 Raven in 2016 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | Scott Levy[1][5] (1964-09-08)September 8, 1964 (age 61)[1][4] |
| Alma mater | University of Delaware |
| Website | TheRavenEffect.com |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Johnny Polo[1] Matman[2] Raven[1] Scott Anthony[1] Scotty the Body[1] Scotty Flamingo[1] |
| Billed height | 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)[3] |
| Billed weight | 235 lb (107 kg)[3] |
| Billed from | Short Hills, New Jersey Palm Beach, Florida The Bowery[3] |
| Trained by | Larry Sharpe[4] |
| Debut | February 20, 1988[4] |
Scott Levy (born September 8, 1964) is an Americanprofessional wrestler, better known by hisring name,Raven. He is best known for his appearances withprofessional wrestling promotionsExtreme Championship Wrestling (ECW),World Championship Wrestling (WCW), theWorld Wrestling Federation (WWF) /World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) andNWA Total Nonstop Action (TNA).[1][3][4]
Widely recognized as "one of the best talkers in wrestling", Raven is known for his "psychologicalheel tactics" andgrunge-inspiredgimmick.[7][8] Hisfeud withThe Sandman in the mid-1990s has been described as "one of the most emotional rivalries in professional wrestling's history".[9] Over the course of his career, he heldchampionships including theECW World Heavyweight Championship,ECW World Tag Team Championship,NWA World Heavyweight Championship,WCW Light Heavyweight Championship,WCW United States Heavyweight Championship,WCW World Tag Team Championship, andWWF Hardcore Championship. He was inducted into theTNA Hall of Fame in 2022.
Levy is ofJewish descent; he was born inPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania, the son of Paul F. Levy, a journalist and senior editor ofThe National Enquirer.[10] He graduated fromLake Worth Community High School in 1982.[6][11] He went on to attend theUniversity of Delaware, where he earned a degree incriminal justice.[1][12] He took a semester off from college to enlist in theUnited States Marine Corps Reserve.[13]
Levy trained as a professional wrestler underLarry Sharpe at theMonster Factory inNew Jersey, making his debut on February 20, 1988, againstJimmy Jack Funk.[14]
Early in his career, Levy competed for theWorld Wrestling Council inPuerto Rico as well as theMemphis, Tennessee-based promotionContinental Wrestling Association under thering name "Scotty the Body", where he was given thegimmick of being the "boy toy" ofMissy Hyatt, who used him to her andEddie Gilbert's advantage. After leaving Memphis, Levy wrestled in Florida.[1][5][self-published source?]
Levy next traveled to Canada, where he competed briefly for theVancouver, British Columbia-based promotionNWA All-Star Wrestling before leaving due to differences with ownerAl Tomko. From there, he returned to the United States, joiningPacific Northwest Wrestling inPortland, Oregon. Over the next three years, he was positioned as one of the mainheels, winning all of the titles andfeuding heavily withSteve Doll. His manager in PNW wasTaylor Made. After taking a brief break from competing, he returned to PNW as aface and began a feud withThe Grappler.[5] In the summer of 1989, Levy made a number of appearances under amask as "Matman", aBatman-inspired character who teamed withBeetlejuice.[2]
Wrestling as Scotty the Body, Levy made a one-off appearance onWWF Prime Time Wrestling in a losing effort againstKoko B. Ware on October 9, 1990.[15]
After leaving PNW, Levy joined theDallas, Texas-basedGlobal Wrestling Federation, where he adopted the ring name "Scott Anthony". Levy was part of thestable known as "The Cartel", along withCactus Jack,Makhan Singh,Rip Rogers and Max Andrews. Levy also served as acolor commentator for GWF's televised broadcasts onESPN alongsideplay-by-play commentators Craig Johnson and Scott Hudson.
In 1992, Levy joinedWorld Championship Wrestling (WCW). He was given the ring name "Scotty Flamingo" and the gimmick of a surfer from Florida, even carrying asurfboard to the ring. According to him, he did not like the character nor the high flying style, but was forced by the promoters.[16] He was originally managed byJ. T. Southern. Levy competed in the WCWlight heavyweight division, winning theWCW Light Heavyweight Championship fromBrian Pillman on June 20, 1992, atBeach Blast. He held the title until July 5, 1992, when he was defeated byBrad Armstrong. Levy went on to align himself withDiamond Dallas Page andVinnie Vegas as a member of "The Diamond Mine". Levy would continue to feud with Pillman and Armstrong, before feuding withJohnny B. Badd. AtClash of the Champions XXI on November 18, 1992, Levy defeated Badd in aboxing match via knockout after Vegas surreptitiously weighted his boxing glove by soaking it in water. Levy left WCW in February 1993 after disagreements withbookerBill Watts.
