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Brimstone (wrestler)
Encyclopedia
William M. Kucmierowski (born August 22, 1974) is an American
professional wrestler
, actor
, author
, and philanthropist
who is better known by his shortened name Will Kaye or his ring name, Brimstone.
Brimstone is one of the four founding members of Critical Mass along with partners, Maniac Mike Mayhem, Chris Hostile, and manager Chavez Raoul. Brimstone, Mayhem, and Hostile were the founders of Critical Mass Pro Wrestling, Corp. and NYWC (New York Wrestling Connection). Brimstone is a founder and current member of Carnival of Destruction (C.o.D.) with Demolition Blast, and manager Vito Bari. Brimstone also appears as the title character in a comic book based on his wrestling persona, “Brimstone and The Borderhounds.”
, Brimstone was never into sports. He attended Smith Street Elementary School, American Jewish Academy for middle school, and returned to Uniondale for High School. Brimstone graduated from Uniondale High School in 1992 and attended Nassau Community College
as a music major. Prior to beginning his career in professional wrestling, Brimstone had a career in music performing as the drummer in bands such as Image, Who’s Laughing Now, and Bugsy. Bugsy received a nomination for Best Ska-Punk Act at the Long Island Music Awards in 1998, where Will was also a presenter. Kucmierowski explained his departure from music, "I was a drummer for many years and I loved what I did. As a member of a band, you have to deal with the different aspects of the band besides making and playing the music; it also includes everyone's different personalities. No matter how bad you want it to work; sometimes it just doesn't work out the way you want. This is why I compare the relationship [with bandmates] to a marriage. Unfortunately it became too much and I got sick and tired of dealing with the whole scene, so I moved on and my wrestling career took off."
Brimstone had been a fan of wrestling at a very young age and decided that he wanted to become a wrestler at twenty-one after a chance meeting with Bret Hart
and the Iron Sheik. Brimstone’s wrestling career began in 1996 when he, and long time friend Chris Hostile decided to follow a life long dream. While looking through a professional wrestling publication, he came across an ad about a new wrestling school out of Queens, New York called “The Doghouse.” They had just freshly come off of a benefit show dedicated to ring veteran Junkyard Dog
, and decided to go beyond their federation (Long Island Wrestling Federation - LIWF) and create a pro-wrestling facility. Former wrestler Bobby Lombardi owned the company, and the trainers were some of the best guys on the independent circuit at the time and are currently working for major companies in the business. They consisted of Homicide (a member of LAX in TNA
), Low Ki (also known as Senshi in TNA), Monsta Mack, Low Life Louie, Magic, and Laithon (The Tower of Torture).
The roster of students consisted of wrestlers such as Lord Clarence MacDougal, Grim Reefer, Maniac Mike Mayhem, Justin Cage, Papadon, Havok (fresh from the Wild Samoans
), El Diabolico, G.I.Joe, Mike Kruel
, Fat Boy Rob, One Man Riot Squad, Psycho Tony, Major Intensity, and others.
The Doghouse grew rapidly and moved from its original quarters into a large warehouse. It was there that Brimstone met his mentor ‘The Original’ Gino Carusso of Unified Wrestling Federation, formally of WCW
and many other federations across the country. Brimstone also learned from guests who came down to the school on a regular basis taking the training reigns such as Crazy Clown, Sir Christopher Michaels
, and Dances With Dudley.
Brimstone became the Wrestling World Wide "Heavyweight Champion" in Manhattan
, New York
on August 5, 2000 after defeating One Man Riot Squad.
’s DX
, and WCW
’s nWo
. At the time of formation, they were still students. Soon after, Brimstone brought another close friend into the business, Chavez Raoul, who became the manager/wrestler for the tight knit group. They came up with a thousand names, until Hostile and Brimstone came up with the name “Critical Mass.” Bobby Lombardi liked the idea, so Critical Mass was born.
Critical Mass was a collection of some of the darker characters, which made them different in a federation of gangsta and thug gimmicks. As with many cliques of then and now, Critical Mass could break up into any version of a tag team
utilizing any of its members to face their opponents. Normally, Brimstone tagged with Hostile or with Mayhem. Most of Brimstone’s career as a tag team competitor has been with Mayhem.
At a few points in Critical Mass history, the members were forced to work against each other. The most notorious of these times was an angle used by Bobby Lombardi to turn Hostile and Mayhem against Brimstone, noting two of Brimstone’s most memorable feuds. George Espada of Wrestling World Wide loved the idea and ran with it, pitting Brimstone against Mayhem in one on one matches. This was known as the “Dysfunctional Family
” era of Critical Mass. Chavez was eventually able to reunite the full team.
As time went by, there were also a few additions to the Critical Mass clique. For example, Brimstone and Hostile recruited Rexx Rockwell for a brief stint with Critical Mass. Later, in the absence of Hostile and Chavez, Brimstone and Mayhem recruited temporary members Storm Sasake (Larry McKenny) and John Curse. Closer to the end of Brimstone’s days with the NYWC, the last official member initiated into the group was Tyler Payne.
considering there was no such place at the time.
Money was tight, and, although Critical Mass wanted to open a training facility, the chances were slim to none. At that point, the school was still just a dream. In the meantime, Brimstone figured that they could start running some shows by booking their friends and trainers from The Doghouse. Brimstone scouted locations for events.
The first official event was to be held at the Hooters
in East Meadow, New York
. The show was put together and manned by Lord Clarence MacDougal, Hostile, Mayhem, and Brimstone. Hostile came up with the name N.Y.W.C. (New York Wrestling Connection), considering it was a way for all the New York workers to ‘connect’ on Long Island. The NYWC debuted on Sunday, August 15, 1999 in an event entitled “Hotter Than Hell”, that was sponsored by Coors
/Labatt. Hooters paid for the advertising, ring rental, and fed all the wrestlers. They rented the ring from local wrestler Rocky Shore, who at the time was tagging up with another local wrestler T.N.T.
The second official event was held at an amusement park in Farmingdale, New York
called, “Funzone.” This event was entitled, “Thanksgiving Wrestlefest ‘99” and ran on Sunday, November 28, 1999.
, he noticed a classified ad for a newly sprouting Martial Arts School over in Hicksville, New York
. They were looking for trainers for various forms of martial arts. Brimstone told him that yes; they would eventually need a ring, however, anyone who came through those doors would learn their level bumps like men on the hard mats. He stated that the students could perfect their chain wrestling, takedowns, monkey flips, and rolls prior to entering a professional ring. He convinced Sloan that he was determined to make a success out of the school, and they eventually grew large enough to leave the martial arts academy.
Brimstone enlisted his partners Hostile and Mayhem to help, as well, considering they would be co-owners in the school. Brimstone named the school, “Critical Mass Pro Wrestling” after the long time clique. Brimstone contacted Bobby Lombardi out of respect to let him know he wanted to be considered the Long Island
extension of The Doghouse. Brimstone requested Gino’s personal and professional advice and a break down of his normal training regimen.
Brimstone figured that they needed a fourth person to assist in the training process, and they were coming to a point where they needed to make decisions. Brimstone suggested another local wrestler John Curse who had been involved with ECW
’s "House of Hardcore" and was also a member of Team Taz
. Mayhem was adamantly against Curse coming in. Hostile was indifferent, but he was in the middle of making some life changing decisions himself. Mayhem thought that the three of them could handle it themselves, but then Hostile dropped the bad news that he was moving away to California
with his then-wife. She was in the Navy and stationed there, and he needed to be with her. Needless to say, Brimstone and Mayhem were crushed. Seeing that their three was down to two, Mayhem agreed to bring John into CMPW.
While Critical Mass was still building, Brimstone came up with and printed out mini flyers in order to start gaining some interest in the school. He personally went to malls, WWF
and WCW
events at the Nassau Coliseum, Gyms, etc. to hand out these flyers and paper them on cars. Brimstone recruited his first two students at Broadway Mall
in Hicksville, New York
. They were two Roberts, one who later went by the name of “Tek” and the other who is now well known as “Dickie Rodz”. Not more than a few days went by and he had another two students join, “Tyler Payne” and “Brock Vendetta.” A few days more produced “Nuke” and “Black Dawg Mack”. A few more days went by, and in walked “Maxmilyin” and “Suicyco”. This was the first class of CMPW.
CMPW purchased an old 20 x 20 ring and Brimstone thought it would be great to hold a mini exhibition and have the students run a gambit of mini-matches in order to interest potential students. Politician Tom Gulotta
attended the Grand Opening. Brimstone contacted News 12
, the local news station for all of Long Island
and had reporter Bonnie Schneider
do the morning show live from the school. Brimstone did a large part of the interviews as the students trained in the background. They were on and off in between the regular news all morning.
As CMPW grew, they decided it was time to get a bigger location. They found a building located in the Delco Plaza Shopping Center in Hicksville
. The school also bought a second ring, which was an ECW ring (trap door and all) used in a pay-per-view
.
After several years, tensions within the company boiled over, and in April 2002, Brimstone took a leave of absence from CMPW/NYWC. Brimstone utilized his time away from wrestling by focusing on his personal endeavors.
