Dante Martin Explained

Dante Martin
Birth Date:3 March 2001[1]
Birth Place:St. Paul, Minnesota, U.S.
Family:Darius Martin (Brother)
Height:5 ft 11 in
Weight:187 lbs
Billed:Minneapolis, Minnesota
Trainer:Ken Anderson
Debut:2016

Dante Martin (born March 3, 2001) is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW). He also appears for AEW's sister promotion Ring of Honor (ROH). He performs alongside his older brother Darius Martin as part of the tag team Top Flight.[2]

Early life

Dante Martin was born on March 3, 2001, in St. Paul, Minnesota. He has an older brother, Darius Martin, who's also a wrestler, currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW).

Professional wrestling career

Independent circuit (2016–2020)

Dante Martin, along with his brother Darius, received his training from The Academy: School Of Professional Wrestling in Minnesota by Ken Anderson and they made their professional wrestling debut in 2016 as the tag team "Top Flight".

Prior to AEW, Martin wrestled for Ireland's Over the Top Wrestling, AAW Wrestling based in Illinois, Game Changer Wrestling, and Black Label Pro.

All Elite Wrestling / Ring of Honor (2020–present)

On the October 27, 2020, episode of AEW Dark, Top Flight made their All Elite Wrestling (AEW) debut where they lost to Evil Uno and Stu Grayson of the Dark Order. On the November 18 episode of AEW Dynamite, Top Flight fought The Young Bucks in a losing effort. On November 23, it was announced that they had signed with the company.[3] [4] [5] In February 2021, Darius was sidelined with a torn ACL thus taking him out of action and leaving Dante on his own as a singles competitor.[6]

Over the following months, Martin would receive a significant push, wrestling against the likes of Kenny Omega, Malakai Black, Matt Sydal, and Powerhouse Hobbs. In October 2021, Martin formed an alliance with Lio Rush who was attempting to recruit him as his tag team partner. On the November 11, 2021, episode of AEW Dynamite, Martin teamed with Rush against Matt Sydal and Lee Moriarty where they were victorious.[7] [8] [9] [10] [11] On the November 24 episode of AEW Dynamite, Martin accepted Taz's offer to join Team Taz much to Rush's dismay. However, on the December 8 episode of Dynamite, Martin would eliminate Team Taz member Ricky Starks from the Dynamite Diamond Dozen Battle Royal, thus winning the battle royal and removing him from the group. It was revealed that Dante joining Team Taz was a scheme created by Lio Rush and Dante Martin. The following week, Martin fought MJF for the Dynamite Diamond Ring where he lost after a distraction by Starks.[12] [13] [14] The partnership between Rush and Martin would abruptly end after Rush departed AEW. On the January 12 episode of Dynamite, Dante Martin defeated Powerhouse Hobbs. On the February 18, 2022, episode of AEW Rampage, Martin fought Hobbs in a Face of the Revolution Qualifying match where he was defeated.[15]

Three weeks later on the March 2, 2022, episode of Dynamite, Dante reunited with his brother Darius in the tag team Casino Battle Royal, where Darius would last until the end, until being eliminated by Matt Jackson of The Young Bucks.[16] On the March 9 episode of Dynamite, Martin challenged Hangman Page for the AEW World Championship in a losing effort. After the match, Martin was endorsed by Page as a future champion in AEW as both men embraced and shook hands.[17] The tag-team’s return to action was short-lived, as soon after it was revealed that Darius had gotten into a serious car accident, which was expected to leave him out injured for up to nine months, forcing Dante to return to singles competition.[18]

On May 4, Dante lost to Rey Fenix in an Owen Hart Cup tournament qualifying-round match.[19] On June 3, Dante faced Scorpio Sky for the AEW TNT Championship, but was defeated.[20] On August 12 on AEW Rampage Quake by the Lake, Martin teamed up with Skye Blue to take on Sammy Guevara and Tay Melo for the AAA World Mixed Tag Team Championship which they lost.[21] On September 4, at All Out (2022), Dante competed in the Casino Ladder match, but the match was won by Maxwell Jacob Friedman.[22]

