Brad Cain
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- This article is about the wrestler. For the singer/actor, see Brad Kane.
| Brad Cain | |
|---|---|
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| Statistics | |
| Ring name(s) | Brad Cain Brad Kane Idol Rave Razen Cain Skank Lodi Lodi Lane |
| Billed height | 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) |
| Billed weight | 220 lb (100 kg) |
| Born | September 8, 1970 Asheboro, North Carolina |
| Billed from | West Hollywood |
| Trained by | C.W. Anderson |
| Debut | 1997 |
Bradley (Brad) Cain (born September 8, 1970 [1]) is an American professional wrestler, better known as Lodi, who competed for World Championship Wrestling from 1997 to 2000.
Contents |
[edit] Career
After graduating from East Carolina University with a degree in political science in 1993, Brad Cain was originally a bodybuilder, working as such for seven years before training as a wrestler under Extreme Championship Wrestling alumnus C.W. Anderson. He debuted in 1997, and wrestled on the independent circuit before being signed by WCW. He was briefly sent to the WCW Power Plant to train before making his first WCW appearance at World War 3 on November 23, 1997 under the name Lodi (an anagram of the surname of Billy Idol, whom he was thought to resemble). Lodi was introduced as a member of Raven's Flock in order to replace the injured Stevie Richards. Cain's in-ring debut was on WCW Monday Nitro on December 8, 1997 against Chris Benoit, to whom he lost. He would accompany his fellow Flock members to ringside carrying a variety of signs, which he would display to the audience at intervals (a gimmick borrowed from ECW's Sign Guy Dudley). The signs were generally intended to be humorous and variously furthered storylines, antagonised the audience, promoted the Flock and made inside jokes aimed at other wrestlers. They often bewailed the small amount of television time devoted to the Flock, or their poor win / loss record. The Flock eventually disbanded at the September 13, 1998 Fall Brawl when Perry Saturn defeated Raven to win the freedom of the Flock, and Lodi disappeared from WCW TV several months later after suffering a fractured ankle while wrestling Psicosis.
[edit] The West Hollywood Blondes
In June 1999 WCW jobber Lenny Lane persuaded Cain to team with him as the West Hollywood Blondes, a gay Californian duo with pink trunks and flamboyant haircuts who were later revealed to be brothers. The name was a reference to the Hollywood Blondes, a popular tag team of the early 1990s consisting of Steve Austin and Brian Pillman. The Blondes were highly controversial, and their depiction of homosexuals was protested by the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD). Entertainment Media Director Scott Seomin wrote in a letter sent to Turner Network Television president Brad Siegel "The character of Lenny is presented with the intention to incite the crowd to the most base homophobic behavior." Seomen later stated "the audience's reaction [to Lenny and Lodi being physically attacked by other wrestlers] gives permission to viewers to do harm to gay people in a very literal way -- it's appalling." TNT quickly acceded to the demands of GLAAD, removing Lenny and Lodi from the active roster for six months [2]. It is rumoured that the bad press caused by the incident was a determining factor in the firing of Eric Bischoff as Vice-President of WCW by Ted Turner. [3]
The Blondes returned as Standards and Practices, a team intended to lampoon the censorship of TNT. They failed to regain their earlier notoriety, however, and were released from WCW in 2000. Cain believes that his addiction to painkillers and drinking habit at this time was responsible for the loss of his job. [4]
Lenny and Lodi teamed up again on the indepedendent circuit, wrestling for the World Wrestling All-Stars. They were scheduled to appear with Jeff Jarrett's NWA:TNA promotion, but Cain was injured. He was sidelined from wrestling for nineteen months while recovering from neck surgery (his recovery time was unusually long because he underwent the same operation in 1994), and Lenny Lane formed a new tag team, the "Rainbow Express", with Bruce in the interim. Lodi now competes for All-Star Championship Wrestling (ACW) and Extreme Canadian Championship Wrestling (ECCW), and is also a personal trainer. In 2005 he formed a tag team with Scotty Matthews known as The Hybrids.
[edit] Wrestling facts
[edit] Managers
[edit] Quotes
- "Lodi Rules!"
[edit] Finishing and signature moves
- Sign-Off (DDT)
- Brainbuster
- Leg drop bulldog
- Rolling German suplexes
[edit] Personal life
Despite portraying homosexuals on television, Cain describes himself and his former tag team partner Lenny as "pretty much straight as nails." He refers to his fans as "Lodettes and Lodites".
Cain is a former drug addict, and was addicted to GHB and painkillers for seven years. He went into rehab in 2000 and overcame his addictions.
In addition to wrestling, Cain is a personal fitness trainer, and operates a studio named Your FLEX Appeal in Charlotte, North Carolina. On May 17, 2004 Cain lost a number of personal possessions when his apartment building burned down.
[edit] Championships and accomplishments
- National Wrestling Alliance
- 1-time NWA Mid-Atlantic Hardcore Champion
- Turnbuckle Championship Wrestling
- 1-time TCW Hardcore Champion
[edit] References
- Bradley Cain at the Internet Movie Database
- IMDB Article WCW Bars Gay Wrestlers
- Washington Post Article
- Interview with Cain