After leaving WCW, Levy briefly wrestled for theUnited States Wrestling Association (USWA) before joining theWorld Wrestling Federation (WWF) as manager "Johnny Polo", a spoiled, richpreppy kid. He was initially placed withAdam Bomb, appearing for the first time on May 22 episode ofWWF Superstars. He managed Bomb for four months until he was replaced byHarvey Wippleman. He then became the manager ofThe Quebecers in September, whom he led to three reigns asWWF Tag Team Champions.[1] In addition to managing, Polo also occasionally appeared in tag-team and singles competition, facing Jim Powers, Virgil, Rick Steiner, Marty Jannetty, Doink the Clown, 1-2-3 Kid, Owen Hart, and Pierre Ouellet. Polo also worked as a color commentator and co-host of Radio WWF,[17] and behind the scenes worked as the associate producer forMonday Night Raw. Levy left the company in October 1994, his final match coming against Adam Bomb on October 2 in Auburn Hills, Michigan.[18] His last appearance as Johnny Polo was at a house show in Montreal, Quebec on October 21 when he managed Pierre Ouellet in a match against Jacques Rougeau.
After leaving the WWF, Levy began developing a newcharacter, "Raven". Inspired bythe poem byEdgar Allan Poe and byPatrick Swayze's manipulative Zen master of crime in the filmPoint Break, the Raven character was adepressed,sociopathic,stoical,nihilisticmisanthrope who would deliver eloquent, philosophicalpromos peppered with literaryallusions and ending with the catchphrase, "Quoth the Raven 'Nevermore'". Levy dramatically altered his appearance, bulking-up to approximately 235 lbs (107 kg), addingnose andeyebrow piercings and began wrestling in raggedjean shorts, aleather jacket,rock band orcomic bookt-shirts,combat boots and aflannel tied around his waist. After unsuccessfully pitching the character toJim Cornette, the owner ofSmoky Mountain Wrestling (SMW), Raven approachedPaul Heyman, thebooker of thePhiladelphia, Pennsylvania-based promotionExtreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), who agreed to bring in Raven as a foil forTommy Dreamer.[19][20][21]
I want elimination by any means necessary.Quoth the Raven 'Nevermore'.
— Raven, January 1995
Raven was introduced to ECW byStevie Richards. In late 1994, Richards had developed an "identity crisis", performing under the ring names "Stevie Flamingo", "Stevie the Body", and "Stevie Polo"—all references to former ring names used by Levy. After sustaining another loss toTommy Dreamer, Richards became irate and claimed he would present "the real Johnny Polo". Raven made his first appearance on the January 10, 1995 episode ofECW Hardcore TV, with Richards revealing that he had a vendetta against Tommy Dreamer.[22]
Raven formed astable oflackeys known as "Raven's Nest", with Richards the first member. In February,Johnny Hotbody andTony Stetson joined the stable, calling Raven the "voice of [their]generation".[23] On March 18, 1995, atExtreme Warfare, Dreamer lost to the four members of Raven's Nest in agauntlet match.[24]
On April 8, 1995, atThree Way Dance, Raven fired Hotbody and Stetson, replacing them withThe Pitbulls. Later that evening, Raven expounded on his history with Dreamer, revealed that they had attendedsummer camp together as children, where Raven became the boyfriend ofBeulah McGillicutty, an overweight girl with acne, after she was spurned by Dreamer. Richards then revealed that he had tracked down McGillicutty, who was now aPenthouse model, who also harbored a grudge against Dreamer.[25] Later that night, Raven faced Dreamer in a singles match for the first time, defeating him following interference from both Richards and McGillicutty. McGillicutty went on to become Raven'svalet and onscreen girlfriend, repeatedly interfering in his bouts with Dreamer and receiving numerouspiledrivers as a result.[26][27][self-published source?] McGillicutty was brought into ECW by Raven, who had been introduced to her byRon Gant inFlorida earlier that year and thought she would add a new dimension to his feud with Dreamer.[28]The feud between Raven and Dreamer escalated atBarbed Wire, Hoodies & Chokeslams in June 1995, where Raven's Nest beat down Dreamer's ally,Luna Vachon, before breaking several of Dreamer's fingers.[29] On June 30, 1995, atMountain Top Madness, Raven and Richards defeatedThe Public Enemy to win theECW World Tag Team Championship.[29]
In July 1995 atHardcore Heaven after Raven and Richards successfully defended the ECW Tag Team Championship against Dreamer and Vachon, The Pitbulls left Raven's Nest, with theDudley Brothers replacing them shortly thereafter. AtHeatwave '95: Rage in the Cage! on July 15, 1995, Dreamer and The Pitbulls defeated Raven and The Dudley Brothers. Later that evening, Dreamerhandcuffed Raven and delivered achair shot later dubbed "the chair shot heard 'round the world."[30] The footage of the chair shot was incorporated into thetitle sequence ofECW Hardcore TV.[31] AtWrestlepalooza on August 5, 1995, during an eight-man tag team match, Raven, Richards and the Dudley Brothers defeated Tommy Dreamer,Cactus Jack and the Pitbulls after Cactus Jack, Dreamer's long-time ally, turned on him, joining Raven's Nest.[32] On September 16, 1995 atGangstas Paradise, Raven and Richards lost the ECW World Tag Team Championship to The Pitbulls following interference from Dreamer. Raven and Richards regained the titles from The Pitbulls on October 7, 1995 atSouth Philly Jam, only to lose them to The Public Enemy later that evening.[33] AtNovember to Remember on November 18, 1995, Dreamer andTerry Funk defeated Raven and Cactus Jack in the main event. At the same event, Raven's Nest received a new member,The Blue Meanie, who became a lackey to Stevie Richards.[34]
