Mason Ryan

At 42 years old, Mason Ryan has this physical status:

Barri Griffiths (born 13 January 1982) is a Welsh professional wrestler and actor best known for his time with WWE under the ring name Mason Ryan. Griffiths studied building management at Cardiff University before serving as a trainee carpenter and in his family's funeral home.

He spent time as a center back for Porthmadog FC, but a knee injury ended his career.

In 2009, he appeared on Gladiators as "Goliath." Mason Ryan began training to be a professional wrestler in 2006 and spent three years in Europe.

Mason Ryan debuted in Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW) in 2009 and signed a World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) deal.

He won the FCW Florida Heavyweight Championship in July 2010 and held the title until February 2011.

He made his main roster debut in January 2011, when he allied himself with The New Nexus.

Early life

Griffiths was born in Tremadog, the uncle of Carys and Malcolm Griffiths. Catrin is his sister. He attended Ysgol Eifionyd secondary school in Porthmadog and Ysgol Eifionyd secondary school before focusing on construction management at Cardiff University for 18 months. Prior to becoming a wrestler, he worked as a trainee carpenter and in his family's funeral home. Griffiths played for Porthmadog FC as a center back, but he had to stop working due to a knee injury.

Personal life

In 2015, Griffiths married Julie Rolfe, a Legends Football League player. He lives in Tampa, Florida. He speaks Welsh fluently.

Ryan, a long-distance weightlifter, set a world record for 20 kg of arms straight for just over a minute. Ryan is working with IFBB's Stan Efferding, who is training partners.

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Professional wrestling career

Griffiths began training to be a professional wrestler in 2006 after attending a wrestling competition with a friend, where the promoter recommended that he start wrestling. He attended a specialized wrestling academy in Birkenhead.

Griffiths had competed under the terms "Celtic Warrior" and "Smackdown Warrior" since 2007, and had participated in nearly 100 tournaments throughout Africa and Venezuela prior to appearing on Gladiators. In a losing bid to Chris Raaber, Michael Kovac, and Robert Ray Kreuzer at the European Wrestling Association's Night of Gladiators show in June 2007, he represented the United Kingdom in a 'Battle of Nations' tag team match between the United Kingdom and Austria, teaming with Drew McDonald and Sheamus O'Shaunessy. Griffiths appeared in Wales in October 2008, when he defeated a singles match and met the queen in Porthmadog after signing with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).

Griffiths joined World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) in 2009, and he continued his wrestling career (WWE). In January 2010, he debuted in their new territory, Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW). In his first matches, Mason Ryan defeated wrestlers including Johnny Curtis, Tyler Reks, Johnny Prime Minister, and Hunico.

Ryan defeated defending champion Alex Riley and Johnny Curtis by pinning Riley to win the FCW Florida Heavyweight Championship for the first time on July 22nd.

Ryan defended the championship over the next few months against wrestlers including Bo Rotundo, Richie Steamboat, and Eli Cottonwood. When FCW commentator Byron Saxton interfered and assisted him, Ryan defended the championship against Johnny Curtis on 2 September at the tapings of FCW television. Saxton became more united with Ryan, accompanying him to the ring and acting as his boss.

Ryan toured Europe in November 2010, beating Chavo Guerrero in Belfast and then again in Liverpool on November 6th. Ryan lost the Florida Heavyweight Championship to Bo Rotundo on February 3, 2011, snaping a six-and-a-half month reign.

On January 17, 2011, Lucas Griffiths made his WWE television debut by appearing on Raw's 17th January 2011 episode by interfering in a match between CM Punk and John Cena. Punk owed him with a "Nexus" armband, enforcing him into the army following his coercion. Ryan appeared in the 2011 Royal Rumble match for the first time. He played Raw on February 7, 2011, losing to R-truth by disqualification. Punk would face Randy Orton at WrestleMania XXVII in late February, with each member of The Nexus facing Orton to claim the right to accompany Punk in the weeks leading up to WrestleMania. Ryan was the first member of the team to face Orton but unfortunately, he was unable to appear on the Raw on March 14th. Orton punched Ryan in the head after the match. He was out of television for nearly a month, but he made his return to Raw with the other New Nexus members on April 11th, criticizing Orton and preventing him from winning a WWE Championship match. Ryan lost to Kane by disqualification after Punk's interference, and he went on to attack both Kane and Big Shows on May 2nd. Ryan and Punk challenged Big Show and Kane for the WWE Tag Team Championship on May 22nd, but were dissatisfied. Ryan suffered a head injury and was absent from television for the next month to recover.

In late August, Ryan recovered from an injury at a house show in Jackson, Mississippi. He made his television appearance on the 8th episode of WWE Superstars on September 8, defeating JTG. Ryan was selected by Vickie Guerrero as the partner for Jack Swagger and Dolph Ziggler in a six-man tag team match against Zack Ryder and Air Boom (Evan Bourne and Kofi Kingston), but Ryan fought for his team on September 26th, allowing Ryder to win by his side.

Ryan teamed with Air Boom, Sheamus, Punk, and John Cena in a 12-man tag team competition to top Alberto Del Rio's team, Cody Rhodes, David Otunga, Ziggler, and Swagger during the week. Ryan began feuding with Ziggler, with the two teams winning via disqualification. In November, Ryan was on Team Orton at the Survivor Series pay-per-view, where Cody Rhodes had him disqualified.

He appeared on television only occasionally during 2012, and he later revived the rebranded development system NXT. He returned to the ring and debuted on the revived WWE NXT show and began his singles winning streak by defeating Sakamoto on January 30.

Ryan then began a feud with Enzo Amore and Colin Cassady; although he comfortably beat them in singles matches, he lost in a handicap match. Mason was not allowed on WWE television until he had his last televised match of NXT on April 24, 2014, in a losing attempt to be the top NXT champion. WWE announced Ryan was fired on April 30, 2014.

Griffiths began wrestling on the independent circuit after being banned from WWE, while still wearing his WWE name. On May 31, he made his first appearance in the American Pro Wrestling Alliance competition, where he became the new APWA Tri State Champion. Mason made his WrestleSport debut on August 16th, defeating Adam Pearce to become the first WrestleSport Heavyweight Champion. Ryan, Michael Tarver and Shaun Ricker were among the 12 individuals in a trios tournament on September 5th, but Full Impact Puerto Ricans took home the trophy (Lince Dorado, Jay Cruz, and Jay Rios). Ryan was defeated by Rich Swann, the then-Full Impact Pro Heavyweight champion. This was his last appearance for the promotion.

Ryan won the UPWA Heavyweight Championship in Shallotte, North Carolina, on October 11, 2014. Ryan appeared in a dark match on February 16, 2015, defeating Shaun Ricker in the TNA One Night Only's Gut check event. His last wrestling appearance to date was in the United Kingdom for Pro Wrestling Pride on November 1, 2015, when he was on the losing team in an 8-man tag team match.

Griffiths made his debut for the Japanese Inoki Genome Federation (IGF) promotion on February 20, 2015, losing to Shogun Okamoto.

Cirque du Soleil career

Ryan revealed on his Twitter account in January 2016 that he is now working at Cirque du Soleil as the Ká chief archer.

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