Lou Marconi (born June 19, 1973
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 ...
. "Statistics for Professional Wrestlers." ''PWI 2001 Wrestling Almanac and Book of Facts''. Vol. IV. No. 1. Fort Washington, Pennsylvania: London Publishing Co., 2001. (pg. 46)) is an 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 ...
, trainer, and occasional actor. He has wrestled in numerous
independent promotions in the
Mid-Atlantic and
Midwestern United States
The Midwestern United States, also referred to as the Midwest or the American Midwest, is one of four census regions of the United States Census Bureau (also known as "Region 2"). It occupies the northern central part of the United States. I ...
since his debut in 1992.
Marconi was a major star in
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, ...
-based
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 ...
and
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 ...
during the mid-to late 1990s. He held every championship title in both promotions as well as engaged in feuds with
Cactus Jack and
Stevie Richards. Marconi also had brief stints in
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 ...
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 ...
.
["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. 68.["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. 65.
A back injury in 2000 prematurely forced Marconi into retirement. He eventually returned to pro wrestling five years later, at age 32, and performed for
Absolute Intense Wrestling Absolute may refer to:
Companies
* Absolute Entertainment, a video game publisher
* Absolute Radio, (formerly Virgin Radio), independent national radio station in the UK
* Absolute Software Corporation, specializes in security and data risk manage ...
, International Wrestling Cartel, and
G.O.U.G.E. Wrestling. Since August 2012, Marconi has competed in 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 ...
winning titles in
several NWA-affiliated promotions. He is a former NWA East Three Rivers Champion, a two-time NWA Eastern States Champion, and two-time
NWA National Heavyweight Champion
The NWA National Championship is a professional wrestling championship owned and promoted by the U.S.-based, National Wrestling Alliance (NWA). The current champion is Cyon, who is in his first reign.
The championship was established in January ...
. His feud with Phil "Nitro" Monahan is considered by the NWA to be one of the organization's "fiercest rivalries" in recent years.
In May 2014,
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 ...
ranked Marconi #5 of the top ten wrestlers in the NWA.
Early life
Lou Marconi was born in
Brooklyn, Ohio
Brooklyn is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States, and a suburb of Cleveland. The population was 11,359 at the 2020 census.
Geography
Brooklyn is located at (41.435357, -81.744457).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the ...
, a suburb of
Cleveland
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. ...
, on June 19, 1973.
A lifelong wrestling fan, Marconi followed both 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 ...
during the 1980s. His favorite wrestlers were WWF stars
Bret "the Hitman Hart and
Mr. Perfect who later influenced his wrestling style. He began training under Charlie Fulton at the
Ohio Monster Factory in
Marion, Ohio
Marion is a city in and the county seat of Marion County, Ohio, Marion County, Ohio, United States. The municipality is located in north-central Ohio, approximately north of Columbus, Ohio, Columbus.
The population was 35,999 at the 2020 United S ...
shortly after leaving high school. Marconi made his pro debut on June 19, 1993 after only two months of training.
Professional wrestling career
Early career (1992–1994)
Marconi spent the first years of his wrestling career on the local Ohio-Pennsylvania independent circuit including, most notably, J.T. Lightning's Cleveland All-Pro Wrestling.
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 ...
alleged that his opponents had dubbed his infamous finisher the "Hellfire lariat" because "it takes five years off your life".
On May 25, 1994, Marconi appeared on ''
WWF Superstars of Wrestling
''WWF Superstars of Wrestling'' (later shortened to ''WWF Superstars'' and to ''Sunday Morning Superstars ''), also referred to as ''Maple Leaf Wrestling'' in Canada was an American professional wrestling television program that was produced by ...
'' where he and Curtis Harrison wrestled
The Headshrinkers (
Fatu and
Samu) for the
WWF World Tag Team Championship
The World Tag Team Championship was the original professional wrestling world tag team championship in the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) promotion, and the promotion's third tag team championship overall. Originally established by the then- ...
. Marconi was given this early opportunity, due in large part to his trainer Charlie Fulton,
and would eventually become a regular WWF preliminary wrestler for its Midwestern tours from 1996 to 2000.
Steel City Wrestling (1994–1996)
That summer, Marconi joined
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
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 September 24, 1994, he teamed with Derek Stone to defeat Beauty & The Beast (
Frank Stalletto and Futureshock) 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 ...
to become the inaugural
SCW Tag Team Champions. Beauty & The Beast won the belts three months later in
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 ...
, however, Marconi soon formed Black & Blue with The Black Cat and made a second run for the tag titles. Marconi and The Black Cat defeated Beauty & The Beast for the SCW Tag Team Championship 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 ...
on March 17, 1995; the two reportedly defeated Futureshock and Stalletto in singles matches during the show. The two were defeated by The Juicer and Preston Steele at
Deaf Wrestlefest 1995 on April 9.
After a 7-month reign, Black & Blue lost the SCW Tag Team titles to Frank Stalletto and
Stevie Richards 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 ...
on October 21. After the match,
Raven and Richards attacked Stalletto and the belts were held up. On November 11, 1995, Marconi and Frank Stalletto defeated Stevie Richards and Brian Rollins in St. Mary, Pennsylvania to win the vacant SCW Tag Team Championship. On April 13, 1996, Marconi and Frank Stalletto defended the SCW Tag Team belts against Ron Cumberledge and Kenny "Hurricane" Hendrix 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. ...
