James Dowell (born 4 March 1993), better known under the

ring name A ring name is a type of stage name or nickname used by an athlete such as a professional wrestler, mixed martial artist, or boxer whose real name is considered unattractive, dull, difficult to pronounce or spell, amusing for the wrong reasons ...

James Drake, is an English

professional wrestler Professional wrestling, often shortened to either pro wrestling or wrestling,The term "wrestling" is most often widely used to specifically refer to modern scripted professional wrestling, though it is also used to refer to real-life wrest ...

and promoter. He is making appearances on the

independent circuit In professional wrestling, the independent circuit (often shortened to the indie circuit or the indies) is the collective name of independently owned promotions which are deemed to be smaller and more regionalized than major national promotions. ...

, where he also make appearances to

All Elite Wrestling All Elite Wrestling (AEW) is an American professional wrestling promotion headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida. It is owned and operated by Shahid Khan, Shahid and Tony Khan, with the latter serving as President (corporate title), president an ...

(AEW). He is best known for his time in

WWE NXT ''WWE NXT'', also known simply as ''NXT'', is an American professional wrestling television program. It is produced by the American professional wrestling promotion WWE, featuring wrestlers from the promotion's NXT brand division. The show c ...

where he performed under the

s James Drake and Jagger Reid. He formed the tag team

Grizzled Young Veterans Grizzled Young Veterans (also shortened as GYV) are an English professional wrestling tag team consisting of James Drake and Zack Gibson. Primarily touring the independent circuit, they also appear on All Elite Wrestling (AEW), its sister promo ...

with

Zack Gibson Jack Rea (born 8 August 1990), better known by the ring name Zack Gibson, is an English professional wrestler and promoter. He is making appearances on the independent circuit, where he also make appearances to All Elite Wrestling (AEW). He has ...

in 2017, becoming the inaugural

NXT UK Tag Team Champions The NXT UK Tag Team Championship was a men's professional wrestling tag team championship that was created and promoted by the American promotion WWE. It was defended on the NXT UK brand division, a sister brand of WWE's developmental territory ...

and three-time

Progress Tag Team Champions Progress is movement towards a perceived refined, improved, or otherwise desired state. It is central to the philosophy of progressivism, which interprets progress as the set of advancements in technology, science, and social organization effic ...

. He and Gibson run a wrestling promotion called Burning Heart Pro Wrestling.

Professional wrestling career

Progress Wrestling (2016–2019, 2024)

In 2017, Drake and Zack Gibson formed a villainous

tag team Tag team wrestling is a type of professional wrestling in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. Tag teams may be made up of wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of establis ...

called

Progress Wrestling Progress Wrestling (stylized as PROGRESS) is a British professional wrestling promotion that was established in 2011 by comedian Jim Smallman, events and comedy promoter Jon Briley, and later, actor Glen Robinson (professionally known as Glen ...

. Grizzled Young Veterans defeated Chris Brookes and

Kid Lykos Ethan Beach (born 22 March 1997) – better known by his ring name Kid Lykos – is an English professional wrestler, who currently performs on the British independent circuit. Professional wrestling career European independent scene (2012� ...

of CCK to become the Progress tag team champions. They successfully defended the titles against Aussie Open (

Kyle Fletcher Kyle Fletcher (born 24 December 1998) is an Australian professional wrestler. He is signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) where he is a member of the Don Callis Family stable and is one-half of the tag team Protoshita with Konosuke Takeshita. He a ...

and Mark Davis) at Progress Chapter 59. At Chapter 61,

defeated

Moustache Mountain Moustache Mountain was a British professional wrestling tag team consisting of Trent Seven and Tyler Bate, Bate is currently signed to WWE where he performs on the Raw brand and Seven worked for WWE until his release in August 2022. They are one- ...

(

Tyler Bate Tyler Bate (born 7 March 1997) is an English professional wrestler. He is signed to WWE where he performs on the Raw brand and is one of the two members of New Catch Republic, performing alongside Pete Dunne. In 2017, he became the inaugur ...

and

Trent Seven Benjamin Maurice Webb (born 21 August 1981), known by the ring name Trent Seven, is an English Professional wrestling, professional wrestler and Promoter (entertainment), wrestling promoter. He has worked for WWE, where he performed on their NXT ...

) to retain their championships.

