Ken Jugan
[ (born October 16, 1957), better known by the ]ring name
A ring name is a type of stage name used by an athlete such as a professional wrestler, mixed martial artist, or boxer whose real name is considered unattractive, dull, difficult to pronounce or spell, amusing for the wrong reasons, or projecting ...
Lord Zoltan, is a semi-retired American professional wrestler
Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring or ...
, manager
Management (or managing) is the administration of an organization, whether it is a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government body. It is the art and science of managing resources of the business.
Management includes the activities o ...
, promoter, referee
A referee is an official, in a variety of sports and competition, responsible for enforcing the rules of the sport, including sportsmanship decisions such as ejection. The official tasked with this job may be known by a variety of other titl ...
, and trainer. Jugan has been a mainstay in the Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...
Tri-state area (Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
, Ohio
Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...
, and West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the Bur ...
) holding countless junior heavyweight championships in the region since his debut in 1976.["The PWI 500." '']Pro Wrestling Illustrated
''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' (''PWI'') is an American internationally sold professional wrestling magazine that was founded in 1979 by publisher Stanley Weston. ''PWI'' is headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and published by Kappa Publish ...
''. Fort Washington, Pennsylvania: London Publishing Company. (Holiday 1998): pg. 62. He was one of the first wrestlers to start wearing facepaint
Body painting is a form of body art where artwork is painted directly onto the human skin. Unlike tattoos and other forms of body art, body painting is temporary, lasting several hours or sometimes up to a few weeks (in the case of mehndi or "h ...
in the late-1970s["The PWI 500." '']Pro Wrestling Illustrated
''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' (''PWI'') is an American internationally sold professional wrestling magazine that was founded in 1979 by publisher Stanley Weston. ''PWI'' is headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and published by Kappa Publish ...
''. Fort Washington, Pennsylvania: London Publishing Company. (December 2001): pg. 66. and, according to ''Pro Wrestling Illustrated
''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' (''PWI'') is an American internationally sold professional wrestling magazine that was founded in 1979 by publisher Stanley Weston. ''PWI'' is headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and published by Kappa Publish ...
'', has one of the most unusual "gimmicks
A gimmick is a novel device or idea designed primarily to attract attention or increase appeal, often with little intrinsic value. When applied to retail marketing, it is a unique or quirky feature designed to make a product or service "stand ou ...
" in professional wrestling.
He was the owner of Three Rivers Wrestling from 1977 to 1979, co-owner of Ohio Championship Wrestling from 1982 to 1983, and competed in Dick the Bruiser
William Fritz Afflis (June 27, 1929 – November 10, 1991) was an American professional wrestler, promoter, and former NFL player, better known by his ring name, Dick the Bruiser. During his NFL days he played four seasons with the Green Bay Pac ...
's World Wrestling Association
The World Wrestling Association (WWA) (Asociación Mundial de Lucha Libre in Spanish) is a lucha libre promotion based in the Tijuana-area of Mexico. It was founded in 1986 by Benjamin Mora Jr.. It featured some of Mexico's best ''luchadores'' a ...
. Jugan also worked for the National Wrestling Alliance
The National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) is an American professional wrestling professional wrestling promotion, promotion and former professional wrestling governing body operated by its parent company Lightning One, Inc.
Founded in 1948, the NWA ...
and the World Wrestling Federation
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and vario ...
as a preliminary wrestler
In professional wrestling slang, a job is a losing performance in a wrestling match. It is derived from the euphemism "doing one's job", which was employed to protect information related to kayfabe from being revealed. The term can be used a numbe ...
and referee during the early-to-mid 1980s.
Jugan was one of the biggest "indy" stars in Pennsylvania during the 1990s. He founded Deaf Wrestlefest
Deaf Wrestlefest is a professional wrestling supercard, produced annually in late April or early May by Lord Zoltan, a longtime wrestler and sports promoter based in Western Pennsylvania. It is considered a major fundraiser for the Western Pennsy ...
, a long-running benefit show for the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf
The Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf (WPSD) is a school for deaf and hard of hearing children in Edgewood, Pennsylvania. It was established in 1869. The school is listed as a Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation Historic Landmar ...
, which ran from 1994 to 2002, and again from 2009 to 2012, and raised over $100,000. In Pittsburgh's Steel City Wrestling
Steel City Wrestling (SCW) was a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in Latrobe, Pennsylvania in 1994 by Norm Connors. It was the top promotion in the Pittsburgh metropolitan area during the 1990s, along with the National Wrestling A ...
, he held the promotion's junior heavyweight championship for over three years before his defeat by Reckless Youth
Thomas Carter (born September 18, 1974) is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Reckless Youth. He has competed in numerous North American independent promotions including the East Coast Wrestling Association, Comba ...
in 1998. While in SCW, Jugan was the leader of The Dope Show, a "heel" stable, with Shirley Doe and Big Neal the Real Deal.["The PWI 500." '']Pro Wrestling Illustrated
''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' (''PWI'') is an American internationally sold professional wrestling magazine that was founded in 1979 by publisher Stanley Weston. ''PWI'' is headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and published by Kappa Publish ...
''. Fort Washington, Pennsylvania: London Publishing Company. (Holiday 1999): pg. 62. He also had a long-running feud with Dominic DeNucci
Domenico A. Nucciarone (January 23, 1932 – August 12, 2021) was an Italian-American professional wrestler and trainer better known under his ring name of Dominic DeNucci. He held over a dozen championships around the world in the 1960s and 197 ...
, Doink the Clown
Doink the Clown is a professional wrestling persona originally and most popularly portrayed by Matt Osborne, who debuted the Doink persona in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in 1992. Doink is a clown (or evil clown) wearing traditional clo ...
, and T.C. Reynolds on the independent circuit
In professional wrestling, the independent circuit or indie circuit is the collective noun, collective name of independent professional wrestling promotions which are smaller than major televised promotions. It is roughly analogous to a minor lea ...
.
Jugan dedicated much of his later wrestling career to helping raise money for cancer research, civic organizations, and other charitable causes though independent wrestling shows. On March 20, 2012, Jugan was recognized by the city of Pittsburgh who declared it "Ken Jugan Day". A year later, Jugan received the Jason Sanderson Humanitarian Award from the Cauliflower Alley Club
The Cauliflower Alley Club is a non-profit fraternal organization, which includes a newsletter and website, comprising both retired and active professional wrestlers and boxers in North America.
Established in 1965 by Mike Mazurki and Art Abram ...
for both Deaf Wrestlefest and other charity work. Jugan, described as "local legend" by ''Pittsburgh Magazine
Pittsburgh Magazine is a lifestyle magazine covering the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. It hosts an annual "40 Under 40" featuring prominent young Pittsburghers. It's known for listicles including Pittsburgh's 25 Best Restaurants, Best of the 'Bur ...
'', has been called one of the most important independent wrestlers to come out of Western Pennsylvania
Western Pennsylvania is a region in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, covering the western third of the state. Pittsburgh is the region's principal city, with a metropolitan area population of about 2.4 million people, and serves as its economic ...
.
Early life
Jugan was born in Glassport, Pennsylvania
Glassport is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, approximately south of Pittsburgh and the confluence of the Monongahela and Allegheny rivers where they form the Ohio River. Glassport lies along the east side of th ...
on October 16, 1957. He became interested in pro wrestling as a child after attending a live event at the McKeesport Palisades. Jugan later became a regular studio audience
A studio audience is an audience present for the recording of all or part of a television program or radio program. The primary purpose of the studio audience is to provide applause and/or laughter to the program's soundtrack (as opposed to canned ...
member on the famed Saturday night television program ''Studio Wrestling
''Studio Wrestling'' was a live professional wrestling show broadcast from WIIC-TV Channel 11 in Pittsburgh every Saturday evening. In 1959, WIIC began broadcasting professional wrestling from their studio located in Fineview. The show was hoste ...
''. Although the show was restricted to people over 18, Jugan was often sneaked in through the back door of the WIIC-TV studio by Bruno Sammartino
Bruno Leopoldo Francesco Sammartino (October 6, 1935 – April 18, 2018) was an Italian-born American professional wrestler, best known for his work with the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF, now WWE). There, he held the WWWF World Heavywei ...
's manager and sat in the back row of the bleachers. Jugan was studying photography in school at the time and began taking pictures at the matches. An official ringside photographer during the final years of ''Studio Wrestling'', he eventually started submitting photos and writing for various wrestling magazines and newsletters. He was also president of a fanclub for Luis Martinez.
Professional wrestling career
Early career (1975–1977)
As a ringside photographer, Jugan became acquainted with a number of promoters and wrestlers in the Pittsburgh-area such as Newt Tattrie. At age 18, the 165 lbs. Jugan unexpectedly wrestled his first match in November 1975 when a wrestler failed to appear for an event he was covering in Clarksburg, West Virginia
Clarksburg is a city in and the county seat of Harrison County, West Virginia, United States, in the north-central region of the state. The population of the city was 16,039 at the 2020 census. It is the principal city of the Clarksburg micro ...
. Jugan decided to continue wrestling after being laid off from his regular job at Union Railroad in Duquesne. His first match as Lord Zoltan was at Ponderosa Park in Salem, Ohio
Salem is the largest city in Columbiana County, Ohio, with a small district in southern Mahoning County. At the 2020 census, the city's population was 11,915. It is the principal city of the Salem micropolitan area in Northeast Ohio. It is 18 m ...
. By 1976, he was wrestling as "Zoltan the Great" in Ohio and West Virginia. He was one of the first wrestlers to start wearing facepaint
Body painting is a form of body art where artwork is painted directly onto the human skin. Unlike tattoos and other forms of body art, body painting is temporary, lasting several hours or sometimes up to a few weeks (in the case of mehndi or "h ...
in the late-1970s. The "Zoltan" ringname was an homage to Pittsburgh promoter Zoltan "Ace" Freeman and the other half inspired by Alexander the Great
Alexander III of Macedon ( grc, wikt:Ἀλέξανδρος, Ἀλέξανδρος, Alexandros; 20/21 July 356 BC – 10/11 June 323 BC), commonly known as Alexander the Great, was a king of the Ancient Greece, ancient Greek kingdom of Maced ...
. He also made two appearances as "King Kabooki" for The Original Sheik
Edward George Farhat (June 7, 1926 – January 18, 2003) was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name The Sheik (often called The Original Sheik to distinguish him from The Iron Sheik, who debuted in 1972). Farhat is cred ...
in Detroit. Jugan started refereeing matches as well. Jugan won one of his first championship titles, the NACW Junior Heavyweight Championship, in West Virginia's North American Championship Wrestling. Jugan would eventually become a major regional star in the Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...
Tri-state area (Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
, Ohio
Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...
, and West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the Bur ...
), as well as Indiana
Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...
and Michigan
Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...
, during the late-1970s and early 1980s. Pro Wrestling Illustrated
''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' (''PWI'') is an American internationally sold professional wrestling magazine that was founded in 1979 by publisher Stanley Weston. ''PWI'' is headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and published by Kappa Publish ...
described his Zoltan in-ring persona as "one of wrestling's crazier characters", alternating between "ominous"-looking facepaint and a wrestling mask
A wrestling mask is a fabric-based mask that some professional wrestlers wear as part of their in-ring persona or gimmick. Professional wrestlers have been using masks as far back as 1915 and they are still widely used today, especially in Lucha ...
, who had "perfected the art of distracting referees while he uses foreign objects and illegal tactics against his opponents".
Three Rivers Wrestling Association (1977–1979)
Jugan started his own "outlaw" promotion, Three Rivers Wrestling Association (TRWA), in 1977.[ The promotion was covered in a number of wrestling publications, such as '' The Ring's Wrestling'', ''The Wrestling News'', and ''Wrestling Monthly'', and many of its stars regularly performed as preliminary wrestlers for the ]World Wide Wrestling Federation
Capitol Wrestling Corporation Ltd. was an American sports promotion company. It was run by Vincent J. McMahon from 1953 to 1982. Operating as the Capitol Wrestling Corporation (CWC), the company was originally a professional wrestling and boxing p ...
