Sami Callihan Sam Johnston ( September 1 , 1987 ) is an American professional wrestler best known for his time at WWE , where he worked under the ring name Solomon Crowe . He worked for several independent promotions throughout the United States . He found most success in Combat Zone Wrestling ( CZW ) , but also wrestled for Dragon Gate USA , Evolve , Ring of Honor , Pro Wrestling Guerrilla , Full Impact Pro , and All American Wrestling . In CZW , he held the CZW Iron Man / New Horror Championship , the CZW Ultraviolent Underground Championship , and the CZW World Junior Heavyweight Championship , and won the 2012 Best of the Best tournament . Professional wrestling career . Heartland Wrestling Association ( 2006 – 2011 ) . Shortly after his debut , Callihan became a member of " The Crew " faction , which also consisted of Jon Moxley , Dick Rick and Pepper Parks . Callihan began regularly competing for the Heartland Wrestling Association , and faced wrestlers including Chad Collyer and Nigel McGuinness . He competed in Chikara ' s 2008 Young Lions Tournament . He advanced to the finals of the 2008 Ted Petty Invitational tournament with victories over Chris Hero , Eddie Kingston and 2 Cold Scorpio . On September 28 , 2008 , he competed for the HWA Heavyweight Championship in a three - way match , also involving Drake Younger , but lost to Jake Crist . On November 26 , 2008 , he was eliminated by HWA Heavyweight Champion Jake Crist in the Thanksgiving Eve eight - man tag team elimination match . In a rematch on October 1 , 2008 , he was again defeated by Jake Crist . In 2011 , Callihan made it to the final of the first Heartland Cup tournament against Jake Crist . Insanity Pro Wrestling ( 2006 – 2011 ) . Callihan began wrestling for IPW throughout 2006 as " Cannonball Sami " until late 2006 when he underwent a name change to Sami Callihan . In 2007 at " IPW Reign Of The Insane 6th Anniversary Show " Callihan gained entry into the " IPW 2007 Super Junior Heavyweight tournament " beating Dustin Rayz , xOMGx , and Louis Linaris to qualify , but lost in the first round to Diehard . In 2008 at " Uprising " Callihan began feuding with IPW Junior Heavyweight Champion Billy Roc after a controversial double pin in a four - way match for the title , also involving Ricochet and Shiima Xion . The next month at " Legally Insane " Callihan and Roc teamed up in a losing effort against " The Messiahs of a New Age " of Dustin Rayz and Lou Roberts . Callihan and Roc would have their first singles match for the Junior Heavyweight Championship at " Heatstroke " which ended in a time limit draw . The next month at " Crowning Point " Callihan and Roc wrestled in a Pure Rules match , which ended in a no contest , and the pair faced off at " IPW Reign of the Insane 7th Anniversary " in a ladder match in which Callihan beat Roc for the IPW Junior Heavyweight Championship . The next month at the " IPW Super Junior Heavyweight Tournament " Callihan defeated Q Skillz , CJ Otis , and Justin Andrews en route to the final , where he lost the Junior Heavweight Championship to Aaron Williams . Callihan would not make another appearance for IPW until late 2009 at " Reign of the Insane Stage 2 8th Anniversary " losing to James Avery . On May 18 , 2010 , he defeated Toby Klein at the JC Bailey benefit show . Callihan returned to competing regularly for IPW in 2011 . At " IPW Showdown In Naptown " Callihan defeated Kyle O ' Reilly , and later that night formed an alliance with IPW World Heavyweight Champion Jimmy Jacobs by saving him from an attack by Dustin Rayz and Sweet Lou Roberts . On May 7 , 2011 , at " Keep the Faith " Callihan would wrestle in a four - way match also involving Jake Crist , AR Fox , and Zack Sabre , Jr with Fox winning the match . On June 18 at " Revelations " Callihan defeated Jake Crist for the vacant IPW World Heavyweight Championship . Callihan held the championship until November 7 , 2011 , at " Insane Intentions " , when he lost it to Jake Crist in a triple threat match that also involved BJ Whitmer . Combat Zone Wrestling ( 2008 – 2013 ) . Callihan made his CZW debut at " Summer School " on June 14 , 2008 . At the 2008 Chris Ca $ h Memorial Show , he won the