Luther Reigns

Reigns started his wrestling career as an enhancement talent in WCW in 1997, using the ring name **Horshu**. To complement the name, his hair was shaved into a horseshoe pattern and he would try to work the word "shu" into his promos, which most notably spawned his catchphrase "There's no business like 'shu' business, baby!". He was also among six wrestlers who "auditioned" for an anti-New World Order faction called Piper's Family on the March 3, 1997 episode of *Monday Nitro*, spearheaded by "Rowdy" Roddy Piper. After being tested in 30-second impromptu match with Piper, Horshu was quickly defeated via sleeper hold after attempting to use dirty tactics to defeat Piper.

After a few non-televised matches before *Raw* in 2003 and 2004, Horshu was promoted to World Wrestling Entertainment's main roster in April 2004 under the name **Luther Reigns**, where he became the "assistant" to then-*SmackDown!* general manager Kurt Angle. Reigns later made his in-ring debut at The Great American Bash by defeating Charlie Haas, a former member of Kurt Angle's team, with whom Angle was feuding at the time.

In September, Reigns and Angle introduced the newly drafted Mark Jindrak as a new member of their team during their tag team match against Big Show and Eddie Guerrero. This led to a four-month feud with Big Show. Reigns and Jindrak then formed a new Team Angle with Angle as the leader. From September 2004 until mid-February 2005, Reigns and Jindrak helped Angle win most of his matches as well as dealing with his enemies. Reigns and Jindrak also began to compete for the Tag Team Championship on occasion. However, the faction split in mid-February as Reigns and Jindrak went off on their own to feud with The Undertaker. On the February 17 episode of *SmackDown!*, Undertaker defeated Jindrak, after which Reigns smashed a television camera over Undertaker's head. On February 20, Reigns wrestled against The Undertaker at No Way Out. Jindrak was thrown out before the match started and, although Reigns managed to hold his own, Undertaker ultimately won the match.

Following this, the team of Reigns and Jindrak began to have a falling-out. Reigns became upset at Jindrak for tapping out in a "Double Jeopardy" handicap match against the Undertaker on the February 24 edition of *SmackDown!* when Reigns refused to tag in. After the match, Reigns and Jindrak briefly argued before coming to blows and had to be pulled apart by officials. The following week on the March 3 edition of *SmackDown!*, Eddie Guerrero and Rey Mysterio defeated Jindrak and Reigns to retain the Tag Team Championship. After the match, Jindrak tried to help Reigns up to his feet after he was pinned, but Reigns smacked Jindrak in response. The two argued until Jindrak knocked Reigns out with a left hook. On the March 10 edition of *SmackDown!*, Jindrak and Reigns competed in a singles match, which ended with Jindrak pinning Reigns after a left hook, effectively ending their team. Reigns later took part in a 30-man interpromotional battle royal at WrestleMania 21 as a representative of the *SmackDown!* brand, but was unable to win as fellow *SmackDown!* superstar Booker T won the match.

After this, Reigns resumed his feud with Big Show after saying that Big Show embarrassed the *SmackDown!* brand at WrestleMania 21 when Show lost to Akebono in a sumo match. Reigns unsuccessfully tried to tip over a Jeep to prove he was stronger than Show, who then successfully tipped the Jeep over. Big Show subsequently defeated Reigns in a singles match on the following edition of *SmackDown!*.

Reigns then wrestled mainly on *Velocity*, winning the majority of his matches until he requested his release from the company, which was fulfilled on May 11, 2005.