Cyrus Mason

Mason in 2011

**Cyrus Mason**, also known as **The Phenom**, is an active member of the XAWA roster, played by Chris Hill. He is also one of the two owners of the organization (along with Blackheart).

## Career

### Crazy Ass Wrestling Federation (1999)

Mason's career started off in 1999 where he wrestled under the Crazy Ass Wrestling Federation. The CAWF was an organization Mason and Deathrow created, but was shortly lived as the fed disbanded in early 1999.

### XWA (2001–2007)

Mason career really started to take off in the eXtreme Wrestling Association's beginnings in 2001, when he only went by the name "The Phenom". He was multiple time XWA Champion, and was the co-creator of the DarkSide faction, along with Blade, who he had several matches with throughout the course of XWA and AWA's history.

In 2006, Cyrus Mason and the rest of the XWA invaded the Anarchy Wrestling Association and took part in many of their shows over that summer. Mason faced Shade for the AWA World Heavyweight Champion, capturing it for one week, making him the only wrestler not on the AWA roster to win the belt. Mason's rivarly with Shade would grow to become legendary, as the two have had many matches over the years, even as recently as 2018.

However, the XWA wouldn't be much longer for the world. Mason fell into a very dark period filled with a lot of drinking and excess, and the XWA would, unfortunately, suffer as a result. The XWA officially closed down after the 2007 season, leaving the AWA as the only game in town.

### Mason's dark period (2008–2010)

Once the XWA had folded in 2007, the only place left to go was the Anarchy Wrestling Association. Despite claiming retirement, he was eventually coaxed out of retirement by Shade, and at Red, White & Bruised on July 1, 2008, he would face both Shade and Connor Jackson, then known as Revan, in a hellacious triple threat match for the AWA Hardcore Championship, a match in which Shade would be victorious.

Following this, Mason and Shade would clash again on a July episode of *ShOcK!*, in which Mason would defeat Shade following an elbow drop from the front porch barricade of a house. Mason would then toss Shade into a pile of weapons to finish their feud off for the time being.

Mason would continue forward with the AWA, however, as he was the primary creative force behind the July 15, 2008 event Violence is the Answer. Mason participated in three out of the four matches, as it was a tournament designed for a shot at the AWA Hardcore Championship. Mason defeated The Ogre in a submission match, and then Blackheart in a match still heralded by Blackheart as one of the best matches of his career. Mason would be inserted into a triangle match with Shade and Blade for the Hardcore Championship. Blade would ultimately win, and never defend the title again, as the AWA shutdown before he had the opportunity.

Mason wrestled three more times for the AWA before the shutdown: a triple threat match with himself, Kryptic and Maximus for the AWA Intercontinental Championship, a one-on-one with Blackheart at the August 7, 2008 event No Escape, and an AWA Grand Slam Championship match, also at No Escape and also with Blackheart. Mason only won the third of those three matches, becoming the AWA's final Grand Slam Champion in the process.

After AWA closed down in September of 2008, the promotion Raptor Wrestling was formed in early 2009. The promotion, started by The Ogre and Shawn Havoc, did not last very long, but is memorable for one of the only matches featuring Cyrus Mason following the closure of both AWA and XWA.

### The XAWA's first run (2011–2014)

In late 2010, Cyrus Mason was approached by Kryptic with an idea about merging the two former powerhouse promotions into one grander promotion, the XAWA. Mason approved of the idea, and on March 7, 2011, the XAWA held their very first taping, an episode of *ShOcK!*, featuring a match between Mason, The Ogre, and the returning Deacon Storm. Mason won this match.

Originally, *ShOcK!* and it's sister show *LiveWire* would run on opposite weeks with different GM's in charge of booking shows. This idea was dropped fairly early on in the 2011 season. Mason was the GM for *LiveWire*, and Kryptic was the GM for *ShOcK!*. In addition, Mason would win the XAWA World Heavyweight Championship at the first Awakening event under the XAWA name, carrying it for most of the year and being recognized as the very first champion. He eventually dropped the belt to Kryptic on an August episode of *ShOcK!.* After this, some behind-the-scenes drama caused Mason to step back a bit in the role of owner, and the rest of the crew was left to plan out the finish of the 2011 season.

The 2012 season saw the return of former AWA owner Blackheart to the XAWA fold, and Mason immediately split ownership of the company with him. Later in 2012, Cyrus Mason won the XAWA International Championship for the first time by defeating Hitman Cox. Mason defended not only the title, but his career in a match at Awakening on May 27, 2012, against Shade. Shade won, and Mason briefly retired.

Mason returned at Highway to Hell when Shade returned his contract to him, and he partnered with Xander to participate in the promotion's first triple threat Tables, Ladders & Chairs match for the XAWA Tag Team Championships. Kryptic and American Hillbilly would win those belts. Mason would appear on and off again for the remainder of the year.

Mason's 2013 season saw him reforming DarkSide with Xander, replacing Blade who had, unfortunately, retired. This year saw Mason win the XAWA Hardcore Championship on several occasions, winning the XAWA Tag Team Championships with Xander, and "retiring" American Hillbilly. Mason entered into a storyline with D.C. that saw him defend the XAWA International Championship in a boxing match at Bloodbath on September 1, 2013. Mason lost the title to him. Two weeks later, he was responsible for head trauma to Blackheart that would cause him to disalign with Nightmare. For this, Blackheart granted him an XAWA World Heavyweight Championship match at Thunderstruck against Deacon Storm. He was unsuccessful, and went on to face Shawn Havoc in an Ironman match at Anarchy Colosseum IV.