Chris Ca $ h Memorial Battle Royal . He defeated LuFisto to earn a spot in the main event at " Cage Of Death X " . At the " Decade of Destruction – 10th Anniversary " show on February 14 , 2009 , in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , Callihan defeated Jon Dahmer ; originally the match was supposed to be Dahmer versus E . M . O . , but as E . M . O . was making his way to the ring , the Arena ' s video screens showed Callihan arguing with CZW management and demanding a title match . Management denied his request , and instead told him that if he defeated Dahmer he could have a title match whenever he wanted . This led to Callihan attacking E . M . O . and taking his spot in the match against Dahmer , which he then won after a distraction by Jon Moxley . Later that night Callihan went to the ring after CZW Iron Man Champion Brain Damage and his Cult Fiction tag team partner Deranged had lost a match to The H8 Club . He brought a referee with him , and after Callihan threatened him , the referee sanctioned an immediate match , which Callihan won to become the new champion . At the " Eye for an Eye " event on April 13 , Callihan declared that the championship would now be known as the " CZW New Horror Championship " . On June 13 , 2009 , Callihan lost the championship to Egotistico Fantastico . On October 25 , 2009 , Callihan defeated Danny Havoc to win the CZW Ultraviolent Underground Championship , but the lost the title the same day to Thumbtack Jack . On April 10 , 2010 , at " Swingin For The Fences " Callihan received a match for the CZW World Heavyweight Championship in a losing effort against Switchblade Conspiracy partner Jon Moxley . In November 2011 , Callihan defeated Adam Cole for the CZW World Junior Heavyweight Championship . The following April , Callihan won the Best of the Best XI tournament . He lost the title to Drake Younger at " 5 de Mayo " . Callihan won the title for second time on July 14 , 2012 , in a 60 - minute Ultraviolent Rules Iron Man match , but lost it the same day to AR Fox . Other promotions ( 2008 – 2013 ) . On November 11 , 2008 Callihan made his Ring of Honor debut at " Escalation " in a losing effort in a four - corner survival match also involving Go Shiozaki , Rhett Titus , and Grizzly Redwood . Callihan appeared on the inaugural episode of " Ring of Honor Wrestling " on HDNet , which aired on March 21 , losing to Kenny King . On May 29 , 2009 , Callihan debuted for Pro Wrestling Syndicate at their " Brawl For Paul " event , where he lost a four - way match , also involving Xavier , Monsta Mack , and winner Trent Acid . On August 10 , 2010 , Callihan was part of The " PWS Majestic Twelve Title Tournament " . In the opening round he teamed with Dan Maff to defeat Adam Cole and Bandido Jr , and went on to defeat Maff in the second . In the final Callihan pinned Danny Demanto , but was then pinned by Devon Moore . On May 27 , 2011 , Callihan defeated Dan Maff , and then defeated Devon Moore to win the PWS Heavyweight Championship in a match that included run - ins by Kevin Matthews , Maff , Danny Demanto , Velvet Sky , and Mick Foley . He went to defend the championship against Colt Cabana , Jay Lethal , and The Great Muta . On May 1 , 2010 , Callihan debuted for Evolve at " Evolve 3 : Rise or Fall " in a winning effort against Adam Cole . On July 23 , at " Evolve 4 : Danielson vs Fish " , Callihan gained his second victory defeating Arik Cannon via submission . Matches against wrestlers including Zack Sabre , Jr . , Brodie Lee , AR Fox , Bobby Fish , and Dave " Fit " Finlay at " Evolve 9 " followed . On April 5 , 2013 , Callihan took part in a tournament to determine the inaugural Evolve Champion , where he made it to the finals , before losing to AR Fox . On July 24 , 2010 , Callihan made his debut for Dragon Gate USA , losing to Jimmy Jacobs in a dark match . After wrestling several matches for the promotion through the rest of the year , Callihan was placed in his first angle on April 3 , 2011 , at " Open the Ultimate Gate " , when he and Arik Cannon walked out on a six – way match . Later in the event , Callihan and Cannon announced they would be forming a tag team named the D . U . F . ( Dirty