. Bobby Fulton
James Hines (born October 4, 1960) is a retired American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Bobby Fulton. He was one half of the tag team The Fantastics with Tommy Rogers.
Professional wrestling career
James Hines started wre ...
spent much of his early career in the TRWA where he trained with Jugan, Fred
Fred may refer to:
People
* Fred (name), including a list of people and characters with the name
Mononym
* Fred (cartoonist) (1931–2013), pen name of Fred Othon Aristidès, French
* Fred (footballer, born 1949) (1949–2022), Frederico Ro ...
and Bull Curry
Fred Thomas Koury Sr. (May 2, 1913 – March 8, 1985) was an American of Lebanese descent who was best known as a professional wrestler under the name ”Wild Bull” Curry. He is recognized as the originator of the hardcore style predating leg ...
, and Charlie Fulton. The promotion merged with the Knoxville, Tennessee
Knoxville is a city in and the county seat of Knox County, Tennessee, Knox County in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 United States census, Knoxville's population was 190,740, making it the largest city in the East Tennessee Grand Di ...
-based All-Star Wrestling in September 1979 shortly after its split from Southeastern Championship Wrestling
Continental Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion based in Knoxville, Tennessee, and Dothan, Alabama from 1985 until 1989, owned by Ron Fuller. The promotion evolved out of the NWA-affiliated Southeastern Championship Wr ...
earlier that year.
World Wrestling Association (1982)
Jugan was one of several West Virginia promoters who began working with Dick the Bruiser
William Fritz Afflis (June 27, 1929 – November 10, 1991) was an American professional wrestler, promoter, and former NFL player, better known by his ring name, Dick the Bruiser. During his NFL days he played four seasons with the Green Bay Pac ...
's World Wrestling Association
The World Wrestling Association (WWA) (Asociación Mundial de Lucha Libre in Spanish) is a lucha libre promotion based in the Tijuana-area of Mexico. It was founded in 1986 by Benjamin Mora Jr.. It featured some of Mexico's best ''luchadores'' a ...
in Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Mari ...
during the early-1980s. Jugan soon began wrestling for the WWA as "Zoltan the Great" in mid-1982. One of his first matches in the promotion was against Mike Dupree at the Market Square Arena
Market Square Arena was an indoor arena in Indianapolis. Completed in 1974, at a cost of $23 million, it seated 16,530 for basketball and 15,993 for ice hockey. Seating capacity for concerts and other events was adjusted by the use of large cu ...
on July 5, which he won. Jugan made several more appearances at the venue wrestling El Bracero, Rufus R. Jones, and J.R. Hogg during the next several weeks.
Ohio Championship Wrestling (1982–1983)
In the fall of 1982, Jugan began working for Traitor Tim Hampton's Ohio Championship Wrestling in Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...
. He was a founding member of the "outlaw promotion" along with Ed Bonzo and J.W. Hawk. With their connections to the WWA, they were able to start broadcasting televised matches on cable channels 24 and 27 in the Cleveland area. The promotion held its first event, a three-day November supercard, where it crowned Bobo Brazil
Houston Harris (July 10, 1924 – January 20, 1998) was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Bobo Brazil. Credited with breaking down barriers of racial segregation in professional wrestling, Harris is considered one o ...
as its first champion. On the second night in Maple Heights, Ohio
Maple Heights is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. It is a suburb of Cleveland. The population was 23,138 at the 2010 census.
History Maple Heights Transit
In 1935, the City created Maple Heights Transit to provide connections t ...
, Jugan won a battle royal
Battle royal (; also royale) traditionally refers to a fight involving many combatants that is fought until only one fighter remains standing, usually conducted under either boxing or wrestling rules. In recent times, the term has been used in a ...
to earn a title shot against Brazil on the third show in Parma
Parma (; egl, Pärma, ) is a city in the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna known for its architecture, Giuseppe Verdi, music, art, prosciutto (ham), Parmigiano-Reggiano, cheese and surrounding countryside. With a population of 198,292 ...
. Jugan was part of a heel stable managed by Beefy LaPorque that included Ed Bonzo and J.W. Hawk until the end of the promotion's run in the spring of 1983. Jugan and Hawk were also managed by Greg "Punk Rock" Mason for a time. Jugan would later form a tag team with LaPorque, wrestling as The Incredible Bulk, called The Funkadelix.[
]
World Wrestling Association (1983)
Jugan returned to the WWA after the close of Ohio Championship Wrestling. On March 12, 1983, Jugan wrestled two matches in one night at Tyndall Armory in Indianapolis. He and El Bracero fought to a draw in the first match then lost to Spike Huber later on that night. During the next two months, Jugan also had matches against Bobby Bold Eagle, Steve Cooper, Greg Lake, Max Blue, and Jose Elizia. On May 7, Jugan and Black Saint lost to El Bracero and J.R. Hogg in Madison, Indiana. He and The Black Cat also lost to El Bracero and Bobby Bold Eagle in Seymour, Indiana
Seymour is a city in Jackson County, Indiana, United States. Its population was 21,569 at the 2020 census.
The city is noted for its location at the intersection of two major north–south and east–west railroads, which cross each other in th ...
a week later.
World Wrestling Federation (1983–1984)
Jugan began wrestling for the World Wrestling Federation
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and vario ...
as a preliminary wrestler mostly appearing for WWF house shows in Allentown Allentown may refer to several places in the United States and topics related to them:
* Allentown, California, now called Toadtown, California
* Allentown, Georgia, a town in Wilkinson County
* Allentown, Illinois, an unincorporated community in T ...
and Hamburg, Pennsylvania
Hamburg (Pennsylvania Dutch language, Pennsylvania German: ''Hambarig'') is a Borough (Pennsylvania), borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania, Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 4,270 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 ...
. One of his first appearances was on the May 14th edition of ''WWF Championship Wrestling
''WWF Championship Wrestling'' is a professional wrestling television program produced by the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE). It aired from 1971 to August 30, 1986 and was the original television show of the WWF. Originally produced u ...
'' to wrestle Tito Santana
Merced Solis (born May 10, 1953), better known by the ring name Tito Santana, is a retired American professional wrestler and middle school teacher.
Santana has stayed a babyface his entire career and he is best known for his appearances with ...
. Over the next few weeks, Jugan faced Salvatore Bellomo
Salvatore Bellomo (June 18, 1951 – February 9, 2019) was a Belgian Professional wrestling, professional wrestler. His career spanned over 40 years; he is perhaps best known for his appearances in the United States with the World Wrestling Federa ...
and Tony Garea
Anthony Gareljich (born 20 September 1946) is a New Zealand retired professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Tony Garea. He is best known for his appearances in the United States with the World Wide Wrestling Federation/World Wrestl ...
. He also teamed with Bill Dixon to wrestle The Invaders ( Invader #1 and #2) during the summer. On July 9, Jugan and Angelo Gomez unsuccessfully challenged Andre the Giant in a handicap match
Many types of wrestling matches, sometimes called "concept" or "gimmick matches" in the jargon of the business, are performed in professional wrestling. Some gimmick matches are more common than others and are often used to advance or conclude a ...
. The two men lost the match when Jugan was thrown out of the ring and his partner pinned by Andre. Due to the circumstances of the match, Jugan has often claimed he is "undefeated" against the legendary wrestler. He remains one of the few currently active wrestlers to have faced Andre the Giant. On September 6, 1983, Jugan teamed with Tony Garea and Swede Hansen
Andrew Viggo Hansen, Jr. (November 12, 1924 – February 2, 2002), nicknamed "Swede", was a right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball. In a nine-season career, he played for the New York Giants and the Philadelphia Phillies. Hansen was offic ...
in a losing effort against Samula and The Wild Samoans
The Wild Samoans was the professional wrestling tag team of Afa and Sika in the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) and the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). The Samoans held 21 tag team championships around the world.
Gimmick
The Wild Samoans ra ...
( Afa and Sika).[ He also continued wrestling in Michigan and Ohio under his Zoltan in-ring persona so fans would not recognize him on WWF television.]
On January 1, 1984, Jugan wrestled "Dr. D" David Schultz for a WWF TV taping at the Chase Park Plaza Hotel in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi River, Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the Greater St. Louis, ...
; their bout was later aired during the short-lived revival of ''Wrestling at the Chase
''Wrestling at the Chase'' is a professional wrestling television series of local and national historical importance in the field of television wrestling. The show was recorded in St. Louis, Missouri, for KPLR-TV, Channel 11, and aired from May ...
''. On the January 7th edition of ''WWF All Star Wrestling'', Jugan lost to Sgt. Slaughter
Robert Rudolph Remus (born August 27, 1948), best known by his ring name Sgt. Slaughter, is a voice actor and retired American professional wrestler who is currently signed to WWE in the ambassador program.
From the late 1970s to the early 198 ...
after submitting to the Cobra Clutch submission hold. The following week, Jugan wrestled then WWF World Heavyweight Champion The Iron Sheik
Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri ( fa, حسین خسرو علی وزیری, romanized: Hossein Xosrô 'Ali Vaziri; born March 15, 1942), better known by his ring name the Iron Sheik, is an Iranian retired professional wrestler, amateur wrestler and a ...
(with "Classy" Freddie Blassie) and lost after submitting to his Camel Clutch
Professional wrestling holds include a number of set moves and pins used by performers to immobilize their opponents or lead to a Submission wrestling, submission. This article covers the various pins, stretches and transition holds used in the ri ...
finisher. Jugan was similarly defeated by Greg "The Hammer" Valentine
Jonathan Anthony Wisniski (born September 20, 1951) is a retired American professional wrestler, better known as Greg "The Hammer" Valentine. He is the son of wrestler Johnny Valentine.
Over five decades, Valentine held more than 40 championships ...
(with Captain Lou Albano
Louis Vincent Albano (July 29, 1933 – October 14, 2009) was an Italian-American professional wrestler, manager and actor, who performed under the ring/stage name "Captain" Lou Albano. He was active as a professional wrestler from 1953 until 1 ...
) using a figure-four leglock
Professional wrestling holds include a number of set moves and pins used by performers to immobilize their opponents or lead to a submission. This article covers the various pins, stretches and transition holds used in the ring. Some wrestlers use ...
on the January 28th edition of ''WWF All Star Wrestling''. On February 4, Jugan teamed with Eddie Gilbert and Frankie Williams in a 6-man tag team match against The Wild Samoans (with Captain Lou Albano); Jugan's team lost when Afa pinned Williams after a Samoan drop
Samoan may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to the Samoan Islands, an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean
** Something of, from, or related to Samoa, a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands
** Something of, from, ...
. On February 11, Jugan and Bill Dixon wrestled Eddie Gilbert and B. Brian Blair
Brian Leslie Blair (born January 12, 1957) is an American retired professional wrestler and politician. He is best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) under the ring name B. Brian Blair as one half of the tag te ...
in Allentown, Pennsylvania. He lost to The Iron Sheik in Allentown a week later. Their ''WWF Championship Wrestling
''WWF Championship Wrestling'' is a professional wrestling television program produced by the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE). It aired from 1971 to August 30, 1986 and was the original television show of the WWF. Originally produced u ...
'' match was used to set up The Iron Sheik's feud with Sgt. Slaughter. On February 18, Jugan was pinned by Paul Orndorff
Paul Parlette Orndorff Jr. (October 29, 1949 – July 12, 2021), nicknamed "Mr. Wonderful", was an American professional wrestler and college football player, best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) and World Cham ...
(with "Rowdy" Roddy Piper) on ''WWF Championship Wrestling''. On February 24, Jugan wrestled Samula at the Pittsburgh Civic Arena
The Civic Arena, formerly the Civic Auditorium and later Mellon Arena, was an arena located in Downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Civic Arena primarily served as the home to the Pittsburgh Penguins, the city's National Hockey League (NHL) ...
. On March 3, 1984, in one of his last WWF appearances, Jugan teamed with Steve Lombardi
Steven Kenneth Lombardi (born April 18, 1961) is an American professional wrestler and road agent, better known by his ring name, The Brooklyn Brawler. He worked for the professional wrestling promotion, WWE, as well as several independent promo ...
to wrestle Mr. Fuji
Harry Masayoshi Fujiwara (May 4, 1934 – August 28, 2016) was an American professional wrestler and manager, known professionally by his ring name Mr. Fuji (or Master Fuji to his protégés).
