Jimmy Cicero
Encyclopedia
Matt Bowman, best known by his ring name "Wiseguy" Jimmy Cicero, is an American professional wrestler who has competed in several promotions
on the independent circuit
. He had also competed for the United States Wrestling Association
, Extreme Championship Wrestling
, and the World Wrestling Federation
. He also works at the Independent Pro Wrestling Association Wrestling School and has trained several wrestlers who have gone on to compete in major promotions.
Ivan Koloff. In 1994, he held the Carolina Championship Wrestling Alliance Tag Team Championship as a member of a tag team
known as the Country Club along with Steve Storm. Later that year, the teamed with Brian Perry to form the Rat Pack. On November 17, they won a tournament to become the promotion's first tag team champions. On March 25, 1995, they lost the title to the team of Billy Simmons and Sean Powers. They regained it the following month and held it for just short of one year, but their second and final title reign together came to an end when Sean Powers substituted for Cicero in a loss to Guido Falcone and Jimmy Torture.
In 1996, he appeared in Extreme Championship Wrestling
(ECW), where he formed a tag team
with Balls Mahoney
in a loss to Spike
and Buh Buh Ray Dudley. Cicero also had matches in ECW against Taz
and Axl Rotten
in 1996 and 1997. In December 1996, Cicero wrestled against Mahoney, who was using the ring name
Boo Bradley, in the Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation (MEWF), and defeated him to win the MEWF Mid-Atlantic Championship
, which Cicero helf for six months. He continued to compete for MEWF and held the promotion's Tag Team Championship a total of four times in 1997, three times with Steve Corino
and once with Julio Sanchez.
In July 1997, he competed for the National Wrestling Alliance
's NWA 2000 promotion, where he won a battle royal
to become the first NWA 2000 Heavyweight Champion. He held the belt for over five months before a loss to Lance Diamond.
In 1997, he wrestled for the West Virginia
-based Championship Pro Wrestling. He competed against his former student Christian York and defeated him at he promotion's "Hot August Night" event. He was also scheduled to compete at a fundraising event at Chantilly High School
in Chantilly, Virginia
, but it was cancelled due to concerns about the "cartoonish stereotyping" of gimmicks such as Cicero's "Wiseguy" persona. Cicero also made his debut with the World Wrestling Federation
(WWF) in 1997. He wrestled several matches for the WWF as a jobber
; this included a handicap match on the January 12, 1998 episode of Raw is War
, in which Cicero teamed with Lance Diamond in a loss to Kurrgan
. Cicero continued to compete for the WWF until late in 1998.
While wrestling on the American Atlantic Coast
for the Independent Professional Wrestling Alliance
in 1997, Cicero competed in a tournament to determine the promotion's Heavyweight Champion. He made it to the final round but ultimately lost to Salvatore Sincere
. He later claimed the belt after defeating champion Lance Diamond
on February 19, 1998. He held the belt for almost four months before dropping it to Buddy Landel
. He later formed a tag team with Cueball Carmichael
, and the pair held the promotion's Tag Team Championship twice in 1998 and 1999.
He also appeared regularly in Maryland Championship Wrestling
(MCW). He formed a tag team with Julio Sanchez
to compete in a tournament for the initial MCW Tag Team Championship
. They made it to the final match on August 18, 1998 but ultimately lost to The Headbangers
. The following month, Cicero and Sanchez won the title belts by defeating The Headbangers. They held the belts until November, when they dropped them to Stevie Richards
and Earl the Pearl. Cicero regained the title the following year, however, while teaming with Romeo Valentine; they held the belts for over four months before losing them to The Bruiser and Jerry Lawler
. Cicero also held the promotions's Heavyweight Championship
, as he defeated The Bruiser for the title on July 19, 2000. He dropped the belt four months later to Adam Flash
; his rivalry over the belt with Flash continued, as Cicero regained it that December before losing it to Flash again in May 2001.
While competing for MCW, Cicero also wrestled in the Pennsylvania
-based Allied Powers Wrestling Federation (APWF), where he held the APWF Heavyweight Championship for one month in 1999 before dropping it to Stevie Richards. He was also awarded the APWF Television Championship on July 30, 1999, which he held until October 2001. Also in 2000, Cicero teamed with Dino Devine in Atlantic Terror Championship wrestling to hold the promotion's tag team title. The duo won the belts on July 15 and held them until the following January, when they dropped them to the team of Mark Shrader
and Gregory Martin.
One of the promotions in which he is currently wrestling is Gimmicks Only Extreme Underground Entertainment (GOUGE), a company located in North Carolina
in which he has teamed with Eskimo Joe and "Boogie Woogie Man" Rob McBride.
Cicero is also the head trainer of the IPWA Wrestling School; among those trained by Cicero is WWE wrestler Joey Matthews
.
