Mike Bennett

Bennett in November 2015

###

Carver, Massachusetts, U.S.

**Michael** "**Mike**" **Bennett** (born May 16, 1985) is an American professional wrestler.

He has previously wrestled for the Ring of Honor (ROH) promotion, where he is a former ROH World Tag Team Champion and New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW), where he is a former IWGP Tag Team Champion, both held with Matt Taven. Bennett and Taven operate a wrestling school in West Warwick, Rhode Island.

## Professional wrestling career

### New Japan Pro Wrestling (2014–2015)

In May 2014, Bennett took part in a tour co-produced by ROH and New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW). On May 17 at War of the Worlds, Bennett was defeated by one of NJPW's top wrestlers, Hiroshi Tanahashi, in an interpromotional match. Through ROH's relationship with NJPW, Bennett made an appearance for the Japanese promotion on August 10 in Tokorozawa, Saitama, teaming with Adam Cole to defeat Captain New Japan and Jushin Thunder Liger in a tag team match.

From November 23 to December 5, Bennett and Matt Taven represented ROH and The Kingdom in NJPW's 2014 World Tag League. The team finished their round-robin block with a record of four wins and three losses, failing to advance to the finals.

Bennett and Taven returned to NJPW on April 5, 2015, at Invasion Attack 2015, where they defeated Bullet Club (Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson) to win the IWGP Tag Team Championship. On July 5 at Dominion 7.5 in Osaka-jo Hall, The Kingdom lost the IWGP Tag Team Championship back to Bullet Club in their first defense. Bennett and Taven returned to NJPW in November to take part in the 2015 World Tag League, where they finished with a record of two wins and four losses, failing to advance from their block.

## Personal life

Bennett has an older brother. He graduated from Carver High School in 2003 (Presently, Carver Middle-High School). Bennett is friends with Kevin Kelly, and regards Kelly as a mentor within the professional wrestling business. In an interview in December 2011, Maria Kanellis confirmed she was dating Bennett, and the couple later got engaged. On October 10, 2014, Bennett and Kanellis got married.

He was listed as one of the top 75 wrestling bodies in the world by Muscle Men in 2010.

## In wrestling

* **Finishing moves**
	+ *Box Office Smash* (Sitout side slam) – 2011–2013; used as a signature move thereafter
	+ *Go Back to Japan* (Anaconda vise) – 2014–2016
	+ *Photo Finish* (Fireman's carry cutter) – 2012–2013; used as a signature move thereafter
* **Signature moves**
	+ Big boot
	+ Spinning spinebuster
	+ Superkick
* **With Matt Taven**
	+ **Double-team finishing moves**
		- *Hail Mary* (Aided piledriver)
* **Managers**
	+ Grayson Alexander
	+ Gia Savitz
	+ BobEvans
	+ Maria Kanellis / Maria
* **Nicknames**
	+ "The Epic"
	+ "The Miracle"
	+ "Professional Wrestling's Jesus"
	+ "The Prodigy"
* **Entrance themes**
	+ "Fire Guitar" by Fabio Codega

## Championships and accomplishments

* **New Japan Pro Wrestling**
	+ IWGP Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Matt Taven
* **Pro Wrestling Illustrated**
	+ PWI ranked him #**78** of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2012