. A week later, Marconi and Frank Stalletto lost the belts to Stevie Richards and
The Blue Meanie
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 2 ...
at
Deaf Wrestlefest 1996.
American States Wrestling Alliance (1996)
Marconi began wrestling for the American States Wrestling Alliance around this time. Shortly before Deaf Wrestlefest, Marconi took part in an 18-man
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 ...
for an ASWA television taping in
Lexington, Ohio
Lexington is a village along the Clear Fork River in Troy Township and Washington Township in Richland County in the U.S. state of Ohio. It is part of the Mansfield, Ohio Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 4,822 at the 2010 ce ...
; he was the last participant to be eliminated by the winner Max Profit. On June 8, 1996, Marconi defeated Lumberin' Jack in
Alliance, Ohio
Alliance is a city in eastern Stark County, Ohio, United States. With a small district lying in adjacent Mahoning County, the city is approximately northeast of Canton, southwest of Youngstown and southeast of Cleveland. The population was 21 ...
. In August, Marconi made two appearances on ''WWF Superstars of Wrestling''; his first match was against
Marc Mero
Marc Mero (born July 9, 1960) is an American former amateur boxer and professional wrestler, as well as a motivational speaker. He is best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) under his real name and with ...
and the second a tag team match with Frank Stalletto versus
The Smokin' Gunns
The Smoking Gunns were a professional wrestling tag team of kayfabe brothers Billy Gunn (Monty Sopp) and Bart Gunn (Mike Polchlopek). They portrayed cowboys in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) from 1993 to 1996. As a team, the Smoking Gunns ...
(
Billy and
Bart Gunn
Michael Polchlopek (born December 27, 1965) is an American retired professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist. He is best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) from 1993 to 1999 under the ring names Bart Gu ...
). He also wrestled
"Stone Cold" Steve Austin on ''WWF Superstars'' two months later.
[
Marconi briefly returned to SCW in the fall. On September 21, 1996, Marconi defeated Paul Atlas 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 ...
. The following night, he lost to Stevie Richards at Sullivan Hall in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
On October 18, 1996, Marconi teamed with Micro Menace and Kaos in a 6-man tag team match to defeat Bo Dacious, Chip Emdale, and The Prince of Polyester at an ASWA television taping 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 ...
. Marconi and Chris Harris entered a championship tag team tournament and advanced to the semi-finals where, on November 22, they defeated Roger Ruffin and The Prince of Polyester at the Commerce Center in Mansfield. On December 21, 1996, Marconi and Chris Harris defeated Lumberin' Jack and Chip Endale at the Mansfield Commerce Center. At the end of the year, Marconi was one of several wrestlers featured in a 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 ...
article about unusual nicknames in pro wrestling. PWI columnist Dave Rosenbaum wrote:
Pro Wrestling eXpress (1996–1997)
In late-1996, Marconi debuted in Pittsburgh's 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 November 23, 1996, Marconi defeated Big Daddy Adams (substituting for The Black Cat) at the Wrestleplex in North Versailles, Pennsylvania to win the PWX North American Championship. He subsequently aligned himself with manager Notorious Norm's heel stable. The two later became known as "The Spice Boys". On December 13, 1996, Marconi held on to his title via a disqualification loss to Paul Atlas at the Wrestleplex. A rematch the following night in Herminie, Pennsylvania
Herminie is a census-designated place (CDP) in Sewickley Township, Pennsylvania, Sewickley Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 856 at the 2000 census.
History
Hermini ...
resulted in a victory for Marconi. On February 22, 1997, Marconi lost the PWX North American Championship to Dennis Gregory (substituting for J.B. Destiny) at the National Guard Armory in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. On March 7, 1997, Marconi joined Axl Rotten
Brian Knighton (April 21, 1971 – February 4, 2016), better known by the ring name Axl Rotten, was an American professional wrestler. In the early 1990s, he was a part of the tag team The Bad Breed with Ian Rotten. He had a short stint with Wor ...
, Adam Flash
Douglas Adam Becker (born on October 22, 1971) is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Adam Flash. Over his career, he has worked for various independent promotions, including Maryland Championship Wrestling, Independ ...
, and Frank Stalletto an 8-man tag team elimination match against Stevie Richards, The Blue Meanie, J.B. Destiny, and Colonel Payne at the Wrestleplex in North Versailles. One day later, Marconi defeated "Bad Boy" Brian Anthony at North Star High School
North Star High School is a public High School, located in northern Somerset County, and is named after the former North Star Way (now Flight 93 Memorial Highway) that travels through the district. North Star is a merger of the Jenner-Boswell and ...
in Boswell, Pennsylvania
Boswell is a borough in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,221 at the 2020 census.
Geography
Boswell is located at (40.160329, -79.027712), ...
. On April 5, 1997, Marconi returned to Punxsutawney where he defeated J.B. Destiny.
On May 9, Marconi defeated PWX Heavyweight Champion T. Rantula in a non-title "I Quit" match at the Wrestleplex. Marconi has called this match, in which he was powerbomb
A powerbomb is a professional wrestling throw in which an opponent is lifted (usually so that they are sitting on the wrestler's shoulders) and then slammed back-first down to the mat. The standard powerbomb sees an opponent first placed in a sta ...
ed though the particleboard
Particle board, also known as chipboard or low-density fiberboard, is an engineered wood product manufactured from wood chips and a synthetic resin or other suitable binder, which is pressed and extruded. Particle board is often confused with or ...
