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Disco Inferno (wrestler)
Disco Inferno (wrestler)
Disco Inferno (wrestler)
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Glenn Gilbertti (born November 12, 1967) is an American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling (WCW) as Disco Inferno (briefly changed to Disqo) from 1995 to 2001.[4]

Key Information

During his six-year tenure with WCW, Gilbertti became a one-time Cruiserweight Champion, a two-time Television Champion and a one-time Tag Team Champion with Alex Wright.

After WCW, he worked for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling and World Wrestling All-Stars.

Professional wrestling career

[edit]

Early career (1991–1995)

[edit]

Gilbertti started wrestling in 1991 wrestling his first match on November 20, 1991.[2] He wrestled on the Georgia independent circuit, where he was best known for his time with Great Championship Wrestling (GCW) where he won several titles. He also had a short stint with the United States Wrestling Association (USWA) in 1993.[3]

World Championship Wrestling (1995–2001)

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Mid-card (1995–1996)

[edit]
Disco Inferno with two fans during his time in WCW

Gilbertti made his name in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) as Disco Inferno, named after The Trammps' song and inspired by John Travolta's character Tony Manero in Saturday Night Fever. Gilbertti credits Raven for the birth of the "Disco Inferno" character.[8] He annoyed the audience with his disco dancer character, which included dancing on the way to the ring and during his matches, the punchline being that fans would chant "Disco sucks!". He would come out and dance to his entrance music called "Disco Fever", written by Jimmy Hart.

Gilbertti signed a contract with WCW in 1995 and debuted later that same year. He gradually rose to mid-card status as a tweener, with his gimmick being that he would forget how to apply his finishing hold, a standing figure four leglock. Often, he would bring a cheat sheet with a diagram on how to apply the hold to the ring. He mostly competed in the WCW's shows Saturday Night, Main Event and WorldWide that mainly featured mid-card wrestlers .[3] Inferno wrestled on many editions of Main Event before pay-per-view events against superstars such as Joey Maggs and Eddie Guerrero.[9][10] He also competed on January 23, 1996 Clash of the Champions XXXII in a losing effort to Kevin Sullivan.[11] Inferno made his pay-per-view debut at Slamboree 1996: Lord of the Ring in a tag team contest where he teamed up with Alex Wright against Dick Slater and Earl Robert Eaton.[12]

Face push (1996–1997)

[edit]

Although primarily used as a mid-card level talent, Disco started getting over with the fans, some of whom instead of chanting "Disco Sucks", would dance as Disco Inferno made his way to the ring. As such he received a push in the cruiserweight division by mid-1996. He began a feud with Cruiserweight Champion Dean Malenko and unsuccessfully challenged him for the title at Bash at the Beach.[13] At World War 3, he participated in the three ring, 60 man battle royal with the winner receiving a shot at the World Heavyweight Championship.[14] Inferno was injured in early 1997 and he took some time off before returning in September. His injury was mentioned after Disco refused to lose to Jacqueline because she was a woman.[15]

Disco then feuded with Alex Wright, who began dancing before his entrance to mock Disco. Disco was booked to win the WCW World Television Championship from Wright on September 22 edition of Monday Nitro.[2][3][16][17] Disco lost to Jacqueline at Halloween Havoc.[18] He engaged in a feud with Perry Saturn after losing the Television title to Saturn on November 3 episode of Nitro.[17] Disco lost to Saturn in a rematch at World War 3,[19] before regaining the title from Saturn in a rematch on the December 8 episode of Nitro.[2][3][16][17] Four weeks later, he dropped the title to Booker T.[2][3][17]

Heel run (1998–2001)

[edit]

The Dancing Fools

[edit]
Main article: Dancing Fools

After having two reigns as Television Champion, Disco once again became an enhancement talent and a mid-carder in the cruiserweight division.[3] He defeated La Parka at SuperBrawl VIII.[20] He patched up things with former rival Alex Wright, thus turning into a villain in the process and the duo formed a tag team of dancers known as Dancing Fools. The team was used for comedy relief and often danced before their entrance. They were also joined by fellow dancer Tokyo Magnum.[3] At Bash at the Beach, Inferno lost a match to Konnan.[21] Inferno and Wright feuded with teams such as The Public Enemy (Johnny Grunge and Rocco Rock),[22] and The British Bulldog and Jim Neidhart.[23]

nWo Wolfpac

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After not getting any success, Inferno and Wright split and began focusing on their singles careers again. Inferno started a feud with Juventud Guerrera and defeated him at Halloween Havoc to become the number one contender to the Cruiserweight Championship.[3][24] He earned his title shot later that night against champion Billy Kidman but lost the match.[24] At World War 3, he participated in the three ring, 60-man battle royal with the winner getting a shot at the World Heavyweight Championship at Starrcade, but the battle royal was won by Kevin Nash.[25] Later at Starrcade, Disco along with Bam Bam Bigelow and Scott Hall assisted Nash in ending Goldberg's 173 match winning streak in the main event of Starrcade. Inferno became allied with, although he never joined the nWo Wolfpac until after the reunion.[2][3] Around that time, Disco feuded with the likes of Booker T,[26] Konnan,[27] Buff Bagwell[28] and Ernest Miller.[3][29]

