Nunzio (wrestler)

1.1. Childhood and education

James Maritato was born on March 12, 1972. A native of Queens, New York, he attended Nanuet Senior High School located in Rockland County, New York. During his high school years, Maritato was actively involved in sports, competing in both American football and amateur wrestling. Notably, he was part of the school's 1989 football team, which achieved an impressive undefeated and unscored-upon season.

1.2. Professional wrestling training

Maritato received his professional wrestling training from the renowned British professional wrestler and coach, Billy Robinson. Robinson's influence helped shape Maritato's early in-ring style, preparing him for his professional debut in 1991.

2.1. Early career (1991-1994)

James Maritato made his professional wrestling debut in 1991, facing Parsippany Smith Fields in his inaugural match. Early in his career, he competed for the Amarillo, Texas-based USWF promotion under the ring name "James Stone."

On July 14, 1992, Maritato joined Eastern Championship Wrestling (ECW), where he wrestled under the name "Damien Stone." His initial appearance saw him lose to Tommy Cairo. Over the subsequent two years, Maritato wrestled intermittently for ECW, primarily in a jobber role. During this period, he also gained experience in other promotions, including International World Class Championship Wrestling and various independent organizations located in the Northeastern United States.

2.2. UWF International (1995-1996)

In 1995, James Maritato took a hiatus from ECW to venture to Japan. There, he competed in shoot style professional wrestling for the UWF International promotion. During his time with UWF International, where he was billed as "James Stone," he notably faced Kazushi Sakuraba in a match. He remained with the promotion until 1995.

2.3. Extreme Championship Wrestling (1996-2001)

Maritato made his return to Extreme Championship Wrestling (formerly Eastern Championship Wrestling) at the Big Ass Extreme Bash event in March 1996. At Massacre on Queens Boulevard in April 1996, J.T. Smith, adopting "The Italian Stallion" persona, introduced "Damien Stone" as his Sicilian cousin, rebranding him as "Little Guido." Smith and Little Guido formed the satirical yet impactful stable known as the Full Blooded Italians (F.B.I.). The stable quickly expanded to include several other members, becoming a prominent fixture in ECW.

By 1999, Little Guido's character evolved into a more "serious wrestler" persona, though he continued to be accompanied by Sal E. Graziano and proudly asserted his F.B.I. membership, even as the stable's active roster dwindled to just the two of them. Following this shift, he engaged in a series of intense singles matches until late 2000, when he formed a dedicated tag team with Tony Mamaluke. This formidable duo achieved significant success, capturing the ECW World Tag Team Championship on August 26, 2000. They held the championship until December of that year, when they were defeated by Danny Doring and Roadkill. Little Guido and Tony Mamaluke continued to wrestle together as a team until ECW ultimately ceased operations in January 2001.

2.4. Independent circuit (2001-2002)

Following the closure of Extreme Championship Wrestling in January 2001, James Maritato transitioned to the independent circuit. He actively wrestled for various independent promotions, primarily concentrating his efforts within the New York Tri-State Area. During this period, he frequently reunited with his former tag team partner, Tony Mamaluke, forming a consistent and recognized duo. Their collaboration led to a notable run within Ring of Honor (ROH), where they showcased their chemistry and in-ring abilities. Maritato's performances on the independent circuit ultimately led to him being signed to a contract by World Wrestling Entertainment in 2002.

2.5. World Wrestling Entertainment (2002-2008)

Maritato's tenure in WWE saw him adopt a new persona, secure championships, and navigate the company's evolving brand landscape before his eventual departure.

2.6. Return to the independent circuit and other promotions (2008-present)

Following his departure from WWE, James Maritato swiftly returned to the independent circuit. On September 19, 2008, he wrestled for Jersey All Pro Wrestling (JAPW). Less than two months later, on November 15, he achieved championship success by winning the JAPW Tag Team Championship alongside Tracy Smothers. On January 16, 2009, Maritato's contributions to professional wrestling were recognized with his induction into the ECPW Hall of Fame.

In February 2009, it was announced that Maritato would transition into a coaching role, becoming a trainer for the "Bodyslam U" professional wrestling school located in New Jersey. Despite this new commitment, he continued to actively compete on the independent circuit. On March 13, 2009, Maritato, as Guido, faced Shane Douglas in a match that marked Douglas's return to the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) after nearly fifteen years since dropping the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. In June of the same year, Guido returned to Ring of Honor (ROH), where he lost to Jay Briscoe at the iconic Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City. In late 2009, Maritato began consistently competing for the NWA under his "Nunzio" moniker. He also performed for the NWA On Fire expansion, which was based out of New England.

The Full Blooded Italians reunited once more on October 6, 2012, for the inaugural show of House of Hardcore. In this event, they were defeated by Danny Doring and Roadkill. At House of Hardcore 2, Maritato, now wrestling again as "Little Guido," faced Vik Dalishus in a losing effort. His fortunes turned on June 6, 2014, at House of Hardcore 4, where Maritato defeated Matt Striker. The very next day, on June 7, 2014, at House of Hardcore V, he secured another victory, this time over Danny Doring.

At House of Hardcore 7, Maritato teamed up with Team Tremendous (Bill Carr and Dan Barry) to defeat the trio of Anthony Greene, Ben Ortiz, and Vik Dalishus. He continued his involvement with House of Hardcore by participating in a ten-man tag team match at House of Hardcore 10. In this bout, he allied with Officer Colt Cabana, Bill Carr, Dan Barry, and fellow F.B.I. member Tony Mamaluke, achieving a successful victory against a team composed of Afa Jr., Jade, Lance Anoa'i, L.A. Smooth, and Vik Dalishus.

