Mr Sal Anthony Corrente

Sal Anthony Corrente Promoter, Producer, Manager, Booker, Agent, Pro Wrestler, Referee, Author

Breaking into professional wrestling is one of the more difficult things to do in professional sports. Throughout its history professional wrestling has been a closed fraternity that requires an invitation, or introduction by someone already on the inside for a newcomer to become involved.

Like many, Sal Corrente was a young pro wrestling fan willing to pay his dues and do whatever was necessary to catch the attention of those on the inside, in hopes of getting a break and opportunity to break into this close-knit, highly secretive world.

In 1981, Sal began assisting with security at World Wrestling Federation events in Allentown, PA. This gave Sal an opportunity to study and observe these events from behind the curtain.

In 1982, he met Afa and Sika who were collectively known as The Wild Samoans, and who would go on to become three-time WWF World Tag Team Champions. Through hard work and diligence, Sal earned the Samoans' respect and soon became their protégé and assistant. The Wild Samoans hail from a lineage of famous pro wrestlers that started with High Chief Peter Maivia and includes Peter's grandson Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.

In the mid-eighties, Sal promoted his first wrestling event, a charity fundraiser for the WWF. The event was a huge success and this led to Sal following up with a closed-circuit location for the first WrestleMania. This event was also a sell-out.

In 1984, Corrente continued to move deeper inside the world of professional wrestling by becoming a licensed referee with the New York State Athletic Commission. He worked for various independent promotions, including the two major promotional offices in the industry, the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) and the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA).

Shortly thereafter, Sal's role with The Wild Samoans expanded as he became booker, producer, and referee for the TransWorld Wrestling Federation which was owned and operated by Afa Anoai.

TWWF events were held throughout the Northeast and internationally in Doha (Qatar), Dubai (United Arab Emirates), and Cairo (Egypt). On those tours, Sal worked with WWE Hall of Famers The Wild Samoans, Rocky Johnson, and Johnny Rodz. Also, on the tours were WWF stars Tonga Kid #2 (Rikishi), Chief Jules Strongbow, Virgil, "Cowboy" Bobby Duncum, Professor Toru Tanaka, "Dr. D" David Shultz, who had gained a level of notoriety from the John Stossel incident on ABC's 20/20.

Between 1986 and 1989, Sal worked as a referee on numerous nationally televised events for the WWE, NWA, and AWA.

In November 1988, Sal received a tryout for Nelson Royal's new Atlantic Coast Wrestling (ACW) promotion. Sal was hired immediately and moved to North Carolina in February 1989 to take up the position of chief referee. The promotion began airing its television show on WCNC TV the Charlotte, NC NBC affiliate

Following his stint with ACW, Corrente went to work as a referee for legendary booker George Scott, who along with Paul Jones owned the South Atlantic Pro Wrestling (SAPW) promotion.

During this same time period, Sal traveled to Puerto Rico to work for Carlos Colon's World Wrestling Council (WWC) where he was named "Referee of the Year". He also assisted in the front office with talent booking.

In 1988, Corrente met Rob Russen, co-owner of the National Wrestling Federation (NWF) and became his head referee and the lead booker for numerous events that were promoted throughout the country. When Russen went to work as Vice President of Sales for Verne Gagne's AWA in Minneapolis, MN, he hired Corrente for various live events as a referee and assistant talent scout.

During the late 80s and early 90s, Sal promoted live events in Hamilton, Bermuda using stars including The Junkyard Dog, Sgt Slaughter, Playboy Buddy Rose, "The Russian Bear" Ivan Koloff, Lumberjack Pierre, Tommy "Wildfire" Rich, along with midget stars Little Tokyo and The Karate Kid.

Corrente found himself working the same events with a young Mick Foley and helped Foley gain a position with Jerry Jarrett’s Memphis based promotion. It was the start of Mick Foley’s World Championship and Hall of Fame Career.

In 1989 Corrente was named Referee of the Year for the World Wrestling Council the company owned by Carlos Colon, Victor Jovica and Victor Quinones.

In late 1989 Corrente started to form a friendship which eventually turned into a business relationship with Professional Wrestling’s Living Legend Bruno Sammartino that lasted until Bruno’s passing in April of 2018.