Gilbertti later said that the nWo storyline and working with Hall was the highlight of his career.[30]

The Mamalukes enforcer

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Inferno won the Cruiserweight Championship from Psychosis on October 4, 1999, edition of Nitro.[3][31][32] He entered a program with Lash LeRoux and had a successful title defense against LeRoux at Halloween Havoc.[3][33] He was joined by a new ally Tony Marinara. Inferno dropped the Cruiserweight title to Evan Karagias at Mayhem after Inferno accidentally attacked Marinara.[3][34] Marinara joined The Mamalukes, while Disco was joined by LeRoux. At Starrcade, Disco and LeRoux lost to Mamalukes after Disco accidentally attacked LeRoux.[3][35] Disco aligned with Mamalukes and became an enforcer for the duo.[3]

The Filthy Animals and heel incarnation

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In spring 2000, Eric Bischoff and Vince Russo "rebooted" WCW and the New Blood was formed. Disco joined The Mamalukes, then the Filthy Animals,[3] renaming himself Hip Hop Inferno[citation needed] and then Disqo (a pun on R&B singer Sisqó, whose single "Thong Song" was a major hit at the time). The Filthy Animals feuded with Misfits in Action and Disqo unsuccessfully challenged Lieutenant Loco for the Cruiserweight Championship at The Great American Bash.[3][36] At New Blood Rising, Disqo refereed a fatal four-way match for the World Tag Team Championship, which KroniK won.[3][37] At Fall Brawl 2000, Filthy Animals fought Natural Born Thrillers to a no contest in an elimination match.[3][38] During the match, Disco turned on Konnan by hitting him with a Chart Buster and began feuding with both the Animals and the Thrillers.[3]

The Boogie Knights

[edit]

Disco reunited with both former rival and tag team partner, Alex Wright as The Boogie Knights, both becoming face. At Halloween Havoc, they challenged for the World Tag Team Championship in a triangle match but ended up losing the match.[3][39] They were scheduled to win the World Tag Team Championship at Millennium Final on November 16, but Disco was legitimately injured. General Rection substituted for Disqo and then won the tag titles for Disqo and Wright.[17][40] They dropped the title afterward. He ended up splitting from Wright and forming a brief partnership with Mike Sanders. Disco's last appearance with WCW came on the March 19, 2001 (second to last) edition of Nitro where he spoke about his new partnership with Sanders and lost a match to Jason Jett. WCW was purchased by World Wrestling Federation (WWF) later that week.

World Wrestling All-Stars (2001–2003)

[edit]

After WCW's folding, he worked for World Wrestling All-Stars (WWA) as a commentator and wrestler (still using the Disco Inferno name).[3] At Inception, he participated in a battle royal which was won by Buff Bagwell. It was a quarter-final match of the tournament for the vacant WWA World Heavyweight Championship.[2][41] He was eliminated by the 'Fruits in Suits', Australian children's TV performers, in a WCW style joke story line. He later threw one of the Fruits off the top of a steel cage before the main event. Following the Inception pay-per-view he toured the UK with WWA, squaring off with Brian Christopher most nights on the tour, mostly ending in defeat. During these shows he introduced a new finishing move, the Village People's Elbow. A mockery of The Rock's People's Elbow the move saw Disco wear a hardhat while performing the YMCA dance before dropping the elbow. As well as wrestle, he would also join Jeremy Borash on commentary for the second half of these shows, and would claim to be there as the crowd had not shown him proper respect earlier in the evening.

In 2002 Disco continued with WWA, appearing at the Revolution pay-per-view in February. During this show he issued an open challenge for anyone to face him, as he had no opponent to face. He sat at ringside commentating in his usual style until he was beaten down by the returning Scott Steiner. The next PPV, Eruption, saw Disco commentating on the full event and not competing. He tried to intervene on a celebration dance off by Brian Christopher and Ernest Miller.

Later in the year he toured further with WWA in the UK in December. During this tour, which included the Retribution PPV, he mostly worked on commentary and ring announcing duties. He also credited as being the script writer/creative consultant for this tour. In 2003, he returned to WWA under his "Disco Inferno" gimmick. On May 23 in a house show in Australia, Disco faced WWA World Heavyweight Champion Sting for the title but lost the match.[2][42] He returned to commentary duties for WWA final PPV, the Reckoning, broadcast from Auckland, New Zealand.

