Professional Wrestler, Former Amateur Boxer, Motivational Speaker

Marc Mero | Biography

Mero originally wished to become a professional boxer, but his career was sidelined after his nose was broken in an accident

• By Anuska
• Original : October 27, 2021

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Marc Mero is a retired American amateur boxer and professional wrestler, now a motivational speaker. 

Who is Marc Mero?

Marc Mero, popularly known as Johnny B. Badd, is an American retired amateur boxer and professional wrestler. Marc is also a professional speaker. He gained popularity after making appearances with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). He also took part in the World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) using his ring name, Johnny B. Badd. 

Currently, he contributes a majority of his time to the non-profit organization Champion of Choices. He founded the organization in 2007. 

Early Life and Family 

Marc E. Mero was born on 9 July 1960 in Buffalo, New York, USA. Marc is 61 years old as of 2021. Mero’s parents got separated when he was eight years old. He and his two siblings were raised by his mother. He completed his senior schooling at Liver Pool High School. 

Early Career

Mero was interested in athletics from a young age. He began playing hockey from the age of 12, eventually becoming his league’s Most Valuable Player. He played for the mid State youth Hockey League. At the age of 15, Mero began playing for the Syracuse Stars Junior Hockey team. In his senior year at Liverpool High School, Mero started playing football. It resulted in the team winning the New York State Public Athletic Association title under the tutelage of future University of Central Florida coach George O’Leary. 

Career 

Mero began training as a boxer under Golden Gloves coach Ray Rinaldi. He intended to become a professional boxer. Unfortunately, his career was sidelined after his nose was broken in an accident. He soon briefly pursued a bodybuilding career, placing third in the Mr. New York State building contest. 

He is a former wrestler for WWF, WCW, XWF. Likewise, he is a three-time winner of the WCW World Television Championship. Eventually, he announced his retirement from wrestling in 2006. 

World Championship Wrestling 

In 1990, Mero decided to become a wrestler. He traveled to Tampa, Florida, to train under the Malenkos. He debuted in the same year in the Floridian Sun Coast Professional Wrestling (FSCPW) promotion. 

A few months after his FSCPW debut, Mero attended a World Championship Wrestling television taping. He gave a tryout. However, he lost to Doom in a squash match. 

Eventually, he made his televised in-ring debut on the 1 June episode of World Championship Wrestling against talent Kip Abee. Mero, aka Johnny B. Badd, made his first successful title defense against Boddy Eaton on the 1 October episode of Worldwide. 

On the 20 September 1995 episode of Saturday Night against Sting, Badd received his title shot. However, he failed to appear as he had been attacked by the television Champion, Diamond Dallas Page. Eventually, Badd faced and defeated Page to win his second television title at Halloween Havoc.

On 26 April 2000, Mero returned to World Championship Wrestling, appearing with his trainer, Ray Rinaldi, in the audience on an episode of WCW Thunder and confronting Tank Abbot. Consequently, due to his physical condition, Mero opted not to return to WCW full-time. 

World Wrestling Federation

After leaving WCW, Mero immediately signed a contract with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). In the WWF, Mero began competing under his real name, as WCW acquired the rights to his ring name “Johnny B. Badd.” He made a debut in WWF as a fan favorite at WrestleMania XII on 31 March. In his debut, he rescued his wife, Rena “Sable” Mero, from Hunter Hearst Helmsley. 

On the 3 February, 1997 episode of Raw, Mero received his last opportunity for the Intercontinental Championship against Hunter Hearst Helmsley but failed to win the title. Unfortunately, he tore his anterior cruciate ligament later that month and spent six months in rehabilitation. 

Eventually, he returned to WWF television 6 October episode of Raw is War, where he was repackaged as a boxer-turned-wrestler and got a new nickname, “Marvelous.” 

Mero made his last appearance on WWF television in the United States on the 30 November episode of Raw is War. He had a shot at the Light Heavyweight Championship against Duane Gill. He also made a promise to retire if he did not win the title. 

In 1999, both Mero and Sable left the WWF. During the period, Mero still had 3 years remaining on his contract with a guaranteed salary of $350,000. However, he did not wrestle for 18 months due to various injuries and shoulder surgery. 

Total Nonstop Action Wrestling 

In 2004, Mero began wrestling for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), reprising his Johnny B. Badd character. He made his debut in TNA on the 2 October 2004 episode of Xplosion. 

Non-Profit Organisation

In 2007, Mero founded a non-profit organization, Champion of Choices, to empower and inspire children and adults to make positive life choices. 

Mero is also a motivational speaker. In one of his speeches, he had also shared about not spending enough time with his mother and how he heard about her death news in his home country when he was in Japan. 

Awards

Mero won four New York State boxing titles. He is also a three-time winner of the WCW World Television Championship. 

He also has the Professional Wrestling PWI Rookie of the Year won in 1991. PWI ranked him the 43rd place out of the top 500 single wrestlers in 1996. Likewise, he won the WWF Intercontinental Championship, WWF Intercontinental Championship Tournament (1996), Most Improved Wrestler (1995), and Rookie of the Year (1991).

Injury and Health 

In July 2007, Mero stated that he required a heart valve transplant. He also announced that he was preparing to undergo heart surgery in November 2014. However, his tests revealed that his enlarged heart had shrunk. Though the surgery was not required then, Mero claims that his doctors believe he may need surgery someday. 

Marc Mero also confessed to overdosing on drugs and nearly dying three times. 

Marriage 

In 1992, Mero married a fellow wrestler, Rena “Sable” Greek. He adopted Rena’s daughter, born from her previous husband. The couple separated in mid-2003 and eventually divorced in 2004. 

Marc then married an American businesswoman Darlene Spezzi, who owns and operates the Florida-based Granite Company named Mystic Granite and Marbles. The couple tied the knot in 2009. Unfortunately, they divorced in 2019. 

Height

Marc Mero stands at 6 foot 1 inch or 185 cm. 

Net Worth 

According to Celebrity Net Worth, Marc Mero has accumulated a total net worth of $3 Million from the earnings through his wrestling career and as a professional speaker. 

Facts

Despite coming from the wrestling industry, Mero openly criticized the wrestling industry for failing to lay steroid regulation after the murder-suicide of Chris Benoit.