James Mason (wrestler)

James Atkins (born 22 July 1979 in London) is a British professional wrestler best known under his ring name James Mason.

James Mason
Birth nameJames Atkins
Born (1979-07-22) 22 July 1979[1]
London, England[1]
ResidenceLondon, England
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)James Mason[1]
Jesse James[1]
Tagori[1]
Billed height5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)[1]
Billed weight220 lb (100 kg)[1]
Billed fromLondon, England
Trained byDanny Collins[1]
Tokyo Amateur Wrestling Club[1]
Debut29 January 1993[1]

Career

A childhood fan of Big Daddy, Atkins began wrestling for All Star Wrestling in 1993, adopting the ringname James Mason, after the film actor of the same name at the behest of ring announcer John Harris. Early in his career, he also wrestled for Welsh promoter Orig Williams under the name Jesse James (as Williams felt the actor in question was "boring" and this would reflect poorly on Atkins). In 1995, Mason was named by All Star as "Young Wrestler of 1995" and was interviewed by Simon Garfield for his book The Wrestling. In early 1996, he won a tournament promoted by Rumble Promotions for the World Middleweight Title left vacant by Danny Collins when he moved up the weights. Mason lost the title to Mal Sanders a month later.

Mason, Dean Allmark and Doug Williams all faced and lost to Kendo Nagasaki in a December 2001 four-way match at the Victoria Hall in Hanley, promoted as Nagasaki's retirement match. Mason was the final opponent eliminated by Nagasaki to win the match. In 2002, he and Sanders feuded for the British Middleweight Title in TWA with the belt passing back and forth between them.

During the early 2000s he tag-teamed with Chad Collyer in Japan for Michinoku Pro. In 2003, while going through a temporary heel phase, Mason reached the final of a tournament for the vacant World Heavy-Middleweight title before losing to the American Dragon in the final at Croydon.

James Mason is perhaps best known as being the Captain of Team Britain in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling during America's X-Cup Tournament in 2004. Team Britain consisted of Mason, Robbie Dynamite, Dean Allmark, and Frankie Sloan. Although Mason had several victories in America's X-Cup, Team Britain ended up being in last place. The Tournament was won and virtually dominated by Team Mexico. After America's X-Cup ended, Team Britain did not return for the TNA 2004 World X-Cup Tournament.

Mason is currently wrestling in All Star Wrestling usually as a blue-eye, using the name James Mason, and as a heel often on the same event, under a mask, using the name Tagori. In November 2006, Mason defeated three former champions Drew McDonald, Doug Williams, and Robbie Brookside in a 4-way elimination match to win the vacant British Heavyweight title which he later lost to Brody Steele in 2007. In November 2008 Mason competed for World Wrestling Entertainment at the Manchester Evening News Arena, defeating Montel Vontavious Porter.

Mason won a six-man one-night tournament at a Welsh Wrestling's King of the Castle in Harlech, Wales on 1 May 2010 to become the first Welsh Heavyweight Champion, as recognized by the Union of European Wrestling Alliances. He defeated JD Knight in a semi-final match, then defeated Kade Callous and Danny Garnell in a three-way final.[2] Mason lost the Welsh Heavyweight Championship to Kade Callous on 23 October 2010 in Builth Wells after a six-month title reign. Mason has continued to wrestle for Alan Ravenhill's Welsh promotion on a regular basis, and is regarded as one of the most popular and polished performers in Welsh Wrestling.

Alongside his appearances for All Star and promoting his own shows and hiring out his ring, Mason also wrestles for International Pro Wrestling: United Kingdom, LDN and several other promotions.

Championships and accomplishments

See also

References
  1. "James Mason" (in German). Cagematch. Retrieved 6 May 2010.
  2. "Welsh Wrestling King of the Castle" (in German). Cagematch. Retrieved 6 May 2010.
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