title: Interface (computing)

text: In computing, an interface is a shared boundary across which two or more separate components of a computer system exchange information. The exchange can be between software, computer hardware, peripheral devices, humans, and combinations of these. Some computer hardware devices, such as a touchscreen, can both send and receive data through the interface, while others such as a mouse or microphone may only provide an interface to send data to a given system.


title: Interface (computing)

text: Hardware interfaces exist in many components, such as the various buses, storage devices, other I/O devices, etc. A hardware interface is described by the mechanical, electrical, and logical signals at the interface and the protocol for sequencing them (sometimes called signaling). A standard interface, such as SCSI, decouples the design and introduction of computing hardware, such as I/O devices, from the design and introduction of other components of a computing system, thereby allowing users and manufacturers great flexibility in the implementation of computing systems. Hardware interfaces can be parallel with several electrical connections carrying parts of the data simultaneously or serial where data are sent one bit at a time.


title: Interface (computing)

text: A software interface may refer to a wide range of different types of interface at different "levels". For example, an operating system may interface with pieces of hardware. Applications or programs running on the operating system may need to interact via data streams, filters, and pipelines. In object oriented programs, objects within an application may need to interact via methods.


title: Interface (computing)

text: A key principle of design is to prohibit access to all resources by default, allowing access only through well-defined entry points, i.e., interfaces. Software interfaces provide access to computer resources (such as memory, CPU, storage, etc.) of the underlying computer system; direct access (i.e., not through well-designed interfaces) to such resources by software can have major ramifications—sometimes disastrous ones—for functionality and stability.


title: Interface (computing)

text: Interfaces between software components can provide constants, data types, types of procedures, exception specifications, and method signatures. Sometimes, public variables are also defined as part of an interface.


title: Interface (computing)

text: The interface of a software module "A" is deliberately defined separately from the implementation of that module. The latter contains the actual code of the procedures and methods described in the interface, as well as other "private" variables, procedures, etc. Another software module "B", for example the client to "A", that interacts with "A" is forced to do so only through the published interface. One practical advantage of this arrangement is that replacing the implementation of "A" with another implementation of the same interface should not cause "B" to fail—how "A" internally meets the requirements of the interface is not relevant to "B", which is only concerned with the specifications of the interface. (See also Liskov substitution principle.)


title: Interface (computing)

text: In some object-oriented languages, especially those without full multiple inheritance, the term "interface" is used to define an abstract type that contains no data but defines behaviours as method signatures. A class having code and data for all the methods corresponding to that interface and declaring so is said to "implement" that interface. Furthermore, even in single-inheritance-languages, one can implement multiple interfaces, and hence can "be" of different types at the same time.


title: Interface (computing)

text: An interface is thus a type definition; anywhere an object can be exchanged (for example, in a function or method call) the "type" of the object to be exchanged can be defined in terms of one of its implemented "interface"s or base-classes rather than specifying the specific class. This approach means that any class that implements that interface can be used. For example, a dummy implementation may be used to allow development to progress before the final implementation is available. In another case, a fake or mock implementation may be substituted during testing. Such stub implementations are replaced by real code later in the development process.


title: Interface (computing)

text: Usually a method defined in an interface contains no code and thus cannot itself be called; it must be implemented by non-abstract code to be run when it is invoked. An interface called "codice_1" might define two methods: codice_2 and codice_3. It can be implemented in different ways, for example, codice_4 and codice_5—the first being fast, working with a data structure of fixed size, and the second using a data structure that can be resized, but at the cost of somewhat lower speed.


title: Interface (computing)

text: Though interfaces can contain many methods they may contain only one or even none at all. For example, the Java language defines the interface that has the single method; various implementations are used for different purposes, including , , , , and . Marker interfaces like contain no methods at all and serve to provide run-time information to generic processing using Reflection.


title: Interface (computing)

text: The use of interfaces allows for a programming style called "programming to the interface". The idea behind this approach is to base programming logic on the interfaces of the objects used, rather than on internal implementation details. Programming to the interface reduces dependency on implementation specifics and makes code more reusable.


title: Interface (computing)

text: Pushing this idea to the extreme, inversion of control leaves the "context" to inject the code with the specific implementations of the interface that will be used to perform the work.


title: Interface (computing)

text: A user interface is a point of interaction between a computer and humans; it includes any number of modalities of interaction (such as graphics, sound, position, movement, etc.) where data is transferred between the user and the computer system.


title: Supremacy Clause

text: The Supremacy Clause of the Constitution of the United States (Article VI, Clause 2) establishes that the Constitution, federal laws made pursuant to it, and treaties made under its authority, constitute the "supreme Law of the Land", and thus take priority over any conflicting state laws. It provides that state courts are bound by, and state constitutions subordinate to, the supreme law. However, federal statutes and treaties must be within the parameters of the Constitution; that is, they must be pursuant to the federal government's enumerated powers, and not violate other constitutional limits on federal power, such as the Bill of Rights—of particular interest is the Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which states that the federal government has only those powers delegated to it by the Constitution.


title: Supremacy Clause

text: The Supremacy Clause is essentially a conflict-of-laws rule specifying that certain federal acts take priority over any state acts that conflict with federal law. Some jurists further argue that the clause also nullifies federal law that is in conflict with the Constitution, although this is disputed. The Supremacy Clause follows Article XIII of the Articles of Confederation, the predecessor of the Constitution, which provided that "Every State shall abide by the determination of the [Congress], on all questions which by this confederation are submitted to them."


title: Supremacy Clause

text: As a constitutional provision announcing the supremacy of federal law, the Supremacy Clause assumes the underlying priority of federal authority, albeit only when that authority is expressed in the Constitution itself; no matter what the federal or state governments might wish to do, they must stay within the boundaries of the Constitution. Consequently, the Supremacy Clause is considered a cornerstone of the United States' federal political structure.


title: Supremacy Clause

text: According to Madison's Notes of Debates in the Federal Convention of 1787, the Supremacy Clause was introduced as part of the New Jersey Plan. During the debate, it was first put up for a motion by Luther Martin on July 17th, when it passed unanimously.


title: Supremacy Clause

text: During Pennsylvania's ratifying convention in late 1787, James Wilson stated, "the power of the Constitution predominates. Anything, therefore, that shall be enacted by Congress contrary thereto, will not have the force of law."


title: Supremacy Clause

text: In Federalist No. 33, Alexander Hamilton writes about the Supremacy Clause that federal laws by definition must be supreme. If the laws do not function from that position, then they amount to nothing, noting that "A law, by the very meaning of the term, includes supremacy. It is a rule which those to whom it is prescribed are bound to observe. This results from every political association. If individuals enter into a state of society, the laws of that society must be the supreme regulator of their conduct. If a number of political societies enter into a larger political society, the laws which the latter may enact, pursuant to the powers entrusted to it by its constitution, must necessarily be supreme over those societies, and the individuals of whom they are composed."


title: Supremacy Clause

text: In Federalist No. 44, James Madison defends the Supremacy Clause as vital to the functioning of the nation. He noted that state legislatures were invested with all powers not specifically defined in the Constitution, but also said that having the federal government subservient to various state constitutions would be an inversion of the principles of government, concluding that if supremacy were not established "it would have seen the authority of the whole society everywhere subordinate to the authority of the parts; it would have seen a monster, in which the head was under the direction of the members".


title: Supremacy Clause

text: Alexander Hamilton, wrote in Federalist #78 that, "There is no position which depends on clearer principles, than that every act of a delegated authority, contrary to the tenor of the commission under which it is exercised, is void. No legislative act, therefore, contrary to the Constitution, can be valid."


title: Supremacy Clause

text: The constitutional principle derived from the Supremacy Clause is federal preemption. Preemption applies regardless of whether the conflicting laws come from legislatures, courts, administrative agencies, or constitutions. For example, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, an act of Congress, preempts state constitutions, and Food and Drug Administration regulations may preempt state court judgments in cases involving prescription drugs.


title: Supremacy Clause

text: Congress has preempted state regulation in many areas. In some cases, such as the 1976 Medical Device Regulation Act, Congress preempted all state regulation. In others, such as labels on prescription drugs, Congress allowed federal regulatory agencies to set federal minimum standards but did not preempt state regulations imposing more stringent standards than those imposed by federal regulators. Where rules or regulations do not clearly state whether or not preemption should apply, the Supreme Court tries to follow lawmakers’ intent and prefers interpretations that avoid preempting state laws.


title: Supremacy Clause

text: "Chy Lung v. Freeman" was brought to court when a passenger arriving in California on the Chinese vessel "Japan" was detained by the Commissioner of Immigration on the charge of being included by a state statute in the caste of "lewd and debauched women," which require separate bonds from the owner of the vessel they came on in order to land on California's coast. The Supreme Court ruled against the plaintiff's detention on the basis that the statute preempted the federal legislation's ability to regulate the "admission of citizens and subjects of foreign nations to our shores".


title: Supremacy Clause

text: "LULAC v. Wilson" was brought to the Supreme Court in order to determine the constitutionality of California's Proposition 187, which the League of United Latin American Citizens argued was preempted by the federal government's authority over the regulation of foreign nationals in America. Proposition 187 was meant to assist cooperative efforts undertaken by national and sub-national governments to place stricter restrictions on undocumented immigrants "from receiving benefits or public services in the State of California". The Court decided that only a small portion of Preposition 187 was not preempted by the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996"."


title: Supremacy Clause

text: "Villas at Parkside Partners v. City of Farmers Branch" dealt with an ordinance passed by the City of Farmers Branch. Ordinance 2952 forced individuals seeking to reside in a "rented apartment or 'single-family residence.'" need to obtain a license first. The Court ruled that Ordinance 2952 did in fact conflict with preexisting federal law and thus affirmed the lower court's decision.


title: Supremacy Clause

text: The supremacy of treaties over state law has been described as an "unquestioned axiom of the founding" of the United States. Under the Supremacy Clause, treaties and federal statutes are equally regarded as "supreme law of the land" with "no superior efficacy ... given to either over the other". Thus, international agreements made pursuant to the Treaty Clause—namely, ratified with the advice and consent of a two-thirds supermajority of the Senate—are treaties in the constitutional sense and thereby incorporated into U.S. federal law no differently than an act of Congress. Treaties are likewise subject to judicial interpretation and review just as any federal statute, and courts have consistently recognized them as legally binding under the Constitution.


