Luca Crusifino | |
Birth Name: | Roman Macek |
Names: | Luca Crusifino |
Height: | 6 ft 2 in |
Weight: | 246lb |
Birth Date: | November 16, 2000[1] |
Birth Place: | McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
Billed: | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
Trainer: | Victor Benjamin[2] WWE Performance Center[3] |
Debut: | February 21, 2023 |
Alma Mater: | Duquesne University[4] |
Roman Macek (born November 16, 2000) is an American professional wrestler and former American football player. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the NXT brand under the ring name Luca Crusifino. He is a member of The D'Angelo Family stable.
Macek was born in McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania. He attended Montour High School in McKees Rocks, where he played football. He was a first team all-Northwest Nine Conference pick on both the offensive and defensive lines for two-straight years. He also participated as four-year letterman and three-year captain for the wrestling team.[4]
After graduating from high school, Macek went on to study at Duquesne University, majoring in sociology. While attending Duquesne, Macek played football for the Duquesne Dukes. As a freshman in 2017, he played special teams and defense; in 2018, he appeared in all 13 games for the Dukes; in 2019 he moved to offense as a left guard; In 2020–2021 season, he started all five games at left guard for the Dukes in first season on the offensive line and played major role in success of Dukes’ offense. In 2021, he started all 10 games at left guard for the Dukes and was a part of an offensive front which paced the NEC and ranked 17th in the FCS in fewest sacks allowed per game (1.2).[4] After graduating with a B.A. from Duquesne University, Macek continued his education at Duquesne, enrolling in the law school. However, he took a leave of absence to pursue professional wrestling. Macek is still enrolled in law school at Duquesne.[5]
On April 6, 2022, it was reported that Macek had signed with WWE after undergoing a tryout at the WWE Performance Center.[6] He was later assigned the name Luca Crusifino and the gimmick of a lawyer.[7] In early 2023 before his debut, Crusifino made his own website called crusifinolaw.com for his gimmick of a lawyer. The website includes “ongoing trials” in NXT, testimonials from The D'Angelo Family's Channing "Stacks" Lorenzo and an anonymous client, and a paragraph about himself and his “Law firm” and how to contact him, as well as “video evidence” about various assault charges in NXT.[8]
Crusifino participated in the NXT men's breakout tournament,[9] but was defeated by Tavion Heights in the first round. On February 27, Crusifino faced Dijak in a losing effort. After the match, Crusifino would hit Dijak with his own crowbar, setting up Joe Gacy to attack him, turning face in the process for the first time in his WWE career. Crusifino would then slip Dijak's crowbar behind the steel steps. Impressed by Crusifino’s match, Tony D’Angelo would tell Channing "Stacks" Lorenzo to “remember that” and “go get ‘em.”[10] At NXT: Roadblock on March 5, D'Angelo welcomed Crusifino as the new "consigliere" of The D'Angelo Family stable, cementing his face turn.[11] [12] [13] The Family and No Quarter Catch Crew faced in a six-man tag team match at Week 1 of Spring Breakin'