On November 16, 2022, Dante reunited with a returning Darius to team with AR Fox, to challenge Death Triangle, for the AEW World Trios Championship, in a losing effort.[23] On the November 13 edition of Rampage, Top Flight unsuccessfully challenged FTR, for the ROH World Tag Team Championship.[24] On December 10, at Final Battle, Top Flight made their debuts for AEW's sister company Ring of Honor, defeating The Kingdom on the pre-show.[25] On the December 23 edition of Rampage, Top Flight once again teamed with AR Fox, where they won the $300,000 Three Kings Christmas Casino Trios Battle Royal, where the brothers lastly eliminated ROH World Champion, Claudio Castagnoli.[26] Due to this, Top Flight entered a short feud with the Blackpool Combat Club, in which Castagnoli was a member, losing to members of the group over the following weeks. Top Flight achieved their first win over the BCC on the January 16 edition of AEW Dark, defeating Castagnoli and Wheeler Yuta, in a three-way tag-team match also involving The Butcher and the Blade, after Dante pinned The Blade. On the January 18 edition of Dynamite, Top Flight defeated The Young Bucks, in an upset victory.[27] In April 2023 at Supercard of Honor, Martin suffered a severe leg injury.[28]

Dante returned on the November 29, 2023 episode of Dynamite, teaming with his brother and Action Andretti to defeating the Hardys and Brother Zay.[29]