title: Supremacy Clause

text: The U.S. Supreme Court applied the Supremacy Clause for the first time in the 1796 case, "Ware v. Hylton," ruling that a treaty superseded conflicting state law. The Court held that both states and private citizens were bound to comply with the treaty obligations of the federal government, which was in turn bound by the "law of nations" to honor treaties. Shortly thereafter, in the 1801 case, "United States v. The Schooner Peggy," the court ruled in favor of a private citizen's lawsuit against the government on the basis of a treaty, and for the first time elaborated upon supreme nature of ratified treaties:[W]here a treaty is the law of the land, and as such affects the rights of parties litigating in court, that treaty as much binds those rights and is as much to be regarded by the court as an act of congress; and although restoration may be an executive, when viewed as a substantive act, independent of and unconnected with other circumstances, yet to condemn a vessel, the restoration of which is directed by a law of the land, would be a direct infraction of that law, and of consequence improper.In "Foster v. Nielson" (1829), Chief Justice John Marshall, writing for the majority, affirmed that a treaty is constitutionally the "law of the land" but for the first time articulated the difference between self-executing and non-self-executing agreements with respect to domestic law:Our constitution declares a treaty to be the law of the land. It is, consequently, to be regarded in courts of justice as equivalent to an act of the legislature, whenever it operates of itself, without the aid of any legislative provision. But when the terms of the stipulation import a contract—when either of the parties engages to perform a particular act, the treaty addresses itself to the political, not the judicial department; and the legislature must execute the contract, before it can become a rule for the court.While it is generally agreed by constitutional scholars that treaties are as binding as domestic federal law, courts have differed on the enforceability of some types of international agreements and on the precise scope of a treaty's legal obligations. Beginning with the 1884 Head Money Cases, the Supreme Court has consistently held that Congress can abrogate a treaty by legislative action even if this amounts to a violation of the treaty under international law; indeed, courts will enforce congressional modifications of a treaty regardless of whether foreign actors still consider the treaty to be binding on the U.S. Nevertheless, in "Missouri v. Holland" (1920), the Supreme Court held that the Supremacy Clause allows the federal government to make treaties that supersede state law even if such treaties might abrogate states' rights arising under the Tenth Amendment. The decision implied that treaties can be used to legislate in areas otherwise within the exclusive authority of the states, and by extension in areas not within the scope of the federal government or its branches.


title: Supremacy Clause

text: However, "Missouri"'s potentially broad interpretation was circumscribed in the 1957 case, "Reid v. Covert," when the Supreme Court held that treaties and the laws made pursuant to them must comply with the Constitution. The enforceability of treaties was further limited in the 2008 Supreme Court decision in "Medellín v. Texas", which held that even if a treaty may constitute an international commitment, it is not binding domestic law unless it has been implemented by an act of Congress or is itself explicitly "self-executing". Law scholars called the ruling "an invisible constitutional change" that departed from both longtime historical practice and the plain language of the Supremacy Clause.


title: Supremacy Clause

text: In "Marbury v. Madison", 5 U.S. 137 (1803), the Supreme Court held that Congress cannot pass laws that are contrary to the Constitution, and it is the role of the Judicial system to interpret what the Constitution permits. Citing the Supremacy Clause, the Court found Section 13 of the Judiciary Act of 1789 to be unconstitutional to the extent it purported to enlarge the original jurisdiction of the Supreme Court beyond that permitted by the Constitution.


title: Supremacy Clause

text: In "Martin v. Hunter's Lessee", 14 U.S. 304 (1816), and "Cohens v. Virginia", 19 U.S. 264 (1821), the Supreme Court held that the Supremacy Clause and the judicial power granted in Article III give the Supreme Court the ultimate power to review state court decisions involving issues arising under the Constitution and laws of the United States. Therefore, the Supreme Court has the final say in matters involving federal law, including constitutional interpretation, and can overrule decisions by state courts.


title: Supremacy Clause

text: In "McCulloch v. Maryland", 17 U.S. (4 Wheat.) 316 (1819), the Supreme Court reviewed a tax levied by Maryland on the federally incorporated Bank of the United States. The Court found that if a state had the power to tax a federally incorporated institution, then the state effectively had the power to destroy the federal institution, thereby thwarting the intent and purpose of Congress. This would make the states superior to the federal government. The Court found that this would be inconsistent with the Supremacy Clause, which makes federal law superior to state law. The Court therefore held that Maryland's tax on the bank was unconstitutional because the tax violated the Supremacy Clause.


title: Supremacy Clause

text: In "Ableman v. Booth", 62 U.S. 506 (1859), the Supreme Court held that state courts cannot issue rulings that contradict the decisions of federal courts, citing the Supremacy Clause, and overturning a decision by the Supreme Court of Wisconsin. Specifically, the court found it was illegal for state officials to interfere with the work of U.S. Marshals enforcing the Fugitive Slave Act or to order the release of federal prisoners held for violation of that Act. The Supreme Court reasoned that because the Supremacy Clause established federal law as the law of the land, the Wisconsin courts could not nullify the judgments of a federal court. The Supreme Court held that under Article III of the Constitution, the federal courts have the final jurisdiction in all cases involving the Constitution and laws of the United States, and that the states therefore cannot interfere with federal court judgments.


title: Supremacy Clause

text: In "Pennsylvania v. Nelson", 350 U.S. 497 (1956) the Supreme Court struck down the Pennsylvania Sedition Act, which made advocating the forceful overthrow of the federal government a crime under Pennsylvania state law. The Supreme Court held that when federal interest in an area of law is sufficiently dominant, federal law must be assumed to preclude enforcement of state laws on the same subject; and a state law is not to be declared a help when state law goes farther than Congress has seen fit to go.


title: Supremacy Clause

text: In "Cooper v. Aaron", 358 U.S. 1 (1958), the Supreme Court rejected attempts by Arkansas to nullify the Court's school desegregation decision, "Brown v. Board of Education". The state of Arkansas, acting on a theory of states' rights, had adopted several statutes designed to nullify the desegregation ruling. The Supreme Court relied on the Supremacy Clause to hold that the federal law controlled and could not be nullified by state statutes or officials.


title: Supremacy Clause

text: In "Edgar v. MITE Corp.", , the Supreme Court ruled: "A state statute is void to the extent that it actually conflicts with a valid Federal statute". In effect, this means that a state law will be found to violate the Supremacy Clause when either of the following two conditions (or both) exist:


title: Supremacy Clause

text: The Supreme Court has also held that only specific, "unmistakable" acts of Congress may be held to trigger the Supremacy Clause. Montana had imposed a 30 percent tax on most sub-bituminous coal mined there. The Commonwealth Edison Company and other utility companies argued, in part, that the Montana tax "frustrated" the broad goals of the federal energy policy. However, in the case of "Commonwealth Edison Co. v. Montana", , the Supreme Court disagreed. Any appeal to claims about "national policy", the Court said, were insufficient to overturn a state law under the Supremacy Clause unless "the nature of the regulated subject matter permits no other conclusion, or that the Congress has unmistakably so ordained".


title: Supremacy Clause

text: However, in the case of "California v. ARC America Corp.", , the Supreme Court held that if Congress expressly "intended" to act in an area, this would trigger the enforcement of the Supremacy Clause, and hence nullify the state action. The Supreme Court further found in "Crosby v. National Foreign Trade Council", , that even when a state law is not in direct conflict with a federal law, the state law could still be found unconstitutional under the Supremacy Clause if the "state law is an obstacle to the accomplishment and execution of Congress's full purposes and objectives". Congress need not expressly assert any preemption over state laws either, because Congress may implicitly assume this preemption under the Constitution.


title: Government of National Unity (Libya)

text: The Government of National Unity (, "Hukumat al Wahdat al Watania") is a provisional government for Libya formed on 10 March 2021 to unify the rival Government of National Accord based in Tripoli, the Second Al-Thani Cabinet, and latest the Government of National Stability. Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh is the Prime Minister of the unity government and was selected in the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum on 5 February 2021.


title: Government of National Unity (Libya)

text: Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh was selected as Prime Minister by the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF), together with Mohamed al-Menfi as Chairman of the Presidential Council, Musa al-Koni and Abdallah al-Lafi as Presidential Council members. Dbeibeh was required under the agreements made by the LPDF to nominate a cabinet of ministers to the House of Representatives (HoR) by 26 February 2021.


title: Government of National Unity (Libya)

text: On 15 February, Dbeibeh stated his intention to contact people in all 13 electoral areas of Libya for discussing proposed nominations as ministers, and for the cabinet to represent a cross-section of Libyans. The LPDF rules state that if Dbeibeh fails to present his proposed cabinet to the HoR by 26 February, or the HoR does not approve the proposed cabinet, then decision-making returns to the LPDF. Dbeibeh said the following day that he would consult with the High Council of State, the HoR and the 5+5 Libyan Joint Military Commission.


title: Government of National Unity (Libya)

text: On 15 February, about 20 HoR members were present at an HoR session held in Tobruk, chaired by Aguila Saleh Issa in the "eastern" component of the HoR; 70 HoR members were present at a Sabratha HoR session of the "western" component. The Tobruk bloc called for GNU offices to be located in Sirte and for the HoR to hold a special session for approving the proposed GNU cabinet. According to the "Libya Herald", the two branches of the HoR remained in competition with one another.


title: Government of National Unity (Libya)

text: On 10 March 2021, the House of Representatives met in the central city of Sirte and approved with a 121–11 vote the formation of the Government of National Unity led by Mohamed al-Menfi as chairman of the Presidential Council and Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh as Prime Minister.


title: Government of National Unity (Libya)

text: The House of Representatives, which rules eastern Libya, passed a no-confidence motion against the unity government on 21 September 2021. On 3 March 2022 a rival Government of National Stability was installed in Sirte, under the leadership of Prime Minister Fathi Bashagha. The decision was denounced as illegitimate by the High Council of State and condemned by the United Nations.


title: Government of National Unity (Libya)

text: Both governments have been functioning simultaneously, which has led to dual power in Libya. The Libyan Political Dialogue Forum keeps corresponding with ceasefire agreement. Since May, there have been clashes between supporters of the two governments in Libya, which escalated on August 27.


title: Chris Hero

text: Chris Spradlin (born December 24, 1979), better known by his ring name Chris Hero, is an American professional wrestler and trainer. He is currently signed to Ring of Honor as a producer. Hero has worked for a number of independent wrestling promotions, including Pro Wrestling Guerrilla (PWG), Ring of Honor (ROH), Independent Wrestling Association Mid-South, Combat Zone Wrestling (CZW) and Chikara, as well as Pro Wrestling Noah in Japan. Hero has had two stints in WWE, both as part of their development territory NXT, under the ring name Kassius Ohno. His second tenure with the company saw him work as a "player-coach" for the trainees in NXT and NXT UK.


title: Chris Hero

text: For years Hero teamed up with Claudio Castagnoli as the "Kings of Wrestling", winning various tag team championships and tournaments such as Chikara Campeonatos de Parejas, Tag World Grand Prix 2006, CZW World Tag Team Championship, JCW Tag Team Championship and the ROH World Tag Team Championship.