Total Nonstop Action Wrestling/Impact Wrestling (2002–2004, 2007–present)

[edit]

Early years (2002–2004)

[edit]
Main article: Sports Entertainment Xtreme

Gilbertti then went on to join Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), changing his alias to his real name.[2] His name was often spelled incorrectly using "Glen Gilberti" or "Glenn Gilberti". On the July 31, 2002, weekly TNA pay-per-view, Disco Inferno debuted his weekly talk segment entitled Jive Talkin'[43] after announcing that he would be hosting a talk show the previous week.[44] The talk segment lasted three weeks ending on August 14, 2002, with the weekly guests being Goldy Locks, The Dupps, and "Dean Baldwin".[45]

Gilbertti became a member of Sports Entertainment Xtreme (SEX) and even became their leader near the end of that angle.[2][46] On May 7, 2003, pay-per-view, he won an Anarchy Battle Royal to become the number one contender to the NWA World Heavyweight Championship.[2][47] The next month, he earned his title shot against the champion Jeff Jarrett but lost the match after Vince Russo hit him with a baseball bat.[2][48]

After SEX disbanded, Gilbertti managed the tag team Simon Diamond and Johnny Swinger prior to forming the New York Connection (NYC) which consisted of Vito, Simon Diamond, David Young, Johnny Swinger and Trinity.[2] On the November 26 pay-per-view, Gilbertti teamed up with Diamond and Swinger in a 6-man tag team match to face 3Live Kru (Konnan, Ron Killings and B.G. James) for the vacant NWA World Tag Team Championship.[2][49] When their stable fell apart, Gilbertti began teaming with Young while Simon and Swinger formed a separate team. In late 2004, Gilbertti reunited with Swinger and the duo teamed up together at Turning Point in a losing effort to Pat Kenney (formerly Simon Diamond) and Johnny B. Badd.[2][50] Gilbertti left TNA and returned to independent circuit.

Sporadic appearances (2007–present)

[edit]

On October 18, 2007, edition of Impact!, Gilbertti appeared in a taped interview segment with Mike Tenay as Disco Inferno. He returned later in the show, losing in a squash match to Abyss.[2][51]

In late 2007, Gilbertti worked for TNA as a road agent and also contributed to the creative team with Vince Russo. He also attended TNA's Lockdown fan interaction in Lowell, Massachusetts on April 12, 2008, and later appeared as a guest on the October 8, 2008 edition of Spin Cycle, TNA's online-exclusive show. On November 2, 2008, Gilbertti was released from his contract with TNA, with them citing budgetary cuts as the reason.

On the May 26, 2011 edition of Impact Wrestling, Disco Inferno made an appearance on Mr. Anderson's Scorpion Sitdown interview segment, where he was asked by Anderson to bury Sting. He refused and got beat down by Anderson until Sting came to his aid.[52]

Disco Inferno made a brief appearance on the December 15 edition of Impact Wrestling titled "Total Nonstop Deletion." Appearing "backstage," Inferno commented on his relief in not having to face Matt Hardy's son King Maxel in his debut match after being pinned by him on another occasion.

Gilbertti appeared on the Thanksgiving 2018 episode of Impact Wrestling. Gilbertti had a plan to impress Scarlett Bordeaux. He participated in Eli Drake's 2nd annual "Gravy Train Turkey Trot", a 5-on-5 mixed tag team match where he teamed with Ohio Versus Everything member Jake Crist, Katarina, Desi Hit Squad member Rohit Raju, and their captain Eli Drake. They faced the team of Alisha Edwards, Dezmond Xavier, Kikutaro, KM (Kevin Matthews) and team captain Fallah Bahh. Gilbertti was pinned by Fallah Bahh after a Bonzai Drop. Since Gilbertti was pinned in the match, he was forced to wear the Turkey suit.[53]

Gilbertti made his return on February 22, 2019, where he was shown backstage trying to find the management office. On the March 1 episode, Gilbertti showed up to start his new job with management role with Impact, while Tommy Dreamer told him to find the Anthem owl. On the March 8 episode, while searching for Don Callis ringside to discuss his Impact management role, Gilbertti had a confrontation with Scarlett Bordeaux. A match is booked between the two. On March 15, Gilbertti beat Kikutaro as he prepared for Bordeaux. On the March 22 episode, Gilbertti was shown at a bar "preparing" for his match with Bordeaux. On March 29, Scarlett Bordeaux beat Gilbertti in an intergender match. Later in the night, he was shown backstage being made fun of by Alisha Edwards and Kiera Hogan for losing to Bordeaux.

