Clark Connors

Connors in May 2023

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Seattle, Washington, United States

**Connor Deutsch** (born October 6, 1993) is an American professional wrestler better known by the ring name **Clark Connors**, where he is currently signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he is a member of Bullet Club, where he is a former IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion.

After starting his career in 2017, Connors joined NJPW the following year as a "young lion" in August 2018, being trained by Katsuyori Shibata. After graduating from his young lion status in April 2021, Connors was repackaged as "Wild Rhino", complete with a new look and a new persona, before turning heel and joining Bullet Club in April 2023 as "100 Proof", with a more ruthless and viscious personality, before winning the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship in July.

## Professional wrestling career

### Early career (2017–2018)

At the age of 12, Deutsch became fascinated with professional wrestling after watching it on the television, he cited Shawn Michaels, Bobby Lashley, Chris Jericho, Jushin Thunder Liger as his main inspirations for him becoming a professional wrestler.

Before beginning his career Deutsch practiced American football. He would start his professional wrestling career in April 2017, being trained by Buddy Wayne. He would work in the American independent circuit under the ring name "Clark Connors" for promotions such as All-Star Wrestling, DEFY Wrestling, Prestige Wrestling, West Coast Wrestling Connection before going to Canada to receive further training by wrestling legend Lance Storm. Afterwards, Connors started also working in the Canadian independent circuit competing for promotions such as Elite Canadian Championship Wrestling and Invasion Championship Wrestling. He would work in the independent circuit until June, when Connors passed a try-out to enter in the NJPW L.A. dojo.

### New Japan Pro Wrestling (2018–Present)

#### LA Dojo (2018–2021)

In August 2018, Connors became one of the first trainees of the NJPW L.A. dojo and started his work as a "young lion", being trained by Katsuyori Shibata. On September 30 at Fighting Spirit Unleashed, Connors made his unofficial debut in New Japan Pro-Wrestling, defeating fellow NJPW L.A. dojo young lion Alex Coughlin. Connors made his official debut on November 10, at Lion's Break Project 1, losing to junior heavyweight legend Jushin Thunder Liger. As is customary for most young lions, Connors spent most of his matches losing to other, more experienced wrestlers, which would help put over other wrestlers while at the same time give him some in-ring, televised, experience. Through NJPW's international partnerships Connors made his debut in American promotion Ring of Honor (ROH), on January 24, 2019, losing to Jeff Cobb. Connors continued working on ROH for the remained of the month during the *Road To G1 Supercard* tour. As part of the international partnerships Connors made his debut in British promotion Revolution Pro Wrestling (RPW), on June 29 at Ungovernable show, teaming with Karl Fredericks and Brendan White in a losing effort against Gabriel Kidd, Kenneth Halfpenny and Shaun Jackson.

On July 13, Connors and Fredericks made their official debut in New Japan Pro-Wrestling, during the 2019 G1 Climax, teaming with KENTA in a losing effort against Hiroshi Tanahashi, Ren Narita and Shota Umino. In August, Connors took part in the 2019 Super J-Cup, losing to TJP in the first round. During this time, Connors and the young lions from L.A. dojo entered in a rivalry with the young lions from the Japan dojo that was build up during the 2019 G1 Climax and Super J-Cup tours. In September, Connors took part in the 2019 Young Lion Cup, finishing the tournament with a record of four wins and three losses, failling to win the tournament. From October 16 until November 1, Clark Connors and TJP took part in the 2019 Super Jr. Tag League, finishing the tournament with a record of one win and six losses, failing to advance to the finals of the tournament.

Since March 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, Connors along with several NJPW wreslters were unable to work on NJPW events in Japan. In August, Connors took part in *NJPW Strong* series. During the *NJPW Strong* series, Connors took part of the Lion's Break Crown in October, defeating Danny Limelight in the finals on October 9 to win the tournament. On December 3, Connors took part in the 2020 Super J-Cup, losing to Impact Wrestling's representative Chris Bey in the first round. On April 30, 2021, at LA Dojo Showcase, Connors graduated from his young lions status, after being defeated by fellow former young lion Karl Fredericks and afterwards Connors began referring to himself as the 'Wild Rhino' and it was confirmed by Katsuyori Shibata that he was no longer a young lion.

#### Wild Rhino (2021–2023)

The following year in March, Connors defeated TJP to qualify for a place in the New Japan Cup USA tournament; However, he was defeated by Lio Rush in the first round. Connors then entered at Strong's Tag Team Turbulence Tournament, once again teaming with TJP, but they lost to eventual winners The Good Brothers, in the first round.

On August 14 at Resurgence, Will Ospreay made his return from injury, announcing that he was medically cleared to return in-ring competition, before as the "real IWGP World Heavyweight Championship" belt, before stating that he would be appearing on *NJPW Strong* defending his title. Afterwards, Ospreay began feuding with the members of the LA Dojo, being confronted by Connors, Karl Fredericks and TJP. During his feud with the LA Dojo, TJP who had previously align with Fredericks, turned on him, and joined the United Empire at Autumn Attack, this led to the LA Dojo beginning a feud, where they would mainly lose to the group on Strong. This ended when on February 5, 2022, at The New Beginning in USA, where Connors and TJP's fued culminated with Connors achieving the biggest win of his career by defeating TJP.

