teams such as the Lucha Dragons and the Vaudevillains (Aiden English and Simon Gotch). Blake and Murphy were once referred to as Team Thick in October, but that name was dropped in later episodes.[21][22][23][24] Also in October 2014, Blake and Murphy were involved in a tag-team battle royal to determine the number one contenders to the NXT Tag Team Championship; they were eliminated from the match by the Ascension.[25]

On the January 21, 2015 episode of NXT, Blake and Murphy, scored their first-ever televised victory by defeating the Vaudevillains.[26][27] This led to a title match on the January 28, 2015 episode of NXT (taped on January 15) where Blake and Murphy defeated champions the Lucha Dragons to win the NXT Tag Team Championship.[28][29]

At NXT TakeOver: Rival, Blake and Murphy, now billed simply by their family names, defeated the Lucha Dragons in a rematch for the title.[30] Following that, Blake and Murphy started a feud with Enzo Amore and Colin Cassady, who were intent on capturing the tag titles.[4] At NXT TakeOver: Unstoppable, during Amore and Cassady's NXT Tag Team Championship match against Blake and Murphy, Alexa Bliss would come out mid-match and attack Carmella and Amore, ensuring the win for Blake and Murphy and aligning herself with them in the process.[31] After making several successful title defenses, Blake and Murphy lost the championships to the Vaudevillians at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn, ending their reign at 219 days.[32]

On the May 18 taping of NXT, after losing to Shinsuke Nakamura and Austin Aries, Alexa and Blake walked away from Murphy, teasing a split for the team. On May 19, Blake suffered a knee injury, which would require surgery. On June 15th, he made his return at a house show at the Echo Arena, losing to Hugo Knox.

Other media

Blake, along with his tag team partner Murphy, made his video game debut in WWE 2K16 as a downloadable character and is featured in WWE 2K17.

Personal life

Weston hails from San Marcos, Texas.[2] He and his younger sister were from a single parent family, being brought up by their mother.[13] He graduated from Texas State University,[33] There, he was a strength instructor and also played college football.[2] Weston also played football at the all-state high school level,[2] including for the Medina Valley Panthers in 2005,[34] where he played as the middle linebacker.[35] In October 2016, it was announced that Weston was expecting his first child with former WWE developmental wrestler, Sara Lee.[36] In early November, it was announced that the baby is a girl.

