Salvatore Sincere

Last updated

Salvatore Sincere
SalvatoreSincere.jpg
Sincere in 2009
Birth nameThomas Brandi
Born (1966-07-09) July 9, 1966 (age 57)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. [1]
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s) Johnny Gunn
Salvatore Sincere
Tom Brandi
The Patriot
Billed height6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) [1]
Billed weight270 lb (120 kg) [1]
Billed from Italy
By way of The Bronx
Trained by King Kaluha
Debut1985 [1]

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 the American Wrestling Federation, World Championship Wrestling and Extreme Championship Wrestling as Johnny Gunn.

Contents

Professional wrestling career

Early career (1985–1992)

"Chippendale" Tom Brandi, c. 1988 Tom Brandi, 1988.png
"Chippendale" Tom Brandi, c. 1988

Brandi debuted in 1985 after being trained by indy wrestler King Kaluha. His first notoriety came in International World Class Championship Wrestling where he won the IWCCW Television Championship as "Chippendale" Tom Brandi a gimmick similar to the one used by The Fantastics and The Fabulous Ones in the 1980s. In World Championship Wrestling (WCW), Brandi went by Johnny Gunn. He achieved some of the most notable moments in his career while teaming with Tom Zenk. At Halloween Havoc 1992, Brandi partnered with Shane Douglas and Tom Zenk to defeat Bobby Eaton, Arn Anderson, and Michael Hayes.

American Wrestling Federation (1994)

In 1994, he competed for the short lived American Wrestling Federation (AWF) on the TV series Warriors of Wrestling where he used the name "Johnny Gunn" and renewed his Chippendales gimmick where he was a fan favorite. Brandi also teamed with Jim Powers while in the AWF.

Extreme Championship Wrestling and independent circuit

Brandi later joined Extreme Championship Wrestling and teamed with Tommy Dreamer to capture the ECW Tag Team Championships. They captured the titles from Johnny Hotbody and Tony Stetson in only nine seconds. Less than a month later, the pair would lose the titles to The Tazmaniac (later Taz) and Kevin Sullivan. Having suffered an injury, Gunn was replaced with Shane Douglas for a night, who turned on Dreamer to cost them the tag belts. [2]

United States Wrestling Federation

In 1995, Brandi won the USWF Championship under the name Johnny Gunn. After losing the championship to his former trainer, King Kaluha, Brandi won the USWF Tag Team Championship from Damage Inc.

World Wrestling Federation (1996–1998)

He then went to the World Wrestling Federation. He was one of a series of "jobbers with gimmicks" brought into the WWF in 1996 to help elevate the company's stars, alongside Alex "The Pug" Pourteau, Freddie Joe Floyd, the Goon, and T. L. Hopper. He debuted in July 1996 as "Salvatore Sincere," a villainous stereotypical Bronx Italian/Mafioso character clad in pink and white who falsely claimed to be sincere and to "love" everyone. He appeared at the 1996 Survivor Series and In Your House: It's Time, where he wrestled in dark matches. He also worked matches with some of the WWF's top names at the time, including Shawn Michaels, The Undertaker, and Dwayne Johnson (billed as "Rocky Maivia" during his debut match in the WWF with Salvatore).

He briefly feuded with Marc Mero over valet Sable in 1997. During this storyline, Brandi began wrestling under his given name after Mero called him a jobber and said that he was "Tom Brandi", not Salvatore Sincere. Sincere later would go on to win a match against Mero by countout. After going by his real name, he participated in the 1998 Royal Rumble match, lasting a matter of seconds before being eliminated by Cactus Jack and Terry Funk. He lost to Jeff Jarrett in his last televised match on March 17, 1998 episode of Monday Night Raw. Brandi left the WWF that April.

Return to the independent circuit (1998–present)

Brandi performing as the Patriot in 2019 Tom Brandi as the Patriot, July 2019.jpg
Brandi performing as the Patriot in 2019

Since leaving the WWF, Brandi has wrestled on the independent circuit under both the Brandi and Sincere names, and sometimes wrestles or does autograph signings under a mask as The Patriot, [3] although without the permission of the original Patriot, Del Wilkes. [4]

Championships and accomplishments

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greg Valentine</span> American professional wrestler (born 1951)

Jonathan Anthony Wisniski is a retired American professional wrestler, better known as Greg "the Hammer" Valentine. He is the son of wrestler Johnny Valentine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tito Santana</span> American professional wrestler

Merced Solis, better known by the ring name Tito Santana, is an American professional wrestler, trainer, and retired school teacher.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tony Atlas</span> American professional wrestler, bodybuilder, and powerlifter

Anthony White better known by his ring name Tony Atlas is an American bodybuilder, powerlifter, and professional wrestler who has held multiple titles and championships in each sport. He is also known by his bodybuilding title, "Mr. USA", the nom de guerre the "Black Superman", as well as an alter ego named Saba Simba. He returned as an on screen manager for WWE, appearing on its now-defunct ECW brand. He re-signed with WWE on a legends contract in mid-2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tracy Smothers</span> American professional wrestler (1962–2020)

Tracy Stanton Smothers was an American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling, Smoky Mountain Wrestling, the World Wrestling Federation, and Extreme Championship Wrestling.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mosh (wrestler)</span> American professional wrestler

Charles Warrington is an American professional wrestler best known for his time in the World Wrestling Federation as the wrestler Mosh as one-half of the tag team The Headbangers along with Thrasher.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thrasher (wrestler)</span> American professional wrestler

