| Thomaselli Brothers | |
|---|---|
| Stable | |
| Members | Pauly Thomaselli Sal Thomaselli Vito Thomaselli |
| Name(s) | The Iron Saints[1] The Thomaselli Brothers[1] The Haters[2] |
| Billed heights | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) - Pauly Thomaselli[3] 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) - Sal Thomaselli[4] 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) - Vito Thomaselli[5] |
| Combined billed weight | 580 lb (260 kg; 41 st) |
| Hometown | McHenry, Illinois, U.S.[6] |
| Billed from | Chicago, Illinois[5] |
| Debut | 2005 |
TheThomaselli Brothers are theprofessional wrestlingstable that consists of real life brothers Pauly Thomaselli (Brandon Thomas), Vito Thomaselli (Kent Thomas), and storyline brother Sal Thomaselli (Sal Takavoli). Kent Thomas and Sal Takavoli are now retired. They formerly worked for the AmericanpromotionJuggalo Championship Wrestling, as well as occasionally for other variousindependent promotions.
Before forming the group, all members competed as singles competitors. Sal and Vito first began teaming together in 2005 as The Iron Saints. The duo won theIWA Mid-South Tag Team Championship three times. Brandon permanently joined his brothers in 2007, creating the stable the Thomaselli Brothers. As the Thomaselli Brothers, later renamed the Haters, Pauly and Vito are three timeJCW Tag Team Champions.
Vito started his pro wrestling career at the young age of 18.
After moving out to California and becoming the head trainer alongside Ric Thompson, Vito's first student was Sal Tavakoli (Thomaselli). Sal and Vito first began teaming together in 2003 as The Iron Saints. The duo won the IWA Mid-South Tag Team Championship three times.
Following several years of singles competition, Sal and Vito began teaming together inIndependent Wrestling Association Mid-South in 2005 as The Iron Saints. On June 11, the team won theIWA Mid-South Tag Team Championship in a Tag TeamBattle RoyalTables Elimination match.[1] One month later, the duo lost the championship toThe Bad Breed.[1] On September 10, The Iron Saints won a 4-Team Tournament to regain the championship.[6] The duo defended their championship for six months before losing them toIan Rotten andMad Man Pondo on March 18, 2006.[1]
Vito and Sal began teaming with their brother Brandon, bringing him in as an occasional member of The Iron Saints. Brandon, however, focused on a career as a single competitor. On May 26, 2007, The Iron Saints won their third IWA Mid-South Tag Team Championship by winning the 2007 Candido Cup.[1] The duo held the championship for 280 days, becoming the longest reigning tag team champions in IWA Mid-South history.
At Pro Wrestling Unplugged'sPride, Pain, & Punishment event on May 19, 2007, Brandon, Sal, and Vito formed the stable the Thomaselli Brothers.[7] That July, The Iron Saints debuted in Elite Pro Wrestling and won the EPW Tag Team Championship.[1] Vitobetrayed and attacked Sal later that September, leading to the two brothers feuding with each other for several weeks.[1] On November 3, The Iron Saints lost the EPW Tag Team Championship to Team W.A.R.[1]
All three Thomaselli brothers debuted inJuggalo Championship Wrestling on December 21, 2007 at that year'sBig Ballas' X-Mas Party.[8] In early 2008, Brandon and Vito became involved in a brief feud with theheroic tag teamThe Ring Rydas.[1] Later that year, Brandon and Vito took part in the "Slam TV Tour 2008." The brothers participated in the "JCW Tag Team Tournament" for the company's vacantJCW Tag Team Championship, but were eliminated in the first round.[9] AtBloodymania II,The Outsiders (Scott Hall andKevin Nash) defeated the Thomaselli Brothers (Sal and Vito).[10]
That December atBig Ballas X-Mas Party '08, the Thomaselli Brothers (Brandon and Vito) disguised themselves as The Ring Rydas and defeated The Bump-N-Uglies to win the JCW Tag Team Championship.[11] AtBloodymania III, Brandon and Vito lost the championship to The Weedman andBilly Bong. On October 20, 2009, Brandon Thomaselli changed his wrestling name to Pauly Thomaselli.[12] At that year'sHallowicked After-Party, the Thomaselli Brothers (Pauly and Vito) defeated The Weedman and Billy Bong to become two time JCW Tag Team Champions.
Throughout May and June 2010, the Thomaselli Brothers went on tour with JCW onInsane Clown Posse's "Happy Daze Tour." The duo successfully defended their championship on numerous occasion. On June 3, as part of astoryline, the Thomaselli Brothers were renamed The Haters by Juggalo Championship Wrestling owners Insane Clown Posse due to theirvillainous actions.[2][13] The Haters were also givenmasks and costumes that they are forced to wear during all of their matches.[13] AtBloodymania IV, the Haters lost the JCW Tag Team Championship toThe Kings of Wrestling in afour way Tag Team match that also featured theBriscoe Brothers and Ring Rydas.[14]
AtFlashlight Hysteria, the Haters won their third JCW Tag Team Championship in an 8 tag teambattle royal.[15] The team lost the championship toMad Man Pondo andNecro Butcher in ahardcoreBarbed Wire,Thumbtacks, and Ladders match at the following event,Hardcore Hell.[16]
In the spring of 2011 they unsuccessfully pursued JCW Tag Team Championship losing toMad Man Pondo andNecro Butcher in their rematch at iPPVHatchet Attacks[17] and later toRing Rydas (who became champions earlier by defeating Pondo and Necro) at iPPVSt. Andrews Brawl.[18]