Lash LeRoux

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Lash LeRoux
Birth nameMark LeRoux[1]
Born (1976-11-22) November 22, 1976 (age 47)[2]
Anniston, Alabama, United States[1]
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)Corporal Cajun[2][3]
Lash LeRoux[2][3]
Mark LeRoux[4]
Billed height5 ft 10 in (178 cm)[3]
Billed weight215 lb (98 kg)[3]
Billed fromNew Orleans, Louisiana
Trained byWCW Power Plant[2][3]
DebutJuly 25, 1998[3]
Retired2006[3]

Mark LeRoux (born November 22, 1976) is an American cartoonist, caricature artist and retired professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Lash LeRoux. He is best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling from the late-1990s to early-2000s.[1][2][3]

Early life

LeRoux grew up in Oxford, Alabama. He attended Oxford High School, where he was a junior high state finalist in amateur wrestling in two successive years. In his junior year he came third in the varsity state tournament. LeRoux also played football for the Oxford High Yellow Jackets, and in 1993 his team won the Alabama State Football Championship. After graduating from high school, LeRoux attended Jacksonville State University, studying towards a pre-med degree. He later decided to take a year out in order to focus on his burgeoning career as a cartoonist.

Professional wrestling career

World Championship Wrestling (1997–2001)

Training and early appearances (1997–1999)

In 1997 LeRoux saw an advertisement for the

squash matches.[4]

Cruiserweight Championship pursuits (1999–2000)

LeRoux debuted on Nitro on February 1, 1999, as "Lash LeRoux", a take off of Cajun

Cajun accent.[6]

LeRoux competed primarily in the

trunk of a car.[8]

He appeared sporadically on television, teaming with

Midnight and pursuing the Cruiserweight Championship once more.[9][10] He was fired in storyline by WCW President Eric Bischoff in April 2000 for not helping to protect him from Diamond Dallas Page, whose wife Kimberly
had betrayed him in order to align herself with Bischoff.

Misfits in Action (2000–2001)

LeRoux and several other wrestlers who had been fired by the disgruntled President returned several weeks later as the

New Blood or the face Millionaire's Club. All of the Misfits were given ranks, with LeRoux known as "Corporal Cajun".[11]

The M.I.A. feuded with the New Blood, with LeRoux helping Lieutenant Loco retain his Cruiserweight Championship. LeRoux and Loco won the WCW World Tag Team Championship on October 9, 2000, in Sydney, Australia, defeating New Blood members Mark Jindrak and Sean O'Haire, but lost the belts just minutes later in an instant rematch ordered by commissioner Mike Sanders (also a New Blood member).[12] The M.I.A. also feuded with Team Canada, who had taken possession of the United States Heavyweight Championship and renamed it the "Canadian Heavyweight Championship", during which time M.I.A.'s valet, Major Gunns turned on them and joined Team Canada.[13]

The M.I.A. gradually disbanded in late 2000 and early 2001, with the departure of Loco and Sergeant A.W.O.L. precipitating the end of the stable. On January 23, 2001, the leader of the M.I.A., General Rection, requested LeRoux's M.I.A. shirt, informing him that he had been "honorably discharged". LeRoux began wrestling as Lash LeRoux once more, and returned to the cruiserweight division. His last appearance on WCW television was on the February 19 episode of Nitro, where he challenged United States Champion Rick Steiner and was easily defeated.[14]

World Wrestling Federation (2001–2002)

Following the purchase of WCW by the World Wrestling Federation in March 2001, LeRoux was signed to a three-year developmental contract by the WWF in April 2001.[15] Along with several other former WCW wrestlers, he was sent to the Heartland Wrestling Association to further his training. LeRoux was released in December 2001, later stating he preferred to pursue other options after it became apparent the WWF had no plans for him in the immediate future.[2][11][16]

Late career (2002–2006)

LeRoux appeared on the inaugural Total Nonstop Action Wrestling pay-per-view on June 19, 2002, competing in the Gauntlet for the Gold where he was eliminated by Jeff Jarrett.[15] The following week, LeRoux suffered a neck injury while working on the independent circuit, and was initially told that he needed surgery.[15] He consulted a second doctor, however, and underwent seven months of physical rehabilitation without surgery until his neck healed.[15] From April to July 2004, LeRoux travelled south to Orlando, Florida and appeared occasionally on TNA's secondary television show Xplosion.

LeRoux also competed for a number of independent

promotions, including Georgia Championship Wrestling and NWA Wrestle Birmingham and made a number of appearances in Deep South Wrestling
.

Retirement (2006–present)

LeRoux has also worked as a cartoonist, and his work has been featured in multiple publications and websites including Pro Wrestling Illustrated and The Wrestler.[11] During his tenure in WCW, he drew a series of single-panel comics for WCW Magazine called Lashing Out.[11]

After retiring from professional wrestling, LeRoux became a pastor.[1]

Personal life

LeRoux has two brothers, older brother Joseph and younger brother James, and younger twin sisters, Terri and Sherri Creswell.[17] LeRoux married his high school sweetheart, Elizabeth, on December 22, 1997.[17]

LeRoux is close friends with fellow WCW alumni and

Four Horsemen.[11][15]

LeRoux is Christian.[1]

Championships and accomplishments

Notes and references

  1. ^ a b c d e "Wrestling with God: A former pro wrestler returns home to serve as a youth minister". The Anniston Star. May 26, 2012. Retrieved December 31, 2018.
  2. ^ .
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Philip Kreikenbohm. "Lash LeRoux". Cagematch.net. Retrieved December 31, 2018.
  4. ^ a b "WorldWide report on January 16, 1999".
  5. ^ "WCW Nitro Year-By-Year - 1999 - February 2, 1999". Online World of Wrestling. 1999-02-02. Retrieved 2009-04-22.
  6. .
  7. Canadian Online Explorer. Archived from the original on July 17, 2012. Retrieved 2009-04-22.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link
    )
  8. Canadian Online Explorer. Archived from the original on July 22, 2012. Retrieved 2009-04-22.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link
    )
  9. ^ "WCW Nitro Year-By-Year - 2000 - February 21, 2000". Online World of Wrestling. 2000-02-21. Retrieved 2009-04-22.
  10. ^ "WCW Nitro Year-By-Year - 2000 - March 20, 2000". Online World of Wrestling. 2000-03-20. Retrieved 2009-04-22.
  11. ^ a b c d e f Nemer, Paul (2002-02-24). "Lash LeRoux Interview: Discusses WCW, WWF/HWA & More". WrestleView. Retrieved 2009-04-22.
  12. ^ a b Duncan, Royal. "WCW - World Championship Wrestling WCW World Tag Team Title History". Solie. Retrieved 2008-07-04.
  13. ^ "Misfits In Action". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2009-04-22.
  14. ^ "WCW Nitro Year-By-Year - 2001 - February 19, 2001". Online World of Wrestling. 2001-02-19. Retrieved 2009-04-22.
  15. ^ a b c d e "Exklusivinterview mit Lash LeRoux". Genickbruch.com. 2003-03-21. Retrieved 2009-04-22.
  16. ^ "Federation releases eight developmental talents, Rios". WWF.com. 5 December 2001. Archived from the original on 7 December 2001. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  17. ^ a b Stated in the December 1999 issue of WOW Magazine

See also

  • The Misfits in Action

External links