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Revision as of 23:41, 4 August 2018

James Ellsworth "Jimmy" Morris (December 11, 1984) is an American professional wrestler. He is most known for his time in World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), where he performs under the ring name James Ellsworth on the SmackDown brand. Morris has also competed on the independent circuit under the ring name "Pretty" Jimmy Dream. He was the founder of the company Adrenaline Championship Wrestling and worked with the company until shortly after he received a full-time contract from WWE.

Early life

Morris was born in Baltimore, Maryland. He trained under Axl Rotten.

Professional wrestling career

Independent circuit (2002–2016)

Throughout most of his career, Morris has performed on the independent circuit under the ring name "Pretty" Jimmy Dream, often as part of a tag team with Adam Ugly as Pretty Ugly. The duo have won several regional championships throughout the Northeastern United States, including American Combat Wrestling, Big Time Wrestling, and First State Championship Wrestling. Pretty Ugly debuted in 302 Pro Wrestling at their first show. In 2006, Morris made his Combat Zone Wrestling (CZW) debut at CZW Tournament of Death V teaming with Drew Gulak on a losing end to BLKOUT (Ruckus and Robbie Mireno). Morris returned to CZW again in 2009, losing to Jon Dahmer in a battle royal. In 2009 at Covey Promotions All Or Nothing 3, Morris defeated Draven, Thomas Rodriguez and Crazii Shea in a four-way ladder match to become the Covey Promotions Cruiserweight Champion. Morris dropped the championship at CP Hot and Bothered 2009 to Crazii Shea. On June 4, 2016, Pretty Ugly won a tournament to be crowned the inaugural 302 Pro Wrestling Tag Team Champions by defeating The Dub Boys and Riot City's Most Wanted in the tournament finals. Morris also runs a professional wrestling promotion known as Adrenaline Championship Wrestling, which was founded by Christopher Adonis in September 2009.

World Wrestling Entertainment / WWE

Early appearances (2014–2016)

Prior to his initial WWE run, Morris appeared a couple of times as one of Adam Rose's "Rosebuds" whenever the company came into the Baltimore area. Morris, as James Ellsworth, had his first WWE singles match on the July 25, 2016 episode of Raw as an enhancement talent, being quickly squashed by Braun Strowman. Ellsworth gained some praise and subsequently developed a cult following due to his meek appearance and enthusiastic pre-match promo, in which he declared that "any man with two hands has a fighting chance" before being easily defeated by Strowman.

Storyline with AJ Styles (2016–2017)

Ellsworth resurfaced in the main event of the September 13 episode of SmackDown Live as the mystery tag team partner for WWE World Champion AJ Styles against Dean Ambrose and John Cena, only to be attacked by Intercontinental Champion The Miz (his replacement in the actual match) as he walked down to the ring.

On the October 11 episode of SmackDown Live, Ellsworth was chosen by Styles as his opponent in a non-title match, but SmackDown general manager Daniel Bryan made Ambrose the special guest referee for the match, stating that Ambrose was to be treated with the same level of respect as a regular WWE referee and that if Styles put his hands on Ambrose, he would be disqualified and suspended. Ambrose favored Ellsworth during the match due to his rivalry with Styles, culminating in Ambrose attacking Styles and allowing Ellsworth to win. Ellsworth was granted a WWE World Championship match the following week on the October 18 episode of SmackDown Live, with Ambrose serving as the timekeeper and ring announcer. Ellsworth won the match by disqualification, but not the title. Ellsworth continued to be involved in Styles' rivalry with Ambrose, as he felt that he owed Ambrose a favor due to his support and aiding him in his matches with Styles, offering Ambrose assistance, but this backfired on the October 25 episode of SmackDown Live, when Ellsworth (at ringside to cheer Ambrose on during his match with Styles) accidentally cost Ambrose the match after executing No Chin Music on Styles, meaning Ambrose was disqualified. On the November 1 episode of SmackDown Live, Ellsworth would attempt to apologize to Ambrose, who would kick Ellsworth out of the building. Ellsworth would nonetheless interfere in the rematch, being chased around by security, distracting Styles and allowing Ambrose to win an opportunity for the title. SmackDown commissioner Shane McMahon also named Ellsworth the SmackDown mascot for the 2016 Survivor Series match on the November 8 episode of SmackDown Live. During Survivor Series on November 20, Ellsworth hid under the ring and grabbed Braun Strowman's leg to prevent him from getting back in the ring, resulting in Strowman getting eliminated by countout; however, Strowman would proceed to chase Ellsworth up the ramp and put him through a table, injuring his neck. After legitimately signing a WWE contract, this was worked into a storyline on the 22 November episode of SmackDown Live, when Styles goaded the injured Ellsworth to face him in a ladder match for the right to be a SmackDown superstar with his contract suspended above the ring; Ellsworth agreed, but wanted another shot at the WWE World Championship should he win the match. That night, Ellsworth defeated Styles to win a SmackDown contract, due to Ambrose (who was given the night off) helping Ellsworth yet again.