Rob Russen left the AWA in 1989 and formed the IWA with legendary promoter Wally Karbo, the man who had given Verne Gagne his start. In 1990, the IWA booked a tour to Australia. The IWA became the first company to bring American pro wrestling down under in some twenty years, and the tour was a massive success, with WWE Hall of Famer "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff as one of the headliners. The IWA received a tremendous amount of media coverage in Australia and was featured on The Ray Martin Show, Good Morning Australia, Wide World of Sports, The Today Show, and Hey Hey it's Saturday. Corrente was called on to carry out the booking for the tour. He also pulled double-duty as the head referee. Most famously though, he began his career as a performer in Australia by playing the part of Kamala "The Ugandan Giant's" handler "Friday".

Shortly after returning from the IWA Australia tour, Sal expanded his role as a performer by taking on the persona of "The Big Cheese" ... the manager of the "Rat Patrol". Sal also began wrestling as "The Big Cheese" both as a solo and in matches featuring his stable.

In 1991, the IWA secured the first of three national television contracts, and Corrente was again called upon for his services as booker and head referee. This dual role continued on through the end of the decade, with Sal booking and supervising talent including Kerry and Kevin Von Erich, Jerry Lawler, The Junkyard Dog, Robert Fuller, Brickhouse Brown, Tommy Rogers, Diamond Dallas Page, Ivan Koloff, Hillbilly Cousin Luke, Chief Jules Strongbow, The Samoan Swat Team, Yokozuna, Afa The Wild Samoan, Terry Taylor, David Sammartino, Starfire Derrick Dukes, Dean Malenko, Moondog Spot, Steve "Gator" Keirn, Sweet Stan Lane, The Midnight Express, The Rock & Roll Express, Tracy Smothers, One Man Gang, The Masked Superstar, Shane Douglas, The Bushwackers, Missy Hyatt, Malia Hosaka, and Bambi.

In 1997, Sal was contracted by Rowan County, NC to organize and promote live events at the recently built, controversial taxpayer-funded Fieldcrest Cannon Stadium. Sal promoted an oldies concert featuring legendary singers and groups The Belmonts, Lesley Gore, Bobby Rydell, and Little Anthony with the Original Imperials. He brought together many of the characters from The Andy Griffith Show for a fan fest He followed that up with an All-Star Wrestling Card where the WWF supplied the talent for the main event.

In the early 2000s, Sal started working with and being mentored by Ray Courts who started the first celebrity autograph events under the Hollywood Collectors Show banner in 1991. It was during that time that Sal began working with TV, Movie, and Pro Wrestling legends as an agent for their personal appearances.

January 2005, Sal Corrente created the world's biggest and best pro wrestling fan convention: "WrestleReunion". Held at the DoubleTree hotel in Tampa, FL, it featured more than 90 of the biggest names in the history of professional wrestling including: "The Living Legend" Bruno Sammartino, "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes, Diamond Dallas Page, Kevin Nash, Wendi Richter, "The Mouth of the South" Jimmy Hart. The event was the talk of the wrestling world and drew fans from 38 states, three foreign countries, along with countless magazine articles and news reports. It also spurred a resurgence in booking these legends from the past.

The WrestleReunion event was such a unique concept, it attracted the attention of industry leader ClearChannel Entertainment, who immediately signed it to a production and distribution deal.

Corrente promoted two more WrestleReunion events in 2005: in Valley Forge, PA and Davie, FL, again combining legends of the past with stars of the future while once again working in conjunction with the WWE for some of the talent.

In 2010, WrestleReunion was revived in Los Angeles, CA, the concept modified to not only use legends and future stars of today, but also current, top name international talent. The events continued in the US and Canada, on a semi-regular basis through 2012.

It is widely acknowledged throughout the wrestling industry that Sal Corrente's WrestleReunion is the most beloved and successful of all pro wrestling fan conventions.

In 2019, Corrente completed and released via Amazon the re-written and expanded version of Bruno Sammartino: The Autobiography of Wrestling's Living Legend. Sal was Bruno's longtime friend and manager and the pair collaborated to bring the original book up to date, and tell the real stories that went on behind the scenes of his amazing life and career.