Cicero's main purpose in wrestling now is to promote Autism awareness. He has become an advocate for this disability after the diagnosis of his middle son. He now donates proceeds of the sales of his shirts for Autism awareness and has updated his look to include the Autism symbol, the puzzle piece.
Cicero is married with three sons.
Professional wrestling promotion
A professional wrestling promotion is a company or business that regularly performs shows involving professional wrestling. Promotion also describes a role which entails management, advertising and logistics of running a wrestling event...
on the independent circuit
Independent circuit
In professional wrestling, the independent circuit or indy circuit refers to the many independent promotions which are much smaller than major televised promotions. They are roughly analagous to a minor league for pro wrestling, or community or regional theatre.Specific promotions on the...
. He had also competed for the United States Wrestling Association
United States Wrestling Association
The United States Wrestling Association or USWA was a professional wrestling promotion based in Memphis, Tennessee. It was founded by former CWA owner Jerry Jarrett.-Foundation:...
, Extreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme 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...
, and the World Wrestling Federation
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
. He also works at the Independent Pro Wrestling Association Wrestling School and has trained several wrestlers who have gone on to compete in major promotions.
Career
Cicero was trained for his career in professional wrestling by former WWF ChampionWWE Championship
The WWE Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the Raw brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the World Heavyweight Championship of the SmackDown brand. It was established under the then WWWF in 1963...
Ivan Koloff. In 1994, he held the Carolina Championship Wrestling Alliance Tag Team Championship as a member of a tag team
Tag team
Tag team professional wrestling is a variation in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. A tag team may comprise two wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of established teams who wrestle regularly as a unit and have a team name...
known as the Country Club along with Steve Storm. Later that year, the teamed with Brian Perry to form the Rat Pack. On November 17, they won a tournament to become the promotion's first tag team champions. On March 25, 1995, they lost the title to the team of Billy Simmons and Sean Powers. They regained it the following month and held it for just short of one year, but their second and final title reign together came to an end when Sean Powers substituted for Cicero in a loss to Guido Falcone and Jimmy Torture.
In 1996, he appeared in Extreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme 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), where he formed a tag team
Tag team
Tag team professional wrestling is a variation in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. A tag team may comprise two wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of established teams who wrestle regularly as a unit and have a team name...
with Balls Mahoney
Balls Mahoney
Jonathan Rechner better known by his ring name Balls Mahoney , is an American professional wrestler...
in a loss to Spike
Matt Hyson
Matthew "Matt" Hyson is a retired American professional wrestler, best known for his performances in Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment under the ring name Spike Dudley and in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the ring name Brother Runt.In ECW, he was a two-time...
and Buh Buh Ray Dudley. Cicero also had matches in ECW against Taz
Tazz
Peter Senerchia is a retired American professional wrestler and current color commentator best known by his ring name Tazz, originally Tazmaniac and later shortened to simply Taz...
and Axl Rotten
Axl Rotten
Brian Knighton is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name, Axl Rotten.-Early years:After watching a professional wrestling match on television, Knighton decided to become a wrestler...
in 1996 and 1997. In December 1996, Cicero wrestled against Mahoney, who was using the ring name
Ring name
A ring name is a stage name used by a professional wrestler, martial artist, or boxer. While some ring names may have a fictitious first name and surname, others may simply be a nickname, such as The Undertaker.-Wrestling:...
Boo Bradley, in the Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation (MEWF), and defeated him to win the MEWF Mid-Atlantic Championship
MEWF Mid-Atlantic Championship
The Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship was the second highest ranking singles title in the Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation, one of three in the promotion....
, which Cicero helf for six months. He continued to compete for MEWF and held the promotion's Tag Team Championship a total of four times in 1997, three times with 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...
and once with Julio Sanchez.
In July 1997, he competed for the National Wrestling Alliance
National Wrestling Alliance
The National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
's NWA 2000 promotion, where he won a battle royal
Battle royal (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a battle royal is a multi-competitor match type in which wrestlers are eliminated until one is left and declared winner...
to become the first NWA 2000 Heavyweight Champion. He held the belt for over five months before a loss to Lance Diamond.
In 1997, he wrestled for the West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
-based Championship Pro Wrestling. He competed against his former student Christian York and defeated him at he promotion's "Hot August Night" event. He was also scheduled to compete at a fundraising event at Chantilly High School
Chantilly High School
Chantilly High School is a high school located in the Chantilly CDP in unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. It is part of the Fairfax County Public Schools system.-Overview:...
in Chantilly, Virginia
Chantilly, Virginia
Chantilly is an unincorporated community located in western Fairfax County and southeastern Loudoun County of Northern Virginia. Recognized by the U.S. Census Bureau as a census designated place , the community population was 23,039 as of the 2010 census -- down from 41,041 in 2000, due to the...