He was famous for often throwing salt in the ey ...
and Tiger Chung Lee
or Kim Duk ( ko, 김 덕/金 徳) (born February 7, 1948) is a retired Zainichi-Korean professional wrestler, better known under his ring name . He was also known by the name Tiger Chung Lee in the World Wrestling Federation.
Early life
Masan ...
in Allentown.[
]
Semi-retirement (1985–1991)
Jugan began refereeing matches in the Pittsburgh-area for the WWF during the mid-1980s. The decision would soon threaten his wrestling career as the Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission would not allow Jugan to hold a "duel license". Jugan opted to continue refereeing for the WWF was effectively "banned" from competition in Pennsylvania for several years. Outside of his home state, however, Jugan continued wrestling in the various territories of the National Wrestling Alliance
The National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) is an American professional wrestling professional wrestling promotion, promotion and former professional wrestling governing body operated by its parent company Lightning One, Inc.
Founded in 1948, the NWA ...
, as well as outlaw promotions, throughout the country. On January 17, 1985, Jugan wrestled "Dirty" Dick Slater during a Pittsburgh TV taping of ''Championship Wrestling from Georgia
Georgia Championship Wrestling was an American professional wrestling promotion based in Atlanta, Georgia. The promotion was affiliated with what had been the world's top sanctioning body of championship titles for decades before, the National W ...
''. Jugan became semi-active during this period and, after being engaged to his future wife, began working as an administrative assistant for the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas. On November 16, 1986, Jugan and Bobby Duncum, Sr.
Bobby Edward Duncum (born August 14, 1944) is an American retired professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances for the World Wide Wrestling Federation, National Wrestling Alliance and American Wrestling Association from the late ...
lost to Kurt Kaugman and Troy Orndorff in Clarksburg, West Virginia
Clarksburg is a city in and the county seat of Harrison County, West Virginia, United States, in the north-central region of the state. The population of the city was 16,039 at the 2020 census. It is the principal city of the Clarksburg micro ...
via countout. He returned to Clarksburg on February 13, 1987, where he and Umana Zanuk defeated Crusher Klebanski and Tony Nardo. Jugan also held the Great Lakes Wrestling Association Junior Heavyweight Championship but lost the belt to Sam Houston
Samuel Houston (, ; March 2, 1793 – July 26, 1863) was an American general and statesman who played an important role in the Texas Revolution. He served as the first and third president of the Republic of Texas and was one of the first two i ...
on November 17, 1989, at the Front Row Theatre in Cleveland, Ohio.
Independent circuit (1992–1994)
Jugan continued wrestling following the breakup of the NWA territory system in the early-1990s. In January 1992, Jugan beat Michael Quinn in Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wit ...
for the American States Wrestling Alliance's Ohio Junior Heavyweight Championship. He lost the belt to Kid Collins in Mansfield, Ohio
Mansfield is a city in and the county seat of Richland County, Ohio, United States. Located midway between Columbus and Cleveland via Interstate 71, it is part of Northeast Ohio region in the western foothills of the Allegheny Plateau. The city ...
three months later. Jugan also worked for Cleveland All-Pro Wrestling during this period. On May 7, Jugan wrestled T.C. Reynolds at a CAPW show. The next night, Jugan and Jesse Sellica wrestled The Bushwhackers
The Bushwhackers are a professional wrestling tag team who competed first as the New Zealand Kiwis and then as The Sheepherders during their 36-year career as a tag team. They wrestled in the World Wrestling Federation, Jim Crockett Promotions, ...
. He also feuded with Dusty Wolfe while in ASWA. Jugan spent much of 1994 feuding with Johnny Graham on the independent circuit. Their bout at "Sauconfest '94" in Lower Saucon, Pennsylvania was praised by ''The Morning Call
''The Morning Call'' is a daily newspaper in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1883, it is the second longest continuously published newspaper in the Lehigh Valley, after ''The Express-Times''. In 2020, the newspaper permanently closed its Al ...
''. The publication claimed that the wrestler "was so hyped he needed an attending physician to hypnotize him into behaving". On September 24 in Munhall, Pennsylvania
Munhall is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, on the west bank of the Monongahela River, south of the confluence of the Monongahela and the Allegheny rivers where the Ohio River begins. It abuts the borough of Homestead ...
, he lost to "Beef Stew" Lou Marconi in a match to crown the inaugural ACW Mid-America Heavyweight Champion. Jugan defeated Graham in an "Eye of the Hurricane" match for the ACW Light Heavyweight Championship in Lewistown, Pennsylvania on October 1, but dropped the title to Graham two weeks later.
Steel City Wrestling (1994–1996)
In late-1994, Jugan joined Norm Connors' Steel City Wrestling
Steel City Wrestling (SCW) was a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in Latrobe, Pennsylvania in 1994 by Norm Connors. It was the top promotion in the Pittsburgh metropolitan area during the 1990s, along with the National Wrestling A ...
based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. On October 8, 1994, Jugan entered a one-night tournament in Connellsville, Pennsylvania
Connellsville is a city in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, United States, southeast of Pittsburgh and away via the Youghiogheny River, a tributary of the Monongahela River. It is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. The population was 7,637 at th ...
to crown the inaugural SCW Junior Heavyweight Champion. He defeated Chris Hamrick
Christopher Hamrick (born October 21, 1966) is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his stint in ECW, though he is also known for his appearances in WWE, TNA and throughout the independent circuit.
Professional wrestling car ...
in the semi-finals and Scotty McKeaver in the finals to win the title. On December 17, 1994, Jugan and Boo Boo Henderson beat Buddah and T. Rantula in a tag team street fight match in Parkersburg, West Virginia
Parkersburg is a city in and the county seat of Wood County, West Virginia, Wood County, West Virginia. Located at the confluence of the Ohio River, Ohio and Little Kanawha River, Little Kanawha rivers, it is the state's fourth-largest city and ...
. At the end of the year, Jugan was ranked #458 in ''Pro Wrestling Illustrated
''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' (''PWI'') is an American internationally sold professional wrestling magazine that was founded in 1979 by publisher Stanley Weston. ''PWI'' is headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and published by Kappa Publish ...
'''s annual PWI 500
''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' (''PWI'') is an American internationally sold professional wrestling magazine that was founded in 1979 by publisher Stanley Weston. ''PWI'' is headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and published by Kappa Publishi ...
.
That same year, Jugan promoted Deaf Wrestlefest
Deaf Wrestlefest is a professional wrestling supercard, produced annually in late April or early May by Lord Zoltan, a longtime wrestler and sports promoter based in Western Pennsylvania. It is considered a major fundraiser for the Western Pennsy ...
, a fundraiser for the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf
The Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf (WPSD) is a school for deaf and hard of hearing children in Edgewood, Pennsylvania. It was established in 1869. The school is listed as a Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation Historic Landmar ...
in Edgewood, Pennsylvania. His two sons, both hearing-impaired, were students the school. He and his wife were approached at a PTA meeting, as one of the parent's was aware Jugan was a pro wrestler, when the then newly appointed school superintendent was looking for new fundraising ideas. The event was performed specifically for a hearing-impaired
Hearing loss is a partial or total inability to hear. Hearing loss may be present at birth or acquired at any time afterwards. Hearing loss may occur in one or both ears. In children, hearing problems can affect the ability to acquire spoken l ...
audience with sign language
Sign languages (also known as signed languages) are languages that use the visual-manual modality to convey meaning, instead of spoken words. Sign languages are expressed through manual articulation in combination with non-manual markers. Sign l ...
being used to communicate promos and other information. Deaf Wrestlefest became an annual event for Steel City Wrestling, attracting a number of high-profile stars, until its close five years later. Jugan was an active participant in the first few events but gradually ceased wrestling to concentrate exclusively on promoting the event. Local Pennsylvania promoters allowed him to borrow their permits so that Jugan would be allowed to run the shows.
Jugan spent the first half of 1995 feuding with T.C. Reynolds over his newly won title. He also wrestled Cactus Jack in a non-title match, which Jugan lost, in Weirton, West Virginia
Weirton () is a city in Brooke and Hancock counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia. Located primarily in Hancock County, the city lies in the northern portions of the state's Northern Panhandle region. As of the 2020 census, the city's pop ...
on April 7. That spring, Jugan also began teaming with Psycho Mike as The Master Blasterz on the Ohio independent circuit. The team faced The Bushwhackers
The Bushwhackers are a professional wrestling tag team who competed first as the New Zealand Kiwis and then as The Sheepherders during their 36-year career as a tag team. They wrestled in the World Wrestling Federation, Jim Crockett Promotions, ...
( Bushwacker Luke and Bushwacker Butch) at IWA's "Rumble in Trumbull '95" as well as The American Patriots (Preston Steele and T.C. Reynolds) at Deaf Wrestlefest 1995. Psycho Mike later counted Jugan among his top five favorite tag team partners of his career. Jugan's feud with Reynolds also spread to other promotions. On April 21, Jugan captured the United States Wrestling League Intercontinental Championship from Reynolds in Ellwood City, Pennsylvania
Ellwood City is a borough primarily in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, United States, with a small district in Beaver County. The population was 7,031 at the 2020 census. Ellwood City lies northwest of Pittsburgh and southeast of New Castle ...
. Four months later, the two met during a one-night tournament in New Castle, Pennsylvania
New Castle is a city in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Lawrence County. It is northwest of Pittsburgh, and near the Pennsylvania–Ohio border, just southeast of Youngstown, Ohio. As of the 2020 U.S. Census, ...
for the SCW Pennsylvania State Junior Heavyweight Championship. They were both eliminated from the tournament when their match ended in a double-disqualification.
On October 14, Jugan lost the ACW light heavyweight title to Johnny Graham at "Fall Wrestlefest '95" in Lewistown, Pennsylvania
Lewistown is a borough in and the county seat of Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is the principal city of the '' Lewistown, PA Micropolitan Statistical Area'', which encompasses all of Mifflin County. It lies along the Juniata Ri ...
. A week later in SCW, Jugan and his manager Notorious Norm lost a tag team match to Virgil
Publius Vergilius Maro (; traditional dates 15 October 7021 September 19 BC), usually called Virgil or Vergil ( ) in English, was an ancient Roman poet of the Augustan period. He composed three of the most famous poems in Latin literature: t ...
and Bill Mickey, a local firefighter
A firefighter is a first responder and rescuer extensively trained in firefighting, primarily to extinguish hazardous fires that threaten life, property, and the environment as well as to rescue people and in some cases or jurisdictions also ...
, at Connellsville High School. On November 11, Jugan lost to Mikey Whipwreck
John Michael Watson (born June 4, 1973), better known by his ring name Mikey Whipwreck, is an American semi-retired professional wrestler working for All Elite Wrestling (AEW) as a trainer, and global ambassador. He is best known for his career w ...
via disqualification at St. Mary's High School; Whipwreck had defeated Pablo Marquez earlier in the night to earn a SCW title shot at Jugan. Though successful in keeping his SCW title earlier that year, Jugan lost the USWL Intercontinental Championship to T.C. Reynolds at Butler Senior High School on December 18, 1995.
That spring, Jugan was among the top ten contenders in American Commonwealth Wrestling for the promotion's heavyweight title, then held by T. Rantula, but did not win the belt. On April 20, 1996, Jugan lost to Koko B. Ware
James W. Ware, Jr. (born June 20, 1958), better known by his ring name Koko B. Ware is an American retired professional wrestler. He debuted in 1978 and became widely popular in 1986. He later went on to the World Wrestling Federation, where he ...
in a non-title bout at the Upshur County Armory in Buckhannon, West Virginia
Buckhannon is the only incorporated city in, and the county seat of, Upshur County, West Virginia, Upshur County, West Virginia, United States, and is located along the Buckhannon River. The population was 5,299 at the 2020 United States Census ...
. The next night at Deaf Wrestlefest 1996, The Master Blasterz and T. Rantula defeated Cody Michaels
Mark Keenan, better known by his ring name Cody Michaels, is an American former professional wrestler. After suffering a serious neck injury, Michaels retired and has worked behind the scenes as a booker and promoter.