-constructed entranceway, the "craziest" of his entire career. On May 24, Marconi defeated Paul Atlas in a rematch. That same night Marconi lost to PWX Heavyweight Champion T. Rantula in a Falls Count Anywhere 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 ...
in Punxsutawney. On May 30, Marconi defended his title twice in one night at the Wrestleplex defeating Paul Atlas, by disqualification, and Quinn Magnum. On May 31, Marconi and Gator battled to a double-countout at Carmichaels High School. At the end of the show, Marconi also defeated Brian Anthony. On July 28, Marconi wrestled Brian Pillman
Brian William Pillman (May 22, 1962 – October 5, 1997) was an American professional wrestler and professional football player best known for his appearances in Stampede Wrestling in the 1980s and World Championship Wrestling (WCW), Extreme Ch ...
on ''WWF Shotgun Saturday Night
''WWF Shotgun Saturday Night'' is a professional wrestling television program that was produced by the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). It aired from January 4, 1997 through August 21, 1999 as a syndicated broadcast. ''Shotgun Saturday Night'' ...
''. On August 27, 1997, Marconi defeated PWX North American Champion Dennis Gregory in a unification match at the Wrestleplex. That same month, Marconi made his 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 ...
debut against Bam Bam Bigelow
Scott Charles Bigelow (September 1, 1961 – January 19, 2007) was an American professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Bam Bam Bigelow. Recognizable by his close to 400-pound frame and the distinctive flame tattoo that spanned most ...
before 2,200 fans at the Golden Dome in Monaca, Pennsylvania
Monaca ( ) is a borough in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, United States along the Ohio River, northwest of Pittsburgh. The population was 5,615 as of the 2020 census. First incorporated as Phillipsburg as the home of the New Philadelphia Societ ...
. Marconi was initially brought into ECW by The Blue Meanie and would continue to make appearances with the promotion throughout the year.
On September 21, 1997, Marconi defended the PWX Television Championship defeating Sean Evans by submission at an SCW show in Mount Washington, Pennsylvania. On October 4, 1997, Marconi lost the newly unified title to Dennis Gregory at the Wrestleplex. That weekend in ECW, Marconi wrestled Al Snow
Allen Ray Sarven (born July 18, 1963) is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Al Snow. He is best known as a wrestler for Smoky Mountain Wrestling, Extreme Championship Wrestling, and World Wrestling Entertainment. Sn ...
in back-to-back singles matches. On December 13, 1997, he and Bill Wiles lost to Axl Rotten
Brian Knighton (April 21, 1971 – February 4, 2016), better known by the ring name Axl Rotten, was an American professional wrestler. In the early 1990s, he was a part of the tag team The Bad Breed with Ian Rotten. He had a short stint with Wor ...
and Balls Mahoney
Jonathan Rechner (April 11, 1972 – April 12, 2016), better known by his ring name Balls Mahoney, was an American professional wrestler. He is perhaps best known for his appearances with Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) during the late 199 ...
in Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of New York (behind only New York City) and the seat of Erie County. It is at the eastern end of Lake Erie, at the head of the Niagara River, and is across the Canadian border from South ...
. On January 16, 1998, Marconi lost a second tag team match with Bud Liscious to Danny Doring
Daniel Morrison (born February 19, 1974) is an American professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Danny Doring. He is best known for his appearances with the professional wrestling promotion Extreme Championship Wrestling from 1997 t ...
and Paul Diamond in Rostraver, Pennsylvania. His final ECW appearance took place the following night at the Golden Dome where Marconi wrestled Danny Doring in front of 2,300 people.
Steel City Wrestling (1998–1999)
In early-1998, Marconi returned to SCW and would hold the SCW Heavyweight, Television
Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertisin ...
, and Tag Team titles within the span of a year. On February 8, Marconi and Frank Stalletto reunited to wrestle Cactus Jack & The Blue Meanie for the vacant SCW Tag Team Championship in Irwin, Pennsylvania. On March 8, Marconi wrestled SCW Junior Heavyweight Champion 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 a Three-Way Dance
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 ...
with 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. Ch ...
at the SCW Arena in Irwin, Pennsylvania. Although unable to capture the tag titles with Stalletto, Marconi won the belts from The Bad Street Boys
The Bad Street Boys was a professional wrestling tag team in the independent circuit. It was initially formed as a stable, consisting of Gregory Helms, Shannon Moore, Joey Matthews and Christian York. The stable later became a tag team when Hel ...
(Joey Matthews
Adam Birch (born July 18, 1979), better known by the ring names Joey Mercury and Joey Matthews, is an American professional wrestler who is best known for his two tenures in WWE. Birch was most recently signed to Ring of Honor, where he worked ...
and Christian York) with Dennis Gregory two months later. On May 1, Marconi also won the SCW Heavyweight Championship from Tom Brandi
Thomas Brandi (born July 9, 1966) is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances in the World Wrestling Federation from 1996 to 1998 under the ring name Salvatore Sincere. Brandi is also known for his appearances with ...
after outside interference from Stevie Richards. On May 23, 1998, Marconi lost to Brandi via disqualification at an MAPW/SCW show in Medina, Ohio
Medina ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Medina County, Ohio, United States. The population was 26,094 at the 2020 Census. It lies about 33 miles (53 km) south of Cleveland and 23 miles (37 km) west of Akron within the Clevelan ...
