Chase Stevens
Chase Stevens, born Chase Bradley Stevens on January 17, 1979, in Santa Maria, California,[1][2] is an American professional wrestler, actor, and wrestling promoter, best known by his ring name "The Natural" Chase Stevens. He rose to prominence in the mid-2000s as a tag team specialist in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA, now Impact Wrestling), where he formed the acclaimed team The Naturals alongside Andy Douglas, managed by April Pennington, and captured the NWA World Tag Team Championship twice (in 2004 and 2005).[3][4] Their high-flying style and feuds with teams like America's Most Wanted helped define TNA's early X-Division era, earning them a reputation for athleticism and teamwork.[5] Throughout his career, Stevens has competed extensively on the independent circuit, amassing multiple championships including the USWO Heavyweight Championship (won on several occasions between 2006 and later), the OPW Mid-South Championship in 2006, and the UCW Southern Heavyweight title.[3] Standing at 6 feet tall and weighing 220 pounds, he trained under Tracy Smothers and debuted in the late 1990s under various personas such as Glacius, Lance Taylor, and Shadow Walker before adopting his signature "Natural" gimmick.[3][6] A notable setback occurred in 2005 when he suffered a neck injury—a small fracture of the C-5/C-6 vertebrae and a herniated disc—during a TNA match, yet he returned to wrestling and was released from the promotion in 2007.[3] As of 2025, the 46-year-old Stevens remains active as a freelancer on the independent scene, frequently teaming in tag matches and challenging for titles such as the NWA Mid-America Heavyweight Championship.[7][8] He is also a three-time world tag team champion across promotions, co-owner of the Arcadian Wrestling Association (AWA), and has ventured into acting with roles in films like Code 207 (2011) and Area of Conflict (2017), as well as motivational speaking.[9][1] His finisher, the Shooting Star Press, exemplifies his aerial prowess, and he resides in Nashville, Tennessee, where he operates businesses including a mobile detailing service and wellness products.[3][8]Early life and background
Childhood and boxing career
Chase Stevens was born Chase Ryan Clark on January 17, 1979, in Washington, Indiana.[10] He was raised in Washington, Indiana, where he developed an early interest in combat sports.[11] Stevens began boxing in the fifth grade and pursued it competitively throughout his youth.[12] He attended high school in Washington, Indiana, continuing his boxing training and ultimately becoming a Golden Gloves boxing champion before graduating.[12] Following high school, Stevens enlisted in the military, briefly stepping away from competitive athletics.[12] His transition to wrestling was motivated by personal aspirations in sports entertainment; in 1997, after observing a friend's professional wrestling training session in Evansville, Indiana, he sought out formal training to enter the industry.[12]Wrestling training and debut
In 1997, Chase Stevens began his professional wrestling training in Evansville, Indiana, under the guidance of trainers Tracy Smothers and Mike Samples as part of a 15-week program.[12] The regimen also included instruction from established wrestlers such as Curt Hennig, Barry Windham, and Marcus Bagwell, who contributed to his foundational skills in the ring.[12] Stevens' prior experience as a boxer helped build the athletic base necessary for wrestling's physical demands.[13] Stevens made his professional debut in 1998 during the fifth week of his training, adopting the ice-themed gimmick of "Glacius," a masked character inspired by a video game persona.[12] In his first match, he faced fellow trainee Johnny B. Dazzled in an untelevised bout and lost, later reflecting on the performance as a significant learning experience due to his inexperience.[12] This debut occurred within a local independent promotion, marking his entry into the independent wrestling circuit where he honed basic in-ring techniques.[11] Following his debut, Stevens experimented with several ring names, including Lance Taylor, Chase Bradley, and the masked Shadow Walker, as he refined his high-flying style characterized by moves like the Shooting Star Press.[11] His early matches remained untelevised and confined to small independent shows across the United States, allowing him to develop consistency without major exposure.[12] These initial outings emphasized tag team potential and aerial maneuvers, setting the stage for his evolving career.[7]Professional wrestling career