2.7. Total Nonstop Action Wrestling / Impact Wrestling (2010, 2022)

On August 8, 2010, James Maritato participated in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling's (TNA) ECW reunion show, Hardcore Justice. In a six-man tag team match, he, Tony Mamaluke (billed as Tony Luke), and Tracy Smothers emerged victorious over Kid Kash, Simon Diamond, and Johnny Swinger. On the subsequent episode of TNA Impact!, the ECW alumni, collectively known as Extreme, Version 2.0 (EV 2.0), were ambushed by members of Ric Flair's Fortune stable, which included A.J. Styles, Kazarian, Robert Roode, James Storm, Douglas Williams, and Matt Morgan. The Fortune members expressed their belief that the ECW veterans did not deserve to be in TNA.

In response to this aggression, TNA President Dixie Carter granted each member of EV 2.0 TNA contracts, allowing them to officially settle their score with Fortune. However, on the August 26 edition of Impact!, Guido and Luke were swiftly defeated by Roode and Storm in a tag team match. This marked the conclusion of the F.B.I.'s association with TNA. Maritato was later announced as a participant in Ring Ka King, an India-based wrestling project by Total Nonstop Action, where he competed under the name "Tony Broadway" and teamed with Joey Hollywood. Ring Ka King, however, lasted only one season and concluded in the same year.

In 2022, Maritato made another appearance for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, which had been rebranded as Impact Wrestling. On the April 21 episode of Impact!, he challenged Matt Cardona for the Impact Digital Media Championship but was unsuccessful in his bid for the title.

3.1. Ring names and persona

Throughout his career, James Maritato used several notable ring names, each accompanied by a distinct persona:

• James Stone: This was his initial ring name upon his debut in 1991 and during his time in UWF International in Japan.
• Damien Stone: An early name he used when he first joined Eastern Championship Wrestling in 1992.
• Little Guido: This persona was adopted upon his return to Extreme Championship Wrestling in 1996. As "Little Guido," he portrayed J.T. Smith's Sicilian cousin and became a central figure in the Full Blooded Italians (F.B.I.) stable. Initially part of a comedic act, his character later developed into a more serious, technical wrestler, though still retaining his F.B.I. affiliation. He also revived this name during his tenure on the ECW brand in WWE.
• Nunzio: Introduced in World Wrestling Entertainment in 2002, this name carried connotations of mob or bodyguard characters. Initially portrayed as the heel cousin of Jamie Noble, he later reformed the F.B.I. under this name and also competed as a cruiserweight singles competitor.
• Tony Broadway: A name he used during his participation in the India-based promotion Ring Ka King.

Maritato's persona often leaned into his Italian-American heritage, particularly with the "Little Guido" and "Nunzio" characters, which frequently involved associations with Italian stereotypes, often in a comedic or cunning manner.

3.2. In-ring characteristics and signature moves

Despite his relatively small stature, James Maritato was known for his ability to compete effectively against much larger, even heavyweight opponents. He is recognized as a highly technical wrestler, skilled in various holds and maneuvers. Beyond pure technique, Maritato was also celebrated for his cunning tactics and strategic in-ring approach, such as cleverly evading disqualification by staying outside the ring during a Royal Rumble match.

His array of finishing and signature moves included:

• Sicilian Slice: A diving leg drop bulldog, often used as a finisher during his ECW days.
• Sicilian Drop / Kiss of Death: This move involves a lifting inverted double underhook facebuster. While sharing a similar setup to Christian's Unprettier, Maritato's version concludes with the opponent being driven head-first into the mat, resembling a modified stuner. This move is distinct from a tag team finisher also known as "Sicilian Drop" used by Chuck Palumbo and Johnny Stamboli.
• Arrivederci: An inventive swinging armbreaker. Maritato would typically execute this by grabbing an opponent's arm while positioned on the top turnbuckle, then swinging them into a DDT-like motion to slam their arm into the mat. The name "Arrivederci" means "goodbye" in Italian.
• Springboard DDT.
• Diving front dropkick.
• Multiple armbar variations, including the cross armbar, Fujiwara armbar, and modified armbars.
• Sicilian Crab: A lifting boston crab.
• Springboard leg drop.
• Springboard moonsault.
• Springboard shooting star press.

His nicknames also reflected his style and background, including "The Extreme Stud," "The Pugnacious Pisan," and "The Sicilian Shooter."

3.3. Managers and associates

Throughout his professional wrestling career, James Maritato formed alliances and was accompanied by several managers and associates who played significant roles in his storylines and character development. These included:

• Carmine Narducci
• Sal E Graziano
• Tommy Rich
• Trinity
• Vito

3.4. Entrance themes

James Maritato utilized a variety of entrance themes throughout his career, often reflecting his Italian-American persona or the promotions he was associated with. His primary theme songs included:

• "That's Love" by Dean Martin
• "Fly Me to the Moon" by Frank Sinatra
• "Stayin 'Alive" by N-Trance
• "No Sleep Till Brooklyn" by Beastie Boys
• "Spy Vs Spy" by Jim Johnston (WWE)
• "Brooklyn" by Jim Johnston (WWE)
• "New York, New York" by Frank Sinatra
• "Sexy and I Know It" by Lmfao