Mike Bucci

Mike Bucci
Born	(1972-06-05) June 5, 1972 Toms River, New Jersey
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)	Nova Super Nova Hollywood Nova Mike Bucci Simon Dean
Billed height	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Billed weight	214 lb (97 kg; 15.3 st)
Billed from	Clearwater, Florida (as Simon Dean) Silicon Valley (as Nova) Toms River, New Jersey
Trained by	Mike Sharpe
Debut	1992
Retired	2006

Michael Bucci (born June 5 1972) is an American professional wrestler. Bucci is probably best known for his appearances in Extreme Championship Wrestling as Nova and Super Nova and World Wrestling Entertainment as Simon Dean. He was previously the Talent Development Manager for WWE.

Career

After graduating in 1990 from Toms River High School East in Toms River, New Jersey, he attended nearby Ocean County College for a few semesters. There, he met a friend who informed him of a wrestling school in nearby Brick Township, New Jersey, run by "Iron" Mike Sharpe. Bucci trained at the school and officially went pro in 1992.

Bucci's first taste of superstar exposure came between 1992 and 1994, when WWF Chairman Vince McMahon used talent from various promotions as jobbers to various up and coming superstars on WWF programming.

During his time spent in Mike Sharpe's wrestling school, Bucci wrestled as a superhero with a mullet; his attire included a star over his right eye and a sparkly blue cape. Bucci sparked the interest of Raven; Raven was looking to put together a new stable known as The Flock in Extreme Championship Wrestling and asked Bucci to appear at the ECW Arena in South Philadelphia.

Extreme Championship Wrestling

File:Nova at hs east feb 1998.JPG

Mike Bucci as "Hollywood" Nova

Upon his arrival in ECW, Bucci was immediately paired with Raven, Stevie Richards, and The Blue Meanie in the Flock. His first exposure to the crowd was as a parody of KISS where the wrestlers came out to KISS's hit "Rock and Roll All Night" and did the bump and strut with air guitars. Although it was intended to garner heat with the crowd, it was an immediate hit. Later a quote was stated to have been said by Bubba Ray Dudley in the "Rise and Fall of ECW" book, "that was great; the crowd really loved it. The only thing better than that would be ... a parody of the nWo."

Bucci along with Stevie asked permission from both Raven and Paul Heyman to parody the nWo; it was granted, and Bucci was given credit with the creation of the bWo logo. Bucci would parody Hollywood Hulk Hogan, after a dispute between Raven and Richards, where Richards said "if he's Hogan, fans will think he's the leader of The Flock", Raven than said, "Fuck it ... he's Hogan", (and was originally introduced by Stevie as "Hollywood Bob Star"). Richards became "Big Stevie Cool" (a takeoff on Kevin Nash's nickname of "Big Daddy Cool"), and Meanie was "Da Blue Guy", a takeoff on Scott Hall, "Da Bad Guy". Many other members were added and removed between 1996 and 1998, before the team split in the latter.

In 1998, he, along with many other ECW talent, competed at Jersey All Pro Wrestling's 1st anniversary show.

Bucci was known for having a unique and creative move set, and was called by Joey Styles "the most imitated man in wrestling" and the "inNOVAtor of Offense" by Jeremy Borash due to the fact that almost all his moves were copied by other wrestlers in the business.

In late 2000 through early 2001, he started a heated rivalry with his former tag partner Chris Chetti, who he beat in a match where the loser was fired. His last televised appearance in ECW was at their last pay-per view, Guilty as Charged 2001. At the second to last ECW event in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, he was named as Danny Doring's tag team partner to help defend the ECW tag titles against Hot Commodity. Bucci filled in for an injured Amish Roadkill, and the team retained the titles.

Independent circuit and Ohio Valley Wrestling

When ECW went out of business, Bucci became more active on the indy scene until 2003. Bucci wrestled in places such as California's Ultimate Pro Wrestling, and New Jersey's Phoenix Championship Wrestling. During this time, he formed a tag team with Frankie Kazarian known as Evolution. In most of the promotions they competed for, they were successful in becoming tag team champions. He also briefly wrestled in Australia based World Wrestling All-Stars where he feuded with A.J. Styles amongst other "cruiserweights" for the WWA International Cruiserweight Championship, which he did not win. In late 2001, he even worked a number of shows in England. In April of 2002, Bucci received a phone call from then WWF (soon to be renamed WWE) to partake in a developmental program at Ohio Valley Wrestling.

