Shaun Ricker Shaun Ricker ( November 11 , 1982 ) is an American professional wrestler currently signed to Impact Wrestling under the ring name Eli Drake where he is a one - time TNA King of the Mountain Champion . He was previously signed to a contract with World Wrestling Entertainment wrestling under the NXT brand . In 2013 he appeared on the TNT reality television show " " The Hero " " , which is hosted by semi - retired WWE star The Rock . Career . Ricker made his debut in 2002 , working two matches for the National Wrestling Alliance " Wildside " promotion during the months of February 2002 , January 2003 and April 2003 . Heartland Wrestling Association ( 2003 - 2009 ) . Ricker began working regularly for the Ohio - based promotion Heartland Wrestling Association ( HWA ) in 2003 under the ring - name of Deuce . He competed in various matches that included singles and tag - team action before challenging unsuccessfully for the HWA Heavyweight Championship against Chad Collyer in a Title vs . Career match held on October 31 , 2006 . Ricker would not return to HWA until late 2007 returning under the name of Dick Rick at HWA Reborn in a losing title match against Brian Jennings for the HWA Heavyweight Championship on November 9 . During 2008 , Dick Rick competed in numerous tournament - styled matches for the Number 1 contender status for the HWA Heavyweight Championship . He won a three - way match against Deja Vu and JT Stahr on November 5 for the No . 1 Contender title . On November 12 Rick lost to Champion Jake Christ in the title match for the Heavyweight Championship . After wrestling in an unsuccessful four - way elimination match for No . 1 Contender status on March 18 , 2009 , Rick went on to compete in several more tournament - styled matches before wrestling his last HWA match on June 3 , losing to JT Stahr . World Wrestling Entertainment ( 2008 ) . Ricker made his first WWE appearance officially in 2008 in a dark match on the ECW program , teaming with Gene Snitsky in a losing effort against Cryme Tyme . Mach One Pro Wrestling ( 2009 - 2011 ) . After HWA , Ricker started working for Mach One Pro Wrestling ( M1W ) in late 2009 . His first match was at M1W Fight Night , losing to Tommy Wilson on October 16 . He then won two consecutive matches in singles action against Andrew Hellman during M1W Fight Night on October 23 and again on October 30 . Ricker went on to team with Willie Mack defeating Andrew Hellman and Sonny Samson . He faced and lost to Brian Cage in singles and tag - team action during the months of November and December . Cage would be the man Ricker would later form the team known as Natural Selection . Finding initial success as a tag team , Ricker and Cage went on during the January month in 2010 , competing in a tag team tournament , winning all of their matches including the final match for the M1W Tag Team Championships on January 29 from the team of The RockNES Monsters ( Johnny Goodtime and Johnny Yuma ) . However , Champions lost the titles to the same team they defeated to first win them at the M1W event on April 16 . Ricker ' s last match for M1W was on October 29 , 2011 , defeating Nick Madrid at M1W Wrath Of Con III . Future Stars Of Wrestling ( 2011 ) . Ricker debuted on August 28 at FSW No Risk No Reward 2 where he and Mempho Mofo wrestled a tag match won by The Sons Of Texas ( Brandon Gatson & Jody Kristofferson ) . Championship Wrestling From Hollywood ( 2011 - 2016 ) . During December 2011 , Ricker moved to work for the promotion Championship Wrestling from Hollywood ( CWFH ) . He rejoined forces with Brian Cage , reforming The Natural Selection tag team and won the NWA Heritage Tag Team Championships on December 8 , from The RockNES Monsters . 2012 was highlighted with Ricker ' s participation in the Percy Pringle III Cup Tournament , during which he was eliminated in the match final by Ryan Taylor . On December 2 , 2012 , Ricker wrestled in a Ten Man Gauntlet won by Brian Cage for the Number One Contendership right to challenge for the CWFH International Television Championship . Ricker found success in singles and tournament - based matches , by winning the CWFH 30 - Man Red Carpet Rumble to win the CWFH Heritage Heavyweight Championship on May 5 , 2013 and successfully defended it that same night . Ricker however , lost the title later that night to Scorpio Sky in a Loser Leaves CWFH match . Ricker returned the following month on June 9 to defeat Ryan Taylor , leading his succession of victories over Christian Cole and Big Duke in two separate matches