WWE

NXT UK (2017–2020)

In January 2017, Drake participated in the

WWE United Kingdom Championship Tournament The WWE United Kingdom Championship Tournament was a professional wrestling tournament and WWE Network event produced by WWE, an American-based professional wrestling promotion. The event was established in December 2016, debuting as a WWE Netwo ...

to crown the inaugural

WWE United Kingdom Champion The NXT United Kingdom Championship was a men's professional wrestling championship that was created and promoted by the American promotion WWE. It was primarily defended as the top championship of the NXT UK brand division, a sister brand of WW ...

, losing to

Joseph Conners Joseph Conners (born 28 May 1987) is an English professional wrestler. Conners competed in many British wrestling promotions, most notably New Generation Wrestling (NGW) and What Culture Pro Wrestling (WCPW), where he was a one-time WCPW Champi ...

in the first round. On 12 January 2019 Drake and Gibson defeated

in a tournament final at

NXT UK ''NXT UK'' was a professional wrestling television programme that was produced exclusively in the United Kingdom by the American promotion WWE. It aired on BT Sport and 5Action (previously known as Paramount Network). In the United States, the ...

's debut TakeOver event in Blackpool, to become the inaugural

. Grizzled Young Veterans would defend their titles against,

Oney Lorcan Christopher Girard (born December 21, 1985) is an American retired professional wrestler signed to WWE as a coach at the Performance Center as well as a producer for NXT, having previously performed on said brand under the ring name Oney Lor ...

and

Danny Burch Martin Harris (born 31 December 1981) is an English professional wrestler best known for his time with WWE, where he performed on the NXT brand under the ring name Danny Burch. He is a former one time NXT Tag Team Champion with Oney Lorcan. ...

, Amir Jordan and Kenny Willams, & Moustache Mountain before losing it to Mark Andrews and

Flash Morgan Webster Gavin Watkins (born 13 April 1990), better known by the ring name Flash Morgan Webster, is a Welsh professional wrestler, currently performing on the British independent scene and for RevPro, where he is a former Undisputed British Cruiserweig ...

at NXT UK Takeover: Cardiff in a triple-threat tag team also involving Gallus. On the September 11 episode of NXT UK, Grizzled Young Veterans unsuccessfully challenged Andrews & Webster in a rematch. On the November 7 episode of NXT UK, during the Grizzled Young Veterans match against Andrews and Webster, Gallus and Imperium interfered. On the November 28 episode of NXT UK, Grizzled Young Veterans and Andrews & Webster interfered during Gallus' title match against Imperium and Grizzled Young Veterans took the titles and ran but the general managers came and announced that Gallus would defend their titles at NXT UK Takeover: Blackpool II against Grizzled Young Veterans, Andrews & Webster and Imperium for the titles in a ladder match. At the event, Grizzled Young Veterans lost the match. Grizzled Young Veterans also competed in the 2020 Dusty Rhodes Classic and they defeated Kushida and

Alex Shelley Patrick Kenneth Martin (born May 23, 1983), better known by the ring name Alex Shelley, is an American professional wrestler. He is signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown (WWE brand), SmackDown brand. He is widely known for his tenure ...

in the quarterfinals and NXT Tag Team Champions the Undisputed Era in the semifinals due to a distraction by Imperium.

NXT (2020–2023)

On the 19 February 2020 episode of '' NXT'', the Grizzled Young Veterans joined the NXT brand, defeating Raul Mendoza and

Joaquin Wilde Michael Paris (born October 5, 1986) is an American professional wrestler. He is signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand, under the ring name Joaquin Wilde. He is a member of the Latino World Order. He was a former founding member o ...

before announcing their intent to take over NXT's tag team division, establishing themselves as tweeners. At the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic, The Grizzled Young Veterans made it all the way to the finals before losing to MSK. At NXT Takeover: Stand & Deliver, The Grizzled Young Veterans were defeated by MSK for the vacant

NXT Tag Team Championship The NXT Tag Team Championship is a men's Professional wrestling championship, professional wrestling tag team championship created and promoted by the United States, American professional wrestling promotion, promotion WWE. It is defended on NXT ...

also involving Fantasma. On the August 3, 2021 edition of ''NXT'', The Grizzled Young Veterans defeated

LA Knight Shaun Edward Ricker (born November 1, 1982) is an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler and actor. He is signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown (WWE brand), SmackDown WWE brand extension, brand under the ring name LA ...

and

Cameron Grimes Trevor Lee Caddell (born September 30, 1993) is an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler. He is best known for his time in WWE as Cameron Grimes and in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, Impact Wrestling as Trevor Lee. Caddell mad ...