AtDecember to Dismember on December 9, 1995, Raven once more defeated Dreamer, although later that night Dreamer, The Pitbulls and The Public Enemy defeated Raven, Richards,The Eliminators andThe Heavenly Bodies in an "Ultimate Jeopardy"cage match when Dreamer pinned Richards. AtHoliday Hell on December 30, 1995, Raven defeated Dreamer to become number one contender for theECW World Heavyweight Championship, unsuccessfully challenging incumbent championThe Sandman later that evening. At the same event, The Dudley Brothers left Raven's Nest following a confrontation with Richards.[35] During the build-up to the match, Raven further expounded on his grudge against Dreamer, accusing Dreamer of not having been there for him during his parents' divorce, an accusation that Dreamer hotly denied. AtHouse Party on January 5, 1996, Richards attempted to kiss McGillicutty, who refused, eventually announcing that she was pregnant. After Raven angrily confronted McGillicutty, she informed him that he was not the father, causing Raven to attack Richards. McGillicutty then revealed that Tommy Dreamer was the father, with Dreamer storming the ring and beating down Raven, Richards and The Blue Meanie before embracing Beulah.[36]
On January 27, 1996, Raven introduced his new valet,Kimona Wanalaya. Later that evening, Raven defeated The Sandman to win his first ECW World Heavyweight Championship following extensive interference from Raven's Nest.[36] Over the following months, Raven successfully defended the ECW World Heavyweight Championship in bouts with opponents includingShane Douglas,Pitbull #2,Chris Jericho,Damián 666,2 Cold Scorpio andTerry Gordy. Wanalaya left him in April 1996 atMassacre on Queens Boulevard after he slapped her.[37][38]
AtHardcore Heaven on June 22, 1996, Raven began playingmind games with The Sandman,brainwashing his ex-wife,Lori and his son, Tyler to join Raven's Nest.[8][19][39] Lori and Tyler subsequently began accompanying Raven to ringside for his matches, with Raven using him to wagepsychological warfare against The Sandman over the following months.[40][41][self-published source?][42][43]
AtECW High Incident on October 26, 1996, Richards was involved in one of ECW's most controversialangles, with Raven's Nest "crucifying" The Sandman by tying him to across and placing a crown made ofbarbed wire on his head. The angle, which was widely criticised as being in poor taste, led toOlympic gold medalistKurt Angle severing his links with ECW and delayed the promotion's debut onpay-per-view. At the instruction of Paul Heyman, Raven came to the ring and offered a somewhat insincere apology for his actions.[40][44][45][46]
The relationship between Raven and Richards began to deteriorate in late 1996. AtUltimate Jeopardy on October 5, 1996, Raven was scheduled to team withBrian Lee against Dreamer and The Sandman in a match with Raven's ECW World Heavyweight Championship on the line. After Raven was announced as being unable to compete, Richards substituted for him, with Raven losing his title after The Sandman pinned Richards. Upon his return, Raven blamed Richards for the loss.[47] AtHoliday Hell on December 7, 1996, Raven defeated The Sandman in abarbed wire match to regain the ECW World Heavyweight Championship. Despite this, the tension between Raven and Richards continued to build until, on December 28, 1996, Richards turned on Raven by superkicking him during a match with The Sandman. Richards, The Blue Meanie and Super Nova subsequently broke away from Raven.[48]
At theCrossing the Line Again event on February 1, 1997, Raven successfully defended the ECW World Heavyweight Championship against"Dr. Death" Steve Williams – inflicting Williams' first loss in the United States in a decade – after interference from Richards backfired. As part of an agreement between ECW and the World Wrestling Federation, Raven and several other ECW wrestlers appeared on the February 24, 1997 episode ofRaw Is War, with Raven confronting Richards.[49]
Over the following months, Raven successfully defended the ECW World Heavyweight Championship against opponents including Dreamer, Richards,Rob Van Dam andSuper Nova.[49][50] His reign lasted until April 13, 1997, when he was defeated by Terry Funk in the main event ofBarely Legal, ECW's firstpay-per-view.[51][52]
On the May 1, 1997 episode ofECW Hardcore TV, a controversial angle took place in which a morose Raven, despondent at the loss of his title and other setbacks, confronted Richards, telling him he had one final "mission" for him. Raven then attacked Richards before begging him to "end my pain". AtThe Buffalo Invasion on May 11, 1997, Raven and Richards reformed their tag team to face Dreamer and Funk, with Richards pinning Funk despite bickering with Raven throughout the match. In the main event, Raven, Richards, Funk and The Sandman faced one another in a four-way elimination match for Funk's ECW World Heavyweight Championship. During the match, Raven DDT'ed both Funk and The Sandman and then demanded that Richards pin them and then lay down for him. Richards refused, instead superkicking Raven and enabling Funk and The Sandman to pin him.[53]
AtWrestlepalooza on June 6, 1997, Raven faced Dreamer in a"Loser Leaves ECW" match. During the bout, Raven abandoned his newvalet,Chastity, and unsuccessfully begged Beulah to take him back. Dreamer ultimately won the match by pinning Raven for the first time, marking the end of their lengthy feud and the end of Raven's ECW career. Raven subsequently left ECW and rejoined World Championship Wrestling.[52][54]
 | This sectiondoes notcite anysources. Please helpimprove this section byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged andremoved.(August 2025) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
On June 30, 1997, Levy made his return to WCW as Raven. He was seen sitting in the front row atMonday Nitro where the commentators acknowledged him as "a man who has been a champion with other organizations".[citation needed] On August 21, 1997 atClash of the Champions XXXV, Raven defeated Stevie Richards in an "unsanctioned" match and then took a seat in the front row. The storyline continued that Raven would frequently appear in the front row for the next few months with his lackeys, slowly forming what would be known as The Flock. Raven was an "unsignedfree agent", but eventually accepted a contract with WCW CommissionerJ. J. Dillon which stipulated that he could wrestle only when he wanted and under his own rules. The Flock was astable ofmisfits in the same vein as the Raven's Nest group in ECW. With The Flock, however, Raven was more openly abusive and controlling, which eventually led to dissension and rebellion. The group's matches were held underRaven's Rules, which meant no disqualifications—weapon usage, double teaming, and outside interference were rampant.