Gilbertti returned on the May 17 episode and spoke negatively about women's wrestling. While serving as a guest commentator for a women's battle royal, Gilbertti entered the match and won by eliminating Tessa Blanchard. On the May 24 episode, Gilbertti held an "exhibition" with Ashley Vox. He was confronted by Blanchard after badmouthing women's wrestling. On May 31, Blanchard beat Gilbertti in an inter-gender match.

Gilbertti returned on February 25, 2020, and formed a partnership with Johnny Swinger after Willie Mack said he would no longer be a tag team with Swinger. The following week, Gilbertti and Swinger lost to the Deaners. On the March 10 episode, Gilbertti and Swinger lost to Mack and Ace Austin. Gilbertti quit the team with Swinger after the match.

Independent appearances (2005–present)

[edit]

In 2005, Gilbertti went back to working the independent circuit in Georgia and Minnesota. He also wrestled for the Southern Wrestling Alliance and Vince Russo's Ring of Glory.[3]

Since 2009 he has worked as a trainer for Future Stars of Wrestling in Las Vegas and sometimes appears on the company's independent shows.[54][55]

He appeared at the WrestleCon Supershow during Wrestlemania 31 weekend in San Jose, California. He defeated Mr. T.A.[56]

Disco teamed with Eli Drake on March 11, 2018, at Future Stars of Wrestling in Las Vegas. The two lost to Raven and Tommy Dreamer.[57]

Podcasts and other work

[edit]

In 2014, Gilbertti began appearing as a guest on Major League Wrestling Radio's podcasts and in early 2015 briefly had his own podcast 'Hot News' alongside Mike Sanders on Vince Russo's now defunct Pyro and Ballyhoo website.

Gilbertti is currently one of the hosts of a podcast called Keepin it 100 with Konnan. He has been with the show since it debuted on Podcast One in 2016. He also does a podcast with Vince Russo called "Time Out".

Booking career and legacy

[edit]

In June 2000, Gilbertti assisted in the booking of the WCW shows.[58] During that time, the booking committee consisted of Gilbertti, Vince Russo, Bill Banks, Ed Ferrara, and Terry Taylor.[59] During booking sessions, Gilbertti would occasionally joke with the creative team about potential angles: one included doing a Martian invasion storyline where the story would start with antennas coming out of Mike Tenay's head;[60] another one would include a pre-recorded vignette showing an empty locker-room followed by a caption showing "Invisible Man: Coming Soon".[60]

In Vince Russo's book Rope Opera, Russo says when he was close to re-signing as head writer of the WWE creative team in mid-2002, he requested that Gilbertti be brought in with him; according to Russo, word got around about Gilbertti's booking to the point that Vince McMahon questioned Russo's decision about bringing in Gilbertti due to legitimate concerns about Gilbertti's ideas, and referenced the "Martian invasion" angle to him.[60] Russo ended up not signing with WWE later and Gilbertti was not signed as a result as well.

Gilbertti had a brief stint on the creative team in TNA in late 2007 to early 2008, when Russo brought him in. Post-WCW, during interviews and columns he had written, Gilbertti had been known to be very vocal about his preference of the entertainment aspect over the athletic component of professional wrestling.[61][62]

In September 2015, Kayfabe Commentaries, who produces DVDs of wrestler interviews, released "Guest Booker with Glenn Gilbertti" where Gilbertti talked about his wrestling philosophy as well as his joke ideas such as the Martian invasion, the Invisible Man, and "Bill Ding: The Evil Architect"; when asked what his favorite story or character he booked, Gilbertti said the booking of Lance Storm in WCW where Storm was pushed week after week to the point where he held three titles at the same time.

On that same Guest Booker interview, Gilbertti elaborated on his philosophy on booking professional wrestling:

"There has never been a book written on wrestling. The book that has been written on wrestling is in the ego of the minds of the people that have done it before us, the ones that have booked previously and have been successful. They think they wrote the book because they did things that proved successful. That doesn't mean that's the only thing you have to do... You can call [pro wrestling] a male soap-opera, good vs evil played out on theater, but in this day and age, in the era of ratings, wrestling is a three-hour block of television that you have freedom to put whatever you want on it to get people to watch the show."[63]

On April 8, 2014, WWE Countdown ranked the Disco Inferno character portrayed by Gilbertti as the sixth most infamous gimmick in wrestling history. Many of his peers from WCW—now working for WWE—such as William Regal, Bill DeMott, and Scott Armstrong, did defend Gilbertti, stating that he fully embraced the gimmick and was successfully able to get it over with fans. Gilbertti was not interviewed for the show.[64]