. The next night, he defended the heavyweight title against Julio Sanchez at Ainsworth Field
Ainsworth Field is a 3,000 seat baseball stadium located in Erie, Pennsylvania. It hosted the Erie Sailors and other Erie-based minor league teams between 1928 and 1994. In 1995, it was made obsolete for professional use by the opening of UPMC ...
in Erie, Pennsylvania
Erie (; ) is a city on the south shore of Lake Erie and the county seat of Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States. Erie is the fifth largest city in Pennsylvania and the largest city in Northwestern Pennsylvania with a population of 94,831 a ...
. On June 29, 1998, Marconi wrestled Faarooq
Ronald Nasir Simmons (born May 15, 1958) is an American retired professional wrestler and football player. He performed for World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) under his real name, and in the World Wres ...
on ''WWF Shotgun Saturday Night''. On July 10, Marconi lost to Tom Brandi in an "I Quit" match at the SCW Arena. On August 7, Marconi 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 an International Pro Wrestling
International Wrestling Enterprise (国際プロレス興行;, ''Kokusai Puroresu Kogyō'') was a professional wrestling promotion in Japan from 1966 to 1981. Founded by Isao Yoshihara, it was affiliated with the American Wrestling Association i ...
show in Steelton, Pennsylvania. Marconi and Gregory eventually had a falling out and began feuding over the Marconi's title. In September, Marconi and Stevie Richards joined forces in a tag team match against Gregory and Tom Brandi. He eventually lost the title to his former partner on November 22 after holding the title over 6 months. On December 12, 1998, Marconi was one of several wrestlers who performed for "Christmas Chaos", an interpromotional event for Allied Powers Wrestling Federation and the Pennsylvania Wrestling Alliance, held at Elk County Catholic High School
Elk County Catholic High School is a private, Roman Catholic high school in St. Marys, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie.
Background
Elk County Catholic High School was established in 1962 by the ...
in St. Mary's, Pennsylvania. Other high-profile wrestlers included Tom Brandi, Julio Sanchez, 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 ...
, Demolition Ax
William Reid "Bill" Eadie (born December 27, 1947) is an American retired professional wrestler who has competed under the names of Ax as part of Demolition and The Masked Superstar. He was a high school teacher and coach at Cambridge High Sch ...
, and 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 week later, Marconi defeated Don Montoya for the SCW Television Championship on December 20, 1998. He dropped it to The Blue Meanie 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 ...
a month later.
On February 21, 1999, Marconi and Mike Quackenbush
Michael Spillane (born March 18, 1976), is an American podcaster, author, professional wrestling trainer, professional wrestling promoter, and retired professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Mike Quackenbush.
He has hosted several p ...
unsuccessfully challenged SCW Tag Team Champions The Bad Street Boys at the SCW Arena. On May 15, Marconi was one of three SCW wrestlers to represent the promotion at " Break The Barrier" where he wrestled Don Montoya and Mike Quackenbush in a Three-Way Dance to crown the first-ever SCW Lord of the Dance Champion. The supercard was one of the biggest independent shows ever held in the United States with over 15 independent promotions taking part. Jay Kirell called the Lord of the Dance bout "by far the match of the night" and greatly enhanced the early career of Quackenbush. Five days later 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. ...
, he faced T. Rantula in a street fight match with Mankind
Humans (''Homo sapiens'') are the most abundant and widespread species of primate, characterized by bipedalism and exceptional cognitive skills due to a large and complex brain. This has enabled the development of advanced tools, culture, ...
as 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 ...
. On July 26, Marconi wrestled Test
Test(s), testing, or TEST may refer to:
* Test (assessment), an educational assessment intended to measure the respondents' knowledge or other abilities
Arts and entertainment
* ''Test'' (2013 film), an American film
* ''Test'' (2014 film), ...
on ''WWF Shotgun Saturday Night''. Marconi also wrestled Mideon
Dennis Knight (born December 26, 1968) is an American chef and retired professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling between 1992 and 1994 under the ring name Tex Slazenger and with the World Wrestl ...
on the November 22nd edition of ''WWF Jakked
''WWF Jakked'' and ''WWF Metal'' are professional wrestling television programs that were produced by the World Wrestling Federation (now known as WWE). Both programs aired syndicated weekly from August 28, 1999 until May 19, 2002 and replaced '' ...
''.
On January 14, 2000, Marconi and Paul Atlas won the NWA East Tag Team Championship
The PWX Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling Tag Team championship in Pro Wrestling eXpress (PWX). Introduced in 1996, it was PWX's original tag team title, and third tag team title overall. It was unified with the NWA East and PWL ...
from Kingdom James in North Versailles. James was forced to defend the belts 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 ...
when his partner Shawn Patrick did not appear at the event. The two held the tag titles for five months before losing them to James and Patrick on May 19, 2000. That same month, Marconi made one of his last appearances in SCW wrestling a Three-Way Dance with T. Rantula and Dennis Gregory in McKeesport, Pennsylvania. Marconi briefly feuded with Notorious Norm but made peace with his longtime manager before leaving the promotion.
Semi-retirement (2000–2005)
In 2000, Marconi suffered a serious back injury which kept him out of action for over five years. Although Marconi believed that his small size is what kept him from a career with a major organization such as the World Wrestling Federation, Marconi was one of the top "indy stars" in the region. Marconi, then 27-years-old at the time of his injury, spent much of the decade in intense physical therapy in an attempt to return to the ring. He also spent time developing a second career during this period. Marconi received his bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ...
in communications
Communication (from la, communicare, meaning "to share" or "to be in relation with") is usually defined as the transmission of information. The term may also refer to the message communicated through such transmissions or the field of inquir ...
from Cleveland State University
Cleveland State University (CSU) is a public research university in Cleveland, Ohio. It was established in 1964 and opened for classes in 1965 after acquiring the entirety of Fenn College, a private school that had been in operation since 1923. ...
in the mid-1990s, however, he later found employment as an insurance salesman.
