Anthony Martin “Tony” Crowley is an American professional wrestler signed to WWE, where he is a one-time WWE Intercontinental Champion, under the ring name “Tony Solo.” He began his wrestling career in September 2008 in Ohio Valley Wrestling under the name “Tony Crowley”, where he became a one-time OVW Hardcore Champion before being called up to the main roster on the August 17, 2009 episode of Raw.
Professional wrestling career[]
World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment (WWE) (2009-present)[]
Debut & Alliance with DX (2009-2010)[]
Crowley debuted on the August 17 episode of Raw under the name “Tony Solo,” going against Cody Rhodes. Solo would win by disqualification after Rhodes' Legacy teammate Ted DiBiase interfered when Solo was about to spear Rhodes. Legacy's attack on Solo was interrupted by the recently-reunited DX. After returning the favor the week before SummerSlam, Triple H and Michaels announced that Solo was an unofficial member of DX. At SummerSlam, when DiBiase went to attack Michaels after the match between DX and Legacy, Solo dropped him with Chaos Theory.
Solo would continue to tag with DX until the January 11 episode of Raw, where he attacked guest host Mike Tyson, Michaels, and Triple H after DX's match against Jeri-Show before attacking Jeri-Show.
Intercontinental Championship hunt (2010-2011)[]
Solo set his sights on the Intercontinental Championship. He earned his chance at the Royal Rumble, but he failed after then-Intercontinental Champion Drew McIntyre got himself counted out. He would try again at the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view, but McIntyre would pick up the win after Solo hit Kane with Chaos Theory. At WrestleMania XXVI, Solo came out during the Money in the Bank ladder match and cost McIntyre the match, which was eventually won by Jack Swagger.
During Michaels' farewell address the night after WrestleMania, Solo would come out and thank him for a good year of his career, calling it the best moments of his life. The two of them shook hands. On the May 7 episode of SmackDown, Solo won a tournament to become the new Intercontinental Champion, set up by SmackDown General Manager Teddy Long after Long stripped McIntyre of the title and suspended him. Mr. McMahon stripped Solo of the title a week later, handing it back to McIntyre. Solo and McIntyre, along with Kofi Kingston who Solo had defeated on the May 14 episode of SmackDown, would fight for the title at Over the Limit, where Kingston pinned McIntyre following the S.O.S..
Solo and Kingston shook hands after the match, showing their respect for each other. After Over the Limit, Solo was drafted to Raw, immediately challenging R-Truth for the title. The two would feud over the title until Solo got a concussion on June 9, which put him out of action for four to six weeks.
Various feuds, Swiss Solo, & alliance with McMahons (2011-present)[]
He returned at Money in the Bank, attacking The Miz following his Money in the Bank win. The two would viciously feud over the title, Daniel Bryan being added to the mix at Night of Champions, where Bryan would win the title following a Skull-Crushing Finale on Solo by Miz. The three of them, along with John Morrison, would fight for the US title in a fatal four way submissions count anywhere match at Hell in a Cell, a match Bryan won after making Solo tap to the LeBell Lock. Solo and Bryan would continue to feud over the US title until the Raw before Survivor Series, where Bryan once again made Solo tap out. The two would shake hands, showing the respect they had for each other.
Solo would be dragged into various feuds until two weeks before WrestleMania XXVII, where he would be named the Special Guest Referee for the No Holds Barred match between Triple H and the Undertaker, a match Undertaker won. It would be Solo's first WrestleMania. The night after the event, Solo inserted himself back into the United States championship picture. He got his chance four weeks before TLC: Tables, Ladders, & Chairs, challenging Dolph Ziggler for the title, but he was unsuccessful.
He tried again on the February 20, 2012 episode of Raw, but he tapped out to Jack Swagger's Ankle Lock. His last attempt happened on the August 6 episode of Raw, against Santino Marella, but Marella retained. Furious at the loss, Solo ruthlessly attacked Marella, turning heel in the process. The next week, he blamed the WWE Universe for his loss, telling them he gave them everything, but they did nothing for him. He faced Marella again the week before SummerSlam in a non-title match, winning via pinfall following the Chaos Theory. At SummerSlam, Solo came out following Antonio Cesaro's victory against Marella and congratulated him.
