Athletes - Austin Aries

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	Athletes - Austin Aries

Dan Solwold (born April 15, 1978 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin) is an American professional wrestler better known by his stage name Austin Aries. He is known as a well-rounded wrestler, employing a very explosive, at times high flying style, along with high-impact and ground-based techniques.

Early life

Aries grew up with three younger siblings in a middle class household in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Throughout his schooldays, he participated in football, wrestling and baseball. His prowess in the latter - Aries was a left-handed center field pitcher - eventually earned him several scholarships, and Aries began studying Communications at Winona State University in Winona, Minnesota, later changing his degree to Psychology. While in university, he subsidised his income by working as a bartender for the American Legion. He remained in university for several years before dropping out, and subsequently formed a band known as "Zeno's Revenge" (with Aries the lead singer) before deciding to become a professional wrestler.

Wrestling career

Aries began training under Eddie Sharkey and Terry Fox in 1998 and debuted in November 2000, facing "Sheriff" Johnny Emerald. He wrestled in the midwest for several years before his east coast wrestling career was jumpstarted after he was booked to progress to the finals of the ECWA Super 8 Tournament, where he was defeated by Christopher Daniels.

Ring of Honor

From there, Aries joined Ring of Honor. Aries made his ROH main show debut at ROH: Reborn Stage 2 in Chicago Ridge, Illinois on April 24, 2004. Aries was unsuccessful, though, losing a four corner survival match to Jimmy Rave, Rocky Romero, and the winner, Nigel McGuinness. Aries was scheduled to return at the May 22 show, Generation Next, to compete in a one night series which would showcase young, upcoming ROH talent. Alex Shelley, however, hand-picked Aries, along with Roderick Strong and Jack Evans, as members of a new stable (also meant to promote young, upcoming ROH talent) who, instead of earning their spots, would simply take them. The group took the name Generation Next as their own, and went on a tear throughout the summer of 2004 against all sorts of ROH talent.

Aries captured the ROH Heavyweight Championship on December 26, 2004, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by defeating the then-champion, Samoa Joe. After a six month string of non-stop defenses, many of which were international, Aries lost the championship to CM Punk on June 18, 2005. Aries then became the head trainer at the ROH wrestling school, replacing the former head trainer, CM Punk.

On December 17 in Edison, New Jersey at Final Battle 2005, Aries teamed with Strong to defeat Sal Rinauro and Tony Mamaluke for the ROH Tag Team Championships.

Total Nonstop Action Wrestling

In July 2005, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling held an Internet poll to select an opponent for the TNA X Division Champion "The Fallen Angel" Christopher Daniels at their August 14 pay-per-view, TNA Sacrifice. Billed as an "Internet dream match", the poll offered voters the choice of Aries, Roderick Strong, Jay Lethal and Matt Sydal (none of whom were contracted to TNA or had even appeared with the company on a regular basis in the past). Aries won the poll by a landslide, and thus faced Daniels in a non-title match at Sacrifice, which he lost. Following the event, it was rumored that TNA officials had been impressed by Aries and were considering offering him a contract, and these rumors were seemingly substantiated when Aries faced and defeated Roderick Strong at TNA Unbreakable on September 11 in a "Showcase match".

On September 22, 2005, Aries announced on his website that he had received a contract offer from TNA, and intended to sign it. He has since become a regular member of the TNA roster, and has formed a stable with Roderick Strong and Alex Shelley. The fans have grown to call this group The Genbassy, a portmanteau of the groups that Aries, Strong and Shelly were in while in Ring of Honor, Generation Next and The Embassy.

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