Zach Gowen

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Zach Gowen
Statistics
Ring name(s)	Zach Gowan Zach Gowen Tenacious Z
Billed height	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Billed weight	155 lb (70 kg)
Born	March 30, 1983 (1983-03-30) (age 24) Livonia, Michigan
Trained by	Truth Martini Tommy Johnson
Debut	March 16, 2002

Zachary Gowen (born March 30, 1983) is an American professional wrestler. Gowen has competed for World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) on their SmackDown! brand, as well as Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA).

Gowen was diagnosed with cancer as a child. Because of that, he lost his leg at the age of 8. It was a necessary move, as according to his doctors and parents, he would have died if the amputation had not been done. Gowen walks with a prosthesis and claims he can wrestle with or without it. However, he wrestles most of his matches without it due to the inherent marketability of seeing a one-legged wrestler compete. He is known for his high-flying ability as well as his "one-legged" moonsault.

1 Career
2 In wrestling
3 Championships and accomplishments
4 References
5 External links

[edit] Career

[edit] Total Nonstop Action Wrestling

Gowen first gained national exposure wrestling for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling during early 2003 under the name Tenacious Z, but soon left TNA after signing a developmental contract for World Wrestling Entertainment.

Gowen later returned to TNA on May 15, 2005 at their Hard Justice pay-per-view event, as the second entrant in the 20-Man Gauntlet for the Gold match. He lasted just under five minutes in the ring before being eliminated by Shark Boy. The next month, Gowen wrestled for their Slammiversary pay-per-view, losing in a six way match. He also appeared on TNA Impact!, wrestling Mikey Batts to a no contest. Gowen left the promotion once again later that year. At TNA Bound For Glory 2006, Gowen returned to TNA during the Kevin Nash X-Division Open Battle Royal Gauntlet match as the sixth entrant, but was eliminated by Johnny Devine.

[edit] World Wrestling Entertainment

He made his World Wrestling Entertainment debut on the May 15, 2003 edition of SmackDown! as a planted fan in the audience. As Mr. America (a masked Hulk Hogan) was making his way to the ring he acknowledged Gowen personally as a loyal fan near the walkway by giving him the American flag Mr. America was carrying. Later, when Mr. America was being unfairly beaten by Roddy Piper and Sean O'Haire, Gowen jumped the wall dividing the fans from the wrestler's walkway and jumped into the ring to aid him. His legless condition was revealed when, in a fit of rage on an episode of Smackdown, Roddy Piper attacked him, pulled his prosthetic leg , and it came off! This began a short collaboration of Gowen and Hogan leading to an angle with Vince McMahon, then heel, Roddy Piper and Mr. America and Gowen's first matches. On July 3, 2003 Gowen and Stephanie McMahon faced off against then SmackDown! star, Big Show in what Vince billed as the first "real" handicap match (referring to Gowen and his amputee status in addition to the two vs. one parameters of the match). With run-in help from then WWE baby face, Kurt Angle and then baby face, Brock Lesnar, the team of Gowen and McMahon were able to defeat the Big Show and thus won Gowen a WWE contract as per the stipulations of the match.

Gowen later faced off with and lost to Vince McMahon at the Vengeance 2003 pay-per-view. As a result of his feud with McMahon, Gowen was forced into a match with then-WWE Champion and the heel gimmick of Brock Lesnar. In his hometown of Detroit, Gowen won via DQ when Lesnar attacked him with a steel chair. After the match, the assault continued. With his family watching at ringside, Gowen's only leg was destroyed when Lesnar F5ed him, propelling his leg into the steel ring post. A few weeks later, Lesnar kidnapped Gowen (now confined to a wheelchair) and threw him down a flight of stairs, at the New Orleans Arena. As a result, on July 31, 2003, Gowen was the object of a feature report on SmackDown!. When he returned, Gowen defeated then heel, Matt Hardy at No Mercy before being released from WWE in February 2004 for his attitude problems.

[edit] Independents

Although Gowen has taken a hiatus from the world of televised professional wrestling to pursue his college degree at Eastern Michigan University, he continues to appear in his hometown of Detroit for Xtreme Intense Championship Wrestling and Independent Wrestling Revolution. He also travels and appears for independent promotions such as Border City Wrestling, All American Wrestling, NWA Wisconsin, Cleveland All Pro Wresting, Juggalo Championship Wrestling, IWA East Coast, and more. Gowen made his Ring of Honor debut on October 7, 2006, losing to Delirious.

In Juggalo Championship Wrestling Zach Gowen began as a heel on the first episode of "Slam TV". As the weeks and months passed by, the juggalos began to appreciate Gowen more for his talent and he also began to appreciate the juggalos. Where he still works and after turning from a heal to a baby-face in a singles run he became part of a tag-team known as the Pimp and Gimp Connection. Zach play's a hyperthetical gimp whilst his partner the Human Tornado is built as a Pimp. and the two recently entered an 8 team elimination match for the then vacent JCW tag team titles at the gathering of the juggalo's 2007. which were later won by Mad Man Pondo and the Necro butcher

In AAW, he is also a part of the "Michigan Invasion" heel group along with fellow Michiganders Truth Martini, "Amazing" N8 Mattson, Eddie Venom and Brian Gorie.

On April 14, 2007, Zach Gowen and his mystery partner Krotch defeated "Michigan Invasion" members Truth Martini and "Amazing" N8 Mattson to become new AAW Tag Team Champions. But then they would lose the titles to Trik Davis and Conrad Kennedy III in a 4-way elimination match on June 16, 2007.

In 2002, Zack was trained by Truth Martini and Brain (The PlayBoy) Shotwell in Livonia Michigan. The training school was named House of Truth by Student Tom Balish. Popular workers that trained and worked out there are Chris Sabin, Alex Shelley, Jimmy Jacobs, and many other popular Mid East Indy's stars.

[edit] Return to Ring of Honor (2008-)

Gowen made his return to Ring of Honor on February 22, 2008 in Deer Park, New York. He immediately aligned himself as the newest member of The Age of the Fall.

[edit] In wrestling

Finishing and signature moves
- Unisault (Moonsault using his only leg)
- Zach Attack (Leg drop bulldog)
- Springboard moonsault
- Running single leg dropkick
- Modified figure four leglock
- Swinging neckbreaker

Nicknames
- The #1 Mr. America Fan - WWE
- Z

Theme Music
- "Out of My Way" by Seether

[edit] Championships and accomplishments

All American Wrestling
- AAW Tag Team Championship (1 time, with Krotch)

Independent Wrestling Revolution
- IWR Tag Team Championship (1 time, with Kamikaze)
- IWR King of the Indies Championship (1 time)
- TZW Tag Team Championship (1 time, with Super Meetsee)