Nathan Jones, dubbed ‘The Colossus of Boggo Road’, joined the WWE in 2002. After a successful tenure with Andrew McManus’ World Wrestling All-Stars, Jones set out to compete with the best of the best. The nearly 7ft. tall and incredibly chiseled Australian, made his debut as the protégé of the Undertaker. Although Jones held the WWA Title, many felt he needed a bit of seasoning before he entered WWE title contention.
As the weeks progressed, Nathan and the Undertaker were involved in a heated feud with the Big Show and A-Train. This would culminate in a huge showdown at Wrestle mania XIX, as the four were set to do battle in a tag team match. This would be the first high profile match for Jones, but would not produce the outcome he had hoped for. Nathan was attacked before the match, leaving the Phenom to fend for himself. Although injured, Jones would return during the closing moments of the match to attack the Big Show. This allowed The Undertaker to pin A-Train for the victory.
It was then decided that Nathan be sent to OVW, WWE’s development territory, to brush up on his skills. To coincide with his move to Louisville, a storyline was put into place on Smack Down! Which saw the Full Blooded Italians attack Jones and injure his ankle. In a land of giants, including A-Train, Big Show, Matt Morgan, and Brock Lesnar, Nathan was viewed just as powerful but still a bit ‘green’.
Jones, however, would soon return with a new monster persona, and a gimmick based on his time in an Australian prison. He was repackaged as the unstoppable ‘Colossus of Boggo Road’, and had greatly improved his in-ring and microphone skills. Upon his return, he was placed into Brock Lesnar’s Survivor Series team, which consisted of A-Train, Big Show, and Matt Morgan. They battled Kurt Angle’s team at the pay per view but came up a bit short. Although Team Lesnar put on a valiant effort, the loss relegated Jones and other members to sporadic run-ins and minimal appearances.
Nathan was merely used as a henchman for Lesnar and Paul Heyman, but did manage to land a spot on the upcoming WWE Passport to Smack Down! Tour. The tour would cover several Australian cities, including Perth, and it seemed Jones was excited about performing in front of his fellow countrymen. On December 6, 2003, Nathan shocked the wrestling world when he quit the WWE. Much to the dismay of his fans, Nathan cited the WWE’s hectic traveling schedules as the primary factor in his decision. He also noted his problems with dyslexia, and flying through a recent snowstorm as other reasons. Heyman, Big Show, and Lesnar did their best to convince Jones to stay, but he had enough and simply wanted out.
Many fans felt Jones did not do the right thing, especially in the middle of a tour. There were others who disagreed, and felt Nathan was very honest in his decision. He put his well being first, and also that of his family who he missed very much. Jones would go on to land a few movie roles, including films like ‘Troy’, but would not recapture his previous glory in wrestling. After a few independent appearances, Nathan would sign with TNA in early 2008. His debut, however, was postponed to a later date due to Jones being the victim of a hit and run accident. This occurred while Nathan was jogging in Bangkok, and resulted in a severe injury to his left arm. Jones is still under contract with TNA while rehabbing his injury, and his fans anxiously await his return.
