Flying Diamond Cutter Man

Entrance Into Wrestling
Began training at age 17 under Shark Williams, a Maryland-based trainer. However, he had little success in Williams' old-school, power-and-brawling based style. In 1990, he moved to Japan and became one of the few Italic textgaijinItalic text performers in Gran Hamada's Universal Lucha Libre promotion. There, he competed under a mask as Gaijin FLASH, essentially a parody of Hulk Hogan-esque "super patriot" characters. Leone would deliver loud, boisterous promos in broken Japanese, wave the American flag proudly, eat apple pie, and generally portray a stereotypical loud, cocky American. Though technically a heel, he was almost purely a jobber/joke character for most of his five years in the promotion, and would routinely receive cheers and laughter from the crowd for his antics.

In 1995, Hamada joined Michinoku Pro (which, ironically enough, had splintered off of the declining ULL), effectively killing ULL. Rather than joining the new promotion, Leone chose to return home to America and attempt to ply his trade on the American indy scene.

A Disciple
Much of the reason for Leone's return home actually lay with the entrance of his younger cousin Zack (AKA Jonny Myzery) beginning his own wrestling career. Leone helped train Zack and acted as a mentor to him, and the two spent much of the next six years traveling together, either working as tag team partners or wrestling against one another. Their main tag team gimmick at this time was a stereotypical mobster duo, with Leone acting as the fast-talking brains of the outfit, "Mikey Two Guns," and Zack acting as the silent, stoic enforcer, "Jimmy Needles." The two also made several tours of Japan during this time, with Leone reprising the Gaijin FLASH character, and Zack also donning a mask as the sinister Bloody Lion.

Running Diamond Cutter Man and the Birth of an Era
During one of the duo's many American indy tours, they happened to pass through an area in which the cult phenomenon "Running Diamond Cutter Man" existed. Played by Jay T. Nitro, RDCM was essentially a running gag character that would do a run-in, hit someone with a Diamond Cutter, and run away again. Leone created the "Flying Diamond Cutter Man" character purely as a joke or parody of the RDCM character (who was, ironically enough, a joke and parody himself), and the two faced off in a "one night only" showdown. As it turned out, they had so much chemistry together that the rivalry stuck...and so did the character, ironically enough, long after the supposed "feud" and his nemesis had gone out of use.

Global Wrestling Federation
Shortly thereafter, Nitro founded the Chicago-based GWF promotion, which at first consisted mainly of his own close friends and workers he had met in his years as a wrestler. Leone was a part of the original GWF roster, as FDCM. Zack would soon join the promotion as well, now under his well-known Jonny Myzery gimmick. The two enjoyed tremendous success in the GWF's approximately two-year lifespan, winning various titles and enjoying the spotlight as two of the league's top performers.

FDCM found himself in the spotlight early, again feuding opposite Jay T. Nitro with both men swapping the face/heel role regularly. FDCM soon emerged as the top heel in the company, winning its heavyweight title and leading the renegade "CWFO" organization to try and take over the fledgling promotion. The angle was blown out in a 10-man tag team match at COLLISION, one of the highest-rated Pay-Per-Views in GWF history. After the story arc's conclusion, FDCM took some time off to rehab nagging injuries and freshen up his character. He would later reveal that he spent much of this time debating whether he wanted to continue to portray what had been intended to be a temporary joke gimmick.

After several teases in which it was hinted Leone would return under a mask as the mysterious Jade Psycho, he finally made his return in Fall 2002 as the original, happy-go-lucky babyface FDCM, still playing opposite the now ruthless heel champ JTN. After a long and drawn out "working his way back up the ladder" angle, FDCM finally succeeded in winning the heavyweight title once again, becoming the only multitime GWF Champion in history. Several storied feuds and matches followed, including a main event opposite his cousin Jonny Myzery that is mainly remembered for the rain of chairs thrown into the ring by overzealous fans.

Ultimately, FDCM would find himself retiring with the title in tow, as the GWF decided to close its doors.

