Mike Awesome

Real name: Mike Alfonso
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 285 lbs.
Date of birth: January 24, 1965
Date of death: February 17, 2007
From: Tampa, FL
Pro debut: February 26, 1989
Trained by: Steve Keirn
Finishing move: Awesome Bomb

Biography

– After graduating from Steve Keirn’s wrestling school in Tampa, Awesome started wrestling in Florida; at times forming a tag team with Bret Sawyer.
– Awesome entered Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling (FMW) as the Gladiator.
– In January 1990, Mr. Pogo and the Gladiator won a FMW Tag Team League.
– On September 23, 1991, Big Titan and the Gladiator beat Sambo Asako and Ricky Fuji at the Kawasaki Stadium in Japan.
– Big Titan, the Gladiator, and Horace Boulder (Hogan) defeated Asako, Great Punk, and Fuji in a “street fight stretcher” match on September 19, 1992 in Yokohama, Japan.
– At FMW’s 4th Anniversary Show on May 5, 1993, Fuji, Big Titan, and the Gladiator beat Katsuji Ueda, Great Punk, and Tarzan Goto in a “loser leaves town no rope barbed wire tornado street fight death” match.
– On December 8, 1993, Big Titan, the Gladiator, and Fuji beat Asako, Katsuji Ueda, and Gregori Veritchev in a “street fight” match in Tokyo.
– Big Titan and the Gladiator became the first ever FMW World Brass Knuckles Tag Team champions.
– Before a crowd of 52,000 in Kawasaki, Japan for FMW’s 5th Anniversary Show, Big Titan, the Gladiator, and Fuji beat Gedo, Jedo, and Hiromichi Fuyuki.
– The Gladiator beat Big Titan on August 28, 1994 in Osaka, Japan.
– On October 28, 1994, Mr. Pogo and the Gladiator defeated Atsushi Onita and Mr. Gannosuke in Tokyo for the FMW World Brass Knuckles Tag Team title.
– The Gladiator pinned Hayabusa on September 26, 1995 to win the FMW World Brass Knuckles title. A few months later, Awesome was forced to vacate the title due to injury.
– On December 11, 1996, the Gladiator beat Wing Kanemura capture the Independent World World Heavyweight Title.
– On August 5, 1997, the Gladiator, Hisakatsu Ooya, and Mr. Gannosuke won the FMW Six Man Tag Title Tournament.
– Awesome agreed to a three year contract with ECW during the fall of 1999 to the delight of then ECW owner Paul Heyman. During his ECW stint, Awesome was managed by Judge Jeff Jones.

– Awesome defeated Taz and Masato Tanaka in a three way dance to win the ECW Title at the 1999 Anarchy Rulz pay-per-view.
– At the 1999 November 2 Remember, Awesome successfully defended the ECW title against Tanaka.
– Six days after dropping the ECW title to Tanaka, Awesome regained the title on December 23, 1999 in White Plains, NY.
– At Guilty As Charged 2000, Awesome successfully defended the ECW title against Spike Dudley.
– On March 4, 2000, Awesome and Raven defeated Tommy Dreamer and Tanaka for the ECW World Tag Team title at the ECW Arena in South Philadelphia.
– During the week of April 3, 2000, Awesome agreed to terms on a multi-year contract with WCW.
– Awesome made his WCW debut on “Nitro” on April 10, 2000, attacking Kevin Nash.
– On the May 1, 2000 edition of “Nitro,” Awesome defeated Hulk Hogan.
– At the Great American Bash 2000 in Baltimore, MD, Awesome defeated Diamond Dallas Page in an ambulance match, as Kanyon turned against DDP.
– Awesome became the “big chick” thriller, and later transformed into a 1970’s type character.
– Awesome next became that 70’s guy, and started hosting “Lava Lamp Lounge.”
– At Fall Brawl 2000 in Buffalo, NY, Awesome defeated Jeff Jarrett.
– Awesome beat Vampiro with an Awesome Bomb from the top rope at Halloween Havoc.
– At the German PPV “Millennium Final,” Awesome won a 20 man battle royal.
– That 70’s guy defeated Bam Bam Bigelow in an ambulance match at Starrcade 2000 in Washington, D.C.
– Awesome joined Team Canada on the December 20, 2001 episode of “Thunder,” jumping “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan in the process.
– At the Sin PPV, Team Canada (Awesome, Elix Skipper, and Lance Storm) defeated the Filthy Animals (Kidman, Mysterio, and Konnan) in a “penalty box” match. “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan served as the guest referee.
– At WCW Greed in Jacksonville, FL, Awesome and Storm defeated Hugh Morrus and Konnan.
– In March 2001, Awesome’s contract was purchased by the WWF as part of the WCW sale to WWFE.
– Awesome made his WWF debut on the June 25, 2001 episode of “Raw” at Madison Square Garden. Awesome attacked Rhyno backstage and quickly pinned him for the WWF Hardcore title.
– On the July 9, 2001 episode of “Raw,” Awesome joined Paul Heyman in the recreation of ECW.
– In September 2001, Awesome, Justin Credible, Scotty 2 Hotty, and Tommy Dreamer were sent to Puerto Rico to tour briefly with the IWA.
– In November 2001, Awesome suffered a anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear. Weeks later Awesome under went surgery.
– Awesome received his ninety day release notice in September 2002 from WWE.
– In November 2002, Awesome agreed to join All Japan Pro Wrestling.
– On December 21, 2002, Awesome defeated Jerry Lynn in Fort Lauderdale, FL on a Major League Wrestling show.
– By the end of 2002, Awesome became the Gladiator once again for All Japan.
– Awesome made his NWA TNA PPV debut on April 16, 2003.
– On May 8, 2004, Awesome, Kintaro Kanemura, and Sabu defeated Masato Tanaka, Tetsuhiro Kuroda, and Tomoaki Honma in Yokahoma, Japan.
– In October 2004, Awesome jumped from All Japan to the NOAH promotion.
– At ECW’s One Night Stand ’05 PPV, Awesome defeated Masato Tanaka.
– In early 2006, Awesome announced his retirement.