Bruno Sassi
Encyclopedia
Bruno Sassi is an American
professional wrestler
best known for being a member of the tag team
Phi Delta Slam
, as well as his appearances in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
. In early 2009 he returned to TNA under the ring name Sally Boy, or simply Sal, as one half of The Main Event Mafia
's, and later Mick Foley
's, personal security force.
in order to train as a wrestler, financing his training through a series of odd jobs, including waiting tables in Hollywood Florida at Napoli's Italian restaurant, formerly run by his father-in-law Paul. Sassi made his wrestling debut on September 30, 1988. In 1990, Sassi appeared with the Nashville
-based NWA Worldwide Wrestling
.
Sassi eventually began wrestling primarily on the Floridian
independent circuit
, where he formed a tag team
with "Brother" Dan Evans. Evans and Sassi used the gimmick of a pair of boisterous, prank
playing fraternity
members. After Evans retired due to injury, Sassi continued to use the gimmick with the third part of the team, Big Tilly
. Sassi and Tilly were known collectively as Phi Delta Slam
.
from 1994 to 2000. His final and most notable match for the WWF occurred on April 15, 2000 when he lost to Stevie Richards
on an episode of Jakked.
(TNA) after Dusty Rhodes
told his two competing assistants, Traci Brooks
and Trinity
, to each find a tag team. The tag teams would wrestle one another at Destination X, with the winning tag team's sponsor becoming Rhodes' sole assistant. Trinity selected Phi Delta Slam, and they debuted in February 2005, wrestling dark matches. They made their on-screen debut on March 13 at Destination X, where they lost to Traci's choice, The Harris Brothers. Phi Delta Slam remained in TNA for several weeks afterwards.
Tilly and Sassi later made a cameo appearance in a series of comedy segments on the December 20, 2007 episode of Impact!
where they were seen at Eric Young's Christmas party, which also involved the likes of Bushwhacker Butch
, Kevin Nash
, ODB
, and Awesome Kong
.
in order to help them fend off The TNA Front Line
. In order play into the mafia
aspect of the stable, Sassi was renamed to Sal (it was later tweaked to Sally Boy), he began wearing sunglasses at all times, dyed his normally blond hair to black and began sporting a short beard. On the March 13 edition of Impact!, Sal and Kurt Angle
accompanied Rocco
as he wrestled Frontline member Eric Young
in the main event, which Rocco lost after Young pinned him following a Death Valley driver. On the April 2 edition of Impact!, Rocco and Sal challenged and lost to Team 3D
. On the May 7 edition of Impact! they were defeated in a handicap match by Matt Morgan. On the May 28 edition of Impact! Sting, the new leader of the Main Event Mafia, fired Sal and Rocco. On the June 4, 2009, edition of Impact! Rocco and Sal were hired by Mick Foley
. The two of them have since made sporadic appearances as bodyguards, and are still employed with TNA as backstage production managers.
based Coastal Championship Wrestling. In addition, all three members of Phi Delta Slam (Sassi, Tilly and Evans) operate a professional wrestling school called Bodyslam University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
. Notable graduates include former WWE United States
and WWE Tag Team Champion Montel Vontavious Porter and Bobby Hopkins, Jr.
"Sally-boy" (TNA)
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...
best known for being a member of the 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...
Phi Delta Slam
Phi Delta Slam
Phi Delta Slam is a professional wrestling tag team, consisting of Big Tilly and Bruno Sassi. They wrestle principally on the Floridian independent circuit.-History:...
, as well as his appearances in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
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...
. In early 2009 he returned to TNA under the ring name Sally Boy, or simply Sal, as one half of The Main Event Mafia
The Main Event Mafia
The Main Event Mafia was a heel stable in the professional wrestling promotion Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
's, and later 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...
's, personal security force.
Career
Sassi graduated from Miramar High School in 1988, and turned down academic scholarshipsScholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
in order to train as a wrestler, financing his training through a series of odd jobs, including waiting tables in Hollywood Florida at Napoli's Italian restaurant, formerly run by his father-in-law Paul. Sassi made his wrestling debut on September 30, 1988. In 1990, Sassi appeared with the Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
-based NWA Worldwide Wrestling
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...
.
Sassi eventually began wrestling primarily on the Floridian
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
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...
