James Yun

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James Yun
An image of James Yun.
Statistics
Ring name(s) Jimmy Yang[1]
Akio[1]
Yun Yang
Apeman
Jimmy Jun
Jimmy Wang Yang[1]
Billed height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[1]
Billed weight 205 lb (Template:Convert/)[1]
Born May 13, 1981 (1981-05-13) (age 27)[1][2]
Hollywood, California[1]
Resides Phoenix, Arizona
Billed from Seoul, Korea
Japan
Austell, Georgia (as Jimmy Wang Yang)
Trained by Paul Orndorff[1]
WCW Power Plant
Debut June 1999

James Carson Yun[2] (born May 13, 1981)[1][2] is a Korean American professional wrestler currently signed to World Wrestling Entertainment on its SmackDown brand, but is currently serving a thirty day suspension for his first violation of the WWE Wellness Policy. Yun is best known for his work in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) as one-third of the Jung Dragons, Yang, and Total Nonstop Action and the independent circuit as Jimmy Yang. After a brief stint as Akio, a henchman for Tajiri in late 2003-early 2004, he returned to World Wrestling Entertainment in 2006 on the SmackDown! brand as Jimmy Wang Yang.

Contents

Career

World Championship Wrestling (1999-2001)

In June 1999, Yun signed with World Championship Wrestling (WCW), making his WCW television debut in January 2000. He was originally a part of the Jung Dragons stable along with Jamie-San and Kaz Hayashi. In late 2000, when Jamie-San unmasked and left the group, forming a tag team with former 3 Count member Evan Karagias. The team of Hayashi and Yang feuded with Karagias and Jamie until the WWF purchased WCW.

Heartland Wrestling Association (2001)

In March 2001, the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) acquired Yun's contract and assigned him to the company's Heartland Wrestling Association developmental territory. With no plans to call him to the main roster, the WWF eventually released Yun.[citation needed]

All Japan Pro Wrestling (2001-2003)

After his brief stint as a WWF developmental talent, Yun agreed to join All Japan Pro Wrestling where he wrestled as both a part of its tag team division and its singles junior heavyweight division.

Total Nonstop Action Wrestling

From May to August 2002, Yang was one third of The Flying Elvises in TNA Wrestling alongside Sonny Siaki and Jorge Estrada. Yang and the other Elvises were involved in TNA's first match, defeating A.J. Styles, Jerry Lynn, and Low Ki in a six-man tag team match.

World Wrestling Entertainment (2003-2005)

In September 2003, following a critically-acclaimed match with Tommy Dreamer on Sunday Night Heat, Yun was signed to a three year developmental deal with the renamed World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). He, along with the Japanese American Ryan Sakoda, made their WWE debuts on October 19, 2003 at No Mercy. Yun was renamed Akio (a reference to legendary Japanese wrestler Mr. Saito) and aligned himself with Sakoda, forming the heel tag team Kyo Dai (Japanese for "brothers"), the henchmen of the native Japanese wrestler Tajiri.

Sakoda was eventually released from WWE and Tajiri was traded to RAW. This left Yun on his own to become a lower card wrestler and Velocity mainstay, competing primarily in the cruiserweight division until he was released on July 5, 2005.

Ring of Honor (2005, 2006)

After being released from WWE, Yun wrestled in Ring of Honor (ROH). He debuted on October 1, 2005, at the New Yorker Hotel in Manhattan, losing to James Gibson.[3] He lost once again the following night to Christopher Daniels[4] and again two weeks later to Roderick Strong, causing him to (kayfabe) take some time away from the company.[5]

He returned to ROH in January 2006 where he recorded his first win in ROH, teaming with Matt Sydal and Jack Evans in the Trios Tournament. However, the team was ultimately defeated by The Embassy.[6] Yun stayed with the company for several months, wrestling as Jimmy Yang and using the same martial arts based persona he adopted in WCW. His entrance music was the theme from the spoof martial arts film The Last Dragon, and he even brought in the film's star Taimak (referred to in his appearances as 'Bruce Leroy', the name of his character) to help him in a feud with Embassy member Jimmy Rave.

World Wrestling Entertainment (2006-present)

Appearance on Heat

In May 2006, Yun made a return to WWE, as Akio, on an edition of HEAT, working as a jobber in a try-out match with Charlie Haas. This match impressed WWE and they re-signed him once more.

Jimmy Wang Yang (Return in WWE)

Beginning with the August 25, 2006 edition of SmackDown! vignettes began airing featuring Yun dressed as a babyface cowboy and calling himself Jimmy Wang Yang, in the process cutting his previously long hair short and growing a Fu Manchu moustache to fit the gimmick. In the vignettes, Yang questioned why people would assume stereotypical Asian things about him while proclaiming that he was much more of a redneck, and that was something he was proud of. The vignettes played for several weeks with Yang focusing more on his redneck leanings. On the September 29 SmackDown!, he made his in-ring debut in a loss to Sylvan, who illegally used the ropes for leverage to get a pin.[7] This led to a feud with Sylvan. A few weeks later, on November 3, Yang debuted his valet, Amy Zidian,[8] though she was released from WWE just a month later after backstage trouble with the other divas.[9]