Personal life

[edit]

Since 2009, Gilbertti started working as a host at the Sapphire Gentlemen's Club, a strip club in Las Vegas.[65]

Championships and accomplishments

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Disco Inferno (wrestler)

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Glenn Gilbertti (born November 12, 1967, in , New York), better known by the Disco Inferno, is an American retired professional wrestler renowned for his comedic disco-dancing gimmick in (WCW) from 1995 to 2001. Inspired by John Travolta's character in , his persona featured flamboyant dance moves and attire, positioning him as a mid-card entertainer during the Monday Night Wars era. Over his WCW tenure, Gilbertti achieved notable success as a one-time WCW Cruiserweight Champion, a two-time WCW World Television Champion, and a one-time WCW World Tag Team Champion (with as part of The Boogie Knights). Gilbertti began his wrestling career in the early 1990s on the independent circuit, training under Steve Lawler and competing in promotions such as the National Grand Wrestling Alliance (NGWA) in , where he won a title, and the Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation (MEWF) in . He signed with WCW in 1995, debuting as on Monday Nitro and quickly establishing himself as a jobber-turned-midcarder with matches against top cruiserweights like and . His character evolved to include comedy segments, such as failed attempts to join factions, enhancing WCW's variety programming amid its competition with WWF. In WCW, Disco Inferno's first major push came in 1997 when he defeated for the on September 22, holding it for 42 days before losing to ; he regained the title on December 8 for a brief second reign of 21 days. He later captured the WCW Cruiserweight Championship in October 1999 despite weighing around 240 pounds, often playing on weight limit storylines to qualify for the division. As a tag team specialist, he partnered with Wright in The Dancing Fools and later The Boogie Knights, winning the in 2000. Gilbertti briefly allied with the nWo in 1998 and later joined the reunited nWo Elite in 1999, and was part of The stable, feuding with groups like the West Texas Rednecks and contributing to WCW's cruiserweight and mid-card divisions until the promotion's closure in March 2001. Following WCW's acquisition by WWE, Gilbertti wrestled sporadically on the independent circuit and appeared in (TNA, now Impact Wrestling) from 2002 to 2003 as part of Sports Entertainment Xtreme and later from 2007 to 2008 in creative and on-screen roles with . He retired from full-time in-ring competition in the mid-2000s but remains active in wrestling media as co-host of the podcast Keepin' It 100 with , where he provides commentary on modern promotions like AEW and . Standing at 6 feet 1 inch and billing at 240 pounds, Gilbertti's legacy endures as a symbol of WCW's eccentric booking and entertainment-driven approach to .

Professional wrestling career

Early career (1991–1995)

Glenn Gilbertti began training for a professional wrestling career under the guidance of Steve Lawler in Georgia in 1991. He made his in-ring debut on November 20, 1991, performing on the independent circuit in the Georgia region. Initially wrestling under the ring name Glen Gilberti, he competed in various regional promotions, including the North Georgia Wrestling Association (NGWA) and Southern Championship Wrestling. These early appearances focused on building fundamental skills through matches against local talent in small venues across the Southeast. One notable achievement came in NGWA, where Gilberti partnered with Ashley Clark to capture the NGWA Championship on August 7, 1994, defeating Scott Studd and Lee Thomas. This reign highlighted his versatility as a competitor during his formative years on the independents.

World Championship Wrestling (1995–2001)