Professional wrestling c ...
, Dynamite Dan, and Preston Steele in a six-man tag team match. Jugan also made appearances for Cleveland Wrestling Alliance and the United States Wrestling League during the summer. In the fall of 1996, Jugan made a brief appearance in Pro Wrestling eXpress
Pro Wrestling eXpress (PWX, also known as NWA East) is a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in North Versailles, Pennsylvania in 1994 by Jim Miller and Sean "Shocker" Evans. It is the longest-running promotion in the Pittsburgh met ...
. On September 6, 1996, Jugan defeated Dennis Gregory for the PWX North American Heavyweight Championship in North Versailles, Pennsylvania. He re-lost the title to Gregory the next night in West Newton. On September 21, 1996, Jugan (with Notorious Norm) defeated Virgil
Publius Vergilius Maro (; traditional dates 15 October 7021 September 19 BC), usually called Virgil or Vergil ( ) in English, was an ancient Roman poet of the Augustan period. He composed three of the most famous poems in Latin literature: t ...
via countout at the Tuscarawas County Fair in Dover, Ohio
Dover is a city in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, United States, along the Tuscarawas River. The population was 13,112 at the 2020 census. It is located approximately
south of Cleveland, west of Pittsburgh, and northeast of the state capital of Col ...
. A rematch held the following night at Pittsburgh's Sullivan Hall resulted in a double-countout.
Independent circuit (1997)
Jugan occasionally appeared in televised matches for United States Championship Wrestling throughout 1997. On April 12, 1997, Jugan and T. Rantula wrestled Ron Cumberledge and Preston Steele in Barberton, Ohio
Barberton is a city in Summit County, Ohio, United States. The population was 26,550 at the 2010 census. Lying directly southwest of Akron, it is a suburb of the Akron metropolitan area.
History
Barberton was founded in 1891 by industrialist O. ...
. On April 25, he wrestled T.C. Reynolds to a time-limit draw at a Pro Championship Wrestling show in Warren, Ohio
Warren is a city in and the county seat of Trumbull County, Ohio, United States. Located in northeastern Ohio, Warren lies approximately northwest of Youngstown and southeast of Cleveland. The population was 39,201 at the 2020 census. The his ...
. On August 22, Jugan wrestled J.T. Lightning at a United States Wrestling League show. On December 13, 1997, Jugan pinned Matthew Starr at an Atlantic Coast Championship Wrestling show in Buckhannon, West Virginia
Buckhannon is the only incorporated city in, and the county seat of, Upshur County, West Virginia, Upshur County, West Virginia, United States, and is located along the Buckhannon River. The population was 5,299 at the 2020 United States Census ...
.
Steel City Wrestling (1998–2000)
Jugan successfully defended the junior heavyweight title against Christian York
Jason Spence (born April 13, 1977) is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Christian York. He is best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling, Extreme Championship Wrestling and Impact Wrestling. C ...
at the SCW Arena in Irwin, Pennsylvania
Irwin is a borough in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, southeast of Pittsburgh. Some of the most extensive bituminous coal deposits in the State are located here. In the past, iron foundries, flour mills, car shops, facing and planing mills, e ...
on January 18, 1998. A match between York and Reckless Youth
Thomas Carter (born September 18, 1974) is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Reckless Youth. He has competed in numerous North American independent promotions including the East Coast Wrestling Association, Comba ...
was scheduled to take place the following month, on February 8, to decide who would be Jugan's next opponent. Prior to the bout, York claimed to have suffered a severe knee injury and forfeited the match. York confronted Reckless Youth in the ring following this announcement and challenged his rival to face Jugan for the belt that night. This set up an impromptu title match between Jugan and Youth. Jugan ended up losing to Reckless Youth in this bout ending his three-year title reign.
On February 15, Jugan successfully defended the ACW Light Heavyweight Championship against Preston Steele in Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...
; he was awarded the bout via referee decision when Steele could no longer compete due to an ankle injury. Jugan went on to win an 18-man battle royal at the end of the night. He lost to Battman via disqualification in Cleveland on March 22 but retained the title. On May 24, Jugan and T. Tantula attended an Extreme Championship Wrestling
HHG Corporation, doing business as Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), was a professional wrestling promotion and media company that was based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The promotion was founded in 1992 by Tod Gordon as National Wrest ...
show in Rostraver, Pennsylvania though they did not compete. Shortly after his title loss, Jugan formed a "heel" stable called The Dope Show with Shirley Doe and Big Neal the Real Deal. He and Shirley Doe began teaming regularly during this period. On July 9, they wrestled The Bushwhackers in Cambridge, Ohio
Cambridge is a city in and the county seat of Guernsey County, Ohio, United States. It lies in southeastern Ohio, in the Appalachian Plateau of the Appalachian Mountains 74 miles east of Columbus. The population was 10,635 at the 2010 census. I ...
. The following night in Irwin, The Dope Show defeated Don Montoya and Jimmy Cicero
Matthew Bowman (born January 2, 1969) is an American professional wrestler, best known by his ring name "Wiseguy" Jimmy Cicero, who has worked for the United States Wrestling Association, Extreme Championship Wrestling, the World Wrestling Federa ...
; Jugan would defeat Montoya in a singles match at the end of the month. On August 28, Jugan and Rage faced High Society (Cueball Carmichael
Chris Jackson (born June 10, 1960) is an American professional wrestler, trainer and promoter, known by his ringname Cueball Carmichael, who competes in the Mid-Atlantic and East Coast independent circuit. He has wrestled and won titles in the ...
and Jimmy Cicero) at the SCW Arena. He also wrestled Carmichael in single matches during the next two months. On October 18, Jugan and Shirley Doe beat The Heartthrobs (Blade and Logan) at the SCW Arena. On November 13, Jugan wrestled Doink the Clown in a 30-minute match at Allied Powers Wrestling Federation's "Friday The 13th" supercard at Brockway High School. Jugan defeated Doink the following night at APWF's "Hell's Bells" in Big Run, Pennsylvania. On November 22, 1998, The Dope Show beat Flexx Wheeler and Nick Burke at the SCW Arena.
On January 16, 1999, Jugan wrestled Julio Sanchez in Burnside, Pennsylvania
Burnside is a borough in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 188 at the 2020 census.
Geography
Burnside is located in southwestern Clearfield County at (40.813203, -78.787645), along the West Branch Susquehanna Riv ...
. The following night, The Dope Show defeated The Intimidators (Mark Mest and Vladimir Vampyre) in Weirton, West Virginia. On April 17, Jugan returned to Weirton where he wrestled Robert Gibson at SCW's King of West Virginia Tournament. On June 19, Jugan won a singles match against Sheriff Steele via disqualification in White Oak, Pennsylvania
White Oak is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 7,862 at the 2010 census.
White Oak was named for a stand of white oak trees near the original town site.
History
White Oak was originally part of Vers ...
. On May 15, Jugan and T. Rantula wrestled The Thrillbillies in Ashtabula, Ohio
Ashtabula ( ) is a city in Ashtabula County, Ohio, Ashtabula County, Ohio, United States, and the center of the United States micropolitan area, Ashtabula micropolitan area. It is located at the mouth of the Ashtabula River on Lake Erie, nort ...
. On June 5, Jugan and Shirley Doe wrestled The American Jiggalos (Preston Steele and TC Renyolds) at a USWL show in Ellwood City, Pennsylvania
Ellwood City is a borough primarily in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, United States, with a small district in Beaver County. The population was 7,031 at the 2020 census. Ellwood City lies northwest of Pittsburgh and southeast of New Castle ...
. On July 8, The Dope Show beat The Intimidators in a rematch at the Agricultural Fair in Derry, Pennsylvania
:''There are also four Derry Townships in Pennsylvania.''
Derry is a borough in Westmoreland County in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, east of Pittsburgh. The Borough of Derry, consisting of the town area, should not be confused with Derry T ...
. On July 30, Jugan appeared at " Curtis Comes Home" in Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania, a tribute show to raise money for referee Mark Curtis, where he wrestled Dominic DeNucci in a Legends match. Jugan was pinned by DeNucci following a surprise appearance from Mick Foley
Michael Francis Foley (born June 7, 1965) is an American actor, author, retired professional wrestler, and color commentator. He is currently signed to WWE under the company's Legends program, acting as a company ambassador.
Foley worked for m ...
. On November 21, 1999, Jugan and Shirley Doe captured the SCW Tag Team Championship
The SCW Tag Team Championship was a professional wrestling tag team championship in Southern Championship Wrestling (SCW). It remained active until November 20, 2004 when SCW was closed.
The inaugural champions were The Rat Pack ( Jimmy Cicero an ...
from Dennis Gregory and Lou Marconi in White Oak, Pennsylvania. They held the belts for nearly six months before their defeat by High Society (Cueball Carmichael and Jimmy Cicero) in McKeesport, Pennsylvania
McKeesport is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is situated at the confluence of the Monongahela and Youghiogheny rivers and within the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. The population was 17,727 as of the 2020 census. It ...
on May 10, 2000. Doe later credited Jugan as one of his mentors while a tag team.
Independent circuit (2000–2005)
Prior to Steel City Wrestling's close that year, Jugan held what would be the last of the original Deaf Wrestlefest shows. Held on April 12, Deaf Wrestlefest Y2K's main event featured King Kong Bundy
Christopher Alan Pallies (November 7, 1955 – March 5, 2019) was an American professional wrestler, actor and stand-up comedian, better known by his wrestling gimmick and ring name, King Kong Bundy. Under this gimmick, he portrayed a pugnacious, ...
and Preston Steele. The school's decision to end the event was due to the increasing popularity of adult-oriented content and violence in mainstream pro wrestling largely promoted during World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and vario ...
's "Attitude Era
The Attitude Era was a term used by the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now known as World Wrestling Entertainment or WWE) to describe the company's programming from November 9, 1997 to May 6, 2002. It started during the Monday Night Wars, a pe ...
". Although the Deaf Wrestlefest shows had always been "family friendly
A family-friendly product or service is one that is considered to be suitable for all members of an average family. Family-friendly restaurants are ones that provide service to families that have young children. Frequently, family-friendly produc ...
", Jugan speculated that parents and school officials wanted to avoid bad publicity. Jugan two more shows independently before ending Deaf Wrestlefest.
On September 13, 2001, Jugan lost to Doink the Clown at an Outlaw Championship Wrestling show in New Castle, Pennsylvania
New Castle is a city in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Lawrence County. It is northwest of Pittsburgh, and near the Pennsylvania–Ohio border, just southeast of Youngstown, Ohio. As of the 2020 U.S. Census, ...
. On December 28, 2002, Jugan made a guest appearance for the International Wrestling Cartel defeating Jake Garrett at Hindman Hall in Butler, Pennsylvania
Butler is a city and the county seat of Butler County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located north of Pittsburgh and is part of the Greater Pittsburgh region. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 13,502.
History
Butler was na ...
. Ohio independent wrestlers J.T. Hogg, Scott Prodigy, and Sherman Tank have all credited Jugan for mentoring them during their early careers. Hogg, a kayfabe
In professional wrestling, kayfabe, as a noun, is the portrayal of staged events within the industry as "real" or "true", specifically the portrayal of competition, rivalries, and relationships between participants as being genuine and not staged. ...
relative of one-time WWA rival J.R. Hogg, claimed that he wrestled Jugan at least 20 times in a 6-month period.
In early-2003, Jugan feuded with The Dream Team (Dean Jablonski, Joey Bravo, and Rowdy Ron) in the Ohio-based World Wide Wrestling promotion. He lost to Joey Bravo at Tori's Station in Fairfield, Ohio
Fairfield is a suburban city located in both Butler and Hamilton counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. Fairfield is located approximately 25 miles north of Cincinnati and is situated on the east bank of the Great Miami River. The population ...
on January 31, 2003. Jugan also faced Dean Jablonski at the first annual "Rumble in the Rocks", a supercard co-hosted by the Championship Wrestling Federation and Pittsburgh Professional Wrestling, and at a Far North Wrestling show in Johnstown, Pennsylvania
Johnstown is a city in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 18,411 as of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. Located east of Pittsburgh, Johnstown is the principal city of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Metropol ...
