Kenny Casanova is an American professional wrestler, professional wrestling manager, author, and DJ. He is best known as a pro wrestler on the North East circuit, whose career has led him to be inducted in the class of New England Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2010.
Over his career he has wrestled, ring announced, acted as a color-commentator, and acted as a wrestling manager. A few of the international names he has regularly managed and connected to are Luke Harper aka Brodie Lee, Damien Sandow, King Kong Bundy, Nikolai Volkoff, Public Enemy’s Rocco Rock, Tom Brandi. Others include Demolition, H. C. Loc, Rocco Rock, Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake, and Japanese wrestler Shockwave The Robot. Casanova has had extensive pro wrestling feuds with The Patriot, Primo Carnera III, Tito Santana, Big Van Vader, The Bushwhackers, and Jake the Snake Roberts.
In the late 90s through 2010, Casanova managed Kamala under a mask as “Kim Chee” for different promotions in the north east. This eventually led to Kenny ghostwriting Kamala’s autobiography Kamala Speaks. The book helped fund a kickstarter to help offset medical costs after Kamala lost both legs to diabetes in 2011.
Early years
Before becoming a pro wrestling personality, as a high school student in the spring of 1988 Page text.,[5] Kenny Casanova sold tickets and helped coordinate backstage for a wrestling promotion called WWWF. This initial experience was for an MS Fundraiser Show, put together by the legendary wrestling manager Captain Lou Albano.
Casanova’s national professional wrestling career began initially as a ring announcer for the World Wrestling Federation in 1994. He also appeared on WWF Superstars of Wrestling and WWF All American Wrestling.
In fall 1994, Casanova attended a professional wrestling school in Elmira, New York with his friend Ring Of Honor and ECW wrestler H. C. Loc, as a trainer. Casanova trained under T.C. Reynolds (Doink the Clown) every weekend for the course of 15 months, learning every physical comedy spot he could. He also trained under Tom Brandi, Bam Bam Bigelow, and “Superfly” Jimmy Snuka being fully immersed as a rookie in run by the USWF. Kenny’s class included other north east professional wrestlers including H. C. Loc, Thornn (Sweet Pete Waters), “Hotbod” Todd Taylor, and “Danger” Dave DeJohn.[1] It was during this time that Casanova and his colleagues had partnered up with radio station WVCR-FM (in particular, DJ’s and wrestling fans “Anarchist” Arn Abate and “Cap’n Lou-gee” Lou Graiff) in the Capital Region of New York for promotion of a number of upcoming New Breed Wrestling (NBW) events.
United States Wrestling Federation
The United States Wrestling Federation, operating out of Elmira New York by promoter Bob Bailey was Kenny Casanova’s first break. In the fall of 1995, Kenny Casanova managed and wrestled in his first team called “Damage Inc” (Danger Dave DeJohn and Hazard. He led Danger & Hazard to the USWF Tag Team Titles. Casanova also had a feud with Steve Corino and Tom Brandi in the USWF, but would later take on Salvatore Sincere (Tom Brandi’s alter ego) as a key member of Camp Casanova in WWA.
He also managed “The Hollywood Escort” Sweet Pete Waters (Thornn), “Moleman” Chris Maxon (Papa Chill), H. C. Loc, The Milwaukee Mauler, King Kahlua and Salvatore Sincere.[1]
Kenny started with USWF then left for a rival promotion called NBW, New Breed Wrestling in 1997 and then went on to wrestle for WWA wrestling, NEW wrestling, World Of Hurt Wrestling, TSW in VT and many other independents in the North East wrestling scene.[citation needed]
New Breed Wrestling & Power Pro Wrestling
In April 1997, King Kong Bundy resurfaced in magazines when he joined Kenny Casanova’s faction called “Camp Casanova” along with “Danger” Dave DeJohn and The Masked Maniac at times in USWF, NBW, and Frank Goodman’s USA Power Pro Wrestling.
In an NBW match against “The Seven Foot Tall” Primo Carnera III, Bundy knee-dropped his opponent and then “Bundy-Splashed” him. The impact actually broke the ring, leaving the two grapplers in a pit in the center of the squared circle. This independent footage was picked up by Pro Wrestling Illustrated. Page text. After this incident, a big battle royal to crown the first ever NBW Heavyweight Champ was scheduled to happen. However, it could not be a traditional over-the-top battle royal, as Bundy had destroyed the ring. Kenny Casanova quickly had it changed to a reverse battle royal, where the first man who could enter the ring would become the winner, Kenny Casanova’s quick thinking led to his man, Iron Mike Sharpe as the winner, and first champion.
Casanova also ran his first stint in drag as “Kendra Casanova,” wrestling as his own sister to obtain the NBW Ladies Championship beating Miss Patricia and Missy Hyatt on separate occasions for the title.[1]
Eastern States Wrestling
While Kenny mostly managed and did wrestle in battle royals and tag team matches where little competition was provided for by his behalf, Kenny’s first singles competition was in Lou Reardon’s ESW with Bumpy Latham on August 15, 1999 against his former ally John Diamond. He wrestled under a mask as “The Jive Turkey” Jimmy Giblets.
After more matches with the ESW, Casanova held the Battle Royal Championship as well as the ECW Woman’s Title in Eastern States Wrestling. It was also in ESW that he added a karaoke gimmick to his character, singing at ringside during intermission, and sometimes as his own entrance to the ring.[1]
World of Hurt Wrestling
Casanova was primarily a manager in WOHW, a promotion out of Upstate NY that was founded in 1999.
He was aligned with Dave “Danger” DeJohn and feuded with him off and on for the entire run of the federation. Here he held the woman’s title on several occasions, as Kendra Casanova, beating Miss Deville, Barbie, and Kayla Sparks. His first tag team to find WOHW gold was Damage Inc, Danger & Mike Hardy, and H. C. Loc. He also managed Camp Casanova under “Old School Revolution”; a breakdance type gimmick, with members including Brodie Lee, Shana, Miss Deville, and Buttery Bert Williams.
Kenny also headed up a group called The Pie Mafia; a mysterious group of wrestlers grabbed last second from the locker room to do unscripted run-ins to hit unsuspecting wrestlers in the faces with pies, during their matches – up and down the Northeastern independent scene.
New Millenium Wrestling
Another important ptomotion early on in his career, Kenny managed Chip Stetson to the NMW championship, as well as tag teamed with him. There, Kenny also managed Mean Marcos, Luis Santiago, Jeff Starr, Monkey Mulligan and The Pie Mafia.
Tri State Wrestling
Casanova was a manager as well as the play-by-play and also color commentator for TSW High Impact TV Show UPN from 2001 to 2004. He also was an acting manager of his group, “Camp Casanova” including Danger (Dave DeJohn), Buttery Bert Williams, Spanish Fly Ricky Dominguex, Deliverance – Shotgun Steve Hunter/Deville/Tony Militia.
XWA
Wrestling Championships and Accomplishments:
Eastern States Wrestling – ESW Ladies Championship (1 time)
Genesis Wrestling – GENESIS Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Marty “The Party” Vain
New Breed Wrestling – NBW Ladies Championship (1 time)
New England Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame – Class of 2010
World of Hurt Wrestling – WOHW Ladies Championship (1 time)