Absolute Intense Wrestling (2005–2006)
In the summer of 2005, Marconi made his first attempt to resume his pro wrestling career in Absolute Intense Wrestling based in Cleveland, Ohio. Marconi became the number one contender for the AIW Heavyweight Championship when he defeated Josh Prohibition at AIW's "Rude Boy Strikes" on August 21. Marconi had accepted an open challenge made by Prohibition when his scheduled opponent Colt Cabana was unable to appear. He defeated AIW Champion The Thrillbilly for the title at "Hell on Earth" on November 13. Marconi successfully defended the title against JT Lightning at "Gauntlet for the Gold 1" on December 11, 2005. He lost the belt to Vincent Nothing at "Night of Mystery" on February 26, 2006. His last appearance for AIW was at "This Is Now" on March 26 against former student Raymond Rowe
Raymond Rowe Sr. (born August 21, 1984) is an American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Erik. He is also known for his work in Ring of Honor (ROH), where he and his ta ...
which was billed as his official "retirement" match. Marconi was pinned by Rowe with a German 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 ...
.
Firestorm Pro Wrestling (2009–2010)
After a three-year hiatus, Marconi started wrestling for Firestorm Pro Wrestling, another Cleveland-based independent promotion, in the summer of 2009. He also teamed with Frank Staletto and 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 ...
(with Count Grog) against 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 ...
, Cody Michaels, 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 Cha ...
) at Deaf Wrestlefest 2009. Marconi was to face M-Dogg 20
Matthew Capiccioni (born December 31, 1980) is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring names M-Dogg 20, Matt Cross and Son of Havoc. He currently competes on the independent circuit and Major League Wrestling. Cross has also ...
at Firestorm Pro's "War Games" on July 10, however, his opponent claimed to have an injury and instead brought out his "protege" Mathew Justice as a substitute. A rematch was scheduled between M-Dogg 20 and Marconi was similarly cancelled due to injury. On December 12, Marconi joined Frank Stalletto and Lord Zoltan
Ken Jugan (born October 16, 1957), better known by the ring name Lord Zoltan, is a semi-retired American professional wrestler, manager, promoter, referee, and trainer. Jugan has been a mainstay in the Pittsburgh Tri-state area (Pennsylvania, Oh ...
(with Mayor Mystery) in a six-man tag team match against 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 ...
( Hollywood Nova and 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 ...
) at "A Call To Arms 2009" for the International Wrestling Cartel in Elizabeth, Pennsylvania
Elizabeth is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, on the east bank of the Monongahela River, where Pennsylvania Route 51 crosses, upstream (south) of Pittsburgh and close to the county line. The population was 1,493 at the 2010 census ...
. At Firestorm Pro's second anniversary show "Destroy Erase Improve" on December 30, 2009, his opponent Colt Cabana was forced to pull out at the last minute due to a torn hamstring. This provoked an angry rant by Marconi who criticized younger wrestlers and issued an open challenge to the locker room. Shiima Xion
Michael Paris (born October 5, 1986) is a American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Smackdown brand, under the ring name Joaquin Wilde. He is a member of Legado Del Fantasma.
Paris began his career in 2004 ...
came out to confront Marconi and, after a brief exchange, accepted his offer to a match. Their bout ended via disqualification when Marconi refused to release his "crossface" finisher after Xion had reached the ropes. Marconi continued to keep Xion in the hold after the match, spitting in the face of referee Mick Lovin when he tried to break them apart, until the intervention of FPW Heavyweight Champion Ray Rowe.
Marconi and Shiima Xion met again three months later at the inaugural "King of Cleveland" on March 19, 2010. Marconi pinned Xion with an O'Connor roll to earn the 30th spot in the 30-man battle royal. The final four participants - Marconi, Xion, J-Rocc, and Patrick Hayes - then wrestled in an elimination match with Marconi being pinned by Xion. The feud between Marconi and Xion continued at "Rise of the Real Underground" when Shiima Xion interfered in a match between Marconi and Tim Green, squirting hairspray in Marconi's eyes, and allowing his opponent to score an upset voctory over the veteran. Later that night, an enraged Marconi forced Firestorm Pro owner JC Koszewski to sign a Marconi vs. Xion in a Last Man Standing 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 ...
at the then upcoming "Something to Die For". In their first-ever meeting, Marconi wrestled King of Cleveland winner J-Rocc at "Fallen Riders", a special memorial show for the families of bikers killed in road accidents, in Valley View, Ohio
Valley View is a village in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. The population was 2,034 at the 2010 census. It is a suburb of Cleveland with a town council form of government. It is part of a school district that also includes nearby Cuyaho ...
on August 1. The Marconi-Xion feud concluded at what would be Firestorm Pro's farewell show "Forever Standing United", with the winner receiving a title shot in the main event, on September 10, 2010.