title: Chris Hero

text: After graduating from Northmont High School in Clayton, Ohio, Spradlin decided to train as a professional wrestler in the summer of 1998. After undergoing some initial training in Middletown, Ohio, Spradlin debuted on September 12, 1998 in Xenia, Ohio wrestling Shawn "HeartThrob" Halsey in the Unified Championship Wrestling promotion. Spradlin's initial training in Middletown was under the supervision of a small-time promoter named Gary Goffinet. Spradlin trained for a little while alongside his friend, Adam Ghazee, under a wrestler by the name of Bo Dacious. Bo had trained previously under Charlie Fulton at the Monster Factory. At the suggestion of Matt Stryker, Spradlin underwent further training at Les Thatcher's Cincinnati-based HWA Main Event Wrestling Camp between May 1999 and November 1999. In December 1999, he traveled to Ocala, Florida to train under Dory Funk, Jr. at the Funkin' Conservatory professional wrestling school.


title: Chris Hero

text: As Spradlin wrestled wearing what is popularly known as a "wifebeater" style of shirt, he began using the ring name "Wife Beater". He continued to use the Wife Beater character until a women's group, offended by the gimmick, organized a boycott of a show on which Spradlin was wrestling in Platteville, Wisconsin. The character was discussed on the talk show "Politically Incorrect". However, Spradlin was not mentioned by name. After Spradlin was booked for a series of family-friendly shows for NWA West Virginia / Ohio, he changed his ring name to "Chris Hero". He wrestled his last matches as Wife Beater in 2000.


title: Chris Hero

text: In 2000, Hero began working for the Indiana-based Independent Wrestling Association Mid-South, where he received supplementary training from Ian Rotten. In the following years, he spent a great deal of time working with Tracy Smothers on IWA Mid-South shows, and he now credits Smothers as his mentor. In October 2002, Hero attended the Blue Bloods Wrestling Camp, operated by UK wrestlers Dave Taylor, William Regal and Dave Finlay. In July 2003, Chikara brought in Skayde from Último Dragón's Toryumon Gym in Mexico City to teach some special "lucha libre" clinics. Hero took part in the training sessions and was able to add the "Lucha" style to his repertoire. He attended Skayde sessions in Minnesota, Pennsylvania and Mexico City between 2003 and 2006.


title: Chris Hero

text: Hero debuted for IWA Mid-South on July 1, 2000, in a losing attempt versus Harry Palmer. In his first year in the promotion, he won the annual Sweet Science 16 tournament (now known as the Ted Petty Invitational or TPI), defeating four other wrestlers in the process (Colt Cabana, American Kickboxer, Ace Steel and Harry Palmer), and unsuccessfully challenged Sabu for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship at "Bloodfeast 2000". Hero engaged in feuds with the Suicide Kid, American Kickboxer, Mark Wolf, and the Rugby Thug.


title: Chris Hero

text: On October 20, 2001, in Charlestown, Indiana, Hero won the IWA Mid-South Heavyweight Championship from the champion Trent Baker. He held the title until December 5 of that year, when he lost to CM Punk. He regained the title on July 12, 2002, in Clarksville, Indiana, defeating Colt Cabana, and lost it to M-Dogg 20 three months later on October 5 in Clarksville. He won the title for a third time on February 7, 2003, in Clarksville, pinning CM Punk in a match that lasted over ninety minutes. His third reign lasted until June 7, when he lost to Mark Wolf. Hero regained the title in a match with Danny Daniels on July 12, 2003, after Mark Wolf had vacated the title. Hero lost it for a fourth and final time to Danny Daniels less than a month later on August 2.


title: Chris Hero

text: During the fall of 2005, Hero and Arik Cannon continued their feud that had started years before in IWA Mid South. At the end of it, Hero became a villain after being eliminated by Cannon in the third round of the 2005 TPI. He later turned his back on Rotten, his trainees Trik Davis, Mickie Knuckles, Bryce Remsburg and everyone else that had befriended him. Hero has since destroyed the IWA Mid South Heavyweight title belt. At the end of 2005, he won the third annual Revolution Strong Style Tournament, defeating Necro Butcher in the finals.


title: Chris Hero

text: On May 25, 2002, at Chikara's inaugural event, Hero teamed with CM Punk and Colt Cabana, calling themselves the Gold Bond Mafia, in a losing effort against the Black T-shirt Squad of Reckless Youth, Mike Quackenbush and Don Montoya. In July 2003, the team of Chris Hero and Mike Quackenbush, the "SuperFriends", was formed. The SuperFriends defeated Toryumon representatives Skayde and Koichiro Arai in the first round of the 2003 Tag World Grand Prix, then wrestled Swi$$ Money Holding (Claudio Castagnoli and Ares) to a 30-minute time limit draw, eliminating both teams from the tournament. In July 2004, Hero moved to Pennsylvania to work alongside Mike Quackenbush at the Chikara Wrestle Factory. In April 2005, the school moved from Allentown, Pennsylvania to the former ECW Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The school was renamed the CZW / Chikara Wrestle Factory and became operated by Quackenbush, Hero and Jorge "Skayde" Rivera. In February 2005, the SuperFriends made it to the finals of Chikara's three-day, thirty-two-team tournament, the Tag World Grand Prix. Late in the match, Hero turned on Quackenbush and formed an alliance with Claudio Castagnoli and Arik Cannon. He later referred to the trio as The Kings of Wrestling". He lost the Jeff Peterson Memorial Cup! to Justice in a match with Roderick Strong on June 5, 2004.


title: Chris Hero

text: Hero's faction feuded with Quackenbush and his allies for the entirety of 2005. At the closing of the Chikara "season", Arik Cannon departed from the group, leaving Hero and Castagnoli as the remaining "Kings of Wrestling". At the opening of the 2006 Chikara "season", Hero and Castagnoli defeated Equinox and Hydra, Ranmaru and Sumie Sakai, the North Star Express (Ryan Cruz and Darin Corbin), Incoherence (Hallowicked and Delirious), and finally Team Dragondoor (Skayde and Milano Collection A.T.) to become the first Chikara Campeones de Parejas. On November 17, 2006 at the Chikara show "Brick" in Reading Pennsylvania, Hero and Castagnoli lost the Chikara tag title to Team F.I.S.T (Icarus and Gran Akuma) in a 2 out of 3 falls match. Following the match, Hero and Team F.I.S.T turned on Castagnoli and engaged in a beat down. This was done due to Castagnoli signing a developmental deal with the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). Upon Chikara's season return in February, King of Trios, Hero was scheduled to be teaming with his Team F.I.S.T partners to enter the tournament. However, Hero was booked to make his Pro Wrestling Noah debut in Japan, so it was stated that F.I.S.T. did not want Hero on their team and instead went on to recruit Chuck Taylor as a new member of the Kings of Wrestling.


title: Chris Hero

text: On the other hand, Chris Hero had his sights set on other things when he returned to Chikara in March 2007. After Claudio Castagnoli, who had been released by WWE before making his debut for them, defeated numerous opponents and seemed focused on getting his revenge on his former partner, Hero decided he wanted to win back the control of Castagnoli. At Chikara's April 'Rey De Voladores' tournament Chris Hero faced Claudio Castagnoli in a non-tournament match in which the winner would gain control of the loser. Mike Quackenbush was the special referee for the contest. Chris Hero won the match, forcing Castagnoli back under the control of Hero. The following month Hero, Castagnoli and Larry Sweeney joined forces with Icarus, Gran Akuma and Chuck Taylor to re-form the Kings of Wrestling as a superstable.


title: Chris Hero

text: Hero faced "Lightning" Mike Quackenbush at Chikara's May 26 'Aniversario?' show in a match that was two years in the making. Quackenbush won the match with his new submission maneuver, the "Chikara Special", a move that Lince Dorado, El Pantera, Equinox and Claudio Castagnoli all used to defeat Hero during the summer of 2007. Many suggested that Hero was affected by a curse and was unable to break the hold. Following another upset loss to Equinox, this time a tag match in Reading, Pennsylvania on November 16, 2007, Hero snapped and tore apart Equinox's mask. Leonard F. Chikarason intervened and scheduled Hero and Equinox for a "Mascara contra Caballera" (Mask vs. Hair match) to take place the following evening in Hellertown, Pennsylvania. With moments remaining in the match, Equinox managed to apply the Chikara Special, only to have Hero counter out of it and lock on a Chikara Special of his own. Equinox tapped out and was forced to unmask. Hero pointed out, to the crowd, that the man behind the mask was Vin Gerard, a luchador impostor. Previously, Vin had attended the Chikara Wrestle Factory and trained under both Hero and Quackenbush. It was not until Gerard was unable to break through and gain bookings on Chikara shows that he decided to create a false identity in order to wrestle for Chikara.


title: Chris Hero

text: In late 2007, Hero vacated his spot as a head trainer at the Chikara Wrestle Factory. His spot was assumed by his student and former partner, Claudio Castagnoli. On December 9, 2007, at "Stephen Colbert > Bill O'Reilly" Hero lost a feud ending match against Castagnoli, subsequently leaving Chikara.


title: Chris Hero

text: In May 2002, Hero debuted in Combat Zone Wrestling, wrestling Ruckus. He wrestled a second match later that year teaming with B-Boy against Nate Hatred and Nick Gage for the CZW Tag Team Championship. Hero returned to CZW for a third time in the autumn of 2003, and this time he secured a regular place on the roster. Declaring himself the "Savior" of CZW, Hero defeated Jimmy Rave on May 1, 2004, to become the promotion's Ironman Champion. He became the longest-reigning Ironman Champion before losing the title to B-Boy at the CZW year-end event, Cage of Death, on December 11, 2004. Hero recruited Claudio Castagnoli and Blackjack Marciano to be his "Few Good Men", but shortly thereafter, Marciano disappeared from wrestling altogether, leaving Hero and Castagnoli as a tag team, calling themselves the "Kings of Wrestling". On September 10, 2005, the duo defeated the Tough Crazy Bastards (Necro Butcher and Toby Klein) to become the CZW Tag Team Champions. Hero and Castagnoli held the title and defended them in an ongoing feud with Eddie Kingston and the rest of the BLKOUT faction. While Hero and Castagnoli dropped the title to Eddie Kingston and Joker in February 2006, the feud with BLKOUT continued.


