John Dionysus

John Francis McReady (born January 17th 1976), better known by his ring names Dionysus or John Dionysus, is a professional wrestler presently contracted to Action Packed Wrestling (APW) where he current holds the Xtreme Championship on APW's 'Overdrive' brand.

= Early life and pre-wrestling career =

Born and raised in Boston, MA John McReady graduated high school in 1994 and quickly joined the U.S. Army, serving a tour of duty in the Balkans War that raged between ethnic Slavs in Eastern Europe between 1991 and 1995. There is no detailed account of McReady's life between the time of his medical discharge from the U.S. Army in 1997 and the beginning of his career as a professional wrestler in 2001.

McReady officially changed his surname to Dionysus in 2002, the name he came to be known as early in his wrestling career.

= Professional Wrestling Career =

Life as an independent wrestler
McReady was introduced to wrestling in 2001 through Vern Wheeler, an independent promoter whose events McReady occasionally worked as a security guard. Given a trial-out McReady impressed Wheeler and began to work as a jobber for the more established wrestlers in Wheeler's various small-time promotions.

After some time spent training and having gained some in-ring experience McReady was pushed and billed as 'John Dionysus' a moody and recalcitrant loner whose speciality was the emotionally detached beatings handed out to smaller wrestlers on the bill. In embracing this gimmick, as well as trying to cut ties with his past, McReady changed his legal surname to Dionysus, by which he is legally known to this day.

Dionysus worked for Wheeler, on and off, for nearly eight years, enjoying periods of relative success when sober, but the relationship between the two was strained by Dionysus' alcholism and fractured psychological state.

In 2009 Wheeler and Dionysus severed ties and the latter quickly slipped out of the independent wrestling scene.

Source: The Vern Wheeler Wrestling Agency.

Return to professional wrestling
Dionysus returned to wrestling in 2011 seemingly clean and physically in better than shape than ever before. He was once again being promoted by Wheeler, but since Wheeler was no longer running any wrestling promotions he acted as a manager and consultant for Dionysus. Signed by the ailing World Wrestling Federation (WWA) in the summer of 2011, began his latest and probably final attempt at a comeback.

World Wrestling Alliance
A protracted management takeover of the struggling WWA promotion meant that Dionysus would have to wait until October for his WWA television debut. Under the management of Andy Seeley a tournament was organised to relaunch WWA and determine a new World Heavyweight Champion following the departure of previous Champion Jaymez Watkins with the previous management team.

Dionysus' debut came on the October 10th edition of Monday Night Meltdown and, having received a bye through the first round, Dionysus defeated WWA legend Copeland to progress. When the show had reached its conclusion a main event was announced for the following week's show: a triple threat match for the WWA Heavyweight Championship between John Dionysus, ex-WWA Champion Eddie Van Dorn, and the pre-tournament favourite American Freebear.

As the pre-tournament favourite American Freebear was expected emerge as the Champion on the October 17th edition of Meltdown. In an exciting finale both Dionysus and Freebear appeared to pin Eddie Van Dorn, who was eliminated, leaving Dionysus and Freebear to fight for the title. Soon after the lights went out and when they came back on revealed the unconscious and bloodied figures of John Dionysus and American Freebear.

A climax would be reached the following week on the October 24th edition of Meltdown, when John Dionysus pinned American Freebear to become the new WWA Heavyweight Champion. It completed a remarkable rise from nobody to World Champion in just three matches and over a period of three weeks.

However, Dionysus would not have the opportunity to celebrate his success or defend his title because no further editions of Meltdown were broadcast and in early November WWA closed under mysterious circumstances for an indefinite period of time. It was announced at the time that Dionysus would remain WWA Heavyweight Champion until further notice.

Debut
Dionysus officially signed to Action Packed Wrestling (APW) on January 6th 2012, although a series of promos late in 2011 preceded his arrival. Dionysus began his APW career on the roster of the company's weekly Thursday night show Overdrive.

His career in APW began with a three-match series against fellow newcomer Donovan Caine. The decisive rubber took place at APW's Survive & Conquer pay-per-view on January 29th and ended with Dionysus pinning Caine to clinch the series 2-1. It was this win that would launch Dionysus onto greater success in APW.

