Vito

Vito "The Skull" LoGrasso

Von Krus

Germany

In 1991, Vito debuted in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) as an enhancement talent. He wrestled on early editions of *WWF Monday Night Raw* as **Von Krus**, a german wrestler with an "evil foreigner" gimmick.

In 1999, he joined Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), where he used the name **Skull Von Krush**. He later changed his name to **Vito "The Skull" LoGrasso** and became a member of "Da Baldies" stable, who in the storyline, claimed to be an offshoot of a real life New York street gang, and as such took issue with New Jack calling himself a "Gangsta" and began a feud with him.

On the November 19, 1999 edition of *ECW on TNN*, LoGrasso was pinned in a tag team match where the loser of the fall was forced to leave the company.

In 1999, Vito left ECW for World Championship Wrestling (WCW), where he teamed with Johnny the Bull as The Mamalukes. Managed by Tony Marinara, The Mamalukes captured the WCW World Tag Team Championship twice, and were, in storyline, jointly awarded the WCW Hardcore Championship. After being awarded the championship, however, Vito and Johnny were forced to face each other in a match to crown one champion, which Vito won.

In December 2000, the Mamalukes reunited and teamed together until March 2001, when WCW was acquired by the WWF.

In early 2005, Vito worked in various dark matches with Val Venis before signing a contract with WWE in June.

On the August 6, 2005 episode of *WWE Velocity*, Vito made his WWE debut, where he helped Nunzio win the WWE Cruiserweight Championship from Paul London. Vito and Nunzio would then reform as The Full Blooded Italians, wrestling in various tag team matches. After a brief feud with Gregory Helms, in March 2006, Vito and Nunzio would turn heel, after Vito announced he wanted to be recognized as a "Godfather".

Beginning in May, wrestlers such as Orlando Jordan and Paul Burchill would approach Nunzio, spreading rumors that they had seen Vito in public places in various forms of cross-dress. On the June 2, 2006, episode of *WWE SmackDown*, after Nunzio was defeated by Matt Hardy, Vito, wearing a dress, came out to help Nunzio backstage. The following week on *SmackDown*, after arguing about Vito's clothing choices, the two had a match against each other, where Vito defeated Nunzio. Shortly after, Nunzio joined the *ECW* brand, leaving Vito on *SmackDown*, officially disbanding the team.

Despite him cross dressing, Vito would continue to explain that he was a straight man; as on the June 23 episode of *SmackDown*, Vito asked Ashley Massaro out on a date, which she agreed to. Vito would then begin to "have more fun" during his matches, running around and waving his dresses and otherwise interacting with the fans, turning him once again face. During this time, Montel Vontavious Porter and William Regal, as well as *SmackDown* color commentator JBL, began to voice their problems with a man wrestling in a dress. Both MVP and Regal threatened General Manager Theodore Long with a sexual harassment lawsuit to get out of a match with Vito. At the same time, WWE began to "censor" any incidents of Vito's dress raising and exposing his (bethonged) buttocks. Vito then began an undefeated streak, which would last over four months until the October 21 episode of *SmackDown*, when Vito was defeated by Elijah Burke after interference from his partner Sylvester Terkay. On the November 3 episode of *SmackDown*, Vito teamed with Layla in a losing effort against The Miz and Kristal.

On May 15, 2007, Vito was released from his WWE contract.