Dead Wrestler Wednesday: Louie Spicolli

Louis Mucciolo, better known to wrestling fans as Louie Spicolli, spent the 1990s wrestling for all three major promotions of the era.  He was a close and personal friend of Tommy Dreamer & Stevie Richards and was an innovator in the ring.  Spicolli is often credited with being the creator of the Death Valley Driver, a move that Dreamer began using after Spicolli’s death as a tribute to his fallen friend.

Louie Spicolli began his career in Mexico, competing as “Madonna’s Boyfriend” and teaming with future superstars Eddie Guerrero and Konnan.  Despite not being that large, Spicolli’s frame was bigger than those of most Mexican stars of the day, allowing him to play the role of a monstrous powerhouse during his time South of the Border.  While competing in Mexico, Spicolli also occasionally wrestled for the World Wrestling Federation as an enhancement talent.  In 1995, he became a full-time WWF employee.  In the WWF, Spicolli adopted the character of Rad Radford, a member of the disaffected grunge generation and the supposed boyfriend of Courtney Love.  He would later align himself with the Bodydonnas, becoming a Bodydonna-in-training since his physique was not as impressive as his partners’.

In 1996, Spicolli overdosed on the muscle relaxant Soma and suffered a seizure.  After recovering for several days under intensive care, Spicolli was released by the WWF.  Upon his release, Louie Spicolli debuted in ECW in July of ’96.  After turning heel, he entered a feud with Tommy Dreamer, but his days in the company were numbered.  His continued drug abuse was frowned upon, as were his covert meetings with WCW executives.  Spicolli’s departure from ECW was not an amicable one, and he soon found his way into World Championship Wrestling.

Debuting in late 1997, Louie Spicolli played the role of Scott Hall’s lackey in WCW.  During Hall’s feud with Larry Zbyszko, Spicolli was booked to wrestle the Living Legend at SuperBrawl VIII.  Tragically, he would never make it to the match.  Louie Spicolli was found dead on February 15, 1998, a week before his scheduled pay-per-view debut.  He had overdosed on wine and Soma, which led to him choking on his own vomit during his sleep.  Spicolli had reportedly gotten himself clean months before, but news of his mother being terminally ill with cancer had led to his relapse.  He was 27 years old.