Dean Shelly Simon (born August 4, 1960), better known by the ring name Dean Malenko, is an American retired professional wrestler. He is signed with All Elite Wrestling (AEW) as a senior producer. He is best known for his time in World Championship Wrestling as a wrestler and World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) as a wrestler and a road agent and New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW).
Although never a world champion, Malenko achieved championship success in ECW, WCW and the WWF, winning 11 total titles across 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. He has been described by commentators as one of the most underrated wrestlers of all time. Multiple-time world champion Bryan Danielson said that his "number one guy, growing up, was Dean Malenko". Following his retirement as an in-ring competitor, he worked as a road agent for WWE from 2001 until 2019.
Professional wrestling career Early career (1979–1988)
Malenko was born into a wrestling family, and his father Boris Malenko was a prominent wrestling figure. He started out as a referee in the Tampa, Florida area and worked briefly as a referee for the World Wrestling Federation in the mid-1980s. He has wrestled all over the world and has spent much time wrestling in Mexico and Japan. He wrestled with his brother Joe Malenko from 1988 to 1992, forming a tag team working in Puerto Rico, Japan, and Australia until his brother retired. On January 24, 1992, Malenko defeated "The Superstar" for the Suncoast Pro Wrestling (SPW) Southern title in Palmetto, Florida. Dean Malenko defeated Jimmy Backlund for the ICWA Light Heavyweight title on March 12, 1992, in Tampa. Then, Malenko teamed with his brother losing to Ricky Steamboat and Nikita Koloff at Clash of the Champions XIX.
All Japan Pro Wrestling (1988–1992) In February 1988, Malenko debuted in All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) alongside his brother Joe Malenko. Over the following four years, the Malenko Brothers wrestled multiple tours with AJPW, facing teams such as the British Bulldogs, Dory Funk Jr. and Terry Funk, Footloose, and the Can-Am Express. In July 1989, the brothers wrestled one another in a bout for Joe Malenko's World Junior Heavyweight Championship, with Joe prevailing. They made their final appearances in the promotion in June 1992.
New Japan Pro-Wrestling (1992–1997, 1999) In October 1992, Malenko debuted in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he formed a tag team with Pegasus Kid/Wild Pegasus. In late 1992 and early 1993, they had a series of matches against El Samurai and Jushin Thunder Liger. In May to June 1993, Malenko competed in the Top of the Super Juniors tournament; he was successful in the first round, but was eliminated in the second round by El Samurai.
In April 1994, Malenko competed in the Super J-Cup, being eliminated in the first round by Gedo. In May to June 1994, he competed in the Best of the Super Juniors tournament, placing sixth with twelve points. In October 1994, he and Tokimitsu Ishizawa entered the Super Grade Junior Heavyweight Tag League, losing to Shinjiro Otani and Wild Pegasus in the semi-finals.
In June to July 1995, Malenko again entered the Best of the Super Juniors tournament, placing joint second with nine points. In May to June 1996, he once again entered the Best of the Super Juniors tournament, placing fourth in block B.
Malenko made his final appearances in NJPW in October 1999 as part of its Fall in Black tour, reforming his tag team with Wild Pegasus to defeat El Samurai and Liger.
Eastern Championship Wrestling / Extreme Championship Wrestling (1994–1995)
On August 27, 1994, Malenko debuted in Eastern Championship Wrestling (ECW) as a heel participating in a professional wrestling tournament for the vacant NWA World Heavyweight Championship. He defeated Osamu Nishimura in the quarterfinals before he ended up losing to the eventual winner Shane Douglas in the semifinals. Malenko became known as "The Shooter" and was given a gimmick similar to an Ultimate Fighting Championship fighter (due to his resemblance to Royce Gracie). On November 4, 1994, he defeated 2 Cold Scorpio to win his first ECW Television Championship.
In the beginning of 1995, Malenko formed a faction called the Triple Threat with Chris Benoit and Shane Douglas. On February 25, 1995, at Return of the Funker, Benoit and Malenko defeated Sabu and Tazmaniac for the ECW Tag Team Championship, making Malenko a double champion. A month later at Extreme Warfare, Malenko dropped the Television title to 2 Cold Scorpio. On April 8 at Three Way Dance, he and Benoit lost the tag titles to The Public Enemy (Johnny Grunge and Rocco Rock).
In the summer of 1995, Malenko feuded with TV Champion Eddie Guerrero, culminating in a match on July 21 where Malenko defeated Guerrero to win his second ECW Television Championship. Only a week later, Malenko dropped the title back to Guerrero. The two continued to battle over the Television Title and fought a series of matches that led to them being offered a WCW contract. His last ECW match was a two out of three falls match against Guerrero, which took place on August 26. The match ended in a draw as the last fall had both men's shoulders on the mat. This would be both men's last match in ECW and they both gave—and received—an emotional farewell to the fans.