"Called Out" on July 21, 2007 was a monumental event in PWR history due to the unveiling of the Carnival of Destruction (C.o.D.). It was initially announced during a segment of the Demolition Derby with Blast that he, along with Brimstone, Lou Valentino, Armand DeMuerto, and manager Rayna Fyre would be uniting to form C.o.D. with intentions of destroying everything and everyone that is PWR.
The Brimstone gimmick has evolved over the years. Brimstone credits his favorite wrestling icons, "Undertaker, Shawn Michaels
, and Ultimate Warrior
," as the inspiration for the backbone of the character. In the beginning, he states that the evolution of Brimstone came from a mixture of all three unique qualities in what he claims are, “darkness, charisma, and pure insanity.” Aside from looking for a name that would be, “memorable and marketable”, he is unsure of the actual reason why he chose the name itself. As he says, “I just loved it and figured I could be a cool demonic character!” The gimmick began simply as Brimstone played the big man role. He felt that his original look was far less than intimidating than his current image. Brimstone was originally clean-shaven and wore wrestling sneakers and a black singlet adorned with airbrushed flames. Brimstone says, “I was no more than a wrestler that claimed to be from Hell.”
As Brimstone grew into the character, the persona began to develop along with the look. He took on more of a gothic
look and incorporated his custom boots. He modeled his character to become fiercer and his attitude to become rougher. Brimstone became less of a man and more of a monster in the ring, and in his interviews he became grittier and raw. Aside from his size, his look made Brimstone a focal point in a match and solidified him as a fan favorite in different promotions, which promoters loved. Although Brimstone is a “heel
”, he claims to be a “tweener” or “anti-hero
” and is normally made into a “face
” by the fans (similar to Demolition
, Road Warriors
, Steve Austin
). In the ring, Brimstone the character is a, "dark entity that embodies destruction. Brimstone is a no nonsense character who will normally go out and dominate a match." Brimstone states, "I'm the kind of character now who is an unstoppable force in the ring where I'll go in and I'll clean house."
based heavily on Brimstone’s character. The Borderhounds is the brainchild of Brimstone himself and close friend Marcello Carnevali (a.k.a. Lord Clarence MacDougal). Carnevali is the main writer, with the duo continuously trading notes on the creative content. Creating the Brimstone character in comic book form had been a plan of Kucmierowski’s for a long time. The character was supposed to be a part of the Master Comics series “Masters of the Ring,” however, due to lack of sales, it never gained the adequate speed needed. Later, Kucmierowski received the first official comic version of Brimstone by Dark Horse Comics
comic artist Jacob Chabot. The result launched the search for a team to create The Borderhounds. Brimstone recruited penciler Sajad Shah, whom he credits as one of the best comic artists in the world. Soon after, Allen “Vandal” Chickering signed up as the inker
for the project. Thiago Castro has taken over the colorist
and letterer
duties. Brimstone and the Borderhounds launched on October 31, 2010 with a prelaunch autograph session featuring Brimstone, Carnevali, and Shah on October 30, 2010 courtesy of Borders
.
Although the comic is based on Brimstone the professional wrestler, it has nothing to do with wrestling. The only similarity is the fact that almost every character in the book itself is a real wrestler in comic form. For example, The Borderhounds characters are the founding members of the clique Critical Mass: Chris Hostile and Chavez Raoul (Jacob Dixon). Brimstone is flanked by his true to life sidekicks Dawg (Jose Castillo) and Luscious (Ed Castillo).
A Brimstone and the Borderhounds Brimstone action figure is being produced by Shocker Toys for their “Indie Spotlight (comic book heroes)” series. Set for release summer 2011. A Borderhounds video game for Xbox Live is also in production.
It has spawned an animated series through Floating Pear Productions. The cast includes Peter Mayhew
, Low-Ki, and Bumblefoot. Brimstone and the Borderhounds: The Animated Series premiered its title sequence at the 2011 Wizard World Miami.
In a live interview on RockMeTV, Brimstone discussed plans for his future in the entertainment industry claiming to be moving full steam ahead into what he calls “mainstream,” television
, film
, and print
. He also announced his soon to be released autobiography. On February 28, 2008, Brimstone made a special celebrity appearance at the New York International Independent Film and Video Festival
’s opening night. In an interview with Independent Film Quarterly he again reiterated his mainstream intentions. He states, "I've designed Brimstone to be more of an entity as opposed to being "just a wrestler." I always felt I had more to offer rather than being a one trick pony."
On April 3, 2008, Brimstone was found on the red carpet with Montel Williams
, Danny Aiello
, and Vincent Pastore
at the Garden State Film Festival in Asbury Park, New Jersey
for Starline Films. The Roadhouse was released on April 3, 2009 and has won numerous awards including, "Viewers Choice For Best Film" at the 2009 Garden State Film Festival. In the film, "Blood Line" he has a cameo as a bodyguard. Brimstone plays himself in the Independent film, "Redemption" where he gives advice to the lead character about where to train to fight. Brimstone filmed a special cameo appearance
for American Gangster Frank Lucas
' son Frank Lucas Jr.'s music videos "Street Star" and "Let's Go" as well as for Joe Budden's
video for Touch and Go
. The videos will be aired on MTV
and BET
.
Brimstone released a commercial for Heinz
where he actually wrestles a bottle of ketchup
. The commercial was directed and produced by Filmmaker Robert Dixon and the concept by Brimstone himself.
September 2009, Blinky Productions released a short film in accordance with Nintendo
pitting Brimstone against their character Kirby. Brimstone is coached before the fight by Street Fighter
's Zangief
.
On Wednesday, December 9, 2009 it was discussed on the Howard Stern Show
that Brimstone played the lead role as the killer in a new feature film by Sean Pomper Productions, "Killer Hoo Ha." Howard confirmed that Sal the Stockbroker and Richard Christy
both have roles in the film.
's annual "Salute Your Staff" Event on April 4, 2008 alongside Mick Foley
, Missy Hyatt
, and Bud Harrelson
among others, and for the Parkinsons Foundation
"Play 4 Parkinsons" event on April 22, 2008 alongside Matthew Perry
, Mya
, and Ricki Lake
.
Brimstone has signed on as a celebrity spokesperson for RADD.org and has begun taping public service announcements to be used in the attempt to thwart driving under the influence
.
On May 18, 2008 Brimstone was a special guest at Dee Snider
's 6th Annual Bikers for Babies event which benefits the March of Dimes
foundation.
On September 14, 2008, Brimstone made an appearance at the inaugural Wrestler's Rescue event held in Piscataway, New Jersey. Brimstone explained in an interview that the organization is dedicated to helping the quality of life of aging pro wrestlers who are out of the business now and may find themselves falling on hard times. Wrestler's Rescue was orchestrated by Dawn Marie in order to create awareness and to help raise money to support the health care needs of retired professional wrestlers. Other notable celebrities who showed their support for the charity included Torrie Wilson
, Mick Foley
, and Bumblefoot among many others.
for his thirty fifth birthday. The event's hosts were his longtime friend Jose Castillo and Sarah Hartshorne, with a celebrity panel that included AJ Pero, Leilene Ondrade, and Claire Unabia. Gourmet finger foods were prepared by Danny Gagnon of Top Chef
and served by tattooed models dressed in 1950's pin-up style attire. The Roast's customized theme music was recorded by Gab Gatcha of Wu-Tang Clan
's Latino label and Carlos Jahsir of Making the Band
. The net proceeds went towards "The Brimstone Fund" and will be utilized as a yearly college tuition scholarship for young men and women who are looking to pursue a career in the entertainment industry.
Brimstone wed Danielle Rivera, his partner of close to eight years on October 11, 2009. The wedding party included his children, son serving as the ringbearer and daughter as a junior bridesmaid
. Halina James the daughter of America’s Next Top Model’s Claire Unabia served as the flower girl
.
In a 2010 interview with the The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles
, Brimstone described the irony of his time spent wrestling in a church while he was with Pro Wrestling Revolution, saying "I’m as Jewish as Jewish gets", despite the fact that he often hears "Get out of here! You don’t LOOK Jewish!" when his religion is discussed. Brimstone noted that he was working on a wrestling-related project with fellow Jewish wrestler Missy Hyatt
and looked forward to an opportunity to face Jewish wrestler Barry Horowitz
, who he felt was the most underrated of the many Jewish wrestlers competing.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional wrestler
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...
, actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, and philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
who is better known by his shortened name Will Kaye or his ring name, Brimstone.
Brimstone is one of the four founding members of Critical Mass along with partners, Maniac Mike Mayhem, Chris Hostile, and manager Chavez Raoul. Brimstone, Mayhem, and Hostile were the founders of Critical Mass Pro Wrestling, Corp. and NYWC (New York Wrestling Connection). Brimstone is a founder and current member of Carnival of Destruction (C.o.D.) with Demolition Blast, and manager Vito Bari. Brimstone also appears as the title character in a comic book based on his wrestling persona, “Brimstone and The Borderhounds.”
Early career
As a kid growing up in Uniondale, New YorkUniondale, New York
Uniondale is a hamlet as well as a suburb of New York City in Nassau County, New York, United States, on Long Island, in the Town of Hempstead. The population was 24,759 at the 2010 United States Census.-Geography:...
