Jon Hugger

Professional wrestling career World Championship Wrestling (1999–2001)

While attending college in Atlanta, Georgia, and working as a doorman at the Club Oxygen nightclub, Hugger exercised at the Main Event Fitness gym, which was owned by World Championship Wrestling (WCW) employees Lex Luger and Sting. During one of his visits to the gym, WCW employee Diamond Dallas Page met with Hugger and encouraged him to train as a wrestler. Hugger subsequently participated alongside 19 other prospective wrestlers in a $240 tryout at the WCW's Power Plant training center. The tryout featured press ups, sprinting, squats and freestyle wrestling in temperatures of over 100 degrees. Hugger passed the tryout, but did not immediately begin training as a wrestler. Six months later, he was attacked and stabbed six times. Hugger resolved to change his lifestyle, which he believed had resulted in his assault, and enlisted in the Power Plant, where he was finally trained to wrestle in earnest.

After training, Hugger debuted for WCW as "Johnny Hugger" on the September 28, 1999 episode of WCW WorldWide, losing to Chuck Palumbo. Hugger's WCW Pay-Per-View debut came at their December 19, 1999 Starrcade. He adopted the ring name "Johnny the Bull" and formed a Mafia-themed tag team called the Mamalukes with Big Vito, which was managed by Tony Marinara. The match was broadcast on the January 19 episode of Thunder. They held the championship until February 12, when they were defeated by Creative Control in Oberhausen during a tour of Germany. The Mamalukes regained the championship on the following day in Leipzig, and held it until March 19, when they lost to Creative Control in a no disqualification match at the pay-per-view Uncensored, which took place in the AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami, Florida.

On June 5, 2000, The Mamalukes attacked Hardcore Champion Terry Funk during a title defense against WCW President Eric Bischoff, enabling Bischoff to defeat Funk. On the June 7 episode of Thunder, Bischoff awarded the Hardcore Championship to The Mamalukes, making them co-champions. On June 19, Big Vito defeated Hugger to become the undisputed Hardcore Champion. a collection of young wrestlers who sought to challenge more established wrestlers. Hugger eventually reconciled with Vito and reformed the Mamalukes, and the two continued teaming until WCW's closure in March 2001. Their final match in WCW was a loss to the team of Lance Storm and Mike Awesome on the March 12 edition of Nitro. On the July 29 episode of Raw, Stamboli won the Hardcore Championship once again after pinning Jeff Hardy, but lost the title a few seconds later to Tommy Dreamer. Following this, he became a mainstay on Heat and would later turn face due to fan reaction in late September 2002.

On February 13, 2003, Stamboli was moved to the SmackDown! brand and became a heel again when he allied with Nunzio and Chuck Palumbo to attack Rikishi. Together, the trio became the Full Blooded Italians.

Independent circuit (2005–2007) In 2005, Hugger and Chuck Palumbo reformed the Full Blooded Italians in the Italy-based Nu-Wrestling Evolution promotion. In 2006, Hugger toured Mexico, teaming with Marco Corleone in the Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre promotion. In late 2006, Hugger began working for the Arizona-based Impact Zone Wrestling promotion, where he created a character named REDRUM, a reference to the 1980 film The Shining. Hugger based Redrum on the Great Muta character he had portrayed in AJPW.

Return to World Wrestling Entertainment (2007) In the summer of 2007, Hugger wrestled two dark matches for World Wrestling Entertainment, using the ring name The Unknown Wrestler defeating Chavo Guerrero Jr.

Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2007–2008) In late 2007, Hugger exhibited his REDRUM character for Jeff Jarrett, Vince Russo and Terry Taylor, members of the creative team of the Orlando, Florida–based Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) promotion, and was subsequently hired. He debuted in TNA on November 11, 2007 at the pay-per-view Genesis. In his next appearance, his ring name was changed to Rellik (killer spelt backwards). He then aligned himself with Black Reign and James Mitchell, with he and Reign forming a tag team. In their debut match as a team, they lost to Abyss and Raven at Turning Point in a Match of 10,000 Tacks. After losing several matches, the team picked up its first and only victory after defeating The Motor City Machineguns on the March 10, 2008 episode of Impact!. Rellik took part in a tournament to crown number one contenders for the LLUSA Heavyweight Championship but was defeated by Charly Malice in the first round of the tournament. Hugger Joined Lizmark, Jr.'s stable Treachery along with Sydistiko. On December 12, 2010, Treachery (Rellik and Sydistiko) defeated Dinastia (El Oriental and Tinieblas, Jr.) in a tag match to advance into the 3-way tag team title match, Rellik helped Lizmark, Jr. to win the LLUSA Heavyweight Championship by blinding Marco Corleone with powder. On January 22, 2011, Rudisimo (El Oriental and Tinieblas, Jr.) defeated Puerto Rican Power (P.R. Flyer and San Juan Kid) and Treachery (Rellik and Sydistiko) in a three-way tag match to become the inaugural Lucha Libre USA Tag Team Champions. On March 19, Marco Corleone and Shane Helms defeated Treachery (Rellik and Sydistiko) in a tag team match, and later on in the main event, Rellik took part in a lucha roulette elimination number one contenders match for the LLUSA Championship, which was won by Charly Malice.

Later career (2011–2014) Hugger wrestled as Johnny Stamboli for the Phoenix, Arizona based IWF promotion. He teamed with Tyson Tyler as "G.F.Y.". Hugger also appeared in IWF as "REDRUM", a character similar to Rellik. As REDRUM, Hugger lost via disqualification to The Hurricane on May 15, 2014. This was Hugger's last wrestling match. In September 2018, The lawsuit was dismissed by US District Judge Vanessa Lynne Bryant.

Championships and accomplishments Heartland Wrestling Association HWA Heavyweight Championship (2 times) Impact Zone Wrestling IZW Heavyweight Championship (1 time) Toryumon Yamaha Cup (2006) – with Chuck Palumbo World Championship Wrestling WCW Hardcore Championship (1 time)1 WCW World Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Big Vito World Wrestling Entertainment WWE Hardcore Championship (2 times)

1Johnny the Bull held the title jointly with Big Vito during his reign.