On the 29 November episode of SmackDown Live, Ellsworth suffered a storyline injury after Styles interrupted his Ambrose Asylums segment with Ambrose, attacking both and delivering a Styles Clash to Ellsworth off the steel steps, which caused Ellsworth to be taken on a stretcher by medical personnel. This led Ellsworth interfering at TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs during the Tables, Ladders and Chairs between Styles and Ambrose to help the latter, but he ended up helping Styles instead by pushing Ambrose off the ladder and sent him crashing through two tables, starting a turn into a villain character. Ellsworth explained that since he had already beaten Styles three times, he helped Styles because he wanted to defeat him again, this time for the WWE World Championship, a match SmackDown's commissioner Shane McMahon granted him for the following episode of SmackDown Live. Ellsworth also praised his own "brilliant strategy" to give Styles the title so his title match would be against Styles, who he had "beaten three times already", adding that Ambrose would have "done the same thing" and would "understand 'cause we go way back", also promising him an immediate shot at the title after he would defeat Styles, but Ambrose would instead end up giving him a Dirty Deeds.

This prompted Ellsworth trying to make it up with Ambrose by helping him defeat The Miz for the Intercontinental Championship on the December 6 episode of SmackDown Live, but his effort backfired and eventually cost Ambrose the match. Furthemore, Ellsworth's title opportunity was twice postponed, first due to Styles being legitimate injured, and the second time due to Ellsworth suffering from a kayfabe cold. The match eventually happened on the December 20 episode of SmackDown Live, during which Styles easily defeated Ellsworth in under a minute to end their storyline.

Relationship with Carmella and Departure (2017)

After he was defeated by AJ Styles, Ellsworth was seen by medical staff and was comforted by Carmella, who professed that she found him "sexily attractive" and also stated that size does not always matter. On January 3, 2017 episode of SmackDown Live, Ellsworth started accompanying Carmella to the ring for her matches, helping her win them; both appeared on Talking Smack the same night. At the Royal Rumble 2017 pay-per-view event on January 29, Ellsworth entered at number 11 and was quickly eliminated by Braun Strowman after being in the Royal Rumble match for 15 seconds. Throughout the months of January and February, Ellsworth appeared in various backstage segments with Carmella along with accompanying her to her matches, often helping Carmella win by distracting her opponents. At Elimination Chamber 2017 on February 12, Ellsworth appeared with Carmella watching the event from a luxury box. On the February 28 episode of SmackDown Live, Ellsworth and Carmella would confront John Cena and Nikki Bella during a backstage interview, where Cena and Bella would challenge Ellsworth and Carmella to a intergender tag team match for the next weeks episode of SmackDown Live, which Cena and Bella won. Ellsworth made his WrestleMania debut at WrestleMania 33 managing Carmella in the Six Pack Challenge for the Smackdown Women's Championship which was won by Naomi, notable during the match was Ellsworth taking a massive Bexploder Suplex from Becky Lynch. On November 15, 2017 WWE announced they had released James from his contract.