title: Chris Hero

text: On May 13, 2006, Chris Hero was scheduled to take part in the Best of the Best tournament. However, Hero gave his spot to the CZW World Heavyweight Champion, Ruckus, who promised him a title shot in return. When Ruckus won the Best of the Best tournament, Hero came out and immediately used his title shot to win the CZW World Heavyweight Championship. Hero successfully defended it against Claudio Castagnoli and Necro Butcher. At the Chri$ Ca$h Memorial Show, Eddie Kingston accepted an open challenge from Hero and pinned him to become the new CZW World Heavyweight Champion. On October 14, 2006, the Kings of Wrestling defeated Team Masturbation (Beef Wellington and Excalibur) in the first round, the BLKOUT (Ruckus and Human Tornado) in the second round, and the makeshift team of Justice Pain and the Human Tornado (subbing for Pain's partner in the H8 Club, Nick Gage, who left the building before the match) in a one-night tournament at the CZW show "Last Team Standing" to become two-time CZW Tag Team Champions.


title: Chris Hero

text: After news broke that Castagnoli would be leaving for the WWE, he and Hero dropped the CZW World Tag Team Championship to the BLKOUT of Sabian and Robbie Mireno on November 11, 2006. On Saturday, April 7, 2007, at "Out with the Old, in With the New" show, Hero would face long time, heated rival Eddie Kingston in a match where the loser would be forced to leave Combat Zone Wrestling. Hero was defeated following a spinning back fist from Kingston and post-match made a farewell speech to the CZW crowd. Following this CZW owner John Zandig came out and thanked Hero for all he had done for CZW, including the war with Ring of Honor.


title: Chris Hero

text: More than three years later, on June 12, 2010, Hero made a return to CZW, in a losing effort against Egotistico Fantastico.


title: Chris Hero

text: Three years later, on December 14, Hero returned to CZW at Cage of Death XV to unsuccessfully challenge Drew Gulak for the CZW World Heavyweight Championship.


title: Chris Hero

text: Hero wrestled off and on for NWA Total Nonstop Action in 2003 and 2004. He traveled alongside Nate Webb and Dave Prazak to Nashville, Tennessee on a weekly basis at the urging of Bill Behrens. Hero wrestled on several "TNA Xplosion" tapings. Although he never appeared on pay per view, he was featured on card #22 of the Pacific released TNA trading card set.


title: Chris Hero

text: Hero's first appearance for the southern California promotion Pro Wrestling Guerrilla was at the January 2004 Tango and Cash Invitational tournament to determine the first ever PWG Tag Team Champions. He and his partner CM Punk defeated The Messiah and Christopher Daniels in the first round, and the Thomaselli Brothers in the second round, but lost to B-Boy and Homicide in the third round. He made his next appearance eight months later in a losing effort against Super Dragon. At the 2005 "All Star Weekend – Night One", Hero defeated Chris Sabin. Later in the night, Hero came out and challenged Christopher Daniels for his TNA X Division Championship. Daniels accepted and defeated Hero the next night. A few months later, however, at "Zombies (Shouldn't Run)", Daniels refused to put the title on the line against Hero and defeated him in a non-title match. At "After School Special", Hero became one of Joey Ryan's targets, so that Ryan could prove that he was the best technical wrestler; however, Hero seemed to be out-wrestling Ryan in the match, so Scott Lost came out and helped Ryan win. As a result of the interference, Hero had a match with Lost at the next show, and defeated him. On February 4, 2008, at "Card Subject to Change 2", Hero teamed up with Claudio Castagnoli to challenge Super Dragon and Davey Richards for the tag team championship, but failed to win in a 50-minute match. Hero also competed in the 2006 Battle of Los Angeles, but lost to Genki Horiguchi in the first round. Hero appeared with regular tag team partner Claudio Castagnoli in PWG's "DDT 4" Tag Team Title Tournament, but lost in the first round to the Briscoes. They were on the winning side of an 8-man tag on the second night of the weekend as they were joined by the Trailer Park Boyz (Josh Abercrombie and Nate Webb).


title: Chris Hero

text: In September 2007 Hero entered a heated feud with The Human Tornado after saving Candice LeRae from her abusive pimp at the second night of the 2007 Battle of Los Angeles. The feud culminated on July 6, 2008, at "Life During Wartime" in a Guerrilla Warfare steel cage match, where Hero defeated Tornado to become the new PWG World Champion. Hero competed in the 2008 Battle of Los Angeles defeating Necro Butcher in the first round, Scott Lost in the second round, and Bryan Danielson in the semi-finals. In the finals of the tournament Hero was defeated by Low Ki, in a match with only the top rope attached, as the other ropes had been damaged in the previous match. Hero's title was not on the line, but Low Ki was named the number one contender to his title following the match. Ki ended up signing with the WWE and leaving PWG before he could challenge Hero for the title.


title: Chris Hero

text: Hero went on to successfully defend the title in a three-way match against Human Tornado and the returning Colt Cabana on February 21, 2009, at "Express Written Consent" and on April 12 at "One Hundred" he defeated Cabana in a singles match. On May 22, 2009, at "DDT4", Hero defeated Joey Ryan to retain the PWG title. After the match Ryan was holding the belt and offered Hero a handshake, but then out of nowhere he knocked him out with it and said "I got three more months bitch!" (referring to Ryan being the longest reigning PWG champ of all time) and left. On July 31 at "Threemendous II" Hero defeated Ryan in a Guerrilla Warfare match to ensure that on August 17 he became the longest reigning PWG Champion of all time. On September 4, 2009, at "Guerre Sans Frontières" Bryan Danielson defeated Hero to end his reign at 425 days.


title: Chris Hero

text: Following the loss of his title, Hero decided to return to his former moveset in order to regain it, and defeated El Generico on October 2 at "Against the Grain" with a "Hero's Welcome", instead of using his various elbow strikes. As Danielson was forced to vacate the World Title, due to signing with World Wrestling Entertainment, the 2009 Battle of Los Angeles had the World Championship at stake. Hero opted to use his rematch clause after the tournament had concluded but on July 30, 2010 was defeated by defending champion Davey Richards. On September 4 Hero entered the 2010 Battle of Los Angeles, defeating Christopher Daniels in his first-round match. The following night Hero defeated Akira Tozawa and Brandon Gatson to make it to the finals, where he was defeated by Joey Ryan. After the tournament Hero was granted another shot at the PWG World Championship, when he and the three other Battle of Los Angeles semifinalists, Brandon Gatson, Claudio Castagnoli and Joey Ryan, were placed in a four-way match to determine a new champion, after Davey Richards had been stripped of the title. However, on October 9, 2010, at "The Curse of Guerrilla Island", Hero's long time tag team partner Claudio Castagnoli defeated him for the PWG World Championship. At the following event on December 11, 2010, Hero and Castagnoli unsuccessfully challenged ¡Peligro Abejas! (El Generico and Paul London) for the PWG World Tag Team Championship. On March 4, 2011, Hero and Castagnoli entered the 2011 "DDT 4" tournament, defeating the Cutler Brothers (Brandon and Dustin Cutler) in their first-round match. However, in the semifinals of the tournament, the Kings of Wrestling suffered an upset loss against the Nightmare Violence Connection (Akira Tozawa and Kevin Steen), when Tozawa rolled Hero up for the win. On May 27, during the first night of "All Star Weekend 8", Hero unsuccessfully challenged Castagnoli for the PWG World Championship. Hero received another shot at the PWG World Championship on July 23 at PWG's eighth anniversary show, but was again defeated by Castagnoli. On August 20, after both Hero and Castagnoli were eliminated from the 2011 Battle of Los Angeles in the first round, they challenged PWG World Tag Team Champions, the Young Bucks (Matt and Nick Jackson), to a match for the title. The match, which took place later that same evening, saw the Kings of Wrestling once again fail to win the PWG World Tag Team Championship. Hero made an unadvertised return to PWG four months later on December 10, 2011, losing to Willie Mack, and afterwards held a farewell speech to the fans in attendance.


title: Chris Hero

text: During a large portion of 2006, Hero feuded with the entire Ring of Honor promotion, which began when he issued a challenge to ROH at CZW's "Cage of Death 7" in December 2005. Hero began by challenging Bryan Danielson for the ROH World Championship on January 14 at "Hell Freezes Over", but could not win the title. He, along with Necro Butcher, had been attending various Ring of Honor events, which usually involved them getting kicked out after harassing of Ring of Honor wrestlers in the middle of a match. During the feud Hero portrayed a villain in ROH, while still a fan favorite in CZW. On February 25 Hero, Necro Butcher, and the CZW locker room invaded ROH's "Fourth Anniversary Show", before being chased away by Samoa Joe and the ROH locker room. The feud came to a head on March 11, when both promotions were in the same place, to co-promote an evening during which ROH held "Arena Warfare" and CZW "When 2 Worlds Collide". Although Hero was not in attendance at "Arena Warfare", CZW came out on top, after the CZW locker room took on Samoa Joe and B. J. Whitmer following their own match. This resulted in an all out brawl between the Ring of Honor locker room and the Combat Zone locker room, and the Combat Zone roster proceeded to destroy the ring ROH had set up, and chase Ring of Honor out of "their house". Hero and Necro Butcher came to ROH's "Best in the World" event in New York City on March 25 to answer a challenge made by Adam Pearce, but instead attacked him. Hero's long time tag partner and pupil Claudio Castagnoli turned on both Necro and Hero by saving Pearce.


title: Chris Hero

text: The next weekend, Hero and Necro again caused a disruption during the ROH shows. They attacked ROH Commissioner Jim Cornette as well as Whitmer and Pearce. They also finally got the attention of Joe, who personally declared war on CZW. On April 22, ROH's 100th show in Philadelphia featured a battle between Team ROH (Joe, Whitmer and Pearce) and Team CZW (Hero, Necro and Super Dragon). The team of Hero, Necro Butcher, and Super Dragon went on to win the ROH vs. CZW main event, after Castagnoli revealed his allegiance to Hero and CZW by first attacking Samoa Joe and then helping Hero pin Pearce for the win. On July 15 at ROH's "Death Before Dishonor IV" Hero led Team CZW into the Cage of Death for a five-on-five main event against Team ROH. Hero had teased that he had made a deal with a mystery fifth man, who turned out to be Hero's hated rival Eddie Kingston. Although ROH's surprise fifth man Bryan Danielson turned on Samoa Joe in an effort to incapacitate Joe before their title match, Team ROH finally put CZW away when Homicide arrived in the Cage and pinned Nate Webb for the win. The following day on their Newswire, ROH stated that the war with CZW was over, thanks to Homicide.


