Ricochet (wrestler)
Trevor Mann, known by his ring name Ricochet, is an American professional wrestler., he is signed to All Elite Wrestling, where he is the leader of The Demand, and is the current and inaugural AEW National Champion.
Known for his high-flying wrestling style marked by innovative acrobatics, agility, and mid-air flexibility, Mann has performed for various Japanese promotions such as Dragon Gate and its American branch Dragon Gate USA, and New Japan Pro-Wrestling. In DG and DGUSA, he held the Open the Brave, Dream, Triangle, Twin, and Freedom Gate Championships, and also won the 2013 King of Gate. In NJPW, he won the 2014 Best of the Super Juniors tournament, and the 2015 Super Junior Tag League tournament alongside Matt Sydal, in addition to being a former 3-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion and a former three-time NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Champion.
Mann also wrestled as Prince Puma for American promotion Lucha Underground where he was the inaugural two-time Lucha Underground Champion and a former Lucha Underground Trios Champion. He is also known for his tenure with Pro Wrestling Guerrilla from 2010 to 2018 where he is a former PWG World Champion, and the only two-time Battle of Los Angeles winner, winning the 2014 and 2017 tournaments. Mann also worked for the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-based Chikara promotion, working under a mask as Helios.
Mann signed with WWE in 2018 and defeated Fabian Aichner in his debut match for WWE's developmental brand, NXT. He later competed at NXT TakeOver: New Orleans for the NXT North American Championship, a title he would win four months later at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn IV. In February 2019, he started appearing on the main roster, making appearances on Raw and SmackDown. These appearances led to him teaming with Aleister Black, winning the fourth annual Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic, and challenging for the Raw Tag Team Championship at Fastlane and the WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship at WrestleMania 35. After officially moving to the main roster after WrestleMania 35, he won his first main roster title, the United States Championship, at Stomping Grounds. He later would go on to win the Intercontinental Championship on an episode of SmackDown in 2022. In mid-2024, he became the inaugural Speed Champion before leaving WWE at the end of June. He then signed with AEW that August.
Professional wrestling career
Early career (2003–2006)
Trevor Mann started out in Chaos Pro Wrestling in 2003 under the ring name Ricochet. He began competing on the independent circuit until he made his first major outing on February 6, 2006, at Insanity Pro Wrestling's Sacrifice event, where he took part in a five-man elimination match involving future long-time rival Chuck Taylor, DieHard, Tony Galloway, and Ty Blade. Ricochet was the final wrestler eliminated as Taylor pinned him to win the match. A few weeks later on February 18, Ricochet took part in his first major championship match as he, Chuck Taylor, Jeff Jameson, Brian Sterling, and Cabana Man Dan took part in another five-man elimination match at Independent Wrestling Association Mid-South's Xtreme Warfare event for the vacant Deep South Heavyweight Championship, which Cabana Man Dan won.A few months later at IWA Mid-South's event We're No Joke! on April 1, Ricochet took part in a nine-man Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match to determine the one contender for the Light Heavyweight Championship, also involving his rival Chuck Taylor. Although he lost the match to Darin Corbin, he was involved in an infamous spot in which he performed his finishing move, a double rotation moonsault, off of a ladder to the outside of the ring and onto the other eight competitors. On that same day, Ricochet also competed at Insanity Pro Wrestling's event Mischief, Mayhem and Revenge, where he lost to Taylor for the promotion's Junior Heavyweight Championship.