, 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 "Brother" Dan Evans. Evans and Sassi used the gimmick of a pair of boisterous, prank
Practical joke
A practical joke is a mischievous trick played on someone, typically causing the victim to experience embarrassment, indignity, or discomfort. Practical jokes differ from confidence tricks in that the victim finds out, or is let in on the joke, rather than being fooled into handing over money or...
playing fraternity
Fraternities and sororities
Fraternities and sororities are fraternal social organizations for undergraduate students. In Latin, the term refers mainly to such organizations at colleges and universities in the United States, although it is also applied to analogous European groups also known as corporations...
members. After Evans retired due to injury, Sassi continued to use the gimmick with the third part of the team, Big Tilly
Big Tilly
James Tilquist is an American professional wrestler better known by the ring name Big Tilly. He is best known for being a member of the tag team Phi Delta Slam as well as his appearances in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
. Sassi and Tilly were known collectively as Phi Delta Slam
Phi Delta Slam
Phi Delta Slam is a professional wrestling tag team, consisting of Big Tilly and Bruno Sassi. They wrestle principally on the Floridian independent circuit.-History:...
.
World Wrestling Federation
Sassi also had several matches with World Wrestling FederationWorld 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...
from 1994 to 2000. His final and most notable match for the WWF occurred on April 15, 2000 when he lost 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...
on an episode of Jakked.
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2005, 2007, 2009-2010)
Phi Delta Slam were introduced to Total Nonstop Action WrestlingTotal 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...
(TNA) after Dusty Rhodes
Dusty Rhodes (wrestler)
Virgil Riley Runnels, Jr. , better known as "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes, is a semi-retired American professional wrestler currently working for WWE...
told his two competing assistants, Traci Brooks
Tracy Brookshaw
Tracy Brookshaw is a Canadian professional wrestler, professional wrestling valet and professional wrestling referee, better known by her ring name Traci Brooks. She is currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , where she has spent most of her career.-Early life:Brookshaw grew up on a...
and Trinity
Stephanie Finochio
Stephanie Finochio is an American stuntwoman and retired professional wrestler and valet better known by her ring name Trinity...
, to each find a tag team. The tag teams would wrestle one another at Destination X, with the winning tag team's sponsor becoming Rhodes' sole assistant. Trinity selected Phi Delta Slam, and they debuted in February 2005, wrestling dark matches. They made their on-screen debut on March 13 at Destination X, where they lost to Traci's choice, The Harris Brothers. Phi Delta Slam remained in TNA for several weeks afterwards.
Tilly and Sassi later made a cameo appearance in a series of comedy segments on the December 20, 2007 episode of Impact!
TNA iMPACT!
Impact Wrestling is a professional wrestling television program for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling that currently airs in the United States and Canada on Spike...
where they were seen at Eric Young's Christmas party, which also involved the likes of Bushwhacker Butch
Butch Miller (wrestler)
Butch Miller is a retired professional wrestler best known as one half of the tag team known as "The Sheepherders" on the independent scene and in the National Wrestling Alliance and as one half of The Bushwhackers in the WWF.-Career:Butch Miller started wrestling for NWA New Zealand in 1964 where...
, Kevin Nash
Kevin Nash
Kevin Scott Nash is an American professional wrestler and actor. As of 2011, Nash is signed to a five year contract with WWE under their WWE Legends program and appears as part of their Raw brand roster...
, ODB
Jessica Kresa
Jessica Kresa is an American professional wrestler and actress better known as ODB , currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where she is a former three–time TNA Women's Knockout Champion....
, and Awesome Kong
Kia Stevens
Kia Michelle Stevens , better known by her ring names Amazing Kong, Awesome Kong and Kharma. She is signed with WWE, but has been inactive since May 2011 due to pregnancy...
.
Return
In early 2009, both Tilly and Sassi returned to TNA as the personal security of The Main Event MafiaThe Main Event Mafia
The Main Event Mafia was a heel stable in the professional wrestling promotion Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
in order to help them fend off The TNA Front Line
The TNA Front Line
The TNA Front Line was a heroic alliance in the professional wrestling promotion Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
. In order play into the mafia
Mafia
The Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
aspect of the stable, Sassi was renamed to Sal (it was later tweaked to Sally Boy), he began wearing sunglasses at all times, dyed his normally blond hair to black and began sporting a short beard. On the March 13 edition of Impact!, Sal and Kurt Angle
Kurt Angle
Kurt Steven Angle is an American professional wrestler, amateur wrestler, and 1996 Olympic gold medalist. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is recognized as a 15-time World Heavyweight Champion...