## References

1. ↑ Mike Bennett . Ring of Honor. Retrieved on 2011-09-26.
2. ↑ New ROH PPV bout, Omega-ROH update and more . *Pro Wrestling Insider*. Retrieved on 2016-04-23.
3. ↑ Caldwell, James 2014-05-17. Caldwell's ROH iPPV results 5/17: Complete "virtual-time" coverage of War of the Worlds - ROH Title & IWGP Title main events, new ROH tag champs, Steen vs. Nakamura, more . Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved on 2014-05-17.
4. ↑ Caldwell, James 2014-08-10. Caldwell's New Japan G1 Climax finals results 8/10: Complete "virtual-time" coverage of Okada vs. Nakamura tournament finals, Styles vs. Tanahashi, Jeff Jarrett, ROH tag champs, more . Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved on 2014-08-10.
5. ↑ 『World Tag League 2014』出場チーム＆公式戦が決定！ 棚橋はヨシタツとタッグ結成！ 桜庭、AJ、柴田、ROH、NWAも参戦!  (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro Wrestling* (2014-11-11). Retrieved on 2014-12-05.
6. ↑ World Tag League 2014  (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro Wrestling*. Retrieved on 2014-12-05.
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Invasion Attack 2015  (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro Wrestling*. Retrieved on 2015-04-05.
8. ↑ Show results - 4/5 NJPW "Invasion Attack" in Tokyo, Japan: A.J. Styles defends IWGP World Title in main event, ROH tag teams win both Tag Titles, Bullet Club in action, more . *Pro Wrestling Torch* (2015-04-05). Retrieved on 2015-04-05.
9. ↑ Meltzer, Dave 2015-07-04. New Japan Dominion live coverage from Osaka Jo Hall - Styles vs. Okada for IWGP title, Nakamura vs. Goto for IC title and notes on biggest event since the Tokyo Dome, plus all G-1 main events . *Wrestling Observer Newsletter*. Retrieved on 2015-07-05.
10. ↑ NJPW World Tag League Results & Standings . *Pro Wrestling Torch*. Archived from the original on 2015-12-09. Retrieved on 2015-12-06.
11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Ellis, Adam K. 2010-12-24. Mike Bennett, Ring of Honor rock the Hall; Carver wrestler returns to Plymouth Memorial Hall . Wicked Local Plymouth. Retrieved on 2011-05-15.
12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Wolcott, David 2010-09-10. Carver native signs with Ring of Honor wrestling; Mike Bennett gets his big break . Wicked Local Kingston. Retrieved on 2011-05-15.
13. ↑ Martin, Adam 2011-12-15. Maria on unhappiness in WWE's locker room . Wrestleview. Retrieved on 2011-12-16.
14. ↑ Waldman, Jon 2013-09-21. Kanellis excited for ROH-NOH8 event . *Slam! Sports*. Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved on 2013-09-28.
15. ↑ ROH STARS GET MARRIED AND MORE RING OF HONOR NEWS - PWInsider.com .
16. ↑ Ellis, Adam K. 2010-12-31. Carver athletes make history in 2010 . Wicked Local Carver. Retrieved on 2011-05-15.
17. ↑ Martin, Adam 2011-01-23. Spoilers: 1/22 ROH HDNet tapings in Philadelphia . Wrestleview. Retrieved on 2011-05-15. “Mike Bennett beat Andy "Right Leg" Ridge with the Side Effect.”
18. ↑ Druckman, Eric 2011-03-20. 3/19 ROH results in New York City: Report on Eddie Edwards's ROH Title win, Richards vs. Daniels Pure Wrestling, LAX reunion vs. Kings of Wrestling . Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved on 2011-05-15. “After interference from Brutal Bob, Bennett hit the side effect on Corino not once, not twice, but thrice for the win.”
19. ↑ Namako, Jason 2011-10-03. ROH on Sinclair Results – 10/1/11 . Wrestleview. Retrieved on 2011-10-05. “Bennett hits the Box Office Smash(sit-out side slam) for the win.”
20. ↑ May 1st ROH newswire . Ring of Honor (2014-05-01). Retrieved on 2014-05-01.
21. ↑ Trionfo, Richard 2014-02-02. Ring of Honor television report: A.J. Styles returns; Michael Bennett debuts a new finisher; Steve Corino introduces new catchphrase; and more . Pro Wrestling Insider. Retrieved on 2014-02-03.
22. ↑ Namako, Jason 2012-08-07. ROH on Sinclair Results – 8/4/12 . Wrestleview. Retrieved on 2012-10-14.
23. ↑ Namako, Jason 2012-10-13. ROH Glory by Honor XI Results – 10/13/12 . Wrestleview. Retrieved on 2012-10-14.
24. ↑ World Tag League 2014  (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro Wrestling*. Retrieved on 2014-11-28.
25. ↑ Results . Top Rope Promotions. Retrieved on 2011-05-15.
26. ↑ Martin, Adam 2008-03-02. Pro Wrestling Unplugged, UPWA, PWA show, One Man Gang, PTW, EPW . Wrestleview. Retrieved on 2011-05-15.
27. ↑ Namako, Jason 2011-12-24. ROH Final Battle iPPV Results – 12/23/11 . Wrestleview. Retrieved on 2011-12-24.
28. ↑ Independent Wrestling Results – September 2009 . Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved on 2011-05-15. “"The Epic" Mike Bennett”
29. ↑ New England Championship Wrestling . Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved on 2011-05-15.
30. ↑ Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) 500 for 2012 . *The Internet Wrestling Database*. Retrieved on 2012-08-25.