Lewis Howley, who trained under the tutelage of Jon Ritchie, Paul Jerome and Lucas Jackson at the legendary DKW Academy based in Purfleet, Essex and Sam Stoker debuted as a tag team on 2 February 2019 on Hustle Wrestling Live in
Enfield by defeating Justin Case and Justin Vincible in a
tag team match.[3] However, they were briefly active one time under the name of Greased Lightning in a match against Lance Lawrence and Oliver Peace on the 14 November 2015 episode of WrestleForce Live in
Basingstoke. Stoker was previously known as Sammy Smooth. After that, they both returned to competing as singles wrestlers.[4] They are also known for their tenures with
professional wrestling promotions such as
Progress Wrestling[5] and
Revolution Pro Wrestling. During their
International Pro Wrestling: United Kingdom affiliation, they captured the
IPW:UK Tag Team Championship one time as Pretty Bastards[6] and one time as a
freebird trio including James Castle known as The Collective.[7][8]
Cementing their
villainous status, they defeated
Gallus (
Mark Coffey and
Wolfgang) to capture the
NXT UK Tag Team Championship on the 25 February 2021 edition of NXT UK.[12] They would retain the titles against Amir Jordan and
Kenny Williams on the 1 April episode of NXT UK after Williams turned on Jordan.[13] On the 4 June episode of NXT UK, Pretty Deadly would successfully defend their titles against Jack Starz and
Nathan Frazer.[14] On the 22 July episode NXT UK, they would retain against Subculture's Mark Andrews and Flash Morgan. On the 19 August episode of NXT UK, Pretty Deadly would retain against
Moustache Mountain (
Trent Seven and
Tyler Bate).[15] However, they would lose the titles to Moustache Mountain in a rematch on the 9 December episode of NXT UK, ending their reign at 287 days.[16]
On the 5 April episode of NXT, Pretty Deadly, now under the ring names of Elton Prince and Kit Wilson, revealed themselves as the
Creed Brothers' attackers after they defeated
Imperium (
Fabian Aichner and
Marcel Barthel), effectively making their debut on the NXT brand.[17] The following week, they would defeat the Creed Brothers in a
gauntlet match, involving
Legado Del Fantasma (
Raul Mendoza and
Joaquin Wilde),
Josh Briggs and
Brooks Jensen, and
Grayson Waller and
Sanga, to win the vacant
NXT Tag Team Championship, making them the first tag team to win the titles on their NXT debut and the second team to hold both the NXT and NXT UK Tag Team Championship.[18] They lost the tag titles to the Creed Brothers on 4 June at
In Your House, ending their first reign at 53 days.[19] On the 19 July episode of NXT, Pretty Deadly fought Josh Briggs and Brooks Jensen for the NXT UK Tag Team Championship in a losing effort.[20] At
Worlds Collide on 4 September, Pretty Deadly defeated the Creed Brothers, Gallus and Brooks Jensen and Josh Briggs in a Fatal 4-Way Tag Team Elimination Match to unify the NXT and NXT UK Tag Team Championships.[21] At
NXT Deadline, Pretty Deadly lost the NXT Tag Team Championship to
The New Day (
Kofi Kingston and
Xavier Woods), ending their second reign at 98 days.[22] After failing to regain the titles, Pretty Deadly began feuding with
Tony D'Angelo and Channing "Stacks" Lorenzo, and lost to them at
Spring Breakin in a trunk match.[23] This would be their final NXT appearance.
As part of the
2023 WWE Draft, Pretty Deadly were drafted to the
SmackDownbrand.[24][25] Pretty Deadly made their SmackDown debut on 19 May 2023, defeating
Ridge Holland and
Butch of
The Brawling Brutes.[26] On the 16 June episode of SmackDown, Pretty Deadly won a tag team
gauntlet match to become the number one contenders for the
Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship but failed to capture the titles from
Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn on the 30 June episode of SmackDown in London.[27][28] On the 15 July episode of SmackDown, Prince suffered a separated shoulder in Pretty Deadly's tag team match against The Brawling Brutes and had to be sidelined.[29] Pretty Deadly returned on the 13 October episode of SmackDown in a tag team match victory against Holland and Butch.[30]
Personal lives
Prince originates from
Grays,
England,[31] and Wilson originates from
London, England.[32] Prince attended
Hassenbrook Academy in
Thurrock,
Essex.[33] In 2017, Prince appeared on an episode of First Dates.[34] Prince is currently in a relationship with WWE NXT backstage reporter Kelly Kincaid, and Wilson is engaged to fellow professional wrestler
Lucy Bridge, who also performs in WWE under the ring name Stevie Turner on the NXT brand.[citation needed]