, Brimstone was never into sports. He attended Smith Street Elementary School, American Jewish Academy for middle school, and returned to Uniondale for High School. Brimstone graduated from Uniondale High School in 1992 and attended Nassau Community College
Nassau Community College
Nassau Community College is a two-year college. It is located in East Garden City, New York, USA. The school is in Nassau County on Long Island. NCC maintains a nationwide reputation for academic excellence and ease of transferability to four-year institutions.- History :Created as part of the...
as a music major. Prior to beginning his career in professional wrestling, Brimstone had a career in music performing as the drummer in bands such as Image, Who’s Laughing Now, and Bugsy. Bugsy received a nomination for Best Ska-Punk Act at the Long Island Music Awards in 1998, where Will was also a presenter. Kucmierowski explained his departure from music, "I was a drummer for many years and I loved what I did. As a member of a band, you have to deal with the different aspects of the band besides making and playing the music; it also includes everyone's different personalities. No matter how bad you want it to work; sometimes it just doesn't work out the way you want. This is why I compare the relationship [with bandmates] to a marriage. Unfortunately it became too much and I got sick and tired of dealing with the whole scene, so I moved on and my wrestling career took off."
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...
and the Iron Sheik. Brimstone’s wrestling career began in 1996 when he, and long time friend Chris Hostile decided to follow a life long dream. While looking through a professional wrestling publication, he came across an ad about a new wrestling school out of Queens, New York called “The Doghouse.” They had just freshly come off of a benefit show dedicated to ring veteran Junkyard Dog
Junkyard Dog
Sylvester Ritter was an American professional wrestler and professional football player, best known for his work in Mid-South Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation as The Junkyard Dog...
, and decided to go beyond their federation (Long Island Wrestling Federation - LIWF) and create a pro-wrestling facility. Former wrestler Bobby Lombardi owned the company, and the trainers were some of the best guys on the independent circuit at the time and are currently working for major companies in the business. They consisted of Homicide (a member of LAX in TNA
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling is a privately held professional wrestling promotion founded by Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Jarrett. The company broadcasts its events on television and the Internet fifty two weeks a year with over a million weekly viewers on its primary television program, Impact...
), Low Ki (also known as Senshi in TNA), Monsta Mack, Low Life Louie, Magic, and Laithon (The Tower of Torture).
The roster of students consisted of wrestlers such as Lord Clarence MacDougal, Grim Reefer, Maniac Mike Mayhem, Justin Cage, Papadon, Havok (fresh from the Wild Samoans
Wild Samoans
The Wild Samoans was the professional wrestling tag team of Afa and Sika in Mid-South Wrestling, the National Wrestling Alliance and the World Wrestling Federation . The Samoans held 21 tag team championships around the world.-Gimmick:...
), El Diabolico, G.I.Joe, Mike Kruel
Mike Kruel
Michael "Mike" Mayo, Jr. is an American professional wrestler, better known under his ring name Mike Kruel. He began his career in the independent circuit, wrestling in Pro-Pain Pro Wrestling, Ring of Honor, East Coast Wrestling Association and USA Pro Wrestling, while occasionally making...
, Fat Boy Rob, One Man Riot Squad, Psycho Tony, Major Intensity, and others.
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
and many other federations across the country. Brimstone also learned from guests who came down to the school on a regular basis taking the training reigns such as Crazy Clown, Sir Christopher Michaels
Chris Michaels
Bill Pierce, better known by the ring name Chris Michaels is a former American professional wrestler who wrestles in the southeast independent circuit.-Career:Michaels wrestled in both Smokey Mountain Wrestling and United States Wrestling Association....
, and Dances With Dudley.
Wrestling World Wide
Brimstone joined Wrestling World Wide in 1997 and quickly became a mainstay of the federation. Although he wrestled many tag matches for the company, Brimstone remained a singles competitor for the larger part of his tenure there. He was brought into the company by Rocky Shore and T.N.T., known as “The Bad Boys.”Brimstone became the Wrestling World Wide "Heavyweight Champion" in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
on August 5, 2000 after defeating One Man Riot Squad.
Critical Mass
Brimstone and Hostile became fast friends with Mayhem, and the three thought it would be interesting to become a “clique” considering the success of then-cliques such as WWEWorld 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...
’s DX
D-Generation X
D-Generation X was a professional wrestling stable in WWE . The group originated in the midst of the WWF's "Attitude Era" from 1997 to 2000...
, and WCW
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
’s nWo
New World Order (professional wrestling)
The New World Order was a professional wrestling stable that originally wrestled for World Championship Wrestling . The group later appeared in the World Wrestling Federation after the purchase of WCW by the WWF...
. At the time of formation, they were still students. Soon after, Brimstone brought another close friend into the business, Chavez Raoul, who became the manager/wrestler for the tight knit group. They came up with a thousand names, until Hostile and Brimstone came up with the name “Critical Mass.” Bobby Lombardi liked the idea, so Critical Mass was born.
Critical Mass was a collection of some of the darker characters, which made them different in a federation of gangsta and thug gimmicks. As with many cliques of then and now, Critical Mass could break up into any version 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...
utilizing any of its members to face their opponents. Normally, Brimstone tagged with Hostile or with Mayhem. Most of Brimstone’s career as a tag team competitor has been with Mayhem.
At a few points in Critical Mass history, the members were forced to work against each other. The most notorious of these times was an angle used by Bobby Lombardi to turn Hostile and Mayhem against Brimstone, noting two of Brimstone’s most memorable feuds. George Espada of Wrestling World Wide loved the idea and ran with it, pitting Brimstone against Mayhem in one on one matches. This was known as the “Dysfunctional Family
Dysfunctional family
A dysfunctional family is a family in which conflict, misbehavior, and often abuse on the part of individual members occur continually and regularly, leading other members to accommodate such actions. Children sometimes grow up in such families with the understanding that such an arrangement is...
” era of Critical Mass. Chavez was eventually able to reunite the full team.
As time went by, there were also a few additions to the Critical Mass clique. For example, Brimstone and Hostile recruited Rexx Rockwell for a brief stint with Critical Mass. Later, in the absence of Hostile and Chavez, Brimstone and Mayhem recruited temporary members Storm Sasake (Larry McKenny) and John Curse. Closer to the end of Brimstone’s days with the NYWC, the last official member initiated into the group was Tyler Payne.
NYWC (New York Wrestling Connection)
Critical Mass began branching out and promoting themselves on the independent circuit in order to gain speed and a larger name in the industry. Brimstone wanted to open a school and federation within his own childhood stomping grounds, since it would be beneficial for many wrestlers on Long IslandLong Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
considering there was no such place at the time.
Money was tight, and, although Critical Mass wanted to open a training facility, the chances were slim to none. At that point, the school was still just a dream. In the meantime, Brimstone figured that they could start running some shows by booking their friends and trainers from The Doghouse. Brimstone scouted locations for events.
The first official event was to be held at the Hooters
Hooters
Hooters is the trade name of two privately held American restaurant chains: Hooters of America, Incorporated, based in Atlanta, Georgia, and Hooters, Incorporated, based in Clearwater, Florida...
in East Meadow, New York
East Meadow, New York
East Meadow is a hamlet in Nassau County , New York, United States. East Meadow is an unincorporated area in the Town of Hempstead....
. The show was put together and manned by Lord Clarence MacDougal, Hostile, Mayhem, and Brimstone. Hostile came up with the name N.Y.W.C. (New York Wrestling Connection), considering it was a way for all the New York workers to ‘connect’ on Long Island. The NYWC debuted on Sunday, August 15, 1999 in an event entitled “Hotter Than Hell”, that was sponsored by Coors
Coors Brewing Company
The Coors Brewing Company is a regional division of the world's fifth-largest brewing company, the Canadian Molson Coors Brewing Company and is the third-largest brewer in the United States...
/Labatt. Hooters paid for the advertising, ring rental, and fed all the wrestlers. They rented the ring from local wrestler Rocky Shore, who at the time was tagging up with another local wrestler T.N.T.
The second official event was held at an amusement park in Farmingdale, New York
Farmingdale, New York
The Village of Farmingdale is an incorporated village on Long Island within the Town of Oyster Bay in Nassau County, New York in the United States...
called, “Funzone.” This event was entitled, “Thanksgiving Wrestlefest ‘99” and ran on Sunday, November 28, 1999.
Critical Mass Pro Wrestling, Corp.
Thoughts about creating a fully functional pro-wrestling facility had still been running through Brimstone’s mind. While looking through the PennysaverPennysaver
A pennysaver A pennysaver A pennysaver (or free ads paper, Friday Ad (British English or shopper) is a kind of free community periodical available in North America (typically weekly or monthly publications) that advertises items for sale. Frequently pennysavers are actually called The Pennysaver...
, he noticed a classified ad for a newly sprouting Martial Arts School over in Hicksville, New York
Hicksville, New York
Hicksville is a hamlet and census-designated place located within the Town of Oyster Bay in Nassau County, New York, United States. The population of the CDP was 41,547 at the 2010 census...