. On the July 19, 2022 edition of ''NXT'', him and Zack Gibson were revealed as

Joe Gacy Joseph Ruby (born August 8, 1987) is an American professional wrestler. As of August 2020, he is signed to WWE, on the WWE SmackDown, SmackDown brand, where he performs under the ring name Joe Gacy and is a member of The Wyatt Sicks faction. Gac ...

's Dyad, being renamed to Jagger Reid and Rip Fowler, respectively. On 14 October 2023, both Drake and Gibson announced that their WWE contracts have expired and they would take independent bookings.

Independent circuit (2023–present)

On October 14, 2023, both Drake and Gibson announced that they would take independent bookings. The following day, they made their first independent appearance since being released at Deadlock Pro-Wrestling's Live 3 event where they answered an open challenge set by DPW's tag team champions, The Workhorsemen. On April 25, 2024, Drake and Gibson announced the launch of their professional wrestling promotion, Burning Heart Wrestling. The promotion's first event will take place on June 21.

Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2024)

On December 26, 2023, it was revealed that Gibson and Drake will make their

TNA Wrestling Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (abbreviated as TNA Wrestling or TNA) is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Nashville, Tennessee. It is a subsidiary of Anthem Sports & Entertainment, a Canadian media company owned by busine ...

debuts at

Hard To Kill ''Hard to Kill'' is a 1990 American vigilante action-thriller film directed by Bruce Malmuth, written by Steven McKay, and starring Steven Seagal, Kelly LeBrock, William Sadler and Frederick Coffin. Seagal's second film after '' Above the La ...

. They were later announced as challenging for the

TNA World Tag Team Championship The TNA World Tag Team Championship is a men's professional wrestling #World Tag Team Championship, world tag team championship (professional wrestling), championship which is owned by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) professional wrestlin ...

, along with

The Rascalz The Rascalz is an American professional wrestling tag team currently appearing in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) consisting of Trey Miguel and Zachary Wentz. In TNA, Wentz is a former one-time TNA X Division Champion, and Miguel and Wentz ar ...

(

Zachary Wentz Zachary Green (born April 29, 1994), better known by his ring name Zachary Wentz, is an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler. He is signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), where he is a member of The Rascalz tag team. He ...

and

Trey Miguel Trey McBrayer (born August 30, 1994), better known by his ring name Trey Miguel, is an American professional wrestler, where he is a member of The Rascalz tag team. He is signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA). He also makes appearances ...

) and Speedball Mountain ( Mike Bailey and

), against champions

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Broadcasting * Aliw Broadcasting Corporation, Philippine broadcast company * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial American ...

(

Chris Bey Daquan Christopher Johnson-Bey (born February 13, 1996), better known by the ring name Chris Bey, is an American professional wrestler. He is signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), but has been on hiatus due to a broken neck that he suf ...

and

Ace Austin Austin James Highley (born February 28, 1997), better known by the ring name Ace Austin, is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his time in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), where he is a former three-time TNA X Division C ...

), which was won by ABC. Director of Authority

Santino Marella Anthony Carelli (born March 14, 1974), better known by the ring name Santino Marella, is a Canadian professional wrestler. He is signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), where he works as the on-screen director of authority. He is best kn ...

would then make a best of three series between the two teams over the titles, with GYV winning the first match and ABC winning the second. GYV lost the third and decisive match at No Surrender.

All Elite Wrestling (2024–present)

On April 25, 2024, it was revealed that Gibson and Drake will make their

Debut on the April 27 episode of ''

Collision In physics, a collision is any event in which two or more bodies exert forces on each other in a relatively short time. Although the most common use of the word ''collision'' refers to incidents in which two or more objects collide with great for ...

'', where they were defeated by The Acclaimed (

Anthony Bowens Anthony Bowens (born December 18, 1990) is an American professional wrestler. He is signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he is a former one-time AEW World Tag Team Champion and one-time and longest reigning AEW World Trios Champion as a f ...

& Max Caster). At All In on August 25, Drake and Gibson made their return to AEW and stared down

AEW World Tag Team Champions The AEW World Tag Team Championship is a men's professional wrestling world tag team championship created and promoted by the United States, American professional wrestling promotion, promotion All Elite Wrestling (AEW). It is a standard tag team ...