Gilbertti signed with (WCW) in 1995, initially working as an enhancement talent in untelevised matches before transitioning to a more prominent role on . He debuted his "" persona later that year, adopting a flamboyant disco dancer inspired by the character from , complete with , a sequined vest, and dance moves to annoy audiences and generate heel heat. The character quickly became a staple of WCW's mid-card comedy acts, with Inferno frequently losing to established stars such as and during 1995 and 1996, building his reputation as a resilient jobber capable of entertaining crowds despite consistent defeats. By mid-1996, Inferno received his first significant singles push as a face, engaging in feuds within the cruiserweight division that highlighted his athleticism alongside the gimmick. He turned in 1997, aligning with similar dance-oriented characters and capturing the for the first time on September 22, defeating on Monday Nitro in , ; he held the title for 42 days before losing it to . Inferno regained the Television Championship just over a month later on December 8 in , pinning Saturn in a match also involving , but dropped it to Booker T on December 29 after a 21-day reign. These short but impactful reigns established him as a credible mid-card contender, with defenses emphasizing quick, high-energy bouts that played to his character's eccentricity. In 1998, Inferno partnered with to form the Dancing Fools, a comedic that incorporated synchronized dancing into their entrances and matches for satirical relief amid WCW's intense wars. The duo briefly joined the nWo that summer, adopting black-and-red attire while retaining their dance routines, though their involvement was short-lived and focused on enhancing the stable's chaotic energy rather than core storylines. Later that year at , Inferno participated in the for a shot at the , showcasing his endurance in the multi-man spectacle. Inferno's faction affiliations continued into 1999, serving as an enforcer for The Mamalukes stable before integrating into the , a face group led by that feuded with the reforming nWo; during this period, he briefly rebranded as "Disqo" and "Hip Hop Inferno" to fit the stable's edgy theme. On October 4, he won the WCW Cruiserweight Championship from on Monday Nitro in , holding it for 48 days with defenses against challengers like and that blended cruiserweight spots with comedic elements. He lost the title to on November 21 at Mayhem. By mid-2000, Inferno turned heel again, betraying the at and reuniting with Wright as the Boogie Knights, a hip-hop infused evolution of their earlier act. The Boogie Knights captured the on November 16, 2000, at the pay-per-view in , , defeating The Insiders ( and ) in a controversial finish involving interference from hired enforcers ; their reign lasted only four days before dropping the titles to The Perfect Event ( and Sean Stasiak). As WCW's financial troubles mounted, Inferno wrestled his final match for the promotion on March 18, 2001, against on Monday Nitro, shortly before WCW was sold to the World Wrestling Federation in March 2001, leading to his release along with most of the roster.

World Wrestling All-Stars (2001–2003)

Following the closure of , Glenn Gilbertti signed with the (WWA) in late 2001, joining their inaugural tour across as the Disco Inferno character. This international outing provided a platform for recovery in the post-WCW landscape, with performances in multiple house shows that highlighted his comedic wrestling style. The tour extended to in November 2002, allowing him to engage audiences in new markets without the constraints of U.S. television programming. During his WWA tenure, Gilbertti competed in several high-profile in-ring matches against notable opponents, including a submission loss to early in the Australian run and a defeat to in May 2003. Later that month, on May 23, 2003, in , he challenged WWA World Heavyweight Champion Sting for the title but was unsuccessful in a house show bout. These encounters often positioned him against a mix of veterans and rising talents, emphasizing his role in mid-card entertainment. Amid these appearances, he debuted the Village People's as a finishing move—a satirical take on The Rock's People's Elbow, featuring a YMCA routine before the elbow drop—which became a signature element of his performances. Gilbertti also took on commentary duties for WWA's events, offering analysis alongside broadcast partners during key broadcasts. He provided color commentary for the Retribution event on December 1, 2002, in , , where he contributed insights into the action involving cruiserweight and divisions. His dual role as wrestler and announcer added versatility to the promotion's touring format, bridging in-ring antics with broadcast energy. Storylines during this period included rivalries with younger cruiserweight competitors, where his established persona clashed with agile, high-flying styles to generate crowd reactions on the international circuit. WWA's operations concluded in 2003 after its final tour of and , culminating in The Reckoning pay-per-view on May 25, where Gilbertti returned to the announce desk. The promotion's folding amid financial challenges marked the end of his stint, prompting a return to U.S.-based opportunities in promotions like . This brief international phase underscored his adaptability during a transitional era in .

Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2002–2010)

Gilbertti debuted in (TNA) during the summer of 2002 on the promotion's weekly events, performing under his established persona and initially focusing on non-wrestling entertainment roles. On the July 31, 2002, PPV, he launched his recurring talk segment "Jive Talkin'," a comedy-driven show featuring backstage antics, celebrity guests from the roster, and satirical skits that highlighted his charismatic, over-the-top personality to engage audiences during TNA's early experimental phase. The segment ran through 2003 and into 2004, providing lighthearted relief amid the promotion's intense six-sided ring matches and evolving storylines, though it drew mixed reactions for its vaudeville-style humor. Later that year, he aligned with the Sports Entertainment Xtreme (SEX) faction, a group promoting chaotic, entertainment-focused against TNA's more traditional elements, and eventually assumed leadership of the stable alongside members like , , and Mike Sanders. Under his guidance, SEX engaged in feuds with authority figures and precursors to later groups like the , including high-profile clashes at events such as the May 7, 2003, PPV where Gilbertti won an Battle Royal, positioning the faction as antagonists in TNA's midcard narratives through 2004. During this period, he also took on managerial duties, helping and Swinger capture the in August 2003, emphasizing his contributions to storyline development over in-ring competition. Gilbertti made a one-off return to TNA programming in 2007, appearing under the shortened "" moniker with a vignette on the October 18 of Impact! promising to revitalize the company, followed by an in-ring loss to Abyss the next week that underscored his underdog status. From 2008 to 2010, his involvement shifted to sporadic appearances, including tag team matches—often partnering with in nostalgic New York Connection callbacks—and brief angles that leaned into intergender comedy, such as confrontations highlighting TNA's evolving women's division dynamics without securing any victories or titles. His final notable TNA run concluded in 2010 amid the promotion's roster restructuring, leaving a legacy centered on entertainment value rather than championship pursuits; a brief 2018 cameo in the annual match, where he donned a turkey suit and suffered a comedic beatdown, served as a nostalgic to his early contributions.