World Championship Wrestling (1995–2000) Cruiserweight Champion; United States Heavyweight Champion (1995–1998) In September 1995, Malenko and Benoit joined World Championship Wrestling (WCW), where he continued to be a villain. Malenko came to be known in WCW as "The Iceman" Dean Malenko because of his cold, calculating demeanor and was also given the nickname of "The Man of 1,000 Holds". On May 2, 1996, Malenko defeated Shinjiro Otani for the WCW Cruiserweight Championship in Orlando. He held the title for two months, making successful defenses against the likes of Brad Armstrong, Rey Mysterio Jr. and Disco Inferno before losing the title to Mysterio on the July, 8 edition of Nitro. He defeated Mysterio Jr. for his second WCW Cruiserweight Championship at Halloween Havoc 1996.
After a successful title defense against Psychosis at World War 3, Malenko lost the Cruiserweight title to Ultimate Dragon (Último Dragón) at Starrcade 1996 where Dragón's J-Crown Championship was also on the line. Malenko defeated Dragón on the January 22, 1997 Clash of the Champions XXXIV to win his third WCW Cruiserweight Championship. He would hold the belt for nearly a month before losing it to Syxx at SuperBrawl VII. Malenko lost the match after Eddie Guerrero inadvertently caused Malenko to be hit with Guerrero's United States Title belt.
Malenko then entered a feud with Guerrero, angry over the fact that he had caused him to lose his Cruiserweight belt and began to attempt to win the United States title from him. The match between the two took place at Uncensored the next month and interference from Syxx played a role again. The Cruiserweight Champion again tried to take Guerrero's title, but in the process dropped the camcorder he carried to the ring with him. After Guerrero took the belt back, Malenko hit him in the back of the head with the camcorder and knocked the champion out, enabling him to pin Guerrero and win his first United States Championship. He retained the belt at Slamboree on May 18, 1997, by defeating Jeff Jarrett, but lost the title to him on the June 9, 1997, episode of Nitro. At World War 3, Malenko participated in a 60-man, three-ring battle royal won by The Giant. At Starrcade 1997, he challenged Guerrero for the Cruiserweight Title but ended up losing the match.
In mid-1998, Malenko engaged in a heated feud with Chris Jericho. To better Malenko's claims, Jericho boasted that he was "The Man of 1,004 Holds" and the two had a final showdown at Uncensored 1998 for the Cruiserweight title. After a long match, Jericho forced Malenko to submit in an angled Liontamer. After the match, the otherwise collected Malenko was left in an unusual fit of frustration. Gene Okerlund then confronted Malenko post-match, aggressively citing his many losses in the past several months and asking where he would go from this point. Dejected and worn down, Malenko replied simply, "Home," and would not be seen on WCW TV for two months. In the ensuing two months, Jericho proceeded to mercilessly taunt Malenko, including insulting Malenko's father and attacking Malenko's brother. At Slamboree 1998, Jericho held a Battle Royal for a shot at his Cruiserweight Championship. Malenko entered the battle royal dressed as masked wrestler Ciclope and won the match, after Juventud Guerrera shook his hand, and eliminated himself. He then unmasked, revealing himself to the crowd following his win. Malenko went on to defeat Jericho for his fourth and final WCW Cruiserweight Championship, thus becoming the first-ever wrestler to win the Cruiserweight title four times. Malenko was stripped of the title, however, as he did not earn the title shot as himself. At The Great American Bash 1998, Malenko and Jericho faced each other in a match for the vacant Cruiserweight title. Malenko lost by disqualification, making Jericho the champion. At Bash at the Beach 1998, Malenko interfered in Jericho's title defense against Rey Mysterio Jr. allowing Mysterio to pin Jericho for the title. The title was returned to Jericho, however, because of interference by Malenko. Malenko was fired in storyline, but returned at Road Wild 1998 as the special guest referee during Jericho's defense against Juventud Guerrera. Juventud won the match and the title.
The Four Horsemen; The Revolution (1998–2000)
In September 1998, Malenko became a part of the final incarnation of Ric Flair's Four Horsemen faction. They feuded with the New World Order (nWo), particularly Eric Bischoff. Malenko and Benoit also battled The West Texas Rednecks (Curt Hennig and Barry Windham) during this period. At SuperBrawl IX, they lost to the Rednecks in the finals of a tag team tournament for the vacant World Tag Team Championship. At Uncensored 1999, however, they defeated the Rednecks in a lumberjack match to win the WCW World Tag Team Championship. Two weeks later, they lost the titles to Rey Mysterio Jr. and Billy Kidman.
After the Horsemen were finally disbanded in May 1999 due to Flair's abuse of power, Malenko joined up with Shane Douglas' faction, The Revolution, which was formed in July 1999. They feuded with David Flair, Diamond Dallas Page and Chris Kanyon. At Bash at the Beach (1999), Malenko challenged David for the US title but lost the match. They battled many teams throughout the year including West Texas Rednecks, First Family, The Filthy Animals and The Varsity Club.
Malenko's last WCW match was a "catch-as-catch-can" match with Billy Kidman at Souled Out in January 2000. Early on, Malenko instinctively left the ring to regroup and was disqualified under the match stipulations because his feet hit the arena floor.
World Wrestling Federation / World Wrestling Entertainment / WWE (2000–2019) The Radicalz; Light Heavyweight Champion (2000–2001)