The Young Bucks The Young Bucks are an American professional wrestling tag team consisting of brothers Matthew Massie and Nicholas Massie, who perform under the ring names Matthew Jackson and Nicholas Jackson. , they are signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), whe ...

( Nicholas Jackson and Matthew Jackson) before attacking FTR (

Cash Wheeler Daniel Marshall Wheeler (born May 17, 1987) is an American professional wrestler. He is signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) under the ring name Cash Wheeler, where he is a former two-time AEW World Tag Team Champions with Dax Harwood together t ...

and

Dax Harwood David Michael Harwood (born June 30, 1984) is an American professional wrestler. He is signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) under the ring name Dax Harwood. Teamed with Cash Wheeler as FTR, Harwood is a two-time AEW World Tag Team Champion. H ...

), officially establishing the two as

heels High-heeled shoes, also known as high heels (colloquially shortened to heels), are a type of shoe with an upward-angled sole. The heel in such shoes is raised above the ball of the foot. High heels cause the legs to appear longer, make the wea ...

for the company.

Championships and accomplishments

Attack! Pro Wrestling Attack Pro Wrestling (stylized as ATTACK! Pro Wrestling) is a Welsh professional wrestling promotion owned and operated by wrestler Mark Andrews. Although ATTACK was originally established in 2011 by wrestler Pete Dunne and ring announcer Jim ...

** Attack! 24:7 Championship (1 time) *Britannia Wrestling Promotions **BWP Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Axl Rage *Burning Heart Pro Wrestling **Burning Heart Tag Team Championship (1 time, current) – with

* Deadlock Pro Wrestling ** DPW World Tag Team Championship (1 time, current) – with Zack Gibson *FutureShock Wrestling **FSW Adrenaline Championship (1 time) **FSW Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Axl Rage (1) and Zack Gibson (1) **Lotto-Thunder Tournament (2017) * Grand Pro Wrestling **GPW Heavyweight Championship (1 time) – with Dave Rayne, Axl Rage, Sean Daniels and Zack Diamond *

New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) is a Puroresu, Japanese professional-wrestling Professional wrestling promotion, promotion founded on January 13, 1972, by Antonio Inoki, and based in Nakano, Tokyo. It is currently majority owned by card-game company Bushiroad, with TV As ...

Strong Openweight Tag Team Championship The is a professional wrestling tag team championship owned and promoted by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) Professional wrestling promotion, promotion. The title is exclusively featured on NJPW's NJPW Strong, Strong brand and is usually def ...

( 1 time) – with Zack Gibson *Pro Wrestling Revolver **PWR Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Zack Gibson *

** Progress Tag Team Championship (3 times) – with Zack Gibson * Pro Wrestling Chaos **King Of Chaos Championship (1 time) *''

Pro Wrestling Illustrated ''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' (''PWI'') is an American professional wrestling magazine that was founded in 1979 by publisher Stanley Weston. ''PWI'' is headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and published by Kappa Publishing Group. The maga ...

'' ** Ranked No. 205 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the ''

PWI 500 ''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' (''PWI'') is an American professional wrestling magazine that was founded in 1979 by publisher Stanley Weston. ''PWI'' is headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and published by Kappa Publishing Group. The maga ...

'' in 2019 *

Revolution Pro Wrestling Revolution Pro Wrestling (RevPro/RPW) is a British professional wrestling Professional wrestling promotion, promotion founded on 26 August 2012 by Andy Quildan after separating from International Pro Wrestling: United Kingdom. Revolution Pro Wre ...

** Undisputed British Tag Team Championship ( 1 time) – with Zack Gibson *

WWE World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) is an American professional wrestling promotion. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, a majority-owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. A global integrated media and entertainment company, ...

NXT UK Tag Team Championship The NXT UK Tag Team Championship was a men's professional wrestling tag team championship that was created and promoted by the American promotion WWE. It was defended on the NXT UK brand division, a sister brand of WWE's developmental territory ...

(1 time, inaugural) – with Zack Gibson

References

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Drake, James 1993 births Living people Sportspeople from Blackpool English male professional wrestlers 21st-century male professional wrestlers NXT UK Tag Team Champions PROGRESS Tag Team Champions Undisputed British Tag Team Champions 21st-century English sportsmen Strong Openweight Tag Team Champions DPW Worlds Tag Team Champions