In May 2002, Bucci beat Prototype and became the OVW Heavyweight Champion, as Nova. He held the title for half a year before losing the title to Damaja. It was around this time he was called up to start competing in SmackDown! dark matches and on WWE Velocity. He then began to try out a Richard Simmons-like fitness expert type gimmick.

World Wrestling Entertainment

In his debut for World Wrestling Entertainment, he portrayed the gimmick of a physical-fitness guru, very similar to Ben Stiller's character Tony Perkis in the movie Heavyweights, named Simon Dean. The name was inspired by Dean Malenko's real name, Dean Simon. Introductory promos showed him "selling" his "Simon System," a supposed program of diet, exercise, and supplementation. The promos parodied fitness infomercials, as Simon routinely insulted his supposed customers. The promos went so far as to provide an actual telephone number to call and order the Simon System; however, unlike virtually all infomercials, the number was not toll-free. People who called the number wound up hearing a WWE promo.

During this gimmick, he acted as the sponsor of RAW, occasionally wrestling after first insulting the fitness of the crowd and the area in which they were located. After not making much of an impact on RAW, he formed a tag team with fellow heel wrestler Maven who supposedly was a user of the "Simon System". Again not much of an impact was made, as Bucci was traded to SmackDown! on June 30, 2005 and Maven was released the next month.

During a WWE produced ECW PPV, One Night Stand 2005, Bucci returned as Hollywood Nova with Da Blue Guy and Big Stevie Cool as the bWo. During the event, Joey Styles made a reference to his "Simon Dean" character. After Bucci was hit with two chairs, Styles said, "That's more painful than having to be Simon Dean on national TV."

When Bucci moved to "SmackDown!" as part of the WWE Draft Lottery, he joined the other members of the bWo and appeared as "Hollywood" Nova for his first appearance on the show. His next appearance for the brand was wrestling on its sister show, WWE Velocity, as Simon Dean. The general belief was that the bWo appearance was going to be a one off, meaning Bucci would keep to his "health sponsor" gimmick. However, it was next announced that the bWo would participate in a 6-man tag match at the Great American Bash against The Mexicools (Juventud, Psicosis, and Super Crazy). The announcement of this match occurred on the same edition of SmackDown! that Bucci's Simon Dean character had a match with Booker T. At the Great American Bash, the bWo lost to the Mexicools in the six-man tag team match. The appearance of the bWo soon faded. With no mention of The Blue Meanie staying with the company and Richards returning to his previous heel gimmick, Bucci continued with the Simon Dean persona.

In late August, the Simon Dean character began coming to the ring on the Dean Machine (a Segway PT type machine). He would also force feed "Simon System" products to jobbers who wouldn't accept his offer to try them after defeating them in squash matches. The Simon Dean character had his first major WWE pay-per-view appearance at No Mercy, in a loss against Bobby Lashley. After the match, Simon ate 20 double cheeseburgers which caused him to vomit backstage. Dean had been noted on his later appearances as the "Head of Smackdown's welcoming committee", a position in which he was used as a jobber to debuting wrestlers.

During the January 6, 2006 episode of SmackDown!, Dean came to the ring and challenged any tag team. Paul London and Brian Kendrick answered the challenge, only to be brutally attacked by The Gymini (Jake and Jesse), two "users" of The Simon System. Dean began managing the team, but the team soon faded off television after Jesse suffered an injury in May 2006 and Dean went back to jobbing to other superstars.

Bucci left the ring on his own accord in August of 2006 and took over the running of the developmental program for WWE, thereby retiring from the ring in the process. He tried the best he could to make it work, but told many, that "he hated it from day one, due to the politics and having to move to Stamford, Ct."

On August 31, 2007, Bucci was released from his World Wrestling Entertainment contract after his name was mentioned in an ongoing investigation, citing the WWE's Wellness Policy. Bucci had been on a 3 month regime of testosterone after he left WWE rings for good, but alas, after venting about the job, and all of the headaches that came with it, he was removed after his name came up, despite a legal medical prescription. The 13 others on that list were suspended for 1 month, and none were released.

Bucci now works as a licensed Mortgage broker throught the US, and although he has received offers to wrestle in various places, he has yet to do so, and has told many, he doesnt see himself "ever going back".