title: Chris Hero

text: Despite being forced out of ROH, Hero invaded the promotion's first two shows in the United Kingdom in August and was defeated by Colt Cabana in a singles match and Cabana, Nigel McGuinness and Robbie Brookside in a six-man tag team match where he teamed with Castagnoli and Chad Collyer. In August 2006, the Ring of Honor Tag Team Title belts were stolen from champions Austin Aries and Roderick Strong. Hero revealed on his LiveJournal that he and Castagnoli were the culprits and would be challenging for the title on September 16. They defeated Aries and Strong at "Glory By Honor V Night 2" to become the Ring of Honor tag team champions. ROH then announced that by winning the belts, Hero had been made a full-time ROH wrestler. After it was announced that Castagnoli had signed a developmental deal with the WWE, the Kings of Wrestling lost the belts to Christopher Daniels and Matt Sydal on November 25 at "Dethroned".


title: Chris Hero

text: On December 22 at "International Challenge" Larry Sweeney made his ROH debut and assisted Hero and Castagnoli defeat the Briscoe Brothers. The following night in Manhattan at "Final Battle 2006" the Kings of Wrestling had their final match together when they, with Larry Sweeney in their corner, were defeated by the Briscoe Brothers in a rematch. After the match, Castagnoli announced that he was no longer going to World Wrestling Entertainment, and would remain in ROH as one half of the Kings of Wrestling. Sweeney then said he and Chris Hero had big plans for 2007, but Castagnoli was not included in them. Then, when Hero was forced to choose between staying with Castagnoli or going with Sweeney, he shook Castagnoli's hand but left with Sweeney.


title: Chris Hero

text: Hero found relative success in singles competition, with notable feuds including Nigel McGuinness and the Briscoe Brothers. Hero was described by Sweeney as "the best athlete in Ring of Honor today", and was the most high-profile member of Sweet 'N' Sour Incorporated, Sweeney's stable that included Hero, Tank Toland, Bobby Dempsey and Sara Del Rey, with whom he held the unofficial Intergender World Tag Team Championship. He had challenged for the ROH World Title in a losing effort against then champion Homicide, and briefly reformed the Kings of Wrestling in another losing attempt at winning the ROH World Tag Team Championship.


title: Chris Hero

text: At "Survival of the Fittest 2007", Hero single-handedly eliminated Austin Aries, Roderick Strong, Claudio Castagnoli, Rocky Romero and Human Tornado to win the 2007 Survival of the Fittest tournament. As his prize, Hero was granted a shot at the ROH Heavyweight Championship at a time of his choosing. He chose to challenge the reigning champion, Nigel McGuinness, at "Glory by Honor VI: Night One". Despite a badly torn biceps sustained a week prior, McGuinness accepted the challenge. Hero managed to force McGuinness to tap out, but the match was restarted after the referee noticed that McGuinness had reached the ropes. After the restart McGuinness made Hero tap out and retained his title in controversial fashion. On June 27, 2008, Hero pinned FIP World Champion Roderick Strong in a non-title bout with an assist from Sweeney. On June 28, 2008, Hero's winning streak continued when he defeated Pelle Primeau in a Light's Out Match with an assist from Larry Sweeney and Sara Del Rey, despite interference from former Sweet N'Sour Inc. teammate and later turn coat Brent Albright. On July 26, 2008, Hero and fellow Sweet N'Sour Inc. teammate Go Shiozaki were defeated by Roderick Strong and Naomichi Marufuji when Strong pinned Hero with a big boot/cradle backbreaker combination.


title: Chris Hero

text: During late 2008 Hero began wearing a more traditional wrestling attire and adopted a new finishing maneuver in the "Rolling Elbow", while being dubbed "That Young Knockout Kid" by his manager Larry Sweeney, who ended up leaving the company in April 2009. After returning from a tour of Pro Wrestling Noah in early 2009, Hero began using a weighted elbow pad, which he claimed to have been given as a gift from Mitsuharu Misawa, to knock out his opponents and win matches. On May 8, 2009, Hero was defeated by the ROH World Champion Jerry Lynn in a match for the title. On July 25, 2009, in Toronto, Canada, Hero scored what could be considered the biggest win of his career when he pinned Lance Storm in a grudge match that was one year in the making. During much of 2009, Hero rekindled an old feud with Eddie Kingston, whom he defeated in a singles match on September 26 at "Glory By Honor VIII: The Final Countdown". On December 19, 2009, at Final Battle 2009, ROH's first live pay-per-view, Kingston defeated Hero in a Fight Without Honor.


title: Chris Hero

text: Towards the end of Final Battle 2009, after the Briscoe Brothers had defeated The American Wolves (Davey Richards and Eddie Edwards) for the ROH World Tag Team Championship, Hero reunited with his Kings of Wrestling partner Claudio Castagnoli. Together they attacked the new champions and then posed with the Tag Team Championship belts. The two would adopt Shane Hagadorn as their manager and Sara Del Rey as an associate. On April 3, 2010, at The Big Bang! Hero and Castagnoli defeated the Briscoes to win the ROH World Tag Team Championship for the second time. At the following pay-per-view, Death Before Dishonor VIII, on June 19 Hero and Castagnoli successfully defended their title against the Briscoes in a No Disqualification match. In July Ring of Honor announced the return of Tag Wars, where twelve tag teams would compete in three blocks to determine, which three would get to challenge the Kings of Wrestling in the final Ultimate Endurance match. On August 28 the Kings of Wrestling defeated The Dark City Fight Club (Jon Davis and Kory Chavis), The All Night Express (Kenny King and Rhett Titus) and the Briscoes in the Ultimate Endurance match to win the 2010 Tag Wars and retain the ROH World Tag Team Championship. On September 2 it was announced that Hero had signed a contract extension with Ring of Honor. On December 18 at Final Battle 2010 the Kings of Wrestling ended their feud with the Briscoe Brothers in a six-man tag team match, where Jay, Mark and their father Mike defeated Hero, Castagnoli and Shane Hagadorn.


title: Chris Hero

text: On January 4, 2011 Hero and Castagnoli became the longest reigning ROH World Tag Team Champions by breaking the previous record of 275 days, set by the Briscoe Brothers. Although they had ended their feud with the Briscoes, they had already begun another. At the September 11, 2010 pay-per-view Glory By Honor IX, the Kings of Wrestling picked up a major victory by defeating Wrestling's Greatest Tag Team (Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin) in a non–title match on the team's debut with the promotion. However, on January 28, 2011, Wrestling's Greatest Tag Team took a return win in a non-title match at "SoCal Showdown II". On February 26 at 9th Anniversary Show, Hero and Castagnoli successfully defended the ROH World Tag Team Championship against The All Night Express. On April 1 at Honor Takes Center Stage, the Kings of Wrestling lost the ROH World Tag Team Championship to Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin, ending their reign at 363 days. On May 7 at "Revolution Canada" Hero unsuccessfully challenged ROH World Champion Eddie Edwards for his title, losing to him via referee stoppage. The Kings of Wrestling received their rematch for the ROH World Tag Team Championship on August 13 at the first "Ring of Honor Wrestling" tapings under the Sinclair Broadcast Group banner, but were unable to regain the belts from Haas and Benjamin. This would mark the team's final ROH appearance as the following month it was reported that Castagnoli had signed a contract with WWE.


title: Chris Hero

text: On December 23, 2011 at Final Battle, Hero returned to ROH to accept the Roderick Strong Invitational Challenge, losing to Strong after interference from his manager, Truth Martini. He made one more appearance with the company, at their January 20, 2012 "Homecoming" event in Philadelphia. There, he faced Strong's ally Michael Elgin, but was again defeated.


title: Chris Hero

text: Hero became a regular for several European wrestling promotions, most notable being the Westside Xtreme Wrestling (wXw) federation based in Essen, Germany. He has wrestled in sixteen different countries across the world: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, England, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, Peru, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland and the United States.


title: Chris Hero

text: In April 2007, Hero competed in the first King of Europe Cup, as the representative of CZW. He defeated Claudio Castagnoli in the first round before being defeated by Doug Williams in the quarterfinals. On May 6, 2007, Hero won wXw's prestigious international competition event, the "16 Carat Gold Tournament", defeating Ares in the finals.


title: Chris Hero

text: Hero also returned to Australia to wrestle for the PWA Queensland promotion, competing in their annual "Rise of the Warriors" tournament, in which he also competed in 2007. Hero made it all the way to the final of the tournament, which lasted two nights, losing to PWA Queensland regular, Esteban Molina. Along the way, he defeated Mason Childs, whom he lost to in the final of the 2007 tournament, Mark Davis, and Blakestone to get to the finals. The previous year, he defeated Kyote, Damian Slater, and Ryan Eagles to advance to the finals.


title: Chris Hero

text: In January 2009, Hero returned to Japan for Pro Wrestling Noah. He came to an agreement with the Noah front office and was granted a stay at the dojo after the tour. He trained alongside Richie Steamboat and made his way back to the U.S. after five weeks abroad. Hero returned to Noah for the June 2009 tour and stayed, once again, at the dojo. During this stay, Hero wrestled at the event where one of his idols, Mitsuharu Misawa, died during the main event match. In January 2010 Hero and Claudio Castagnoli entered the Global Tag League, but ended up losing all three of their matches. Hero and Castagnoli returned to Noah on November 19, 2010, for a three-week-long tour. The team went undefeated in tag team matches, before being defeated on December 5, the final day of the tour, by Takuma Sano and Yoshihiro Takayama in a match for the GHC Tag Team Championship. The Kings of Wrestling returned to Noah in April 2011 to take part in the 2011 Global Tag League, where they managed to win two out of their seven-round robin matches, finishing seventh out of eight teams in the block.


title: Chris Hero

text: On March 13, 2010, Hero made his debut for the American promotion Evolve at "Evolve 2: Hero vs. Hidaka", losing to Ikuto Hidaka in the main event of the evening. In October 2011, Spradlin took part in the first season tapings of Wrestling Retribution Project, where he performed as Chris Hyde.


title: Chris Hero

text: On April 12, 2014, Hero returned to Japan and Pro Wrestling Noah to take part in the 2014 Global Tag League, where he teamed with Colt Cabana under the team name "Big in U.S.A.". The team finished the tournament with a record of two wins and four losses, finishing last in the block. They were, however, given the Technique Award for their effort in the tournament. From October 18 to November 8, Hero took part in Noah's 2014 Global League, where he finished with a record of four wins and three losses, failing to advance from his block. Hero returned to Noah in April 2015, when he and Cabana took part in the 2015 Global Tag League, where they finished with a record of three wins and two losses, finishing tied second in their block and missing the finals. During the tournament, Hero and Cabana most notably scored a win over reigning GHC and NWA World Tag Team Champions K.E.S. (Davey Boy Smith Jr. and Lance Archer). As a result, Hero and Cabana received a shot at the GHC Tag Team Championship on June 19, but were defeated by K.E.S.


title: Chris Hero

text: In June 2015, Hero wrestled for the Canadian Smash Wrestling as part of a fundraiser for research against ALS called an Infinity Gauntlet, where the duration would be set by the level of donations and he would be wrestling the entire time. Hero wrestled for over three hours, raising $3440 for ALS.


