The Gangstanators
Encyclopedia
The Gangstanators were a professional wrestling
tag team
in Extreme Championship Wrestling
. The team consisted of New Jack
, formerly of The Gangstas
, and John Kronus
, formerly of The Eliminators
, with "Gangstanators" being a portmanteau of the names of their respective former tag teams.
and Kronus's partner Perry Saturn
both left ECW. Their first match together was on August 21, 1997, when they defeated ECW World Tag Team Champions the Dudley Boyz
(Bubba Ray and D-Von in a non-title match. This led to a series of matches between the teams, during which New Jack and Kronus defeated the Dudleys for the title belts at ECW's "As Good as it Gets" event on September 20, 1997 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
. They successfully defended the belts against the Dudleys and the team of Axl Rotten
and Balls Mahoney
over the following month. The Gangstanators held the title until October 18 of that year, when they lost to the Full Blooded Italians
(Little Guido
and Tracy Smothers
) in Philadelphia.
After losing the title, The Gangstanators continued their feud with the Dudleys. Spike Dudley also entered the feud on the side of the New Jack and Kronus, fighting against his kayfabe
brothers. He joined The Gangstanators in six-man matches and sometimes took Kronus' place as New Jack's partner. As the year went on, Kronus, New Jack, and Spike Dudley focused more on their singles careers, although they still teamed with each other on occasion.
The team eventually disbanded, with Kronus leaving ECW for Xtreme Pro Wrestling
. New Jack remained in ECW, competing as a singles wrestler in ECW until the promotion declared bankruptcy
in April 2001.
on June 10, 2005. Kronus had been scheduled to reunite with Saturn, but Saturn was injured and could not attend the event. As a result, New Jack and Kronus teamed together to face the Bad Breed
(Axl
and Ian Rotten
) in an impromptu brawl which ended when New Jack leapt from scaffolding
and drove a prone Ian Rotten through a table.
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...
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...
in Extreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1992 by Tod Gordon and closed when his successor, Paul Heyman, declared bankruptcy in April 2001...
. The team consisted of New Jack
New Jack
Jerome Young is an American professional wrestler, better known by his stage name New Jack in ECW.He is known for his willingness to take dangerous bumps and his stiff hardcore wrestling style, often taking high risks and "shooting" on opponents, though he is only known to shoot on opponents who...
, formerly of The Gangstas
The Gangstas
The Gangstas was a professional wrestling tag team and stable, most notably consisting of New Jack and Mustafa Saed in Extreme Championship Wrestling...
, and John Kronus
John Kronus
George B. Caiazzo was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, John Kronus and later "Kronus". Caiazzo worked for Extreme Championship Wrestling, the United States Wrestling Association and Xtreme Pro Wrestling...
, formerly of The Eliminators
The Eliminators
The Eliminators were a professional wrestling tag team that consisted of Perry Saturn and John Kronus who were best known for their time in Extreme Championship Wrestling between 1995 and 1997.-History:...
, with "Gangstanators" being a portmanteau of the names of their respective former tag teams.
History
New Jack and Kronus joined forces after New Jack's partner Mustapha SaedJamal Mustafa
Jamal Mustafa is a professional wrestler who once worked for Extreme Championship Wrestling, World Wrestling Council in Puerto Rico and Smoky Mountain Wrestling as one half of The Gangstas with New Jack...
and Kronus's partner Perry Saturn
Perry Satullo
Perry Arthur Satullo is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Perry Saturn. Since debuting in 1990, Saturn wrestled for Extreme Championship Wrestling , World Championship Wrestling , World Wrestling Federation and Total Nonstop Action .-Early career:Satullo enlisted...
both left ECW. Their first match together was on August 21, 1997, when they defeated ECW World Tag Team Champions the Dudley Boyz
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...