Raven made his in-ringNitro debut on October 27 againstScotty Riggs, after Riggs refused an invitation to join The Flock. Raven won the match, during which he performed a drop toehold on Riggs that drove his face into a steel chair and temporarily blinded him in one eye. The two engaged in a brief feud which resulted in a match atWorld War 3 in November, where Raven defeated Riggs and inducted him by force into The Flock.
With The Flock's help, Raven won theWCW United States Heavyweight Championship which lasted only a day as Raven defeatedDiamond Dallas Page atSpring Stampede and lost the belt the following night toBill Goldberg onNitro. He blamed The Flock and Saturn in particular for his loss. This led to a series of matches, culminating in a match atFall Brawl that if Raven lost, The Flock would be able to disband. Saturn won with the help ofKidman, who also wanted to leave Raven's abuses.[citation needed]
Without The Flock, Raven began a series of depressing interviews and walked out on several matches. In October atHalloween Havoc, Raven refused to wrestleChris Jericho for theWCW Television Championship, but eventually was convinced to return to the ring which he lost the match and was not seen until 1999. On his return, a series ofvignettes were shown in which a camera crew followed Raven to his supposed childhood home, where he had led a privilegedupper class lifestyle. He was also reunited with his former valet Chastity, who WCW claimed was his sister. He teamed withPerry Saturn, winning theWCW Tag Team Championship at1999 Slamboree, losing the belts to the debutingThe Jersey Triad three weeks later.
He later joined withVampiro and theInsane Clown Posse in a short-lived stable calledThe Dead Pool.[1] In a backstage meeting in August 1999, which involved every contracted WCW wrestler,Eric Bischoff offered anyone their release right then and there. Levy was the only one to stand up and walk out, as he was dissatisfied with WCW's creative direction. Levy was granted his release and left the company.[55][11]
As a condition to leaving WCW, Levy was not allowed to directly join the WWF upon leaving the promotion as levied by a no compete clause in his contract. Via a loophole in the contract, Levy rejoined ECW and signed a one-year contract on August 25, 1999. The next night, Raven made a surprise return atthe Last Show at the Madhouse, which was televised on ECW'sdebut on TNN, winning the tag team title from the departingDudley Boyz along with Tommy Dreamer on August 26, 1999.[56] A reluctant tag team, Raven and Dreamer reigned asECW World Tag Team Champions for several months.[56] When they lost the belts, they feuded briefly. Raven andMike Awesome won the tag team title from Tanaka and Dreamer on March 4, 2000, only to lose them a week later toThe Impact Players atLiving Dangerously.[1][56]CyberSlam 2000 was Raven's last ECW appearance with Francine, as she aligned with Justin Credible that evening. In his last televised match (July 15, 2000) Raven challenged ECW TV champion Rhino. His in-ring appearances were initially limited by a recent surgery to repair arotator cuff tear.[11] Shortly thereafter, he departed for the WWF.
Levy returned to the WWF, as Raven, atUnforgiven on September 24, 2000 when he interfered in thestrap match betweenTazz andJerry Lawler by hitting Lawler with aDDT.[57] His previous run in the WWF as Johnny Polo wasignored by the company. He then started teaming with Tazz before they went their separate ways. Raven feuded with Jerry Lawler that fall until January 2001. He then moved on to the Hardcore division, where he would often bring out a shopping cart full of trash cans and other potential weapons during his entrances. On December 22 in Chattanooga, he defeatedSteve Blackman for theHardcore Championship, his first of a record 27 title reigns, though most of Raven's title reigns were short-lived. The Hardcore title at the time was contested under the "24/7" defense rule, leading to segments where one wrestler would win the title only to immediately lose it to another wrestler. AtWrestleMania X-Seven on April 1, 2001, he competed in his onlyWrestleMania match, losing the Hardcore Championship toKane in a triple threat match that also includedBig Show. AtBacklash on April 29, he lost to Hardcore ChampionRhyno in a hardcore match. A brief angle had an anonymous Black Ninja, who was later revealed to be his old valet from his Pacific Northwest days,Tori, aiding Raven in retaining the Hardcore Championship.[1]
When theInvasion storyline began, he found himself in the newWCW/ECW Alliance. His most notable storyline during this time was when he was managed byTerri Runnels and destroyed the love interest of Saturn, his mop called "Moppy". He also started teaming withJustin Credible in late July. By the end of the year, Raven was not seen on WWF programs, as the Alliance lost the "Winner Take All" match atSurvivor Series on November 18.
