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Donald Callis (born October 13, 1963) is a Canadian professional wrestling manager, color commentator, actor, and former professional wrestler and business executive. He is signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he works as the on-screen manager and leader of The Don Callis Family; as well as working as a backstage consultant for the company. He also works for Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling (MLP) as a color commentator.
A former wrestler, Callis spent the majority of his career performing as either Cyrus (shortened from Cyrus the Virus) or Don Callis. He first gained international attention working under the name The Jackyl for the WWE (WWF). While in the WWF, Callis managed a group known as The Truth Commission and later managed The Oddities and The Acolytes before being released in 1999. From 1999 to 2001, he worked for Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) as a manager and commentator, during which he was portrayed as a fictional "network representative" who headed a group known as The Network. In 2003, Callis was introduced as an on-screen character for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) and held that role until 2004. He returned to the company in 2017 (the company then-named Impact Wrestling) as an executive vice president and commentator for the promotion. While with Impact, Callis also worked for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) where he served as an English language commentator on NJPW World. In 2020, through Impact's relationship with AEW, Callis began appearing on AEW programming. The following year in 2021, Callis' time as Impact executive vice president came to an end, with Callis remaining in the company as an on-air talent until October 2021 when the AEW and Impact partnership ended, after which he fully transitioned to AEW.
In 1992, Callis wrestled for the Quebec-based Lutte Lanaudière as "The General", teaming with El Diablero as "The Jet Set Team". The Jet Set Team held the Lutte Lanaudière Tag Team Championship for eight months.
On September 20, 1997, Callis debuted in the WWF as "The Jackyl", a member (and eventually leader) of a group of wrestlers known as "The Truth Commission" (a take on the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission) replacing the Commandant for refusing to take bumps. An article in WWF Magazine claimed that he was a lower-level WWF employee during the early 1990s, and that he developed a messianic complex when he led a group of WWF wrestlers out of Kuwait when they were stranded there during the Gulf War. In an effort to play up The Jackyl's gimmick as a charismatic, power-hungry fanatic, commentator Jim Ross often referred to him as the "David Koresh of the World Wrestling Federation". The Jackyl, though mainly a manager, would sometimes compete in singles matches mainly on Shotgun Saturday Night and at against Tom Brandi, Brakkus and Scott Taylor. Notably, The Jackyl fought in his hometown, Winnipeg, as "The General", against Jim Neidhart in a losing effort. Jackyl would frequently participate in tag team matches with The Interrogator (later known as Kurrgan). The Truth Commission stable was not particularly successful, with their biggest achievement being a victory over the Disciples of Apocalypse at Survivor Series 1997. At WrestleMania XIV, The Jackyl ordered Kurrgan to eliminate stablemates Recon and Sniper from the Tag Team Battle Royal, effectively disbanding the stable.
Cyrus then displayed authority in ECW due to his executive position with the network, working as a heel to crusade against ECW fan favorites (in kayfabe), but to also appease the network by preventing the lewd content (as a shoot). Cyrus then teamed with the anti-hardcore Steve Corino, and eventually formed a stable with Corino, his manager Jack Victory, and their hired guns Yoshihiro Tajiri and Rhyno. They were collectively known as The Network. He engaged in a long-term feud with commentator Joel Gertner, which culminated in a match on October 1, 2000, at Anarchy Rulz 2000, in which Gertner was triumphant.
Following this, Cyrus (kayfabe) canceled ECW on TNN (as the show was soon to be canceled legitimately, in favor of WWE Raw). Cyrus would then go on to aid Rhino in winning his first ECW World Heavyweight Championship at the final pay-per-view, Guilty as Charged 2001. ECW would declare bankruptcy soon after.
Following ECW's closing, Callis wrestled on the independent circuit, primarily appearing for Canadian promotions such as the Prairie Wrestling Association, Pro Outlaw Wrestling, and Top Rope Championship Wrestling. From 2001 to 2002, he appeared with Border City Wrestling, holding the BCW Can-Am Tag Team Championship with Terry Taylor. Callis also briefly operated the No Holds Barred Wrestling Camp, a Winnipeg-based wrestling training camp.
On July 13, 2018, it was announced Callis would serve as part of the broadcast team for the September 1 All In event, alongside Ian Riccaboni, Sean Mooney, Excalibur, Alicia Atout, Justin Roberts, and Bobby Cruise.
In storyline, Callis engaged in a power struggle with then Director of Authority Erik Watts and used his power to make life difficult for Jerry Lynn, repeatedly fining and suspending him. On January 28, 2004, Callis succeeded in ousting Watts from TNA when he defeated him in a match for control of the promotion, though he quietly departed TNA soon afterward.
