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United States Jaxson Ryker, also known as Chad Lail, is a distinguished professional wrestler and a United States Marine Corps veteran who has transitioned his career to public service as a police officer, bringing a unique blend of discipline, resilience, and experience to both entertainment and civic duties.
Lail signed with NWA Anarchy in 2005, using the ring name of Phil Shatter, and eventually received a championship match against NWA Anarchy Heavyweight Champion Ace Rocwell, which he won to become the new champion.
In October 2010, Shatter defeated Chase Stevens for the Showtime All-Star Wrestling (SAW) International Heavyweight Championship, but was forced to vacate the title in June 2011 due to being unable to defend it because of his TNA schedule.
Shatter appeared at Ring of Honor's The Big Bang! pay-per-view on April 3, 2010, defeating Zack Salvation in the opening match of the pay-per-view.
Lail was signed by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) in 2010, where he changed his ring name to Gunner and was presented as a member of the villainous group Immortal. During his time in the group, he won the TNA Television Championship once and the TNA World Tag Team Championship with James Storm.
On May 29, 2017, it was reported that Lail had signed with WWE and would be working in the company's developmental territory NXT. He changed his ring name to Jaxson Ryker and formed The Forgotten Sons.
Chad Lail, publicly known as Jaxson Ryker, was born on June 6, 1982, in Hickory, North Carolina. His early life was marked by military service, as he served in the Iraq War with the United States Marine Corps as a machine gunner, achieving the rank of sergeant. This military background instilled in him a foundational discipline and tenacity. Following his military career, Lail pursued professional wrestling, debuting in 2001 at the age of 19. He initially wrestled under the names Phil Shatter and Shatter for various independent promotions, notably NWA Anarchy from 2006 to 2014, where he established himself in the wrestling community.
Lail’s presence in mainstream professional wrestling began with his signing with Impact Wrestling (formerly Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA)) in 2010. During his six-year tenure, adopting the ring name Gunner, he achieved significant milestones including becoming a one-time TNA Television Champion and a one-time TNA World Tag Team Champion. In TNA, he was part of the villainous group Immortal and later formed a notable tag team with James Storm. By 2015, Lail transitioned to part-time wrestling, focusing on competitive bodybuilding and a nascent film career, making his film debut in “Navy Seals vs. Zombies” that same year.
In 2017, Lail signed with WWE, joining their developmental territory NXT and changing his ring name to Jaxson Ryker. He formed The Forgotten Sons in 2018 with Wesley Blake and Steve Cutler, making appearances on SmackDown from April to June 2020. Ryker continued with WWE until his release in November 2021. In a significant career turn, Lail retired from professional wrestling in August 2023 and was sworn in as a deputy sheriff for the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office in North Carolina on September 14, 2023, embarking on a new chapter of public service.
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