Chikara (2006–2010)
Young Lions Cup champion (2006–2008)
On June 24, Ricochet made his Chikara debut as he lost in the first round of the fourth Young Lions Cup tournament against Chuck Taylor. The following day, he teamed with Player Uno in a losing effort to Taylor and Cloudy. A few months later on November 17 at the event Brick, Ricochet picked up his first win as a member of the Chikara roster after he, Cloudy, and Mike Quackenbush defeated Cheech, Retail Dragon, and Shane Storm. The following day, Ricochet again lost to Taylor at the event Talent Borrows; Genius Steals.On February 16, 2007, at the King of Trios event, Ricochet made his first challenge for the Young Lions Cup, yet he was unable to defeat Max Boyer for the title. Two days later, he lost to Claudio Castagnoli. On April 22, Ricochet took part in the semi-finals of the first-ever Rey de Voladores tournament, where he lost in a fatal four-way elimination match involving Retail Dragon, Pac, and long-time rival Chuck Taylor, the latter of whom would go on to win the tournament. On June 23, Ricochet won his first round match of the fifth Young Lions Cup tournament after he defeated Chrisjen Hayme. Later that day, Ricochet won a six-way elimination match in the semi-finals to advance to the final. The next day, Ricochet lost to Chuck Taylor for the vacant Young Lions Cup. On August 18 at the event Here Come The International Invaders, Ricochet faced and lost to Taylor in a Young Lions Cup vs. Career match, resulting in Ricochet being forced to leave Chikara.
On October 27 at New Star Navigation, Ricochet, sporting a new haircut, new attire and a wrestling mask, returned to Chikara under the ring name Helios where he finally defeated Taylor for the Young Lions Cup. However, Taylor disputed Helios' win by claiming that Helios was actually Ricochet in disguise. Despite Taylor's claims, Helios' win was still ruled as valid and was thus still the official new champion. On November 16 at Battle Of Who Could Care Less, Helios retained his Young Lions Cup title after defeating Hydra. The following day at The Sordid Perils Of Everyday Existence, Helios again retained his title, this time against Fire Ant.
The Future is Now (2008–2010)
On February 29, 2008, Helios teamed with Incoherence and the three became "The Golden Trio" in order to participate in the 2008 King of Trios tournament. After receiving a bye in the first round, The Golden Trio defeated Team IPW:UK and The Fabulous Three in the second and quarterfinal rounds, respectively, before losing to The BLKOUT in the semi-finals. On April 19 at Deuces Wild, Helios successfully retained the Young Lions Cup against Lince Dorado. At Grit And Glory on May 15, Helios advanced to the final of the Rey de Voladores tournament, yet he ultimately lost to Incognito. On June 15, Helios lost his Young Lions Cup after Fire Ant defeated Vin Gerard in the final of the sixth Young Lions Cup tournament. On September 6, Helios teamed up with Tim Donst to take part in the first-ever La Lotería Letal tournament where they lost to Icarus and Ultimo Breakfast in the first round. On November 11 at Cibernetico Begins, Helios was a part of Team Equinox as they defeated Team Vin Gerard in a 16-man elimination tag team match. At Face with a View on December 12, Helios formed The Future is Now with Equinox and Lince Dorado and they defeated The UnStable.On January 1, 2009, The Future is Now lost their first match together against Team F.I.S.T.. At the 2009 King of Trios tournament, The Future is Now defeated Team DDT and The Osirian Portal in the first and quarterfinal rounds, respectively, before losing to Team F.I.S.T. in the semi-finals. Following the tournament, The Future is Now then began a feud with The Osirian Portal, resulting in Helios defeating Escorpion Egipcio in a singles match at Behind The 8 Ball on April 25 and The Future is Now defeating The Osirian Portal at The Bobliographon event the following day.
On the first show of 2010, Lince Dorado turned on Equinox and left the Future is Now to join the new heel stable Bruderschaft des Kreuzes. In May 2010, during the Aniversario weekend, Helios and Equinox first defeated Dorado and his BDK teammate Tim Donst in a tag team match and then won a four-team elimination match to earn the three points needed in order to challenge for the Campeonatos de Parejas. Helios and Equinox received their title shot on June 27 at Faded Scars and Lines, yet they were defeated by the defending champions BDK in two straight falls after a pre–match assault. The Future is Now came to its end on September 19, 2010, when Olsen left the stable to re–form his old tag team with Colin Delaney. This event also marked Helios' final appearance for Chikara as he began working regularly for both Dragon Gate and Dragon Gate USA.