Early independent career (1998–2003)
Following his debut in 1998 under the masked gimmick of Glacius, Stevens quickly evolved into a high-flying tag team specialist on the independent circuit, focusing on regional promotions across the Midwest and Southeast. He first gained traction teaming with Blaze as "High Velocity" in the Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana wrestling loops, where the duo engaged in a notable four-month feud that concluded with Blaze's retirement due to injury.[12] This partnership honed Stevens' aerial style, emphasizing quick tags and high-risk maneuvers to captivate smaller crowds in promotions like Coliseum Championship Wrestling (CCW).[12] In 2001, Stevens partnered with Cassidy O'Reilly (later known as Cassidy Riley) to form "The Hotshots," a high-energy act that specialized in fast-paced tag matches and became a staple in southern independents such as USA Championship Wrestling and Memphis Wrestling. The team secured victories in key regional events, including a win over Big Bully Douglas and Mike Rapada at the Tojo Yamamoto Memorial Show on March 31, 2002. Their dynamic, with Stevens executing moves like the Shooting Star Press, provided consistent exposure and helped build their reputation as agile underdogs against more established pairs.[12] The Hotshots also ventured into early Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) pay-per-views in 2002, appearing in six events and facing teams like America's Most Wanted, which offered broader visibility without a full-time contract.[12] By early 2003, Stevens transitioned to a new partnership with Andy Douglas, forming "The Naturals" in USA Championship Wrestling, where they debuted with a focus on athletic tag wrestling that blended high-flying elements with technical prowess. This team quickly emerged as a promising unit, defeating opponents like Risky Business (Chris Vaughn and Rick Santel) on TNA Xplosion tapings, which caught the attention of TNA officials.[14] Their formation marked the culmination of Stevens' independent groundwork, positioning him for a major league opportunity later that year.[12]TNA/Impact Wrestling tenure (2003–2007)
Chase Stevens first appeared in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) in mid-2002 as part of the tag team The Hot Shots alongside Cassidy O'Reilly, where they competed primarily in the promotion's tag team division against established duos like America's Most Wanted (Chris Harris and James Storm).[11] By late 2003, Stevens transitioned to a new partnership, forming The Naturals with Andy Douglas, a team that quickly established itself in TNA's tag team landscape through an intense and prolonged feud with America's Most Wanted, which highlighted their aggressive, high-energy style and positioned them as key players in the division.[15] The Naturals' rivalry with America's Most Wanted culminated in their first major success when they captured the NWA World Tag Team Championship on July 7, 2004, during a TNA pay-per-view event, defeating the champions in a shocking 12-second match after James Storm accidentally struck referee Rudy Charles with a title belt, allowing Stevens and Douglas to capitalize with a quick pinfall.[15] During this initial 63-day reign, The Naturals defended the titles against notable challengers, including a successful retention over Triple X (Elix Skipper and Christopher Daniels) on July 28, 2004, and another victory against 3 Live Kru (BG James and Konnan) in August 2004, showcasing their resilience in multi-man and cage matches that emphasized the promotion's six-sided ring format.[15] The reign ended on September 8, 2004, at TNA's Turning Point event, where an injured Daniels was replaced by Harris, who teamed with Skipper to defeat The Naturals in a hard-fought contest, capitalizing on miscommunication between Stevens and Douglas to secure the pin.[15] In early 2005, The Naturals aligned with manager Chris Candido, a veteran wrestler who provided strategic guidance and elevated their profile by integrating them into the dominant Planet Jarrett stable, which bolstered their heel persona and set the stage for further title contention.[16] Under Candido's management, they regained the NWA World Tag Team Championship on April 24, 2005, in a taped match against America's Most Wanted that aired on TNA Impact! on April 29, defeating the champions through a combination of Candido's interference and their signature double-team maneuvers.