According to a report from Mike Johnson of PWInsider, former 2x IMPACT X-Division Champion DJ Z has signed with the WWE. The 15-year veteran is best remembered for his seven year stint with TNA/IMPACT Wrestling, from 2011 until his departure at the end of 2018.
DJ Z first began training to become a pro wrestler in Pittsburgh in 2003, before debuting for Black Diamond Wrestling as Shiima Xion. It wasn’t long before he became a regular one of Pennsylvania’s top indie promotions, International Wrestling Cartel (IWC), that same year, where he has competed for the duration of his entire 15-year career. He’s a former 2x IWC Super Indy Champion, 2x IWC World Heavyweight Champion and 2x IWC Tag Team Champion.
In 2005, he entered the CHIKARA Young Lions Cup, which granted him further exposure, as he began to work more Midwest and East Coast promotions like Ohio’s Absolute Intense Wrestling (AIW), Combat Zone Wrestling (CZW), Chicago’s All American Wrestling (AAW) and Dragon Gate USA, as well as international stints with AAA and Desastre Total Ultraviolento (DTU) in Mexico and DDT Pro in Japan. In 2009, he made the semi-finals of the CZW Best of the Best tournament.
In 2011, he debuted with IMPACT (then TNA) as Zema Ion, and within his first year was X-Division Champion. His athleticism and aerialist moves fit in perfectly with IMPACT’s X-Division and he was featured regularly. In 2014, he adopted a DJ gimmick, changing his name to DJ Z and becoming the personal DJ for the BroMans (Robbie E. & Jesse Godderz), with the group working in trios matches as well. Coincidentally, his former BroMans teammate Robbie E signed with the WWE earlier this month.
A magical moment last night as @IAmDJZ entered an IWC ring for the final time! pic.twitter.com/kIiBDnFgUq
— IWC Wrestling (@IWCwrestling) March 17, 2019
In early 2018, he formed a new tag team, Z & E, with Andrew Everett, who captured the IMPACT World Tag Team titles, but the tandem was short lived. Later that summer, Andrew Everett left IMPACT, followed by year’s end by DJ Z himself. Last year, he made his first appearance in Pro Wrestling Guerrilla‘s Battle of Los Angeles tournament, and is the current reigning AAW Heritage Champion. This past weekend, he had his farewell match with IWC, which seems to indicate that the reports of him signing are most likely true.
A magical moment last night as @IAmDJZ entered an IWC ring for the final time! pic.twitter.com/kIiBDnFgUq
— IWC Wrestling (@IWCwrestling) March 17, 2019