, but it was cancelled due to concerns about the "cartoonish stereotyping" of gimmicks such as Cicero's "Wiseguy" persona. Cicero also made his debut with the World Wrestling Federation
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
(WWF) in 1997. He wrestled several matches for the WWF as a jobber
Job (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling slang, the term job describes a losing performance in a wrestling match. It is derived from the euphemism "doing one's job", which was employed to protect kayfabe. As professional wrestling is scripted, inevitably a wrestler will be required to lose to an opponent.The term...
; this included a handicap match on the January 12, 1998 episode of Raw is War
WWE RAW
WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
, in which Cicero teamed with Lance Diamond in a loss to Kurrgan
Robert Maillet
Robert Maillet is a Canadian professional wrestler and actor. He is known for his tenure in the World Wrestling Federation, as a member of the Truth Commission and the Oddities, wrestling under the name Kurrgan....
. Cicero continued to compete for the WWF until late in 1998.
While wrestling on the American Atlantic Coast
East Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
for the Independent Professional Wrestling Alliance
Independent Professional Wrestling Alliance
The Independent Professional Wrestling Alliance was an American independent professional wrestling promotion that held events in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern United States, especially in the Carolinas and Virginia, from October 1995 to February 2001, when it was run by Cueball Carmichael and...
in 1997, Cicero competed in a tournament to determine the promotion's Heavyweight Champion. He made it to the final round but ultimately lost to Salvatore Sincere
Tom Brandi
Tom Brandi is a professional wrestler known for his work in World Wrestling Federation as Salvatore Sincere. He is also known for his current work as The Patriot, working for such companies as Pro-Wrestling WORLD-1, National Wrestling Superstars, and other independent promotions on the East...
. He later claimed the belt after defeating champion Lance Diamond
Lance Diamond
Lance Diamond is an American lounge singer and radio personality based in Buffalo, New York. He can be heard on Saturday nights at the Elmwood Lounge, located in Buffalo on Elmwood Avenue. Mr. Diamond has performed at , on Sunday evenings during the Summer also on Elmwood.Diamond, together with...
on February 19, 1998. He held the belt for almost four months before dropping it to Buddy Landel
Buddy Landel
William Ansor is a professional wrestler better knownas "Nature Boy" Buddy Landel.-Career:Buddy Landel started his career in 1979 as a young talented athlete in ICW. He left high school even though he had received letters of intent to play baseball and football at the University of Tennessee...
. He later formed a tag team with Cueball Carmichael
Cueball Carmichael
Chris Jackson is an American professional wrestler, trainer and promoter, known by his ringname Cueball Carmichael, who competes in the Mid-Atlantic and East Coast independent circuit...
, and the pair held the promotion's Tag Team Championship twice in 1998 and 1999.
He also appeared regularly in Maryland Championship Wrestling
Maryland Championship Wrestling
Maryland Championship Wrestling is a regional independent wrestling promotion based in Dundalk, Maryland, and has regularly run events in the Mid-Atlantic region since the late 1990s as well as participating in numerous fundraising events throughout the state.Rivaling other east coast independent...
(MCW). He formed a tag team with Julio Sanchez
Brian Wohl
Brian Wohl is an American professional wrestler better known under his ring name Julio Dinero.-Career:Wohl debuted in 1994 after training at the Baltimore Wrestling Factory under Axl Rotten and Hack Myers...
to compete in a tournament for the initial MCW Tag Team Championship
MCW Tag Team Championship
The MCW Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling tag team championship owned by the Maryland Championship Wrestling promotion. The title was created and debuted on August 18, 1998 at a MCW live event....
. They made it to the final match on August 18, 1998 but ultimately lost to The Headbangers
The Headbangers
The Headbangers is a professional wrestling tag team consisting of Mosh and Thrasher, best known for their work in the World Wrestling Federation...
. The following month, Cicero and Sanchez won the title belts by defeating The Headbangers. They held the belts until November, when they dropped them to Stevie Richards
Stevie Richards
Michael Manna is an American professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Stevie Richards. Also known by his ring names, Steven Richards and Dr...
and Earl the Pearl. Cicero regained the title the following year, however, while teaming with Romeo Valentine; they held the belts for over four months before losing them to The Bruiser and Jerry Lawler
Jerry Lawler
Jerry O'Neil Lawler is an American professional wrestler, wrestling commentator, musician, businessman, commercial artist and film actor, known throughout the wrestling world as Jerry "The King" Lawler. He is currently signed to WWE, working on its Raw brand as the color commentator and occasional...
. Cicero also held the promotions's Heavyweight Championship
MCW Heavyweight Championship
The MCW Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling heavyweight championship owned by the Maryland Championship Wrestling promotion. The title was created and debuted on October 11, 1998 at a MCW live event...
