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Dean Malenko
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Dean Malenko
Dean Shelly Simon (born August 4, 1960), better known by the ring name Dean Malenko, is an American retired professional wrestler. He is signed with All Elite Wrestling (AEW) as a senior producer. He is best known for his time in World Championship Wrestling as a wrestler and World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) as a wrestler and a road agent and New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW).
Although never a world champion, Malenko achieved championship success in ECW, WCW and the WWF, winning 11 total titles across the three organizations. Pro Wrestling Illustrated named Malenko the #1 wrestler in the world in 1997, and he was inducted into the Hardcore Hall of Fame in 2015. He has been described by commentators as one of the most underrated wrestlers of all time. Multiple-time world champion Bryan Danielson said that his "number one guy, growing up, was Dean Malenko". Following his retirement as an in-ring competitor, he worked as a road agent for WWE from 2001 until 2019.
Malenko was born into a wrestling family, and his father Boris Malenko was a prominent wrestling figure. He started out as a referee in the Tampa, Florida area and worked briefly as a referee for the World Wrestling Federation in the mid-1980s. He has wrestled all over the world and has spent much time wrestling in Mexico and Japan. He wrestled with his brother Joe Malenko from 1988 to 1992, forming a tag team working in Puerto Rico, Japan, and Australia until his brother retired. On January 24, 1992, Malenko defeated "The Superstar" for the Suncoast Pro Wrestling (SPW) Southern title in Palmetto, Florida. Dean Malenko defeated Jimmy Backlund for the ICWA Light Heavyweight title on March 12, 1992, in Tampa. Then, Malenko teamed with his brother losing to Ricky Steamboat and Nikita Koloff at Clash of the Champions XIX.
In February 1988, Malenko debuted in All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) alongside his brother Joe Malenko. Over the following four years, the Malenko Brothers wrestled multiple tours with AJPW, facing teams such as the British Bulldogs, Dory Funk Jr. and Terry Funk, Footloose, and the Can-Am Express. In July 1989, the brothers wrestled one another in a bout for Joe Malenko's World Junior Heavyweight Championship, with Joe prevailing. They made their final appearances in the promotion in June 1992.
In October 1992, Malenko debuted in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he formed a tag team with Pegasus Kid/Wild Pegasus. In late 1992 and early 1993, they had a series of matches against El Samurai and Jushin Thunder Liger. In May to June 1993, Malenko competed in the Top of the Super Juniors tournament; he was successful in the first round, but was eliminated in the second round by El Samurai.
In April 1994, Malenko competed in the Super J-Cup, being eliminated in the first round by Gedo. In May to June 1994, he competed in the Best of the Super Juniors tournament, placing sixth with twelve points. In October 1994, he and Tokimitsu Ishizawa entered the Super Grade Junior Heavyweight Tag League, losing to Shinjiro Otani and Wild Pegasus in the semi-finals.
In June to July 1995, Malenko again entered the Best of the Super Juniors tournament, placing joint second with nine points. In May to June 1996, he once again entered the Best of the Super Juniors tournament, placing fourth in block B.
Malenko made his final appearances in NJPW in October 1999 as part of its Fall in Black tour, reforming his tag team with Wild Pegasus to defeat El Samurai and Liger.
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Dean Malenko
Dean Shelly Simon (born August 4, 1960), better known by the ring name Dean Malenko, is an American retired professional wrestler. He is signed with All Elite Wrestling (AEW) as a senior producer. He is best known for his time in World Championship Wrestling as a wrestler and World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) as a wrestler and a road agent and New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW).
Although never a world champion, Malenko achieved championship success in ECW, WCW and the WWF, winning 11 total titles across the three organizations. Pro Wrestling Illustrated named Malenko the #1 wrestler in the world in 1997, and he was inducted into the Hardcore Hall of Fame in 2015. He has been described by commentators as one of the most underrated wrestlers of all time. Multiple-time world champion Bryan Danielson said that his "number one guy, growing up, was Dean Malenko". Following his retirement as an in-ring competitor, he worked as a road agent for WWE from 2001 until 2019.
Malenko was born into a wrestling family, and his father Boris Malenko was a prominent wrestling figure. He started out as a referee in the Tampa, Florida area and worked briefly as a referee for the World Wrestling Federation in the mid-1980s. He has wrestled all over the world and has spent much time wrestling in Mexico and Japan. He wrestled with his brother Joe Malenko from 1988 to 1992, forming a tag team working in Puerto Rico, Japan, and Australia until his brother retired. On January 24, 1992, Malenko defeated "The Superstar" for the Suncoast Pro Wrestling (SPW) Southern title in Palmetto, Florida. Dean Malenko defeated Jimmy Backlund for the ICWA Light Heavyweight title on March 12, 1992, in Tampa. Then, Malenko teamed with his brother losing to Ricky Steamboat and Nikita Koloff at Clash of the Champions XIX.
In February 1988, Malenko debuted in All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) alongside his brother Joe Malenko. Over the following four years, the Malenko Brothers wrestled multiple tours with AJPW, facing teams such as the British Bulldogs, Dory Funk Jr. and Terry Funk, Footloose, and the Can-Am Express. In July 1989, the brothers wrestled one another in a bout for Joe Malenko's World Junior Heavyweight Championship, with Joe prevailing. They made their final appearances in the promotion in June 1992.
In October 1992, Malenko debuted in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he formed a tag team with Pegasus Kid/Wild Pegasus. In late 1992 and early 1993, they had a series of matches against El Samurai and Jushin Thunder Liger. In May to June 1993, Malenko competed in the Top of the Super Juniors tournament; he was successful in the first round, but was eliminated in the second round by El Samurai.
In April 1994, Malenko competed in the Super J-Cup, being eliminated in the first round by Gedo. In May to June 1994, he competed in the Best of the Super Juniors tournament, placing sixth with twelve points. In October 1994, he and Tokimitsu Ishizawa entered the Super Grade Junior Heavyweight Tag League, losing to Shinjiro Otani and Wild Pegasus in the semi-finals.
In June to July 1995, Malenko again entered the Best of the Super Juniors tournament, placing joint second with nine points. In May to June 1996, he once again entered the Best of the Super Juniors tournament, placing fourth in block B.
Malenko made his final appearances in NJPW in October 1999 as part of its Fall in Black tour, reforming his tag team with Wild Pegasus to defeat El Samurai and Liger.
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