on that date . Ricker returned on December 20 , 2014 and defeated Eric Cross in a singles match . The following year , Ricker returned on January 20 , 2015 to compete in a Number Contender Gauntlet Battle Royal won by Willie Mack . During 2016 , Ricker appeared during the January 24 CWFH TV Taping where he defeated Douglas James . On April 10 at CWFH Coastline Clash , Ricker defeated Big Duke in a Best Two Out Of Three Falls Match . Return to World Wrestling Entertainment ( 2013 - 2014 ) . NXT developmental territory ( 2013 - 2014 ) . Ricker returned to WWE in October 2013 , being assigned to its training roster NXT . His NXT debut was on October 23rd , in a dark match , defeating Yoshi Tatsu . From there , Ricker went on to wrestle a total of 13 matches . He was later released from his contract on August 1 , 2014 . Return to Independent circuit ( 2014 - present ) . Full Impact Pro ( 2014 ) . At FIP : Fallout 2014 , on September 5 , Ricker teamed with WWE NXT alumni Mason Ryan and Michael Tarver , in a losing six - man tag team tournament semi final match against Dos Ben Dejos ( Jay Cruz & Jay Rios ) & Lince Dorado . On that same date , Ricker , Ryan and Tarver defeated All Business ( Blake Edwards Belakus , Jesus De Leon & The American Viking ) during the first round of the tournament match . Return to Future Stars Of Wrestling ( 2014 - present ) . Ricker debuted on November 21 , 2014 at FSW Luck Of The Draw where he defeated Kenny King . He became the FSW Heavyweight Champion beginning on November 19 , 2016 after Kevin Kross . Pro Wrestling Revolution ( 2015 - 2016 ) . Ricker debuted on the May 17 , 2015 edition of PWR , teaming with Oliver John as team La Migra in a tag match won by Blue Demon Jr . & El Mariachi . On October 11 at PWR , Ricker debuted as El Hijo de Trump and defeated El Mariachi . Six days later on October 17 , he won a victory against El Campesino II . Asistencia Asesoria y Administracion ( 2016 ) . Beginning on June 3 , Ricker his TNA ring name of Eli Drake , joined the first night of the AAA Lucha Libre Victoria World Cup tour . His first night match against Dr . Wagner Jr . ended in a time limit draw . Later that same night , he and Tyrus as Team USA TNA and their opponents Team Mexico Internacional ( Dr . Wagner Jr . , Dragon Azteca Jr . & Rey Mysterio Jr . ) wrestled to a time limit draw also . On the third night of the tour , Drake , Ethan Carter III & Tyrus as Team USA TNA wrestled in a four - team battle royal match won by Team Resto del Mundo ( Apolo , Mil Muertes & Rockstar Spud ) , against Team Japan Oudou ZERO1 ( Akebono , Ikuto Hidaka & Masato Tanaka ) , Team Mexico Leyendas ( Blue Demon Jr . , El Canek & La Parka ) and Drake ' s team . Total Nonstop Action Wrestling / Impact Wrestling . The Rising and various feuds ( 2015 – 2016 ) . On February 16 , 2015 , Ricker participated in TNA One Night Only ' s TNA Gut Check tournament , where he defeated Crazzy Steve to qualify for the final match of the night which was a five - way elimination match which was won by Tevita Fifita . On March 14 , 2015 , Ricker , under the name of Eli Drake , participated in the " Impact Wrestling " tapings . Drake joined Drew Galloway and Micah to form The Rising , defeating The Beat Down Clan . On the July 1 episode of " Impact Wrestling " , The Beat Down Clan defeated The Rising in a 4 - on - 3 Handicap match , forcing The Rising to dissolve . On July 15 episode of " Impact Wrestling " , Drake turned heel when he cost Galloway a match against the TNA World Heavyweight Champion Ethan Carter III . On the August 5 episode of Impact Wrestling , Drake defeated Drew Galloway . On the August 19 episode of Impact Wrestling , Drake faced Galloway in a No Disqualifications Match but lost the match . On the September 9 episode of Impact Wrestling , Drake , Jessie Godderz and Kenny King faced Robbie E , Tigre Uno & Micah in a losing effort . On October 4 , 2015 , at Bound for Glory , Drake competed in a twelve - man Bound For Gold Gauntlet match which was won by Tyrus . Drake participated in the TNA World Title Series as a member of group Future 4 , along with Jessie Godderz , Micah and Crimson advancing the round of 16 along with Godderz where he would be losing in the round of 16 to Mahabali Shera , thus failing to advance to the quarterfinals and being eliminated from the tournament . On the January 5 , 2016 , the first live edition of Impact Wrestling episode on Pop Eli Drake and Jessie Godderz started feuding with Kurt Angle and Drew Galloway which led to a match at TNA One Night Only Live , which was won by The Wolves . On January 26 , 2016 , Drake won the Feast or Fired match and the briefcase that contained a title shot for the future TNA King Of The Mountain Championship . On the February 9 episode Of Impact Wrestling , Drake was attacked by Grado who had been fired after his Feast or Fired briefcase contained the pink slip . Later that night Drake interrupted him backstage and told him " he better shut up about whatever he thinks he knows " and then attacked Grado again and had him escorted out of the building through the tunnel . Drake feuded with Grado once again who was masked as Odarg the Great feuding him backstage with Jessie Godderz and telling him he was going to be facing against him . This led the match on the February 16 episode of Impact Wrestling , which he lost , and led to the rematch at TNA Lockdown special episode of Impact Wrestling in the Six Sides of Steel match , in which he ' s unsuccessful due to interference from the returning Mahabali Shera who went on to team with Odarg the Great and pulling his mask off from his face . On the March 15 live edition of Impact Wrestling he received another rematch against Grado in a Ladder match , the career of Grado on the line , however he was defeated by Grado to end the feud . Fact of Life and Namer of Dummies ( 2016 – present ) . On the May 31 episode of " Impact on Pop " ( taped April 23 ) , Drake cashed in his Feast or Fired briefcase for his shot at the TNA King of the Mountain Championship , defeating Bram who was just viciously attacked by Lashley , winning his first title in TNA . On June 12 at Slammiversary , Drake defeated Bram to retain the championship . On the June 28 episode of " Impact Wrestling " , Drake hosted a " Fact of Life " segment , inviting James Storm as his guest , where he proceeded to insult him ; Storm eventually hit Drake with the Last Call , igniting a feud between the two . The next week on the July 5 episode of " Impact Wrestling " , Drake defended the King of the Mountain Championship against Storm , but intentionally disqualified himself to save the title . However , on the August 4 episode of " Impact Wrestling " , Drake lost the King of the Mountain Championship to James Storm . Drake entered in the Impact Grand Championship tournament on the September 8 episode of " Impact Wrestling " , defeating Jessie Godderz in the first round . However , he was defeated by Aron Rex on the September 22 episode of " Impact Wrestling " in the semi final . At Bound for Glory Drake won the Bound for Gold . On the October 6 episode of " Impact Wrestling " , Drake started a feud against Ethan Carter III , after his " Fact of Life " segment . On the October 27 episode of " Impact Wrestling " , Eli Drake and Aron Rex defeated Ethan Carter III and Jessie Godderz in a tag - team match . On the November 10 episode of " Impact Wrestling " , Drake cashed is Bound for Gold opportunity but failed to win the TNA World Heavyweight Championship against Eddie Edwards . On the November 24 episode of " Impact Wrestling " , Drake faced EC3 in a title shot vs . voice match where if Ethan lost , he would lose his Heavyweight title shot and if Drake lost , he would not be able to talk for the rest of 2016 . EC3 won the match by submission . On the January 5 episode of " Impact Wrestling " , Eli Drake have a confrontation against The Broken Hardys during his returning " Fact of Life " segment , which led to a tag team match for their TNA World Tag Team Championship at , teaming with Tyrus , in a losing effort . However , his association with Tyrus continued , Tyrus helping him to take the red case during the Race for the Case on the January 19 episode of " Impact Wrestling " . On the February 2 episode of " Impact Wrestling " , Drake cashed is Race for the Case briefcase for a match against Ethan Carter III , but was defeated . After the match , Tyrus and him attacked EC3 , but they were assaulted by the Death Crew Council . On the February 9 episode of " Impact Wrestling " , Eli Drake and Tyrus were defeated by The Death Crew Council a handicap match . During the match , Drake abandoned Tyrus and leaving him alone . A match was scheduled between Drake and Tyrus two weeks later , who ended by a victory of Tyrus by disqualification . After the match , Drake proposed more money to Tyrus for keeping him as a bodyguard , which Tyrus accepted . On the March 16 episode of " Impact Wrestling " , Drake and Tyrus were defeated by Garza Jr . and Laredo Kid . During the match , Drake unintentionally hit Tyrus , causing the loss .