Callum Newman
{{short description|English professional wrestler (born 2002)}}
{{Infobox professional wrestler
|name = Callum Newman
|image =
|caption =
|birthname = Callum Joseph Newman
|names = {{unbulleted list|Callum Newman|Dark Britannico|Tomar Vuelo}}
|height = {{height|m=1.85|precision=0}}
|weight = {{convert|98|kg|lb stlb|0}}
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|2002|08|31|df=yes}}
|birth_place = Havering, London, England, U.K.
|billed = Romford, Essex, England
|debut = December 2017
|trainer = {{unbulletedlist|Will Ospreay|Toni Granzi|London School of Lucha Libre}}
}}
Callum Joseph Newman (born 31 August 2002) is an English professional wrestler. He is signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he is the current third leader of the United Empire, and a two-time and current IWGP Tag Team Champion.
Early life
Newman's grandfather was Toni Granzi, one of the UK's greatest heel wrestlers, active in the 1950s and 1960s. Influenced by his grandfather, he attended a professional wrestling school near his home while continuing to play football. That's when Newman met Will Ospreay, who took Newman under his wing as his protege.{{cite web|url=https://www.bodyslam.net/2021/12/26/exclusive-callum-newman-on-becoming-will-ospreays-protege/|title=Exclusive: Callum Newman On Becoming Will Ospreay’s Protege|first=Andy|last=More|website=bodyslam.net|date=26 December 2021}}
Professional wrestling career
=Early career (2017–2023)=
Callum made his in-ring debut in December 2017. Newman proceeded to mainly wrestling on the British independent scene.{{Citation needed|date=January 2025}}
=New Japan Pro-Wrestling (2023–present)=
{{See also|United Empire}}
On 8 September 2023, at Road to Destruction, Newman made his debut for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) as a member of the United Empire, facing Los Ingobernables de Japon in an eight-man tag team match in a losing effort.{{cite web|url=https://www.wrestlezone.com/news/1402635-njpw-road-to-destruction-results-9-8-sanada-hiroshi-tanahashi-more|title=NJPW Road To Destruction Results (9/8): SANADA, Hiroshi Tanahashi, More|first=Colin|last=Tessier|publisher=Wrestlezone|date=8 September 2023}} He would spend the rest of the year mainly competing in tag matches with United Empire.
He participated in the 2024 New Japan Cup, where he lost to Gabe Kidd in the first round.{{Cite web |title=NJPW New Japan Cup Night Three Results (3/8): Shingo Takagi vs Yuya Uemura, Callum Newman vs Gabe Kidd {{!}} Fightful News |url=https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/njpw-new-japan-cup-night-three-results-38-shingo-takagi-vs-yuya-uemura-callum-newman-vs-gabe-kidd |access-date=2024-04-21 |website=www.fightful.com |language=en}} On July 5, Newman defeated Yoshi-Hashi in a six-man tournament final to win one of two qualification spots for the 2024 G1 Climax. From July to August, he took part in the G1 Climax finishing the tournament with a record of two wins and seven losses, failing to advance to the play-off match of the tournament.{{Cite web |title=G1 Climax 34 entrants revealed! |url=https://news.njpw1972.com/g1-climax-34-entrants-revealed-7b8f332248c7 |access-date=2024-07-22 |website=New Japan Pro-Wrestling |date=16 June 2024 |language=en}}{{cite web|url=https://prowrestling.net/site/2024/08/12/njpw-g1-climax-34-night-15-results-8-12-vetters-review-of-callum-newman-vs-gabe-kidd-sanada-vs-zack-sabre-jr-shingo-takagi-vs-jake-lee-tetsuya-naito-vs-great-o-khan-shota-umino-vs-e/|title=NJPW "G1 Climax 34 Night 15" results (8/12): Vetter's review of Callum Newman vs. Gabe Kidd, Sanada vs. Zack Sabre Jr., Shingo Takagi vs. Jake Lee, Tetsuya Naito vs. Great-O-Khan, Shota Umino vs. Evil|first=Chris|last=Vetter|work=Pro Wrestling Dot Net|date=August 12, 2024|access-date=August 12, 2024}} He teamed with Jeff Cobb in the 2024 World Tag League, where they were placed in A-Block and scored 6 points, but failed to advance to the finals.
