Eric Gargiulo
Encyclopedia
Eric Gargiulo is a professional wrestling
announcer
, wrestler, commentator, and radio show host. Gargiulo is most known for his years announcing and hosting for Combat Zone Wrestling
.
(ECWA) wrestlers in 1994. He made about a dozen appearances wrestling for the ECWA and on independent shows.
(ECW). He made his debut in November 1996 in Staten Island, New York. Gargiulo announced road shows for the company through May 1998.
, Ricky Steamboat
, Bret Hart
, Edge
, Dusty Rhodes
, Tito Ortiz
, Bruno Sammartino
, and Billy Graham. Chris Jericho
was the first guest on the debut show. Sammartino made more guest appearances on the show over ten years than any other guest.
In 2009, Gargiulo took ownership of the show and began broadcasting the show exclusively live online. The show currently airs Wednesday nights live at 7 PM/EST. The show is also available through iTunes
via podcast.
(CZW) as a commentator and announcer in 2000. He first entered CZW as a backstage interviewer and then made his announcing debut on the Caged to the End home video. Gargiulo was immediately paired with John House on the broadcasts.
Gargiulo announced and hosted shows for CZW through 2007. His work included pay-per-views, television and home videos. Gargiulo also traveled to Italy for CZW’s first Italian tour. He also worked behind-the-scenes helping write, book, and script for CZW.
from 2001–2008. During this time, he also called the action with Buck Woodward for several Japanese Pro Wrestling pay-per-views from 2002–2005. He announced the final two shows for Court Bauer’s Major League Wrestling
.
Gargiulo and Steve Corino
announced the first two Ring of Honor
(ROH) home videos together. Gargiulo, however, left the company shortly before the third show due to conflicts between CZW and ROH. Gargiulo reunited with ex-CZW partner John House in 2007 for several Pro Wrestling Unplugged shows. He later semi-retired as an announcer.
, the NFL, and politics. The blog was highly ranked and often featured on Yahoo BUZZ. In 2009, Gargiulo took ownership of the blog. The Camel Clutch Blog is currently one of the most popular sports blogs on the Internet - http://CamelClutchBlog.com
Along with Rob Feinstein
and Doug Gentry, Gargiulo helped innovate the professional wrestling shoot interview
concept. Gargiulo began hosting shoot interviews for RF Video in 1996. He continues to host and write interviews for RF Video, Inc.
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
announcer
Announcer
An announcer is a presenter who makes "announcements" in an audio medium or a physical location.-Television and other media:Some announcers work in television production , radio or filmmaking, usually providing narrations, news updates, station identification, or an introduction of a product in...
, wrestler, commentator, and radio show host. Gargiulo is most known for his years announcing and hosting for Combat Zone Wrestling
Combat Zone Wrestling
Combat Zone Wrestling is a independent wrestling promotion. In 1999, John Zandig and four of his students, Ric Blade, Lobo, Nick Gage and Justice Pain began to run backyard wrestling shows in New Jersey and Delaware, showcasing a brand of hardcore wrestling dubbed as "ultraviolence"...
.
Professional wrestling career
Gargiulo trained with Jim Kettner and a variety of East Coast Wrestling AssociationEast Coast Wrestling Association
East Coast Wrestling Association is an American professional wrestling promotion, founded by promoter Jim Kettner in 1967. It is home to the annual Super 8 Tournament, one of the longest-running independent wrestling tournaments in the country...
(ECWA) wrestlers in 1994. He made about a dozen appearances wrestling for the ECWA and on independent shows.
Extreme Championship Wrestling
Gargiulo was a ring announcer for Extreme Championship WrestlingExtreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1992 by Tod Gordon and closed when his successor, Paul Heyman, declared bankruptcy in April 2001...
(ECW). He made his debut in November 1996 in Staten Island, New York. Gargiulo announced road shows for the company through May 1998.
Pro Wrestling Radio
Gargiulo began Pro Wrestling Radio in February 1999. Pro Wrestling Radio aired on WBCB 1490 AM out of Philadelphia from 1999–2009. The radio show is the longest consistent running professional wrestling radio talk show on terrestrial radio. It featured interviews with a variety of guests, including Steve AustinStone Cold Steve Austin
Steve Austin , better known by his ring name "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, is an American film and television actor and retired professional wrestler...
, Ricky Steamboat
Ricky Steamboat
Richard Henry Blood , better known by his ring name Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat, is a retired American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE working as a road agent. He was one of the few wrestlers who stayed a babyface throughout his career...
, Bret Hart
Bret Hart
Bret Hart is a Canadian on-screen personality, writer, actor and Semi-retired professional wrestler. Like others in the Hart wrestling family, Hart has an amateur wrestling background, including wrestling at Ernest Manning High School and Mount Royal College...
, Edge
Adam Copeland
Adam Joseph Copeland is a retired Canadian professional wrestler and actor, better known by his ring name Edge. He is currently signed to WWE under a Legends contract....