Evolve and Dragon Gate USA (2010–2017)
On January 16, 2010, Ricochet would make his debut for Evolve at the company's debut show Evolve 1: Ibushi vs Richards in a winning effort against Arik Cannon. However Ricochet would lose at the next event on March 13, 2010, at Evolve 2: Hero vs Hidaka to Chuck Taylor and again via countout on May 1, 2010, at Evolve 3: Rise Or Fall to Johnny Gargano. After being defeated by Drake Younger in a four-way match on July 23, Ricochet ended his losing streak on September 11, by defeating Kyle O'Reilly.File:Yoshino and Ricochet Tag Champions.jpg|right|thumb|Ricochet and Masato Yoshino captured the Open the United Gate Championship at the Open the Ultimate Gate event in March 2012.
On July 24, 2010, Ricochet made his debut for Dragon Gate USA at Enter the Dragon 2010, being defeated by Chuck Taylor in a four-way match, which also included Arik Cannon and Adam Cole. At the following event on September 25, Ricochet teamed with Cima to defeat Speed Muscle in a tag team match. After the match Cima gave Ricochet a spot in his Warriors International stable. The following day Ricochet defeated Gran Akuma in a singles match. On October 29 at Dragon Gate USA's first live pay-per-view, Bushido: Code of the Warrior, Ricochet wrestled in a four-way match, which was won by Chuck Taylor and also included Arik Cannon and Johnny Gargano. At the following day's tapings of Freedom Fight 2010, Ricochet teamed with his Warriors International stable mate Genki Horiguchi and Austin Aries in a six-man tag team match, where they were defeated by Ronin.
When Dragon Gate USA returned on January 29, 2011, Ricochet now represented heel stable Blood Warriors and teamed with new stable mate Naruki Doi in the tournament to determine the first ever Open the United Gate Champions. In their first tournament match, Ricochet and Doi were defeated by Ronin representatives Chuck Taylor and Johnny Gargano. The following day Ricochet and Doi were defeated in the main event of the evening by the World–1 team of Masato Yoshino and Pac. On April 2 at Mercury Rising 2011, Ricochet, Cima and Naruki Doi defeated Ronin in the main event six-man tag team match. During the match Ricochet suffered an ankle injury, which forced him out of the following day's match for the Open the United Gate Championship.
On September 11 at Way of the Ronin 2011, Ricochet and Cima defeated Masato Yoshino and Pac to win the Open the United Gate Championship in a match, where Ricochet's and Cima's Open the Twin Gate Championship was also on the line. After the merger of Evolve and Dragon Gate USA, Ricochet took part in the final official professional wrestling match in the Asylum Arena, when he unsuccessfully challenged Johnny Gargano for the Open the Freedom Gate Championship at an Evolve event on January 14, 2012. On March 30, Ricochet and Cima were forced to vacate the Open the United Gate Championship, after Cima was sidelined with a neck injury. In the main event of the evening, Ricochet teamed with Masato Yoshino to defeat Chuck Taylor and Johnny Gargano and regain the Open the United Gate Championship. On June 21, Ricochet and Yoshino were stripped of the title due to Yoshino being unable to appear at the following month's Dragon Gate USA events. On July 29, Ricochet teamed with Rich Swann in a match to determine the new Open the United Gate Champions. They were, however, defeated in the match by Cima and AR Fox. On November 2 at Fearless 2012, Ricochet was defeated by Fox in a Respect match and, as a result, was forced to tell his opponent that he respected him. Two days later at Freedom Fight 2012, Ricochet unsuccessfully challenged Johnny Gargano for the Open the Freedom Gate Championship in a four-way elimination match, which also included Akira Tozawa and A. R. Fox. On April 4, 2014, Ricochet defeated Gargano to win the Open the Freedom Gate Championship. On November 16, 2014, during Dragon Gate USA's parent company WWNLive's tour of China, Ricochet lost the title back to Gargano.