Marc Mero Marc Mero ( July 9 , 1960 ) is an American retired amateur boxer and professional wrestler . He is best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation as " Wildman " Marc Mero , ( and later " Marvelous " Marc Mero ) and with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling under the ring name Johnny B . Badd . In 2007 he founded the non - profit organization Champion of Choices . Early life . Mero was born in Buffalo , New York . His parents divorced when he was eight years old , with his mother supporting him and his three siblings by working two jobs . At the age of 12 , Mero began playing hockey , eventually becoming his league ' s Most Valuable Player . In 1973 , Mero ' s family relocated to Liverpool , New York , where Mero played for the Mid State Youth Hockey League . At age 15 , Mero began playing for the Syracuse Stars Junior Hockey Team . Mero began playing football in his senior year , with his high school team winning the New York State Title under the tutelage of future University of Central Florida coach George O ' Leary . In the same year , Mero began training as a boxer under Golden Gloves coach Ray Rinaldi . Mero went on to win four New York State titles , including the New York Golden Gloves tournament . Mero intended to become a professional boxer , but his career was sidelined after his nose was broken in an accident . He briefly pursued a Bodybuilding career , placing third in the Mr . New York State bodybuilding contest . Career . Starting out and World Championship Wrestling . In 1990 , Mero decided to become a wrestler , traveling to Tampa , Florida to train under the Malenkos . He debuted in 1991 in the Floridian Sun Coast Professional Wrestling promotion . Several months later , Mero attended a World Championship Wrestling television taping and was given a tryout , losing to Doom in a squash match . Mero appeared with WCW as a jobber for several months before being signed to a contract by booker Dusty Rhodes . Rhodes repackaged Mero with the ring name Johnny B . Badd ( as a nod to the Chuck Berry song " Johnny B . Goode " ) and the gimmick of a flamboyant Little Richard look - alike . He was initially a heel and managed by Teddy Long . After turning face , he was known for his " Badd Blaster " , a confetti gun that he would fire before his matches . Mero won the WCW World Television Championship on three occasions . In 1996 , Mero left WCW because he strongly objected to an angle where he was associated with Diamond Dallas Page ' s wife ( Kimberly Page ) . World Wrestling Federation ( 1996 – 1999 ) . After leaving WCW , he signed a contract with the World Wrestling Federation , wrestling as " Wildman " Marc Mero ( at the time , WCW owned the right to the Johnny B . Badd gimmick ) . Mero was managed by his wife , Rena " Sable " Mero , whom in storyline he " rescued " from Hunter Hearst Helmsley . On September 23 , 1996 , Mero defeated Faarooq Asad in the finals of a tournament for the vacant Intercontinental Championship . He held the title until October 21 , 1996 , when he was defeated by Helmsley . In February 1997 , Mero tore his anterior cruciate ligament , and spent six months rehabilitating . He returned in late 1997 with the new heel persona of " Marvelous " Marc Mero , a boxer - turned - wrestler . The WWF storyline had Mero becoming jealous of the fan following Sable had acquired in his absence and wanting her out of the WWF . This led to a temporary alliance with Goldust and his valet , Luna Vachon , in which the three humiliated Sable during matches , but it turned into a short feud when Goldust became physical with Sable . The storyline was resolved in a match between Mero and Sable at , in which Mero feigned remorse , offering to lie down and allow her to pin him , before defeating Sable with an inside cradle , which resulted in her leaving the WWF for a short time . After he dropped Sable as his valet , Jacqueline became his manager . In 1998 , Mero competed in the WWF Brawl For All . Jacqueline ' s interventions in matches soon ended up costing Mero several victories and he ultimately fired her also . Mero ' s last appearance on WWF television in the United States was on the November 30 , 1998 episode of " WWF Raw " . He had a shot at the WWF Light Heavyweight Championship , then held by Duane Gill , and promised to retire if he couldn ' t beat Gill . Gill won the match with the help of the J . O . B . Squad . He wrestled one final time at the UK WWF Capital Carnage PPV six days later , losing a tag match ( with Jacqueline as a reluctant partner ) , to Sable and Christian . In 1999 , both Mero and Sable left the WWF . At the time , Mero had three years remaining on his contract , with a guaranteed salary of $ 350 , 000 . Mero subsequently did not wrestle for 18 months due to various nagging injuries and a shoulder surgery . Return to WCW ( 2000 ) . On April 26 , 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 Abbott . Mero opted not to return to WCW on a full - time basis due to his physical condition at the time . XWF ( 2001 - 2002 ) , TNA ( 2004 - 2005 ) , and retirement . In 2001 , Mero returned to wrestling in the short - lived X Wrestling Federation along with Rena Mero . They remained with the company until its closure in 2002 . In November 2004 , Mero began wrestling for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ( TNA ) under the Johnny B . Badd name . He appeared sporadically with the company throughout late 2004 and early 2005 . Mero retired from in - ring competition in 2005 , opening and operating the " Marc Mero Body Slam Training Institute " in Altamonte Springs , Florida . In January 2008 , WWE and Jakks Pacific announced that Mero ( as Johnny B . Badd ) would be featured in their " Classic Superstars " line of action figures . This figure was eventually cancelled for unknown reasons ( likely WWE management ' s animosity towards Mero for his comments on steroid use ) . Steroid usage in wrestling . In June and July 2007 , Mero commented on the Chris Benoit murder - suicide , appearing on numerous cable news programs and criticizing both the wrestling industry and World Wrestling Entertainment . In an interview with WFTV , Mero admitted to using both anabolic steroids and recreational drugs over a period of seven years and claimed that steroids had contributed to the early deaths of many wrestlers . In interviews with MSNBC and The Sun , Mero produced a list of 25 ( later expanded to 31 ) wrestlers with whom he had wrestled and had since died , calling for greater regulation of the wrestling industry . Mero ' s comments attracted criticism from WWE employees such as Mr . Kennedy , who labelled him a " goof " and a " silly bastard " , and Dave " Fit " Finlay , who claimed Mero had " nothing to do with this business " . On July 15 , 2007 , Mero attended the memorials of Nancy and Daniel Benoit in Daytona Beach , Florida . Following his comments , Mero began making appearances at schools in Central Florida and lecturing on the dangers of drug abuse and bullying ; He also promotes a similar - interests website with which he is affiliated . As of April 2 , 2009 , he has had many appearances in schools and community colleges across Florida . Personal life . In 1992 , Mero married Rena " Sable " Greek , adopting her daughter from a previous marriage . The couple separated in mid - 2003 and divorced amicably in 2004 . As of July 2007 , Mero required a heart valve transplant . Marc married for the second time on July 11 , 2009 .