In March 2002, when theWWF brand extension was announced, Raven wasdrafted toRaw. On the finalSmackDown! before the split began, he defeatedMaven to once again win the Hardcore Championship, thus bringing the title toRaw. He lost the title that Monday toBubba Ray Dudley. At that time, Levy decided to spend some time announcing, and Raven became the new color commentator forSunday Night Heat andExcess. This role lasted a couple of months, as he later quit the show to resume his wrestling career onRaw. This did not last long either, as he was "banished" fromRaw after losing a match to former ECW alumni Tommy Dreamer on the June 24 episode ofRaw. Raven was forced to spend the rest of the year onHeat. Although he won his way back onto theRaw roster, he lost toJeff Hardy in aRoyal Rumble qualifier match, which was his final match in the WWE. He was released from the promotion the following week on January 20, 2003.
Raven debuted forNWA Total Nonstop Action (TNA) on January 22, 2003, two days after his release from WWE, attacking and hitting his finisher onJeff Jarrett and stealing theNWA World Heavyweight Championship from him. Raven then embarked upon a long-running storyline in which he claimed it was his "destiny" to win the NWA World Heavyweight Title. Raven began playing mind games with the roster, starting with his former nemesis Sandman, and debuted his trademarkClockwork Orange House of Fun match, which Levy devised himself. On April 30, 2003 Raven got his first shot at Jarrett'sNWA World Heavyweight Championship, yet Jarrett won the match.
On September 17, 2003, Raven lost his trademark long hair after he was defeated byShane Douglas in a hair versus hair match, thanks to the surprise interference ofVampiro. Vampiro and Raven would grow to be bitter rivals which resulted in a backstage brawl which Vampiro ended up with a torn "ACL." While in TNA, he formed a stable known asThe Gathering, which included ROH rival CM Punk, as well asJulio Dinero andAlexis Laree, though they would later turn on him. He created matches involving old friends and brought in former colleagues from ECW such asNew Jack, Perry Saturn,Mikey Whipwreck, and Justin Credible, all of whom Raven beat in matches. Later in the year these superstars overturnedSports Entertainment Xtreme (SEX). In 2003, Raven feuded withJames Mitchell and the Disciples of the New Church. Raven took them all out one by one just like he said, but with interferences from The Gathering and ECW counterparts. Raven ended his feud with James Mitchell in aLast Man Standing match, which was won by Raven. This led to a long undefeated run and the beginning of Raven's attempts to fulfill his destiny. In 2004, Raven teamed up with The Sandman to go against The Gathering. The Gathering won due to interference from James Mitchell, who had aligned himself with The Gathering. Raven then teamed withTerry Funk to defeat the Gathering, even though James Mitchell tried to interfere.
Also in 2004, Raven's old friendSabu returned to TNA. Raven teamed with Sabu to defeat The Gathering one last time. Raven and Sabu then feuded withAbyss and "The Alpha Male"Monty Brown.[1] Abyss and Brown outnumbered Sabu on many occasions, when Raven failed to watch Sabu's back. Raven waged a campaign against Sabu, disrespecting the memory of his uncle and assaulting Sabu's mouthpiece,Sonjay Dutt, until Sabu finally broke and attacked him on July 23. Raven defeated Sabu in aNo Holds Barred match on August 4, and a scheduled return match on August 18 was canceled after Sabu suffered a legitimate back injury. He also competed in the very firstMonster's Ball match, with Abyss and Brown.[1]
On June 19, 2005, Raven turned face and fulfilled his self-proclaimed destiny when he won theNWA World Heavyweight Championship atSlammiversary (by taking Jeff Jarrett's place after Jarrett attacked a fan from the crowd earlier that night and got arrested), defeatingA.J. Styles, Abyss,Sean Waltman and Monty Brown in a five wayKing of the Mountain match.[1] He successfully defended the title in two defenses over the following months against Abyss atNo Surrender, and Rhino two months later atUnbreakable. Against Rhino he showed his full array of moves and peeled back the years looking like the Raven in ECW and early WCW. He not only defeated Rhino but hit a Raven Effect DDT on Jeff Jarrett, with the assistance of Jeff Hardy running to the ringside. He also had a tag team match with Sabu against Jeff Jarrett and Rhino.
On September 15, Raven lost the NWA World Heavyweight Championship to Jeff Jarrett in Oldcastle, Ontario, Canada, at a special event ofBorder City Wrestling.[1]America's Most Wanted ("Wildcat" Chris Harris and"Cowboy" James Storm) came out and interfered on Jarrett's behalf. BCW officials immediately contacted TNA Director of AuthorityLarry Zbyszko, who declared the title change official[58] (TNA had briefly gone dark on its national television timeslot prior to jumping toSpike TV, prompting a title change in another NWA based promotion). This led to Raven feuding with Larry Zbyszko, who brought in wrestlers likePJ Polaco andChris K to wrestle Raven.[1] This culminated in a match atFinal Resolution where Raven wrestled Sean Waltman with the stipulation that if Raven lost he would have to leave TNA. Raven lost the match and went on hiatus as a result.