In wrestling

Championships and accomplishments

References

  1. 1 2 NXT Star Wesley Blake Refuses to Take Breath Test After DUI Arrest. Retrieved November 26, 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Mooneyham, Mike. "Past meets future at wrestling's Funking Conservatory". The Post and Courier. Archived from the original on January 19, 2015. Retrieved January 19, 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Dory Funk Jr. "!BANG! TV Super H-Q Features Dory Funk's Friend and Blue Chipper Cory "Wild" Weston". Archived from the original on January 18, 2015. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
  4. 1 2 Howell, Nolan. "NXT: Owens runs through Riley". Canoe.ca. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Wesley Blake Bio". WWE. Retrieved January 16, 2015.
  6. 1 2 3 Johnson, Mike. "!Bang! TV results". pwinsiderxtra.com. Retrieved January 19, 2015.
  7. ↑ "Sun. Update: Big shows today, Hardy digging himself deeper, Flair not going to jail, Marquardt". f4wonline.com. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
  8. 1 2 "A Night of Comedy with Mick Foley on 7/12 in Ocala, FL". wrestleview.com. Retrieved January 18, 2014.
  9. 1 2 Johnson, Mike (October 10, 2011). "!Bang! TV update". pwinsiderxtra.com. Retrieved January 19, 2015.
  10. ↑ "Show Results - 5/25 Jerry Lawler return match in Ocala, Fla.: Details on Lawler's first match since heart attack, Lawler comments on the match, full results from Bang TV taping". PWTorch.com. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
  11. ↑ Chhibber, Ranjan. "Lawler returns to the ring". Canoe.ca. Slam Wrestling. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
  12. ↑ Martin, Adam. "WWE back in Canada for TV tapings, Lawler's in-ring return". wrestleview.com. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
  13. 1 2 Saxton, Byron. "Blake and Murphy's improbable dream". WWE. Retrieved February 10, 2015.
  14. ↑ Johnson, Mike (January 24, 2014). "WWE NXT: What Worked, What Didn't & What We Learned". PWInsider.com. Retrieved January 16, 2015.
  15. ↑ Witner, Emerson. "WWE TV Report: watch NXT Champion Bo Dallas vs. Adrian Neville, Antonio Cesaro". f4wonline.com. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
  16. ↑ Witner, Emerson. "WWE NXT TV Report: Adrian Neville battles Brodus Clay, Great Khali runs wild!". f4wonline.com. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
  17. ↑ Howell, Nolan. "NXT: Zayn returns to battle a disgruntled Graves". Canoe.ca. Slam Wrestling. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
  18. ↑ Witner, Emerson. "WWE NXT TV Report: Bo Dallas' Road To NXTmania begins". f4wonline.com. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
  19. ↑ Witner, Emerson. "WWE NXT TV Report: Adrian Neville/Sami Zayn vs. Tyson Kidd/Justin Gabriel". f4wonline.com. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
  20. ↑ James, Justin. "James's WWE NXT report 8/14 Week 111: Neville defends NXT Title vs. Breeze, tournament continues, #1 contender to Women's Title; Overall Reax". PWTorch.com. Retrieved January 16, 2015.
  21. ↑ Asher, Matthew. "NXT: Badda-Bing! Realist chick in the ring Carmella makes her debut". Canoe.ca. Slam Wrestling. Retrieved January 19, 2015.
  22. ↑ Justin, Justin. "James's WWE NXT report 10/23: Neville defends NXT Title against Titus O'Neil, Tyler Breeze, Ascension, more; Overall Reax". PWTorch.com. Retrieved January 19, 2015.
  23. ↑ Howell, Nolan. "NXT: Neville gives Zayn another big loss". Canoe.ca. Slam Wrestling. Retrieved January 19, 2015.
  24. ↑ Howell, Nolan. "NXT: Zayn and Neville face-to-face". Canoe.ca. Slam Wrestling. Retrieved January 19, 2015.
  25. ↑ Namako, Jason. "WWE NXT Results - 10/30/14 (O'Neil VS. Zayn II)". wrestleview.com. Retrieved January 19, 2015.
  26. ↑ Witner, Emerson. "WWE NXT TV Report: Adrian Neville vs. Tyson Kidd, Blake/Murphy vs. Lucha Dragons,". f4wonline.com. Retrieved January 30, 2015.
  27. ↑ Howell, Nolan. "NXT: NXT Championship contender tourney kicks off". Canoe.ca. Slam Wrestling. Retrieved January 30, 2015.
  28. 1 2 "NXT News: Next live special announced, full spoiler results from Thursday's NXT TV tapings". PWTorch.com. Retrieved January 16, 2015.
  29. ↑ James, Justin. "WWE NXT Report 1/28 - Week 137: Zayn-Owens contract signing for "Takeover," #1 contender tourney continues, Emma returns, Charlotte in tag action; Overall Reax". PWTorch.com. Retrieved January 30, 2015.
  30. ↑ Meltzer, Dave. "WWE NXT Takeover Rival results & recap: Sami Zayn vs. Kevin Owens, Finn Balor vs. Adrian Neville". f4wonline.com. Retrieved 13 February 2015.
  31. ↑ Trionfo, Richard (May 20, 2015). "LIVE ONGOING WWE NXT TAKEOVER UNSTOPPABLE REPORT: BAYLEY AND CHARLOTTE VERSUS DANA BROOKE AND EMMA". PWInsider. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
  32. ↑ Scherer, Dave (August 22, 2015). "Ongoing NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn Blog". PWInsider. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  33. ↑ Mooneyham, Mike. "Local wrestler Pete Kaasa keeping the dream alive". The Post and Courier. Archived from the original on January 19, 2015. Retrieved January 19, 2015.
  34. ↑ "District 28-4A Preview". Texas HS Football. Archived from the original on January 19, 2015. Retrieved January 19, 2015.
  35. ↑ Johnson, Mike (April 18, 2012). "!Bang! updates". pwinsiderxtra.com. Retrieved January 19, 2015.
  36. ↑ https://twitter.com/selfsuccess01/status/782624399488942080
  37. ↑ "SHOW RESULTS - 5/15 WWE NXT in Philadelphia, Pa.: Owens vs. Balor for NXT Title in Night 2 main event, four-way NXT Women's Title match, Corbin's surprise opponent, more".
  38. ↑ "JAMES'S WWE NXT REPORT 4/1 - Week 146: Itami vs. Breeze 2/3 Falls match, NXT tag champs in action, Zayn big return promo; Overall Reax".
  39. ↑ "From The Network – NXT Takeover: Rival February 16, 2015 posted by Dylan Diot".
  40. ↑ "Sat. Update: Notes on Tuesday special, Raw, Sin Cara, Flair, Bischoff, WWE star returns,PPV predict". f4wonline.com. Retrieved January 19, 2015.
  41. ↑ Meltzer, Dave (October 29, 2016). "NXT San Jose, CA, live results: Rich Swann, Roderick Strong, Nakamura, more". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved October 29, 2016.
  42. ↑ James, Justin (May 27, 2015). "JAMES'S WWE NXT REPORT 5/27 - Week 163: Follow-up to Takeover special, Samoa Joe confronts Kevin Owens, champs in action, more; Overall Reax". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved May 28, 2015.
  43. ↑ "Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) 500 for 2015". The Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved October 5, 2015.
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