Louie Spicolli

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Louie Spicolli
Seattle, Washington (as Rad Radford)[4]
Trained byBill Anderson
Debut1988[3]

Louis Mucciolo Jr.

World Wrestling Federation as Rad Radford, and in Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling in the 1990s as Louie Spicolli. He is sometimes credited as being the inventor of the Death Valley driver finisher and even wore T-shirts in WCW stating it,[5] though some say it was created by Japanese female wrestler Etsuko Mita.[6]

Professional wrestling career

Early career (1988–1995)

At the age of 17, Mucciolo began training with "Big" Bill Anderson after the two met at a wrestling show held at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena. He debuted in 1988 aged 17, working as a jobber for the World Wrestling Federation, using the ring name Louie Spicolli and would continue to use this name in squash matches until March 1995.[7] His occasional appearances saw him lose to many of the WWF's top stars, though he did register two victories in 1993, defeating The White Knight (actually his trainer, Bill Anderson) and The Lightning Kid.[7] He also picked up a victory on March 13, 1995 over Greg Davis, his last appearance before being repackaged.[7]

In 1989, he traveled to Tijuana, Mexico with Tim Patterson and his trainer, Bill Anderson, with whom he formed a stable known as "Los Mercenarios Americanos" ("The American Mercenaries").[8] They were a trio of masked villains who feuded with Los Villanos (Villano I, Villano III, Villano IV and Villano V). The Mercenarios were forced to unmask in July 1991 and then disbanded in 1992.[9]

Spicolli worked on the

Asistencia Asesoría y Administración as "Madonna's Boyfriend", one of Los Gringos Locos along with Eddie Guerrero, Konnan, and Art Barr.[10] He wrestled in a six-man tag team match at When Worlds Collide on November 6, 1994, which, as of 2016, was the only pay-per-view that AAA has held in North America.[11]
This exposure led to Spicolli being offered jobs by many promotions.

World Wrestling Federation (1995–1996)

In April 1995, the WWF repackaged Spicolli as "Rad Radford", a fan of

the Bodydonnas, wanting to join (despite his comparatively flabby body) and was eventually admitted as a "Bodydonna-in-training".[7] This lasted until Survivor Series, when he was thrown out of the group because his physique was not good enough.[4] Spicolli achieved little success as Radford, rarely getting victories over other name talent.[7]

Spicolli wrestled his final match for the WWF at a house show in January 1996. In early 1996, Spicolli was found unconscious by a neighbor after overdosing on Soma and suffering a seizure. He was in intensive care for several days before making a recovery. The WWF, still mindful of the controversy that the steroid trials a few years back had brought, released him on the condition that he would not work for the rival WCW promotion for a year.

Extreme Championship Wrestling (1996–1997)

Spicolli struggled with

drug abuse
was seen as an embarrassment to the company.

Spicolli was a mainstay of the Empire Wrestling Federation for the company's first two years of existence. He performed there as a favor to his trainer Bill Anderson, who at the time was co-owner of the company.

World Championship Wrestling (1997–1998)

Spicolli signed with WCW in late 1997 and became the

Scott Hall, dubbing himself "The Real Innovator" in order to mock Tommy Dreamer (known by the nickname "The Innovator of Violence").[12] Spicolli later began commentating during matches, and impressed many with his wit, though he was admonished after making a joke concerning the Oklahoma City bombing after commentator Tony Schiavone referred to a forthcoming "bombshell". Eric Bischoff reportedly saw Spicolli as "The Chris Farley of Wrestling."[13][14] Hall and Spicolli soon feuded with Larry Zbyszko, with Spicolli stealing Zbyszko's golf clubs, bringing them to the ring, and breaking them over his knee while Hall made sarcastic comments on the mic.[12] This resulted in a match between Spicolli and Zbyszko being booked for SuperBrawl VIII on February 22, 1998.[12] However, the match never took place due to Spicolli's death one week before the match. His last match was on February 9 on WCW Monday Nitro losing to Chris Adams
by disqualification.

Death

Spicolli had stopped taking drugs after renewed fears for his health, but the news that his mother was terminally ill with

Los Angeles County coroner's office determined the drugs might have contributed to his heart condition.[16]

Championships and accomplishments

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "Louis Spicolli's accelerator profile".
  2. ^ a b c "Power Slam". This Month in History: February. SW Publishing. January 1999. p. 28. 55.
  3. ^ a b c d "Louis Spicolli's OWOW profile". 8 October 2023.
  4. ^
    ISBN 978-0-7566-4190-0
    .
  5. ^ RSPW Tidbits
  6. ^ Headlocks and Backdrops
  7. ^
    ASIN B00RWUNSRS
    .
  8. ^
    ISBN 0-9698161-5-4
    .
  9. ^ Encyclopedia staff (November 2007). "Enciclopedia de las Mascaras". Villano I (in Spanish). Mexico City, Mexico. pp. 22–23. Tomo V.
  10. ISBN 0-7434-9353-2
    .
  11. ^ "Historical Cards". PWI Presents: 2007 Wrestling Almanak and book of facts. Kappa Publications. p. 160. 2007 Edition.
  12. ^
    ISBN 978-1499656343
    .
  13. ISBN 978-1-55490-255-2
    .
  14. ISBN 978-1-59670-021-5
    .
  15. ISBN 978-1554902552
    .
  16. ^ "Wrestling deaths and steroids". USA Today. March 12, 2004. Retrieved May 11, 2010.
  17. ^
    ISBN 0-9698161-5-4
    .
  18. ^ "http://socaluncensored.com/history/hall-of-fame/"/>

External links

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