Independent circuit (2010–2011)
On May 2, 2010, Marconi and Frank Staletto (with Count Grog) lost to 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
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 w ...
via disqualification at Deaf Wrestlefest 2010; 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 ...
was the special guest referee. Over the summer, Marconi defeated Ryan Mitchell in a gauntlet 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 ...
also involving Dan Arkham, Will Esquire, and Frank Staletto for the NWA East Three Rivers Championship. On August 6, he entered the 3rd Annual Sean "Shocker" Evans Memorial Tournament but lost to Stryder in the opening rounds. Marconi also lost the NWA East Three Rivers title to Stryder in a Three-Way Dance with Patrick Hayes on October 23. On November 19, 2010, Marconi appeared on the Ohio Wrestling Alliance's "November Nightmare" at the Auglaize County Fairgrounds in Wapakoneta, Ohio
Wapakoneta, (, ) is a city in and the county seat of Auglaize County, Ohio, United States, about north of Dayton and south of Toledo. The population was 9,957 at the 2020 census. It is the principal city of and is included in the Wapakonet ...
. In the main event, Marconi faced Satan (with Disciple of Darkness) for the OWA Heavyweight Championship. The following night, Marconi made an appearance at the Pro Wrestling eXpress supercard "Do or Die 4" in McKeesport, Pennsylvania challenging Chris Taylor for the NWA East Heavyweight Championship.
On May 1, 2011, he wrestled Dennis Gregory to a 10-min. time limit draw at Deaf Wrestlefest 2011. On July 23, Marconi also performed for the 4th Annual Sean "Shocker" Evans Memorial Tournament wrestling in a 7-way elimination match with Ashton Amherst, Scottie Gash, Devin Devine, Paul Atlas, Dash Bennett, Lou Marconi, and Bigg. The winner of the match was to receive a heavyweight title shot at PWX's upcoming 17th anniversary show.
G.O.U.G.E. Wrestling (2011–2012)
Marconi eventually relocated to Eastern North Carolina to manage a sales territory for Progressive Insurance
The Progressive Corporation is an American insurance company, the third largest insurance carrier and the No. 1 commercial auto insurer in the United States. The company was co-founded in 1937 by Jack Green and Joseph M. Lewis, and is headquar ...
. Marconi also continued wrestling part-time for G.O.U.G.E. Wrestling in Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh (; ) is the capital city of the state of North Carolina and the List of North Carolina county seats, seat of Wake County, North Carolina, Wake County in the United States. It is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, second-most ...
where he was managed 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 Profess ...
. On September 8, 2011, Marconi was one of several G.O.U.G.E. stars including Andrea the Giant, Otto Schwanz
William Murray Happer (born October 4, 1972) is an American professional wrestling, professional wrestler and Personal trainer, trainer, best known by his ring name Otto Schwanz. He competed primarily in the Carolinas since the mid-2000s, and has ...
, and Rob "Boogie Woogie Man" McBride to appear at the annual Rebus Works' "Food Truck Rodeo" in downtown Raleigh
Raleigh (; ) is the capital city of the state of North Carolina and the seat of Wake County in the United States. It is the second-most populous city in North Carolina, after Charlotte. Raleigh is the tenth-most populous city in the Southeas ...
; Marconi wrestled Jimmy Jack Funk, Jr. at the event. On April 29, 2012, Marconi and Frank Stalletto (with Notorious Norm) defeated The Gambino Brothers (Marshall and Mickey Gambino) at Deaf Wrestlefest 2012.
In a June 2012 interview with ''Indy Week
''Indy Week'', formerly known as the ''Independent Weekly'' and originally the ''North Carolina Independent'', is a tabloid-format alternative weekly newspaper published in Durham, North Carolina, United States, and distributed throughout the Res ...
'', Marconi endorsed G.O.U.G.E. as a "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 ...
" promotion. On July 4, 2012, Marconi wrestled North Carolina Heavyweight Champion Damien Wayne
Damien Wayne Kostyal (born December 18, 1971), better known by his ring name Damien Wayne, is an American professional wrestler. He is a 3-time holder of the NWA National Heavyweight Championship and former holder of the NWA North American Heavy ...
at a special G.O.U.G.E. Independence Day event in Downtown Raleigh
Raleigh (; ) is the capital city of the state of North Carolina and the seat of Wake County in the United States. It is the second-most populous city in North Carolina, after Charlotte. Raleigh is the tenth-most populous city in the Southeas ...
. Marconi also spent several months in Shockwave Wrestling Entertainment where he won the promotion's heavyweight title.
World Wrestling Entertainment (2012)
In November 2012, 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 ...
was asked by longtime friend Manny Fernandez for assistance in finding talent to perform at upcoming 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 va ...
house shows in the Mid-Atlantic area. Marconi and Pat Cusick, both experienced and former WWF preliminary wrestlers, were handpicked by Carmichael with the possibility of WWE tryout matches. A week before their first scheduled match, the four men began preparing for the event at Fernandez' training facility in South Carolina. All four men spent considerable time away from their regular jobs and families traveling to South Carolina; it was a daily six-hour drive for Carmichael and Marconi. Each of the wrestlers submitted their paperwork to Amanda Tustian, a WWE booking executive. Although Marconi was the only wrestler not contacted by Tustian, she confirmed that Marconi was booked in a conversation with Fernandez prior to the event. On December 2, when they arrived at the first WWE event at the Greensboro Coliseum
The Greensboro Coliseum Complex, commonly referred to as Greensboro Coliseum (the first and biggest building on the site), is an entertainment and sports complex located in Greensboro, North Carolina. Opened in 1959, the complex holds eight ven ...
