Hard-hitting and soft-spoken, Bobby Lashley has become one of the few rookies to have an impact in a major wrestling company like WWE (Formly WWF), making his mark for his suplexes, especially for his bell-to-belly suplexes. Lashley Lashley attend Missouri Valley College, which he won three national championships between 1996-98. Between 1997-1998, Lashley was the NAIA Wrestling Champion. Back then, he weight 177 lbs. Lashley then took up some serious training, building up 100 lbs of muscle, now weighing between 273-279. In November 2003, Lashley was developed a contract with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and spent time in WWE's farm federation, Ohio Valley Wrestling. During his time at OVW, he was known as Blaster Lashley, and was part of the stable, "Bolin Services", along with Mike Bondo ('Michael Brenley') and 'Keny Doane', who both also now working for WWE as the stable, the Spirit Squad. Lashley then made his television debut on 'Friday Night Smackdown' under the name Bobby Lashley (or simply Lashley) against Simon Dean. Lashley won, impressing everyone, even doing four push ups with Simon Dean on his back, and quickly became one of the most watched and popular rookies. He also faced Dean in Lashley's pay-per-view match at No Mercy 2005. In this match, the loser has to eat twenty cheeseburgers. Lashley then stuffed the burgers down into Dean. Lashley later feuded with others such as John Bradshaw Layfield Nunzio (James Maritato) and Vito (Vito LoGrasso), John "Bradshaw" Layfield (John Layfield, the man who was the first to defeat Lashley at No Way Out), Finlay (Dave Finlay). Lashley was also part of Team Smackdown! who went head-to-head against Team RAW. Other members include then-champion, Dave Bautista, Rey Mysterio ('Oscar Gutierrez(iii)'), John Bradshaw Layfield and Randy Orton (replaced Eddie Guerrero when Guerrero passed away). The team went against Raw members, 'Shawn Michaels(v)', then World Champions Kane (Glenn Jacobs) and Big Show ('Paul Wight'), Carlito ('Carlos Clon, Jr.') and 'Chris Masters(ii)'. Even though Lashley was the first to be pinned, Team Smackdown won. Later, Lashley entered for a mix promotion for Wrestlemania 22 in the Money-in-the Bank Ladder Match, with three Raw Superstars and three Smackdown! Superstars. Lashley lost the match, with then-Raw superstar Rob Van Damn, winning the match. Later, Lashley competed in the 2006 King of Ring tournament, which hasn't been since 2002. Lashley defeated Mark Henry in the first round by count-out. He finally got to be the top two finalists for King of the Ring. The other was 'Booker T.' Despite being dominating the match, Lashley lost. During the feud between Lashley and Booker, Lashley won his first championship: The United States Championship. Lashley won it from JBL. After the match, Lashley then went back to feuding with Booker, who lost to Lashley in a Steel Cage Match.