. At the end of year, Jugan began wrestling semi-regularly for the Championship Wrestling Federation. On December 13, 2003, Jugan defeated Powerhouse Hughes at "CWF Rampage" in Monessen, Pennsylvania.
On January 10, 2004, Jugan and Devin Devine defeated Dennis Gregory and Powerhouse Hughes at "CWF Motown Showdown '04" in Monessen. He beat Doink the Clown a month later at "CWF Unfinished Business IV". On March 13, Jugan challenged Dennis Gregory for the
CWF Heavyweight Championship at "CWF March Madness 2004" in Bridgeville, Pennsylvania
Bridgeville is a borough in Allegheny County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The population was 4,804 at the 2020 census.
Geography
Bridgeville is located along Chartiers Creek, about southwest of downtown Pittsburgh at .
According to the ...
, however, the match ended in a double-countout. On March 26, Jugan lost to Joe Integra at a Far North Wrestling show in Latrobe, Pennsylvania
Latrobe is a city in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, in the United States and part of the Pittsburgh metropolitan area.
The city population was 8,338 as of the 2010 census (9,265 in 1990). It is located near Pennsylvania's scenic Chestnut Rid ...
. The following night at "Rumble in the Rox 2", Jugan faced to Larry Zbyszko
Lawrence Whistler (born December 5, 1951), better known by the ring name Larry Zbyszko, is an American retired professional wrestler. He is perhaps best known for his feud with his mentor, Bruno Sammartino, during the early 1980s as well as his ...
in the main event. Jugan lost the bout when Zbyszko pinned him with a school boy rollup after an attempt by his manager, Mayor Mystery, to interfere in the match backfired. Jugan and Mayor Mystery's Parts Unknown Posse had attacked Dean Jablonski earlier that night before they were run off by Zbyszko.
On April 3, Jugan defeated Kim Chee in front of 1,250 fans at IWC's "Night of Legends 1" in Franklin, Pennsylvania
Franklin is a city and the county seat of Venango County, Pennsylvania. The population was 6,097 in the 2020 census. Franklin is part of the Oil City, PA Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Franklin is known for its three-day autumn festival in O ...
. On July 2, he wrestled The Honky Tonk Man
Roy Wayne Farris (born January 25, 1953), better known by the ring name The Honky Tonk Man, is an American retired professional wrestler. He previously wrestled for World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE ...
at the Big Butler Fair in Prospect, Pennsylvania
Prospect is a borough in Butler County, Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2010 census, the borough had a population of 1,169.
Geography
Prospect is located in western Butler County at (40.904113, -80.046430). U.S. Route 422, a limited-acce ...
. On October 9, Jugan lost to Doink the Clown at a Far North Wrestling event in Morgantown, West Virginia
Morgantown is a city in and the county seat of Monongalia County, West Virginia, Monongalia County, West Virginia, United States, situated along the Monongahela River. The largest city in North-Central West Virginia, Morgantown is best known as th ...
. That same month, Jugan was one of several wrestling legends to participate in a fundraising event for the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame
The Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame (PWHF) and Museum is an American professional wrestling hall of fame and museum located in Wichita Falls, Texas currently closed to water leaks. The museum was founded by Tony Vellano in 1999, and was previo ...
at Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
's Fairfield Inn & Suites. On November 13, Jugan won the CWF Heavyweight Championship from Dennis Gregory at "CWF Monessen Mayhem". He successfully defended the title against Gregory at "CWF Holiday Havoc III" on November 27, winning via disqualification, and Powerhouse Hughes at "CWF Upside Down" on December 11, 2004.
On January 28, 2005, Jugan wrestled Doink the Clown in Butler, Pennsylvania
Butler is a city and the county seat of Butler County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located north of Pittsburgh and is part of the Greater Pittsburgh region. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 13,502.
History
Butler was na ...
for Far North Wrestling. He returned to Butler several weeks later to defeat Battman. On April 9, Jugan defeated Kim Chee in a Legends Lumberjack match at IWC's "Night of Legends 2". He also beat Rockin' Rebel
Charles Williams (January 13, 1966 – June 1, 2018) was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Rockin' Rebel. He was best known for his appearances on the U.S. independent circuit with promotions such as Eastern Cham ...
, then making his PGH Pro debut, at "Rumble in the Rox 3" in McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania
McKees Rocks, also known as "The Rocks", is a borough in Allegheny County in western Pennsylvania, along the south bank of the Ohio River. The population was 5,920 at the time of the 2020 census. It is part of the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. In ...
a week later. On May 7, Jugan took part in a 12-man battle royal held at the Mark Curtis Memorial Reunion show in Johnson City, Tennessee
Johnson City is a city in Washington, Carter, and Sullivan counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee, mostly in Washington County. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 71,046, making it the eighth largest city in Tennessee. John ...
. He was also invited to the 2006 Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame ceremony in Amsterdam, New York
Amsterdam is a city in Montgomery County, New York, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 18,219. The city is named after Amsterdam in the Netherlands.
The City of Amsterdam is surrounded on the northern, eastern ...
. Jugan would continue to be involved with the museum for several years. In the mid-2000s, he also active in the internet wrestling community
Professional wrestling has accrued a considerable amount of jargon throughout its existence. Much of it stems from the industry's origins in the days of carnivals and circuses. In the past, professional wrestlers used such terms in the presence o ...
and assisted wrestling historians. Jugan was one of the sources used by Count Grog
Greg Mosorjak (born June 21, 1961), better known as Count Grog, is an American professional wrestling manager, referee, ring announcer, commentator, promoter, and booker. As a manager, he has worked for Cueball Carmichael's Independent Professio ...
in his KayfabeMemories.com article chronicling the history of ''Studio Wrestling
''Studio Wrestling'' was a live professional wrestling show broadcast from WIIC-TV Channel 11 in Pittsburgh every Saturday evening. In 1959, WIIC began broadcasting professional wrestling from their studio located in Fineview. The show was hoste ...
'' and the Pittsburgh tri-state wrestling territory as well as helping Greg Oliver in his 2007 book "The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: The Heels".
After a near 7-month championship reign, Jugan lost the CWF title to Dr. Feelgood at "CWF Continuation" on June 11. Held during the weekend Mon Valley Summer Festival in Monessen, Jugan and The Russian Nightmare lost to Dr. Feelgood and Brian O in a Best Two Out of Three Falls match the second night at "CWF Climax". Two weeks later, Jugan and Doink the Clown fought to a double-disqualification at a Far North Wrestling show in Kittanning, Pennsylvania
Kittanning ( pronounced ) is a Borough (Pennsylvania), borough in, and the county seat of, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, Armstrong County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is situated northeast of Pittsburgh, along the east bank of the Al ...
. On July 15, Jugan and Doink joined forces as The Dope Show against Bubba Brewer and Nikolai Volkoff
Josip Hrvoje Peruzović (October 14, 1947 – July 29, 2018), better known by his ring name Nikolai Volkoff, was a Yugoslav-American professional wrestler best known for his time in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). Although Volkoff often p ...
at the Allied Powers Wrestling Federation's "Return To Glory" show at Kay Arena in Indiana, Pennsylvania
Indiana is a borough in and the county seat of Indiana County in the U.S. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The population was 13,564 at the 2020 census, and since 2013 has been part of the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. After being a long time par ...
. On July 29, Jugan and The Mauler defeated The Gambino Brothers (Marshall and Mickey Gambino) at another Far North Wrestling show in Butler, Pennsylvania; Dominic DeNucci was the special guest referee
In professional wrestling, a referee is an authority figure present in or near the ring during matches. The referee's purpose is similar to that of referees in combat sports such as boxing or mixed martial arts, that is, as an arbiter of the rul ...
. He returned to FNW later that year to face The Gambino Brothers in a rematch, this time with partner Kris Krude, but lost this second encounter.[ On November 20, 2005, Jugan wrestled ]Tito Santana
Merced Solis (born May 10, 1953), better known by the ring name Tito Santana, is a retired American professional wrestler and middle school teacher.
Santana has stayed a babyface his entire career and he is best known for his appearances with ...
at the IWC's "Newville Knockout" show in Newville, Pennsylvania
Newville is a borough in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. The borough is located west of Carlisle. The population was 1,376 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Harrisburg–Carlisle metropolitan statistical area.
Newville is served by the B ...
. Starting in February 2006, Jugan had a 5-month run in Far North Wrestling appearing in matches against Sheriff Steele, JT Hogg, and Dennis Gregory. On May 12, Jugan wrestled Dominic DeNucci in Cranberry, Pennsylvania. Later that week, Jugan attended the 2006 Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame weekend.
Championship Wrestling Federation (2006–2007)
Jugan also began teaming with Nasty Nick Crane as The French Ticklers in the CWF. On September 2, the team defeated The New Breed (New Breed 1 and New Breed 2) at "CWF Fall From Grace" in Monessen. Jugan also feuded with Doink the Clown for several weeks losing to him at "CWF No Escape" in Belle Vernon
Belle Vernon is a borough in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. It is situated along the Monongahela River abutting two other counties, Westmoreland to the north and Washington across the river. As of the 2020 census Belle Vernon had a population of ...
, via disqualification, and "CWF Believe The Hype" in Charleroi, Pennsylvania
Charleroi ( ) is a borough in Washington County, Pennsylvania, along the Monongahela River, 21 miles south of Pittsburgh. Charleroi was settled by Walloons in 1890 and incorporated in 1891. The 2020 census recorded a population of 4,210.
There has ...
. The French Ticklers, however, had better luck in the CWF's tag team division. The team defeated Manifest Destiny (Eric Xtasy and Justin Idol) at the October 28th "CWF Halloween Horror 2" show and CWF Tag Team Champions The West Coast Hustlas (Benny Benz and DC Bentley) at the November 25th "CWF Upside Down" show. Jugan and Crane would hold the tag titles for a then record 75 weeks.
The French Ticklers would successfully defend their titles in a rematch against The West Coast Hustlas at "CWF Holiday Wishes II" on December 16, 2006. On January 27, 2007, at "CWF Collision Course 2007", the team once again retainted the titles against Eric Xtasy and The ShareCropper. On February 10, Jugan defended the tag team titles with "Amir Al Jahari" (in reality his tag team partner Nick Crane) against The Steel City Saints (Bobby Shields and Chris LeRusso) at "CWF Unfinished Business VII". In March, Jugan wrestled matches against The Honky Tonk Man in Cleveland All-Pro Wrestling and Brodie Lee in Far North Wrestling. Meanwhile, in the CWF, The French Ticklers continued their winning streak by defeating The Masked Duo (The Masked Assassin and The Masked Express) at "CWF March Madness 2007" on March 23. One night later, Jugan managed for Larry Zbyszko in his match against Bruno Sammartino
Bruno Leopoldo Francesco Sammartino (October 6, 1935 – April 18, 2018) was an Italian-born American professional wrestler, best known for his work with the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF, now WWE). There, he held the WWWF World Heavywei ...
(with Domenic DeNucci) at the International Wrestling Cartel's "Night of Legends 3". Zbyszko was pinned by his opponent when Jugan accidentally hit Zbyszko during the bout.
On April 13 at "CWF Friday The 13th", The French Ticklers and Apollyon were defeated by Low Rider and The Factory (Dee Drake and The Beast) in a six-man tag team match. The following night at "CWF Return To The 'Roi" they defeated Bobby White, Jr. and Doink the Clown at Charleroi High School. On May 5, Jugan and Crane lost to The Factory at "CWF mass inSINity" but kept the tag team belts via disqualification. Jugan, accompanied by manager Count Grog
Greg Mosorjak (born June 21, 1961), better known as Count Grog, is an American professional wrestling manager, referee, ring announcer, commentator, promoter, and booker. As a manager, he has worked for Cueball Carmichael's Independent Professio ...
, also wrestled The Missing Link at a special weekend show for the 2007 PWHoF induction ceremony, hosted by Northeast Championship Wrestling, at Wilbur Lynch Middle School in Amsterdam, New York
Amsterdam is a city in Montgomery County, New York, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 18,219. The city is named after Amsterdam in the Netherlands.
