Necrosphere

Christopher "Chris" Dennis Sturgeon (born April 25, 1970 in Death Valley, California) is a retired American professional wrestler, best known by his ring name Necrosphere. He is best known for his time in Soul Wrestling Incorporated, where he is a two-time SWI World Champion and a five-time SWI World Tag Team Champion with Ken Davids. The Ministry, along with XS3, are considered to be the embodiment of the company, having been involved in some of the company's greatest matches, feuds, and moments. He was one of the first inductees announced for the SWI Hall of Fame.

Early career
Chris debuted as Necrosphere in 1997, competing in the southern and midwestern indies. Necrosphere briefly appeared for the Kritical Wrestling Alliance, where he was managed by Sapphire.

The Ministry, tag champion, and World Champion (2005 - 2006)
Necrosphere was one of the first wrestlers signed to Soul Wrestling Incorporated. On the first show on June 8, Necrosphere teamed with Ken Davids to form The Ministry, defeating XS3 and Punished Fox of Demon Inc. in their first match. The next week, The Ministry defeated Ken Williams &amp; Jason Daniels, the Calgary Cowboys, and The Muses to become the first ever SWI Tag Team Champions. The team defended their titles against the Cowboys, Williams & Daniels, The Muses, Demon Inc., and the Master Brothers over the months. In August 2005, they defended the titles against the Muses in Japan, thus becoming the SWI World Tag Team Champions. On September 26, Necrosphere defeated Jason Hardcore to earn a shot at the SWI World Championship the next month against Overkill. The following week, the Ministry were defeated by the Master Brothers for the SWI World Tag Team Championship following interference by Overkill. On October 19, Necrosphere defeated Overkill to win the SWI World Championship, then won the SWI World Tag Team Championship with Davids the next week in a street fight.

On December 28, The Ministry lost the tag team titles to Lakeside's Most Wanted. The following week, Necrosphere lost the SWI World Championship to Overkill. Following an unsuccessful attempt at regaining the title, The Ministry defeated Lakeside's Most Wanted in a tables match on February 15 to once again become the SWI World Tag Team Champions. The team defended the titles successfully until May 13, when they were defeated by the Calgary Cowboys in a steel cage match.

Feud with XS3 (2006 - 2007)
Necrosphere qualified for the Versus the World match for the SWI World Championship at Independence by defeating Rob Frederick. Necrosphere was eliminated by XS3 during the match. The following week, the Ministry announced their intent to ruin XS3's life and take his World title from him. XS3 defeated Necrosphere and Davids in a triple threat match at Disasterpiece to retain his title. The Ministry then attacked XS3's wife Christine on the following episode of Apocalypse, with Necrosphere delivering the Void Crusher to her. At Unholy Confessions, Necrosphere pinned XS3 in a tag team match involving Davids and Perro Loco to win the SWI World Championship for a second time. XS3 invoked his rematch clause for Betrayal, to which Necrosphere responded by kidnapping XS3's foster daughters and using them to lure XS3 into a sneak attack.

At Betrayal, Necrosphere and XS3 fought to a draw when Necrosphere pinned XS3 at the same time he tapped out to the X-Hilaration. After the match, Jonathan Rembrandt vacated the SWI World Championship. XS3 finally gained revenge at Kill or Be Killed by defeating Necrosphere in a Lumberjack match. The following month, Necrosphere entered a tournament for the vacant SWI World Championship, defeating Ben Drinkin in the first round, and XS3 by DQ in the second round. At Broken Chains, Necrosphere met Rainmaster and SP Robertson in a triple threat match, but was pinned by Rainmaster.

The Ministry challenged XS3 and Joey McFarlane for the SWI World Tag Team Championship, but their match at Challenging Adveristy went to a no-contest. Following the match, The Ministry stole the titles. XS3 and Joey defeated The Ministry the following month at Rise of the Forces in a steel cage match to retain their titles as well as regain custody of their belts. The duo lost a Four Corners elimination match at Questions Unanswered for the titles, and then a #1 Contender's match against the Calgary Cowboys at Renewal.

Feud with Ken Davids and Trinity (2007 - 2008)
Necrosphere and Davids, frustrated with their recent lack of success, decided to settle their growing personal issues with each other in a 30 minute Ironman match at Independence. Davids won the match by scoring a single point with two seconds remaining. Following the match, the two were attacked by Trinity, turning both men face. At Disasterpiece, The Ministry lost to Trinity in a match where the losing team had to disband. During the month, Necrosphere then became involved in a romantic angle with Joanna Garland, saving her from Trinity. Necrosphere refereed a match between Davids and Waylon Kenney at Unholy Confessions to determine the #1 Contender for the SWI World Championship. Necrosphere entered a battle royal for a title shot at Kill or Be Killed, making it to the final two before being eliminated by Edgemaster. At Kill or Be Killed: The Final Chapter, Necrosphere teamed with XS3 and CK Miles to defeat Trinity and Joey McFarlane. Necrosphere competed in many matches during SWI's Underground Era, notably defeating Ken Davids at Destiny Fulfilled.

World title contender, Ministry reunion, and retirement (2009 - 2011)
Following SWI's return in 2009, The Ministry reunited as faces. Davids and Necrosphere competed in a triple threat match for the vacant SWI World Championship. Davids won the match, but proved his loyalty to Necrosphere after the match. Necrosphere faced Joey for a title shot on the following Apocalypse, but lost and was (kayfabe) injured for six weeks. Following Davids' injury at Challenging Adversity, Necrosphere then challenged Joey for the title at Rise of the Forces in a losing effort, then competed in a six-man ladder match for the title at Questions Unanswered. Necrosphere would also challenge for the title at Disasterpiece and Unholy Confessions. At Destiny Fulfilled, Necrosphere challenged Monty James for the SWI North American Championship, but lost. Necrosphere suffered a legit knee injury on the January 9 episode of Apocalypse and was sidelined for three months. Upon his return, Necrosphere challenged Frankie Starr for the SWI World Championship at Questions Unanswered, but lost.