. They were looking for trainers for various forms of martial arts. Brimstone told him that yes; they would eventually need a ring, however, anyone who came through those doors would learn their level bumps like men on the hard mats. He stated that the students could perfect their chain wrestling, takedowns, monkey flips, and rolls prior to entering a professional ring. He convinced Sloan that he was determined to make a success out of the school, and they eventually grew large enough to leave the martial arts academy.
Brimstone enlisted his partners Hostile and Mayhem to help, as well, considering they would be co-owners in the school. Brimstone named the school, “Critical Mass Pro Wrestling” after the long time clique. Brimstone contacted Bobby Lombardi out of respect to let him know he wanted to be considered the Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
extension of The Doghouse. Brimstone requested Gino’s personal and professional advice and a break down of his normal training regimen.
Brimstone figured that they needed a fourth person to assist in the training process, and they were coming to a point where they needed to make decisions. Brimstone suggested another local wrestler John Curse who had been involved with ECW
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...
’s "House of Hardcore" and was also a member of Team 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...
. Mayhem was adamantly against Curse coming in. Hostile was indifferent, but he was in the middle of making some life changing decisions himself. Mayhem thought that the three of them could handle it themselves, but then Hostile dropped the bad news that he was moving away to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
with his then-wife. She was in the Navy and stationed there, and he needed to be with her. Needless to say, Brimstone and Mayhem were crushed. Seeing that their three was down to two, Mayhem agreed to bring John into CMPW.
While Critical Mass was still building, Brimstone came up with and printed out mini flyers in order to start gaining some interest in the school. He personally went to malls, WWF
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...
and WCW
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
events at the Nassau Coliseum, Gyms, etc. to hand out these flyers and paper them on cars. Brimstone recruited his first two students at Broadway Mall
Broadway Mall
Broadway Mall is a large shopping mall located in Hicksville, New York, United States. Originally built in the 1950s as an open-air shopping center called Mid-Island Plaza, Broadway Mall is currently a regional enclosed shopping center comprising more than 85 stores, as well as a food court and...
in Hicksville, New York
Hicksville, New York
Hicksville is a hamlet and census-designated place located within the Town of Oyster Bay in Nassau County, New York, United States. The population of the CDP was 41,547 at the 2010 census...
. They were two Roberts, one who later went by the name of “Tek” and the other who is now well known as “Dickie Rodz”. Not more than a few days went by and he had another two students join, “Tyler Payne” and “Brock Vendetta.” A few days more produced “Nuke” and “Black Dawg Mack”. A few more days went by, and in walked “Maxmilyin” and “Suicyco”. This was the first class of CMPW.
CMPW purchased an old 20 x 20 ring and Brimstone thought it would be great to hold a mini exhibition and have the students run a gambit of mini-matches in order to interest potential students. Politician Tom Gulotta
Thomas Gulotta
Thomas Stephen Gulotta is a Republican politician from Nassau County, New York who was the county executive of Nassau from 1987 to 2001.-Early life:...
attended the Grand Opening. Brimstone contacted News 12
News 12 Networks
News 12 Networks comprises seven regional cable news television channels in the New York metropolitan area. The channels offer local news 24-hours a day and reach approximately 3.8 million television households in the tri-state area...
, the local news station for all of Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
and had reporter Bonnie Schneider
Bonnie Schneider
Bonnie Schneider is meteorologist appearing on the various platforms of CNN and HLN. She debuted on the network on June 11, 2005, just in time to cover the 2005 hurricane season. She is also the author of EXTREME WEATHER, publisher:Palgrave Macmillan, January 31, 2012...
do the morning show live from the school. Brimstone did a large part of the interviews as the students trained in the background. They were on and off in between the regular news all morning.
As CMPW grew, they decided it was time to get a bigger location. They found a building located in the Delco Plaza Shopping Center in Hicksville
Hicksville, New York
Hicksville is a hamlet and census-designated place located within the Town of Oyster Bay in Nassau County, New York, United States. The population of the CDP was 41,547 at the 2010 census...
. The school also bought a second ring, which was an ECW ring (trap door and all) used in a pay-per-view
Pay-per-view
Pay-per-view provides a service by which a television audience can purchase events to view via private telecast. The broadcaster shows the event at the same time to everyone ordering it...
.
After several years, tensions within the company boiled over, and in April 2002, Brimstone took a leave of absence from CMPW/NYWC. Brimstone utilized his time away from wrestling by focusing on his personal endeavors.
Wrestlers trained at CMPW
Brimstone trained the following wrestlers at CMPW:- Armand DeMuerto (PWR)
- “The Aussie” Kris Kildaire
- Black Dawg
- Brock Vendetta
- Cynosura
- Dan Barry (PWR)
- Dean Angel
- Dickie Rodz (NYWC)
- “Fly Guy” Evan Spade
- Hazel
- JD Lishus
- John Doe
- Johnny Ova (PWR)
- J-Silva
- Justin Sane
- Juvenile Delinquent
- Kristos
- Lamar Braxton PorterCable JonesDonald Moore is an American professional wrestler, also known by his ring names Cable Jones, Lamar Braxton and Lamar Braxton Porter.-Independent circuit :...
(FCWFlorida Championship WrestlingChampionship Wrestling from Florida was the corporate and brand name of the Tampa, Florida wrestling office existing from 1961, when Eddie Graham first bought into the promotion, until 1987, when it closed down. It is also referred to as Florida Championship Wrestling...
) - Li Kamea/Menace (PWR)
- Livewyre/Mike Mondo/Mikey (OVWOhio Valley WrestlingOhio Valley Wrestling is an American independent professional wrestling promotion based in Louisville, Kentucky. OVW is run by owner Danny Davis and was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance from 1997 until 2000...
, WWEWorld Wrestling EntertainmentWorld 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...
)
- Maxmilyin (PWR)
- Mike "Omerta" Gambino (PWR)
- Ms. Hellfire
- Nuke
- "Playgirl" Heather Grey
- Ru Star/Pat BuckPat BuckPatrick Buckridge is an American professional wrestler, better know by the name Pat Buck. He competes in Midwestern, New England, and Metropolitan independent promotions including Derby City Wrestling, Ohio Championship Wrestling and Ohio Valley Wrestling, formerly a World Wrestling Entertainment...
(OVW) - Satana
- Southern Vinnie Stylin’
- Spyder (NYWC)
- Suicyco
- Superstar
- SWAT
- Tank
- Tek
- TJ King / Nightmare
- Trinity Payne
- Tusk
- Tyler Payne
- Tommy King
Later career
Brimstone came to Pro Wrestling Revolution in January 2007 after a brief hiatus from the wrestling business. Brimstone soon became an assistant trainer by lending his experience to the established team of Johnny Ova, Bobby Riedel, and Demolition Blast. He was shown training and working with the students of PWR on episode two of “For Your Island” in their pro-wrestling feature launched on Thursday, March 29, 2007.Gimmick
Shawn Michaels
Michael Shawn Hickenbottom , better known by his ring name Shawn Michaels, is an American television host and retired professional wrestler. He presents the Outdoor Channel show MacMillan River Adventures, and is currently signed to WWE, where he has served in an ambassadorial role since December...
, and Ultimate Warrior
Warrior (wrestler)
Also see Warrior .Warrior is an American retired professional wrestler who notably performed under the ring names The Ultimate Warrior and Warrior...
," as the inspiration for the backbone of the character. In the beginning, he states that the evolution of Brimstone came from a mixture of all three unique qualities in what he claims are, “darkness, charisma, and pure insanity.” Aside from looking for a name that would be, “memorable and marketable”, he is unsure of the actual reason why he chose the name itself. As he says, “I just loved it and figured I could be a cool demonic character!” The gimmick began simply as Brimstone played the big man role. He felt that his original look was far less than intimidating than his current image. Brimstone was originally clean-shaven and wore wrestling sneakers and a black singlet adorned with airbrushed flames. Brimstone says, “I was no more than a wrestler that claimed to be from Hell.”
As Brimstone grew into the character, the persona began to develop along with the look. He took on more of a gothic
Gothic fashion
Gothic fashion is a clothing style worn by members of the Goth subculture; a dark, sometimes morbid, eroticized fashion and style of dress. Typical Gothic fashion includes dyed black hair, black lips and black clothes. Both male and female goths wear dark eyeliner and dark fingernails. Styles are...
look and incorporated his custom boots. He modeled his character to become fiercer and his attitude to become rougher. Brimstone became less of a man and more of a monster in the ring, and in his interviews he became grittier and raw. Aside from his size, his look made Brimstone a focal point in a match and solidified him as a fan favorite in different promotions, which promoters loved. Although Brimstone is a “heel
Heel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
”, he claims to be a “tweener” or “anti-hero
Anti-hero
In fiction, an antihero is generally considered to be a protagonist whose character is at least in some regards conspicuously contrary to that of the archetypal hero, and is in some instances its antithesis in which the character is generally useless at being a hero or heroine when they're...
” and is normally made into a “face
Face (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a babyface or face or in simple words, a fan favorite is a character who is portrayed as a heroic relative to the heel wrestlers, who are analogous to villains...