Raven returned to TNA on April 23, 2006 at theLockdown pay-per-view, and reignited his feud with Zbyszko. They would end their feud atVictory Road in aHair vs. Hair match which Raven won.
He next feuded with Abyss andBrother Runt, losing to the former in a Hangman's Horror match on Impact after the latter turned on him. Subsequent to this, his coverage in major televised angles has dropped considerably. While he was off-air, an alliance was teased betweenKazarian,Johnny Devine, andMatt Bentley. On the TNA Primetime Special beforeGenesis, the three came out in goth, addressing a new movement in TNA. After a loss at Genesis, sporting a new look (often with a mask), Raven revealed himself as their leader, caning the loser of the match. This stable became known asSerotonin. The direction of this stable was very hard to place, although they lost the majority of their televised matches. Regardless of the outcome, Raven would hit the Serotonin competitor with a cane. After a long hiatus, Raven returned to the ring, losing toChristopher Daniels in aFirst Blood Invitational then losing toChris Harris after interference fromKaz. OnImpact, Raven came out after Kaz's win over Havok and Martyr and hit Kaz in the back with a Kendo Stick, breaking it over Kaz's back. Raven, Havok, and Martyr then attacked Kaz with kendo sticks. On the July 19 episode ofImpact!, Raven and the rest of Serotonin took on the reunitingTriple X. Raven had very little time in the match and Serotonin lost after Skipper hit adiving leg drop, Daniels hit aBest Moonsault Ever, and Senshi hit aWarrior's Way on Havok.[1]
Raven won a House of Fun match, on the August 9 episode ofImpact!. He teamed withRobert Roode and James Storm against the team of Chris Harris, Rhino, and Kazarian. Raven lost to Kaz, who had rebelled against him, atHard Justice despite having the remaining members of Serotonin involve themselves in the match. He then issued a challenge to Abyss and Rhino atBound for Glory. Abyss later had Black Reign added to the match and made it a Monsters Ball. Raven briefly formed an alliance withHavok,Black Reign,Judas Mesias, and James Mitchell with the purpose of defeating Abyss.[1] At Bound for glory, Raven would go on to lose the match after Abyss gave him a black hole slam on to tacks and glass. On the November 15 episode ofImpact, Havok was revealed to beTeam 3D'sX Division traitor, effectively ending Serotonin. AtTurning Point, Raven substituted for Rhino in the "Match of 10,000 Thumbtacks" and teamed with Abyss to defeatBlack Reign andRellik. Raven was officially released from TNA, and his profile was removed from the roster on March 7, 2008.
After an absence of more than a year, Raven surprised fans by returning to TNA on May 28, 2009. He returned as a heel by attacking Abyss with a Kendo stick withDr. Stevie assisting him. He then aligned himself with Dr. Stevie andDaffney. On the June 18 episode ofImpact! he won a Clockwork Orange House of Fun match againstJethro Holliday. AtSlammiversary, Abyss andTaylor Wilde defeated Raven and Daffney in the first-ever mixed tag team Monster's Ball match. After the pay-per-view, Raven's name was taken down from the TNA website.
On the November 12, 2009, episode ofImpact!, Raven returned again to TNA attacking Abyss and throwing a fireball atMick Foley's face, aligning himself again with Dr. Stevie and Daffney.[59] AtFinal Resolution, Abyss and Foley defeated Stevie and Raven in a "Foley's Funhouse" tag team match.[60] Raven appeared on the January 4 episode ofImpact!, teaming with Dr. Stevie in a number one contender's tag team match, where they were defeated byMatt Morgan andHernandez.[61] He appeared on the February 18 episode ofImpact!, helping Eric Bischoff take out Abyss, along with Rhino,Homicide,Tomko, andDesmond Wolfe.[62]
Raven returned to television four months later on the June 24 episode ofImpact! showing signs of a face turn, appearing in the Impact! Zone crowd beside Stevie Richards and Tommy Dreamer.[63] The following week the three were joined by Rhino.[64] On the July 15 episode ofImpact! Raven, Dreamer, Richards, Rhino,Brother Devon,Pat Kenney andAl Snow, led byMick Foley, aligned themselves with theTNA World Heavyweight ChampionRob Van Dam by attacking Abyss and the rest of the TNA locker room.[65][66][67] The following week, TNA presidentDixie Carter agreed to give the ECW alumni their own reunion pay–per–view event,Hardcore Justice: The Last Stand, as a celebration ofhardcore wrestling and a final farewell to the company.[68] On the July 29 episode ofImpact! Raven re–ignited his old feud with Dreamer by turning on him, after his match with Abyss, and laying him out with a DDT on a chair and in doing so, turned heel.[69] The following week, Raven explained his turn by saying that he had not forgotten how Dreamer had "stolen", and later married, his girlfriend Beulah McGillicutty, who turned on Raven back in 1996 during his and Dreamer's initial feud.[70] On August 8 at Hardcore Justice Raven defeated Dreamer in a "Final Showdown" match refereed by Mick Foley.