Even after changing his stage name, " Gino " stuck as Marella's nickname among friends and colleagues, including Jesse Ventura, who would call Marella " Gino " on the air.

In addition, McMahon needed a new commentary team to head up his television programming, and installed Marella with the recently retired Jesse " The Body " Ventura as the new commentary team.

Marella and Ventura had great chemistry, with Ventura as the pro-heel color commentator and Marella as the pro-face " voice of reason.

In the spring of 2007, Carelli, who had since been called up to the WWE as Santino Marella, appeared on a Canadian radio program where he publicly challenged Cornette to a match despite Cornette working for rival promotion TNA at the time.

In the first two seasons, Archangel is often assisted by Marella ( Deborah Pratt ).

On the December 5, 2011 episode of Raw, Nash competed in his first televised WWE match in eight years, defeating Santino Marella.

Umberto and Antonella later divorced, and Umberto married Donna Allegra Caracciolo di Castagneto in 1974, who is the first cousin of his sister in law Marella Caracciolo di Castagneto, both members of and old Neapolitan noble family, that has the titles of nobility of Prince of Castagneto and Duke of Melito, among others.

On June 13 at the OVW TV Tapings, Polaski would defeat Chet the Jett to earn the right to challenge Santino Marella for the Intercontental Championship in his first major WWE Title match.

Marella first wrestled Bruno Sammartino for the WWWF World Championship on October 4, 1963, at Roosevelt Stadium, in Jersey City, NJ.

After Honky Tonk Man was chosen and won via disqualification, Goldust and Piper entered the ring and the three candidates fought Marella, afterwards celebrating together in the ring.

Before becoming First Selectwoman in 2001, Marella was an attorney with the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

Prior to his marriage on 19 November 1953 to Donna Marella Caracciolo dei principi di Castagneto — a half-American, half-Neapolitan noblewoman who made a small but significant name as a fabric designer, and a bigger name as a tastemaker — Agnelli was a noted playboy whose mistresses included the socialite Pamela Harriman.

" Marella is last seen in the second season closing episode " Short Walk to Freedom ;" in the third season, her place was taken by a number of different actresses.

He was a backstage visitor, and was confronted by Santino Marella.

On the July 9 episode of Raw, Lawler went against Michael Cole in a WrestleMania XXVII rematch, which he quickly won, but the anonymous Raw General Manager, who returned that night as the guest general manager, reversed the decision and Lawler lost to Cole by disqualification following interference by Booker T. Santino Marella came out to reveal that Hornswoggle was the Anonymous Raw General Manager, who was hiding underneath the ring.

He would continue to appear on Raw after the assault on Triple H, delivering his Jacknife finisher to Santino Marella and cutting promos about how Triple H was more of a boss than a friend.

On the July 12, 2010 episode of Raw, Doink ( Steve Lombardi ) teaming with William Regal, Primo, and Zack Ryder was defeated by the team of Santino Marella, Goldust, Vladimir Kozlov, and The Great Khali.

* Jimmy Kimmel's cousin Sal was taught how to wrestle by Piper in a match against Santino Marella.

In June, Umaga was re-entered into a feud with Marella, the man who won his Intercontinental Championship earlier in April.

When they met at the Vengeance pay-per-view, Umaga was solidly in control of the match, but lost by disqualification when he disregarded the referees instructions and continued to punch Marella.

Robert James " Gino " Marella ( June 4, 1937 – October 6, 1999 ), better known by his ring name of Gorilla Monsoon, was an American professional wrestler, play-by-play commentator, and booker.

Marella was also a standout athlete after high school at Ithaca College in Ithaca, New York.

The Monsoon character was far more successful, and fans were genuinely afraid of him, sparking a huge financial windfall for Marella.

At the time, the WWWF was the dominant wrestling promotion in the Northeast U. S. Marella formed a friendship with McMahon, and became a 1 / 6 shareholder in the WWWF, controlling bookings in several WWWF territories.

Marella would never reveal whether the incident was preplanned.

It was during this time that Roddy Piper became interim WWF President until WrestleMania XII, when Marella assumed the position again.

Marella was married to his wife of more than 40 years, Maureen, and had four children: Sharon ( born 1960 ), Joey ( adopted, 1963 – 1994 ), Victor ( born 1964 ), and Valerie ( born 1966 ).

Marella died on October 6, 1999 of heart failure brought on by complications of diabetes, at his home in Willingboro Township, New Jersey. He was 62 years old.

In 2007, when Anthony Carelli made his debut with the WWE, as a tribute to Marella, he was given the ring name " Santino Marella ".

* Joey Marella ( 1964 – 1994 ) WWE Professional Wrestling Referee, who refereed main event for the indoor attendance record setting match at WrestleMania III between André the Giant versus Hulk Hogan in the Pontiac Silverdome.

Two weeks after WrestleMania, Lashley interfered in a match and helped a planted fan, Santino Marella, defeat Umaga for the Intercontinental title.

Marella stepped down as the WWF's lead commentator at WrestleMania IX to make way for WCW recruit Jim Ross.

Desperate for a spot on the card for the upcoming WrestleMania XXVIII event, Miz joined John Laurinaitis ' team for the 12-man tag team match after saving Laurinaitis from Santino Marella.

The Board of Selectmen elected Sheehy First Selectman by a 3 to 2 vote, along party lines, to replace Amey Marella ( Republican ), who stepped down to accept a job as Deputy Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection.

In a rematch on July 2, Umaga beat Marella to win the Intercontinental Title back.

On the April 2 edition of Raw, Ziggler and Swagger unsuccessfully challenged Santino Marella for the United States Championship in a triple threat match.

A noticeably slimmer and quicker Rhodes finally made a full time return on the Raw roster once again on the November 24, 2008 episode of Raw, where he defeated Santino Marella.

In professional wrestling, the staging area just behind the entrance curtain at an event, a position which Marella established and where he could often be found during WWF shows late in his career, is named the Gorilla Position in his honor.

On November 15, 2010, Snuka made an appearance on an " old school " edition of Raw, where he stood by his daughter Tamina, in the corner of The Usos during their match against Santino Marella and Vladimir Kozlov.

After former Playboy cover-girl Ashley Massaro's return in early 2008, Kanellis engaged in backstage segments where Ashley suggested Maria should be on the cover of Playboy, including at the Royal Rumble, to the disdain of Marella.

Slaughter made an appearance on the July 3rd, 2012 episode of Smackdown's " The Great American Bash " tag teaming with " Hacksaw " Jim Duggan and Santino Marella to face off against, Hunico, Camacho and Drew McIntyre.

On October 26, 2008, however, Piper appeared on WWE's Cyber Sunday as one of the three choices fans could choose to face Marella for the WWE Intercontinental Championship.

Seven professional wrestling matches were scheduled on the event card with one dark match between the teams of Hardcore Holly and Cody Rhodes facing Santino Marella and Carlito for the World Tag Team Championship taking place before the event went live.

He made his television return on the July 21, 2008 edition of Raw, defeating Santino Marella.

On October 26, 2008, Rhodes returned to the WWE and turned face on Cyber Sunday under his Goldust persona as part of the three choices ( the other two being Roddy Piper and The Honky Tonk Man ) that the fans could choose to face Santino Marella for the Intercontinental Championship.

He defeated Santino Marella for the title on the SummerSlam pre-show.

In a tribute that aired on WWF television after his death, McMahon described Marella as " one of the greatest men I have ever known.

WCW commentator Tony Schiavone acknowledged Marella's death ( at Bobby Heenan's request ) on the October 11, 1999 WCW Monday Nitro episode, even though Marella never worked for WCW.