Glenn Ruth is an American professional wrestler, better known by the ring name, Thrasher. For much of his career he has teamed with Mosh, most famously as The Headbangers, a pair of metal-heads known for their outrageous costumes such as nose rings and kilts. Thrasher is best known for his stints in the World Wrestling Federation between 1990 and 2000, where he held the WWF World Tag Team Championship and WWF Hardcore Championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Williams (wrestler)</span> American professional and amateur wrestler, football player and author

Steve Williams, better known by his ring name, "Dr. Death" Steve Williams, was an American professional wrestler, collegiate football player, and amateur wrestler. He was best known for his time in All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) throughout the 1990s and early 2000s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adnan Al-Kaissie</span> Iraqi professional wrestler (1939–2023)

Adnan bin Abdul Kareem Ahmed Alkaissy El Farthie, better known professionally as Adnan Al-Kaissie, was an Iraqi-American professional wrestler and manager best known as Sheik Adnan Al-Kaissey, Billy White Wolf, or General Adnan. In 1971 he defeated André the Giant in Al-Shaab Stadium in Baghdad, under the auspices of his high school classmate, Ba'ath Party leader Saddam Hussein. He competed in the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF). On December 7, 1976, he won the WWWF World Tag Team Championship with Chief Jay Strongbow.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rocco Rock</span> American professional wrestler (1953–2002)

Theodore James Petty was an American professional wrestler, better known by the ring name "Flyboy" Rocco Rock. Rock is best known for his appearances in Eastern Championship Wrestling / Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), World Championship Wrestling (WCW), and the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) alongside Johnny Grunge as the Public Enemy during the 1990s. He was a four-time ECW World Tag Team Champion, a one-time WCW World Tag Team Champion, and a one-time NWA World Tag Team Champion.

Curtis Thompson is an American retired professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling from 1991 to 1992 under the ring name Firebreaker Chip.

Barney William Irwin is an American retired professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, "Wild" Bill Irwin. Irwin is also known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation as The Goon in 1996 to 1997. He is the brother of the late Scott Irwin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Wrestling Federation</span> Professional wrestling promotion

The American Wrestling Federation (AWF) was a professional wrestling federation founded by Paul Alperstein active from 1994 to 1996. The promotion was based in Chicago, Illinois, but held shows in many other eastern states of the United States. The AWF used the European wrestling format of timed rounds, 4 minute rounds with judges and points, in the vein of boxing matches.

Alexander Pourteau, is an American professional wrestler best known for his stint with the World Wrestling Federation as Alex "The Pug" Pourteau between 1996 and 1997.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jesús Castillo Jr.</span> Puerto Rican professional wrestler

Jesús Daniel Castillo Ortiz Jr. is a semi-retired professional wrestler, better known in his native country of Puerto Rico as Huracan Castillo Jr.. He competed in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) as a member of the Hispanic stable Los Boricuas in the late 1990s as Jesus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International World Class Championship Wrestling</span> Professional wrestling promotion (1984–1996)

International World Class Championship Wrestling was an independent professional wrestling promotion based in Boston, Massachusetts. It was promoted by Angelo Savoldi and his sons Mario, Tom, and Joseph Savoldi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tony Rumble</span>

Anthony David Magliaro was an American professional wrestler and manager, known by the ring name Boston Bad Boy Tony Rumble. He competed on the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic independent circuit during the 1980s and 90s. A longtime veteran of Angelo Savoldi's International World Class Championship Wrestling, he also was the owner of the New England–based Century Wrestling Alliance and an independent wrestling promoter until his death in 1999.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tony Anthony</span> American professional wrestler

Darrell W. Anthony is a retired American professional wrestler, also known by his ring name Dirty White Boy. He wrestled in NWA territories in the Southeastern United States. He was most active throughout the 1980s and 1990s in the Tennessee-based United States Wrestling Association (USWA) and Smoky Mountain Wrestling (SMW), and had two short stints with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) under the ring names of T. L. Hopper and Uncle Cletus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kenny Casanova</span> American professional wrestler, manager, DJ

Kenny Casanova is an American professional wrestler and professional wrestling manager with international success in semi retirement, an author, and also a DJ. Kenny Casanova is best known as a pro wrestler on the North East circuit, whose career has led him to be inducted in the class of 2010 New England Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame.

Scotty "Hot Body" Summers is a retired American professional wrestler who competed in regional and independent promotions throughout the United States and Canada during the 1990s and 2000s. One-half of Hot Paradise with Johnny Paradise, the two held the unified tag team titles of Border City Wrestling and Motor City Wrestling for almost two years. He also had brief stints in Eastern Championship Wrestling, Midwest Territorial Wrestling, World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation before ending his career, like many former MCW stars, in the old Central States territory.

Michael Alegado, better known by his ring name King Kaluha, is an American professional wrestler and trainer. He is best known for his time in D. C. Drake's Continental Wrestling Alliance, the International Championship Wrestling and National Wrestling Federation during the 1980s. He also made brief appearances in the American Wrestling Association and Jim Crockett Promotions.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Tom Brandi's Online World of Wrestling profile".
  2. ↑ "Kaye, Griffin (2022-06-22). "10 Times Wrestlers Defended Another Competitor's Title". Pro Wrestling Stories. Retrieved 2022-07-25". June 22, 2022.
  3. ↑ "TOM BRANDI RESPONDS TO DEL WILKES OVER USAGE OF 'THE PATRIOT' CHARACTER ON INDEPENDENTS | PWInsider.com". www.pwinsider.com. Retrieved February 5, 2022.
  4. ↑ "411Mania".
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2000). Wrestling Title Histories (4th ed.). Archeus Communications. ISBN   0-9698161-5-4.
  6. ↑ "Independent Wrestling Association Mid-South Heavyweight Title". wrestling-titles.com. Retrieved April 26, 2009.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.