” by the fans (similar to Demolition
Demolition (professional wrestling)
Demolition is a professional wrestling tag team most prominent during the late 1980s / early 1990s in the World Wrestling Federation made up of Ax , Smash , and later Crush . In WWF, Demolition were three-time Tag Team Champions, and hold the records for both the single longest tag title reign...
, Road Warriors
Road Warriors
The Road Warriors were a professional wrestling tag team composed of Michael "Hawk" Hegstrand and Joseph "Animal" Laurinaitis. They performed under the name "Road Warriors" in the American Wrestling Association, the National Wrestling Alliance, and World Championship Wrestling, and the name Legion...
, Steve Austin
Stone 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...
). In the ring, Brimstone the character is a, "dark entity that embodies destruction. Brimstone is a no nonsense character who will normally go out and dominate a match." Brimstone states, "I'm the kind of character now who is an unstoppable force in the ring where I'll go in and I'll clean house."
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Xibalba / Entrance To Hell (Cross-armed iconoclasm)
- Signature moves
- Attitude Adjustment (Spear)
- Back elbow into a cornered opponent
- Berzerker Bomb (Falling powerslam)
- Bulldog
- DDTDDT (professional wrestling)In professional wrestling a DDT is any move in which the wrestler has the opponent in a front facelock, and falls down or backwards to drive the opponent's head into the mat...
- Depths of Hell Driver (Sitout scoop slam piledriver)
- Fisherman's suplex
- Flying hangman clothesline
- Gone with the Wind (Diving elbow drop)
- Hells Bells (Wheelbarrow suplex)
- Pumphandle powerbombPowerbombA powerbomb is a professional wrestling throw in which an opponent is lifted up and then slammed back-first down to the mat. The standard powerbomb sees an opponent first placed in a standing headscissors position...
- Russian legsweep
- Smoke Bomb (Chokebomb)
- Snap suplex
- With Hostile
- Finishing moves
- Critical Massacre (Sitout powerbomb / Diving clothesline combination)
- Finishing moves
- With Mayhem
- Finishing moves
- Abortion (PowerbombPowerbombA powerbomb is a professional wrestling throw in which an opponent is lifted up and then slammed back-first down to the mat. The standard powerbomb sees an opponent first placed in a standing headscissors position...
/ Inverted DDT combination) - Critical Massacre (Stack-superplex)
- Abortion (Powerbomb
- Signature moves
- Aided powerbomb
- Finishing moves
- Managers and valetsManager (professional wrestling)In professional wrestling, a manager is a secondary character paired with a wrestler for a variety of reasons. The manager is often either a non-wrestler, an occasional wrestler, an older wrestler who has retired or is nearing retirement or, in some cases, a new wrestler who is breaking into the...
- Chavez Raoul
- Ms. Hellfire
- Bobby Riedel
- Rayna Fyre
- Vito Bari
- Missy HyattMissy HyattMelissa Ann Hiatt is an American professional wrestling valet, better known by her ring name, Missy Hyatt. She gained the majority of her fame while working for World Championship Wrestling and Extreme Championship Wrestling....
Championships and accomplishments
- Long Island Wrestling Federation
- LIWF Tag Team Champion (1 time) - with Hostile
- New York Wrestling Connection
- NYWC Heavyweight Champion (1 time)
- NYWC Hardcore Champion (1 time)
- NYWC Tag Team Champion (3 times) - with Hostile(1) and Mayhem(2)
- NWA Michigan
- NWA Michigan Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- Pro Wrestling Revolution
- PWR Tag Team Champion (1 time) - with Demolition Blast
- Wrestling World Wide
- WWW Heavyweight Champion (1 time)
- Brimstone has shared teaching duties in the ring with legends in the wrestling business such as “The Original” Gino Carusso, Prince Iaukea, Chris ChettiChris ChettiChristopher "Chris" Chetti is an American professional wrestler. He is perhaps best known for his appearances with Extreme Championship Wrestling between 1996 and 2000.-Extreme Championship Wrestling :...
, Danny DoringDanny DoringDan Morrison is an American wrestler better known as Danny Doring, most known for his time in Extreme Championship Wrestling, as the tag team partner of Roadkill...
, The Iron Sheik, Blast, Dances With Dudley, Sir Christopher Michaels, and John ‘EarthquakeJohn TentaJohn Anthony Tenta was a Canadian professional wrestler known for his work in the World Wrestling Federation as Earthquake and later Golga, and in World Championship Wrestling as Avalanche and The Shark.-Early life:John Tenta was born in Surrey, British Columbia...
’ Tenta (who formally requested Brimstone be his partner in The Natural DisastersThe Natural DisastersThe Natural Disasters were a professional wrestling tag team composed of Earthquake and Typhoon who competed in the World Wrestling Federation between 1991 and 1993...
in 2001 for an event in Florida). amongst others.
- Brimstone was voted by the fans as #1 choice to claim the FWA Virginia Heavyweight Title.
- In 2005, Brimstone served as a special guest at the New York Erotic Expo. The two-day event was held on May 20–21 at the Penn Plaza Pavilion in New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He caught up with old acquaintance Evan SeinfeldEvan SeinfeldEvan Seinfeld is an American musician and actor, as well as a director, photographer, and writer. He has also appeared in several pornographic films under the pseudonym "Spyder Jonez". He is best known for playing bass guitar and serving as vocalist for the heavy metal band Biohazard, and as the...
of BiohazardBiohazard (band)Biohazard is a band originally based in Brooklyn, New York. They are acknowledged as one of the earliest bands to fuse hardcore punk and heavy metal with elements of hip hop. The original lineup consisted of Vocalist/Guitarist Billy Graziadei, bassist/vocalist Evan Seinfeld, guitarist Bobby Hambel,...
and his wife Tera PatrickTera PatrickLinda Ann Hopkins, better known as Tera Patrick is a former American pornographic actress.-Early life:Tera Patrick was born Linda Ann Hopkins in Great Falls, Montana. While at Boise State, Patrick earned an AAS degree in nursing and a BS in Biology.-Career:Patrick moved to New York City and her...
. Other guests at the event were Britney RearsBritney RearsBritney Rears is an pornographic film franchise revolving around its fictitious main character. The series is an ongoing parody of pop singer Britney Spears, with the character having been played by both Jessica Sweet and Hillary Scott...
, Taylor WayneTaylor WaneTaylor Wane is the stage name of a British pornographic actress, director, and model. She was inducted into the AVN Hall of Fame in 2005....
, Vanessa del RioVanessa del RioVanessa del Rio is a retired American pornographic actress.-Early years:Vanessa del Rio was born Ana Maria Sanchez and raised in Harlem, New York, the daughter of immigrants from Cuba and Puerto Rico background. Her mom would take her to see movies of Isabel Sarli whom Vanessa credits as a big...
, Lisa SparxxxLisa SparxxxLisa Sparks is a stage name of an American pornographic film actress. Sparks is a world record holder for having had sex with the most partners in one day. She achieved this world gangbang record with 919 men on October 16, 2004 in Warsaw, Poland as part of the Third Annual World Gangbang...
, Melissa LaurenMelissa LaurenMelissa Lauren is a French pornographic actress and director.Lauren started off studying as a cook for three years and worked in Paris as a pastry chef. After reading an ad in a newspaper from French porn director John B...
, Tyler FaithTyler FaithTyler Faith is an American pornographic actress.Tyler Faith has been an adult actress since 2002, working briefly for Pleasure Productions and then as a contract performer for Jill Kelly Productions where she appeared in over 100 scenes...
, Carmen LuvanaCarmen LuvanaCarmen Luvana is the stage name of a former American pornographic actress.- Biography :Born in Brooklyn, New York on 23 August 1981, Luvana's family moved to Puerto Rico when she was five. She moved to Miami, Florida, at the age of 18 and got her start as a dancer in Miami strip clubs.Luvana...
, along with High Pitch Eric, Richard ChristyRichard ChristyThomas Richard Christy is an American musician and radio personality who currently works on The Howard Stern Show. Christy began to work on the show after winning the "Get John's Job" contest on July 1, 2004. He is known for his prank calls, song parodies, personality, and stunts performed on the...
, and Benjy of The Howard Stern Show.
- Brimstone has made several appearances at schools for Pro Wrestling Appreciation elective and Career Forum Day.
- As a child he appeared on an episode of Children's Television Workshop's Sesame StreetSesame StreetSesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The...
. The episode aired on PBS on December 11, 1979. He also appeared on an episode of Romper RoomRomper RoomRomper Room is a children's television series that ran in the United States from 1953 to 1994 as well as at various times in Australia, Canada, Japan, Puerto Rico, New Zealand and the United Kingdom...
.
- Brimstone invented his signature finishing move XiBalba (The Entrance to Hell) early on in his career. He named the move after Maya mythologyMaya mythologyMayan mythology is part of Mesoamerican mythology and comprises all of the Mayan tales in which personified forces of nature, deities, and the heroes interacting with these play the main roles...
. XiBalba is known as another name for the underworldUnderworldThe Underworld is a region which is thought to be under the surface of the earth in some religions and in mythologies. It could be a place where the souls of the recently departed go, and in some traditions it is identified with Hell or the realm of death...
, sometimes translated as "place of fear." It is also considered one of the six houses of hell.