Xtreme Title reign
On the February 9th edition of Overdrive Dionysus competed in a four-way Ultimate-X match for the recently vacated Xtreme Title. In a gruelling match which included Zachary Rodell, Yarmouth, and former APW Tag Team Champion Warren Peace, Dionysus captured the belt to become the new Xtreme Champion.

Soon after Michael Harris, a recent edition to the roster, made his desire for a shot at the Xtreme Title with a series of attacks on Dionysus in the ring and backstage. Eventually a title defense against Harris was announced for APW's Rasslemania VIII. In the meantime Dionysus was involved a number of matches with Overdrive Champion Terry Marvin and the #1 contender for that title, Keaton Saint. In one match Dionysus teamed with Saint to take on Marvin and Harris (Dionysus picking up the pinfall win over Harris), and Dionysus wrestled twice in singles matches against Marvin (one win, one loss) - a early precursor, to many, for a potential future rivalry.

At Rasslemania VIII defended his title against Harris and, despite taking a severe beating for much of the match, Dionysus succeeded in pinning Harris and retaining the title. Despite not being an expert-hardcore wrestler Dionysus had proven his determination to defend the title and restore honour and prestige to a Championship that had been in decline.

Ascension 2012
After missing out on APW's Survive & Conquer match at the Survive & Conquer pay-per-view Vern Wheeler entered Dionysus into the interfed Ascension Tournament held by Championship Wrestling Council (CWC).

Dionysus' run in the tournament began with a first round triple threat match hosted by CWC-affiliate WARPED in which he pinned WARPED's own William Wallace to progress (Gage Gannon of UWF was also involved and progressed as a 'lucky loser'). In the second round Dionysus would meet Autumn Waterfall of NEW on APW television, but this time on its Asylum show. A pinfall victory took Dionysus into the quarter-finals which would be held on official CWC shows. The new base for CWC was Sao Paulo in Brazil and it was here that Dionysus made his CWC television debut against another wrestler from NEW and one of its former Heavyweight Champions, Outkast. Dionysus defeated Outkast by pinfall to set-up a quarter-final match against fellow APW Megastar Kurt Noble.

Relaunch and return
On January 31st 2012 it was announced that WWA would relaunch under new ownership. After some negotiation John Dionysus agreed to return to the company, although it was revealed his Heavyweight Championship success under the 'Seeley Splinter Group' would not be officially recognised.

Nevertheless, Dionysus returned with a determination to prove he was the elite wrestler in the company. As WWA relaunched with its new weekly show ''Evolution! Live!'', Dionysus opened with victories over newcomers Naham Ali Kabir and Agent ORANGE, and was rumoured to have impressed the management so much that he was a shoe-in for #1 contendership.

However, WWA soon found itself in troubled waters when the financiers of the relaunch pulled out, leaving WWA without much to sail with. Soon after the indefinite closure of WWA was announced, and with Dionysus announced his business with the company closed.

= In Wrestling =


 * Finishing Moves


 * Event Horizon (90º, 180º, 270º, or 360º swinging side slam)


 * Signature Moves


 * Above The Cut (Arm trap overhead side belly to belly suplex)


 * Hard Knocks (Spinebuster followed by mounted punches)


 * Cerebral Bore (Reverse half nelson facelock into a reverse swinging neckbreaker)


 * Corner punching combination (usually several body blows followed by a stiff uppercut or right hook)


 * Knee smash facebreaker


 * Muay Thai-style lifting knee to the face/ribs


 * Entrance Music


 * 'For Whom The Bell Tolls' by Metallica (APW, CWC)


 * 'Marche Slave' by Tchaikovsky (WWA)

= Championships and accomplishments =


 * Notable Feuds


 * Michael Harris (APW)


 * Action Packed Wrestling


 * 1x Xtreme Champion (current)


 * World Wrestling Alliance


 * 1x World Heavyweight Champion (official recognition disputed)


 * Other


 * CWC Ascension Tournament Quarter-finalist (2012)