In wrestling

Finishing and signature moves

• As Nova / Super Nova

• Novacaine (Reverse STO)
• Kryptonite Krunch (Over the shoulder belly to back piledriver, sometimes from the top rope)
• Spin Doctor (Rolling cutter)
• Deep Impact (Sitout double underhook facebuster)
• Nova Blast (Diving front flip neckbreaker)
• DDT ² - (Pronounced as DDT Squared) (Falling inverted DDT followed by an inverted DDT)
• Sledge-O-Matic (Powerbomb followed by an elbow drop to the opponent's groin)
• Elevator Drop (Backbreaker rack powerbomb)
• Third Degree Burn (Two piledrivers followed by a spinning sitout powerbomb)
• Kryptonite Spike (Diving front flip stunner)
• Nova Implosion (High angle senton bomb)
• Scream Machine (Electric chair facebuster)
• Triple Threat (Simultaneous stunner, DDT and leg drop performed to three opponents)

• As Simon Dean

• Simonizer (Swinging leg hook fireman's carry slam)
• Curb Stomp (Standing reverse Indian deathlock surfboard with a head stomp)
• Push-up facebuster

• As "Hollywood" Nova

• Nova Leg Drop (Running high-impact leg drop)
• Parodies of other attacks and taunts used by Hollywood Hogan

• With other bWo members

• Blue Light Special (Wheelbarrow facebuster / Running DDT combination)

• With Chris Chetti

• Tidal Wave (Simultaneous diving leg drop / diving splash combination)

• Quotes

• "My name is Simon Dean, and Simon says...I believe in you!"
• "Who wants to try my Simon System?"
• "Try some of my 'Lean Dean Fitness Cream'!"

• Theme music

• "Superman Theme" by John Williams - Independent circuit (1992-1994)
• "Flashdance" by Irene Cara - Indies (1994-1995)[1]
• "Wake Me Up Before You Go Go" by Wham! - Indies (1995-1996)[2]
• "bWo Theme[3]" by Swamp Candles - ECW (1996-1999)
• "Hit Me with Your Best Shot" by Pat Benatar - ECW/JAPW (1998)
• "Let Me Clear My Throat" by DJ Kool - ECW (1998)
• "Y.M.C.A." by The Village People - ECW (1998-1999)
• "Intergalactic" by The Beastie Boys - ECW (1999-2000; Indies 2001-2003) [4]
• "One Step Closer" by Linkin Park - ECW (2000)[5]
• "Metal Health" by Quiet Riot - ECW (2000-2001)
• Rock-styled song by Jim Johnston - OVW (2003-2004)
• "Simon Dean Theme" by Jim Johnston - WWE/OVW (2004-2006)

• Wrestlers managed

• The Gymini - as Simon Dean

Championships and accomplishments

• American Wrestling Council
  • AWC Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
  • Stupid Ass Championship (100 time)

• Border City Wrestling

• BCW Can-Am Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Tommy Dreamer

• Carolina Wrestling Syndicate

• CWS Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with The Blue Meanie

• Great Lakes Wrestling

• GLW World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

• NWA Northeast Wrestling

• NWA Northeast Light Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

• New England Wrestling

• NEW Light Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

• New Jack City Wrestling

• NJCW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
• NJCW Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Rico Casanova

• Ohio Valley Wrestling

• OVW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
• OVW Southern Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Aaron Stevens

• Phoenix Championship Wrestling

• PCW Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Frankie Kazarian)
• PCW Russ Haas Memorial Tag Team Tournament winner in 2002 - with R.C. Haas

• Premier/Pennsylvania Wrestling Federation

• PWF Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

• Pro Wrestling Illustrated

• PWI ranked him # 88 of the 500 best singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2005.

• Steel City Wrestling

• SCW Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with The Blue Meanie

• Ultimate Pro Wrestling

• UPW Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Frankie Kazarian

Personal life

He is the twin brother of Phoenix Championship Wrestling promoter and founder Don "Donnie B." Bucci.

His original career choice was to be a maths teacher, as confirmed in his RF Video shoot interview. He managed a Wendy's in Toms River, to make money to pay for gas for his trips to work with ECW in the mid-90s, as confirmed in his RF Video shoot interview and The Rise and Fall of ECW.

References

External links

• "Shoot Interview Video, at RFvideo.com"
• "BodySlamming.com, Lots of Info"
• "Wrestling Informer Page"
• "WrestleZone, includes rare pictures"