Ash Murdock

Ash "Gravedigger" Murdock aka Soulyss aka Replic Ant is currently a wrestler for the 101 Colony promotion.

Backyard Wrestling and Entry Into Wrestling
Ash Murdock started his love affair with professional wrestling in 1994. Soon he was diving off rooftops and and stylin' and profilin' with the best of the kids on his block. However, this simply would not do for his dreams of championships. So he tried to find out a place to get trained. His first attempts were in amateur wrestling, where he picked up the basics of mat work but tired of the singlets and banal characters.

So in 1995 he packed up shop and headed to one of his ancestral homelands, Mexico. There he began training under the tutelage of Rey Misterio, Sr. He trained for a year before heading back stateside for the opportunity to train with the Homicidal, Genocidal, Suicidal SABU and the Whole F'n Show RVD is Philadelphia, PA.

Europe, Japan, ECW & XPW (1998-2000)
As he completed his time training in Philly, he took it upon himself to train with several British mat technicians (Johnny Saint & Johnny Kidd) to round out his skills 1998. Even doing several indie shows throughout the UK as himself, Ash Murdock. After a month of training in England he got the opportunity to work for Frontier Martial Arts Wrestling from 1998 to 2000 as a young boy called Wilhelm Faust. He was able to learn from greats like Hayabusa and Mr Gannosuke. From there he came back stateside and was able to work a dark match for Extreme Championship Wrestling as a Dudley boy, so he donned the glasses and became Andy 'Tank Dudley for a dark match. He also was in talks with Xtreme Pro Wrestling, but decided to cancel contract negotiations after the Messiah was attacked in his home and lost a thumb allegedly due to issues with the company.

Return to Japan & Controversy
After his dismal taste of the American Wrestling scene Murdock returened to Japan where he met a young man named Rob Draven. The two hit it off and they formed a stable called the Young Dragons. Murdock wrestled as the Red Dragon and Draven as Green Dragon. They were joined by another young rookie who used the moniker of the Blue Dragon. As a team, they fought for the International Wrestling Grand Prix (IWGP) Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship on several occasions during 2000, but were never successful in obtaining them. At what would become their final show in September of 2000, Red and Green Dragon were scheduled to win the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship, but their opponents, Koji Kanemoto and Minoru Tanaka, had decided that the two hadn't earned that right. During the match, Kanemoto intentionally botched a tiger suplex on Draven, nearly breaking Draven's neck. Murdock retaliated by intentionally botching a piledriver on Kanemoto. This led to a brawl between Tanaka and Murdock that spilled into the crowd, which resulted in the match being thrown out. Murdock was blamed for the incident, even though it was Tanaka that threw the first punches. After that show, Draven and Murdock chose to leave NJPW after management sided with Tanaka and Kanemoto.

WCW & WWF Tryouts (2000)
They then returned to the United States to look for a place in a wrestling promotion. Again, Draven used his contacts to try to get another chance with WCW. He learned that WCW was going out of business and that there would be no work there. They then went to Ohio Valley Wrestling, which at that time was the developmental ground for the WWF. They were given one match to show what they had. The match went off spectacularly, with Draven and Murdock putting on their best performance as a tag team, even though they were coming out as the losers. They were initially praised for their efforts, but shortly afterward, politics reared its ugly head again. They were called Hardy Boyz ripoffs and were told to leave and not to come back unless they had a new and better set of monikers.

WCPW (2000-2001)
Murdock and Draven headed to a US promotion Murdock had wrestled a few of his earlier matches for. Draven agreed, and they found a promotion in the western United States called West Coast Pro Wrestling. The promoter, a man by the name of Jak Slater, had seen some of their matches in Japan and jumped at the idea of them joining the promotion. Murdock changed his moniker to Soulless and Draven switched to Leech, the 2 then formed a team called the Unholy Alliance, debuting at WCPW's Wrestlestravaganza on January 9, 2001. In March, they were joined by Blue Dragon, who changed his moniker to Krownan, a man known as Pit Scorpion, Draven's younger brother, Danny "Icepik" Kobalt and Murdock's younger brother, Zac "The Future" Rufio. Together, they formed the faction Psycho Corpse and went on to terrorize WCPW. In April, Leech and

Soulless and Leech won the WCPW Tag Team Championships. Also in during this time Soulyss won WCPW's Junior Heavyweight championship twice. In June, the Unholy Alliance lost the Tag Team Championships to Krownan and Pit Scorpion, causing a faction split.

