Jobber Profile: Steve Lombardi

Real Name: Steve Lombardi
Born: 4/18/61
Billed From: Brooklyn, NY (actually from Detroit, MI)
Height / Weight: 6ft / 240lbs
Trained by: Curt Henning
Pro debute: 1983

Remember this guy? Of course you do... especially since he still makes an occasional appearence on WWE programming. Around 1985 Steve Lombardi debuted in the WWF and was used mostly as an enhancement talent until early 1989 when he was given the "Brooklyn Brawler" gimmick and would soon be paired with manager Bobby "The Brain" Heenan. Shortly after his fued with Terry "The Red Rooster" Taylor, who Heenan "matched" "The Brawler" against to get revenge, Lombardi parted ways with "The Heenan Family" and returned to his former "jobber status" through the early 1990s.

Through the 90s, Lombardi portrayed several different WWF characters, including a brief stint as "Doink The Clown" (replacing Matt Borne), Kamala's handler Kim Chee, and Abe "Knuckleball" Schwartz (who resurfaced for a month in 2009 as part of WWE's Classics on Demand , introducing matches for their "Shorties" section).

Lombardi has been semi-retired from active ring-action since the late 90s and has been a WWE road agent for over 10 years now.

Although primarily used as a "jobber", Lombardi has seen brief periods of mid-carder status in his WWF/E career. In 1997, he won a Battle Royal for a WWF Championship match versus then-champion Shawn Michaels, a match of course he lost. In September 1999, Lombardi pinned then-World Champiom Triple H in a non-title handicap match. In 2004, when the Red Sox defeated the Yankees in the ALCS (ultimately leading the Sox to win their very first World Series Championship) Lumbardi resurfaced on a Smackdown taping in New York City as "The Boston Brawler".

On May 7, 2006 WWE announced on WWE.com that a Brooklyn Brawler action figure would be released as part of Jakks Pacific's WWE Classic Superstars collection.

Lombardi appeared as Abe "Knuckleball" Schwartz on the 15th Anniversary of Monday Night Raw on December 10, 2007. In a funny segment on the show, Triple H commented, "I guess the Brooklyn Brawler was busy tonight."

Even though Steve Lombardi has never held a championship in WWF/E, he has held championships on the independant circuit... all as "The Brooklyn

Brawler". On March 4, 1998, Brawler defeated Bobby Clancy to win the vacant Border City Wrestling (BCW) Can-Am Television Championship. He vacated the title on March 6, 2003. He held the NWA Michigan Heavyweight Champion from June 20, 1998 - December 27, 1998. Brawler also won the BCW Can-Am Heavyweight Championship on January 15, 2003 but was stripped of the title and it returned to the former champion, Johnny Swinger.

As an example of Lombardi's toughness, on May 9, 2003, Steve had neck surgery under the care of Dr. Hae-Dong Jho (same doctor that did Kurt Angle's surgery). He took only one day of rest, and started lifting heavy weights a day later.

Some of my personal favorite memories are of Steve Lombardi as himself - no special gimmicks required. I remember the days, in the mid-80s, when he and Paul Roma were the opening match at house shows, particularly at Madison Square Garden. Nine times out of ten, Steve would "do the job" to Roma, but occasionally he would get a victory. I always thought it was funny that he would shave his body hair, with the exception of his chest. This was, of course, before he wore a soiled cut-off sweatshirt, during his "Brooklyn Brawler" days. It kinda' looked strange to me, but it was yet another way Steve Lombardi stood out.

Whether playing "The Brooklyn Brawler", managing Kamala as "Kim Chee", kicking dirt on a referee as Abe "Knuckleball" Schwartz, hanging out with Dink as "Doink The Clown" or just being himself in the 80s, jobbing to almost anyone the WWF put up against him, Steve Lombardi has always stood out to me. Mr. Lombardi, WE REMEMBER YOU. THANK YOU!