- Brimstone marched alongside esteemed politicians Kate MurrayKate MurrayKate Murray is the Supervisor of the Town of Hempstead, New York, United States. Murray is the first woman to be elected supervisor since the position was created in 1918.-Education and early career:...
(Town of HempsteadTown of Hempstead, New YorkHempstead is one of the three towns in Nassau County, New York, United States, occupying the southwest part of the county. There are twenty-two incorporated villages completely or partially in the town. Hempstead's combined population was 759,757 at the 2010 Census, the majority of the population...
SupervisorTown supervisorTown Supervisor is an elective legislative position in New York towns. Supervisors sit on the town board, where they preside over town board meetings and vote on all matters with no more legal weight than that of any other board member .Towns may adopt local laws that allow them to provide for an...
), Deputy Commissioner Kevin Regan, Councilman Gary Hudes, and LegislatorLegislatorA legislator is a person who writes and passes laws, especially someone who is a member of a legislature. Legislators are usually politicians and are often elected by the people...
Dennis Dunne in the annual LevittownLevittown, New YorkLevittown is a hamlet in the Town of Hempstead located on Long Island in Nassau County, New York. Levittown is midway between the villages of Hempstead and Farmingdale. As of the 2010 census, the CDP had a total population of 51,881....
Memorial DayMemorial DayMemorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the fallen Union soldiers of the Civil War...
Parade on May 28, 2007.
- Brimstone and Demolition Blast are featured in the August 2007 edition of New York Sportscene Magazine. They are prominently shown in the Shooting Stars section of the publication with a portion of the tag line being, "more than just two pretty faces."
- Brimstone represented Pro Wrestling Revolution in an article featured in NewsdayNewsdayNewsday is a daily American newspaper that primarily serves Nassau and Suffolk counties and the New York City borough of Queens on Long Island, although it is sold throughout the New York metropolitan area...
concerning the potential pro wrestling slump in the wake of the BenoitChris BenoitChristopher Michael "Chris" Benoit was a Canadian professional wrestler whose career and life ended in a murder–suicide...
scandal. Brimstone was featured alongside Gabe SapolskiGabe SapolskyGabe Sapolsky is a wrestling personality, the current vice president of Dragon Gate USA and owner of Evolve, and the former booker for Ring of Honor and Full Impact Pro.-Early life:...
and Roderick StrongRoderick StrongChris Lindsey is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Roderick Strong. Strong currently competes in several independent promotions, most notably Ring of Honor , Full Impact Pro , and Pro Wrestling Guerrilla .He initially debuted as The Jester on the Floridian...
, representing Ring of HonorRing of HonorRing 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...
and John Cursie of NYWC. Brimstone stated, "There's obviously a buzz. Everybody's asking about it. But as far as a drop-off [of fans attending events], I haven't seen anything different."
- Brimstone was featured in the October 2007 issue of New York Sportscene Magazine in an article entitled, “Chris BenoitChris BenoitChristopher Michael "Chris" Benoit was a Canadian professional wrestler whose career and life ended in a murder–suicide...
: Were Steroids Just The Tip Of The Iceberg?” The story also included Ted DiBiaseTed DiBiaseTheodore Marvin "Ted" DiBiase, Sr. is a retired professional wrestler, manager, ordained minister and color commentator. DiBiase achieved championship success in a number of wrestling promotions, holding thirty titles during his professional wrestling career...
, Demolition Blast, Gary Reno, and Bobby Riedel. In the article, Brimstone stated that he feels that, “you can’t blame an industry on what one person decides to do,” and he has “never used performance enhancing drugs.”
- Brimstone was the special celebrity guest for the June 7, 2008 AFL game between the New York DragonsNew York DragonsThe New York Dragons were an Arena Football League team based in the New York metropolitan area. The team was founded in as the original incarnation of the Iowa Barnstormers, and relocated to New York in . They played in New York until 2008, when the league folded...
and New Orleans VooDooNew Orleans VooDooThe New Orleans VooDoo are an Arena Football League team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They play their home games in New Orleans Arena....
at the Nassau Veterans Memorial ColiseumNassau Veterans Memorial ColiseumThe Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum is a multi-purpose indoor arena in Uniondale, New York, United States. Home to the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League, the Coliseum is located approximately east of New York City on Long Island...
. He participated in the official coin toss prior to the game.
- Brimstone was a featured guest at the 23rd Annual 116th Street Festival in Spanish HarlemSpanish HarlemEast Harlem, also known as Spanish Harlem and El Barrio, is a section of Harlem in the northeastern part of the New York City borough of Manhattan. East Harlem is one of the largest predominantly Latino communities in New York City. It includes the area formerly known as Italian Harlem, in which...
alongside Laurie Ann GibsonLaurie Ann GibsonLaurie N. Jibsen is a creative director, VMA-winning choreographer, and Emmy-nominated director best known for her work with Lady Gaga, Diddy and Keri Hilson. She rose to public prominence as the star of MTV's Making the Band and P. Diddy and Mark Burnett’s Starmaker series...
and Tony SunshineTony SunshineTony Sunshine is an American R&B singer of Puerto Rican descent, famous for singing on a large amount of Terror Squad's songs. He sang on tracks such as Cuban Link's Still Telling Lies, Fat Joe's All I Need and Big Pun's 100%. He released his own single on Jive Records titled: "Oh My God"...
as well as the 2008 Puerto Rican Day ParadePuerto Rican Day ParadeThe Puerto Rican Day Parade takes place annually along Fifth Avenue in New York City, on the second Sunday in June, in honor of the nearly 4 million inhabitants of Puerto Rico and all people of Puerto Rican birth or heritage residing in the mainland U.S...
with Desi Sanchez and Jenn Pinto.
- Brimstone was one of the celebrity guests at the 2008 MLB.comMLB.comMLB.com is the official site of Major League Baseball and is overseen by Major League Baseball Advanced Media, L.P. . MLB.com is a source of baseball-related information, including baseball news, statistics, and sports columns...
All-Star Party with Hosts Alyssa MilanoAlyssa MilanoAlyssa Jayne Milano is an American actress and former singer, known for her childhood role as Samantha Micelli in the sitcom Who's the Boss? and an eight-year stint as Phoebe Halliwell on the series Charmed. She was also a series regular on the original Melrose Place portraying the role of...
and Joba ChamberlainJoba ChamberlainJustin Louis "Joba" Chamberlain is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the New York Yankees.-Early life:Chamberlain was born and grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska. Chamberlain's parents, Harlan Chamberlain and Jackie Standley, were never married and split up when Joba was 18 months old...
held at the Roseland BallroomRoseland BallroomThe Roseland Ballroom is a multi-purpose hall, in a converted ice skating rink, with a colorful ballroom dancing pedigree, in New York City's theatre district, on West 52nd Street....
in NYC on July 13, 2008. Other notable celebrities who attended the event were Derek JeterDerek JeterDerek Sanderson Jeter is an American baseball shortstop who has played 17 years in Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees. A twelve-time All-Star and five-time World Series champion, Jeter's clubhouse presence, on-field leadership, hitting ability, and baserunning have made him a central...
, Wyclef JeanWyclef JeanWyclef Jean is a Haitian musician, record producer, and politician. At age nine, Jean moved to the United States with his family and has spent much of his life in the country...
, and Wade BoggsWade BoggsWade Anthony Boggs is an American former professional baseball third baseman. He spent his 18-year baseball career primarily with the Boston Red Sox, but also played for the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Devil Rays...
.
- Brimstone and Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal of Guns N' RosesGuns N' RosesGuns N' Roses is an American hard rock band, formed in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, in 1985. The band has released six studio albums, three EPs, and one live album...
have been making public appearances together and have been named the New Rock N' Wrestling Connection.
- "The Bra Book: The Fashion Formula to Finding the Perfect Bra," by author Jene Luciani (published by BenBella BooksBenBella BooksBenBella Books is an independent publishing house based in Dallas, Texas. Founded by Glenn Yeffeth in 2001, BenBella specializes in non-fiction books on popular culture, health, and nutrition, along with books on science, politics, psychology, and other topics....
) features Brimstone in Chapter Eight, "Bras and Your Beau."
Television
- WWFWorld Wrestling EntertainmentWorld 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...
/ MTVMTVMTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
-TRLTotal Request LiveTotal Request Live is a television series on MTV that featured popular music videos. TRL was MTV's prime outlet for music videos as the network continues to concentrate on reality-based programming. In addition to music videos, TRL featured daily guests... - Brimstone was a semi-finalist on the original "Wanna Be A WWF Superstar" on the MTV Network (1999), hosted by Mick FoleyMick FoleyMichael Francis "Mick" Foley, Sr. is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, author, comedian, actor, voice actor and former color commentator. He has worked for many wrestling promotions, including WWE, WCW, ECW and TNA. He is often referred to as "The Hardcore Legend", a nickname he...
and Carson DalyCarson DalyCarson Jones Daly is an American television host. He is the host of NBC's Last Call with Carson Daly, a late-night talk show that began airing on January 7, 2002. Before his role as host of that program, Daly was a VJ on MTV's TRL, and a DJ for the Southern California based radio station KROQ-FM...