Independent circuit (2005–2021)

Following his departure from major promotions, Glenn Gilbertti resumed wrestling on the in 2005, focusing on regional shows in Georgia and . He competed in events for smaller promotions, including the Southern Wrestling Alliance, where he showcased his established persona in matches against local talent. This period marked a shift to more sporadic bookings, allowing him to balance in-ring work with other pursuits while maintaining his comedic style rooted in and exaggerated entrances. By 2009, Gilbertti established himself as a trainer at Future Stars of Wrestling (FSW) in , , where he mentored aspiring wrestlers through structured classes and camps. His role at FSW extended beyond teaching fundamentals to incorporating entertainment elements, drawing from his WCW experience to emphasize character development and crowd engagement. He occasionally stepped into the ring for FSW events, such as defeating at the 2013 When Stars Collide show and teaming with to win a handicap match against Jayson Cash at the 2014 . These appearances highlighted his ongoing commitment to the promotion while prioritizing mentorship. Throughout the , Gilbertti's independent schedule remained intermittent, with notable outings in promotions like Pro Wrestling Syndicate (PWS), where he defeated Pinkie Sanchez at Supercard 2016, and Independent Championship Wrestling (ICW), including a victory over Doink during the 2010 Global Showdown Korea Tour. He evolved his "" slightly for indies, leaning into shorter comedy spots like improvised dances during entrances to entertain smaller crowds. By the late , bookings tapered as he focused on training, with appearances in multi-man matches and battle royals at FSW and similar groups. Gilbertti's final in-ring performance came on , , at the FSW vs. GCW collaborative event in , where he lost to Effy in a four-minute bout that served as his retirement match after three decades in wrestling. This outing encapsulated his career's humorous tone, with Effy incorporating playful taunts into the finish. Post-retirement, Gilbertti transitioned exclusively to behind-the-scenes contributions, particularly at FSW, solidifying his legacy as an entertainer and educator on the indies.

Non-wrestling roles

Booking and commentary

In 2000, Gilbertti joined the WCW booking committee under head writer , contributing ideas during the promotion's final months, including pitches for cruiserweight storylines that aimed to blend humor with high-flying action to revitalize the division. His involvement stemmed from his on-screen experience, which provided insight into performer dynamics, though the committee's efforts were hampered by WCW's instability. Gilbertti's involvement with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) began in 2003, where he served as a manager and contributed to creative efforts alongside from 2003 to 2005 and again from 2007 to 2008, helping develop angles such as the Sports Entertainment Xtreme () stable's provocative faction warfare and entertainment spectacle over pure athleticism. During this period, he contributed to booking, notably claiming credit for originating the Ultimate X match concept in 2003, a high-stakes gimmick that became a signature TNA event and showcased innovative structures to elevate undercard talent. Following WCW's closure, Gilbertti worked as a play-by-play commentator for (WWA) events from 2002 to 2003, calling matches featuring stars like Sting and while retaining his Disco Inferno persona for occasional in-ring appearances. His commentary style focused on energetic narration to hype the international tours, blending humor with match descriptions to engage global audiences. In the 2010s, Gilbertti appeared on the "Guest Booker" DVD series, where he pitched hypothetical storylines and advice on talent utilization drawn from his major league experience, often emphasizing cost-effective gimmicks to boost smaller shows. Gilbertti's booking philosophy prioritizes entertainment-driven narratives over an exclusive athletic focus, arguing that wrestling's success lies in compelling characters and unpredictable angles rather than technical prowess alone, a view shaped by his collaboration with Russo on "crash TV" concepts. He critiques modern promotions for over-relying on workrate, stating that "workrate is overrated" and advocating for fun, loose storytelling to broaden appeal beyond hardcore fans. Examples include his pitched ideas like a or character, intended to inject absurdity and draw casual viewers. Gilbertti's legacy includes recognition as a gimmick innovator, with his persona ranked #6 on WWE's 2014 Countdown list of infamous , noted for its retro dance theme that failed to resonate in the ring despite attempts to evolve it into concepts like .