, officials were unable to find his paperwork and WWE Executive Mark Carrano ordered security to escort Marconi from the building. Carmichael alleged that Marconi was verbally abused by both Carrano and building security. Afterwards, Carmichael made a public statement criticizing WWE for the disrespectful way it had treated Marconi and declared he would have no further association with the company. Tustian later admitted to Fernandez that Marconi's paperwork had not been processed due to the Thanksgiving weekend.
National Wrestling Alliance (2012–present)
Marconi began wrestling 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 ...
in mid-2012 and appeared in a number of NWA-affiliated promotions including NWA East, NWA Fusion, NWA Houston, and NWA Smoky Mountain. He was selected by the NWA based on recommendations from Johnny Lightning, Cueball Carmichael and Ray Rowe. Within two years, Marconi was considered by 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 ...
to be one of the top ten wrestlers in the entire NWA organization.
He lost to NWA National Heavyweight Champion
The NWA National Championship is a professional wrestling championship owned and promoted by the U.S.-based, National Wrestling Alliance (NWA). The current champion is Cyon, who is in his first reign.
The championship was established in January ...
Damien Wayne
Damien Wayne Kostyal (born December 18, 1971), better known by his ring name Damien Wayne, is an American professional wrestler. He is a 3-time holder of the NWA National Heavyweight Championship and former holder of the NWA North American Heavy ...
at an NWA Edge show on February 2, 2013. On February 16, Marconi took part in a special one-night tournament, "Battle at the Brigade", featuring "some of the most well-known wrestlers in the state". The event was held as a benefit show for the Brigade Boys and Girls Club in Wilmington, North Carolina
Wilmington is a port city in and the county seat of New Hanover County in coastal southeastern North Carolina, United States.
With a population of 115,451 at the 2020 census, it is the eighth most populous city in the state. Wilmington is the ...
. He also made appearances with North Carolina independents Dawg Pro Wrestling and New Skool Wrestling. Marconi was among several major challengers who failed to capture the DPW Heavyweight Championship from Damien Wayne. A month later in NWA Edge, Marconi teamed with Justin Kaos to defeat C-Block and Krotch. That summer, Marconi won the vacant NWA Eastern States Championship. On August 2, Marconi wrestled Seymour Snott at "Armbar on Autism", a fundraising event to raise awareness about autism
The autism spectrum, often referred to as just autism or in the context of a professional diagnosis autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or autism spectrum condition (ASC), is a neurodevelopmental condition (or conditions) characterized by difficulti ...
, in Greensboro, North Carolina
Greensboro (; formerly Greensborough) is a city in and the county seat of Guilford County, North Carolina, United States. It is the third-most populous city in North Carolina after Charlotte and Raleigh, the 69th-most populous city in the Un ...
. Two weeks later, he lost to Chris Taylor in the opening rounds of the 6th Annual Sean "Shocker" Evans Memorial Tournament.
On October 18, 2013, Marconi wrestled his former student Raymond Rowe in the opening match of "NWA Invasion" held at the Humble Civic Center Arena
The Humble Civic Center Arena is a 7,500-seat multi-purpose arena in Humble, Texas, United States, USA. It hosts local sporting events and concerts.
External links
Official website
Sports venues in Texas
Indoor arenas in Texas
{{Texas-sports ...
in Houston, Texas
Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...
. Marconi ended up pinning Rowe with his "Death Sentence" finisher, after outside interference from suspended wrestler Jasper Davis, and retained the NWA Eastern States Championship. A month later, Marconi faced Deimos at WrestleCade 2013 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Winston-Salem is a city and the county seat of Forsyth County, North Carolina, United States. In the 2020 census, the population was 249,545, making it the second-largest municipality in the Piedmont Triad region, the 5th most populous city in N ...
.
Feud with Phil "Nitro" Monahan
In December 2013, a title defence against The Human Predator went awry when NWA National Heavyweight Champion Phil "Nitro" Monahan interfered in the match allowing Marconi's opponent to win the NWA Eastern States Championship. On January 18, 2014, Marconi wrestled on NWA Rage's debut show, "NWA Rage Invades Williamston", where he regained the NWA Eastern States Championship from The Human Predator. On February 15, Marconi lost the belt to Gideon Malice in Toledo, Ohio
Toledo ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Lucas County, Ohio, United States. A major Midwestern United States port city, Toledo is the fourth-most populous city in the state of Ohio, after Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinnati, and according ...
when Monahan once again interfered in a title match. Weeks later, Marconi gained revenge on Monahan by defeating him for the NWA National Heavyweight Championship in Williamston on March 1, 2014, ending Monahan's six-month title reign. Marconi successfully defended the title in NWA Smokey Mountain against Lance Erikson on March 7, in Church Hill, Tennessee
Church Hill is a city in Hawkins County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 6,998 at the 2020 census and 6,737 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Kingsport– Bristol (TN)– Bristol (VA) Metropolitan Statistical Area, which ...
. That same month, Marconi was interviewed by Dr. Jerry Wiseman on the ''WrestleStuff Radio'' podcast
A podcast is a program made available in digital format for download over the Internet. For example, an episodic series of digital audio or video files that a user can download to a personal device to listen to at a time of their choosing ...
and discussed his career and feud with Monahan. Marconi was invited back to WrestleStuff Radio the following week joining Phil Monahan in an on-air interview.
The two men wrestled each other throughout the U.S., including memorable bouts in North Carolina and 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 eventually met in Monahan's hometown of Waldron, Michigan
Waldron is a village in Hillsdale County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 505 at the 2020 census. The village is located within Wright Township.