, as he defeated The Bruiser for the title on July 19, 2000. He dropped the belt four months later to Adam Flash
Adam Flash
Douglas Adam Becker in York, Pennsylvania is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Adam Flash. Over his career, he has worked for various independent promotions, including Maryland Championship Wrestling, Independent Wrestling Association Mid-South, and Combat Zone...
; his rivalry over the belt with Flash continued, as Cicero regained it that December before losing it to Flash again in May 2001.
While competing for MCW, Cicero also wrestled in the Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
-based Allied Powers Wrestling Federation (APWF), where he held the APWF Heavyweight Championship for one month in 1999 before dropping it to Stevie Richards. He was also awarded the APWF Television Championship on July 30, 1999, which he held until October 2001. Also in 2000, Cicero teamed with Dino Devine in Atlantic Terror Championship wrestling to hold the promotion's tag team title. The duo won the belts on July 15 and held them until the following January, when they dropped them to the team of Mark Shrader
Mark Shrader
Mark "The Shark" Shrader is a retired American professional wrestler, trainer and promoter who competed in numerous independent promotions throughout the United States during the 1990s and early 2000s...
and Gregory Martin.
One of the promotions in which he is currently wrestling is Gimmicks Only Extreme Underground Entertainment (GOUGE), a company located in North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
in which he has teamed with Eskimo Joe and "Boogie Woogie Man" Rob McBride.
Cicero is also the head trainer of the IPWA Wrestling School; among those trained by Cicero is WWE wrestler Joey Matthews
Adam Birch
Adam Birch is a retired American professional wrestler, best known for his tenure with World Wrestling Entertainment , and training in WWE's developmental territory Florida Championship Wrestling, as Joey Mercury...
.
Cicero's main purpose in wrestling now is to promote Autism awareness. He has become an advocate for this disability after the diagnosis of his middle son. He now donates proceeds of the sales of his shirts for Autism awareness and has updated his look to include the Autism symbol, the puzzle piece.
Cicero is married with three sons.
Championships and accomplishments
- Allied Powers Wrestling Federation
- APWF Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- APWF Television Championship (1 time)
- Atlantic Terror Championship Wrestling
- ATCW Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Dino Devine
- Carolina Championship Wrestling Alliance
- CCWA Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Steve Storm
- Independent Professional Wrestling Alliance
- IPWA Heavyweight Champion (1 time)
- IPWA Tag Team Championship (2 times) - with Cueball CarmichaelCueball CarmichaelChris Jackson is an American professional wrestler, trainer and promoter, known by his ringname Cueball Carmichael, who competes in the Mid-Atlantic and East Coast independent circuit...
- National Wrestling AllianceNational Wrestling AllianceThe National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
- NWA 2000 Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- Maryland Championship WrestlingMaryland Championship WrestlingMaryland Championship Wrestling is a regional independent wrestling promotion based in Dundalk, Maryland, and has regularly run events in the Mid-Atlantic region since the late 1990s as well as participating in numerous fundraising events throughout the state.Rivaling other east coast independent...
- MCW Heavyweight ChampionshipMCW Heavyweight ChampionshipThe MCW Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling heavyweight championship owned by the Maryland Championship Wrestling promotion. The title was created and debuted on October 11, 1998 at a MCW live event...
(2 times) - MCW Tag Team ChampionshipMCW Tag Team ChampionshipThe MCW Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling tag team championship owned by the Maryland Championship Wrestling promotion. The title was created and debuted on August 18, 1998 at a MCW live event....
(2 times) - with Julio Sanchez (1) and Romeo Valentino (1)
- Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation
- MEWF Mid-Atlantic ChampionshipMEWF Mid-Atlantic ChampionshipThe Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship was the second highest ranking singles title in the Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation, one of three in the promotion....
(1 time) - MEWF Tag Team ChampionshipMEWF Tag Team ChampionshipThis is a chronological list of MEWF tag team champions. The MEWF Tag Team Championship is the oldest championship title in the Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation having been established when the Lords of Darkness defeated Cream Team at the MEWF's first show in Pasadena, Maryland on August 2, 1991...
(4 times) - with Steve CorinoSteve CorinoSteven 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...
(3) and Julio Sanchez (1)
- Southern Championship WrestlingSouthern Championship WrestlingSouthern Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that held events in the Southeastern United States, especially in eastern and central North Carolina, from November 1994 to November 2004, when it was run by Greg Mosorjak...
- SCW Tag Team Championship (2 times) - with Brian Perry
- NWA Fusion
- NWA Continental Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- Pro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling Illustrated is a professional wrestling magazine. PWI is currently based in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and published by Kappa Publishing Group.-History:The first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated was released in 1979...
- PWI ranked him # 150 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the PWI 500 in 1999
Further reading
- "Wrestlers help local school athletics". RU Daily Targum 2 October 2000
- "Canada, Scotland, Whatever". Ledger-Inquirer. 8 June 2001
- JimmyCiceroWrestling.com