Phi Delta Slam
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Phi Delta Slam is a professional wrestling tag team, consisting of Big Tilly and Bruno Sassi. They wrestle principally on the Floridian independent circuit.
[edit] Career
When Sassi began wrestling on the Floridian independent circuit, he formed a tag team with "Brother" Dan Evans. Evans and Sassi used the gimmick of a pair of boisterous, prank playing fraternity members. After Evans retired for several years, Sassi continued to use the gimmick, and eventually found a new tag team partner, Big Tilly. Sassi and Tilly then became known collectively as Phi Delta Slam.
Phi Delta Slam debuted in the now-defunct Future of Wrestling promotion in 2001 and remained there until the promotion folded in 2002. They were rejoined by Evans, expanding Phi Delta Slam to a stable.
Phi Delta Slam appeared with the South Florida based Coastal Championship Wrestling promotion throughout 2004.
In 2005, Phi Delta Slam were signed by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. The hiring of Sassi and Tilly – two "hosses" - was somewhat controversial, and the revelation that they were hunting friends of Dusty Rhodes (the company booker) lead to accusations of cronyism (Rhodes had previously been accused of nepotism when his son Dustin was brought into TNA and received a strong push shortly after Rhodes became booker.
Phi Delta Slam were introduced to TNA after Dusty Rhodes told his two competing assistants, Traci Brooks and Trinity, to each find a tag team. The tag teams would wrestle one another at TNA Destination X 2005, with the winning tag team's sponsor becoming Rhodes' sole assistant. Trinity selected Phi Delta Slam, and they debuted in February 2005, wrestling dark matches, and made their onscreen debut on March 13 at Destination X, where they lost to Traci's choice, The Harris Brothers. Phi Delta Slam remained in TNA for several weeks afterwards, but were unable to get over with fans, and began appearing only sporadically with the promotion. In September 2005, their profiles were removed from the TNA website, seemingly indicating - after several months absence - that the team was gone from TNA.
[edit] Finishing and signature moves
- The Initiation (Sitout DDT) (Sassi's finisher)
- Tsunami Splash (Frog splash) (Tilly's finisher)
[edit] Trivia
- Big Tilly and Sassi operate a professional wrestling school, Bodyslam University, in Davie, Florida.
- On April 15, 2000 Sassi wrestled for the World Wrestling Federation, appearing on Jakked and losing to Stevie Richards.
- Phi Delta Slam's TNA theme music was a ripoff of "Basket Case" by Green Day.
- Tilly now works for Deep South Wrestling, LLC as Big Tilly Godwinn.
