Steve Rizzono Explained

Steve Rizzono
Birth Name:Steve Coombs
Names:Steve Rizzono
Weight:245lb
Birth Place:Camden, New Jersey, US
Billed:California
Trainer:APW Boot Camp[1] [2]
Debut:March 29, 1995
Retired:October 18, 2003[3] [4]

Steve Coombs[5] (born 1970) is a former professional wrestler best known for his stint in Xtreme Pro Wrestling.[6] Coombs competed primarily as "The Gigolo" Steve Rizzono.[7] At one time, Rizzono was also a bouncer[8] and a personal trainer.[9] [6] [10]

Professional wrestling career

Steve Rizzono trained alongside Spike Dudley at All Pro Wrestling's school,[1] [2] and made his debut on March 29, 1995, teaming with Mike Modest against Robert Thompson and Mike Diamond.[9] While competing in APW, he captured the APW Tag Team titles with Mike Modest and Tony Jones.[9] He also won a famous three-way dance that featured Vic Grimes and Erin O' Grady.[11] On January 22, 1996 in Stockton, CA, Rizzono made his World Wrestling Federation debut[12] in a losing effort to Justin "Hawk" Bradshaw.[13] The following night in Oakland, Rizzono jobbed to Duke "The Dumpster" Droese in a match that was featured on the WWF Superstars TV program.[13] [14] [15]

On the weekend of ECW’s November to Remember 1997 pay-per-view, Rizzono had a match with Robert Thompson on an APW show. Wrestling Observer journalist Dave Meltzer attended both shows. A few weeks later, Meltzer wrote in the observer that Rizzono's match with Thompson was better than almost anything he saw on the ECW event.[16] [17] In between his APW stint and his early 2000 entrance into XPW, Rizzono wrestled in the United States Wrestling Association[18] [19] and for independent promotions based in the Portland area.[12] [20] [21] In Portland, Rizzono was managed by Jonny Fairplay.

Upon joining XPW, Rizzono initially had a partnership with Kid Kaos, but it quickly escalated into a bitter rivalry.[22] At one point, Rizzono was managed by "Playboy" Buddy Rose, in an unsuccessful journey after the XPW World Heavyweight Championship. During his early tenure, he had matches against Public Enemy, John Kronus, and Juventud Guerrera.[23] He was a member of The Black Army, and (following his banishment from the Army) founded The Enterprise with manager and porn star Veronica Caine, in order to avenge the rejection from his former teammates.[24] [25] Besides feuding with the Black Army, Rizzono feuded heavily with Pogo the Clown, as Rizzono was usually privy to receiving harsh beatings from Pogo.[23] Their feud was featured in two (2001 and 2002) of XPW's annual King of the Deathmatch Tournaments, as both matches began as singles matches, but soon turned into triple threat matches midway through. In both bouts, Rizzono fell victim to brutal and memorable beatings from his nemesis, which resulted in Rizzono savagely losing in both of his appearances. Rizzono departed from XPW in mid-2002 when XPW relocated its operations to the Pennsylvania area on the East Coast.[26]

Rizzono returned to APW on November 8, 2002[8] [27] as a trainer,[2] [6] [28] [29] a commentator, and a manager[30] before leaving the business.[6] He currently resides in California and he has health problems due to the severe injuries he incurred in XPW, including multiple concussions and broken noses as a result of death matches in which he participated.[6] [26] On July 18, 2007, Steve received spinal surgery in which two ligaments were removed from his spine.