[15] Tragically, Candido suffered a severe leg injury during a steel cage match at TNA's Lockdown on April 24, 2005, and died four days later on April 28 from complications including acute pneumonia, leaving The Naturals without their key advisor just as they ascended to the top of the tag division.[17] Following Candido's passing, Jimmy Hart stepped in as The Naturals' manager in mid-2005, bringing his bombastic promotional style to help them maintain momentum during their second championship reign, which lasted 169 days and included defenses that underscored their adaptability in TNA's evolving storylines.[18] A pivotal defense occurred at TNA's Slammiversary on June 19, 2005, where Hart's ringside interference assisted The Naturals in retaining the titles against Team Canada (Petey Williams and Eric Young) in a Six Sides of Steel match, preventing a potential upset and solidifying their status as fan favorites despite their heel alignments.[19] Additional defenses, such as against America's Most Wanted in ladder and cage variations throughout the summer, highlighted the team's technical prowess and Hart's role in rallying crowd support, though internal tensions within TNA's tag division began to surface as competing factions vied for dominance.[15] The second reign concluded on October 11, 2005, at TNA's Bound for Glory, when America's Most Wanted reclaimed the championships in a grueling rematch, exposing cracks in The Naturals' unity amid the promotion's shifting creative directions.[20] By spring 2006, Shane Douglas assumed managerial duties for The Naturals, leveraging his experience as "The Franchise" to reposition them as contenders once more, though the team struggled with inconsistent booking and failed pushes in TNA's increasingly crowded roster.[21] Despite sporadic victories and appearances on TNA programming, including tag matches against rising teams like the Latin American Xchange, The Naturals could not recapture their earlier momentum, as internal TNA dynamics favored newer talent and storylines, leading to diminished opportunities.[15] On May 10, 2007, both Stevens and Douglas were released from their TNA contracts, a decision attributed to budget constraints and a roster overhaul that prioritized established stars, marking the end of The Naturals' full-time run in the promotion.[22]WWE appearances (2007–2008, 2012)
In 2007, Stevens, alongside his tag team partner Andy Douglas as The Naturals, garnered interest from WWE due to their successful tenure as NWA World Tag Team Champions in TNA. The duo was scheduled for a tryout match at a Raw taping on September 17, 2007, but the opportunity was rescinded after Douglas publicly announced it on his MySpace page without WWE's approval, leading to the cancellation and no further engagement at the time.[23][24] Stevens received another chance with WWE in 2008 through several tryout appearances across its brands. On March 18, 2008, during a SmackDown taping in Kansas City, Missouri, Stevens teamed with Andy Douglas and Luke Hawx in a losing handicap match against The Big Show, lasting just over a minute before the submission finish.[25] Later that year, on September 16, 2008, at an ECW taping in New York City, Stevens competed in a singles tryout bout against Jack Swagger, losing via pinfall in 1:46 after a gutwrench powerbomb. The following week, on September 23, 2008, during another ECW taping, he faced Mike Knox in a similar tryout match and was defeated by pinfall following a spotlight splash. These quick losses in the tryouts contributed to WWE's decision not to offer Stevens a developmental contract, resulting in his release shortly thereafter and a return to the independent circuit.[25][11][13] Stevens made brief dark match appearances for WWE in 2012 without securing a roster spot. On March 12, 2012, he participated in a tryout during the RAW SuperShow event in Cleveland, Ohio. The next evening, March 13, 2012, he appeared at the SmackDown tapings in Indianapolis, Indiana, though details of the matches remain unreported and no contract was extended, maintaining his status as a non-roster talent.[26][13]Independent circuit and later TNA returns (2007–present)