[71] On the following episode ofImpact!, the ECW alumni, known collectively asExtreme, Version 2.0 (EV 2.0), were assaulted by A.J. Styles,Kazarian,Robert Roode,James Storm,Douglas Williams and Matt Morgan ofRic Flair'sFourtune stable, who thought they didn't deserve to be in TNA, thus once again turning Raven face.[72][73] AtBound for Glory, Raven, Dreamer, Rhino, Richards and Sabu defeated Fourtune members Styles, Kazarian, Morgan, Roode and Storm in aLethal Lockdown match.[74] AtTurning Point, EV 2.0 faced Fortune in a ten-man tag team match, where each member of EV 2.0 put their TNA careers on the line. In the end, EV 2.0 lost the match and Sabu was released from TNA.[75] Two weeks later onImpact!, Raven was forced to put his TNA future on the line in a match against the TNA World Heavyweight Champion Jeff Hardy. Hardy won the match and as a result Raven was released from TNA.[76] His release from the company was legitimate.[77] Raven worked one last match for the promotion on November 12, 2010, defeatingTNA Television Champion A.J. Styles in a non–title match at theFarewell at theAsylumlive event.[78]
In 2008, Raven appeared inJuggalo Championship Wrestling (JCW) for Season 2 ofSlamTV!. In the main event of the second episode,JCW Heavyweight ChampionCorporal Robinson put his title on the line against Sexy Slim Goody. When Robinson attempted to hit theBoot Camp, the lights shut off in the arena. When they turned back on, Raven appeared in the ring and hit Robinson with his Evenflow DDT, before stealing the JCW Heavyweight Championship belt.[79] In the third episode, Raven introduced Sexy Slim Goody as his newest lackey. When Robinson ran out to the ring to take his title back, Sexy Slim Goody (kayfabe) knocked him out with asteel chair shot, and Raven began to shave Robinson's afro. Sabu appeared from out of the crowd and scared Raven off, leaving Robinson with a half shaved afro.[80] The tag team of Raven and Sexy Slim Goody had a match against Corporal Robinson and Sabu in the following episode. Raven walked out on the match with the stolen championship belt, fleeing from Sabu.[81] AtBloodymania II, Raven lost to Corporal Robinson in a"Loser leaves JCW"Ladder match. However, Raven returned to the company atBloodymania III in a losing effort against his old nemesis Sabu in aRaven's Rules match.[82]
Levy was the heavyweight champion of CWA Pro Wrestling, anindependentprofessional wrestling promotion based out ofOrangeburg, South Carolina, from March 15 through August 8, 2008. He won the championship when he defeated Timber inCharlotte, North Carolina, on March 15. He was stripped of the title after missing several shows, therefore not being able to defend the championship. Levy was also featured doing shows overseas at Russia's Independent Wrestling Federation, battlingJoe Legend. In April 2008, Raven toured Australia and New Zealand including several seminars as well as performing. In June, Raven wrestled for multiple European promotions which included losing toThe Vampire Warrior in a flaming tables match for Nu-Wrestling Evolution.
In 2009, Raven regularly wrestled for Collective League of Adrenaline Strength and Honor, NWA Charlotte and Showtime Allstar Wrestling. On August 2, 2009, Raven defeated reigning champion Preston Quinn to win the Vanguard Championship Wrestling World Heavyweight Title in Norfolk, Virginia at the NorVa. Post match, Larry Zbyszko and Raven had a war of words, where Raven challenged Zbyszko to find an opponent to face him for the VCW World Title, a match which he consequently won. In November, he wrestled all across Europe, touring with American Wrestling Rampage.
In January 2010, Raven took onChris Harris for the PICW Heavyweight Championship and lost. AtBloodymania IV, in the main event Raven took onCorporal Robinson andMike Knox in a triple threat match for theJCW Heavyweight Championship where Robinson retained his championship.
At JCW Legends and Icons, he was involved in a seven way "Philly Madness" match which included former ECW stars such as Sabu, Shane Douglas and the eventual winner, Rhino. Two days later atBloodymania V, Raven and Sexy Slim Goody won theJCW Tag Team Championship. On September 16, he defeated Jocephus for the USWO Heavyweight Championship and would lose it in November 11 to Jocephus. At JCW New Year's Eve Ninja Party!, Raven lost the tag team championship back toThe Ring Rydas.
On April 28, 2012, Raven debuted forExtreme Rising in a dark match againstGary Wolfe ending in a no contest. On October 27, Raven appeared forNiagara Falls, Ontario-based promotion Busted Knuckle Pro Wrestling's Apocalypse event, defeating Eddie Osborne in a Clockwork Orange House of Fun match. During the match, Raven threw out his shoulder while performing a DDT, but still finished the match, despite being hit with several chair shots and even going through a table after the DDT was performed. After the match, he cut a promo putting over all of the young stars in the promotion as well as Osborne, congratulating the promotion on doing a great job so far in his eyes. On November 11 at Extreme Rising, Raven took onStevie Richards in a loser leaves town match which ended in a no contest.