The City of Amsterdam is surrounded on the northern, eastern ...
. On June 1 at "CWF Rhythm House Rumble", The French Ticklers lost to Thunder In Paradise (Brett Paradise and Thunder) in a non-title match. The team also lost to J-Ru and Powerhouse Hughes via countout at "CWF Breakdown" a week later. On June 23, Jugan and Crane beat Thunder In Paradise in a rematch at "CWF The Real Deal" in West Leisenring, Pennsylvania. Jugan was also scheduled to meet Dominic Denucci at CAPW's "A Night Of Legends" in Cleveland, the promotion's 14th anniversary show, but ended up wrestling Doink the Clown instead. On September 1 at "CWF Dilemma", The French Ticklers lost the CWF Tag Team Championship to J-Ru and Powerhouse Hughes, ending their reign at 280 days.
International Wrestling Cartel (2008)
On April 12, 2008, Jugan appeared on the International Wrestling Cartel's "Night of Legends IV" as the "handler" of Abdullah the Butcher
Lawrence Robert Shreve (born January 11, 1941), better known by the ring name Abdullah the Butcher, is a Canadian retired professional wrestler. He has a reputation for being involved in some of the most violent and bloody hardcore wrestling matc ...
in his bout against "Wildfire" Tommy Rich. The match was declared a no-contest after referee Bobby Williams was knocked out. This prompted Jugan to join Abdullah in his attack on Rich until Lumberjack Leroux came out to the rescue. On June 20, Jugan lost to Samuel Elias at a Far North Wrestling show in West Newton, Pennsylvania
West Newton, located southeast of Pittsburgh, is a borough in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Westmoreland County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Formerly, the manufacture of radiators and boilers were the chief industries. The population w ...
.
Pro Wrestling eXpress (2008)
That summer, Jugan joined Norm Connors' Pro Wrestling eXpress. On August 2, he entered the 1st annual Sean Evans Memorial Tournament at Renzie Park's Jacob Woll Pavilion in McKeesport and was eliminated in the opening rounds by Patrick Hayes. On August 23 at "PWX Infection", Jugan lost to Hayes in a match for the PWX Brass Knuckles Championship via countout. On September 13, Jugan wrestled The Honky Tonk Man at Serbian Hall in Youngstown, Ohio
Youngstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio, and the largest city and county seat of Mahoning County, Ohio, Mahoning County. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, Youngstown had a city population of 60,068. It is a principal city of ...
; the proceeds from the event went to the Holy Trinity Serbian Orthodox Church. On September 20, Jugan and Leviathon beat "Handsome" Frank Staletto and "Beef Stew" Lou Marconi in a Throwback match at PWX's 14th Anniversary Show. Jugan also reunited with Nick Crane as The French Ticklers defeating The Franchise Players (Robert Beverly and Jon Kronica) at "PWX Desperate Measures 2" on October 10 and Awesome Force 5000 (Devin Devine and Dash Bennett) at PWX Do Or Die 2 on November 15. The French Ticklers lost to Awesome Force 5000 in a rematch at PWX Christmas Chaos 2 on December 13, 2008.
Independent circuit (2009)
In early-2009, Jugan made several appearances for Dr. Feelbad's Renegade Wrestling Alliance based in West Newton, Pennsylvania. On February 7, Jugan (with The Seductress) lost to Wildcat (with Nurse Missy) at "RWA Uprising". On February 27, 2009, Jugan wrestled Doink the Clown at an International Wrestling Association fundraiser for Liberty High School in Youngstown, Ohio
Youngstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio, and the largest city and county seat of Mahoning County, Ohio, Mahoning County. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, Youngstown had a city population of 60,068. It is a principal city of ...
. A March 14 fundraiser for Cleveland All-Pro Wrestling, "Home Run For The Kids", saw Jugan and The Bouncer challenge Virgil and "Ironman" Nick Vah in a tag team match at Cleveland's Estabrook Rec Center. On March 28, at the International Wrestling Cartel's "Night of Legends 2009", Jugan lost to Lumberjack Leroux after WWF Hall of Fame
The WWE Hall of Fame is a hall of fame which honors professional wrestlers and professional wrestling personalities maintained by WWE. Originally known as the "WWF Hall of Fame", it was created in 1993 when André the Giant was posthumously in ...
r George "The Animal" Steele interfered. On April 18 at RWA Spring Fling, Jugan teamed with Bulldozer and Michael McMoney (with Mayor Mystery) to wrestle Wildcat, Virgil, and Psyco in a six-man tag team match. On May 21, Jugan (with Mayor Mystery) was defeated by his former teammate Bulldozer at "RWA No Retreat". On July 25, Jugan defeated Clank The Clown at "RWA Backdraft" in Ellsworth, Pennsylvania
Ellsworth is a borough in Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 947 at the 2020 census. The coal town was founded by James Ellsworth, who bought the land in 1890s, developed the Monongahela Railway, and sold the m ...
. A few months later, Jugan managed Landshark in a losing effort against Kage (with Mike Trash) at "RWA Bloody Harvest".
On August 1 at IWC's "No Excuses 5", Jugan teamed with James Avery, Logan Shulo, and Shane Taylor (with Mayor Mystery) in an 8-man tag team match against Jimmy Snuka
James Reiher Snuka (born James Wiley Smith; May 18, 1943 – January 15, 2017) was a Fijian American professional wrestler. He is better known by the ring name Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka.
Snuka wrestled for several promotions from the 1970s to 2010 ...
, Jon Bolen
Jonathan Bolen is an American professional wrestler and bodybuilder. He currently competes on the independent circuit including Maximum Pro Wrestling, the International Wrestling Cartel and the National Wrestling Alliance. After winning Total No ...
, Jimmy Vega$, and Michael Facade (with Dominic DeNucci). On August 7, Jugan entered the 2nd Annual Sean Evans Memorial Tournament was once again eliminated by Patrick Hayes in the first round.
Also that summer, Jugan also brought Deaf Wrestlefest back to the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf for its 140th anniversary. The event featured 16 matches, including a six-man tag team match pitting Dominic DeNucci, Cody Michaels
Mark Keenan, better known by his ring name Cody Michaels, is an American former professional wrestler. After suffering a serious neck injury, Michaels retired and has worked behind the scenes as a booker and promoter.
Professional wrestling c ...
and Shane Douglas
Troy Allan Martin (born November 21, 1964) is an American professional wrestler and promoter, better known by his ring name Shane Douglas. He is best known for his tenures in Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), World Championship Wrestling (W ...
(with Missy Hyatt
Melissa Ann Hiatt (born October 16, 1963), better known by her ring name, Missy Hyatt, is an American retired professional wrestling valet, commentator, and occasional professional wrestler. She is best known for her appearances with World Champ ...
) against J. J. Dillon
James Morrison (born June 26, 1942) is an American retired professional wrestler and manager, better known by his ring name, J. J. Dillon.
Professional wrestling career
J. J. Dillon had an extensive wrestling career. He broke into wrestling at th ...
, Lou Marconi and Frank Staletto (with Count Grog), as well as appearances from Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake
Edward Harrison Leslie (born April 21, 1957) is an American retired professional wrestler, best known for his work in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) under the ring name Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake. He later worked for World Championship ...
and other wrestling stars. This was Dillon's first in-ring appearance since his retirement in 1989.
Keystone State Wrestling Alliance (2009–2012)
In addition to Deaf Wrestlefest, Jugan spent much of the last decade performing for wrestling events to raise money for cancer research, civic organizations, and annual Toys for Tots
Toys for Tots is a program run by the United States Marine Corps Reserve which distributes toys to children whose parents cannot afford to buy them gifts for Christmas. The program was founded in 1947 by reservist Major Bill Hendricks.
Th ...
collection. Many of these events were hosted by the Keystone State Wrestling Alliance
The Keystone State Wrestling Alliance (KSWA) is a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 2000 by Lou Zygmuncik and Shawn Blanchard. KSWA's longtime ring announcer Bobby O purchased the promotion in 2005. ...
, an independent promotion based out of Lawrenceville, Pennsylvania
Lawrenceville is a borough in Tioga County, Pennsylvania. The population was 690 at the 2020 census.
Geography
Lawrenceville is located at (41.996564, -77.125159). It is at the intersection of Pennsylvania Route 287 and Pennsylvania Route 49. ...
, which he joined in the summer of 2009. His first appearance for the promotion was at the July 3rd "Lawrenceville Fireworks Celebration" in Arsenal Park where Jugan and Shawn Blanchard lost to Anthony Alexander and La Lucha. It was his first in-ring appearance in Pittsburgh in several years.
Jugan soon engaged in a feud with former tag team partner Justin Sane. On August 29 at "When Worlds Collide", Jugan lost to Justin Sane via disqualification. Jugan avenged this loss at "Krazy Tour 2009" in Pittsburgh on September 12. On October 10 at "Autumn Annihilation", Jugan and Del Douglas lost to Justin Sane and Kris Kash. Jugan defeated Shawn Blanchard in his October debut for Xtreme Championship Wrestling. Jugan beat La Lucha at KSWA's St. John Neumann Fundraiser a week later. The Jugan-Sane feud concluded at KSWA Fanfest/Toy Drive '09 on December 5 with Jugan defeating Justin Sane in a Loser Wears a Dress for a Year match. On December 12, 2009, Jugan teamed with Frank Staletto and Lou Marconi (with Mayor Mystery) in a special Steel City Wrestling "retro match" against Extreme Championship Wrestling alumni Shane Douglas
Troy Allan Martin (born November 21, 1964) is an American professional wrestler and promoter, better known by his ring name Shane Douglas. He is best known for his tenures in Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), World Championship Wrestling (W ...
and The Blue World Order
The Blue World Order (bWo) was a stable of professional wrestlers formed at Extreme Championship Wrestling's November to Remember 1996 event at the ECW Arena. The stable lasted until August 1998 and was revived briefly in World Wrestling Enterta ...
(Da Blue Guy
Brian Heffron (born May 18, 1973), better known by his ring name The Blue Meanie, is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances with Extreme Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation between 1995 and ...
and Hollywood Nova) at IWC's "A Call To Arms 2009: Full Circle".
On January 23, 2010, Jugan and The Bulldozer defeated Alex Arcadian and Mitch Napier at "New Years Knockout '10". A month later, Jugan and The Blood Beast challenged KSWA Tag Team Champions Vinnie Stone and Ric Rumskey at "KSWA's 10 Year Anniversary Bash" but were unsuccessful. He and Blanchard teamed with Frank Durso in a 6-man tag team match against Dominic DeNucci, Vinnie Stone and Ric Rumskey at the 3rd annual Joe Abby Memorial Tournament on March 27. On April 10, at the International Wrestling Cartel's "Night of Legends 2010", Jugan was part of The Billion Dollar Bone Breakers with Shane Taylor, The Irish Airborne
The Crist Brothers were an American professional wrestling tag team consisting of brothers David Crist Jr. and John Crist, who are best known by their ring names Dave Crist and Jake Crist, they are best known for their time with Impact Wrestling ...
(Dave and Jake Crist) and manager Chest Flexor which battled The Million Dollar Muscle Machine consisting of Jimmy DeMarco, Lumberjack Leroux, Doink the Clown, Virgil, and managed by Ted DiBiase. Jugan also made two appearances for Renegade Wrestling Alliance that spring. On April 17, Jugan teamed with The TV Casualties (Tommy Horror and Johnny Switchblade) at "RWA Spring Fling 2" to defeat J-Ru and Team Tapout (Mr. Tapout and Chris Coleman). He also joined K-Star and Seymour Snott in another 6-man tag team match defeating Ghost Rider Kenny, Jamie Northstarr, and Chris Miles at "RWA No Retreat 2" on May 1. That same night, Jugan traveled from West Newton to the KSWA Arena in Lawrenceville for "Mayhem 2010". He teamed with Anthony Alexander and Lou Martin to wrestle Larry Zbyszko, Justin Sane and Kris Kash. The following night, Jugan held Deaf Wrestlefest 2010 for the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf. The show featured former Extreme Championship Wrestling
HHG Corporation, doing business as Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), was a professional wrestling promotion and media company that was based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The promotion was founded in 1992 by Tod Gordon as National Wrest ...
stars The Blue Meanie and Shane Douglas as well as wrestlers from G.O.U.G.E. Wrestling and the Keystone State Wrestling Alliance. In the main event, with Mick Foley as the special guest referee, David Sammartino
David Lugogo Sammartino (born September 29, 1960) is an American personal trainer and semi-retired professional wrestler. He is the son of former WWWF/WWF World Heavyweight Champion, Bruno Sammartino.
