Xavier woods

**Austin Watson**[1] (born September 4, 1986) is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE under the ring name **Xavier Woods**. Upon joining the company, he was assigned to its developmental territory Florida Championship Wrestling, where he won the promotion's Tag Team Championship once with Wes Brisco.[6] Watson previously worked for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling as **Consequences Creed**, where he was a one time World Tag Team Champion with Jay Lethal as Lethal Consequences. Watson has also worked for NWA Anarchy and other independent promotions under t

## Early life

Watson was born in Columbus, Georgia in 1986 and graduated from Sprayberry High School in Marietta, Georgia in 2004.[*citation needed*] That same year he began studying psychology and philosophy at Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina. Watson graduated from Furman University with two degrees—a Bachelor of Arts in psychology, and philosophy on May 29, 2008.[*citation needed*] As of 2013, he already earned a Masters in Psychology and he is currently working on attaining a PhD.[7]

## Professional wrestling career

### Early years and NWA Anarchy (2005–2007)

While attending Furman University, Watson began training for a career
 in professional wrestling and, in 2005, began wrestling part-time with
Rob Adonis's Ultimate Christian Wrestling promotion. While in the
Greenville, South Carolina-based World Wrestling Council, he developed
his Austin Creed gimmick, which is based heavily on the character Apollo Creed from the *Rocky* series.[8]

During his time in NWA Anarchy,
 Creed was part of a tag team called Awesome Attraction with Hayden
Young. The pair had one of the longest title reigns in the promotion's
history after defeating Justice Served (Jason Justice and Mike Free) in Cornelia, Georgia on April 7, 2007.[9] In 2006, Creed won NWA's Most Popular Wrestler, voted for by the NWA fans.

On July 12, 2007 Creed defeated Murder-One to become the first DSW Heavyweight Champion following the promotion's split from World Wrestling Entertainment. He also worked with The Assassin while in Deep South Wrestling.[8]

### Total Nonstop Action Wrestling

#### Pursuit of the X Division Championship (2007–2008)

Creed appeared at Total Nonstop Action Wrestling's Bound For Glory pay-per-view event, teaming with Ron Killings as the replacement for Adam "Pacman" Jones. Creed wrestled under the name Rasheed Lucius "Consequences" Creed.[10]
 His union with Ron Killings was dubbed Truth and Consequences, which
was a combination of Killings' nickname "The Truth" and Creed's nickname
 "Consequences" as well as a play on words that referenced either the New Mexican town and the game show of the same name.

Creed in action in September 2008

On October 21, 2007, it was reported that Creed had signed a contract with TNA.[8] The signing was reported when Creed appeared on the radio show *Trash Talking Radio* on October 23 with Tommy Cairo and Sabian.[11]
 His signing was also confirmed later at a NWA Anarchy show where Creed
was presented with the contract by TNA Booking Director Bill Behrens.[12]
 Following Bound For Glory, Creed was not seen on TNA television for
months after Killings asked for and was later granted his release from
the company.

On February 10, 2008, Creed wrestled in a dark match before Against All Odds. He teamed with Sonjay Dutt defeating The Rock 'n Rave Infection. On the March 13 episode of *Impact!*
 a promo video with the words "prepare to face the consequences" showed
Creed training and announced that he would make his return at the Lockdown pay-per-view on April 13. The following week the return date was changed to April 10. On the April 10 episode of *Impact!*, Creed made his in-ring return and defeated Jimmy Rave of The Rock 'n Rave Infection, thus qualifying for the Xscape match at Lockdown.[13] During the match, Creed eliminated Shark Boy, but was later eliminated by Curry Man.[14] Creed later wrestled in the first ever TerrorDome match at Sacrifice, which was won by Kaz.[15]

At Hard Justice, Creed faced Petey Williams for the X Division Championship, but lost after interference from Sheik Abdul Bashir. On the September 4, 2008 episode of *Impact!*, he won a number one contenders match against Bashir for the right to face Williams again at No Surrender for the X Division Title.[16]
 However, the match was later changed to a triple threat after Bashir
repeatedly attacked Creed and ultimately, Bashir won the match and the X
 Division Title.[17]

#### Lethal Consequences (2008–2010)

Main article: Lethal Consequences

Creed at Slammiversary 2009

On the October 30, 2008 episode of *Impact!*, Creed, along with Samoa Joe, A.J. Styles, Jay Lethal, Petey Williams, Eric Young, ODB and The Motor City Machineguns formed a faction of younger wrestlers, known as The Frontline, to oppose The Main Event Mafia.[18]

