Jon Bolen Jon Bolen is an American professional wrestler and bodybuilder . He currently competes on the independent circuit including Maximum Pro Wrestling , the International Wrestling Cartel and the National Wrestling Alliance . After winning Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ' s " Gut Check Challenge " in 2004 , he was briefly signed to the company before then signing a developmental contract with World Wrestling Entertainment and assigned to its developmental territories Ohio Valley Wrestling and Deep South Wrestling . While in Ohio Valley Wrestling , he was one half of High Dosage with " Silverback " Ryan Reeves . Early life . Born in Uniontown , Pennsylvania , Bolen became involved in weightlifting and football as a teenager . Attending California University of Pennsylvania , Bolen played football as a two - time All - Conference and All - American nose guard and two - time defensive captain . Although tearing three ligaments in his knee breaking his tibula and fibula , he spent only a year in rehab and continued playing during his senior year completing the season without missing a single game . Bodybuilding . After graduation , he continued bodybuilding and eventually set a state bench record in the 275 lb ( 125 kg ) . weight class at 630 lb ( 290 kg ) . At a state power lifting meet , he attempted to qualify for the Arnold Classic by benching 700 lb ( 320 kg ) . Although coming two inches of locking out the qualifying limit , he did manage to break his own record at 670 lb ( 300 kg ) . During the meet , he met former Gold ' s Gym Venice owner Ed Conners who had happened to be in town that evening to attend a bodybuilding show . During this meeting , Conners encouraged Bolen to participate in the " Gut Check Challenge " , a talent recruitment event organized by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling in conjunction with TrimSpa as part of the Show of Strength Pro Championship weekend . Professional wrestling career . Total Nonstop Action Wrestling . Bolen accepted Conners ' offer to fly him to Atlanta , Georgia and eventually won the " Gut Check Challenge " on October 16 , 2004 . The event saw entrants rated on the basis of their performance in five categories : " back bump " , " mat techniques " , " ring interviews " , " running the ropes " and " squat challenge " . The male and female events were won by Bolen and Jaime Dauncey respectively , with Bolen and Dauncey rewarded with a $ 4 , 000 USD cash prize and a subsequent appearance on TNA programming . During the next two months , he trained under Scott D ' Amore for three hours a day and five days a week and began appearing at house shows after an 8 - week period . Bolen appeared several times in TNA during 2005 , including an appearance at Turning Point on December 11 , where he teamed with Buck Quartermain and Joe Doering in losing effort to Lance Hoyt and The Naturals ( Andy Douglas and Chase Stevens ) in a six - man tag team match . In later appearances , he was utilized as a preliminary wrestler during his later appearances with the promotion . World Wrestling Entertainment . Ohio Valley Wrestling . Appearing on the undercard of the final episode of " WWE Velocity " , he and Sterling James Keenan had a WWE tryout match losing to Kid Kash and Jamie Noble . Bolen eventually signed a developmental contract with World Wrestling Entertainment in July 2006 and assigned to Ohio Valley Wrestling , a WWE developmental territory based in Louisville , Kentucky . On July 27 , Bolen made his OVW debut losing to Elijah Burke at a house show . Two days later at an event at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom , he teamed with Aaron Stevens , Rod Steel and Eddie Craven in an 8 - man tag team match losing to Chet the Jet , Brent Albright , Cody Runnels and Shawn Osborne . On August 11 , he participated in a 15 - man battle royal which included Shawn Osborne , Elijah Burke , Eddie Craven III , Pat Buck , Mike Kruel , Shad Gaspard , Lennox Lightfoot , Ranger Milton , Neighborhoodie , Johnny Punch , Seth Skyfire , Rod Steele , Jack Bull , Los Locos ( Ramón and Raúl ) and The Untouchables ( Deuce Shade and Dice Domino ) . In September , Bolen formed a tag team with Ryan Reeves called High Dosage . On January 10 , 2007 , High Dosage received their first and only opportunity at Southern Tag Team Championship , which they lost to defending champions Cody Runnels and Shawn Spears . The team ended soon afterwards when Reeves was released from his WWE developmental contract on January 19 , 2007 . On January 20 , Bolen teamed up with Katie Lea to defeat Domino and Cherry in a mixed tag team match in Hillview , Kentucky . He would again team with Katie Lea in a handicap mixed tag team match against Cherry and Deuce ' n Domino on January 24 . The following night , he and Ariel defeated Idol Stevens and Beth Phoenix . Bolen would remain in OVW only a brief time before his final television appearance in the promotion teaming with T . J . Dalton against Charles " The Hammer " Evans and Justin " The Ox " LaRoche on January 31 . Deep South Wrestling and departure . By mid - February , Bolen appeared in Deep South Wrestling , teaming with Shawn Osborne in a losing effort against Freakin ' Deacon and G - Rilla on February 15 . Defeating Heath Miller in a dark match several days later , Bolen continued to team with Osborne , although the two were less than successful . On March 16 , he also lost to Kofi Kingston at a DSW event in Atlanta , Georgia . In his final appearance , he and Osborne defeated Robert Anthony and Johnny Curtis at the DSW Arena in McDonough , Georgia on April 5 . Bolen was then released the following day . Return to the independent circuit . On June 9 , 2007 , Bolen won the NWA Upstate Kayfabe Dojo Championship after defeating Colin Olsen , Cloudy and then - champion JP Black . Beginning in 2008 , the Kayfabe Dojo Title was retired without Bolen ever having lost it . During the summer , he made his return to the International Wrestling Cartel , making a surprise appearance at the supercard " Super Indy VI " interfering on behalf on former Heavyweight Champion Ricky Reyes , who was being attacked by Dennis Gregory and Brent Albright . Although scheduled to face Albright the following month at " Summer Sizzler 4 : Checkmate " , Albright was unable to make the event due to " travel issues " and Bolen instead faced Chris Hero , who he defeated . At the " 2007 Ellsworth Basebrawl " , Bolen was to team with former tag team partner Sterling James Keenan against War Machine ( Brent Albright and Sebastian Dark ) . However , Keenan ended up defeating Albright in an Ellsworth Street Fight after Bolen pulled out of the match . After being seen at many IWC events in the past several months , Bolen made his official return at the Promotional Consideration Paid for by the Following championship tournament as a color commentator . In March 2009 , Bolen was featured on all three shows of the inaugural tour of Scott D ' Amore ' s new promotion Maximum Pro Wrestling in Ontario .