Professional wrestling career
Early caree ...
and Larry Zbyszko defeated Lou Marconi and Frank Staletto (with Count Grog) by disqualification.
A little over two weeks later, at the 2010 St. John Neumann School Fundraiser, Jugan defeated Alex Arcadian and later won a $1000 Battle Royal in the main event. The battle royal was aired on the debut episode of KSWA's internet television show at the end of the month. On July 24, Jugan and The VIPs (Shane Blanchard, Lou Martin, and Anthony Alexander) lost to Tommy Faime, Shane Starr, Justin Sane and Kris Kash in an Ultimate Survivor match at "Summertime Bruise 2010". Jugan defeated J-Ru at a high school fundraiser in Monongahela, Pennsylvania
Monongahela, referred to locally as Mon City, is a third class city in Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the Pittsburgh, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area, and is about south of Pittsburgh proper. The population was 4 ...
a week later. On August 14, Jugan once again teamed up with The VIPs (Lou Martin and Anthony Alexander) to defeat Kris Kash, Shane Starr, and Mike Malachi at KSWA's "Krazy Tour 2010". Jugan lost to KSWA Heavyweight Champion The Latin Assassin in a Triple Threat match, also involving Ali Kaida, via disqualification on August 21 "When Worlds Collide". One day later, Jugan and Steve Flash lost to The VIPs (Shawn Blanchard and Lou Martin) in the team's Mon Valley Pro Wrestling debut. On September 4, Jugan and Nick Crane lost to Doink The Clown and Dominic DeNucci at KSWA's memorial show for slain Pittsburgh police officer Paul Sciullo. On October 2 at "Autumn Annihilation 2010", Jugan defeated Bobby Badfingers. Two months later, Jugan and The Blood Beast lost to Bobby Badfingers and Mitch Napier at KSWA Fanfest/Toy Drive '10 on December 4, 2010.
On May 1, 2011, Jugan held Deaf Wrestlefest 2011 at the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf. The event included Dominic DeNucci, Shane Douglas, Tony Atlas, Doink the Clown, and Zach Gowen among others. On June 11, Jugan teamed with Justin Sane, Kris Kash, and Shane Starr at "Heatwave Havoc 2011" to defeat Shawn Blanchard, Lou Martin, Drew Belanger, and JP Goulet in an Ultimate Survivor match. Jugan was also in attendance at UFC Live: Kongo vs. Barry, along with CountingTheLights.com columnist Chris Wood, at the Consol Energy Center
PPG Paints Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena in Pittsburgh, that serves as the home of the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL). It previously was the home of the Pittsburgh Power of the Arena Football League (2010), Aren ...
that same month. On July 2, Jugan and Justin Sane defeated Shawn Blanchard and Lou Martin at the "Lawrenceville Fireworks Celebration" to win the KSWA Tag Team Championship. Jugan also beat Blanchard in a single mat via countout at "Summertime Bruise 2011" a week later. Jugan and Justin Sane successfully defended the tag team championship during KSWA's "Krazy Tour 2011" against Drew Belanger with partners J.P. Goulet in Sharpsburg (July 16) and Nick Crane in Plum, Pennsylvania
Plum is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 27,144 at the 2020 census. A suburb of the Pittsburgh metropolitan area, it is located northeast of the city in what is commonly referred to as the East Hills s ...
(July 30). On August 13 at "When Worlds Collide 2011", the team defeated Del Douglas and The Jester; Jugan also won a battle royal that night. On September 10 at "Clash Against Cancer II", Jugan defeated Lou Martin via disqualification. At the 2-day Millvale Days Celebration, during the KSWA's "Road to Fan Fest '11", Jugan and Justin Sane beat Drew Belanger and Shawn Blanchard. The second night saw Jugan defeat Lou Martin in a rematch. Jugan also wrestled Doink the Clown at the J.T. Lightning Memorial Show on September 25; Shawn Blanchard accompanied Jugan in his managerial debut.
Jugan and Justin Sane defeated Del Douglas and Lou Martin, on the team's third stop during "Road to Fan Fest '11" (October 1), and Shawn Blanchard and Lou Martin at "Autumn Annihilation 2011". On November 5, Jugan and Justin Sane beat Del Douglas and The Jester and, at the final night of "Road to Fan Fest '11" (November 19), the team defeated Lou Martin, Drew Belanger, and J.P. Goulet in a 6-man tag team match with Jay Flash; the event was a fundraiser for the Immaculate Conception School in Bloomfield, Pennsylvania
New Bloomfield is a borough in, and the county seat of, Perry County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the Harrisburg–Carlisle metropolitan statistical area. The population was 1,244 at the 2020 census.
History
New Bloomfield was lai ...
. On December 3, 2011, Jugan and Justin Sane defended their belts against Drew Belanger and J.P. Goulet at KSWA's Fan Fest/Toy Drive '11. They barely avoided losing them thanks to outside interference from Tony Marino
Tony Silipini (April 20, 1931 – May 28, 2021) was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Tony Marino.
Professional wrestling career Early career (1954-1963)
Tony Silipini was born in 1931. He started wrestling i ...
. That same night, Jugan participated in a "celebrity" roast of Dominic DeNucci, part of a PWHoF Hall of Fame fundraiser, at the Sheraton Hotel in Green Tree, Pennsylvania
Green Tree is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and a suburb of Pittsburgh. The population was 4,432 at the 2010 census.
The town is the hometown of U.S. Congressman and 2012 Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul ...
. It was based on this performance that the organizers invited Jugan to host the 2012 induction ceremony a few months later.
On January 14, 2012, Party Gras and Kris Kash defeated Shawn Blanchard, Del Douglas, and The Jester at "New Years Knockout 2012". On February 4, Jugan and Justin Sane beat Blanchard and Brock Hudson at a KSWA interpromotional show with the West Virginia Wrestling Alliance. He also defeated Del Douglas at "Revenge 2012" on February 18. On March 20, the Pittsburgh city council declared it "Ken Jugan Day" in recognition of his charity work and wrestling career. Four days later at the 5th annual Joe Abby Memorial Tournament, Jugan was inducted into Keystone State Wrestling Alliance's Hall of Fame. He was the first-ever active wrestler to receive that honor. That same evening, Jugan and Justin Sane defeated Nick Crane and Shawn Blanchard. Party Gras beat the VIPs (Lou Martin and Shawn Blanchard) at a Lethal Championship Wrestling show the next night.
On April 14, Jugan and Shawn Blanchard (with J. J. Dillon) lost to Shane Douglas and Dominic DeNucci (with Bruno Sammartino) at the Pro Wrestling Superstars supercard "Wrestle Reunion 8" in Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
, Ontario
Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
. Larry Zbyszko was originally supposed to be Jugan's partner, in what was billed as another "Sammartino vs. Zbyszko" faceoff, but he was later replaced with Blanchard. Douglas and DeNucci won the match when Blanchard was pinned with a belly-to-belly suplex
A suplex is an offensive move used in sport wrestling as well as amateur wrestling and professional wrestling. It is a throw that involves lifting the opponents and bridging or rolling to slam them on their backs.
Professional wrestling featu ...
. The match received poor reviews, citing the advanced age of then 81-year-old DeNucci, however Jerome Cusson of PWPonderings.com defended the bout pointing out "when you've got someone as old as Denucci and a semi-retired wrestler in Douglas, it's tough to have a great artistic contest. At least it wasn't a long match. They kept it short and allowed the fans to honor the legends involved." On April 28 at KSWA's "Unsanctioned 2012", Bushwhacker Luke and Party Gras defeated Shawn Blanchard, Del Douglas, and The Jester. The next evening, Jugan held the Deaf Wrestlefest 2012 at the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf. Gregory Iron
Gregory Allen Smith (born October 12, 1986), better known by his ring name Gregory Iron, or "GAS" as a play on his real initials, is an American professional wrestler, who performs regularly in Pro Wrestling Ohio, AAW, Chikara, Smash And Alpha ...
, Ryan Mitchell, Shark Boy
Dean Matthew Roll (born January 28, 1975) is an American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) under the ring name Shark Boy. Prior to his appearances in TNA, Roll competed on the independen ...
, and Zach Gowen were among the performers. In the main event, Bushwacker Luke and Justin Sane (with Joker) defeated The VIP's (Shawn Blanchard and Lou Martin) with Big Bully Busick
Nicholas Busick (June 1, 1954 – May 8, 2018) was an American professional wrestler and police officer, better known by his ring name Big Bully Busick. He is best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in 1991, where ...
as the special guest referee
In professional wrestling, a referee is an authority figure present in or near the ring during matches. The referee's purpose is similar to that of referees in combat sports such as boxing or mixed martial arts, that is, as an arbiter of the rul ...
. Bruno Sammartino also headlined the event and donated a replica championship title to raffle off. Jugan credited Sammartino's donation being responsible for making it the highest-grossing Deaf Wrestlefest ever. With both his sons no longer students at the school, and many of the original parents no longer involved, this proved to be the last Deaf Wrestlefest. The annual wrestling show had been the school's primary fundraiser and raised an estimated $100,000 during its run. Jugan, however, did not rule out bringing back the event if the school expressed interest.
In early-May, Party Gras successfully defended the tag titles on the KSWA's "Krazy Tour '12" in Bloomington and Fox Chapel, Pennsylvania
Fox Chapel is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA, and is an affluent suburb of Pittsburgh located northeast of downtown. The borough continually garners national prominence and is home to many of the wealthiest and most powerful p ...
. Jugan was among a number of wrestling stars attending the 2012 Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame ceremony in Amsterdam, New York
Amsterdam is a city in Montgomery County, New York, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 18,219. The city is named after Amsterdam in the Netherlands.
The City of Amsterdam is surrounded on the northern, eastern ...
and served as emcee during the induction ceremony. Jugan, a Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Founded as part of the American Associati ...
fan, was interviewed by the ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette'', also known simply as the PG, is the largest newspaper serving metropolitan Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Descended from the ''Pittsburgh Gazette'', established in 1786 as the first newspaper published west of the All ...
'' in June to give his opinion on how the team should be managed. The publication jokingly suggested the wrestler should be the team's new mascot. Jugan was also interviewed on 100.7 FM
The following radio broadcasting, radio stations broadcast on FM broadcasting, FM frequency 100.7 MHz:
Argentina
* Blue in Buenos Aires
* LRI310 Radiofónica in Rosario, Santa Fe
* La 100 Las Varillas in Las Varillas, Córdoba
* Pirámide in R ...
's "Bubba Show" about the Pittsburgh Pirates. He told the hosts that he was a longtime fan and went to at least 20 games a season. Bubba Snider said on-air that he wanted to start a fan-based effort to get "Zoltan on the big screen at PNC Park
PNC Park is a baseball stadium on the North Shore (Pittsburgh), North Shore of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is the fifth home of the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball (MLB). It was opened during the 2001 Major League Baseball season, ...
for a Pirates game" as well as a visit with the team in the dugout prior to the game. It was also revealed during the interview that fans had regularly been doing the "Zoltan" hand gesture, performed by Hal Sparks
Hal Harry Magee Sparks III (born September 25, 1969) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, musician, political commentator, television and radio host and television personality. He made contributions to VH1, hosting E!'s ''Talk Soup'', and ...
' character in the 2000 film ''Dude, Where's My Car?
''Dude, Where's My Car?'' is a 2000 American stoner comedy film directed by Danny Leiner. The film stars Ashton Kutcher and Seann William Scott as two best friends who find themselves unable to remember where they parked their vehicle after a nig ...
'', with the wrestler unaware of the connection until that point.