(Bubba Ray and D-Von in a non-title match. This led to a series of matches between the teams, during which New Jack and Kronus defeated the Dudleys for the title belts at ECW's "As Good as it Gets" event on September 20, 1997 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
. They successfully defended the belts against the Dudleys and the team of Axl Rotten
Axl Rotten
Brian Knighton is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name, Axl Rotten.-Early years:After watching a professional wrestling match on television, Knighton decided to become a wrestler...
and Balls Mahoney
Balls Mahoney
Jonathan Rechner better known by his ring name Balls Mahoney , is an American professional wrestler...
over the following month. The Gangstanators held the title until October 18 of that year, when they lost to the Full Blooded Italians
Full Blooded Italians
The Full Blooded Italians is a professional wrestling stable and tag team that wrestled for Extreme Championship Wrestling in the late 1990s and for World Wrestling Entertainment during the mid-2000s.-Extreme Championship Wrestling:...
(Little Guido
James Maritato
James Maritato is an American professional wrestler, of Italian origin, currently working on the independent circuit. He is best known for his work in World Wrestling Entertainment and Extreme Championship Wrestling under the ring names Little Guido Maritato and Nunzio.-Starting out:While...
and Tracy Smothers
Tracy Smothers
Tracy Smothers is an American professional wrestler.-Early career:Tracy started his career in the Memphis promotion on Saturday morning TV. Steve Armstrong and Tracy Smothers started teaming as The Southern Boys in Florida Championship Wrestling in 1987 where they feuded with The New Breed...
) in Philadelphia.
After losing the title, The Gangstanators continued their feud with the Dudleys. Spike Dudley also entered the feud on the side of the New Jack and Kronus, fighting against his kayfabe
Kayfabe
In professional wrestling, kayfabe is the portrayal of events within the industry as "real" or "true". Specifically, the portrayal of professional wrestling, in particular the competition and rivalries between participants, as being genuine or not of a worked nature...
brothers. He joined The Gangstanators in six-man matches and sometimes took Kronus' place as New Jack's partner. As the year went on, Kronus, New Jack, and Spike Dudley focused more on their singles careers, although they still teamed with each other on occasion.
The team eventually disbanded, with Kronus leaving ECW for Xtreme Pro Wrestling
Xtreme Pro Wrestling
Xtreme Pro Wrestling is an independent professional wrestling promotion formerly owned by Extreme Associates CEO and director Rob Zicari, who appeared on shows under the name Rob Black. Zicari appeared on-camera as owner alongside his wife Lizzy Borden. The promotion focuses on hardcore wrestling,...
. New Jack remained in ECW, competing as a singles wrestler in ECW until the promotion declared bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
in April 2001.
Reunion
The Gangstanators reunited for one night at the ECW reunion show Hardcore HomecomingHardcore Homecoming
Hardcore Homecoming was a series of professional wrestling events which were advertised as a reunion of talent from the defunct Extreme Championship Wrestling promotion....
on June 10, 2005. Kronus had been scheduled to reunite with Saturn, but Saturn was injured and could not attend the event. As a result, New Jack and Kronus teamed together to face the Bad Breed
Bad Breed
The Bad Breed was the professional wrestling tag team of Axl Rotten with his storyline brother/real life protégé Ian Rotten. The team achieved their greatest fame in the Philadelphia wrestling promotion Extreme Championship Wrestling but has also competed in the Global Wrestling Federation and...
(Axl
Axl Rotten
Brian Knighton is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name, Axl Rotten.-Early years:After watching a professional wrestling match on television, Knighton decided to become a wrestler...
and Ian Rotten
Ian Rotten
John Benson Williams is an American professional Wrestler better known by his ring name Ian Rotten. He has wrestled in Global Wrestling Federation , Extreme Championship Wrestling , and his own wrestling promotion IWA: Mid-South.-Early career:After becoming a fan of Dusty Rhodes and "Superstar"...
) in an impromptu brawl which ended when New Jack leapt from scaffolding
Scaffolding
Scaffolding is a temporary structure used to support people and material in the construction or repair of buildings and other large structures. It is usually a modular system of metal pipes or tubes, although it can be from other materials...
and drove a prone Ian Rotten through a table.
Championships and accomplishments
- Extreme Championship WrestlingExtreme Championship WrestlingExtreme Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1992 by Tod Gordon and closed when his successor, Paul Heyman, declared bankruptcy in April 2001...
- ECW World Tag Team Championship (1 time)