Bushido Championship Wrestling (2001)
In July of 2001, WCPW had some major financial problems, with the discovery that Slater had been arrested for selling drugs. In August of 2001, Draven, Murdock, Krownan and Rufio joined with other investors to  purchase WCPW and subsequently changed its name to Bushido Championship  Wrestling, absorbing all of the records of the former WCPW and retroactively changing them to the BCW name, a company Murdock had tried to start in 1999 that had run sporadic shows since. Murdock became this new BCW's first CEO. During this time, Rufio, Leech and Soulless feuded with Krownan and Pit Scorpion until a neck injury suffered in a match against Krownan on September 9th, 2001 nearly ended Draven's career. During this time, Leech and Soulless won and lost the tag team championship twice. While the injury was an accident, it was written into story as being orchestrated by Soulless.

After the accident Soulless and Krownan feuded in several high profile matches over the BCW World Heavyweight Championship. Their feud ended with a series of gimmick matches. Soulless won the last match in the feud, a Tables, Ladders and Chairs classic for Krownan's Honor of the Crow belt and the BCW World Heavyweight Championship.

Shortly after that, Leech returned at BCW's King of the Ring tournament and beat Soulless for the BCW World Heavyweight Championship to win the tournament. Then over the next six months, Krownan, Leech and Soulless feuded, with Soulyss winning and losing the championship twice, then Soulless decided to take some time off. Their final match of this feud was a Pits of Hell match against Draven, where both competitors fought on top of a fortified steel cage until one competitor threw his opponent off of the cage, with that competitor being declared the winner. This was the first time that deathmatches had ever occurred in BCW, and the fans loved every minute. Leech won the match by throwing Soulless off of the cage and through a stack of tables.

Big Japan Pro Wrestling & Death Matches (2002-2004)
Shortly after parting ways with BCW, Ash was called up by BJW to work deathmatches after they saw the tape of the Pits of Hell Match he had with Draven. Murdock jumped at the opportunity and soon became a mainstay and a constant at the BJW Dojo picking up tricks from Mitsuhiro Matsunaga and Mr. Pogo.

During his stay in Japan, BCW reached out to him and they mended ties. He was able to forge an alliance with BCW and won his third World Heavyweight championship in January 2003 and took the strap over there. Pit Scorpion would later return the belt stateside in March of 2003.

This is also where he heard about CZW and the death match tournament circuit stateside.

Murdock finished with BJW in 2003 and came back to the US to work the death match circuit through until mid 2004 competing in CZW, IWA-MS & MAW.

BCW (2002-2006)
After a 9 month of doing shows intermittently, Murdock returned as Soulless, but changed the spelling of his name to Soulyss, in a high profile match that saw him win the BCW World Heavyweight championship for his third time. A title he would lose then win and lose again, before reclaiming it by winning the 2003 King of the Ring.

In January of 2003 BCW Murdock and Draven reformed the Unholy Alliance and regained the BCW Tag Team Championship. For the following three years, the Unholy Alliance proved their skills in the BCW tag team division, winning the titles 5 more times. This set a record in BCW (that is still current) for the most Tag Team championships for a single team. In 2006, the Unholy Alliance disbanded in BCW due to Soulyss leaving the company.

During this time, Draven and Soulyss also had a healthy feud over the newly created BCW Kamikaze Championship, the first deathmatch title in BCW, with Murdock winning it thirteen times over two and a half years as well as defending in 2 back to back Kamikaze Cup tournaments. Their matches include the inaugural Science Lab of Pain match, where the goal of the match is to pin your opponent, place them into a coffin, and flip an electrical switch on; the aforementioned Pits of Hell match; and the Slaughterhouse of Fun, which is a one-fall match consisting of a ring with the ropes replaced with electrified barbed wire, lumberjacks with sledgehammers, and various other weapons (such as hacksaws, chairs, cinder blocks, et cetera) spread around the ring.

In addition to Murdock's success in the tag team and deathmatch divisions, he also won the BCW World Heavyweight Championship several more time, making him the most decorated champions in BCW history.

Retirement
Due to the massive amount of injuries sustained during the death matches, Murdock was forced to take an extended leave of absence from wrestling in 2006, which was billed as a retirement.

Total Non-Stop Action Wrestling (2008)
Murdock tried out for TNA in a dark match at an Xplosion taping in to 2008 but was never called back.

The 101 Colony (2011-2013)
Murdock returned to the scene in 2011. He helped create a new promotion, called the 101 Colony. The company fused an elaborate love of comic books, death matches and pop culture and created a fun and exciting new concept. The company really took off after the guidance and model of Mike Quackenbush and the Chikara promotion.

