page_title: Cassidy O'Reilly
section_title: Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2002–2007)
hierarchical_section_title: Cassidy O'Reilly / Career / Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2002–2007)
caption_attribution_description: Cassidy Riley in the ring in May 2011 in Nashville, TN, at a Crossfire Professional Wrestling event.
context_page_description: Cassidy Riley, also known as Kassidy James, is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his work with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling and WWE.
context_section_description: O'Reilly formed a new tag team with Chase Stevens known as "The Hotshots". The Hotshots worked in Nashville before appearing with the fledgling NWA:TNA promotion in July 2002, when they were signed to full-time contracts. Following a feud with America's Most Wanted, the team split in October 2002 when O'Reilly left TNA due to travel problems, returning to Louisiana and taking a hiatus from wrestling.
  O'Reilly returned to TNA in 2004 as "Cassidy Riley", with his earlier appearances never acknowledged by the promotion. He was booked as a fan favorite underdog who regularly lost to physically more powerful villains. Riley faced Raven on the January 21, 2005 episode of TNA Impact!, and was promptly squashed, with Raven passing on several chances to pin him before finally pinning Riley and then casually breaking two of his fingers after the match. Riley was saved by Dustin Rhodes, who he subsequently developed an onscreen friendship with. Riley teamed with Rhodes on several occasions until Rhodes left the company, then resumed his singles career.
  On July 8, 2005, Riley was squashed by the number one contender to the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, Abyss. After Abyss continued to attack O'Reilly after pinning him, Raven (the reigning champion) ran to ringside and attacked Abyss, but was overpowered. The following week, Riley thanked Raven and told him that he would be there if Raven needed him. On July 17 at TNA No Surrender 2005, Riley was seen in the audience dressed in Raven's signature "grunge" style. His continued emulation of Raven's dress style and mannerisms made him a target for Raven's enemies, Jeff Jarrett and Rhino, who attacked him on the July 29 episode of Impact!. Raven interrupted the proceedings, however, and spared Riley a piledriver at the hands of Rhino.
  At TNA Sacrifice 2005 on August 14, Riley interfered in the main event tag team match, preventing Jeff Jarrett from hitting Raven with a guitar. At Unbreakable on September 11, he faced Jerrelle Clark in a free-for-all match which ended in an abrupt draw when Monty Brown entered the ring and attacked both men. Later that night, Riley attempted to help Raven during his NWA World Heavyweight Championship title match with Rhino, but inadvertently distracted the referee just as Raven went for a pinfall.
  In the weeks prior to Bound for Glory pay-per-view, Raven appeared to accept Riley as his follower. On the Saturday prior to Bound For Glory, Riley appeared on Impact! and stated that Raven would be attending the event. The following evening, he accompanied Raven to the ring for his confrontation with Rhino, and was Gored twice by Rhino as security attempted to separate Raven and Rhino.
  On the December 4 episode of Impact! Raven was booked in a three-on-one handicap "House of Fun" match against all three members of The Diamonds in the Rough - Simon Diamond, David Young, and Elix Skipper. This was part of Larry Zbyszko's personal crusade to convince Raven to sign his release from TNA. Raven was heavily beaten for several minutes before Riley came to his aid, and held off the Diamonds in the Rough for a few moments. Eventually, the numbers overwhelmed him, but he had given Raven an opening that enabled him to take control of the match momentarily. Ultimately, however, Raven was defeated. Riley continued to aid Raven until Zbyszko finally managed to oust him from the promotion at TNA Final Resolution 2006 on January 15. Riley came to the ring and remonstrated with Zbyszko until Raven signalled for him to drop the issue and left the building.
caption: O'Reilly in the ring in May 2011
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