On January 8, 2009, fellow Frontline member Lethal chose Creed to
cash in his Feast or Fired briefcase with, and the pair won the World Tag Team Championship from the champions Beer Money, Inc. (Robert Roode and James Storm). Creed and Lethal went on to be named Lethal Consequences, a combination of their respective names.[19] Beer Money, Inc. regained their titles in a three-way match just three days later at Genesis. For the next few months, Creed and Lethal teamed with the Motor City Machineguns to try and unmask Suicide. On the October 1, 2009 episode of *Impact!*, Creed and Lethal were part of a 5-man ladder match for a future X Division Title match. During the match, Amazing Red, who ended up winning the match, performed a hurricanrana driver, which caused Creed to projectile vomit after his head hit the mat.[20] Watson was released from TNA on March 29, 2010.[21]

### Independent circuit (2010)

On April 4 New Japan Pro Wrestling announced Watson, under his Consequences Creed ring name, as a participant in the first Super J Tag Tournament.[22] On May 8 Creed and his partner Kota Ibushi were eliminated from the tournament in the first round by the team of Gedo and KUSHIDA.[23] Creed returned to New Japan on June 28, 2010, teaming up with IWGP Heavyweight Champion Togi Makabe and Tomoaki Honma in the J Sports Crown Openweight 6 Man Tag Tournament.[24] After defeating Tamon Honda, Kentaro Shiga and Makoto Hashi in the opening round, the trio was eliminated from the tournament in the second round by Shinsuke Nakamura, Masato Tanaka and Tomohiro Ishii.[24][25] On July 10 Creed defeated Brian Milonas, U-Gene and Tommaso Ciampa to win East Coast Wrestling Association's 2010 Super 8 Tournament.[26][27][*unreliable source?*]

### World Wrestling Entertainment / WWE

#### Developmental territories (2010–2012)

On July 22, 2010, it was announced that Watson had signed a developmental contract with World Wrestling Entertainment.[28] Watson, using his real name, made his debut for WWE's developmental territory Florida Championship Wrestling on July 29 in a tag team match, where he and Percy Watson were defeated by Brodus Clay and Donny Marlow.[3] Following his debut, he was then added to FCW's official website under the name Xavier Woods.[4] In October, Woods began to team up with Wes Brisco and to prove themselves, they took part in a tag team turmoil match on October 14, where they defeated three other teams.[29] On November 4, Woods and Brisco defeated Johnny Curtis and Derrick Bateman to become the Florida Tag Team Champions, the match also included Brodus Clay and Jackson Andrews.[6] On December 1, Woods and Brisco vacated the Tag Team Championship after Brisco was sidelined with an injury.[30][31] With Brisco sidelined with an injury, Woods teamed up with Marcus Owens to take on Damien Sandow and Titus O'Neill for the vacant Florida Tag Team Championship, but were unsuccessful.[29] Following this, Woods began performing as a singles competitor throughout 2011 and 2012, though without much success.[29]

When WWE rebranded its developmental territory, FCW, into NXT,[32] Woods made his televised debut on the October 31, 2012 episode of *NXT* with a loss to Leo Kruger.[33] While picking up wins on NXT over the likes of El Local and Jake Carter, Woods began using the gimmick of a fanboy of 1990s culture[34][35][36] that saw him implement his legitimate fandom of *Mighty Morphin Power Rangers*, *Dragon Ball Z*, and the *Sonic the Hedgehog* video game series into both his matches and his attire.[37]

#### Teaming with R-Truth (2013–2014)

Main article: Team Pacman

Woods (right) in the ring with R-Truth in January 2014

On the November 18, 2013 episode of *Raw*, Woods made his main roster debut as he teamed with fellow TNA alumnus and former tag-team partner R-Truth to defeat 3MB (Drew McIntyre and Jinder Mahal) after Woods pinned McIntyre.[38] The following week on *Raw*, Woods defeated Heath Slater in his singles debut match while being accompanied by R-Truth and The Funkadactyls (Cameron and Naomi) and using Tons of Funk's entrance music.[39] On the November 29 episode of *SmackDown*, Woods began a feud with Brodus Clay after Clay took offense to Woods using his entrance music and The Funkdactyls as his managers earlier in the week on *Raw*. Later that night, Woods suffered his first loss when he and R-Truth lost to Tons of Funk (Clay and Tensai) after Clay pinned Woods.[40] On the December 2 episode of *Raw*,

```
Woods and R-Truth defeated Tons of Funk in a rematch after Woods pinned
Clay. Woods defeated Clay on the January 17, 2014 episode of WWE

```

Superstars to end the feud.[41] Woods and R-Truth then competed sporadically in the first quarter of 2014. They started a feud with the Bulgarian newcomer Rusev and were defeated by him in singles and handicap encounters. At WrestleMania XXX, Woods competed in the André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, but failed to win the match. At Extreme Rules, Woods and R Truth faced Alexander Rusev in a 2-on-1 handicap match but lost the match. at Battleground, Woods competed in a 19-man battle royal for the vacant Intercontinental Championship but was eliminated by The Great Khali.

