Kieran Evans better known by his ring name Kez Evans is a Scottish professional wrestler.[4] He is most well known for his work in Insane Championship Wrestling[5][6] where he is a former ICW World Heavyweight Champion,[7] ICW Zero-G Champion[8] and winner of the 2020 Square Go! match.[9]

Kez Evans
Birth nameKieran Evans
Born (1995-03-19) March 19, 1995 (age 29)
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)Kez Evans
Billed weight222 lb (101 kg)
Billed fromGlasgow, Scotland
Trained by
BT Gunn
Lionheart
Stevie Boy
Jack Jester
Wolfgang[1][2][3]
Debut2015

Evans is also a pro wrestling trainer, coaching at Wolfgang's Iron Girders Wrestling Gym.[10]

Professional wrestling career

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Kez Evans trained at the Glasgow Pro Wrestling Asylum[11][3] and spent his early career wrestling on GPWA events,[1][12][13] as well as for his trainer Lionheart's Pro Wrestling Elite promotion.[14][15]

Evans became a regular for Insane Championship Wrestling.[16][17] His notable early victories included wins over BT Gunn at ICW: I Ain't Yer Pal, Dickface! and ICW: Shug's Hoose Party 5 , Kay Lee Ray on ICW Fight Club and Ilja Dragunov at ICW Fear & Loathing XII.[18][19][20]

On 2 February 2020, Evans won the Square Go! rumble match to earn a future title shot.[21] After feuding with Craig Anthony,[22][23][24] Evans successfully cashed in his Square Go! contract against Anthony to become the ICW Zero-G Champion.[25] Evans held the title for 141 days, successfully defending against Adam Maxted[26] before losing it to Daz Black.[27]

In August 2021, Evans made his debut in the Pro Wrestling Illustrated PWI 500 with a No. 299 ranking.[28]

On 21 November 2021, Evans defeated JAXN for the ICW World Heavyweight Championship at ICW: Fear & Loathing XIII.[29] Holding the title for 364 days, Evans defended against Grado, Jack Jester, Wolfgang and Mark Haskins[30][7][31][32] in matches aired on the WWE Network before losing to Leyton Buzzard at ICW: Fear & Loathing XIV.[33][34][35]

Outside of ICW, Evans has also competed for British Championship Wrestling where he defeated Andy Wild at BCW: Back To Business[36] as well Fife Pro Wrestling Asylum with whom Iron Girders Pro Wrestling had two collaborative events.[37] For these events, Evans defeated Jason Reed,[38][39] fought Andy Roberts to a no-contest in a match for the Union of European Wrestling Alliances European Heavyweight Championship[40] and teamed with Gunn in a victory over Roberts and Reed.[38]

On 5 February 2023, Evans challenged Josh Alexander for the Impact Wrestling World Championship in a losing effort.[41][42][43]

Evans placed in the PWI 500 for the third time on 14 September 2023, ranking at 206.[44][45][46]