On February 26, after Tom Lawlor defended the Strong Openweight Championship, Connors challenged him to a title match. On April 2, at Strong Style Evolved, Connors unsuccessfully challenged Lawlor for the Strong Openweight Championship. In March, the LA Dojo, which was still represented by graduates such as Connors, Alex Coughlin and Karl Fredericks, began a feud with All Elite Wrestling's The Factory as they fought over which was the superior wrestling developmental system. This led to a match at Windy City Riot, in which Connors, Fredericks and Yuya Uemura, lost to The Factory's QT Marshall, Aaron Solow and Nick Comoroto. Soon after, Connors and other LA Dojo members made their debuts on the May 10 edition of AEW Dark, saving the LA Dojo’s The DKC and Kevin Knight from a post-match attack by The Factory. The following week, LA Dojo members defeated The Factory in a ten-man tag team match.

Connors returned to Japan in May, to take part in the 2022 Best of the Super Juniors. At the tournament, Connors finished the tournament with a record of four wins and five losses, failling to advance to the finals of the tournament. Connors was announced to be in the NJPW qualifying bracket for a chance to advance at Forbidden Door to be a part of a four-way match to crown the inaugural AEW All-Atlantic Champion. In the first qualifier Connors defeated Tomoaki Honma, but lost in the final qualifier to Tomohiro Ishii, who advanced in the tournament. However, it was later revealed that Ishii had suffered a left knee injury, therefore Connors took his place at the event, facing PAC, Malakai Black and Miro for the All-Atlantic championship in a losing effort, where PAC submitted Connors.

Connors was scheduled to compete at Music City Mayhem in late July, challenging Davey Richards for the MLW National Openweight Championship; however, it was revealed that Connors was injured, suffering from a herniated disc in his back and therefore he was replaced by Rocky Romero. Connors returned three months later at the Rumble on the 44th Street, accompained by Wrestling and MMA legend Ken Shamrock, in a losing effort against Minoru Suzuki. From November 21 until December 11, Connors and Ryusuke Taguchi took part in the 2022 Super Jr. Tag League, finishing the tournament with a record three wins and six losses, failing to win the tournament.

#### Bullet Club (2023–Present)

In April, Bullet Club's newest leader David Finlay teased a new member to the stable, with the new member being revealed at Capital Collision. On April 10, he agreed to a contract extension with NJPW. At Capitol Collision, on April 15, Connors, along with The DKC, Rocky Romero, Lio Rush and Chuck Taylor faced KUSHIDA, Volador Jr., Mike Bailey, Gabriel Kidd and Kevin Knight in a losing effort. After the match, a frustrated Connors turned on his team by viciously attacking The DKC. Later that night, Connors was called out to the ring by David Finlay, who recognized Connors potential and offered him a spot in Bullet Club, with Connors accepting. The following day, at Collision in Philadelphia, accompanied by Finlay, Connors defeated The DKC in his first match as a member of the stable. The following month, Connors took part in the 2023 Best of the Super Juniors, finishing the tournament with a record of four wins and five losses, failling to advance to the semifinals of the tournament. During the tournament, Connors developed a more ruthless and vicious attitude, with Connors often recuring in brawl outside the ring and attack his opponents after his matches. He also developed a heated rivalry with Dan Moloney, often clashing with him, most notably, in their head-to-head match, with Moloney winning by count-out due to Connors' vicious tactics. On June 4 at Dominion 6.4 in Osaka-jo Hall, after TJP and Francesco Akira regained the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships, Connors confronted the new champions, teasing he and a partner would challenge them to a title match. Afterwards, Moloney was revealed to be his partner after turning on TJP and Akira joining Bullet Club. On July 4 at NJPW Strong Independence Day, Connors and Moloney defeated Francesco Akira and TJP to win the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship. From October 21 to November 2, Connors and Moloney took part in the 2023 Super Jr. Tag League, finishing the tournament with a record five wins and four losses, failing to advance to the finals of the tournament. On January 4, 2024, at Wrestle Kingdom 18, Connors and Moloney lost the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship back to Francesco Akira and TJP.

## Personal life

On December 3, 2021, Connors tested positive for COVID-19 amid its pandemic in the United States leading to him being pulled out of his appearance at LA Comic Con being replaced by fellow wrestler Gabriel Kidd.

## In wrestling

* **Finishing moves**
	+ *No Chaser* (Cutthroat brainbuster, with theatrics)
	+ *Jeep Flip* (Running low-angle shoulder block, after an opponent has been Irish whipped off of adjacent ropes)
	+ *Trophy Kill* (Belly to back suplex lifted into a one-handed powerbomb)
* **Signature moves**
	+ Boston crab
	+ Cross armbreaker
	+ Delayed corner dropkick - adopted from Katsuyori Shibata
	+ Dropkick
	+ *Everest German Suplex* (High-angle release German suplex)
	+ *Extinction Elbow* (Diving back elbow)
	+ Facewash
	+ Full nelson
	+ Knife edge chop
	+ *Mamba Splash* (Frog splash) - parodied from TJP
	+ Powerbomb
	+ Powerslam
	+ Snap suplex
	+ Sleeper hold - adopted from Katsuyori Shibata
	+ Sliding hip attack - adopted from Ryusuke Taguchi
	+ Spear
* **With Drilla Moloney**
	+ *Full Clip* (Diving Spear (Moloney)/Cutthroat brainbuster (Connors) combination)
* **Nicknames**
	+ "Wild Rhino"
	+ **"100 Proof"**
* **Managers**
	+ **Gedo**
* **Entrance themes**
	+ "Clark's Theme" by Karl Fredericks
	+ **"The Proof"** by [Q]Brick

## Championships and accomplishments

* **New Japan Pro-Wrestling**
	+ IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Drilla Moloney
	+ Lion's Break Crown (2020)

## External links

* NJPW Japanese profile
* NJPW English profile