#### The New Day (2014–present)

Main article: The New Day (professional wrestling)

Woods (right) with Kofi Kingston and Big E as The New Day in January 2015

On the July 21 episode of *Raw*, after Big E and Kofi Kingston

```
suffered another loss as a team, Xavier Woods confronted them,

```

declaring that they could not "get ahead by kissing babies and shaking
hands". Instead, it would be "their time" to "take". The duo accepted
Woods' offer,[42] and on the next day's *Main Event*, Woods managed Big E and Kingston to a decisive victory over Heath Slater and Titus O'Neil.[43] On the July 29 episode of *Main Event*, Woods' filled a commentary role while he and his group observed a match wrestled by the WWE Tag Team Champions, the Usos.[44] However, Woods' group quickly and quietly disbanded, as on the August 8 episode of *SmackDown* and on the August 12 episode of *Main Event*,

```
both Big E and then Kingston reverted to wrestling singles matches with
no sign or mention of the other two members of the group.[45][46] Despite being disbanded on WWE television, Big E, Kingston and Woods continued their alliance at live events.[47][48]

```

From the November 3 episode of *Raw*, WWE began airing vignettes for Woods, along with Big E and Kingston, with the stable now being billed as "The New Day".[49] The New Day made their in-ring debut on the November 28 episode of *SmackDown* in a winning effort against Titus O'Neil, Heath Slater and Curtis Axel.[50]

After accompanying his New Day mates Kingston and Langston in the pre-show of the 2015 Royal Rumble (they lost against Masters of the WWE Universe) Xavier tweeted support during the Rumble for Curtis Axel, saying he was never eliminated.[51] Woods does not compete in matches as often as Kingston or Big E does, being more like a manager.

## In wrestling

* **Finishing moves**
	+ **As Xavier Woods**
		- *Culture Shock*[52] (Diving DDT)[53] – 2010–2011
		- *Lost in the Woods*[4] (Inverted stomp facebreaker)[54] – 2013–present
		- Tornado DDT[55][56] – 2011–2013
	+ **As Austin Creed / Consequences Creed**
		- *ACT – Austin Creed Test*[57] (Diving DDT)[27] – 2010
		- *CreeDDT*[58][59] (Hammerlock legsweep DDT)[60][61] – 2007–2008
		- Fireman's carry cutter[27][62][63] – 2009–2010; used as a signature move in 2008
		- *MontiFisto*[1] (Three left-handed punches followed by splits followed by a right-handed hook)[64] – 2005–2007; used as a signature move from 2008–2010

* **Signature moves**
	+ **As Xavier Woods**
		- Front dropkick[39][56]
		- Headscissors takedown[54][56]
		- *Honor Roll*[4][5] (Rolling thunder clothesline, with theatrics)[38][39][54]
	+ **As Austin Creed / Consequences Creed**
		- Arm drag[1][65]
		- Cradle back-to-belly piledriver[63]
		- Diving fist drop[66]
		- Military press double knee gutbuster[67]
		- Right-handed hook[66][*unreliable source?*]
		- Rolling thunder clothesline[63][67]
		- Springboard one-handed bulldog[63][68]
		- Swinging cradle suplex[60][69]

* **With Jay Lethal**
	+ **Double team finishing moves**
		- Fireman's carry cutter (Creed) followed by a diving elbow drop (Lethal)[62]
	+ **Double team signature moves**
		- Military press (Lethal) / Springboard one-handed bulldog (Creed) combination[62]
		- Vertical suplex (Lethal) / Diving crossbody (Creed) combination[68]

* **Nicknames**
	+ "Awesome"[1]
	+ "Awesome Consequences"[66][*unreliable source?*]
	+ "Consequences"[1]
	+ "The Valedictorian"[57]

* **Wrestlers managed**
	+ Ron Killings / R-Truth[70]
	+ **Big E**
	+ **Kofi Kingston**

* **Entrance themes**
	+ "Living in America" by James Brown[71] (TNA / Independent circuit)
	+ "Consequences" by Dale Oliver[72] (TNA)
	+ "Get Funky" by 5 Alarm Music[73] (NXT)
	+ "Somebody Call My Momma" by Jim Johnston[39] (WWE; November 25, 2013, January 8, 2014 – May 30, 2014)
	+ **"New Day, New Way"** by Jim Johnston[74] (WWE; used while a part of The New Day)

## Championships and accomplishments

Creed as one half of the NWA Anarchy Tag Team Champions

* **Deep South Wrestling**
	+ DSW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[75]

* **East Coast Wrestling Association**
	+ ECWA Super 8 Tournament (2010)[26]

* **Florida Championship Wrestling**
	+ FCW Florida Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Wes Brisco[6]

* **NWA Anarchy**
	+ NWA Anarchy Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Hayden Young[9]
	+ Most Popular Wrestler (2006)

* **Pro Wrestling Illustrated**
	+ PWI ranked him No. **93** of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2009[76]

* **Total Nonstop Action Wrestling**
	+ TNA World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Jay Lethal[77]

he ring name **Austin Creed**. Woods is part of the faction The New Day.