Championships and accomplishments

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References

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  1. ^ a b Morrison, Adam (19 August 2019). "Three New Coaches Join GPWA".
  2. ^ Sinclair, Andrew (24 June 2019). "Say My Name I'm History: Remembering Adrian 'Lionheart' McCallum". Voices of Wrestling.
  3. ^ a b Retweet, Suplex (9 September 2019). "Kez Evans Interview - Eat Sleep Suplex Retweet - Wrestling Podcast".
  4. ^ Livingstone, Elaine (29 October 2019). "Glasgow Lives, Kieran: 'My wrestling character is quite a bully'". GlasgowLive.
  5. ^ Mordenga, Michael (7 April 2021). "What is Insane Championship Wrestling?".
  6. ^ "ICW Lionheart League Final now available on WWE Network". WWE.
  7. ^ a b Tarrier, Lee (1 September 2022). "ICW Champion Kez Evans Talks ICW in 2022, Grado & Challenges NXT UK Stars - PWMania - Wrestling News".
  8. ^ "ICW Fight Club Quick Results (09/04/21) Feat. Handicap Main Event, Kez Evans Making a Challenge and Daz Black in Action | WWE Network News". 6 September 2021.
  9. ^ a b c "SWN100 – Number 7". 18 December 2022.
  10. ^ "What Scottish schools can learn from professional wrestling". HeraldScotland. 20 August 2023.
  11. ^ Writer, Guest (15 November 2019). "Celebrating Five Years Of Glasgow Pro Wrestling Asylum".
  12. ^ "Review: GPWA 'A Night At The Asylum 3'". 25 January 2019.
  13. ^ "Review: GPWA 'A Night At The Asylum'". 6 September 2017.
  14. ^ a b c Morrison, Adam (13 August 2018). "Wrestler Spotlight: Kez Evans".
  15. ^ Morrison, Adam (19 July 2019). "PWE At The Citadel: By The Numbers".
  16. ^ Cassidy, Gary (16 October 2019). "ICW News: Kid Fite vs Kez Evans confirmed for France 2000". www.sportskeeda.com.
  17. ^ Wilson, Steven (29 November 2019). "5 Scottish stars that should be featured more in ICW in 2020". www.sportskeeda.com.
  18. ^ Sinclair, Andrew (6 August 2018). "ICW Shugs Hoose Party 5 Night 2 Results & Review". Voices of Wrestling.
  19. ^ Cassidy, Gary (22 October 2019). "ICW News: Ilja Dragunov unveiled as Kez Evans' Fear & Loathing XII opponent". www.sportskeeda.com.
  20. ^ Clark, Ryan (1 November 2020). "WWE Adds New Independent Content To The WWE Network".
  21. ^ Pearson, John (19 August 2022). "10 Wrestlers You Didn't Know Competed In Scotland's ICW Promotion". TheSportster.
  22. ^ "411MANIA". ICW: Barred to Hold Every Match Inside Steel Cage, Will Stream on WWE Network.
  23. ^ "All-Steel Cage Match event from ICW arrives on Peacock and WWE Network". WWE.
  24. ^ Tarrier, Lee (16 November 2022). "Exclusive: Craig Anthony Opens Up About ICW's Current Direction and Future, Fear and Loathing, More - PWMania - Wrestling News".
  25. ^ G, Joey (18 November 2022). "Craig Anthony Talks His Work In ICW, What ICW Has In Store For Its Future".
  26. ^ Staff, PWMania com (4 July 2021). "WWE Network and Peacock Adds New Independent Wrestling Content - PWMania - Wrestling News".
  27. ^ "New Zero-G Champion Crowned - Insane Championship Wrestling". www.insanewrestling.co.uk. 23 September 2021.
  28. ^ "PWI 500 2021 List In Full". 21 September 2021.
  29. ^ Mordenga, Michael (6 January 2022). "ICW: Fear and Loathing XIII Recap and Results".
  30. ^ "ICW Fight Club Quick Results (01/12/22) Feat. Kez Evans vs NXT's Wolfgang for World Title, Sinergy Debuts and Vibes Returns | WWE Network News". 18 January 2022.
  31. ^ "Two Doors Down star Grado to appear in wrestling event in Glasgow". uk.style.yahoo.com. 21 July 2022.
  32. ^ Glasgow, What's On. "BBC stars to appear at huge summer weekend of wrestling | News". What's On Glasgow.
  33. ^ "ICW Results: Fear & Loathing XIV – Glasgow, Scotland (11/20)". www.wrestling-news.net. 21 November 2022.
  34. ^ "ICW Fear and Loathing XIV Quick Results Feat. ICW World Title Four Way, She-Wolves Fight For Women's Title and Jester vs Gunn | WWE Network News". 18 December 2022.
  35. ^ "*SPOILERS* Full Results: Insane Championship Wrestling 'Fear & Loathing XIV' (20 Nov 2022)". 21 November 2022.
  36. ^ https://www.cagematch.net/?id=1&nr=357606
  37. ^ "Wrestling: Crowd enthralled as Fife Pro Wrestling Asylum boss Andrew Inch defends heayweight crown for 19th time".
  38. ^ a b "Full Results: Iron Girders Pro Wrestling (@IronGirdersGym) 'vs Fife Pro Wrestling Asylum (@FPWAsylum)' (2 Jun 2023)". 2 June 2023.
  39. ^ Writer, Guest (30 May 2023). "Preview: Fife Pro Wrestling Asylum (@FPWAsylum) 'vs Iron Girders Pro Wrestling (@IronGirdersGym)' (1 Jun 2023)".
  40. ^ "Third match confirmed for Iron Girders Pro Wrestling (@IronGirdersGym) 'vs Fife Pro Wrestling Asylum (@FPWAsylum)' (2 Jun 2023)". 2 May 2023.
  41. ^ "A Chronological List of Key Scottish Moments in Impact Wrestling History". 19 October 2023.
  42. ^ "The Motor City Machine Guns Heading To GCW, Jeff Hardy Update, Raw Talent Meeting Notes | Fight Size | Fightful News". www.fightful.com.
  43. ^ https://www.cagematch.net/en?id=111&nr=72187
  44. ^ "The 2023 PWI 500 (December 2023) – PWI Pro Wrestling Illustrated". 9 August 2023.
  45. ^ "Full List For 2023 PWI 500 Revealed". itrwrestling.com. 14 September 2023.
  46. ^ "Internet Wrestling Database - Kez Evans: Pro Wrestling Illustrated Ratings". www.profightdb.com.
  47. ^ "PWI 500: Every Unsigned British Wrestler". Grapple Theory.
  48. ^ Ross, Patrick (14 September 2022). "Full 2022 PWI 500 list revealed • AIPT". aiptcomics.com.
  49. ^ "PWI 500 2022 List Rankings Full List Male And Female Wrestlers". 16 September 2022.
  50. ^ "SWN Year End Awards Results". Scottish Wrestling Network. 14 March 2017. Archived from the original on 28 January 2023. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  51. ^ "SWN Year End Awards Results". 14 March 2017.
  52. ^ "Swn100 – 2022". 25 December 2022.