Dean Malenko

  • Born: 08/04/1960 in Irvington, New Jersey
  • Birthname: Dean Simon
  • Height & Weight: 5'10", 212 Ib
Titles Won:
  • WCW Cruiserweight Championship (4 times)
  • WCW United States Heavyweight Championship
  • WCW World Tag Team Championship – with Chris Benoit
  • WWF Light Heavyweight Championship (2 times)

He is an American retired professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Dean Malenko. He is currently signed to AEW working as a road agent. He is best known for his time with Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW), World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE). Malenko was known by the nicknames “The Man of 1,000 Holds” and “The Iceman”, the former in recognition of his technical wrestling ability, and the latter for his cold and calculating demeanor.

Although never a world champion, Malenko achieved championship success in ECW, WCW and the WWF, winning 11 total titles between the three organizations. Pro Wrestling Illustrated named Malenko the #1 wrestler in the world in 1997, and he was inducted into the Hardcore Hall of Fame in 2015. Multi-time WWE world champion Daniel Bryan said that his “number one guy growing up, was Dean Malenko”.

Wrestlers Trained: Allan Funk, Bob Cook, Bobby Blaze, Brock Lesnar, Bruiser Bradley, Chad Collyer, Chris Champion, Christy Hemme, David Adcock, Gangrel, Geza Kalman Jr., Haystacks Calhoun Jr., Jamie Noble, Jeremy Lopez, Kane, Ken Shamrock, Kendo Kashin, Kurt Beyer, Marc Mero, Mark Mercedes, Mike Marcello, Mike Shane, Molly Holly, Nick Dinsmore, Paul Diamond, Prince Iaukea, Rey Ayala, Sean Waltman, Shelton Benjamin, Tarus, Thundercrackk, Todd Shane, Tony Mamaluke.

Notable Matches

vs. Eddie Guerrero on Augest 27th, 1995

vs. Rey Misterio Jr at WCW Great American Bash 1996

vs. Eddie Guerrero at Hostile City Showdown 1995

vs. Ultimo Dragon at Starrcade 1996

Notable Feuds

vs. Eddie Guerrero

vs. Chris Jericho

w/ The Four Horsemen vs. New World Order

w/ The Revolution vs. David Flair, DDP & Chris Kanyon

vs. Scotty 2 Hotty

vs. The Hardy Boyz

Other Notable Achievements

Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards: Feud of the Year (1995) vs. Eddie Guerrero, Best Technical Wrestler (1996, 1997)

ICWA Light Heavyweight Championship

PWI ranked him #1 in the PWI 500 in 1997

SPW Southern Heavyweight Championship