| Cody Michaels | |
|---|---|
| Ring name(s) | Cody Michaels |
| Born | Pittsburgh, PA. |
| Resides | Pittsburgh, PA. |
| Billed from | Pittsburgh, PA |
| Trained by | Dominic DeNucci |
| Debut | 1986 |
Cody Michaels (real name Mark Keenan) has an extensive background in professional wrestling both as an in-ring performer and also behind the scenes as a booker, promoter, and creator.[1]
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He was trained by Dominic DeNucci in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, alongside friends Mick Foley, Shane Douglas and Mark Curtis (Brian Hildebrand). He played college football prior to entering the ring. Douglas and Michaels were former college roommates.
Michaels has worked in-ring beginning in 1986 for promotions such as United States Wrestling Association (USWA), World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), and American Wrestling Association (AWA). He is credited with developing and expanding the ECW territory and fan base with the development of many major cities in the East, such as Pittsburgh and Cleveland. ECW also ran its most productive pay-per-view in Pittsburgh, November to Remember, under the guidance of Michaels and Douglas, which drew a live audience estimated at close to 5000 and a live gate of $100,000.00, both records for the promotion at the time. Michaels was also a driving force and partner in ECW's 2005 reunion tour known as Hardcore Homecoming, which drew a record crowd in Philadelphia and was a best seller in the DVD market.
Cody developed and promoted a benefit in 1999, Curtis Goes Home, for friend Brian Hildebrand, aka Mark Curtis (WCW referee), who was battling end stage stomach cancer at the time. It brought together the major companies at the time, WWE, WCW, ECW, in support for Hildebrand. The major stars that worked and provided support that night included Mick Foley, Dean Malenko, Eddie Guerrero, Chris Benoit, Chris Jericho, Shane Douglas, Bruno Sammartino, Dominic DeNucci, Terry Taylor, D'Lo Brown, Al Snow, Hugh Morris, Les Thatcher, Billy Kidman, Chris Candido, and many others.
His various tag team partners included Jeff Jarrett (USWA Tag Team Champions),[2] Shane Douglas, Mick Foley, Jerry Lynn, Superstar Bill Dundee, and Dominic DeNucci himself. His opponents included Steve Austin, Eddie Gilbert, Mick Foley, The Iron Sheik, and Shane Douglas. He previously worked in a Tag Team known as The Heartbreakers in the late 1980s that was managed by "Captain" Lou Albano for a time.
He was seriously injured in a match against John Tatum at The Sportatorium in Dallas, Texas, in 1991. He sustained a broken neck which eventually ended his in-ring career. He continued his involvement in the industry as an Associate Producer, booker, writer, and creative team member in Viacom/MTV's Wrestling Society X. Cody was a producer of the UCFC MMA live event, Rumble on the Rivers in June 2009 at the Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. That event was the first ever MMA live event in Pittsburgh since the state approved MMA in Pennsylvania. Michaels has also worked as a producer for various XPW productions including the "Cold Day in Hell" national DVD release and is listed on the advisory board for Masked Republic, which is the first integrated live event, merchandising and media organization in the United States specializing in the emerging growth market of lucha libre (Mexican wrestling).
He has also worked as a producer/agent for the Urban Wrestling Federation live events and national PPV releases in 2011. Michaels continues to write and develop content for various entertainment production companies in the United States.