Mikel Scicluna
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| Mikel Scicluna | |
|---|---|
| Statistics | |
| Ring name(s) | Mike Valentino Baron Mikel Scicluna |
| Billed height | 6 ft 3 in |
| Billed weight | 256 lb |
| Born | 1929 |
| Resides | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
| Billed from | Isle of Malta |
| Debut | 1950s |
| Retired | 1984 |
Mikel Scicluna (nicknamed "Baron" Mike Scicluna) is a retired professional wrestler from the Isle of Malta, who now lives in Pennsylvania, who gained his fame during the 1960's and '70s.
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[edit] Career
Scicluna started wrestling during the 1950's, and used the name Mike Valentino early in his career. Scicluna worked primarily in Canada until 1965, when he ventured to the World Wide Wrestling Federation, using his most famous moniker "Baron" Mikel Scicluna.
Scicluna was famous for entering the ring with a royal blue cape over his shoulders, indicating that he was of Maltese royal descent. Scicluna was also known for being a master of the "foreign object", mainly utilizing a roll of coins to bash opponents out of sight of the referee. He enjoyed success as a tag team wrestler, winning the WWWF United States Tag Team Championship with Smasher Sloan on September 22, 1966 in Washington, D.C., then the World Tag Team Championship with King Curtis Iaukea on February 1, 1972 in Philadelphia.
In singles competition, Scicluna defeated Spiros Arion for Australia's IWA World Championship on June 15, 1968, and would challenge Bruno Sammartino and Pedro Morales for the WWWF Championship from time to time. In June 1976, Scicluna found himself part of history, as the opponent for Gorilla Monsoon on the night Monsoon engaged in an impromptu tussle with boxing great Muhammad Ali. Scicluna was wrestling Monsoon in a televised match, and was sent over the top rope to the floor after receiving a Manchurian Chop. Scicluna waved off his opponent and walked off, taking a countout loss. From there, Ali entered the ring from the audience and tried to jab at Monsoon. Monsoon responded by dropping Ali with an airplane spin. This angle was a part of the buildup toward Ali's infamous boxer vs. wrestler match with Antonio Inoki later in the month.
Scicluna retired from active competition in 1984. He was inducted into the WWF Hall of Fame in 1996. He currently lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
[edit] Title history
[edit] World Wide Wrestling Federation
- WWWF United States Tag Team Champion (1 time) - with Smasher Sloan
- WWWF World Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with King Curtis Iaukea
- WWF Hall of Fame (Inducted in 1996)
[edit] Other titles
- IWA World Heayvweight Champion (Australia) (1 time)
- IWA World Tag Team Champion (Australia) (1 time) - with Cyclone Negro