In December 2006, Yang became the number one contender for the WWE Cruiserweight Championship.[10] Yang challenged Gregory Helms for the Cruiserweight title and lost to him at Armageddon.[11] Later, he participated in a Cruiserweight Open at No Way Out for the Cruiserweight title.[12] In mid 2007, Wang Yang would begin a feud with Chavo Guerrero. On the June 15 edition of Smackdown, Yang once again became the number 1 contender for the Cruiserweight Championship,[13] after feuding with Cruiserweight Champion Chavo Guerrero for almost two months. At Vengeance, Yang lost to Guerrero after a Frog Splash. On the July 20 SmackDown!, Yang competed in a Battle Royal for the vacated World Heavyweight Championship. He lasted until the last 6, eliminating Chris Masters and Chavo Guerrero before being eliminated by Hornswoggle (a non-participant who assisted Finlay from outside the ring by pulling him out without the referee seeing). During The Great American Bash, Yang competed in the cruiserweight open. Although he was never pinned, Hornswoggle won the title. On the July 27 edition of Smackdown, Yang teamed with Torrie Wilson against Kenny Dykstra and Victoria; Yang and Wilson won the match after Yang pinned Dykstra. Following this match Wilson would appear as Yang's new valet.

On October 12, on SmackDown!, Jamie Noble, in order to weed out the competition for the vacant Cruiserweight Championship, told Deuce 'N Domino that Yang had been making "lewd remarks" about Domino's (kayfabe) sister and manager, Cherry.[14] Deuce demanded a match against Yang from acting General Manager Vickie Guerrero. Yang ended up winning the match with his signature moonsault from the top rope, but was attacked by Deuce, Domino and Cherry after the match.[14] The next week, Yang and Shannon Moore teamed up against Deuce 'N Domino in a tag team match, which Yang and Moore won.

On December 18, Yang and Moore defeated the WWE Tag Team Champions John Morrison and The Miz to earn a title-shot,[15] igniting a feud between the two teams. On January 1, 2008, Yang and Moore once again beat Morrison and the Miz, this time in a six-person tag team match also involving Layla and Kelly Kelly.[16] The following week, in a Fifteen Minutes of Fame Match, Moore and Yang tied the champions on pinfalls, meaning Miz and Morrison retained the titles.[17]

On June 9, 2008, Yun was suspended for thirty days for his first violation of the WWE Wellness Policy. [18]

In wrestling

  • Finishing and signature moves
  • As Jimmy Wang Yang
  • As Jimmy Yang / Akio
  • Nicknames

Championships and accomplishments

  • Real World Junior Heavyweight Tag Team League (2002) (with Kaz Hayashi)
  • Other Titles
  • Central American Middleweight Championship (1 time)

Personal life

Yun has a brother named Johnathan, who is a professional breakdancer.[20] Yun also has at least one child, according to his official MySpace page.[21]

Film

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Jimmy Yang Profile. Online World Of Wrestling. Retrieved on 2008-03-25.
  2. ^ a b c California Births, 1905 - 1995. Family Tree Legends. Retrieved on 2008-05-10.
  3. ^ Joe Vs. Kobashi - Manhattan, NY 10/1/05. Ring Of Honor (October 1, 2005). Retrieved on 2008-01-07. “Gibson defeated Jimmy Yang”
  4. ^ Unforgettable - Philadelphia, PA 10/2/05. Ring Of Honor (October 2, 2005). Retrieved on 2008-01-07. “Daniels beat Jimmy Yang”
  5. ^ Enter The Dragon - Cleveland, OH 10/14/05. Ring Of Honor (October 14, 2005). Retrieved on 2008-01-07. “Strong beat Jimmy Yang”
  6. ^ Tag Wars 2006- Dayton, OH 1/27/06. Ring Of Honor (January 27, 2006). Retrieved on 2008-01-07. “Shelley, Rave, & Abyss defeated Evans, Sydal, & Jimmy Yang to win Trios Tournament 2006”
  7. ^ Steven A. Schiff (September 29, 2006). RAW's Revenge Strikes SmackDown. WWE. Retrieved on 2007-12-20.
  8. ^ Lennie DiFino (November 3, 2006). Controlled Chaos?. WWE. Retrieved on 2007-12-20.
  9. ^ Amy Zidian released. WWE (December 13, 2006). Retrieved on 2007-12-21.
  10. ^ Lennie DiFino (December 8, 2006). A united front. WWE.
  11. ^ Mike McAvennie (December 17, 2006). Helms still in Cruiserweight control. WWE. Retrieved on 2007-12-21.
  12. ^ Craig Tello (February 18, 2007). Chavo makes a splash. WWE. Retrieved on 2007-12-21.
  13. ^ Lennie DiFino (June 15, 2007). Backdraft. WWE. Retrieved on 2008-01-30.
  14. ^ a b Lennie DiFino (October 12, 2007). Fruit-ful confrontation. WWE. Retrieved on 2007-12-20.
  15. ^ Andrew Rote (December 18, 2007). It's not easy being gold. WWE. Retrieved on 2007-12-19.
  16. ^ Andrew Rote (January 1, 2008). Extreme resolutions. WWE. Retrieved on 2008-01-02.
  17. ^ Kara A. Medalis (January 8, 2008). Retaining gold. WWE. Retrieved on 2008-01-11.
  18. ^ Jimmy Wang Yang suspended. WWE (June 9, 2008). Retrieved on 2008-06-09.
  19. ^ http://wwe.com/inside/news/archive/traditionalsong
  20. ^ 60 seconds with Jimmy Wang Yang, WWE Magazine, 2008 (published February), p. 13, ISSN 8756-7792 
  21. ^ http://www.myspace.com/akioyang

External links

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