title: Chris Hero

text: From October 16 to November 6, Hero took part in Pro Wrestling Noah's 2015 Global League, where he finished with a record of four wins and three losses. Hero entered the final day with a chance to advance to the finals, but was eliminated after losing to Naomichi Marufuji in the main event.


title: Chris Hero

text: Hero debuted for Progress Wrestling in the UK in May 2016 at their annual Super Strong Style 16 tournament. He won against Mark Andrews in the first round and Big Daddy Walter in the quarter finals before losing to Tommy End in the semi-finals. At Chapter 31, he had a thirty-minute match with then-Progress Champion Marty Scurll for the title but did not win. At the 2018 Super Strong Style 16 tournament, Hero, billed as Kassius Ohno, won against Chris Brookes in the 1st round before being eliminated by Tyler Bate in the quarter finals. As Bate was injured during his previous match with Ohno, an impromptu Semi-final Qualifier match occurred between Ohno, Roy "Big Wavy" Johnson, Chuck Mambo, Chris Brookes, Jordan Devlin, Angélico & David Starr. Ohno won, earning a place in the Semi-final match against Zack Gibson, which he won. Ohno was defeated in the final by Zack Sabre Jr.


title: Chris Hero

text: In June 2011, both Spradlin and Claudio Castagnoli had a private tryout with WWE. While Castagnoli was instantly signed to a developmental contract, Spradlin's contract was delayed when elevated testosterone/epitestosterone level caused him to fail a drug test for steroids. Eventually, Spradlin signed a contract in February 2012 and was assigned to WWE's developmental territory, Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW). On February 16, FCW introduced Spradlin under the new ring name Kassius Ohno. He later revealed that he had come up with the name himself, wanting to have the initials "K.O."; Ohno was taken from Apolo Ohno. Spradlin made his debut as Ohno at an FCW house show that same evening, losing to Xavier Woods. Ohno made his "FCW" television debut on March 11, when he introduced himself in a promo. His in-ring debut took place the following week, when he defeated Xavier Woods. On the April 29 episode of "FCW", Ohno unsuccessfully challenged Seth Rollins for the FCW Florida Heavyweight Championship.


title: Chris Hero

text: When WWE rebranded its developmental territory FCW into NXT, Ohno debuted on the July 4 episode of the rebooted "NXT", where he defeated Mike Dalton, while taking on a gimmick of a methodical wrestler who takes pleasure from inflicting pain and knocking out opponents. Ohno started a feud with Richie Steamboat in September; Steamboat defeated Ohno twice (via disqualification and a cradle), but Ohno conducted successful post-match assaults on Steamboat. Ohno then injured and pinned Steamboat during a six-man tag match while teaming with the Ascension against Steamboat and The Usos on the October 17 "NXT", but Steamboat still managed to cost Ohno a match against Trent Barreta a week later. Ohno defeated Barreta in a rematch on the November 7 "NXT". After Leo Kruger attacked Baretta before he could face Ohno again on the November 21 "NXT", Steamboat returned from injury and decisively pinned Ohno to end the feud. Ohno then formed an alliance with Kruger and also started a feud with William Regal after Regal saved Tyson Kidd from a beatdown by Ohno and Kruger on the December 5 "NXT". Ohno and Kruger defeated Kidd and Justin Gabriel on the January 2, 2013 "NXT". On the January 30 "NXT", Ohno and Kruger entered the NXT Tag Team Championship Tournament to crown the inaugural champions and defeated Alex Riley and Derrick Bateman in the first round. On the February 6 "NXT", Ohno and Kruger were defeated by Adrian Neville and Oliver Grey in the semi-finals when Ohno was distracted with taunting Regal. When Regal saved Derrick Bateman from Ohno's post-match attack on the March 13 "NXT", Ohno confronted Regal only to be assaulted by him. The following week, Regal apologized to Ohno and in reply, Ohno stated that he had followed in Regal's footsteps to arrive in WWE, but that Regal's whole career had no legacy, leading to Regal again assaulting Ohno. In the following weeks, Ohno and Regal went on to attack each other while the other person was at commentary. The rivalry between Ohno and Regal culminated in a match on the April 11 "NXT", which Regal won.


title: Chris Hero

text: On the May 8 "NXT," Ohno turned face by apologizing to Regal, after which, he was attacked by the Wyatt Family. On the May 29 episode of "NXT," Ohno competed in an 18-man battle royal to determine the number one contender to the NXT Championship, where he and Corey Graves were eliminated by Bray Wyatt. The following week Ohno and Graves teamed up to take on Luke Harper and Erick Rowan for the NXT Tag Team Championship but were defeated after Wyatt interfered. On the June 19 "NXT", Ohno, Graves, and Adrian Neville were defeated by the Wyatt Family in a six-man tag team match. On the June 26 "NXT", Graves and Ohno defeated Garrett Dylan and Scott Dawson to become number one contenders for the tag title, but were later attacked by the Wyatt Family as well as Dylan and Dawson. This attack led to Ohno suffering a storyline injury while he was pulled from NXT television tapings, reportedly due to his lack of commitment to physical conditioning programs. Ohno returned to in-ring action on the October 2 "NXT", losing to Luke Harper.


title: Chris Hero

text: On November 8, 2013, Spradlin was released from WWE ending his first stint in the company. After his release, he said that he had enjoyed the last 21 months and intended to continue with his independent career, including international dates in Europe and Japan. The split was reportedly on "good terms", with Hero saying that the door was open to a future with the WWE. He would go on to say, "In my exit interview, they said we would take a little while and revisit later on and see if things change".


title: Chris Hero

text: On November 16, 2013, Spradlin returned to working on the independent circuit under his Chris Hero ring name, defeating Shane Helms at a Pro Wrestling Syndicate event. The following day he made his debut for Dragon Gate USA, unsuccessfully challenging Johnny Gargano for the Open the Freedom Gate Championship. On November 30, Hero made his debut for NWA territory Florida Underground Wrestling, defeating Jesus De Leon. On December 15, Hero defeated Lance Storm in his Smash Wrestling debut. On December 27, Hero made an appearance for Absolute Intense Wrestling (AIW), losing to Tim Donst in a singles match. On January 10, 2014, Hero returned to Evolve, losing to Ricochet in a singles match. On February 23, Hero defeated A. R. Fox to win the Evolve Championship. On March 16, 2014, Hero became the first two-time winner of wXw's 16 Carat Gold tournament, defeating Axel Tischer in the finals of the three-day-long tournament. On June 6, 2014, Hero made his debut at Tommy Dreamer's House of Hardcore. Hero was defeated by A.J. Styles.


title: Chris Hero

text: On June 13, 2014, Hero defeated Jeckles the Jester in San Francisco, CA Near the Historic Cow Palace to win the All Pro Wrestling World Wide Internet Championship. On August 8, Hero lost the Evolve Championship to Drew Galloway. In June 2015, Hero wrestled for three consecutive hours against 17 opponents in a fundraiser for ALS. After re-signing with WWE, Hero wrestled his final independent match on January 28, 2017, losing to Zack Sabre Jr. at Evolve 77.


title: Chris Hero

text: On December 14, 2013, Hero also returned to ROH, attacking ROH World Champion Adam Cole and Matt Hardy at the end of Final Battle 2013. On January 4, 2014, Hero was defeated by Kevin Steen in his ROH return match. On February 21 at the 12th Anniversary Show, Hero unsuccessfully challenged Cole for the ROH World Championship. A rematch between the two, contested under Ringmaster's Challenge rules, took place on March 8 and saw Cole again retain the title. Hero's last match in ROH was on March 22, where he was submitted by A.J. Styles.


title: Chris Hero

text: Hero returned to PWG at All Star Weekend X Night One on December 20, 2013, unsuccessfully challenging Adam Cole for the PWG World Championship. In August 2014, Hero then entered the Battle of Los Angeles for the first time since 2011, but was eliminated in the first round by a returning Matt Sydal. In the following year's tournament, Hero made it all the way to the finals before being submitted by Zack Sabre Jr. in a three-way elimination match also involving Mike Bailey.


title: Chris Hero

text: In December 2016, it was reported that Spradlin had re-signed with WWE. Spradlin, once again billed as Kassius Ohno, made his return at the January 5, 2017 "NXT" tapings, confronting then NXT Champion Shinsuke Nakamura at the end of the live show. The following day, Ohno defeated Andrade "Cien" Almas at a "NXT" house show in his return match. Ohno returned to NXT television on February 22, 2017, saving No Way Jose and confronting Bobby Roode. On the March 15 episode of "NXT", Ohno faced Roode for the NXT Championship in a losing effort. On the March 29 episode of "NXT", Ohno defeated Elias Samson in a Loser Leaves NXT match. Ohno made his NXT TakeOver debut at in an eight-person tag team match, teaming with Tye Dillinger, Roderick Strong, and Ruby Riott against SAnitY, replacing an injured No Way Jose, being on the losing side of the team.


title: Chris Hero

text: Ohno entered a program with Hideo Itami after Itami began causing a scene in the locker room following his loss to then-NXT Champion Bobby Roode at , during which Ohno tried to calm down Itami. Concerned with Itami's actions, Ohno saved Oney Lorcan from a post-match attack by Itami on the June 7 edition of "NXT". After weeks of trying to help Itami, tensions became too high and Ohno and Itami faced off on the July 26 episode of "NXT", where Ohno won after Itami got himself disqualified. The two concluded their feud on the September 6 episode of "NXT", when Ohno defeated Itami in a No Disqualification match. On the November 8 episode of "NXT", Ohno asked general manager William Regal for a match with the undefeated Lars Sullivan. At , Ohno was defeated by Sullivan. On the January 24 episode of "NXT" Ohno had a backstage encounter with Velveteen Dream that ended with Ohno shoving Dream to the ground. This led to a match against Dream at where Ohno lost.


title: Chris Hero

text: Ohno was subsequently presented as a figurative "gatekeeper" in NXT while showing signs of a heel turn. At , he was called out by Matt Riddle, who challenged him to an impromptu match, in which he lost in only eight seconds. At the December 5 edition of "NXT", Ohno attacked Riddle after his match against the debuting Punishment Martinez, cementing his heel turn. At , Ohno faced Riddle in a rematch, which he lost. Following him "leaving" NXT, Ohno continued wrestling on NXT live events. On April 10, 2019, Ohno wrestled the recently signed Kushida, in his debut match for NXT.


title: Chris Hero

text: With WWE's partnership with Evolve Wrestling, Hero was announced for Evolve 115, 116 and 118. At Evolve 115, he failed to defeat Fabian Aichner for the Evolve Championship.


