Cheeseburger (wrestler) explained

Cheeseburger[1]
Birth Name:Brandel Littlejohn[2]
Birth Place:Trenton, New Jersey, U.S.[3]
Names:World Famous CB
Cheeseburger
Leech Landa[4]
Height:[5]
Weight:136lb
Trainer:Daizee Haze
Delirious
Lance Storm
Les Thatcher
Mike Quackenbush
Tom Prichard
Debut:April 5, 2012

Brandel[6] Littlejohn, better known by his ring name World Famous CB[1] (formerly Cheeseburger), is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances with Ring of Honor (ROH).[7] Despite mostly being used as a jobber due to his small stature, he is a perennial fan favorite among ROH fans.[8]

Early life

Littlejohn grew up in Trenton, New Jersey, and attended Trenton Catholic Academy in nearby Hamilton Township, where his interest in sports was limited to some basketball. He studied digital film at Mercer County Community College.[8]

Professional wrestling career

Early career (2012–2013)

Littlejohn began wrestling with the promotion Beyond Wrestling, where he competed as Leech Landa in a match in Philadelphia in September 2012. In 2013, he appeared in two matches with the promotion Wrestling Is...Respect! in Boonton, New Jersey.[4]

Ring of Honor (2013–present)

Littlejohn debuted in Ring of Honor on July 11, 2013, at the promotion's A Night of Hoopla event in Chicago.[3] Wrestling as Cheeseburger, he teamed with Roderick Strong to challenge reDRagon (Bobby Fish and Kyle O'Reilly) for the ROH World Tag Team Championship, unsuccessfully.[9] The kayfabe reason for his ring name came from when he was bullied in a segment by Charlie Haas,[10] but it was a name he acquired three years earlier, following a remark from Rhett Titus.[11]

In 2014, Cheeseburger twice unsuccessfully challenged Jay Lethal for the ROH World Television Championship: at the promotion's Second to None event in Baltimore[12] and its Road to Best in the World '14 show in Carbondale, Illinois.[13]

Cheeseburger was a part of a tag team called Brutal Burgers, teaming with "Brutal" Bob Evans. The two wrestlers feuded after the tag team split, culminating in the Final Battle kickoff, where Cheeseburger defeated Evans.[14]

In January 2016, Cheeseburger made another challenge to the World Television Championship, this time falling short against Roderick Strong in Collinsville, Illinois during ROH's Winter Warriors Tour.[15]

During the COVID Pandemic, Littlejohn thought about his career and his character, and seeing the Cheeseburger character as stagnant, so he decided to change his gimmick.[16] The week of Monday, February 1, 2021, Littlejohn announced on Twitter that he would no longer be using the "Cheeseburger" ring-name. It was revealed on ROH TV the following Friday, February 5 that he will now use the ringname "World Famous CB".[1]

During 2022, following Tony Khan's purchase of Ring of Honor, Littlejohn continued to appear at pay-per-view's, including a loss to The Gates of Agony during the Supercard of Honor XV Pre-show,[17] a loss to The Trust Busters during the Death Before Dishonor pre-show,[18] and a loss to Angelo Parker & Matt Menard at Final Battle where he teamed with Eli Isom.[19]

New Japan Pro-Wrestling (2016–2018)

On January 4, 2016, Cheeseburger made his surprise debut for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) by taking part in the New Japan Rumble in the pre-show of Wrestle Kingdom 10 in Tokyo Dome. He was eliminated from the match by Yoshi-Hashi.[20] Cheeseburger formed an on-screen friendship with NJPW wrestler Jushin Liger, which led to him adopting Liger's Shotei palm strike as a finishing move.[2]

Cheeseburger returned to NJPW on January 4, 2017, again taking part in the New Japan Rumble on the pre-show of Wrestle Kingdom 11 in Tokyo Dome. During the match, Cheeseburger scored an elimination over Bone Soldier and lasted until the end of the match, before being the final man eliminated by Michael Elgin.[21] The following day, Cheeseburger teamed up with Hiro Saito, Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Satoshi Kojima and Scott Norton in a ten-man tag team, where they defeated Bullet Club (Bad Luck Fale, Bone Soldier, Kenny Omega, Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa).[22]

At Wrestle Kingdom 12 in Tokyo Dome on January 4, 2018, Cheeseburger once again was the last competitor eliminated from the New Japan Rumble. He was pinned by Masahito Kakihara to end the match.[23] At New Year Dash !! the next night, he teamed with Roppongi 3K in a losing effort against Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks.[24]