History
The first settler to the area was Russell Coman, who came from New York i ...
. On March 22, Marconi dropped the title to Monahan at "Wrestlerama 13", an NWA Championship International Wrestling supercard, at the Jesse Phillips Arena in Hillsdale, Michigan
Hillsdale is the largest city and county seat of Hillsdale County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 8,036 at the 2020 census.
The city is the home of Hillsdale College, a private liberal arts college noted for its academics ...
. Marconi regained the belt less than 24 hours later in Oregon, Ohio
Oregon is a city in Lucas County, Ohio. It is a lakefront suburb of Toledo, located on Lake Erie, just east of the city. Oregon is known for its scenic lakefront, bike trails, and Maumee Bay State Park. The population was 19,950 at the 2 ...
, however, he lost it to Monahan in Carolina Beach, North Carolina
Carolina Beach is a beach town in New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States, situated about south of Wilmington International Airport in southeastern coastal North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 6,564. It is pa ...
on April 5. The bout reportedly turned into a wild brawl that included "a frenzy of trash cans, steel chairs to the head, and even a crutch from an injured U.S. Marine
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through com ...
" before Monohan was able to pin Marconi using a steel chair.
A rematch was quickly set up on April 19 at an NWA Championship International Wrestling in Toledo, Ohio. Marconi took to his official Facebook
Facebook is an online social media and social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. Founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with fellow Harvard College students and roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin M ...
account vowing to end Monahan's career. He taunted his opponent by leaving messages counting down the days until "Nitro's last match." On May 10, 2014, Marconi wrestled Seymour Snott at a Carolina Wrestling Showcase event in Asheboro, North Carolina
Asheboro is a city in and the county seat of Randolph County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 25,012 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Greensboro–High Point metropolitan area of the Piedmont Triad and is home of the sta ...
.
Personal life
In July 2016, Marconi was named part of a class action
A class action, also known as a class-action lawsuit, class suit, or representative action, is a type of lawsuit where one of the parties is a group of people who are represented collectively by a member or members of that group. The class actio ...
lawsuit filed against WWE which alleged that wrestlers incurred traumatic brain injuries during their tenure and that the company concealed the risks of injury. The suit was litigated by attorney Konstantine Kyros, who has been involved in a number of other lawsuits against WWE. In September 2018, the lawsuit was dismissed by US District Judge Vanessa Lynne Bryant
Vanessa Lynne Bryant (born January 27, 1954) is a Senior United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut.
Early life
Bryant was born in Queens, New York, and graduated from Howard University wit ...
.
Lou is now married with two daughters and lives in Geauga County, Ohio
Geauga County ( ) is a county in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 95,397. The county seat is Chardon. The county is named for an Onondaga or Seneca language word meaning 'raccoon', originally the name of the ...
.
Filmography
Championships and accomplishments
*Absolute Intense Wrestling Absolute may refer to:
Companies
* Absolute Entertainment, a video game publisher
* Absolute Radio, (formerly Virgin Radio), independent national radio station in the UK
* Absolute Software Corporation, specializes in security and data risk manage ...
** AIW Absolute Championship (1 time)[
*American Commonwealth Wrestling
**ACW Mid-American Championship (1 time)]
*Carolina Wrestling Showcase
**CWS Legacy Championship (1 time)
* G.O.U.G.E. Wrestling
**GOUGE Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
*International Wrestling Alliance
**IWA Television Championship (1 time)
*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 ...
**NWA National Heavyweight Championship
The NWA National Championship is a professional wrestling championship owned and promoted by the U.S.-based, National Wrestling Alliance (NWA). The current champion is Cyon, who is in his first reign.
The championship was established in January ...
( 3 times)
*Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling
** MACW Heavyweight Championship (2 times
"2 Times" is a song co-written and recorded by British Italian-based singer Ann Lee. It was released in 1999 as the lead single from her debut album, ''Dreams'' (1999). The single entered and peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart. Outside ...
)[
*Ohio Championship Wrestling
**OCW Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Derek Stone and Frank Stalletto]
*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 Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[
**PWX North American Heavyweight Championship (2 times)]
**PWX Television Championship (1 time)
**PWX Three Rivers Championship (1 time)
**PWX Tag Team Championship
The PWX Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling Tag Team championship in Pro Wrestling eXpress (PWX). Introduced in 1996, it was PWX's original tag team title, and third tag team title overall. It was unified with the NWA East and PWL ...
( 1 time) – with Paul Atlas
*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 Lou Marconi # 213 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 Publi ...
in 1998
*Shockwave Wrestling Entertainment
**SWE Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
*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 Heavyweight Championship
The SCW Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling heavyweight championship in Southern Championship Wrestling (SCW). It remained active until November 20, 2004 when SCW was closed.
The inaugural champion was Boris Dragoff, who defea ...
(1 time)
** SCW Television Championship (2 times)
**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 ...
(4 times) – with The Black Cat (1), Derek Stone (1), Dennis Gregory (1), and Frank Stalletto (1)
References
External links
*
*
*
*
Lou Marconi at Cagematch.net
Lou Marconi at Wrestlingdata.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Marconi, Lou
Living people
Sportspeople from Cleveland
Professional wrestlers from Ohio
1973 births
People from Brooklyn, Ohio
People from Willow Springs, North Carolina
20th-century professional wrestlers
21st-century professional wrestlers
NWA National Heavyweight Champions