At Independence, Necrosphere teamed with Monty James and Blackwolf to defeat The Drinkin Clan. After losing the Versus the World match at Disasterpiece, Davids (who had turned heel) won a match to challenge for any title he wanted at Unholy Confessions. He chose to challenge for Team England's SWI World Tag Team Championship with Necrosphere, claiming that Necrosphere's days of constant world title disappointment would come to an end. Necrosphere refused to show loyalty to Davids, who constantly tried goading him into reforming The Ministry. At Unholy Confessions, Necrosphere turned heel during the match by striking Benjamin Collier with his tag title behind the referee's back. This allowed The Ministry to officially reunite and win the SWI World Tag Team Championship for a fourth time. They defended the titles against Team England at Betrayal, and Monty James and Jeffy at Kill or Be Killed.

On the next episode of Apocalypse, The Ministry aligned themselves with CK Miles, Darren Phoenix, and Justine Vaine to form a temporary "Golden Alliance" to take on the youth of SWI. At Broken Chains, the Golden Alliance lost a Harbor Cage match to Edgemaster and Worldwide Truth & Freedom. The Ministry defended the tag titles against W.T.F. at Destiny Fulfilled, before losing the titles to them in a steel cage match two weeks later on Apocalypse. Necrosphere and Davids challenged Edgemaster for the SWI World Championship at Challenging Adversity, but lost. After losing a tag team match with CK Miles against Bad Attitude Inc. and XS3, The Ministry went on hiatus.

The Ministry returned on the July 2 episode of Apocalypse, saving Worldwide Truth & Freedom from a Monstourage sneak attack and turning face as a result. On July 23, Necrosphere defeated Davids to gain entry into the Versus the World match at Disasterpiece, but was eliminated by Colossus Rhodes. The following month, The Ministry announced that they would be retiring after Unholy Confessions, then challenged The Monstourage for the SWI World Tag Team Championship for their last match. In their final match, The Ministry defeated The Monstourage to win the SWI World Tag Team Championship for a record-breaking fifth and final time. The duo vacated the titles after the event, then appeared on the following Apocalypse to deliver their farewell speech. After the speech, Necrosphere unmasked with his back turned to the audience and left his mask behind him on the stage.

Future Souls Initiative (2013 - 2015)
In July 2013, Necrosphere returned to the company as the on-screen commissioner for Future Souls Initiative, the new developmental promotion of SWI. Necrosphere appeared on the December 21, 2013 episode of Apocalypse, as a part of the World Champions Panel. On June 13, 2015, he was announced as the second inductee into the SWI Hall of Fame. He reunited with Davids to help fight off a bunch of disgruntled wrestlers at Independence 10. Necrosphere left the company when FSI closed its doors, but promised to make future appearances down the line.

Personal life
Chris married his first wife Shannon on October 3, 1990. The couple had three children, Maria Anabella on September 12, 1991, Michael Christopher on March 21, 1993, and Christina Lynn on May 15, 1996. Chris and Shannon divorced in 2001. Chris became a grandfather on August 23, 2011, when his daughter Maria and her boyfriend welcomed their son, Daniel Allen Sturgeon-Payton. All three children were present during their father's farewell speech. Michael briefly competed in SWI as Bart, before joining their new developmental promotion Future Souls Initiative as their play-by-play announcer (later succeeding Jimmy Hidro as the new play-by-play announcer of the main shows) under his real name.

Since his retirement in 2011, Chris had been working on an autobiography about his early years, his family, and his time in SWI. The book, Into The Void and Back Again: My Life as Necrosphere, was released on July 15, 2013.

In wrestling

 * Finishing moves
 * Darkness Falls (Rope-hung inverted DDT) (2009)
 * Void Crusher (F-5) (2005 - 2011)
 * Trademark moves
 * ​Big boot
 * Chokeslam
 * Clothesline to opponent in the corner
 * Military press into running powerslam
 * Military press to opponent on the top rope
 * Overhead keylock
 * Sidewalk slam
 * Spinebuster
 * Stalling vertical suplex
 * Managers
 * ​Joanna Garland
 * Simona Summers
 * Nicknames
 * "The Archduke of Darkness"
 * ​"The Void Master"
 * Entrance themes
 * ​"Laid to Rest" by Lamb of God (June 8, 2005 - July 29, 2007; January 25, 2009 - March 1, 2009; August 29, 2010 - September 3, 2011) (used while teaming with Davids)
 * "Ministry" by Dame Grease Presents Meeno (August 4, 2007 - January 1, 2009; March 7, 2009 - August 28, 2010) (used in singles competition)

Championships and accomplishments

 * Soul Wrestling Incorporated
 * ​SWI World Championship (2 times)
 * SWI World Tag Team Championship (5 times) - with Ken Davids
 * SWI Hall of Fame (Class of 2015)
 * Feud of the Year 2006 - with XS3
 * Feud of the Year 2010 - with the younger SWI wrestlers
 * Tag Team of the Year 2005 - with Davids
 * Tag Team of the Year 2006 - with Davids
 * Tag Team of the Year 2010 - with Davids