Cesaro and Solo, later called Swiss Solo, would be a successful team until they were put in a triple threat match for the US title, also involving Kofi Kingston, on the April 15, 2013 episode of Raw. Backstage, the two argued over, if Cesaro lost the title, who would be champion. At the end of the match, Solo would hit Cesaro with the Chaos Theory and let Kingston win the title. Solo attacked Kingston after the match before leaving Cesaro to yell at him. On the May 1 episode of Main Event, Solo officially ended his partnership with Cesaro by giving him a Facebuster, turning him face for the first time in months.
The two would feud until Payback, where Solo defeated Cesaro in a brutal Falls Count Anywhere match. After the match, Solo took a short hiatus from wrestling, saying that he just needed some time to breath. He returned the night after SummerSlam, surprising everyone during Randy Orton's WWE Championship Coronation. He looked like he was going to go after Triple H. Orton stepped in between Solo and Triple H, while Azrael Victoria stood in front of Stephanie McMahon, both glaring at Solo.
Solo glared back at them, before smirking and shaking Orton's hand. He hugged Victoria & Stephanie before shaking Triple H's & Mr. McMahon's hands, turning heel for the second time in his career.
Personal life[]
Crowley has stated in multiple interviews that becoming a wrestler wasn't what he originally wanted to be. He has a degree in Criminal Justice from Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, mentioning he wanted to become a lawyer. “Wrestling was way down on the list,” he stated, “though that didn't stop people from saying that I should.” In high school, Crowley played varsity soccer, baseball, wrestling, and basketball. After being a lawyer didn't work out, he worked with his dad as a mechanic at his car shop until 2004, when he heard about the WWE tryouts from a buddy from high school.
Crowley is friends with John Cena, Paul Levesque (Triple H), Bryan Danielson (Daniel Bryan), Mike Mizanin (The Miz), Claudio Castagnoli (Antonio Cesaro), and Phil Brooks (CM Punk). He mentioned in an interview that he didn't become interested in wrestling until he saw CM Punk's last ROH match against Colt Cabana. After watching that match, he said he went back and watched classic matches from the Monday Night Wars, ECW, and ones involving the current roster.
After he got his concussion in 2010, he revealed in a candid interview that he was going to be in the fatal four way match on Raw & win the US title, but Miz took his spot, adding that he was alright with that.
He also mentioned that his family didn't become interested in wrestling until he was put on the OVW roster. Crowley is the oldest of two kids, and the only one wrestling in his family. Elizabeth, his younger sister, works at their father's car shop while writing her first book on her days off. Crowley cited Triple H, the Dudley Boyz, Edge, Christian, Ric Flair, Mick Foley, DX, CM Punk, and the Hardys as his influences and inspirations.
In 2009, Crowley confirmed in an interview he was dating actress Amity Hale, who stars in the CW series Supernatural as Aline Peverell, after they were seen together at San Diego Comic-Con 2009.
In wrestling[]
Finishing moves[]
- Chaos Theory (Wast-lock rolled backwards into a bridging German suplex)
Flyin' Solo (Sitout powerbomb)
Sweet Chin Music (adopted from Shawn Michaels)
With Antonio Cesaro[]
- Very European Uppercut by Cesaro followed by Flyin' Solo by Solo
Signature moves[]
- Facebreaker
Spear (2009-2012)
With Antonio Cesaro[]
Swissblade by Cesaro followed by a Spear by Solo
Wrestlers managed[]
- Triple H
- Shawn Michaels
- Antonio Cesaro
Mangers[]
- Triple H
- Shawn Michaels
- Antonio Cesaro
Stables[]
- DX
- Swiss Solo
Entrance themes[]
World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE)[]
- “Break It Down” by The DX Band (used while managing DX; 2009-2010)
- "A Pain That I'm Used To" by Depeche Mode (singles competition; 2010-2012)
- "Miracle" by Jim Johnston (used while teaming with Antonio Cesaro; 2012-2013)
- "Sugar, We're Going Down" by Fall Out Boy (singles competition; 2013-present)
Championships and accomplishments[]
Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW)[]
- OVW Hardcore Championship (1 time)
World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE)[]
- WWE Intercontinental Championship (1 time)
Other notes[]
Reference(s)[]
Cody Rhodes