accompanied Rocco
Big Tilly
James Tilquist is an American professional wrestler better known by the ring name Big Tilly. He is best known for being a member of the tag team Phi Delta Slam as well as his appearances in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
as he wrestled Frontline member Eric Young
Eric Young (wrestler)
Jeremy Fritz is a Canadian professional wrestler, best known under his ring name Eric Young. He currently performs for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he has gained popularity using a variety of comic relief gimmicks....
in the main event, which Rocco lost after Young pinned him following a Death Valley driver. On the April 2 edition of Impact!, Rocco and Sal challenged and lost to Team 3D
Dudley Boyz
Team 3D was a professional wrestling tag team, consisting of Brother Ray and Brother Devon, formerly sporadically joined into a stable by Brother Runt on several intervals...
. On the May 7 edition of Impact! they were defeated in a handicap match by Matt Morgan. On the May 28 edition of Impact! Sting, the new leader of the Main Event Mafia, fired Sal and Rocco. On the June 4, 2009, edition of Impact! Rocco and Sal were hired by 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...
. The two of them have since made sporadic appearances as bodyguards, and are still employed with TNA as backstage production managers.
Independent circuit
Phi Delta Slam is currently wrestling with the South FloridaSouth Florida metropolitan area
The South Florida metropolitan area, also known as the Miami metropolitan area, and designated the Miami–Fort Lauderdale–Pompano Beach, FL Metropolitan Statistical Area by the U.S...
based Coastal Championship Wrestling. In addition, all three members of Phi Delta Slam (Sassi, Tilly and Evans) operate a professional wrestling school called Bodyslam University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Fort Lauderdale is a city in the U.S. state of Florida, on the Atlantic coast. It is the county seat of Broward County. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 165,521. It is a principal city of the South Florida metropolitan area, which was home to 5,564,635 people at the 2010...
. Notable graduates include former WWE United States
WWE United States Championship
The WWE United States Championship is a professional wrestling championship in WWE. It was originally a National Wrestling Alliance and World Championship Wrestling championship, and is currently the secondary championship of the Raw brand....
and WWE Tag Team Champion Montel Vontavious Porter and Bobby Hopkins, Jr.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Initiation (Sitout DDT)
- Vertical suplex piledriver
- Signature moves
- Multiple stomps to a cornered opponent
- ManagersManager (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...
- TrinityStephanie FinochioStephanie Finochio is an American stuntwoman and retired professional wrestler and valet better known by her ring name Trinity...
- NicknameNicknameA nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
s - "Brother Bruno" (Independent circuit)
"Sally-boy" (TNA)
Championships and accomplishments
- American Wrestling Federation (Puerto Rico)
- AWF Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Big TillyBig TillyJames Tilquist is an American professional wrestler better known by the ring name Big Tilly. He is best known for being a member of the tag team Phi Delta Slam as well as his appearances in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
- Coastal Championship Wrestling
- CCW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- CCW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Big Tilly
- Future of WrestlingFuture of WrestlingFuture of Wrestling is an American independent wrestling promotion based in southern Florida starting during the late 1990s. Founded by Bobby Rogers, the promotion was a predecessor of Full Impact Pro, Independent Pro Wrestling and NWA Florida and featured several top independent wrestlers...
- FOW Heavyweight ChampionshipFOW Heavyweight ChampionshipThe FOW Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling title in American independent promotion Future of Wrestling. The title was created when "Ram Man" Johnny Evans won the title in Miami, Florida on May 1, 1998. It was defended throughout southern Florida, most often in Davie, Oakland Park,...
(1 time) - FOW International Heavyweight ChampionshipFOW International Heavyweight ChampionshipThe FOW International Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling title in American independent promotion Future of Wrestling. The title was created when Cyborg won the title in Lima, Peru on April 24, 1999. It was defended throughout southern Florida, most often in Davie, Plantation,...
(1 time)
- Florida Wrestling Alliance
- FWA Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- FWA Light Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- FWA Tag Team Championship (4 times) – with Big Tilly
- Independent Pro Wrestling Association
- IPWA Light Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- IPWA Tag Team Championship (5 times) – with Big Tilly
- International Wrestling Federation
- IWF Tag Team Championship (4 times) – with Big Tilly
- South Eastern Championship Wrestling
- SECW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Big Tilly
- World Wide Wrestling
- WWW Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Big Tilly