Jesse Sorensen Jessy Ryan Sorensen ( April 1 , 1989 ) is an American professional wrestler , who is best known for his time in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ( TNA ) , where he suffered a severe neck injury . Afterwards he went on to work for WWE NXT from 2015 - 2016 . Sorenson has since continued his work in the independent promotions where in Paragon Pro Wrestling he became one - half of the reigning PPW Tag Team Champion s . Professional wrestling career . Early career . Throughout 2008 , Sorensen competed in various Texas Independent Wrestling Promotions as Ryan Sorensen . Florida Underground Wrestling ( 2011 – 2012 ) . Sorensen debuted for Florida Underground Wrestling on March 15 , 2011 , under the name Ryan Sorensen and lost to Damien Angel and a few days later he would pick up his first win by defeating Angel in a rematch . In the month of May , Sorensen would have two chances to become a champion , the first of which was a 25 - man battle royal for the FUW Heavyweight Championship which would be won by the Cuban Assassin . His second title shot would prove more successful as he defeated D ' Lo Jordan to win the vacant FUW Flash Championship , however he would lose it to Romeo Razel only a week later . Sorenson would go on to form a tag team with Nick Fame called Hunks In Trunks and would defeat Dakota Darsow and Kennedy Kendrick and Biff Slater & Ralph Mosca to become the FUW Tag Team Championship . Hunks In Trunks would eventually lose the championship and subsequently split which led to several matches where the two would trade victories . On February 7 , 2012 , Sorenson would beat Nick Fame in a no holds barred street fight . Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ( 2011 – 2013 ) . Sorensen made his debut for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ( TNA ) on the July 7 , 2011 , edition of Impact Wrestling as part of the X Division Showcase tournament . He was eliminated from the tournament after losing to Jack Evans in a three - way match , which also included Anthony Nese . Sorensen returned to TNA on the August 11 edition of Impact Wrestling , appearing in a backstage segment , where Eric Bischoff introduced new rules to the X Division . On August 18 , TNA announced that Sorensen had signed a contract with the promotion . On that evening ' s episode of Impact Wrestling , he took part in a gauntlet match to determine the X Division rankings . After eliminating Zema Ion , Anthony Nese and Kid Kash from the match , Sorensen was left in the ring with Austin Aries to determine the winner and number one contender . However , Kash interfered in the match by performing a Money Maker on Sorensen , after which Aries pinned him with a brainbuster to win the match . The following week , Kash defeated Sorensen in a singles match with a rollup , while holding his tights . The following week Sorensen pinned Kash in a tag team match , where he teamed with Brian Kendrick and Kash with Austin Aries . On September 11 at No Surrender , Sorensen defeated Kash to become the number one contender to the TNA X Division Championship . Sorensen received his title match on the September 22 edition of Impact Wrestling , but was defeated by champion Austin Aries , following a distraction from Kid Kash . On the November 3 edition of Impact Wrestling , Sorensen pinned Aries in a non - title match , following an inadvertent distraction from Kash . On November 13 at Turning Point , Sorensen failed to capture the X Division Championship from Aries in a three - way match , which also included Kash . On January 8 , 2012 , at Genesis , Sorensen competed in a four - way elimination match for the X Division Championship , but was defeated by Aries , following interference from Zema Ion , who had already been eliminated from the match . On February 12 at Against All Odds , Sorensen was defeated by Ion in an X Division number one contender ' s match via count - out , after he suffered a legitimate injury and was unable to continue the match . It was later reported that Sorensen had suffered a C - 1 vertebrae fracture with spinal cord edema . Sorensen ' s doctors estimated that he could need up to one year to fully recover from his injury . Sorensen made an appearance on July 8 at Destination X , addressing his neck injury and saying he hoped Zema Ion would win the vacant X Division Championship , because he plans to take the title from him . Sorensen then made a promise that he will be X Division champion this time next year at Destination X 2013 and that he will cash the title in to become the TNA World Heavyweight Champion . Sorensen ended his appearance by having a stare - down with Ion . On November 6 , it was reported that Sorensen had been cleared to return to the ring . Also , he was named marketing / production assistant . On March 18 , 2013 , Jesse was on the TNA YouTube show The List , hosted by Robbie E & So Cal Val speaking of return questions and flirting with So Cal Val . On May 20 , 2013 , a fan asked him when he ' ll come back , but Sorensen said that there will not be a come back , but there will be a new beginning . On June 5 , 2013 , Sorensen ' s profile was removed from TNA roster page . On July 23 , 2013 , Sorensen announced that he had been released from TNA . WWE ( 2015 - 2016 ) . WWE NXT . Sorenson debuted on July 16 , 2015 in a match won by Baron Corbin . On August 13 , Sorenson along with Aaron Solo and Jesus De Leon , lost a six - man tag team match to Colin Cassady , Enzo Amore & The Hype Bros ( Mojo Rawley & Zack Ryder ) . On November 19 , Sorenson wrestled and lost his second singles match to Apollo Crews . On January 22 , 2016 Sorenson was defeated by Elias Samson . A week later on January 27 , Sorenson was defeated by Tommaso Ciampa in a singles match . Independent circuit ( 2013 – present ) . After his release , fans responded negatively due to TNA President Dixie Carter previously stating that he would always have a job after his neck injury . TNA claimed that Jesse received a lot of money and he didn ' t want to learn a new job inside the company , because he wanted to wrestle . On July 27 , 2013 , Sorensen returned to FUW , where he and & Nick Fame defeated Angel Santos and MDK when Jesse pinned Santos with a Billy Gunn Slam . On October 21 , 2013 , Sorensen made his debut in Ring Warriors , defeating Johnny Armani . On October 26 , Sorensen made his debut for Ring of Honor ( ROH ) , losing to Tommaso Ciampa at Glory By Honor XII .