Murdock took on the moniker Replic Ant to help elaborate the storyline of the company and immediately became one of its top stars along with new pal and co-booker, Ice Ant. He started his career as a tecnico or face, but shortly afterward he took a heel or rudo turn turning his back on his fellow Anturai following a 1 month abscence from the company for personal reasons. He then became the Colony's 2nd Camenato del Hormiguero.

The Age of W.A.R.
Shortly after winning the CdH, Murdock as Replic Ant took on the moniker of WAR (Wrestler Ant Rudo). This also led to him working as a mercenary wrestler or a wrestler who did jobs for money and gaining voodoo powers from Papa Shango via Nefarious and a job. At this point Replic Ant threw in with Dr. Cube Ant (an ant variant of infamous Kaiju Big Battel, Dr Cube). This led to genetic manipulation and Replic Ant being turned into a Kaiju.

This transformation was reversed by Ice Ant at the finale of the the 101 Colony's first season. So during the succeeding season Replic Ant dove further into being a mercenary for hire during a growing war between rival promotions, the 101 Colony and the Underground Nation. This made him neither a rudo or tecnico so he was the 101 Colony's first Wild Card. He also notably started taking pleasure in 2 things: getting paid and hurting people.

It was during this time that a war with MachoZillAnt, who was a disgruntled former employer, ensued. It brought in Zac Rufio (Murdock's real life brother) as Toxic Ant and ended after several months in a Perditious Pleasures of Death and Delights Match.

It was also during this time that he worked a cue that bought out both the 101 Colony and the Underground Nation with his earnings.

FEAR, Inc.
Murdock as Replic Ant set up a group known as FEAR, Inc. that combined his many accompli into one faction. However, as a manipulative mastermind Replic Ant set up a red herring called Ant-onymous to dramatically reveal who his new control. It was at this time that his on again off again feud with Ice Ant reignited and after a Lucha de Apuesta (Mascara Contra Mascara) match Murdock revealled his his acquisition.

He then went on to rule with an iron fist for the remainder of the third season and on into the fourth.

The End of the 101 Colony and Return to BCW (2013)
However after 2 years of running the 101 Colony and massive turmoil and issues with the workers, Murdock closed up shop and the 101 Colony folded. Shortly after it was bought by a trainee of Murdock's, miscreANT who got the ball rolling again. Soulyss returned to the 101 Colony for a one shot match against embittered rival and former cohort, Nefarious. And in a match that involved a soldering iron and Murdock being hanged from the rafters by hooks through his knees, Murdock lost the match and left the 101 Colony on better terms. He even released a tape of that had been thought to be destroyed of a match between himself and Ice Ant in a match he inovated, dubbed the "Sick Room."

Meanwhile, Murdock got the band back together and did a BCW reunion show called, the Sm@sh/Terminator Invitational. It was rechristening of the Kamikaze Cup for 2013. Murdock as Soulyss won the tournament to become the only ever 3 time winner winner of the Kamikaze Cup tournament or its affiliates.

Congolese Fetish Wrestling and International Tour (2013-2014)
After hearing about the voodoo fetish wrestling movement, Murdock headed to the Congo where he picked up a lot of new and interesting tricks. During this time Murdock also toured Japan, Germany, England, Mexico, China and Russia competing in a variety of inventive and disturbing death matches before returning stateside.

Return to the 101 Colony (2014)
In mid-2014 Murdock returned to the the 101 Colony under the moniker of Ghost Ant II, a cocky loudmouth who frequently would harass and annoy many of the roster for an elaborate storyline. He has since unmasked and moves freely between his Soulyss and Replic Ant monikers going so far as to be cast as a character in a couple of short stories being penned by himself, Ice Ant and MachozillAnt. He also has won the 2014 Tag Title Tournament and Lords of the Underground tournament as well as the Lord of the Underground title.

Currently
Murdock is currently working as Soulyss/Replic Ant and is the defending Lord of the Underground. He has also taken a job to help bring down the Void (a super-faction in the 101 Colony), as well as an undisclosed job for 101 Colony rookie ItaliAnt.

Personal Life
Ash Murdock is a freelance writer who enjoys his life in Los Angeles, CA with his wife and son.