In March 2025, Newman participated in the 2025 New Japan Cup, where he lost to Tetsuya Naito in the first round.{{Cite web |last=Powell |first=Jason |date=2025-03-09 |title=NJPW "New Japan Cup" results (3/9): Vetter's review of Tetsuya Naito vs. Callum Newman, Tomohiro Ishii vs. Drilla Moloney, El Phantasmo vs. Great-O-Khan, and Bolton Oleg vs. Bad Luck Fale in first-round matches |url=https://prowrestling.net/site/2025/03/09/njpw-new-japan-cup-results-3-9-vetters-review-of-tetsuya-naito-vs-callum-newman-tomohiro-ishii-vs-drilla-moloney-el-phantasmo-vs-great-o-khan-and-bolton-oleg-vs-bad-luck-fale-in-first/ |access-date=2025-04-05 |website=Pro Wrestling Dot Net |language=en-US}} On April 4 at Sakura Genesis, Newman and Cobb defeated Naito and Hiromu Takahashi to win the IWGP Tag Team Championship. This would be Newman's first ever championship in a major promotion.{{Cite web |date=2025-04-05 |title=NJPW Sakura Genesis live results: Goto vs. Finlay IWGP title match |url=https://www.f4wonline.com/news/new-japan/new-japan-results/njpw-sakura-genesis-live-results-goto-vs-finlay-iwgp-title-match/ |access-date=2025-04-05 |website=F4W/WON |language=en-GB}} However, their reign would only last 9 days as the duo were forced to vacate the titles due to Cobb leaving NJPW.{{Cite web |date=2025-04-14 |title=Jeff Cobb leaving NJPW, IWGP Tag Team titles vacated |url=https://www.f4wonline.com/news/new-japan/jeff-cobb-leaving-njpw-iwgp-tag-team-titles-vacated/ |access-date=2025-04-14 |website=F4W/WON |language=en-GB}} After vacating the titles, Newman declared leadership of United Empire and challenged Hirooki Goto to match for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship, which was later made official for Wrestling Dontaku 2025.{{Cite web |last=New Japan Pro-Wrestling |date=April 14, 2025 |title=Callum Newman Relinquishes Titles, Challenges Goto in Impromptu Presser |url=https://www.njpw1972.com/566964 |website=NJPW}} On April 26, at Wrestling Redzone in Hiroshima, Newman and Great-O-Khan defeated Bishamon (Hirooki Goto and Yoshi-Hashi) to win the vacant IWGP Tag Team Championship.{{cite web|url=https://www.f4wonline.com/news/new-japan/njpw-crowns-new-iwgp-tag-team-champions-at-wrestling-redzone/|title=NJPW crowns new IWGP Tag Team Champions at Wrestling Redzone|first=Ian|last=Carey|work=Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online|date=April 26, 2025|access-date=April 26, 2025}} On 4 May at Wrestling Dontaku, Newman failed to defeat Goto for the world heavyweight title.{{cite web |last=Carey |first=Ian |date=April 14, 2025 |title=NJPW announces lineups for Wrestling Dontaku, other events |url=https://www.f4wonline.com/news/new-japan/njpw-announces-lineup-for-wrestling-dontaku-other-events/ |access-date=April 24, 2025 |work=Wrestling Observer Newsletter}}{{Cite web |last=Thompson |first=Andrew |date=2025-05-04 |title=Hirooki Goto defending IWGP World Heavyweight Title against Zack Sabre Jr. at NJPW Resurgence - POST Wrestling {{!}} Podcasts, News, Reviews {{!}} WWE AEW NXT NJPW |url=https://www.postwrestling.com/2025/05/04/hirooki-goto-defending-iwgp-world-heavyweight-title-against-zack-sabre-jr-at-njpw-resurgence/ |access-date=2025-05-04 |website=POST Wrestling {{!}} Podcasts, News, Reviews {{!}} WWE AEW NXT NJPW |language=en-US}}
Championships and accomplishments
- London Lucha League
- LLL Championship (2 times)
- New Japan Pro-Wrestling
- IWGP Tag Team Championship (2 times, current) – with Jeff Cobb (1) and Great-O-Khan (1, current)
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- Ranked No. 373 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2024{{cite web|url=https://aiptcomics.com/2024/09/10/full-2024-pwi-500-list-revealed/|title=Full 2024 PWI 500 list revealed|work=aiptcomics.com|first=Patrick|last=Ross|date=September 10, 2024|access-date=September 13, 2024}}
- Reloaded Championship Wrestling Alliance
- RCWA British Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Maverick Mayhew
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons}}
- [https://www.njpw1972.com/profile/442064 New Japan Pro Wrestling Profile]
- {{Professional wrestling profiles}}
{{Navboxes
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{{IWGP Tag Team Championship}}
{{New Japan Pro Wrestling personnel|state=collapsed}}
{{United Empire}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Newman, Callum}}
Category:Professional wrestlers from London
Category:Sportspeople from the London Borough of Havering
Category:English male professional wrestlers
Category:21st-century male professional wrestlers
Category:Expatriate professional wrestlers in Japan