. Brimstone was featured as a part of the WWF SuperstarsWWF Superstars of WrestlingWWF Superstars of Wrestling is a professional wrestling television program produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It debuted on September 6, 1986...
Sunday morning television show on the USA NetworkUSA NetworkUSA Network is an American cable television channel launched in 1971. Once a minor player in basic cable, the network has steadily gained popularity because of breakout hits like Monk, Psych, Burn Notice, Royal Pains, Covert Affairs, White Collar, Monday Night RAW, Suits, and reruns of the various...
. Finalists for the show were Boogalou (now Boog Washington), Kid USA, Lord Clarence MacDougal, and Mad Whipper Whip.
- The Ricki Lake Show
- Brimstone represented Critical Mass Pro Wrestling at the August 16, 2001 taping of "The Ricki Lake Show" entitled "Backyard Bloodbath!" Also appearing on the show was former WCWWorld Championship WrestlingWorld Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
performer Stevie RayLane HuffmanLane Steven Huffman is a retired American professional wrestler who is better known as Stevie Ray. He is best known as being part of the tag team Harlem Heat with his younger brother Booker T...
of Harlem HeatHarlem HeatHarlem Heat was a professional wrestling tag team made up of two real-life brothers, Booker and Lane Huffman. Booker Huffman took the ring name of Booker T, and Lane Huffman took the ring name of Stevie Ray...
.
- Channel 12 NewsNews 12 NetworksNews 12 Networks comprises seven regional cable news television channels in the New York metropolitan area. The channels offer local news 24-hours a day and reach approximately 3.8 million television households in the tri-state area...
- Brimstone was interviewed during an all morning taping live via satellite at the original location of Critical Mass Pro Wrestling in Hicksville, New YorkHicksville, New YorkHicksville is a hamlet and census-designated place located within the Town of Oyster Bay in Nassau County, New York, United States. The population of the CDP was 41,547 at the 2010 census...
. Reporter Bonnie SchneiderBonnie SchneiderBonnie Schneider is meteorologist appearing on the various platforms of CNN and HLN. She debuted on the network on June 11, 2005, just in time to cover the 2005 hurricane season. She is also the author of EXTREME WEATHER, publisher:Palgrave Macmillan, January 31, 2012...
conducted various interviews with Brimstone, Dickie Rodz, and Tek throughout the morning news broadcast. Other students involved in taped training were Maxmilyin, Tyler Payne, Brock Vendetta, Suicyco, Nuke, and Black Dawg.
The Borderhounds
The Borderhounds is a comic bookComic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
based heavily on Brimstone’s character. The Borderhounds is the brainchild of Brimstone himself and close friend Marcello Carnevali (a.k.a. Lord Clarence MacDougal). Carnevali is the main writer, with the duo continuously trading notes on the creative content. Creating the Brimstone character in comic book form had been a plan of Kucmierowski’s for a long time. The character was supposed to be a part of the Master Comics series “Masters of the Ring,” however, due to lack of sales, it never gained the adequate speed needed. Later, Kucmierowski received the first official comic version of Brimstone by Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent American comic book and manga publisher.Dark Horse Comics was founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson in Milwaukie, Oregon, with the concept of establishing an ideal atmosphere for creative professionals. Richardson started out by opening his first comic book...
comic artist Jacob Chabot. The result launched the search for a team to create The Borderhounds. Brimstone recruited penciler Sajad Shah, whom he credits as one of the best comic artists in the world. Soon after, Allen “Vandal” Chickering signed up as the inker
Inker
The inker is one of the two line artists in a traditional comic book or graphic novel. After a pencilled drawing is given to the inker, the inker uses black ink to produce refined outlines over the pencil lines...
for the project. Thiago Castro has taken over the colorist
Colorist
In comics, a colorist is responsible for adding color to black-and-white line art. For most of the 20th century this was done using brushes and dyes which were then used as guides to produce the printing plates...
and letterer
Letterer
A letterer is a member of a team of comic book creators responsible for drawing the comic book's text. The letterer's use of typefaces, calligraphy, letter size, and layout all contribute to the impact of the comic. The letterer crafts the comic's "display lettering": the story title lettering and...
duties. Brimstone and the Borderhounds launched on October 31, 2010 with a prelaunch autograph session featuring Brimstone, Carnevali, and Shah on October 30, 2010 courtesy of Borders
Borders Group
Borders Group, Inc. was an international book and music retailer based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The company employed approximately 19,500 throughout the U.S., primarily in its Borders and Waldenbooks stores....
.
Although the comic is based on Brimstone the professional wrestler, it has nothing to do with wrestling. The only similarity is the fact that almost every character in the book itself is a real wrestler in comic form. For example, The Borderhounds characters are the founding members of the clique Critical Mass: Chris Hostile and Chavez Raoul (Jacob Dixon). Brimstone is flanked by his true to life sidekicks Dawg (Jose Castillo) and Luscious (Ed Castillo).
A Brimstone and the Borderhounds Brimstone action figure is being produced by Shocker Toys for their “Indie Spotlight (comic book heroes)” series. Set for release summer 2011. A Borderhounds video game for Xbox Live is also in production.
It has spawned an animated series through Floating Pear Productions. The cast includes Peter Mayhew
Peter Mayhew
Peter Mayhew is an English actor known for playing the Wookiee Chewbacca in the Star Wars movies. His peak height was tall.-Career:...
, Low-Ki, and Bumblefoot. Brimstone and the Borderhounds: The Animated Series premiered its title sequence at the 2011 Wizard World Miami.
Acting
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
, film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
, and print
Printing
Printing is a process for reproducing text and image, typically with ink on paper using a printing press. It is often carried out as a large-scale industrial process, and is an essential part of publishing and transaction printing....
. He also announced his soon to be released autobiography. On February 28, 2008, Brimstone made a special celebrity appearance at the New York International Independent Film and Video Festival
New York International Independent Film and Video Festival
New York International Independent Film and Video Festival is a film screening event in various American cities. It was founded in 1993, and its website claims it has been recognized by the film and entertainment industry as one of the leading film events on the independent festival circuit...
’s opening night. In an interview with Independent Film Quarterly he again reiterated his mainstream intentions. He states, "I've designed Brimstone to be more of an entity as opposed to being "just a wrestler." I always felt I had more to offer rather than being a one trick pony."
On April 3, 2008, Brimstone was found on the red carpet with Montel Williams
Montel Williams
Montel Brian Anthony Williams is an American television personality, radio talk show host and actor. He is best known as host of the long-running The Montel Williams Show, and more recently as a spokesperson for the Partnership for Prescription Assistance...
, Danny Aiello
Danny Aiello
Daniel Louis "Danny" Aiello, Jr. is an American actor who has appeared in numerous motion pictures, including Once Upon a Time in America, Ruby, The Godfather: Part II, Hudson Hawk, The Purple Rose of Cairo, Moonstruck, Léon, Two Days in the Valley, and Dinner Rush...
, and Vincent Pastore
Vincent Pastore
Vincent Pastore is an Italian-American actor, often cast as a mobster and best known for the role of Salvatore "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero on The Sopranos.-Early life:...
at the Garden State Film Festival in Asbury Park, New Jersey
Asbury Park, New Jersey
Asbury Park is a city in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States, located on the Jersey Shore and part of the New York City Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 16,116. The city is known for its rich musical history, including its association with...
for Starline Films. The Roadhouse was released on April 3, 2009 and has won numerous awards including, "Viewers Choice For Best Film" at the 2009 Garden State Film Festival. In the film, "Blood Line" he has a cameo as a bodyguard. Brimstone plays himself in the Independent film, "Redemption" where he gives advice to the lead character about where to train to fight. Brimstone filmed a special cameo appearance
Cameo appearance
A cameo role or cameo appearance is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television...
for American Gangster Frank Lucas
Frank Lucas (drug lord)
Frank Lucas is a former U.S. heroin dealer and organized crime boss who operated in Harlem during the late 1960s and early 1970s. He was particularly known for cutting out middlemen in the drug trade and buying heroin directly from his source in the Golden Triangle...
' son Frank Lucas Jr.'s music videos "Street Star" and "Let's Go" as well as for Joe Budden's
Joe Budden
-Early life:Budden was born in Spanish Harlem, but lived in Queens until he was 12 and from there moved to Jersey City, New Jersey. He is one of five boys...
video for Touch and Go
Halfway House (album)
Halfway House is a download-only album by rapper Joe Budden. It was released on October 28, 2008 by Amalgam Digital. Halfway House was released when Budden's planned second album, Padded Room, was delayed. Its release marked Joe Budden's first return to the Billboard 200 in 5 years, and about 3,000...
. The videos will be aired on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
and BET
Black Entertainment Television
Black Entertainment Television is an American, Viacom-owned cable network based in Washington, D.C.. Currently viewed in more than 90 million homes worldwide, it is the most prominent television network targeting young Black-American audiences. The network was launched on January 25, 1980, by its...
.
