With the whirlwind of cuts stemming from the WWE Network not generating the expected revenue, two wrestlers have quietly announced they are ending their in-ring career. Santino Marella and Tensai, both former Intercontinental Champions have had interesting runs in the biggest wrestling promotion in the World, and we thought it would be fun to look back at the careers of these two men.
Born Anthony Carelli in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, the future Santino Marella got his start in the early 2000’s in Ontario based independents and also competed in various forms of mixed martial arts. He would get attention from the WWE, and was assigned to Ohio Valley Wrestling where he would get a push as a Russian martial arts grappler named Boris Alexiev. Carelli was able to channel the accent, but when he was called up to the main roster, he was asked to revert back to his Italian heritage.
Now known as Santino Marella, he debuted on Monday Night Raw when they were in Italy and was a surprise opponent of WWE Intercontinental Champion, Umaga. With the assistance of Bobby Lashley (with whom Umaga was feuding with), Marella became the new Intercontinental Champion. Marella did not get over, but following a loss of the Title and a slow heel turn, he would become a good mid-card heel, who would add comedic elements to his persona to the point where for the past few years that you knew a Santino Marella segment was usually good for a laugh or two. This would become especially important, as the WWE would constantly force feed bad comedy down viewer’s throats, and Marella was had far more comedic hits than misses.
As much fun as Santino was, we never really saw the entire scope of his in-ring wrestling ability. Marella’s character did not lend itself to lengthy matches or serious angles, though we do remember specifically at the Elimination Chamber in 2013 when he was Randy Orton’s surprise replacement and lasted until the end, to the delight of the fans.
Citing a neck injury, Marella announced that his in-ring career appeared to be over, though this has received little to no mention on WWE programming or even their own website. Should Santino Marella never again appear on WWE TV again, did he do enough to be in the Hall of Fame, and if so (or even if not) what rank should he have on our list when we set out to do our revisions?
Marella will definitely be ranked on our list, though we are not sure about Matt Bloom who quietly announced that he was also done wrestling.
Bloom first entered the then named World Wrestling Federation as Prince Albert, playing off his numerous body piercings. He would go through numerous name changes and tag team partners in his five year run, though never really escaped the mid-card. His arguable high point was a brief run with Intercontinental Title and going against the Undertaker on a handicap match at Wrestlemania.
Following his release from the WWE in 2004, Bloom would go to Japan, and it was there that the handcuffs were released and he did the best work of his career. As “Giant Bernard” he would win multiple tournaments and championships and with his hairy torso replaced with tattoos, he looked more menacing than ever.
Still as an American, he looked to return to the United States in 2012 and he resigned with the WWE, this time playing off his past as a wrestler in Japan. Now named Lord Tensai, Bloom was booked as a monster, but the fans recognized him immediately as the former “Albert” despite the eight year gap, was perceived as a mid-card talent despite the huge push he received upon his return.
Within eight months, Lord Tensai, became “Sweet T” one half of a tag team with Brodus Clay, another large man whose star had fizzled and the now named “Tons of Funk” were nothing more than a dancing comedy act. Bloom would go through another name change and become Jason Albert, a commentator on NXT.
Although his combined tenure was long in the WWE, it is difficult to place him very high on our Notinhalloffame WWE list, if we place him at all.
Regardless, we would like to thank both Anthony Carelli and Matt Bloom for their work in the ring.
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