Josh Briggs Bio
Joshua Bruns (born March 5, 1993) is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Josh Briggs. He is signed to WWE and performs on the NXT brand. Briggs was a one-time and the final NXT UK Tag Team Champion and previously captured the Evolve Championship during his time in the original Evolve promotion.
Standing 203 centimeters tall and weighing 132 kilograms, Briggs brings a commanding physical presence to the ring. He began his professional wrestling career in 2016 and has competed across multiple promotions, including an excursion to Pro Wrestling Noah, before re-establishing himself as a fixture in NXT.
Early Life and Background
Joshua Bruns was born in Bullhead City, Arizona. Before pursuing professional wrestling full-time, Bruns attended Glendale Community College in Arizona, where he played football. He later continued his football career at the University of Massachusetts after transferring from Glendale Community College.
His time as a collegiate athlete at UMass provided Bruns with a foundation in physical conditioning and competitive sport that he would later carry into the squared circle. Growing up in Arizona, he was exposed to football from a young age, building the athletic base that would serve as a springboard into his eventual professional wrestling career.
Path to Professional Wrestling
Bruns transitioned from football to professional wrestling and made his professional debut in 2016. He signed with the original Evolve promotion, a respected independent company known for producing future WWE talent. At Evolve, he developed his in-ring craft and steadily built a reputation as a formidable competitor with a strong amateur athletic background.
His work in Evolve culminated in him becoming both a one-time and the final Evolve Champion at the time of that promotion’s closure. This achievement put him on the radar of major wrestling companies and positioned him as a top prospect heading into the next phase of his career.
Josh Briggs Career
Early Career (2016–2020)
Josh Briggs made his professional wrestling debut in 2016 and spent the early years of his career in Evolve. During this period, he steadily climbed the ranks of the independent circuit and built the foundation of his in-ring identity. His athletic background as a former college football player gave him a distinct physical presence that set him apart in the ring.
His crowning achievement in Evolve came when he captured the Evolve Championship. He held the distinction of being a one-time and the final Evolve Champion at the time of the original promotion’s closure, marking him as a significant figure in the company’s history before its shutdown.
WWE and NXT Breakthrough (2020–2022)
On August 31, 2020, it was reported that Briggs had signed a contract with WWE, following the company’s purchase of Evolve in July. On October 7, 2020, WWE announced that he had reported for training at the WWE Performance Center alongside five other professional wrestlers from Evolve. This marked the beginning of his official tenure within the WWE system.
On July 6, 2021, Briggs was announced as a participant in the 2021 NXT Breakout Tournament. He made his NXT tournament debut on the July 27 episode of NXT, where he was defeated by Carmelo Hayes in the first round. On September 14, 2021, Briggs formed a tag team with the debuting Brooks Jensen on the NXT 2.0 premiere, establishing themselves as fan favorites. The duo entered the Dusty Rhodes Men’s Tag Team Classic on January 18, 2022, but were eliminated by eventual winners the Creed Brothers in the first round.
NXT UK Tag Team Championship Reign (2022)
On June 22, 2022, Briggs and Jensen achieved the most significant milestone of their tag team partnership. On an episode of NXT UK, Briggs and Jensen defeated Dave Mastiff and Jack Starz, Mark Andrews and Wild Boar, and Die Familia (Teoman and Rohan Raja) in a Fatal Four-Way elimination match to win the vacant NXT UK Tag Team Championship. This victory made Briggs and Jensen the first and only non-European tag team to hold the NXT UK Tag Team Championship, a historic accomplishment in the lineage of the title.
Singles Trajectory and Heel Turn (2023–2024)
On the December 27, 2023 episode of NXT, Briggs, Brooks Jensen, and Fallon Henley agreed to go their separate ways, ending their long-running team. On January 16, 2024, Briggs received an on-screen endorsement from John “Bradshaw” Layfield in a backstage segment. The following week, Briggs faced Trick Williams in a losing effort, then attacked Williams with a clothesline after the match, turning heel for the first time in NXT. On February 20, 2024, Briggs defeated Jensen in a singles match and showed respect afterward, turning back into a fan favorite.
At NXT Roadblock, Briggs attempted to talk Jensen out of facing Oba Femi, but Jensen pressed forward and was defeated. At NXT Stand and Deliver on April 6, 2024, Briggs competed for the NXT North American Championship in a triple threat match against Oba Femi and Dijak but failed to win the title.