Championships and accomplishments

Media

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Staniforth . Peter . XPW - "Baptized in Blood 2" Video Review . 2004 . Wrestling Clothesline .
  2. News: Alexander . Roland . Carny Central . 28 February 2007 . Carny Central . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070928124847/http://www.carnycentral.com/2007_02_01_archive.html . 28 September 2007 .
  3. News: APW-LA results . 19 October 2003 . Forums.TheSmartMarks.com .
  4. News: So Cal Uncensored. 20 October 2003. So Cal Uncensored.
  5. News: Steve Rizzono's CageMatch.net profile . 17 May 2007 . CageMatch.net .
  6. News: Goldsmith . Susan . Mortal Combat . 14 January 2004 . .
  7. News: Steve Rizzono mentioned on AVN.com (misspelled as "Rosano"). 30 June 1999. Adult Video News. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20070526095000/http://avn.com/index_cache.php?Primary_Navigation=Articles. 26 May 2007.
  8. News: Lano . Mike . No luck for Shamrock . 2 December 2002 . .
  9. News: Steve Rizzono's first APW profile . May 7, 2007 . All Pro Wrestling .
  10. News: Meyers . Michelle . In Pursuit of a Dream . 20 October 2003 . .
  11. News: 1997 APW Results . 7 May 2007 . .
  12. News: Hunt . Don . Wrestling: tights, fights, a ringside night . 30 June 1999 . .
  13. News: Cawthon . Graham . WWF Ring Results 1996 . 1 May 2007 . History of WWE .
  14. News: Hunter Hearst Helmsley (HHH) . 6 May 2007 . Professional Wrestling Online Museum . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20060317011057/http://www.wrestlingmuseum.com/pages/bios/hunterhelmsley2.html . 17 March 2006 .
  15. News: August . Johnny . WWF Superstars Tapings - San Jose . 26 January 1996 . Google Groups .
  16. News: Meltzer . Dave . All Pro Wrestling coverage . November 1997 . .
  17. News: Meltzer . Dave . All Pro Wrestling coverage . November 1997 . .
  18. News: USWA Memphis Tapes. 6 May 2007. ShiningWizard.com. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20070314151328/http://www.shiningwizard.com/tapes/tapes.php?category=37. 14 March 2007.
  19. News: APW Timeline . 7 May 2007 . All Pro Wrestling .
  20. News: Hunt . Don . Racing will be a real drag tonight . 3 August 1999 . .
  21. News: Hunt . Don . Pro show at Armory brings out the beast in fans . 2 July 1999 . . 24 May 2007 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070927012200/http://archive.mailtribune.com/archive/99/july99/7299n1.htm . 27 September 2007 . dead . dmy-all .
  22. News: Woods II . Wes . Insane entertainers take the sport in a bloody direction . July 2000 . .
  23. News: XPW results. Wrestling Information Archive. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20070522114147/http://www.100megsfree4.com/wiawrestling/pages/xpw/xpwres.htm. 2007-05-22.
  24. News: Independent Wrestling Stables. 6 May 2007. Wrestling Information Archive. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20070710201445/http://www.100megsfree4.com/wiawrestling/pages/other/stables.htm. 10 July 2007.
  25. News: The Furious Flashbacks - XPW Redemption . 6 May 2007 . FuriousRage.com .
  26. News: Rodgers . Mike . Steve Rizzono interview . 2005 . Ring Around the Northwest newsletter .
  27. News: Benson . J.R. . APW Gym Wars results - November 8, 2002 . 8 November 2002 . J.R. Benson's web site . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070930001030/http://www.jrbenson.com/BOOBGRAB.htm . 30 September 2007 .
  28. News: Connelley . Sean . Photo: Steve Rizzono teaches Tiffany Schaefer how to throw a punch . 2 December 2003 . ANG Newspapers & San Francisco Bay Area Press Photographers Association . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070927041821/http://www.sfbappa.org/SF31.images/Picture%20Story/AEslc/pages/7slc1d.htm . 27 September 2007 .
  29. News: Spotlight on All Pro Wrestling . 19 October 2003 . .
  30. News: Lano . Mike . Sugey tops ChickFight, Grimes reappears . 31 October 2004 . . https://archive.today/20120630011251/http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/2004/10/31/695160.html. usurped. June 30, 2012.
  31. News: Gerweck . Steve . Mike Modest profile . 7 May 2007 . Gerweck.net . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070610102329/http://www.gerweck.net/mikemodest.htm . 10 June 2007 .
  32. News: APW Tag Team Title History . 5 May 2007 . All Pro Wrestling .
  33. News: Jones . Tony . "The Shooter" Tony Jones Resume . 6 May 2007 . Tony Jones' web site . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070516112753/http://www.shootertonyjones.net/Resume.htm . 16 May 2007 .
  34. News: All Pro Wrestling Title Histories . 6 May 2007 . All Pro Wrestling . 24 May 2007 . 3 May 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120503091440/http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/ca/sf/apw/ . dead .
  35. News: National Wrestling Alliance - Encyclopedia . 6 May 2007 . National Wrestling Alliance .
  36. News: NWA-ECCW Tag Team Title History . 6 May 2007 . Titlehistories.com .
  37. News: Steve Rizzono's ECCW profile. 6 May 2007. Extreme Canadian Championship Wrestling. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20070930190414/http://www.eccw.com/bio.php?name=steverizzono&legend=yes. 30 September 2007.
  38. News: N.W.A. Vancouver Island Heavyweight Title . 6 May 2007 . Wrestling-Titles.com .
  39. News: Rich . Brian . List of Pro Wrestlers that are Retired, Missing, or Independent . 6 May 2007 . BrianRich.net .
  40. News: Rizzono at Internet Movie Database . 7 May 2007 . .

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