Big Vito says the work he is doing right now is the best of his decades-long career. The veteran of WCW, WWE, and ECW made the case during an appearance alongside WWE Hall of Famer Teddy Long on Mac Davis’ YouTube show, where he also revealed an action figure on the way, addressed a viral fan altercation, and opened up about his real-life mob family ties.
“The accumulation of everything I’ve accomplished”
Now a featured heel in JCW as the head of Luciano Enterprises, Vito embraced the idea that this is a career peak. “I wouldn’t be doing this if I didn’t experience every single thing in my career to be able to do this at this point,” he said, crediting the freedom to be himself. “Doing what I’m doing now in JCW is accumulation of everything I’ve accomplished in wrestling, knowing how to do a promo, knowing what to do, teaching the guys.”
Vito stressed that his approach is to elevate everyone around him. “All the guys I work with, I’ve brought them up to my level, to where they are stars with me,” he said. “If you don’t work with talent and you don’t get them to be on your level, you do not elevate nobody.”
Host Mac Davis, who works in JCW, called it the best on-camera work of Vito’s career, and Long agreed Vito is doing some of the best heel work in the business. “Vito knows the game, Vito has been around a long time,” Long said. “I don’t think you guys could have a better guy than Vito in that role.”
An action figure on the way
Vito revealed merchandise plans, including a figure already in production. “I have an action figure coming out in a couple months. It’s already in production,” he said. “It’s going to be a two pack the first round and a two pack on the second round, because I’ve done four significant characters in my career that have gotten over.” He pointed fans to the Big Vito brand for merchandise through Pro Wrestling Tees and to his new podcast, The Don’s Final Offer, on Tuesday nights.
The Las Vegas fan altercation
Asked whether his much-discussed altercation with a fan in Las Vegas was a work or a shoot, Vito confirmed it was real and explained the backstory. He said the man had been threatening people and messaging his wife online. “I see him make a beeline towards me, so I just got up because I knew something was going to happen, and once he bumped me, I was like, okay, it’s on now,” Vito said. He defended how he handled it, saying he controlled the situation rather than escalating it. “A lot of people criticize me because I didn’t crack them,” he said. “Control the head and move him. When I moved him, I got him down on the table.”
Related to Lucky Luciano
Vito detailed his family connection to the notorious gangster Lucky Luciano, who he called his uncle. He said his mother’s side traced back to the Luciano family, originally spelled Lucania before they came to America, and recounted learning the truth at his biological grandfather’s funeral when he was 12. “I lived the lifestyle, and I worked with some families,” Vito said, adding that he was glad he did not fully know his lineage at the time. “I thank God I didn’t know who I was and who I was related to. I wouldn’t be sitting here, because I was a crazy son of a bitch at times.”
The dress gimmick earned the locker room’s respect
Reflecting on his run wearing a dress while “under investigation,” Vito said the gimmick won the respect of the locker room rather than ridicule. “None of the guys ever gave me any guff about me being under investigation, wearing the dress,” he said. “The boys were always behind me and said that guy has a set of balls to go out there and do this.” He said it was ahead of its time. “Here I am, this tough macho guy, and I’m wearing a dress, and these people just go, I wish I could be you for a day. It opened the door for people to be themselves.”
Long framed it as a test Vito passed. “They were trying to crack him, but he didn’t crack,” Long said. “He understands, just like me, this ain’t real.”
Vito also shared that his father didn’t speak to him for three months after he lost his WCW Hardcore Title to Lance Storm, so invested was he in the on-screen product.
A Terry Funk tribute
Vito called wrestling Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan, Goldberg, Kevin Nash, and Scott Steiner in their primes during his WCW run among the highlights of his career, but reserved his most emotional words for the late Terry Funk, who he said passed him the torch by handing him the Hardcore Title on Nitro. “He shook my hand and handed me the belt on Nitro in front of millions of people, and when you do that for some young guy, you never forget it,” Vito said. “The things I’m doing now with these young guys is just a replica of what he taught me that night.” He named his feud with William Regal as one of his all-time best.
Vito also credited his wife, Noel, with powering his career resurgence, handling the branding and artwork behind Luciano Enterprises, and revealed he stepped away from wrestling for a few years to care for her after she suffered a stroke early in their marriage.
During the show, Long shared a few road stories of his own, including the time he, Booker T, and Nunzio smoked out a rental car before handing the keys to the marijuana-averse Vito, and his memory of helping get the late “Jumping” Joey Maggs over with a simple post-match gesture on TBS.