Early career (2001–2003) Heidenreich began training at
California-based
Ultimate Pro Wrestling before he was first signed to a
World Wrestling Federation developmental contract in 2001 after he impressed
Bruce Prichard. After weeks of trying to secure a tryout match, he was finally granted one on the October 27 episode of
Raw, teaming with
The Hurricane to defeat
La Resistance. On the November 3 episode of
Raw, he teamed with
Trish Stratus to defeat
Victoria and
Stevie Richards. Over the next month, Heidenreich remained undefeated, before his streak was snapped by
Rico on the December 14 edition of
Sunday Night Heat before
Armageddon. On the February 8, 2004, episode of
Heat, Heidenreich was defeated by
Rob Van Dam. After wrestling a few more times, Heidenreich disappeared from WWE television around May 2004. In an interview with ThePainClinic.net in 2007, Heidenreich revealed that "Little Johnny" was actually meant to be a small doll that represented his
inner child who was still angry at being born in a charity hospital. He stated that he used the character in OVW and brought the doll out to the ring with him in the same vein as
Al Snow used to bring out the styrofoam head. According to Heidenreich, the angle was supposedly inspired by his own childhood where he spoke to a doll himself at one point. In 2008, former WWE writer
Dan Madigan revealed that in 2004 he had pitched directly to
Vince McMahon an idea to have Heidenreich return as a
Nazi stormtrooper named Baron Von Bava, who had been
cryogenically frozen before being revived by
Paul Heyman (a
Jewish son of a
Holocaust survivor), complete with Heidenreich wearing the red armband with the
swastika and even
goose-stepping to the ring. While WWE would eventually have Heyman manage Heidenreich, the pitch was considered so shocking that McMahon left the board room speechless and did not return for the rest of the day. The pitch led to Madigan leaving WWE later that year.
Feud with The Undertaker (2004–2005) in 2004 He returned on the August 26, 2004, episode of
SmackDown! as a
heel under the
management of
Paul Heyman. His new gimmick was as a psychopath:
running in during random matches, attacking fans, and reciting hateful
poetry, which he referred to as "Disasterpieces." On the September 16 episode of
SmackDown!, he attacked commentator
Michael Cole and dragged him backstage and "raped" him. In a 2008 interview, Heidenreich explained that the Cole rape angle was McMahon's idea, and that
Pulp Fiction came to mind when
Stephanie McMahon approached him with the idea. His first
feud came against
The Undertaker, and began after Heidenreich ran in during The Undertaker's
WWE Championship match against
John "Bradshaw" Layfield (JBL) at
No Mercy. The Undertaker beat Heidenreich at the next month's
Survivor Series, but again Heidenreich cost him a WWE Championship match at December's
Armageddon when he interfered in the main event
fatal four-way match not once, but twice. At
WWE Tribute to the Troops on
December 23, Heidenreich lost to The Undertaker via countout. On the January 6, 2005, episode of
SmackDown!, Heidenreich and Heyman lost to The Undertaker in a 2-on-1 handicap match, after Heyman was pinned. After the match, Heyman was placed in a casket by The Undertaker, writing him off television. At
Royal Rumble on January 30, he faced The Undertaker in a
casket match. Midway through the match,
Snitsky from the
Raw brand interfered on Heidenreich's behalf. However, after opening the casket, it was revealed that
Kane was hidden in the casket, who pounced on both Snitsky and Heidenreich; they continued their fight in the crowd, while Heidenreich lost the match. This started a chain reaction of feuds, originally planned to lead to a match at
WrestleMania 21 in which The Undertaker would partner with Kane to take on Snitsky and Heidenreich. This idea was later nixed; The Undertaker instead fought
Randy Orton and Kane was placed into the
Money in the Bank ladder match. The feud between the four instead culminated at a
live event on February 6, with The Undertaker and Kane getting the win.
Teaming with Animal and departure (2005–2006) At
No Way Out, Heidenreich lost to
Booker T by disqualification after hitting Booker T with a steel chair. On the March 3 episode of
SmackDown!, Heidenreich faced Booker T in a rematch, which ended in a disqualification win for Heidenreich after Booker T performed a
DDT on a chair. Heidenreich and Booker T faced once again on the March 10 episode of
SmackDown! in a no disqualification match, which ended with Booker T decisively defeating Heidenreich. On the March 17 episode of
SmackDown!, Heidenreich read Booker T a poem, thanking him for encouraging him to show the "real" Heidenreich,
turning face in the process. Heidenreich participated in a 30-man battle royal at WrestleMania 21, which was won by Booker T. Heidenreich went on to feud with
MNM (
Melina,
Johnny Nitro, and
Joey Mercury) after they attacked him while he was eating chocolate with
divas on the June 16 episode of
SmackDown!. After being attacked week in and week out by the trio, he was finally helped out by
Road Warrior Animal on the July 14 episode of
SmackDown!. Animal and Heidenreich then challenged MNM to a match at the
Great American Bash, where they defeated them to win the
WWE Tag Team Championship. On the July 28 episode of
SmackDown!, Heidenreich reluctantly shaved his hair into a
mohawk at Animal's request. After Animal convinced him he wasn't looking for a "replacement" for
Road Warrior Hawk, but simply a partner with talent, Animal talked him into wearing face paint and, on the August 18
SmackDown!, he was made an "official" member of the
Legion of Doom and presented with a pair of Road Warrior spikes. On the October 28 episode of
SmackDown!, the Road Warriors lost the WWE Tag Team Championship back to MNM in a match also involving
The Mexicools and
William Regal and
Paul Burchill. Heidenreich wrestled his final match, teaming up with Animal to defeat
Nunzio and
Vito, on the December 30 edition of
Velocity. On January 17, 2006, WWE announced that Heidenreich had been released from his contract.
World Wrestling Council (2006–2007) during the Hulkamania Tour in 2009. After his run in the WWE, Heidenreich moved on to
World Wrestling Council, where he defeated Abbad on October 28, 2006, to win the
WWC Universal Heavyweight Championship, the top title in the
Puerto Rico based promotion. Two months later he lost the title to
Carlito at the Lockout event. However, he was given the title back when Carlito was stripped of the title due to Carlito's contractual compromises with
World Wrestling Entertainment. He lost the title a second time to
Eddie Colón, Carlito's brother, on January 6, 2007.
Independent circuit (2007–2009, 2016–2018) After leaving the WWE, Heidenreich made his debut in
All-American Wrestling, a
Louisiana-based promotion on May 19, 2007, where he defeated J.T. Lamotta. On May 18, 2008, he teamed with
Rodney Mack to defeat Latinos Locos for the promotion's Tag Team Championship. However, the title was vacated soon afterwards due to interference in the original title match. On December 14, Heidenreich won the promotion's Heavyweight Championship in a
three way Loser Leaves AAW match involving then-champion
The Angel of Sinn and Haniel, in which he pinned Angel to win the title. He retired from professional wrestling soon after. Heidenreich wrestled several matches in 2016, including for New York-based promotion Warriors of Wrestling on June 11, 2016, against Juba. The match ended in a double disqualification. He faced off against a
Doink the Clown impersonator at an event in a
Golden Corral parking lot in May 2016, with the bizarre encounter gaining the attention of
WrestleCrap. On November 12, 2017, Heidenreich won the 302 Wrestling Heavyweight Championship; however the title was immediately retired after his win. ==Other media==