American professional wrestler
Karl Fredericks (born July 15, 1990) is an American professional wrestler. He is signed to WWE, where he performs on the NXT brand under the ring name Eddy Thorpe. He is also known for his stint in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he was the winner of the 2019 Young Lion Cup.
Professional wrestling career.
New Japan Pro-Wrestling (2015–2022).
Fredericks debuted on May 17, 2015. In 2018, Fredericks entered the New Japan Pro-Wrestling LA Dojo, along with Clark Connors and Alex Coughlin. He visited Japan for the first time as a representative of the LA Dojo at the 2019 Young Lion Cup and won the tournament with 12 points. Fredericks teamed with Hirooki Goto for the World Tag League in the same year, finishing with 3 wins and 12 losses. On January 4, 2020, at Wrestle Kingdom 14, Fredericks, Connors, Coughlin and Toa Henare defeated Tencozy (Satoshi Kojima and Hiroyoshi Tenzan), Yota Tsuji and Yuya Uemura in an eight-man tag-team match.
In August 2020, Fredericks competed in the inaugural New Japan Cup USA tournament, with the winner receiving a match for the IWGP United States Championship. He lost to Kenta in the first round. From this time on, he changed the colors of his shorts from black to red. At the main event of Ignition on June 25, 2021, Fredericks challenged Tom Lawlor for the Strong Openweight Championship and lost. On August 1, 2022, Fredericks' contract with NJPW expired and he announced he would not renew it.
WWE (2023–present).
In January 2023, it was reported Fredericks signed a contract with WWE. In February, he was assigned the ring name Eddy Thorpe and he debuted as a face on the February 17 show of "NXT Level Up", defeating Dante Chen. On the March 23 episode of "NXT", Thorpe would make his TV debut defeating Myles Borne. In the next weeks, vignettes would air of Thorpe exploring his Native-American background. Thorpe would soon begin a feud with Damon Kemp which led to Thorpe enlisting the help of Gable Steveson (Kemp's real life brother) to train for his NXT Underground match with Kemp on the July 4 episode of "NXT", which Thorpe won.
Soon after, Thorpe would begin feuding with Dijak, who took offense to Thorpe being referred to as the toughest man in NXT and attacked him in a match with Oro Mensah. On the September 26 episode of "NXT", Thorpe beat Dijak in a strap match but was attacked after the match by Dijak who struck him repeatedly with the leather strap. On the November 28 episode of "NXT", Thorpe fought Bron Breakker for a spot in the Iron Survivor Challenge at NXT Deadline but was defeated and once again attacked post match by Dijak. At NXT Deadline on December 9, Thorpe attacked Dijak during the Iron Survivor Challenge and cost him the match. On the December 26 episode of "NXT", Thorpe defeated Dijak in the second NXT Underground match to end the feud.
On the November 19, 2024 episode of "NXT", Thorpe participated in the Iron Survivor Challenge qualifier where he lost to NXT Tag Team Champion Nathan Frazer after being distracted from the NXT tag team division brawling outside the ring. Two weeks later, he won a fatal four-way last chance match to qualify for the Iron Survivor Challenge at NXT Deadline. However, he was later found attacked backstage and was ruled out for NXT Deadline. Two days after NXT Deadline on the December 10 episode of "NXT", Thorpe confronted NXT Champion Trick Williams and demanded a title shot, which Williams agreed. Upon signing the title match contract, Thorpe revealed to NXT general manager Ava that he staged his own attack to ease his way into an NXT Championship match, turning heel in the process. The title match on the following week ended in a double pinfall and Williams retained his title. A dissatisfied Thorpe then got into an argument with Ava and shoved WWE Senior Vice President of Talent Development Creative Shawn Michaels, cementing his heel turn.
Personal life.
Fredericks is a Native American and his WWE ring name is a reference to athlete and fellow Native American Jim Thorpe. Fredericks also incorporates his Native American heritage into his character by doing the Native American war dance in his entrance and by wearing tassels on his ring gear.
Fredricks is currently in a relationship with fellow professional wrestler Dakota Kai.
References.
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