Anthony Carelli
Anthony Carelli (aka “Santino Marella”)
Athlete
Born: March 14, 1974 (age 52 years) Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Accomplishments: WWE Tag Team and USA Champion
Profession: Professional Wrestler, Director of Authority @ TNA Wrestling
Biography:
Santino Marella (real name Anthony Carelli) is a Canadian professional wrestler, actor, and martial artist. He trained in judo and mixed martial arts before joining WWE’s developmental system. His WWE debut in April 2007 became one of the most memorable in company history: pulled from the crowd in Milan, Italy as a “random fan,” he was placed in a match against Umaga and shocked the audience by winning the Intercontinental Championship in his first night on the job. The storyline made him an instant fan favorite.
Over his WWE run (2007–2014), Marella reinvented himself as one of the company’s premier comedy characters. He held the Intercontinental Championship twice, won the United States Championship, and captured the World Tag Team Championship with Vladimir Kozlov. His signature finisher, the “Cobra” — a hand puppet strike with a sock — became one of WWE’s most recognizable comedic gimmicks. He also hosted the talk-show segment “The Santino Marella Show” and appeared in the all-female parody character Santina Marella, his “twin sister.”
Outside the ring, he competed in judo at a high level and represented Canada internationally. After neck injuries forced his WWE retirement in 2014, he opened Battle Arts Academy in Mississauga, training wrestlers and MMA fighters.
Stem cell treatment has helped him resurrect his professional wrestling career on his neck and low back. Santino is back to performing his signature “Cobra” move with TNA in the ring. He came to R3 Stem Cell to continue his dominance in the ring!