Brimstone released a commercial for Heinz
H. J. Heinz Company
The H. J. Heinz Company , commonly known as Heinz and famous for its "57 Varieties" slogan and its ketchup, is an American food company with world headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.Perhaps best known for its ketchup, the H.J...
where he actually wrestles a bottle of ketchup
Ketchup
Ketchup is a sweet-and-tangy condiment typically made from tomatoes, vinegar, sugar or high-fructose corn syrup and an assortment of...
. The commercial was directed and produced by Filmmaker Robert Dixon and the concept by Brimstone himself.
September 2009, Blinky Productions released a short film in accordance with Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
pitting Brimstone against their character Kirby. Brimstone is coached before the fight by Street Fighter
Street Fighter
, commonly abbreviated as SF, is a series of Fighting Games developed in Japan in which the players pit the video games' competitive fighters from around the world, each with his or her own unique fighting style, against one another...
's Zangief
Zangief
is a fictional character in the Street Fighter series of video games. Created by Akira Yasuda for Capcom, Zangief first appeared in Street Fighter II, later appearing in other games, media, and promotions related to the Street Fighter franchise...
.
On Wednesday, December 9, 2009 it was discussed on the Howard Stern Show
Howard Stern Show
The Howard Stern Show is an American radio show hosted by its namesake Howard Stern. It gained wide recognition in the 1990s when it was nationally syndicated on terrestrial radio from 1986 to 2005...
that Brimstone played the lead role as the killer in a new feature film by Sean Pomper Productions, "Killer Hoo Ha." Howard confirmed that Sal the Stockbroker and Richard Christy
Richard Christy
Thomas Richard Christy is an American musician and radio personality who currently works on The Howard Stern Show. Christy began to work on the show after winning the "Get John's Job" contest on July 1, 2004. He is known for his prank calls, song parodies, personality, and stunts performed on the...
both have roles in the film.
Philanthropy
Brimstone has noted on many occasions that he enjoys being able to "give back to the community" by donating his time to various charities. He has been linked to many foundations and has attended events as a celebrity guest to help raise money for each cause. His appearances have included The Arthritis FoundationArthritis Foundation
The Arthritis Foundation is the largest national nonprofit organization solely dedicated to the prevention, control and cure of arthritis, the leading cause of disability in the United States....
's annual "Salute Your Staff" Event on April 4, 2008 alongside Mick Foley
Mick Foley
Michael Francis "Mick" Foley, Sr. is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, author, comedian, actor, voice actor and former color commentator. He has worked for many wrestling promotions, including WWE, WCW, ECW and TNA. He is often referred to as "The Hardcore Legend", a nickname he...
, Missy Hyatt
Missy Hyatt
Melissa Ann Hiatt is an American professional wrestling valet, better known by her ring name, Missy Hyatt. She gained the majority of her fame while working for World Championship Wrestling and Extreme Championship Wrestling....
, and Bud Harrelson
Bud Harrelson
Derrel McKinley "Bud" Harrelson is a former Major League Baseball shortstop who played for the New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies and Texas Rangers from to . After retiring, he served as a coach for the World Champion Mets, and as manager of the Mets in 1990 and 1991...
among others, and for the Parkinsons Foundation
The Michael J. Fox Foundation
The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research is dedicated to finding a cure for Parkinson's disease through an aggressively funded research agenda and to ensuring the development of improved therapies for those living with Parkinson's today. Established by actor Michael J...
"Play 4 Parkinsons" event on April 22, 2008 alongside Matthew Perry
Matthew Perry (actor)
Matthew Langford Perry is a Canadian-American actor and comedian, best known for his Emmy-nominated role as Chandler Bing on the popular, long-running NBC television sitcom Friends...
, Mya
Mya
-A person:* Bo Mya , Chief Commander of the Karen National Union* Mýa , American R&B singer-songwriter and actress** Mýa , a 1998 album by Mýa-A code:* Burmese language, ISO 639-3 code is mya* Moruya Airport's IATA code...
, and Ricki Lake
Ricki Lake
Ricki Pamela Lake is an American actress, producer, and television host. She is best known for her starring role as Tracy Turnblad in the original Hairspray, her ground-breaking documentary film The Business of Being Born, and her talk show which was broadcasted internationally from...
.
Brimstone has signed on as a celebrity spokesperson for RADD.org and has begun taping public service announcements to be used in the attempt to thwart driving under the influence
Driving under the influence
Driving under the influence is the act of driving a motor vehicle with blood levels of alcohol in excess of a legal limit...
.
On May 18, 2008 Brimstone was a special guest at Dee Snider
Dee Snider
Daniel "Dee" Snider is an American singer-songwriter, screenwriter, radio personality, and actor. Snider is most famous for his role as the frontman of the heavy metal band Twisted Sister...
's 6th Annual Bikers for Babies event which benefits the March of Dimes
March of Dimes
The March of Dimes Foundation is a United States nonprofit organization that works to improve the health of mothers and babies.-Organization:...
foundation.
On September 14, 2008, Brimstone made an appearance at the inaugural Wrestler's Rescue event held in Piscataway, New Jersey. Brimstone explained in an interview that the organization is dedicated to helping the quality of life of aging pro wrestlers who are out of the business now and may find themselves falling on hard times. Wrestler's Rescue was orchestrated by Dawn Marie in order to create awareness and to help raise money to support the health care needs of retired professional wrestlers. Other notable celebrities who showed their support for the charity included Torrie Wilson
Torrie Wilson
Torrie Anne Wilson is a retired American professional wrestler, fitness competitor and model. She is best known for her tenures in World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment , where she worked on both their SmackDown and Raw brands throughout her eight-year run.As a fitness...
, Mick Foley
Mick Foley
Michael Francis "Mick" Foley, Sr. is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, author, comedian, actor, voice actor and former color commentator. He has worked for many wrestling promotions, including WWE, WCW, ECW and TNA. He is often referred to as "The Hardcore Legend", a nickname he...
, and Bumblefoot among many others.
Personal life
Brimstone was the subject of a roastRoast (comedy)
A roast is an event in which an individual is subjected to a public presentation of comedic insults, praise, outlandish true and untrue stories, and heartwarming tributes, the implication being that the roastee is able to take the jokes in good humor and not as serious criticism or insult, and...
for his thirty fifth birthday. The event's hosts were his longtime friend Jose Castillo and Sarah Hartshorne, with a celebrity panel that included AJ Pero, Leilene Ondrade, and Claire Unabia. Gourmet finger foods were prepared by Danny Gagnon of Top Chef
Top Chef
Top Chef is an American reality competition show that airs on the cable television network Bravo, in which chefs compete against each other in culinary challenges. They are judged by a panel of professional chefs and other notables from the food and wine industry with one or more contestants...
and served by tattooed models dressed in 1950's pin-up style attire. The Roast's customized theme music was recorded by Gab Gatcha of Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
The Wu-Tang Clan is a hip-hop group from Staten Island that consists of RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa, and the late Ol' Dirty Bastard. They are frequently joined by fellow childhood friend Cappadonna, a quasi member of the group...
's Latino label and Carlos Jahsir of Making the Band
Making the Band
Making the Band is an ABC/MTV reality television series that exists in separate iterations, each iteration focusing on a specific music act. It spawned musical acts O-Town, Da Band, Danity Kane, Day26, and Donnie Klang...
. The net proceeds went towards "The Brimstone Fund" and will be utilized as a yearly college tuition scholarship for young men and women who are looking to pursue a career in the entertainment industry.
Brimstone wed Danielle Rivera, his partner of close to eight years on October 11, 2009. The wedding party included his children, son serving as the ringbearer and daughter as a junior bridesmaid
Bridesmaid
The bridesmaids are members of the bride's wedding party in a wedding. A bridesmaid is typically a young woman, and often a close friend or sister. She attends to the bride on the day of a wedding or marriage ceremony...
. Halina James the daughter of America’s Next Top Model’s Claire Unabia served as the flower girl
Flower girl
A flower girl is a participant in a wedding procession. Like ring bearers and page boys, flower girls are usually members of the bride's or groom's extended family, but may also be friends.Her male equivalent is the ring bearer or page boy...
.
In a 2010 interview with the The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles
The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles
The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles is an independent, nonprofit community weekly newspaper serving the Jewish community of greater Los Angeles, published by TRIBE Media Corp. The Journal was established in 1985. As of 2010 it had a verified circulation of 60,000 and an estimated readership...
, Brimstone described the irony of his time spent wrestling in a church while he was with Pro Wrestling Revolution, saying "I’m as Jewish as Jewish gets", despite the fact that he often hears "Get out of here! You don’t LOOK Jewish!" when his religion is discussed. Brimstone noted that he was working on a wrestling-related project with fellow Jewish wrestler Missy Hyatt
Missy Hyatt
Melissa Ann Hiatt is an American professional wrestling valet, better known by her ring name, Missy Hyatt. She gained the majority of her fame while working for World Championship Wrestling and Extreme Championship Wrestling....
and looked forward to an opportunity to face Jewish wrestler Barry Horowitz
Barry Horowitz
Barry Horowitz is an American professional wrestler, best known for his time in the World Wrestling Federation.-Career:Horowitz, who is Jewish, attended Florida State University, where he studied sports nutrition and wrestled...
, who he felt was the most underrated of the many Jewish wrestlers competing.
See also
- List of select Jewish professional wrestlers