, Dusty Rhodes
Dusty Rhodes (wrestler)
Virgil Riley Runnels, Jr. , better known as "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes, is a semi-retired American professional wrestler currently working for WWE...
, Tito Ortiz
Tito Ortiz
Jacob Christopher "Tito" Ortiz is a Mexican-American mixed martial artist and former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, having held the title from April 14, 2000 to September 26, 2003. Along with fighters like Randy Couture and Chuck Liddell, he was one of the sport's early stars...
, Bruno Sammartino
Bruno Sammartino
Bruno Leopoldo Francesco Sammartino is an Italian-American former professional wrestler, best known for being the longest-running champion of the World Wide Wrestling Federation , holding the title across two reigns for over 11 years in total, as well as the longest single WWE Championship reign...
, and Billy Graham. Chris Jericho
Chris Jericho
Christopher Keith Irvine , better known by his ring name Chris Jericho, is an inactive Canadian-American professional wrestler, musician, songwriter, radio personality, television host, actor, author, and dancer...
was the first guest on the debut show. Sammartino made more guest appearances on the show over ten years than any other guest.
In 2009, Gargiulo took ownership of the show and began broadcasting the show exclusively live online. The show currently airs Wednesday nights live at 7 PM/EST. The show is also available through iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
via podcast.
Combat Zone Wrestling
Gargiulo joined Combat Zone WrestlingCombat Zone Wrestling
Combat Zone Wrestling is a independent wrestling promotion. In 1999, John Zandig and four of his students, Ric Blade, Lobo, Nick Gage and Justice Pain began to run backyard wrestling shows in New Jersey and Delaware, showcasing a brand of hardcore wrestling dubbed as "ultraviolence"...
(CZW) as a commentator and announcer in 2000. He first entered CZW as a backstage interviewer and then made his announcing debut on the Caged to the End home video. Gargiulo was immediately paired with John House on the broadcasts.
Gargiulo announced and hosted shows for CZW through 2007. His work included pay-per-views, television and home videos. Gargiulo also traveled to Italy for CZW’s first Italian tour. He also worked behind-the-scenes helping write, book, and script for CZW.
Other promotions
Gargiulo has worked for most of the major independent pro wrestling companies as an announcer. Gargiulo announced for Dangerous Women of Wrestling’s television and home videos. In addition, he announced pay-per-views for Women's Extreme WrestlingWomen's Extreme Wrestling
Women's Extreme Wrestling , also known as Women's Erotic Wrestling, is an all woman professional wrestling promotion based in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with offices in New York City, New York. They are notable because their storylines usually are filled with erotic and sexual themes...
from 2001–2008. During this time, he also called the action with Buck Woodward for several Japanese Pro Wrestling pay-per-views from 2002–2005. He announced the final two shows for Court Bauer’s Major League Wrestling
Major League Wrestling
Major League Wrestling is a professional wrestling promotion that markets its presentation around hybrid wrestling, which encompasses and showcases many different forms of wrestling. MLW's mission is to present itself as an alternative to sports entertainment...
.
Gargiulo and Steve Corino
Steve Corino
Steven Eugene "Steve" Corino is a Canadian professional wrestler, who currently works for Pro Wrestling Zero1, Ring of Honor and numerous other independent promotions. Corino is a former NWA World Heavyweight Champion and ECW World Heavyweight Champion.-Early years :Corino began wrestling in 1994...
announced the first two Ring of Honor
Ring of Honor
Ring of Honor ' is an American professional wrestling promotion, founded in 2002 by Rob Feinstein and Gabe Sapolsky. From 2004 to 2011, the promotion was under the ownership of Cary Silkin before being sold to the Sinclair Broadcast Group in May 2011...
(ROH) home videos together. Gargiulo, however, left the company shortly before the third show due to conflicts between CZW and ROH. Gargiulo reunited with ex-CZW partner John House in 2007 for several Pro Wrestling Unplugged shows. He later semi-retired as an announcer.
Blogs and interviews
Gargiulo began the Camel Clutch Blog in 2007. The blog was published online by phillyburbs.com. His blog topics included professional wrestling, mixed martial artsMixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
, the NFL, and politics. The blog was highly ranked and often featured on Yahoo BUZZ. In 2009, Gargiulo took ownership of the blog. The Camel Clutch Blog is currently one of the most popular sports blogs on the Internet - http://CamelClutchBlog.com
Along with Rob Feinstein
Rob Feinstein
Robert Feinstein is the owner and operator of RF Video , who were best known as the videographers of Extreme Championship Wrestling...
and Doug Gentry, Gargiulo helped innovate the professional wrestling shoot interview
Shoot (professional wrestling)
A shoot in professional wrestling is a term that refers to any unplanned, unscripted or real-life occurrence within a wrestling event. Contrary to popular belief, the name does not originate from "shooting in" for a takedown, as in amateur wrestling - rather it is a carny term shortened from...
concept. Gargiulo began hosting shoot interviews for RF Video in 1996. He continues to host and write interviews for RF Video, Inc.