Training and early career While in California Smith trained at the
All Pro Wrestling promotion under
Donovan Morgan and
Mike Modest. He competed for the
International Wrestling Association (IWA) in
Puerto Rico, where, on November 1, 2003, he defeated
Glamour Boy Shane to win the
IWA World Heavyweight Championship, which he held for over a month, before losing it back to Glamour Boy Shane. In his next appearance two days later, Smith and
Low Ki were defeated by
KENTA and
Kenta Kobashi. He teamed with fellow Americans, and his trainers,
Michael Modest and
Donovan Morgan in June to defeat
Takeshi Rikio,
Muhammad Yone, and
Yoshinobu Kanemaru, which was followed by a defeat for his team, also including Akitoshi Saito and
Masao Inoue, to
Mitsuharu Misawa, Akira Taue, and Jun Izumida. Smith didn't appear again in Pro Wrestling Noah until he went on a tour with them in November 2005, where he usually teamed up with fellow "
gaijins", or foreigners, most commonly Low Ki. He also teamed with
Nigel McGuinness,
Doug Williams and
Scorpio on various occasions throughout November and December 2005. At the start of 2006, Smith returned to the
United States, where he began competing for New Wrestling Superstars. The next night at
Injustice II, Smith interrupted a match between Grizzly Redwood and Chris Escobar, and attacked both men. At the
Caged Collision pay-per-view, which was taped on January 31, Smith attacked
Bryan Danielson, during a number one contender's match,
powerbombing him on the floor and giving him a
concussion. Smith made his in-ring debut on February 6, at
Proving Ground 2009 Night One. He
quickly defeated Sal Rinauro gaining the victory with the Skull Vise Slam. The next night at
Proving Ground Night Two, Smith gained his second victory, defeating John Kermon. On the March 4 edition of the
ROH Video Wire, it was revealed that
Prince Nana, a
manager who had just recently returned to ROH, was controlling Smith. Smith had his first loss in ROH on March 13 at ''Stylin' and Profilin''', when he lost to Danielson by
countout. Smith made his debut in the
Hammerstein Ballroom in
New York City in a losing effort teaming with the returning
Jimmy Rave against Danielson and the returning
Colt Cabana on March 21. Smith, with Rave and Ernie Osiris, then joined the newly reformed
Embassy faction, led by Prince Nana. == Death ==