Following his departure from Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) in 2007, Chase Stevens resumed wrestling on the independent circuit, primarily in the southeastern United States, competing in various regional promotions such as Showtime All-Star Wrestling (SAW), Bayou Independent Wrestling (BIW), Championship Championship Wrestling (CCW), and Heroes & Legends Wrestling (HLW).[11] In SAW, he secured a victory over Hammerjack on July 18, 2008, establishing his presence in Tennessee-based events shortly after his WWE developmental stint served as a brief career pivot.[11] Stevens continued to build momentum through consistent bookings, often portraying a reliable veteran performer known for high-energy matches and tag team expertise honed from his earlier TNA days. Stevens maintained an active schedule in BIW, highlighted by his singles win over Hunter Law on November 11, 2023, during the Courage & Sacrifice event in Vicksburg, Mississippi.[27] He followed this with a tag team triumph alongside Bam Bam Malone against Angel Camacho and Nightmare Jeremiah on January 13, 2024, in another BIW show.[11] In CCW, Stevens remained a mainstay, defeating LG3 on August 24, 2024, and competing in additional bouts throughout the year, including an unsuccessful challenge for the CCW Southeastern Heavyweight Championship against champion Alex Chamberlain on August 12, 2022.[11] His 2023 appearances in HLW included challenging for the Smoky Mountain Heavyweight Championship, where he lost the title to Suge D on May 13 at HLW XIX and failed to regain it on August 26 at HLW XX, both events at the Evergreen Smoky Mountain Lodge in Sevierville, Tennessee.[25][28] Amid his independent commitments, Stevens made sporadic returns to TNA (later Impact Wrestling), participating in a 10-man battle royal on the March 17, 2013, episode of Impact Wrestling, which celebrated past talent.[25] He also appeared at the TNA One Night Only: 10 Year Reunion taping on August 2, 2013, where he was eliminated by Matt Morgan in a multi-man match.[29] His most recent TNA appearance came on June 19, 2022, at Slammiversary, entering the Reverse Battle Royal during the pre-show Countdown segment alongside competitors like Chris Bey and Shark Boy.[30] Over time, Stevens evolved into a respected veteran on the independent scene, leveraging his two decades of experience to mentor younger talent while remaining a competitive force. In 2016, he co-founded the Arcadian Wrestling Association (AWA) with promoter Leah Hulan, serving as co-owner and performer to bring professional wrestling to Tennessee communities like Knoxville and Spring Hill, with production investments exceeding $500,000 for events.[31][32] As of 2025, Stevens continues to wrestle actively, including a match against AJ Gray at Pro Wrestling Revenge on October 30, 2025, in Nashville, and a challenge for the NWA Mid-America Heavyweight Championship against Jeremiah Plunkett at Piledriver Pro Wrestling's Lockdown event on November 15, 2025, affirming his enduring role in the circuit.[33][34]Media career and other ventures
Acting roles
Chase Stevens began exploring acting opportunities following his prominence in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), leveraging his athletic background for roles in independent action and thriller films.[1] His feature film debut came in 2011 with Code 207 (also known as Chained: Code 207), an independent action thriller directed by Tino Struckmann, where Stevens portrayed the character Otto, a member of a criminal organization involved in human trafficking. The film also featured fellow TNA wrestler Crimson (Anthony Mayweather) as Sherman, highlighting connections between Stevens' wrestling peers and early acting endeavors.[35][36] Stevens continued with supporting roles in low-budget action films produced by Struckmann's Almighty Entertainment. In Expendable Assets (2016), he played Chance, a mercenary operative in a story inspired by real-world human trafficking and private military operations. The following year, 2017, saw two releases: Distress Code 1201, where he portrayed Thor, a henchman in a narrative about a soldier rescuing his kidnapped wife from traffickers,[37] and Area of Conflict, in which he appeared as the character Chase, a soldier navigating a war-torn zone.[38][39] As of November 2025, Stevens has not taken on any new credited acting roles, focusing instead on his wrestling career and other ventures.[1]Business and promotional activities