Return to the Independent circuit (2017-present)

After his release from WWE, Ellsworth debuted in Destiny World Wrestling on January 21, 2018 at DWW Carnage in a Three-Way match for the DWW Championship involving Austin Aries and the defending champion Pete Dunne. Both Ellsworth and Aries failed to win the title. He also entered and won the 1st Santino Cobra Cup Rumble match during the same DDW event. Sometime as early as February 2018, Ellsworth introduced the World Intergender Championship, a title he created and stated will be contested worldwide. Ellsworth debuted in Championship Wrestling From Hollywood during its February 11 CWFH taping in a title match for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship held by Nick Aldis but failed to win the title. Six days later on February 17, Ellsworth debuted in Pennsylvania Premiere Wrestling at PPW Undisputed, where he lost to Sam Adams. Five days later on February 22, Ellsworth debuted in Bar Wrestling at Bar Wrestling 9: February Stars, where he defeated Joey Ryan. Two days later, Ellsworth debuted in Superstars Of Wrestling Federation during the February 24th edition of SWF. On March 10, Ellsworth debuted in Warriors Of Wrestling at WOW Fallout where he defeated Mike Law. On St. Patrick's Day, Ellsworth debuted in International Wrestling Cartel during the IWC Seventeen event where he won the IWC High Stakes Championship after defeating Gillberg. Before the end of the event, Ellsworth lost the title to Marshall Gambino in his first defense. On March 23, Ellsworth made a double-debut for Big Time Wrestling and Impact Wrestling at their BTW/Impact Wrestling event where he defeated Impact Wrestling star Trevor Lee. The next day during the BTW-Impact Wrestling One Night Only: Cali Combat event, Ellsworth scored a victory over Kal Jak (formerly known as Cal Bishop in WWE NXT). On April 6, Ellsworth's debut in Game Changer Wrestling occured at GCW Joey Janela's Spring Break in a match lost to Matt Riddle. Two weeks later on April 22, Ellsworth debuted in Blitzkrieg Pro at Blitzkrieg Pro Bless The Rains Down In Enfield, where he officially introduced his World Intergender Championship in a match where he successfully defended it against Penelope Ford. Six days later, Ellsworth next debut was in Ultimate Championship Wrestling during the April 28th edition of UCW, where he successfully defended his World Intergender Championship against Maddison Miles.

Return to WWE (2018)

Ellsworth returned to WWE at Money in the Bank 2018 reuniting with Carmella and aiding in her victory over Asuka. On the July 3rd edition of Smackdown Live, Ellsworth faced Asuka in a match that resulted in a double count-out after Ellsworth fled the ring, drawing Asuka outside to give chase. During her pursuit of Ellsworth, Asuka was blindsided by Carmella. On the following week, Ellsworth was scheduled to face Asuka again, in a Lumberjill match, with the Smackdown Live women's roster surrounding the ring. Ellsworth however, received assistance from Carmella including being handed pepper spray that he attempted to use in blatant view of the referee. Despite his attempts to gain any advantage, Ellsworth lost after quickly submitting to the Asuka Lock. Once the match concluded, Ellsworth joined Carmella in a double team assault on Asuka including Carmella delivering a superkick to the head of Asuka. This caused Smackdown General Manager Paige to announce a rematch between Asuka and Carmella at Extreme Rules, will involve Ellsworth being suspended above the ring in a shark cage during the course of the match.

On July 24, 2018 during Smackdown Live General Manager Paige fired Ellsworth.

Personal life

Morris resides in Glen Burnie, Maryland. He is a fan of The Offspring, having a tattoo of their logo on his left arm and the artwork of their 2008 album Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace on his right arm. Ellsworth has two daughters and a professional wrestler step-brother, Chris Nightmare.

In wrestling

  • Nicknames
    • "Pretty Ugly"
    • "Pretty Fly for a White Guy"
    • "The Big Hog"
    • "The Chinless Wonder"
  • Entrance themes
    • "If You Want to Be a Good Girl (Get Yourself a Bad Boy)" by Backstreet Boys (Independent circuit; used as a member of Pretty Ugly)
    • "Burbank" by CFO$ (October 2016 − 2017)
    • "Fabulous" by CFO$ (January 3, 2017 − November 15, 2017; used while accompanying Carmella)
    • "Dismantle" by CFO$ (July 3, 2018 − present)

Championships and accomplishments

  • Maximum Championship Wrestling
    • Maximum Championship Wrestling Crusierweight Championship (4 times)

External links

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