Inamura Partnership and Excursion Era (2024–2025)
In July 2024, Briggs represented NXT in Pro Wrestling Noah’s N-1 Victory tournament. He was placed in the A-block and finished the tournament with 10 points, tied for the most points in his block, but failed to advance to the finals after losing a tiebreaker to Kaito Kiyomiya. During this excursion, Briggs and fellow NXT representative Tavion Heights received training from legendary wrestlers Keiji Muto and Naomichi Marufuji.
Upon his return to NXT, Briggs formed a tag team with Yoshiki Inamura, who had concluded his own excursion from Japan. On February 11, 2025, Briggs and Inamura defeated No Quarter Catch Crew and Hank and Tank in a triple threat tag team match to earn an NXT Tag Team Championship opportunity at NXT Vengeance Day, though they ultimately failed to capture the titles. On June 17, 2025, Inamura pinned TNA World Champion Trick Williams in a six-man tag team match, earning himself a TNA World Championship opportunity, which he passed to Briggs. The following week, Briggs challenged Williams for the title but was unsuccessful. On July 22, 2025, Briggs and Inamura faced Oba Femi for the NXT Championship in a triple threat match, after which Briggs turned heel once more, attacking Inamura and disbanding their tag team.
Style and Strengths
Briggs relies on his considerable size and athletic background as a former collegiate football player to dominate opponents in the ring. His power-based offense and physical presence have made him a credible threat in singles and tag team competition alike. Throughout his NXT career, Briggs has demonstrated the ability to adapt between face and heel roles while maintaining a competitive edge.
Notable Events and Milestones
Briggs made history on June 22, 2022, by becoming the first and only non-European tag team to hold the NXT UK Tag Team Championship alongside Brooks Jensen. He was also the final Evolve Champion at the time of the original promotion’s closure, capping a meaningful chapter in the independent wrestling scene. His participation in Pro Wrestling Noah’s N-1 Victory tournament in 2024 placed him alongside some of the most celebrated wrestlers in Japanese puroresu history.
Josh Briggs Career Wins and Accomplishments
NXT UK Tag Team Championship
Josh Briggs and Brooks Jensen captured the NXT UK Tag Team Championship on June 22, 2022, winning the vacant titles in a Fatal Four-Way elimination match. Their victory over Dave Mastiff and Jack Starz, Mark Andrews and Wild Boar, and Die Familia in that match represented a historic moment for the tag team division. Briggs and Jensen remain the first and only non-European tag team to hold the NXT UK Tag Team Championship.
Evolve Championship
During his tenure in the original Evolve promotion, Briggs became a one-time and the final Evolve Champion at the time of the promotion’s closure. His reign as the last man to hold the title cemented his legacy within the promotion’s history and established him as a top independent wrestling prospect heading into his WWE signing.
Josh Briggs Family
Family Background
Joshua Bruns was born in Bullhead City, Arizona, and spent his early years in the American Southwest before pursuing collegiate athletics. His family background reflects a typical American sports upbringing, with his football career at UMass representing a key chapter before transitioning into professional wrestling.
Personal Life
Josh Briggs keeps much of his personal life private. He attended Glendale Community College in Arizona and the University of Massachusetts, where he played football before committing to professional wrestling in 2016. No publicly available personal life details regarding spouse or children are confirmed in the available records.
Josh Briggs 2025 Season Performance
In 2025, Josh Briggs has been an active competitor on the NXT brand. He formed a tag team with Yoshiki Inamura and the pair earned an NXT Tag Team Championship opportunity at NXT Vengeance Day on February 11, 2025, but failed to capture the titles. Their partnership, born out of Inamura’s return to WWE after his Pro Wrestling Noah excursion, showed promise before hitting turbulence later in the year.
Following a six-man tag team match on June 17, 2025, in which Inamura pinned TNA World Champion Trick Williams, Inamura passed his earned title opportunity to Briggs. Briggs challenged Williams for the TNA World Championship the following week but came up short. The partnership between Briggs and Inamura ultimately dissolved on July 22, 2025, when Briggs turned heel and attacked Inamura after a triple threat match for the NXT Championship, ending their tag team run in a dramatic fashion. Briggs remains a central figure on the NXT roster entering the latter half of 2025.