title: Chris Hero

text: Following his loss to Matt Riddle at TakeOver, Ohno stated on NXT's weekly show that he would be leaving NXT. On February 22, 2019, Ohno debuted at WWE's United Kingdom brand NXT UK event in Coventry, UK. There it was announced that Ohno was now an active wrestler on NXT UK. The following night, February 23, he cut a promo at NXT UK Coventry, reading an apology off his phone for Ashton Smith. Later, he was defeated by Travis Banks. On March 20, 2019, Kassius Ohno defeated Ashton Smith. On April 16, 2020, Ohno's WWE.com profile was moved to the alumni section and was soon confirmed to be part of the releases that took place due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Spradlin himself would further confirm this, as he took to Twitter where he posted a picture of his Kassius Ohno boots alone in the ring followed by a video confirming the return of Chris Hero.


title: Chris Hero

text: Spradlin appeared on Australian program "", a weekly television documentary program that details real and potential immigration and custom infringements at airports and seaports across Australia. On December 18, 2008, Spradlin had entered Australia under a tourist visa, which does not permit participating in paid or unpaid performances, even though he was planning to perform, defending his PWG World Championship in the PWA Queensland wrestling show the next day. Spradlin cooperated with the immigration officials and after four hours was permitted to leave the airport and enter the country after the event organiser agreed to sponsor him on an entertainment visa, which was approved by immigration.


title: Chris Hero

text: Spradlin also appeared in a music video for the song "The Ballad of Bruce Moose" by Indie band Born Ruffians. The video features Hero performing his signature moves the rolling elbow and moonsault in slow motion.


title: Chris Hero

text: Spradlin, going by the ring name Chris Hero, appears on WWE Home Video's "CM Punk – Best in the World" DVD documentary, where he talks about competing against CM Punk during their independent circuit days.


title: Chris Hero

text: Spradlin, as Kassius Ohno, made his WWE video game debut as a playable character in "WWE 2K18", and subsequently appears in its sequels "WWE 2K19" and WWE 2K20.


title: Chris Hero

text: Spradlin is a fan of hip hop music and basketball, the latter of which has been the inspiration for much of his ring attire.


title: Vince Edwards

text: Vince Edwards (born Vincent Edward Zoine; July 9, 1928 – March 11, 1996) was an American actor and director. He was best known for his TV role as doctor Ben Casey and as Major Cliff Bricker in the 1968 war film "The Devil's Brigade".


title: Vince Edwards

text: Edwards was born in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn, New York City, New York, to Julia and Vincento Zoine, an Italian-American bricklayer. He and his twin brother, Anthony, were the youngest of seven children.


title: Vince Edwards

text: An excellent swimmer, he worked as a lifeguard at Coney Island and swam for the Flatbush Boys Club. He was a standout on his high school swim team, also playing on the school's baseball and track teams. He studied at Ohio State University on an athletic scholarship. He was part of the university's swim team that won the United States National Championships. After two years at Ohio State, he transferred to the University of Hawaii where he spent much time training as a swimmer for the Olympics.


title: Vince Edwards

text: Edwards studied acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts; his classmates included Anne Bancroft, John Cassavetes, and Grace Kelly. In 1950, he was signed to a contract by Paramount Pictures, making his film debut as Vincent Edwards in 1951's "Mister Universe". The following year he played the lead role in "Hiawatha". Although he had major roles in several films, including film noirs "The Killing" (1956) and "Murder by Contract" (1958), it was not until he was featured as the title character in the highly successful "Ben Casey" television series that he achieved stardom. The medical drama, which he occasionally directed, ran from 1961 to 1966. As a result of the show's success and his own popularity, Edwards released several music albums and appeared in the all-star war film "The Victors" in 1963. He was represented by one of Hollywood's first "super agents", Abby Greshler of Diamond Artists in Hollywood.


title: Vince Edwards

text: When the "Ben Casey" television series ended, Edwards returned to acting in motion pictures with a major role in the 1968 war drama "The Devil's Brigade", together with films such as "Hammerhead" (1968), "The Desperados" (1969), and "The Mad Bomber" (1973). In 1970, Edwards starred in another TV series, the short-lived "Matt Lincoln". In 1983, he played the main protagonist, Hawk, in the sci-fi film "Space Raiders". He continued to act in film as well as in guest spots on television, including roles in "The Rhinemann Exchange" (1977), "Evening in Byzantium" (1978), and the pilot episode of "Knight Rider", "Knight Of The Phoenix" in 1982. He directed a number of episodes in a variety of television series including the original "Battlestar Galactica". He was also the voice of Jake Rockwell in the 1986 animated series "Centurions". Twenty-two years after the series ended, Edwards returned to television as Dr. Ben Casey in a 1988 TV movie, "The Return of Ben Casey". He made his last film, "The Fear", in 1995. After the filming he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. During his acting career he ventured occasionally into the recording studios and there were a number of singles released in his name. The most important one was never issued and in 1959 Ray Peterson was credited with the first version of "The Wonder of You" which became an International Hit for him and Elvis Presley - however, the very first recording was made by Vince Edwards.


title: Vince Edwards

text: Edwards was a compulsive gambler for many years, acknowledging the fact to a longtime friend, director William Friedkin, who said that he had "sacrificed a good portion of his career to an addiction."


title: Vince Edwards

text: In his last years, Edwards and his wife Janet attempted to educate others about the dangers of gambling. After his death, his wife said, "One of the messages that Vince wanted to share is that gambling is NOT glamorous, despite today's suave-sounding euphemisms, such as 'gaming.


title: Vince Edwards

text: Edwards died of pancreatic cancer in Los Angeles, California, on March 11, 1996. He was buried at the Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California.


title: Benkei

text: , popularly known as simply Benkei, was a Japanese warrior monk ("sōhei") who lived in the latter years of the Heian Period (794–1185). Benkei led a varied life, first becoming a monk, then a mountain ascetic, and then a rogue warrior. He later came to respect and serve the famous warrior Minamoto no Yoshitsune, also known as Ushiwakamaru. He is commonly depicted as a man of great strength and loyalty, and a popular subject of Japanese folklore, showcased in many ancient and modern literature and productions.


title: Benkei

text: Stories about Benkei's birth vary considerably. One tells how his father was the head of a temple shrine who had raped his mother, the daughter of a blacksmith. Another sees him as the offspring of a temple god. Many give him the attributes of a demon, a monster child with wild hair and long teeth. In his youth, Benkei may have been called —"demon/ogre child", and there are many famous ukiyo-e works themed on Oniwakamaru and his adventures. He is said to have defeated 200 men in each battle he was personally involved in.


title: Benkei

text: Benkei chose to join the monastic establishment at an early age and traveled widely among the Buddhist monasteries of Japan. During this period, monasteries were not only important centers of administration and culture, but also military powers in their own right, similar to the Roman Legions. Like many other monks, Benkei was likely trained in the use of the "naginata", the half-moon spear.


title: Benkei

text: At the age of seventeen, Benkei was said to have been tall. At this point, he left the monasteries, and became a "yamabushi", a member of a sect of mountain ascetics. Benkei was commonly depicted wearing a black cap that was a signature theme of such mountain ascetics.


title: Benkei

text: Benkei armed himself with seven weapons, and is often depicted carrying these on his back. In addition to his sword, he carried a broad axe ("masakari"), a rake ("kumade"), a sickle ("nagigama"), a wooden mallet ("hizuchi"), a saw ("nokogiri"), an iron staff ("tetsubō"), and a Japanese glaive ("naginata").


title: Benkei

text: Benkei was said to have wandered around Kyoto every night on a personal quest to take 1000 swords from samurai warriors, who he believed were arrogant and unworthy. After collecting 999 swords through duels and looking for his final prize, he met a young man playing a flute at Gojotenjin Shrine in Kyoto. The much shorter man supposedly carried a gilded sword around his waist. Instead of dueling at the shrine itself, the two walked to Gojo Bridge in the city where the bigger Benkei ultimately lost to the smaller warrior, who happened to be Minamoto no Yoshitsune, a son of Minamoto no Yoshitomo. Some sources claim that the fight took place not at the Gojo Bridge, but instead at Matsubara Bridge. Not long after the duel, Benkei, frustrated and looking for revenge, waited for Yoshitsune at the Buddhist temple of Kiyomizu, where he lost yet again. Henceforth, he became Yoshitsune's retainer and fought with him in the Genpei War against the Taira clan.


title: Benkei

text: In the end, Benkei and Yoshitsune were encircled in the castle of "Koromogawa no tate". As Yoshitsune retired to the inner keep of the castle to commit ritual suicide ("seppuku") on his own, Benkei stood guard on the bridge in front of the main gate to protect Yoshitsune. It is said that the soldiers were afraid to cross the bridge to confront him, and that all who did met swift death at the hands of the gigantic man, who killed in excess of 300 trained soldiers.


title: Benkei

text: Realizing that close combat would mean suicide, the warriors following Minamoto no Yoritomo decided to shoot and kill Benkei with arrows instead. Long after the battle should have been over, the soldiers noticed that the arrow-riddled, wound-covered Benkei was still standing. When the soldiers dared to cross the bridge and take a closer look, the giant man fell to the ground, having died standing upright. This is known as the "Standing Death of Benkei" (, "Benkei no Tachi Ōjō"). Benkei died at the age of 34.


title: Benkei

text: Atago-do, now called Benkei-do, features a statue of Benkei six feet two inches in height in the posture he stood in when he died at Koromogawa. It was built in the era of Shotoku (1711–1716), replacing an older monument. In olden times the Benkei-do was at the foot of Chusonji hill until it was demolished. The ruins and a single pine tree still remain.


title: Benkei

text: Tales of Benkei's loyalty and honour have made him a mainstay of Japanese folklore, as well as a popular subject for literature and entertainment.


title: Benkei

text: One "kabuki" play places Benkei in a moral dilemma, caught between lying and protecting his lord in order to cross a bridge. The critical moment of the drama is its climax, where the monk realises his situation and vows to do what he must. In another play, Benkei slays his own child to save the daughter of a lord. In the "Noh" play "Ataka", Benkei must beat his own master (disguised as a porter) in order to avoid breaking his disguise. "Ataka" was later adapted into the kabuki play "Kanjinchō", which became one of the most popular and widely performed works in Japanese theatre.


title: Renault Formula One crash controversy

text: The Renault Formula One crash controversy, dubbed Crashgate by some in the media, was a sporting scandal caused when Renault F1 driver Nelson Piquet Jr. deliberately crashed during the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix to give a sporting advantage to his Renault teammate, Fernando Alonso.


