Baron Mikel Scicluna
Photo credit: World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc.
Real name: Mikel Scicluna
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 256 lbs.
Date of birth: 1929
From: Malta
Pro debut: 1950s
Biography
– Scicluna began his career as ‘Mike Valentino’, working primarily for Canadian promotions
– On August 22, 1958, Valentino & Gene Dubuque defeated Ramon Torres & Dick Warren to win the NWA San Francisco Tag Team Titles
– On September 20, Valentino & Dubuque defeated Dick Warren & Ronnie Etchison to retain the NWA San Francisco Tag Team Titles
– In 1965, Scicluna joined the WWWF, where he became known as ‘Baron Mikel Scicluna’, proclaiming to be Maltese royalty. In his early days with the company, he was a regular foil for champion Bruno Sammartino
– On September 22, 1966, Scicluna and Smasher Sloan defeated Antonio Pugliese and Johnny Valentine for the WWWF United States Tag Team Titles
– On November 7, Scicluna & Sloan defeated Antonio Pugliese & Louis Cerdan to retain the WWWF United States Tag Team Titles
– Scicluna had a brief run in Japan’s JWA in December 1967 and would return for a second stint in March of the following year
– Scicluna defeated Spiros Arion for Australia’s IWA World Championship on June 15, 1968.
– On February 1, 1972, King Curtis Iaukea and Mikel Scicluna defeated Karl Gotch and Rene Goulet in Philadelphia, PA, to capture the WWWF World Tag Team Titles.
– On March 11, Scicluna & Iaukea defeated Chief Jay Strongbow & Gorilla Monsoon to retain the WWWF World Tag Team Titles
– On March 29, Scicluna & Iaukea defeated Chief Jay Strongbow & Sonny King to retain the WWWF World Tag Team Titles
– On April 8, Scicluna & Iaukea defeated Victor Rivera & Rene Goulet to retain the WWWF World Tag Team Titles
– On April 25, Scicluna & Iaukea defeated Hank James & Bobo Brazil to retain the WWWF World Tag Team Titles
– After losing the WWWF World Tag Team Titles in May, Scicluna would spend most of the next year competing in Japan for IWE and AJPW
– Scicluna retired from active competition in 1983, though would return for a one-off Legends Battle Royal at a WWF house show in November 1987
– Scicluna was inducted into the WWF Hall of Fame Class of 1996
– Scicluna dies of cancer on March 20, 2010
