Saturday, February 17, 2007

TNA: Sonjay Dutt


Ring name(s) Sonjay Dutt
Billed height 5 ft 8 in (172 cm)
Billed weight 185 lb (84 kg)
Born April 7, 1982,Washington, D.C.
Billed from Bollywood,Bombay
Trained by Larry Sharpe
Debut September 2000

Retesh Bhalla (born April 7, 1982 in Washington, D.C.), better known by his ring name, Sonjay Dutt, is an Indian American professional wrestler, currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling and Combat Zone Wrestling.

His stage name is modelled after that of famous Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt.

Sonjay Dutt is one of the first Indian American professional wrestlers; his parents moved to the United States of America from India in 1979, and most of his extended family still lives in New Delhi. Dutt graduated from the Kyda Pro Wrestling training school in northern Virginia. He perfected his craft inside the squared circle at Kyda pro wrestling for the first two years of his professional career. Dutt got his first break wrestling in Major League Wrestling in 2003.

Since then, he has worked for independent promotions such as Ring of Honor,UWA, Combat Zone Wrestling, NWA Virginia and has toured Japan with Pro Wrestling ZERO1-MAX.

Dutt began working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling on a regular basis in 2004. Sonjay began to be noticed after he participated in the America's X-Cup as apart of Team USA along with Jerry Lynn, Chris Sabin and Elix Skipper against Team AAA (Hector Garza, Mr. Águila, Juventud Guerrera and Abismo Negro). After several months, Dutt became the onscreen protégé of Sabu, with Raven using him to vicariously assault Sabu. In addition, Dutt acted as a mouthpiece for the perpetually mute Sabu. This angle was postponed and then dropped after Sabu was sidelined with various health problems, and in the interim Dutt made appearances with World Wrestling Entertainment, provoking rumours of an imminent contract offer.

Dutt's presence in TNA was reduced in late-2004 and early-2005 during the tenure of Dusty Rhodes as booker, but his role within the promotion was once again expanded after Rhodes resigned as booker. Dutt won a four-way X Division match at No Surrender 2005 on July 17, 2005, thus qualifying for the 2005 Super X Cup, but lost to Samoa Joe in the first round of the tournament.

In September 2005, Dutt, Shark Boy and Simon Diamond spent two weeks in India, where they visited several cities, promoting the debut of iMPACT! on ESPN Star Sports. On September 28 in Bhopal, a riot broke out when 1000 fans were excluded from an event after attendance exceeded expectations. None of the three TNA wrestlers were injured.

At Bound For Glory on October 23, Dutt defeated Austin Aries, Roderick Strong and Alex Shelley in a four way X Division match on the preshow.

In 2006, Dutt earned a spot on Team USA in the 2006 World X-Cup.

Dutt occasionally wrestles in full-length black tights adorned with the Ashoka Chakra on the outside of either leg.

On July 28th 2006, Sonjay Dutt lost to Último Dragón in UWA Hardcore Wrestling.

In November 2006, Sonjay won the 2006 Grand Prix Tournament Championship.

Throughout late 2006, early 2007, Sonjay Dutt was involved in the Paparazzi Championship Series, lead by Kevin Nash. Although he didn't win it (Alex Shelley), it put him over with the fans. He is now involved in a tag team with fellow X Divisioner, Jay Lethal. Kevin Nash has taken both Dutt and Lethal under his wing and promised to give them an extreme makeover.

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