title: Renault Formula One crash controversy

text: On 28 September 2008, on the 14th lap of the Singapore race, the Renault R28 driven by Piquet crashed into the circuit wall at turn 17, necessitating a safety car deployment. Alonso had previously made an early pitstop, and was promoted to the race lead as other cars pitted under safety car conditions. Alonso subsequently won the race after starting 15th on the grid. At the time, Piquet described his crash as a "simple mistake".


title: Renault Formula One crash controversy

text: After being dropped by the Renault team following the 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix, Piquet alleged that he had been asked by the team to deliberately crash to improve the race situation for Alonso, sparking an investigation of Renault F1 for race fixing by Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), Formula One's governing body. After an investigation, Renault F1 were charged with conspiracy on 4 September, and were to answer the charge on 21 September 2009.


title: Renault Formula One crash controversy

text: On 16 September, Renault stated that they would not contest the charges, and announced that the team's managing director, Flavio Briatore, and its executive director of engineering, Pat Symonds, had left the team.


title: Renault Formula One crash controversy

text: On 21 September, it was announced that the Renault F1 team had been handed a disqualification from Formula One. The disqualification was suspended for two years pending any further comparable rule infringements. Briatore was banned from all Formula One events and FIA-sanctioned events indefinitely, whilst Symonds received a five-year ban. Their bans were subsequently overturned by a French court, although they both agreed not to work in Formula One or FIA-sanctioned events for a specified time as part of a later settlement reached with the governing body. Briatore would ultimately return to F1 in 2022 as an ambassador, while Symonds would return to the sport in 2011 as a technical consultant for Virgin Racing.


title: Renault Formula One crash controversy

text: The Renault F1 Formula One team came into existence with the car manufacturer Renault's re-entrance into Formula One in 2000, by purchasing the Benetton Formula One team. Italian businessman Flavio Briatore had been managing director of Benetton until 1997, when he was replaced by Prodrive boss David Richards. After managing Renault's motorsport sister company Mecachrome, Briatore returned to the main team following the Renault takeover, again as managing director. In addition to his Formula One sporting interests, as of August 2007, Briatore was chairman and part owner of the English football club Queens Park Rangers F.C. (QPR), which he purchased jointly with Formula One president Bernie Ecclestone, being joined later by funds from Indian industrialist Lakshmi Mittal.


title: Renault Formula One crash controversy

text: Spanish racing driver Fernando Alonso had been involved in Formula One since 2001, and drove for the team from 2002 to 2006. After becoming World Champion in 2005 and 2006 and a one-year stint with McLaren, he returned to the team in 2008. English engineer Pat Symonds had risen to his position as executive director of Engineering with Renault F1 having worked for the Benetton team, and having entered Formula One with Benetton's predecessor Toleman Motosport in the early 1980s. Brazilian racing car driver Nelson Piquet Jr. – son of Formula One triple-world champion Nelson Piquet – joined the Renault F1 team as the second driver alongside Alonso for the 2008 season, having been their reserve and test driver during 2007. Since October 2006, Piquet Jr. was also personally contracted to Flavio Briatore's management company FFBB. Before the Singapore incident, Renault F1 had not won a race for almost two years (the last Grand Prix won was on 8 October 2006, the Japanese Grand Prix), and were said to be close to quitting the sport.


title: Renault Formula One crash controversy

text: The 2008 Singapore Grand Prix was the fifteenth race of the 2008 Formula One season, and took place on 28 September 2008. The race was Formula One's first night race. On the race weekend, despite Alonso being close to the top in practice, Renault had a poor qualifying session and started well down the grid, with Fernando Alonso starting in fifteenth place, and Nelson Piquet Jr. alongside him in 16th. Alonso was eliminated during qualifying because of mechanical failure.


title: Renault Formula One crash controversy

text: During the warm-up lap, Piquet spun at the exact corner where he would later crash out, but was in this instance able to continue. After the race started, Alonso was the first driver to make a routine pit stop for fuel and tyres on lap 12, rejoining the race at the back of the field. He had put in a light fuel load at the start of the race in an attempt to pass the cars in front of him; most drivers that qualify in low positions tend to do the opposite and go for heavier fuel loads to make one fewer pit stop (approximately 30 seconds each in terms of time loss) than the leaders, as they do not want to waste a light car and an extra pit stop for a faster car that is stuck behind slower vehicles. Three laps later, Piquet hit the circuit wall at turn seventeen, one of the turns on the circuit which did not have a crane nearby, necessitating the deployment of the safety car.


title: Renault Formula One crash controversy

text: Safety car regulations in 2008 meant that the pit lane was closed until all cars had been bunched up behind the safety car. Hence the advantage of the lead cars would be eliminated before they were able to pit and after they did pit, they would re-enter the race at the back of the field. Alonso, having pitted just before the safety car was introduced, therefore gained a significant advantage. (Under previous regulations, the pit lane remained open during safety car incidents and the lead cars could quickly pit before their lead was eliminated and re-enter the race with less loss of track position.) In order to avoid running out of fuel, some drivers did need to pit while the pit lane was closed and they were penalised for the infraction.


title: Renault Formula One crash controversy

text: Most of the leading cars ended up behind Alonso and also behind some slower drivers who proved difficult to pass on the narrow circuit; those ahead of Alonso were lighter on fuel and whilst they were able to pull away, they still needed to make a pit stop. After gaining the lead in the final third of the race, Alonso went on to win the race.


title: Renault Formula One crash controversy

text: No action was initially taken over the crash. Piquet Jr. initially characterised the crash as "a simple mistake". In the post-race press release from Renault F1, the team described Alonso's performance as a "brilliant tactical drive", while both Briatore and Symonds attributed the safety car use as a case of good luck. Following the race, freelance Formula One journalist Joe Saward, writing on grandprix.com, stated that "some cynics" were questioning the incident, but dismissed it with the opinion that "one likes to believe that no team would ever be so desperate as to have a driver throw his car at a wall". According to the Brazilian television station Rede Globo, Brazilian driver Felipe Massa, who finished the Singapore race in 13th having been leading at the time of Piquet Jr.'s crash, and eventually lost the 2008 World Championship to Lewis Hamilton by one point, questioned Briatore about the crash at the time, although FIA president Max Mosley stated the sport could take no action based on "speculation".


title: Renault Formula One crash controversy

text: Fernando Alonso ended the 2008 season fifth in the Drivers Championship with 61 points, while Nelson Piquet Jr. finished in twelfth place, with 19 points. Their collective total earned Renault F1 fourth place in the Constructors Championship. Despite rumours that he was set to leave the team, Renault re-signed Piquet Jr. on a one-year contract for the 2009 season, once again alongside Alonso. By the tenth race of the 2009 season, Piquet Jr. had failed to score any points whereas Alonso had managed 13. On 3 August 2009, Piquet confirmed that he had been dropped by Renault. The departure was acrimonious, with Piquet criticising both the team and Briatore. He was replaced by test driver Romain Grosjean for the remainder of the season.


title: Renault Formula One crash controversy

text: On 30 August 2009, reports by the Brazilian television station Rede Globo stated that Nelson Piquet Jr. was ordered to crash during the Singapore race. Formula One's governing body, the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), immediately announced it was investigating "alleged incidents at a previous F1 event". It was widely reported that the race in question was the Singapore 2008 race.


title: Renault Formula One crash controversy

text: On 4 September, following the investigation by the FIA, Renault F1 were formally accused of interfering with the outcome of the 2008 Singapore race and conspiring with Piquet Jr. In a statement, the FIA stated that the charges against Renault F1 included "a breach of Article 151c of the International Sporting Code, that the team conspired with its driver, Nelson Piquet Jr, to cause a deliberate crash at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix with the aim of causing the deployment of the safety car to the advantage of its other driver, Fernando Alonso." The team was called to a meeting of the FIA World Motor Sport Council in Paris on 21 September, days before the 2009 running of the Singapore Grand Prix. After being charged, the Renault F1 team stated that they would be making no comments until the hearing.


title: Renault Formula One crash controversy

text: On 10 September, Piquet Jr. made the second of two statements to the FIA. On the same day, a transcript of Piquet's first statement to the FIA made at their Headquarters in Paris on 30 July was published by F1SA.com (the F1 Supporters Association). In response to questions over its authenticity, the FIA president Max Mosley stated "I haven't seen anything which I believe to be a forgery." In the transcript, Piquet states that he was asked by Briatore and Symonds to crash his car at a specific corner. Alonso denied knowing of any plan to ask Piquet to crash, stating "I cannot imagine these things, these situations. It's something that never entered my mind." Piquet questioned whether Alonso knew that a crash was planned, citing that in his place, he would have questioned Renault's "senseless" Alonso race strategy of starting with a low fuel load and making an early pit stop on the twelfth lap. During the course of the investigation and before the WMSC hearing, Alonso was absolved of any blame by the FIA. On 11 September, Max Mosley confirmed that Piquet would face no action after making his two statements, even if the case was found in favour of Renault.


title: Renault Formula One crash controversy

text: On 11 September, the day after Piquet's statement to the FIA was leaked, Renault F1 stated that it intended to take legal action against Piquet and his father in both French and British courts, stating that "...today the ING Renault F1 Team and its managing director Flavio Briatore personally wish to state they have commenced criminal proceedings against Nelson Piquet Jr and Nelson Piquet Sr in France concerning the making of false allegations and a related attempt to blackmail the team into allowing Mr Piquet Jr to drive for the remainder of the 2009 season". In response to the legal action, Piquet Jr. stated "Because I am telling the truth I have nothing to fear, whether from the Renault team or Mr Briatore – and while I am well aware of the power and influence of those being investigated, and the vast resources at their disposal, I will not be bullied again into making a decision I regret".


title: Renault Formula One crash controversy

text: On 14 September 2009, Pat Symonds was also reported to have been offered immunity from action if he provided the FIA with details of the alleged conspiracy. Symonds was reported to have told FIA investigators that the initial idea of a crash had come from Piquet Jr.


title: Renault Formula One crash controversy

text: On 15 September, "The Times" newspaper published extracts of Renault F1 radio conversations transmitted before and after the Singapore race between Renault F1 personnel including Piquet Jr., Alonso, Symonds and Briatore.


title: Renault Formula One crash controversy

text: On 16 September the Renault F1 team announced it would not be contesting the charges at the meeting of the FIA World Motor Sport Council in Paris on 21 September, and stated that both Briatore and Symonds had left the team.


title: Renault Formula One crash controversy

text: The FIA confirmed that 21 September meeting would still go ahead following the departure of Briatore and Symonds, with sanctions against Renault F1 still possible. The day after the Renault announcement, Renault confirmed Briatore had resigned from the team, while Briatore himself stated of his departure that "I was just trying to save the team. It's my duty. That's the reason I've finished."