Ugly Fucks ) and defeated the Dark City Fight Club ( Jon Davis and Kory Chavis ) in their first match together . On June 5 at " Enter The Dragon 2011 " , Callihan and Arik Cannon were joined by Pinkie Sanchez , and picked up a major win over the tag team of Open the Dream Gate Champion Masaaki Mochizuki and Susumu Yokosuka . On June 23 , 2013 , Callihan was defeated by MVP at " House of Hardcore 2 " . Pro Wrestling Guerrilla ( 2012 – 2013 ) . Callihan made his debut for the Southern California - based company Pro Wrestling Guerrilla on April 21 , 2012 . At the sixth annual " Dynamite Duumvirate Tag Team Title Tournament " , he teamed with Roderick Strong to take on 2 Husky Black Guys ( El Generico and Willie Mack ) in a losing effort in the opening round . After the match , Callihan challenged PWG World Champion Kevin Steen to a title match , which took place later that day ; Callihan lost the match . In his next appearance on July 21 , he was beaten by Michael Elgin at PWG ' s nine - year anniversary event , " Threemendous III " . In September , he got his first series of wins at the " 2012 Battle of Los Angeles " ; he defeated Willie Mack to advance to the quarterfinal round , where he beat TJ Perkins . In the semi - final , he lost to eventual winner Adam Cole . At " Mystery Vortex " on December 1 , he was victorious over Drake Younger . After the match , it was announced that Callihan and Younger would participate in a best of three match series to determine a number one contender for the PWG World Championship . At the " 2013 Dynamite Duumvirate Tag Team Title Tournament " , which took place on January 12 , 2013 , Callihan fought Younger in a non - tournament knockout or submission - only match . Callihan lost the bout when he tapped out , tying the score . On March 22 , 2013 , Callihan lost the series , when he was defeated by Younger in the third match , a Guerrilla Warfare match . On June 15 , Callihan wrestled his PWG farewell match , a 60 - minute Iron Man match , where he unsuccessfully challenged longtime rival Adam Cole for the PWG World Championship , losing the match six falls to five . WWE ( 2013 – 2015 ) . On October 23 , 2012 , Johnston wrestled a dark match for WWE , in which he was defeated by Johnny Curtis . In April 2013 , it was reported that Johnston was undergoing medical tests for the promotion , and on May 27 Dragon Gate USA confirmed that Johnston had signed with WWE . Johnston ' s new WWE ring name was revealed as Solomon Crowe , and on August 29 he debuted for WWE ' s developmental territory , NXT Wrestling , at a live event with a loss to Xavier Woods . On December 6 , Crowe debuted an " evil hacker " gimmick , where he used a tablet computer to seize control of the lights in the arena , and attacked Kalisto . The following year , in August 2014 , Johnston suffered a chipped tibia during a tag team match with Kalisto against The Ascension ; the injury did not require surgery and he returned in November . On January 28 , 2015 so called " technical difficulties " appeared just before a match between Adrian Neville and Tyson Kidd on NXT that showed Johnston with a laptop teasing his debut and hacker gimmick . On November 24 , it was announced that Johnston had requested and received his release from his WWE contract the day prior . Return to the independent circuit ( 2015 – present ) . On November 28 , 2015 , after being released from WWE , Johnson returned to the independent circuit , switching back to his Sami Callihan character where he appeared at All American Wrestling ' s Windy City Classic XI event . He attacked new AAW Heavyweight Champion , Eddie Kingston . On December 4 , 2015 , he returned to Rockstar Pro Wrestling to face and defeat long time friend Jake Crist at the Killer XMas ippv . On November 30 , 2015 , it was announced that Callihan returned to Combat Zone Wrestling at Cage of Death XVII on December 12 , 2015 , facing David Starr and defeating him . On December 11 , 2015 , Callihan returned to Pro Wrestling Guerrilla during the promotions All - Star Weekend event . Lucha Underground ( 2016 ) . On January 10 , 2016 , Callihan wrestled a dark match at a Lucha Underground taping against King Cuerno and Flamita .