Championships and accomplishments

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Blanchard . Matthew . Ring of Honor Results: World Famous CB vs. Tracy Williams . The Overtimer . 8 February 2021 . This is Cheeseburger, but we don’t call him that anymore. He’s now the World Famous CB, a ten year veterand and trainer in the ROH Dojo, who has wrestled in both the Tokyo Dome and Madison Square Garden..
  2. Web site: Ring of Honor. IS 2016 THE "YEAR OF THE BURGER"?. February 17, 2016.
  3. Web site: Ring of Honor. CHEESEBURGER - ROH Wrestling. February 17, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160303235905/http://www.rohwrestling.com/wrestlers/roster/cheeseburger#. 2016-03-03. dead.
  4. Web site: Internet Wrestling Database. Cheeseburger: Profile & Match Listing. February 17, 2016.
  5. Web site: Cheeseburger. CageMatch.net. February 17, 2016.
  6. Web site: his name is brandel . 2023-05-04 . Tumblr . en-US.
  7. Web site: ROH re-opening wrestling school as "ROH Dojo". Caldwell. Enrique Quirez . July 14, 2016. July 14, 2016. Pro Wrestling Torch.
  8. Web site: Ring of Honor fans enjoy making Cheeseburger a top seller. Varsallone. Jim. April 30, 2016. January 4, 2018. Miami Herald.
  9. Web site: The Internet Wrestling Database. ROH Unauthorized Presents: A Night of Hoopla. February 17, 2016.
  10. Web site: 411Mania.com. Column of Honor Special Comment 2.23.13: Ring of HaasTube. Berenstein. Ari. February 23, 2013. February 26, 2016.
  11. What's in a Name? For Some Wrestlers, It Can Be Everything. July 6, 2020. November 13, 2020. Sports Illustrated. Justin. Barrasso.
  12. Web site: The Internet Wrestling Database. ROH Second to None. February 17, 2016.
  13. Web site: The Internet Wrestling Database. ROH Road to Best in the World '14 - Night 1. February 17, 2016.
  14. Web site: Ring of Honor. Brutal Bob Vs Cheeseburger Kicks Off Final Battle!. February 17, 2016.
  15. Web site: The Internet Wrestling Database. ROH Winter Warriors Tour 2016. February 17, 2016.
  16. Web site: 411Mania.
  17. Web site: Powell . Jason . 2022-04-01 . 4/1 ROH Supercard of Honor results: Powell's live review of Bandido vs. Jonathan Gresham for the undisputed ROH Championship, The Briscoes vs. FTR for the ROH Tag Titles, Rhett Titus vs. Minoru Suzuki for the ROH TV Title, Josh Woods vs. Wheeler Yuta for the ROH Pure Rules Title . 2022-12-12 . Pro Wrestling Dot Net . en-US.
  18. Web site: Powell . Jason . 2022-04-01 . 4/1 ROH Supercard of Honor results: Powell's live review of Bandido vs. Jonathan Gresham for the undisputed ROH Championship, The Briscoes vs. FTR for the ROH Tag Titles, Rhett Titus vs. Minoru Suzuki for the ROH TV Title, Josh Woods vs. Wheeler Yuta for the ROH Pure Rules Title . 2022-12-12 . Pro Wrestling Dot Net . en-US.
  19. Web site: Powell . Jason . 2022-12-10 . ROH Final Battle Zero Hour pre-show results: Jeff Cobb vs. Mascara Dorada, Matt Taven and Mike Bennett vs. "Top Flight" Dante Martin and Darius Martin, Willow Nightingale vs. Trish Adora, and Angelo Parker and Matt Menard vs. Cheeseburger and Eli Isom . 2022-12-12 . Pro Wrestling Dot Net . en-US.
  20. Web site: Wrestle Kingdom 10 live results: Kazuchika Okada vs Hiroshi Tanahashi . Meltzer . Dave . Dave Meltzer . January 3, 2016 . February 18, 2016 . Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
  21. Web site: NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 11 live results: Kazuchika Okada vs. Kenny Omega . Rose . Bryan . Currier . Joseph . January 3, 2017 . January 5, 2017 . Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
  22. Web site: http://www.njpw.co.jp/tornament/13462?showResult=1 . ja:戦国炎舞 -Kizna- Presents New Year Dash !! . January 5, 2017 . . Japanese.
  23. Web site: Click Here to Join 411's LIVE NJPW WrestleKingdom 12 Coverage . January 4, 2018 . 411Mania.com.
  24. Web site: Everything cool that happened at NJPW New Year Dash!! today . January 5, 2018 . Cageside Seats. 5 January 2018 .
  25. Web site: Feast Championship Wrestling Championship « Titles Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database. www.cagematch.net.
  26. Web site: Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) 500 for 2021. October 9, 2021. The Internet Wrestling Database.
  27. Web site: WrestlePro Alaska Tag Team Championship « Titles Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database. www.cagematch.net.