Championships and accomplishments

Notes and References

  1. Top Flight stays high . 6 February 2024 . Hey! EW . RJ . City . 4 February 2024 .
  2. Web site: Thompson . Andrew . Top Flight signs with All Elite Wrestling . . February 6, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211029184527/https://www.postwrestling.com/2020/11/23/top-flight-signs-with-all-elite-wrestling/ . October 29, 2021 . November 23, 2020.
  3. Web site: Tees. David. AEW Dark 10/27/20 Results: Hikaru Shida, Dark Order, SCU, Team Taz, Darby Allin & More In Action!. October 27, 2020. February 27, 2022. Fightful. February 27, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220227065607/https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/results/aew-dark-102720-results-live-coverage-discussion-7pm-est. live.
  4. Web site: AEW Dynamite 11/18/20 Results: NWA Women's Title Match, Death Triangle Reunites & More!. November 18, 2020. February 27, 2022. Fightful. February 27, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220227065610/https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/results/aew-dynamite-111820-results-live-coverage-and-discussion-8pm-est. live.
  5. Web site: Welcome to the team... #TopFlight Darius & Dante Martin are #AllElite. November 23, 2020. February 27, 2022. Twitter. March 3, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220303012854/https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1330978268674187273. live.
  6. Web site: Lambert. Jeremy. Darius Martin Undergoes ACL Surgery. April 23, 2021. February 27, 2022. Fightful. February 27, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220227065606/https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/darius-martin-undergoes-acl-surgery. live.
  7. Web site: Wilkins. Rob. AEW Dynamite Results 8/11/21 Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks vs. Dante Martin and The Sydal Brothers. August 11, 2021. February 27, 2022. Fightful. February 27, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220227065602/https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/results/aew-dynamite-results-81121-kenny-omega-and-young-bucks-vs-dante-martin-and-sydal-brothers. live.
  8. Web site: Wilkins. Rob. AEW Saturday Night Dynamite Results for 10/16/21 Bryan Danielson vs. Bobby Fish plus more. October 16, 2021. February 27, 2022. Fightful. February 27, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220227065605/https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/results/aew-saturday-night-dynamite-results-101621-bryan-danielson-vs-bobby-fish-plus-more. live.
  9. Web site: Wilkins. Rob. AEW Dynamite 6/26/21 Saturday Results AEW Championship Match Kenny Omega vs. Jungle Boy, and more. June 26, 2021. February 27, 2022. Fightful. February 27, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220227065607/https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/results/aew-dynamite-61621-saturday-dynamite-aew-championship-match-kenny-omega-vs-jungle-boy-and-more. live.
  10. Web site: Wilkins. Rob. AEW Dynamite Results For 9/8/21 Jon Moxley vs. Minoru Suzuki, Dustin Rhodes vs. Malakai Black. September 8, 2021. February 27, 2022. Fightful. February 27, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220227065609/https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/results/aew-dynamite-results-9821-jon-moxley-vs-minoru-suzuki-rhodes-vs-malakai-black-and-more. live.
  11. Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: Web site: How did Lio Rush do in his Dynamite Debut? AEW Dynamite, 11/10/21. YouTube.
  12. Web site: Wilkins. Rob. AEW Dynamite Results For 11/24/21 Bryan Danielson vs. Colt Cabana, CM Punk vs. QT Marshall, and more. November 24, 2021. February 27, 2022. Fightful. February 27, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220227065604/https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/results/aew-dynamite-results-112421-bryan-danielson-vs-colt-cabana-cm-punk-vs-qt-marshall-and-more. live.
  13. Web site: Wilkins. Rob. AEW Dynamite Results For 12/8/21 The Young Bucks vs. Orange Cassidy and Rocky Romero and much more. December 8, 2021. February 27, 2022. Fightful. January 20, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220120142449/https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/results/aew-dynamite-results-12821-young-bucks-vs-orange-cassidy-and-rocky-romero-and-much-more. live.
  14. Web site: AEW Dynamite Winter Is Coming Results For 12/15/21 Danielson vs. Hangman for AEW Championship Title. December 15, 2021. February 27, 2022. Fightful. February 27, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220227065604/https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/results/aew-dynamite-results-121521-winter-coming-bryan-danielson-challenges-hangman-adam-page. live.
  15. Web site: Wilkins. Rob. AEW Rampage Results For 2/18/22 Switchblade Jay White vs. Trent Beretta, Adam Cole vs. Ten, and more. February 18, 2022. February 27, 2022. Fightful. February 27, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220227065602/https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/results/aew-rampage-results-21822-switchblade-jay-white-vs-trent-beretta-adam-cole-vs-10-and-more. live.
  16. Web site: Wilkins. Rob. AEW Dynamite Results For 3/2/22 Adam Cole and reDRagon vs. Adam Page, John Silver, and Alex Reynolds. March 2, 2022. March 5, 2022. Fightful. March 5, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220305054454/https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/results/aew-dynamite-results-3222-adam-cole-and-redragon-vs-adam-page-john-silver-and-alex-reynolds. live.