Hiatus From Wrestling
Declining to participate in the RCWA, an ill-fated attempt at keeping the GWF crew together in a new promotion, Leone decided to take some time off from wrestling. Over a decade of nearly uninterrupted traveling and performing had taken its toll on his body, and he considered retirement. During this time, he worked a variety of jobs including a stint doing a sports talk radio show.

Universal Wrestling League
In early 2006, FDCM shocked the wrestling world by returning to the ring in the UWL. Primarily working angles with the brother of his old friend and "rival", Shawn Stevens, the two were at first partners, then rivals, then all-out enemies. After an impressive showing in the Coronation Cup tournament and a stint as UWL Heritage Champion, FDCM's career was again sidetracked by injuries. He dropped the Heritage title and worked light for a few weeks before working his big blowoff match with Stevens, at the end of which he was kayfabe "injured" and sent off to rehab.

Back in the Saddle
At the October 2006 "Nightmare" supercard, FDCM made a surprise return to the UWL, performing a surprise attack on the main event of the pay-per-view. On the following episode of UWL TV, FDCM explained that he had returned for one reason and one reason only - vengeance on Shawn Stevens. However, the men he attacked in order to punctuate his return wouldn't be so easily ignored, and FDCM has found himself embroiled in a re-kindled feud with his old buddy JTN and his unlikely new ally, Tito Capaci.

Past Accomplishments
UWL Heritage Title GWF World Title(x2) GWF Cruiserweight Title(x2) GWF Commissioner Universal Lucha Libre Dirty Gaijin Dog Title (self-proclaimed/unrecognized)

Finishers
1. Flying Diamond Cutter (positions the opponent on the top rope, then steps out onto the ring apron, vaults onto the top rope, bounces off of it and Diamond Cutters his opponent to the canvas) 2. Flying Diamond Device (double team finisher: exactly like the Road Warriors’ finisher, but FDCM comes off the top rope with a Flying Diamond Cutter instead of a clothesline)

Signature Moves
1. Diamond Cutter 2. Running Diamond Cutter 3. Spindrive Diamond Cutter (Inverted suplex pickup to Roll of the Dice) 4. Somersault Diamond Cutter (The Throwback) 5. Deathwish Diamond Cutter (with both men standing on the outside ring apron, a Running Diamond Cutter down onto the arena floor, often done through a table or such)

Regular Moves
1. Flying Diamond Flip (Eddie Guerrero’s slingshot senton from the outside) 2. Cobra Clutch 3. Top Rope Frankensteiner 4. Top Rope Superplex 5. Asai Moonsault 6. DDT 7. Road Dogg’s Shake Rattle ‘n Roll punch combo 8. Running Stepup Enziguiri 9. Undertaker’s Guillotine Legdrop on the ring apron 10. Roaring Elbow 11. STF 12. Abdominal Stretch (when acting heelish, adds body blows to the opponent’s ribs) 13. Discus Punch 14. Diving Headbutt (often briefly knocks himself out with this move) 15. Flying Diamond Rana (West Coast Pop) 16. Superkick 17. Dragon Sleeper 18. Kneeling Powerbomb Pin 19. Suicide Dive 20. “Old school heel” style cheating (sneaky low blows, eye pokes, etc. Done even when acting as a face)

Major Rivals
Jay T. Nitro Shawn Stevens Jonny Myzery

Past Aliases
Mikey Deathwish Gaijin FLASH Mikey Two Guns Jade Psycho

Trivia
-Was originally created as a parody of GameFAQs' "Running Diamond Cutter Man" fad

Theme Music History
Current: "Back in the Saddle" by Aerosmith UWL (original): "Armageddon" by Alkaline Trio GWF (final): "Without Me" by Eminem GWF (as Jade Psycho): "Papercut" by Linkin Park GWF (CWFO heel era): "I Stand Alone" by Godsmack GWF (early era): "Exciter" by Bomb Factory Japan (as Gaijin FLASH): "Born in the USA" by Bruce Springsteen