The 2014 season for Cyrus Mason began with him challenging Blackheart for the XAWA World Heavyweight Championship in a ladder match that also featured Nightmare.  He didn't win the match, and he would later quit after Blackheart lost the title to Nightmare following a Texas Death Match.  Mason would be returned to the roster following Nightmare reminding him he was under contract, and at Awakening, he would first challenge Kitana for the XAWA Hardcore Championship, but would then challenge Xander for the XAWA International Championship.  He won the belt, and would lose it to Deacon Storm at Red, White & Bruised.

The angle that followed for Mason was one of his crowning moments. Mason and Nightmare fought against each other at that year's Highway to Hell event, but Mason would have a little help as all of the old XWA roster members returned to surround ringside: X, Iron Bull, Deathrow, Shawn Havoc, Fear Factor and The Master of the World. Thanks to interference from all of them, plus a superkick from Blackheart to Nightmare, Cyrus Mason would win the match, ending the feud.

On the August 17, 2014 episode of *ShOcK!*, Mason would defeat Will Smith for the XAWA World Heavyweight Championship.  He would defend that belt in fatal 4-way match at No Escape, losing to Nightmare.  He then entered into a storyline with The Ogre in which he and Starr Mason kidnapped The Angel of Death, The Ogre's valet.  The Ogre recovered her the week before Recoil, and the two had a hardcore match, with The Ogre winning.  Mason would then finish off the final year of the original run with a gauntlet match on the final *LiveWire*, which he won, and a match against Blackheart at Anarchy Colosseum V, which ended in a draw.

### Reunion shows (2015–2018)

Cyrus Mason wouldn't wrestle again until the 2015 reunion show entitled Reunited We Stand. The show saw him go one-on-one with Nightmare in a Three Stages of Hell match. Mason eventually won by causing Nightmare to tap out to the F.U.B., making him the first man to ever make Nightmare submit.

Mason also returned with the 2017 reunion show, entitled Red, White & Bruised on the Highway to Hell, where he defeated Shade in a hardcore match. Shade would challenge him to an Ironman match at the next reunion show.

The final reunion show, taking place in April of 2018, was entitled Redemption on the Road 2 Ruin, and Shade did indeed face Cyrus Mason in an Ironman match. The match was cut short, however, due to an injury suffered by Shade. Mason was declared the winner. Due to the success of this event, the XAWA was relaunched in July of 2018.

### The relaunch (2018–present)

The relaunch saw Cyrus Mason immediately feuding with Deacon Storm, the XAWA International Champion. After several promos back and forth, wherein Storm accused Mason of being too old, and Mason went back to his "dark place", both men met at Highway to Hell on July 27, 2018. Kitana, Mason's valet for the match, got involved, hitting Storm with a street sign and ultimately costing him the match and the title. Mason vowed for a rematch at Anarchy Colosseum VI.

In between Highway to Hell and Anarchy Colosseum VI was scheduled an event called Lethal Lottery, where the matches and stipulations were drawn at random. Mason randomly drew Blackheart for this event, and drew a Last Ride match as a stipulation. Mason would win this match, successfully defending the XAWA International Championship, after Sgt. Dowell and American Hillbilly got involved and decimated Blackheart, throwing him into the trunk of a car and closing it. Dowell and Hillbilly would attack Mason afterwards.

At Anarchy Colosseum VI, Mason would succesfully defend the XAWA International Championship against Deacon Storm, who was without manager Trinity Parker, who had suffered an injury against El Loco Rojo at Lethal Lottery. Mason would defend his championship again at Laid to Rest in October, only this time it was a triple threat Texas Death match also involving Shade. Storm would win the belt, interference from Sgt. Dowell.

The 2019 season opened up for Mason challenging Blackheart for the XAWA Hardcore Championship at Awakening. He was unsuccessful in this.

## In wrestling

* **Finishing moves**
	+ *F.U.B.* (Sharpshooter)
	+ *Psycho Driver* (Argentine neckbreaker)
* **Signature moves**
	+ Discus clothesline, usually following three right jabs to the head
	+ Hangman's neckbreaker slam
	+ Running knee
	+ Standing leg drop
	+ Elbow drop, sometimes multiple or even from an elevated position
* **Entrance music**
	+ "Man in the Box" by Alice in Chains (January 1, 2001–May 22, 2007; June 5, 2007–March 23, 2014; July 15, 2018–present)
	+ "The Outlaw Torn" by Metallica (May 29, 2007)
	+ "Young" by Hollywood Undead (May 19, 2009)
	+ "Overlord" by Black Label Society (July 11, 2011–July 18, 2011; March 30, 2014–November 30, 2014)
	+ "The Man Without Fear" by Drowning Pool feat. Rob Zombie (January 1, 2003–December 31, 2006; July 29, 2012–present) – with *DarkSide*
* **Managed by**
	+ Starr Mason
	+ Kitana

## Championships and accomplishments

* **eXtreme Wrestling Association**
	+ XWA World Heavyweight Champion
	+ Undisputed XWA WOrld Heavyweight Champion
* **Anarchy Wrestling Association**
	+ AWA World Heavyweight Champion (1 time)
	+ AWA Intercontinental Champion (1 time)
	+ AWA Tag Team Champion (1 time) – with Kryptic
	+ AWA Grand Slam Champion (1 time; final champion)
	+ 2007 AWA Hall of Fame Inductee
* **eXtreme Anarchy Wrestling Association**
	+ XAWA World Heavyweight Champion (2 times)
	+ XAWA Tag Team Champion (2 times)
		- with Iron Bull (1 time)
		- with Xander (1 time)
	+ XAWA International Champion (4 times)
	+ XAWA Hardcore Champion (5 times)
	+ 2012 XAWA Hall of Fame Inductee