In addition to his wrestling career, Chase Stevens has engaged in various entrepreneurial ventures, including co-owning the Arcadian Wrestling Association (AWA), a professional wrestling promotion he launched in 2016 with businesswoman Leah Hulan.[31][40] The AWA focused on live events across Tennessee, featuring veteran wrestlers and high-production elements such as advanced lighting and equipment costing over $500,000, with shows held in venues like Knoxville and Spring Hill to build regional fan engagement; the promotion operated primarily in 2016 with no known events after that year.[31][41] Stevens, as an active wrestler and co-owner, emphasized family-friendly entertainment and collaborations with local sponsors like Grumpy's Bail Bonds.[42] Stevens also owns Stevens Mobile Detailing, a family-operated auto detailing service based in Clarksville, Tennessee, which provides interior and exterior cleaning with mobile convenience and military discounts.[43][44] He promotes the business through social media, offering quotes via text at 931-655-8081 and highlighting services that restore vehicles to a like-new condition. Complementing this, Stevens co-founded Valhalla Wellness in partnership with Jason Brisbane, an online retailer of health and wellness supplements, with a focus on supporting fitness journeys through verified, high-quality items.[45][46] Customers can access discounts using the code "CHASE" on the site, valhallawellness.online. Additionally, he owns Flawless Frenchies, a venture dedicated to French Bulldog breeding and sales, promoted via its dedicated Instagram account.[8] Beyond ownership, Stevens actively promotes wrestling events through his social media presence on Twitter (@NaturallyChase) and Instagram (@realchasestevens), where he announces and hypes shows like Coastal Championship Wrestling's (CCW) Music City Fight Night series in Nashville.[47][9] For instance, he shared details for Music City Fight Night 6 on March 15, 2025, at the Texas Troubadour Theatre, featuring title matches and his own participation, encouraging fan attendance with event times and lineups. These efforts extend his role as a public speaker, leveraging his wrestling background to engage audiences at live events and online.[8]Championships and accomplishments
American Pro Wrestling Alliance
- APWA World Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with various partners[7]
Big Bad Wrestling
- BBW Championship (1 time)[7]
- BBW 24/7 Championship (1 time)[7]
- BBW Tag Team Championship (2 times)[7]
Birchfield Promotions
- BPW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Andy Douglas[7]
Battle Zone Wrestling
- BZW Tag Team Championship (1 time)[7]
Coastal Championship Wrestling
- CCW International Championship (1 time)[7]
Entertainment Wrestling Organization
- EWO World Championship (1 time)[7]
Great Championship Wrestling
- GCW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Andy Douglas[7]
Hardcore Wrestling Federation
- HWF Cruiserweight Championship (1 time)[7]
International Wrestling Association
- IWA World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Andy Douglas[7]
New South Championship Wrestling
- New South Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[7]
North American Wrestling Alliance
- NAWA Championship (1 time)[7]
NWA Florida
- NWA Southern Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[7]
Omni Pro Wrestling
- OPW Mid-South Championship (1 time) – defeated Tracy Smothers on February 26, 2006[3]
Remix Pro Wrestling
- Remix Pro Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[7]
Showtime All-Star Wrestling
- SAW International Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[7]
SmashMouth Pro Wrestling
- SPW North American Championship (1 time)[7]
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling / Impact Wrestling
- NWA World Tag Team Championship (3 times) – with Andy Douglas (The Naturals)[48] ** July 7, 2004 – September 8, 2004 ** April 24, 2005 – June 19, 2005 ** October 8, 2005 – October 11, 2005
Totally Lethal Wrestling
- TLW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[7]
Tri-State International Wrestling Association
- TSIWA Cruiserweight Championship (1 time)[7]
- TSIWA Tag Team Championship (1 time)[7]
Ultimate Championship Wrestling
- UCW Southern Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[7]
United States Wrestling Organization
- USWO Heavyweight Championship (3 times)[7] ** October 13, 2006 – November 25, 2006 ** December 25, 2006 – date unknown ** Additional reign (date unknown)
United Wrestling Association
- UWA Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[7]
USA Championship Wrestling
- USACW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[7]
- USACW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Andy Douglas (October 16, 2004)[3]
Wrestle Birmingham
- Wrestle Birmingham Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[7]
WrestleForce
- WrestleForce Championship (1 time)[7]