Finishing maneuvers:
As Ash Murdock:  

The Score (Gore)

Assassin Sleeper submission hold

Texas Clover Leaf Submission Hold

As Wilhelm Faust:

Ascendant Bomb (Jumping Crucifix Powerbomb)

Phoenix Splash

As Andy 'Tank' Dudley

Tank Driver (Sit Out Samoan Driver (Sometimes off the Top Rope))

As Red Dragon:

Red Dragon Driver (Tiger Bomb into Cross Armbreaker)

Diving Phoenix Splash

As Soulless/Soulyss:

Soul Stealer (Modified Samoan Driver)

Steiner Screwdriver

As Replic Ant:

Bio-Mass Destroyer (Steiner Screwdriver)

Warhead (Standing Diamond Dust)

Clone Lock (Straight Jacket Sharpshooter)

As Ghost Ant II:

Hate Spiral (Swinging Brainbuster into Implant DDT)

The Excorsim (Flipping Tombstone Piledriver)

Signature maneuvers:
R0X (Gammegiri)

Goetia (2 Dragon Screws followed by a Mandara Hineri into a Kneebar)

LC100 (Leapfrog Double Kneedrop Driver)

Anburbian Special Sigma/Chikara Special: Black (Step Over Full Nelson and an Inverted Texas Cloverleaf)

LD100 (Triple Jump Double Stomp)

Radiation Treatment (Gordbuster Into Lungblower)

Sambo Suplex

Michinoku Driver

Tongan Death Grip

The Hunger (Double Kowalski Claw and Bite)

Rare Moves/Injury Moves:
The Eraser (Swinging Neckbreaker Into Facebuster DDT) - (Rare Move)

Kawada Driver - (Injury Move)

Deathstar DDT (Shooting Star DDT) - (Rare Move)

Ash Murdock:
"The Great American Nightmare" - Rob Zombie: 1997, 1999-2001

"Chaos Without Prophecy" - Dimmu Borgir: 1998

"Love.Fury.Passion.Energy" - Boy Hits Car: 2002

Soulyss/Replic Ant:
"Progenies of the Great Apocalypse" - Dimmu Borgir: 2003, 2005-2006, 2012-2013

"Ether" - Nothingface: 2004

"Thank You Pain" - The Agonist: 2011-2012, 2014 (Current)

Wrestlers Trained

 * tyrANT aka Joseph 'Deuce' Daniels
 * Toxic Ant aka Zac Rufio
 * DominAnt
 * Crazy Ant aka Honey Ant I aka MothrAnt aka Selena Beradoux
 * Questi-Ant? aka Sir Guygax
 * miscreANT
 * Replic Ant IV
 * RosslAnt aka Replic Ant 666
 * Replic Ant 8
 * Ann Archy

West Coast Pro Wrestling

 * WCPW Tag Team Champion x1 (w/ Leech)
 * WCPW Junior Heavyweight Champion x2
 * WCPW World Heavyweight Championship X3

Bushido Championship Wrestling

 * BCW Tag Team Champion x17 (x12 w/ Rob Draven, x2 w/ Zac Rufio and x3 w/ Krownan)
 * BCW Kamikaze Champion x13
 * BCW World Heavyweight Champion x9
 * BCW King of the Ring 2003 Winner
 * BCW Kamikaze Cup 2005 Winner
 * BCW Kamikazw Cup 2006 Winner
 * BCW Smash/Terminator Invitational Winner (2013)

101 Colony

 * Campenato del Hormiguero x1
 * Campejone de Pareja x2 (x1 w/ Gold Ant and x1 w/ Rob Draven)
 * Winner of Rey De Voladores 2011
 * Winner of 3T Part III (In 3D) (w/Gold Ant)
 * Cibernetico F-Ant-Asticoer, Night 1 Winner
 * Grand Cibernetico Winner
 * Winner of 3T 2014 (w/ Rob Draven)
 * Maestro de Pareja (w/ Gold Ant)
 * Hall of Fame Class of 2013
 * Lords of the Underground 2014 Winner
 * Lord of the Underground Champion x1 (Current)

Underground Nation

 * Tag Master of the Universe x2 (x1 w/ Regal Ant x1 w/ Gold Ant)
 * Tag Masters Innitational Winner x1 (w/ Gold Ant)

WCPW

 * Danny Kobalt, Krownan & Pit Scorpion (w/ Rob Draven & Zac Rufio)

BCW

 * Rob Draven
 * Krownan

101 Colony

 * Ice Ant
 * CanadiAnt
 * Anithero/Ghost Ant
 * MachoZillAnt
 * Nefarious
 * Hexx

External Links:

 * 1) Bushido Championship Wrestling
 * 2) 101 Colony