  17. Web site: Faria. Colby. AEW Dynamite Results (3/9/22): Adam Page Defends AEW World Title, Bryan Danielson & Jon Moxley Team Up + More!. March 9, 2022. March 11, 2022. Fightful. March 10, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220310022437/https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/results/aew-dynamite-results-3922-adam-page-defends-aew-world-title-bryan-danielson-jon-moxley-team-more. live.
  18. Web site: AEW's Darius Martin out six to nine months after 'nasty car accident'. Ian. Carey. May 5, 2022. WON/F4W – WWE news, Pro Wrestling News, WWE Results, AEW News, AEW results. January 19, 2023. January 14, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230114212404/https://www.f4wonline.com/news/aew/aews-darius-martin-out-six-to-nine-months-after-nasty-car-accident. live.
  19. Web site: Fenix vs. Dante Martin Owen Hart Tournament qualifier confirmed for AEW Dynamite. Ian. Carey. May 3, 2022. WON/F4W – WWE news, Pro Wrestling News, WWE Results, AEW News, AEW results. January 19, 2023. January 19, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230119201050/https://www.f4wonline.com/news/aew/fenix-vs-dante-martin-owen-hart-tournament-qualifier-confirmed-for-aew-dynamite. live.
  20. Web site: AEW Rampage Results: Scorpio Sky retains the TNT Championship . June 4, 2022 . January 19, 2023 . January 19, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230119201051/https://www.givemesport.com/88017451-aew-rampage-results-scorpio-sky-retains-the-tnt-championship#:~:text=Scorpio%20Sky%20(%20c%20)%20def%20Dante%20Martin%20%E2%80%93%20TNT%20Championship&text=Martin%20would%20continue%20to%20put,his%20own%2C%20retaining%20his%20championship. . live .
  21. Web site: Staff . A. E. W. . August 13, 2022 . AEW Rampage: Quake By The Lake Results for August 12, 2022 . August 13, 2022 . All Elite Wrestling . en . August 13, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220813173058/https://www.allelitewrestling.com/post/aew-rampage-quake-by-the-lake-results-for-august-12-2022 . live .
  22. Web site: AEW All Out results: Powell's live review of Jon Moxley vs. CM Punk for the AEW World Championship, Toni Storm vs. Britt Baker vs. Jamie Hayter vs. Hikaru Shida for the Interim AEW Women's Title, Chris Jericho vs. Bryan Danielson, Ricky Starks vs. Powerhouse Hobbs, "Jungle Boy" Jack Perry vs. Christian Cage, Casino Ladder Match . September 4, 2022 . January 19, 2023 . September 6, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220906001804/https://prowrestling.net/site/2022/09/04/aew-all-out-results-powells-live-review-of-jon-moxley-vs-cm-punk-for-the-aew-world-championship-toni-storm-vs-britt-baker-vs-jamie-hayter-vs-hikaru-shida-for-the-interim-aew-womens-title-ch/ . live .
  23. Web site: AEW Dynamite Results: Death Triangle Defeat AR Fox & Top Flight to Retain AEW World Trios Championships, the Elite to Return at Full Gear (11/16) . November 16, 2022 . January 19, 2023 . January 19, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230119194540/https://theovertimer.com/2022/11/aew-dynamite-results-death-triangle-defeat-ar-fox-top-flight-to-retain-aew-world-trios-championships-the-elite-to-return-at-full-gear-11-16/ . live .
  24. Web site: AEW Rampage live results: FTR vs. Top Flight ROH Tag Team title match. Joseph. Collins. November 25, 2022. WON/F4W – WWE news, Pro Wrestling News, WWE Results, AEW News, AEW results. January 19, 2023. January 19, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230119194537/https://www.f4wonline.com/news/aew/results/aew-rampage-live-results-ftr-vs-top-flight-roh-tag-team-title-match. live.
  25. Web site: 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 . December 10, 2022 . January 19, 2023 . December 11, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221211035505/https://prowrestling.net/site/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/ . live .
  26. Web site: AEW Rampage: Holiday Bash Results (12/23) - $300,000 Three Kings Christmas Casino Trios Battle Royale, TBS Title Eliminator Match and More . December 23, 2022 . January 19, 2023 . January 19, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230119194539/https://www.wrestlinginc.com/1147788/aew-rampage-holiday-bash-live-coverage-1223-300000-three-kings-christmas-casino-trios-battle-royale-tbs-title-eliminator-match-and-more/ . live .
  27. Web site: AEW Dynamite live results: Young Bucks vs. Top Flight, two title matches. Ryan. Howard. January 18, 2023. WON/F4W – WWE news, Pro Wrestling News, WWE Results, AEW News, AEW results. January 19, 2023. January 19, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230119194536/https://www.f4wonline.com/news/aew/results/aew-dynamite-live-results-young-bucks-vs-top-flight-two-title-matches. live.
  28. Web site: Ian. Carey. Dante Martin released from hospital following ROH Supercard of Honor injury. F4Wonline.com. July 18, 2023. April 2, 2023. July 18, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230718145353/https://www.f4wonline.com/news/ring-of-honor/dante-martin-released-from-hospital-following-roh-supercard-of-honor-injury. live.
  29. Web site: Staff . A. E. W. . 2023-11-30 . AEW Dynamite Results for November 29, 2023 . 2023-12-04 . All Elite Wrestling . en.
  30. Web site: AWF Championship. Cagematch.net. July 2, 2022. March 7, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220307040411/https://www.cagematch.net/?id=5&nr=4147. live.
  31. Web site: Dante Martin. Cagematch.net. July 2, 2022. March 7, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220307174052/https://www.cagematch.net/?id=2&nr=20610&page=11. live.
  32. Web site: AWF TV Title Tournament. Cagematch.net. July 2, 2022. March 7, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220307173803/https://www.cagematch.net/?id=26&nr=5502. live.
  33. Web site: Dante Martin. Cagematch.net. July 2, 2022. March 7, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220307174146/https://www.cagematch.net/?id=2&nr=20610&page=12. live.