Wrestling fans would remember Tyson Tomko for his time with WWE and Impact Wrestling between 2002 and 2010. He worked in a bodyguard type of character and aligned with Christian Cage both in WWE and Impact Wrestling.
He also worked for New Japan Pro Wrestling and various other independent promotions before he announced his retirement back in 2016. He's held multiple championships in his career and also had his fair share of controversies both inside and outside the ring.
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With that said, let's take a gander at Tyson Tomko's journey and look at ten things wrestling fans should know about him.
9 He Started His Career In WWE
Tyson Tomko entered the world of professional wrestling in 2002 and started his career in WWE. The company signed him to a developmental contract and assigned him to their training facilities in Memphis Championship Wrestling, Heartland Wrestling Association, and Ohio Valley Wrestling.
He trained extensively in WWE's developmental program and even went on to capture the OVW Southern Tag Team Championship with Kevin Thorn.
He then gradually started working the main roster house shows and in dark matches on episodes of Sunday Night Heat before making his official main roster debut in April 2004.
8 He Worked As A Bodyguard
The role of a bodyguard came naturally to Tyson Tomko during his time in WWE and Impact Wrestling, as he used to work as a legitimate bodyguard before entering the pro wrestling business.
He used to work as a bodyguard for the nu-metal band Limp Bizkit and even appeared in their music video, "My Generation," which came out in September 2000.
The real-life experience as a bodyguard really helped Tyson Tomko pull off a similar gimmick in WWE and Impact Wrestling, and also helped him hold a tag team championship in the latter promotion.
7 He Retired In 2016
Following the end of his time in Impact Wrestling, Tyson Tomko went on to compete in the independent circuit and continued to be an active in-ring competitor since 2013.
However, some real-life personal troubles coupled with some wear and tear resulted in him hanging up his boots in 2016. He had his last match in February 2016 in an independent event, which ended in a disqualification after his opponent hit the referee with a chair.
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He never returned to in-ring competition after that and continues to spend his life on the sidelines far away from a wrestling ring.
6 His Other Ventures
Following the end of his pro wrestling career, Tyson Tomko shifted his focus to his other ventures. He owns a gym named Purlife Fitness Center, which is located in two locations in Florida, a hair salon called Purstrands, and also started an organic juice company called My Organic Juice.
He continues to manage his business ventures and also offers his services as a personal trainer as well. Apart from this, there are not many details about Tomko, as he remains peacefully on the sidelines.
5 John Laurinaitis Got Heat From Vince McMahon For Re-Signing Tomko In 2008
Tyson Tomko's first run with WWE ended in 2006 after he left the company on good terms to pursue a career in Japan. He then had a two-year run in NJPW and Impact Wrestling before signing another contract with WWE in 2008.
Former WWE Head of Talent Relations John Laurinaitis coordinated Tomko's return to the company, but his second run ended only after a dark match against Paul Burchill in December 2008, as he had to take time off due to an injury.
Vince McMahon reportedly got upset with Laurinaitis for signing Tomko without performing a physical test, and it eventually led to WWE releasing Tomko from his contract.
4 Vince McMahon Tried To Use Him To Get Christian Cage Back From Impact Wrestling
While Vince McMahon was not always a big fan of Christian Cage, after witnessing the latter's successful run in Impact Wrestling, he wanted to bring him back to the company, thinking it would help increase the ratings.
Since Tyson Tomko also signed a contract with WWE in 2008, McMahon planned to use him to get Christian Cage to return to WWE as Tomko had a friendly relationship with Cage due to their previous partnerships.
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However, Tomko's injury and subsequent release derailed McMahon's plans, but fortunately for him, Christian Cage ended up returning to WWE in 2009.
3 Tomko Is A Former IWGP Tag Team Champion
As mentioned earlier, Tyson Tomko went on to compete for New Japan Pro Wrestling after his exit from WWE in 2006. He made his debut in the Japanese promotion in July 2006 and went on to form a partnership with Matt Bloom, who was working there under the name Giant Bernard.
Together, Tomko and Bernard captured the IWGP World Tag Team Championship and held it for an impressive 343 days. He also won the 2007 G1 Tag League tournament with Giant Bernard by defeating Hiroshi Tanahashi and Koji Kanemoto in the final.
2 Held The TNA World Tag Team Championship With AJ Styles
Along with working for New Japan Pro Wrestling, Tyson Tomko also signed with Impact Wrestling in 2006 and reunited with his mentor Christian Cage.
He became part of the Christian's Coalition faction, which also included AJ Styles, and Tomko got the opportunity to work with The Phenomenal One. Tomko and Styles went on to capture the Impact World Tag Team Championship from Ron Killings and Consequences Creed (WWE's R-Truth and Xavier Woods, respectively) and held it for 184 days before losing it to Frankie Kazarian and Eric Young.
1 Got Arrested In 2011
Tyson Tomko had a serious drug addiction back in the day, which landed him in serious trouble in 2011. He reportedly threatened the employee of a drug store to get 215 oxycodone 15 milligram pills, and entered a nearby Chili's restaurant restroom and injected 178 of them.
The employee alerted the cops about the situation, and Tomko got arrested on the charges of theft and got taken to court. The judge fixed the bail at $7,500, which he paid, and entered a WWE-sponsored rehab facility, as the company used to help any former wrestlers who needed support at that time.