Following his departure from TNA, Callis began writing weekly wrestling columns for the Sun Media Group and co-hosted a local Winnipeg radio show called No Holds Barred with Joe Aiello on 92 CITI FM. On October 18, 2016, Callis debuted a new podcast with longtime friend Lance Storm called Killing the Town with Storm and Cyrus.
Callis stopped commentating for NJPW after Dominion 2019.
On April 22, 2018, Callis served as the color commentator for the Redemption pay-per-view event as well as on the following episode of Impact!. During the Summer and Fall of 2018, Callis began appearing regularly alongside Josh Mathews on commentary for Impact events, eventually becoming the permanent color commentator for the promotion. Callis was later replaced on commentary by Madison Rayne, though he would remain Impact's co-executive vice president.
In May 2021, it was reported that Callis' time as Impact executive vice president has ended, though he would remain as an on-air talent. On the June 17 episode of Impact!, Callis role as executive vice president was terminated by Tommy Dreamer.
On December 2, 2020, at Winter Is Coming, Callis was a special guest commentator for the AEW World Championship match between the champion Jon Moxley and the challenger Omega. During the match, Callis helped Omega win the title. When asked about his interference, he assured everyone that their questions would get answered on the December 8 episode of Impact!. On December 9, Callis returned to AEW Dynamite, arriving by helicopter with Omega. Callis then revealed he had been planning Omega's championship victory since both men first met in their native country of Canada decades ago.
On the March 29, 2023 edition of Dynamite, Callis was featured in a backstage interview alongside Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks which was interrupted by an attack from the Blackpool Combat Club. During the segment Jon Moxley struck Callis, who fell into a lighting rig and Callis' head caught the edge of the Barn Door portion of the rig. This legitimately caused a large wound on Callis' head which later left him with a prominent scar.
During a post-show press conference at TriplemanÃa XXXI Tijuana, Callis was legitimately assaulted by a man who mistook the proceedings as real. Callis was there as a continued part of the storyline in which he had turned on Kenny Omega in favour of Takeshita. The man attacked Callis from behind, punching him in the mouth and concussing his eardrum. Callis suffered further injuries to his neck and ankle and immediately went to San Diego to seek medical attention.
At Grand Slam, Callis recruited Sammy Guevara to his family, after he turned on Chris Jericho. In October 2023, Powerhouse Hobbs and Kyle Fletcher joined the Don Callis Family. On the December 28, 2023 episode of AEW Dynamite New Years Smash, Sammy Guevara returned and crashed The Don Callis Family's Boxing Week Celebration, Callis got Guevara a custom portrait with his new baby and his family, Guevara turned on Don Callis and the family attacked Guevara until Chris Jericho saved him from the family, Guevara reunited with Jericho until Big Bill and Ricky Starks attacked Jericho and Guevara, Sting and Darby Allin come to Jericho and Guevara's rescue. On the May 29, 2024 episode of Dynamite, Trent Beretta joined the Don Callis Family. On the July 3 episode of Dynamite, Ospreay left the Don Callis Family. On the July 5 episode of AEW Rampage, Callis recruited Rush into the Don Callis Family. On the October 8 episode of Dynamite, Callis acquired Lance Archer from Jake Roberts in exchange for Rush. On the October 16 episode of Dynamite, Callis recruited Brian Cage into the Don Callis Family. On the November 6 episode of Dynamite, Hobbs had left the Don Callis Family after teaming with Ricochet against Fletcher and Takeshita. On the February 5, 2025 episode of Dynamite, Callis revealed Mark Davis as the newest member of the Don Callis Family. On April 16 at the Spring BreakThru special edition of Dynamite, Callis recruited the debuting Josh Alexander into the Don Callis Family. On the April 17 at the Spring BreakThru episode of Collision, Rocky Romero turned on The Conglomeration and joined the Don Callis Family. On June 4 at , Callis recruited Hechicero to team with Fletcher and Takeshita to defeat Bandido and The Outrunners. On June 10, Hechicero confirmed that he was now a member of the Don Callis Family. In June 2025, Kazuchika Okada joined the Don Callis Family during his feud with Kenny Omega. On August 24 at Forbidden Door, Wardlow returned a year-long hiatus, where he attacked Prince Nana and joined the Don Callis Family. On the October 1, 2025 at the sixth anniversary episode of Dynamite, Andrade El Idolo and El Clon joined the Don Callis Family.
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