Party Gras continued defending the titles over the summer defeating Nick Crane and Sniper at "Heatwave Havoc 2012" on June 6 and Nick Crane and The Jester at "Super Summer Sizzler Tour '12" on June 30. Jugan also beat Nick Crane in a singles match at "Supertime Bruise '12" on July 14. On July 28 at "Super Summer Sizzler Tour '12" Jugan and Sane defeated J Ru and TJ Phillips in Plum, Pennsylvania. Party Gras defeated Shawn Blanchard and Brady Blaze at a Cleveland Wrestling Alliance show on August 4. On August 18, Party Gras teamed with Super Ginger to defeat The Jester, Del Douglas, and Nick Crane at "When Worlds Collide 2012". The team began feuding with Douglas and The Jester that fall. Jugan defeated The Jester in single competition at "Autumn Annihilation" (October 6) and the "Road to Fan Fest '12 Tour" (November 3). Party Gras lost to RWA Tag Team Champions Ashton Amherst and Patrick Hayes at the Renegade Wrestling Alliance's "Bloody Harvest 4". On December 8, 2012, Party Gras lost the belts to Del Douglas and The Jester at the "KSAW Fan Fest/Toy Drive '12". At the end of the year, Jugan announced that he would be cutting back his ring schedule to one event per month, down from his average 2–3 matches per week, to care for his parents who were both suffering health issues at the time.
Championship Wrestling Federation (2013)
On March 9, 2013, Jugan and Sane captured the CWF Tag Team Championship from The Mercenaries (Sniper and The Specialist) at CWF's Matt Madness in Connellsville, Pennsylvania
Connellsville is a city in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, United States, southeast of Pittsburgh and away via the Youghiogheny River, a tributary of the Monongahela River. It is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. The population was 7,637 at th ...
. Three months later, Party Gras defended their titles at the 3rd annual Celebrate America Festival in Monessen, Pennsylvania. The team held the tag team titles for a record 75 weeks.
On April 16, Jugan received the Jason Sanderson Humanitarian Award at the 2013 Cauliflower Alley Club reunion for his charity and fundraising efforts. The ceremony was held at the CAC's annual "Bologna Blowout" dinner at the Gold Coast Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. He hired a sign language interpreter for the deaf wrestlers and fans attending the ceremony. He was subsequently honored by Glassport mayor Michael Evanovich and the Allegheny County Council for his charity work. Both Jugan and Evanovich expressed interest in holding a charity pro wrestling event in Jugan's hometown. Jugan also made an appearance at the 2013 Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame that same month in Amsterdam, New York. Additionally, Jugan was interviewed by the ''Ellwood City Ledger'' following the death of Doink the Clown
Doink the Clown is a professional wrestling persona originally and most popularly portrayed by Matt Osborne, who debuted the Doink persona in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in 1992. Doink is a clown (or evil clown) wearing traditional clo ...
, a one-time rival on the independent circuit and Deaf Wrestlefest regular, that summer.
Keystone State Wrestling Alliance (2013–2018)
Jugan and Justin Sane feuded with Nick Crane and Sniper in KSWA over the summer. On May 4, 2013, they lost to Crane and Sniper at "MAYhem 2013" via countout. Jugan and The Blood Beast defeated Crane and Sniper at "Heatwave Havoc" on June 15. A few weeks later, Jugan and Sane joined The Blood Beast to defeat Bobby Badfingers, "Nasty" Nick Crane and Sniper in a six-man tag team match at the July 6th Lawrenceville Fireworks Celebration in Arsenal Park. Jugan beat Nick Crane in a singles match at "Summertime Bruise 2013" on July 20. On August 3, Jugan reunited with longtime manager Mayor Mystery at the premier IWA Evolution show to wrestle Doink the Clown at the Youngstown Air Force Base
Youngstown Air Reserve Station (sometimes abbreviated as YARS) is a military facility located in Vienna Township, Trumbull County, Ohio, 11 miles north of Youngstown and 10 miles east of Warren in the United States. The installation is locate ...
in Vienna, Ohio
Vienna Center (, sometimes simply Vienna) is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in central Vienna Township, Trumbull County, Ohio, United States. The population was 622 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Youngstown–War ...
. That same month, Jugan joined the KSWA's "Road to Fan Fest 2013" tour. On August 24, Jugan lost to KSWA Heavyweight Champion Lou Martin at a fundraiser for PA Connecting Communities. Jugan's next stop on the tour was the two-day Millvale Days Celebration event in Millvale, Pennsylvania
Millvale is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, along the Allegheny River, opposite Pittsburgh. The borough is located off Pennsylvania Route 28. The population was 3,744 at the 2010 census.
Geography
Millvale is locate ...
on the weekend of September 13–14. The first night saw Jugan defeat Lou Martin in a "Loser Wears a Chicken Suit" match. He and Justin Sane beat The VIPs (Shawn Blanchard and Lou Martin) in a tag team match the following night; as per the stipulation, Martin was wearing a chicken suit for the latter bout. Jugan also beat Justin Sane at "Autumn Annihilation 2013" on October 12. On November 16, 2013, Jugan defeated Sniper at the Mario Ferraro Sr. Memorial Tournament in Sharpsburg, Pennsylvania
Sharpsburg is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, northeast of downtown Pittsburgh, along the Allegheny River. In 1900, nearly 7,000 people lived here; in 1920, the population peaked at just over 8,900 people. The population was 3, ...
. He was also scheduled to appear at the MATA Expo, an international social media
Social media are interactive media technologies that facilitate the creation and sharing of information, ideas, interests, and other forms of expression through virtual communities and networks. While challenges to the definition of ''social medi ...
trade show
A trade fair, also known as trade show, trade exhibition, or trade exposition, is an exhibition organized so that companies in a specific industry can showcase and demonstrate their latest products and services, meet with industry partners and cu ...
for people with hearing and speech disabilities, in Ontario, California
Ontario is a city in southwestern San Bernardino County in the U.S. state of California, east of downtown Los Angeles and west of downtown San Bernardino, the county seat. Located in the western part of the Inland Empire metropolitan area, ...
along with Amazing Kong
Kia Stevens (born September 4, 1977) is an American actress and retired professional wrestler. She is best known for her time with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA)/Impact Wrestling under the ring name Awesome Kong. She also worked with Ring ...
and other wrestling stars. The event also co-hosted the Empire Wrestling Federation
The Empire Wrestling Federation (EWF) is an independent wrestling promotion based in Covina, California. It is owned and operated by Jesse Hernandez. The EWF is also tied to Hernandez's wrestling school, ''The School Of Hard Knocks''. The EWF is t ...
's "Inland Empire Invasion". He and Gangrel, however, were forced to pull out of the event.
On March 29, 2014, Jugan entered the Keystone State Wrestling Alliance's 7th annual Joe Abby Memorial Tournament. He defeated The Bulldozer in the semi-finals and "Dr. Devastation" Lou Martin in the finals to win the tournament. On May 31 at "MAYhem 2014", Jugan teamed with Justin Sane and Bob Atlas to defeat Sniper, Blood Beast and "Nasty" Nick Crabe in a 6-man tag team match. On July 5, Zoltan appeared on Mid Ohio Valley Wrestling's "Cage Rage", its first-ever show in Marietta, Ohio
Marietta is a city in, and the county seat of, Washington County, Ohio, United States. It is located in southeastern Ohio at the confluence of the Muskingum and Ohio Rivers, northeast of Parkersburg, West Virginia. As of the 2020 census, Mar ...
. On July 28, Jugan defeated Lou Martin in a "Loser Wears a Chicken Suit" match at "Heat Wave Havoc 2014".
KSWA Hall of Famer Ken Jugan (Lord Zoltan) faced another battle with cancer in 2018, but succeeded after surgery and follow-up procedures. A multi-promotional fundraising event was hosted in August, 2018. More than $5,300 was raised in the last Western Pennsylvania professional wrestling “Super Show” since Jugan's own Deaf Wrestlefest fundraisers. Lord Zoltan's last in-ring wrestling match was with the KSWA in February, 2018.
Personal life
Jugan lives with his wife Rosa in Glassport, Pennsylvania
Glassport is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, approximately south of Pittsburgh and the confluence of the Monongahela and Allegheny rivers where they form the Ohio River. Glassport lies along the east side of th ...
. They have two sons, Adam and Blaise, who are deaf; both are alumni of the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf
The Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf (WPSD) is a school for deaf and hard of hearing children in Edgewood, Pennsylvania. It was established in 1869. The school is listed as a Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation Historic Landmar ...
where Deaf Wrestlefest was held. Jugan is employed as an administrative assistant for the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas.
Championships and accomplishments
*American Commonwealth Wrestling
**ACW Keystone State Light Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
*American Championship Wrestling
**ACW Light Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
*American States Wrestling Alliance
**ASWA Ohio Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
*Cauliflower Alley Club
The Cauliflower Alley Club is a non-profit fraternal organization, which includes a newsletter and website, comprising both retired and active professional wrestlers and boxers in North America.
Established in 1965 by Mike Mazurki and Art Abram ...
**Jason Sanderson Humanitarian Award (2013
File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fact ...
)
*Championship Wrestling Federation
**CWF Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
**CWF Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Nick Crane and Justin Sane
*Great Lakes Wrestling Association
**GLWA Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
*International Wrestling Alliance
**IWA Light Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
*International Wrestling Association
**IWA Junior Heavyweight Championship (4 times)
*International Wrestling Federation
**IWF Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
*Keystone State Wrestling Alliance
The Keystone State Wrestling Alliance (KSWA) is a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 2000 by Lou Zygmuncik and Shawn Blanchard. KSWA's longtime ring announcer Bobby O purchased the promotion in 2005. ...
**KSWA Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Justin Sane
**KSWA Hall of Fame (Class of 2012)
**Joe Abby Memorial Tournament (2014)
*Masterz of Mayhem
**MOM North American Championship (1 time)
*Midwest Wrestling Association / Ohio All-Star Wrestling
**MWA Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
**MWA Television Championship (1 time)
*North American Championship Wrestling
**NACW Junior Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
* NWA West Virginia/Ohio
**NWA West Virginia/Ohio Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with T. Rantula
*Pro Wrestling eXpress
Pro Wrestling eXpress (PWX, also known as NWA East) is a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in North Versailles, Pennsylvania in 1994 by Jim Miller and Sean "Shocker" Evans. It is the longest-running promotion in the Pittsburgh met ...
**PWX North American Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
*Pro Wrestling Illustrated
''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' (''PWI'') is an American internationally sold professional wrestling magazine that was founded in 1979 by publisher Stanley Weston. ''PWI'' is headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and published by Kappa Publish ...
**PWI ranked Lord Zoltan # 227 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the PWI 500
''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' (''PWI'') is an American internationally sold professional wrestling magazine that was founded in 1979 by publisher Stanley Weston. ''PWI'' is headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and published by Kappa Publishi ...
in 1997
*Steel City Wrestling
Steel City Wrestling (SCW) was a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in Latrobe, Pennsylvania in 1994 by Norm Connors. It was the top promotion in the Pittsburgh metropolitan area during the 1990s, along with the National Wrestling A ...
** SCW Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
**SCW Tag Team Championship
The SCW Tag Team Championship was a professional wrestling tag team championship in Southern Championship Wrestling (SCW). It remained active until November 20, 2004 when SCW was closed.
The inaugural champions were The Rat Pack ( Jimmy Cicero an ...
(1 time) – with Shirley Doe
*Undisputed Championship Wrestling
**UCW Classics Championship (1 time)
*United States Wrestling League
**USWL Intercontiental Championship (1 time)
**USWL Light Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
*Western Pennsylvania Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame
**Class of 2010
References
Further reading
*Pierce, Dale. ''Wrestling In Akron''. Charleston, South Carolina: Arcadia Publishing, 2013.
External links
*
Lord Zoltan at CWF-Online.com
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zoltan, Lord
1957 births
Living people
People from Glassport, Pennsylvania
Sportspeople from the Pittsburgh metropolitan area
American male professional wrestlers
Professional wrestlers from Pennsylvania
Professional wrestling executives
Professional wrestling managers and valets
Professional wrestling referees
Professional wrestling trainers