Podcasts

Glenn Gilbertti, professionally known as , entered the podcasting space in 2016 as co-host of Keepin' It 100 alongside . The show premiered on July 7, 2016, via PodcastOne and has since become a platform for in-depth retrospectives on (WCW) and (TNA) storylines, while also analyzing ongoing developments in (AEW) and . Episodes often feature guest appearances from wrestling veterans, blending historical anecdotes with critiques of modern booking decisions. Gilbertti also co-hosted Lions, Tigers, Bears and Disco with Vince Russo on Russo's The Brand, beginning around 2019. The podcast focused on discussions of professional wrestling topics, including critiques and arguments about industry events. It ran until approximately 2021 and was subsequently replaced by Lions, Tigers, Bears and Head, which features Al Snow in a similar format. In the early 2020s, Gilbertti expanded his media presence by co-hosting Time Out with Vince Russo, a format centered on dissecting professional wrestling's creative elements, including booking strategies and performer evaluations. The podcast delves into topics such as storyline flaws and talent utilization, often sparking debates on industry trends. It ended in 2025 following the end of the friendship between Russo and Gilbertti amid a public fallout. Standout discussions across both shows include explorations of the New World Order (nWo) formation's impact on WCW dynamics, Gilbertti's firsthand accounts of his 1997 firing from WCW for refusing a match loss to Jacqueline, and assessments of 2020s wrestlers like Rhea Ripley and Tony Khan's promotional style. These segments highlight Gilbertti's insider perspective, drawing from his career experiences to inform listener analysis. As of 2025, Keepin' It 100 incorporates Patreon-exclusive episodes, bonus audio clips, and live YouTube streams for real-time fan engagement, amassing thousands of exclusive posts. Following Gilbertti's from active in-ring wrestling in 2021, he shifted fully to podcasting, establishing it as his primary outlet in the wrestling entertainment sphere.

Championships and accomplishments

Major titles

Gilbertti, performing as Disco Inferno, captured the WCW Cruiserweight Championship once during his tenure in World Championship Wrestling. He won the title on October 4, 1999, by defeating on an episode of in . His 48-day reign included successful defenses, notably against at on October 24, 1999, where he retained the belt via pinfall after a series of high-flying exchanges. The championship was vacated following a loss to on November 21, 1999, at WCW Mayhem in , . Disco Inferno held the WCW World Television Championship on two occasions, establishing himself as a midcard mainstay through intense feuds, particularly with Booker T. His first reign began on September 22, 1997, when he defeated Alex Wright on WCW Monday Nitro in Salt Lake City, Utah, lasting 42 days until Perry Saturn claimed the title on November 3, 1997. The second reign, starting December 8, 1997, after defeating Perry Saturn on WCW Monday Nitro in Buffalo, New York, endured for 21 days, ending when Booker T claimed it on December 29, 1997. These reigns highlighted Gilbertti's technical prowess and his rivalry with Booker T, who ended his second title run. As part of the Boogie Knights tag team with , Disco Inferno won the once on November 16, 2000, at WCW Millennium Final in , , by defeating The Perfect Event (Sean Stasiak and ). The 4-day reign concluded on November 20, 2000, when they lost to The Perfect Event on in , marking a short-lived highlight in their comedic partnership. Prior to these major accomplishments in WCW, Gilbertti secured several independent titles, such as the , which served as foundational experience leading to his national exposure.

Other achievements

Disco Inferno's signature moves included the Chartbuster, a stunner variation he used as a finisher throughout his WCW tenure. He also employed the Last Dance, a standing figure-four , as another key submission hold in his arsenal. During his appearances with the in 2002, Gilbertti debuted the Village People's Elbow, a comedic of The Rock's People's Elbow that involved him donning a hardhat and performing exaggerated gestures before dropping an elbow. In 2014, WWE's series ranked the gimmick as the sixth most infamous in wrestling history, highlighting its polarizing mix of dance routines and outdated flair that drew significant heat despite limiting his credibility. Gilbertti's contributed to the evolution of comedy wrestling by emphasizing exaggerated entrances and self-deprecating humor, influencing later entertainers who blended athleticism with absurdity to engage audiences. Beyond performing, he has impacted the industry through training, mentoring wrestlers such as and helping develop talent on the independent scene. The character appeared in several WCW-licensed video games, including WCW/nWo Revenge (1998), WCW/nWo Thunder (1999), WCW Mayhem (1999), and (2000), allowing fans to recreate his dancing persona and moves in virtual matches.

Personal life

Gilbertti was born on November 12, 1967, in , New York. He attended Marist School in , Georgia, where he was involved in early fantasy football leagues, and later the . As of 2024, he resides in , near . There are no public records of him being married or having children. In April 2007, Gilbertti was arrested along with 26 others in a raid at a home in , where illegal poker games were being held; he was charged with a .

References

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