In the early part of 2013, Raven toured Europe wrestling for various promotions in various countries including Germany and the Netherlands. On May 24, Raven reunited with Perry Saturn in a tag team Raven's Rules match forBilly Corgan'sResistance Pro Wrestling, defeating Brady Pierce and Mad Man Pondo. Raven had spent 2014 in Nigeria and South Africa. He defeated Fury in a singles match at a house show inLagos, Nigeria on November 7, 2014. He won the WWP Tag Team Championship with Venus on November 24, which they lost December 22 at house show in Abuja, Nigeria. Raven signed with NWF and made his debut on the main event defeating Strong Bone in a Hardcore match on December 23. He teamed withThe Steiner Brothers where they defeated Sabu and The Wolves in a Christmas house show in Lagos. He won the NWF World Heavyweight Championship on December 27, defeating Kamjarlio in steel cage match. He earned his first title defense on December 29, by defeating Sabu on a live event in Cairo. He retained again in six-man battle royal on December 30, in a house show in Newark, New Jersey.
On the December 6, 2018, episode ofImpact!, Raven appeared as a mental patient helpingEddie Edwards escape Sandy Acres mental hospital giving Edwards a key card to get out of the hospital.[83][84]
On the January 3, 2019, episode ofImpact!, Raven made a surprise appearance helpingTommy Dreamer attackEli Drake.[85]
On March 31, 2020, during theTotal Nonstop Action Wrestling Special!, Raven made an appearance helpingTommy Dreamer during an altercation withoVe afterwards he attacked Dreamer hitting him with a kendo stick following a match betweenRhino andMadman Fulton.[86][87]
On July 1, 2022, atAgainst All Odds, Raven returned toImpact Wrestling as a special guest commentator for theClockwork Orange House of Fun match betweenMoose andSami Callihan.[88][89]
On September 23, 2022, atVictory Road, it was announced that Raven would be inducted into theImpact Hall of Fame.[90][91] On October 7, atBound for Glory, during the pre-show Raven was inducted into the Hall of Fame byTommy Dreamer.[92]
In the summer of 2022, segments aired showing members of theMajor League Wrestling (MLW) roster laid out, each with a calling card on their body. On March 7, 2023, Raven made his appearance known in an MLW video revealing himself as the leader of a heel stable known as The Calling—consisting ofRickey Shane Page andAkira,Delirious, Dr. Cornwallus, andMandy Leon—who would attack wrestlers during their matches. April 8, 2023, he participated inBattle Riot V as the seventeenth entrant, before eliminating himself by going over the top rope.
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | The Jesse Ventura Story | Himself | |
| 2008 | Death Racers | The Reaper | |
| 2012 | Sleeper | Resnik | |
| 2013 | Cool as Hell | Himself | |
| 2025 | Nevermore: The Raven Effect | Himself | Documentary |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Swift Justice | Franco | Episode: Sex, Death and Rock 'n' Roll |
| 1998 | MTV Ultimate Music Video Feud | Himself | |
| 1999 | MTV Beach Brawl | Himself | |
| 1999 | Win Ben Stein's Money | Himself | |
| 1999 | Donny & Marie | Himself |
In 2010, Levy began working as astand-up comic, taking part inBob Levy'sLevy World Order comedy tour.[93]
Along withDiamond Dallas Page and members ofRaven's Flock, he appeared in a music video for the bandStuck Mojo's song "Rising".
In 2011, Raven starred in the music video "Owata" by theSmashing Pumpkins.
According to the Wrestling Figure Checklist, there are 18 different Raven action figures from WWE, TNA, WCW and ECW, making him one of few wrestlers to have one from these four major promotions.[94][95]
Raven currently hosts the podcast "The Raven Effect" with heralded professional wrestling play by play man Rich Bocchini and Joseph Feeney III of The Creative Control Network. Earlier hosts include Busby Berkeley, The Pelican and Johnny Swinger.
Levy possesses anIQ of 143 and is a member ofMensa and theTheta Chi fraternity.[96][97] He suffers fromtype 2 diabetes,[98] and has also been diagnosed withhistrionic andnarcissistic personality disorder.[99] Levy married in January 2007, but announced onTwitter in March 2013 that he and his wife had divorced.[100][101]
Levy is a lifelong fan of comic books. InWizard Magazine's May 1999 issue, Levy is quoted as saying
I love theMarvel Knights line. I'm a bigKevin Smith fan, and his work onDaredevil is the best on that book sinceFrank Miller's stuff.Inhumans is also great. It could be the break-out book of the year because they're finally treating them as real characters instead of just freaks and monsters with no personality.
The article goes on to say that he is a big fan ofWatchmen,Swamp Thing, and especiallySandman and that he has a tattoo ofNeil Gaiman's Sandman character (Dream) on his back. Levy, along withBrian Azzarello, wrote Issue #14 ofSpider-Man's Tangled Web, entitled "The Last Shoot". Thecomic was based around the professional wrestler (namedCrusher Hogan) whoPeter Parker defeated in the character's first appearance inAmazing Fantasy. He also provided a cover quote for atrade paperback edition of100 Bullets.
Levy, along with former colleagueChris Kanyon and colleagueMike Sanders, attempted tosue World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) for "cheating them out of health care and other benefits", but afederal judge inStamford, Connecticut dismissed the case.[102] In a 2010 interview Levy explained that the case was dismissed due to statute of limitations running out.
| Winner (wager) | Loser (wager) | Location | Event | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shane Douglas (hair) | Raven (hair) | Nashville, Tennessee | NWA-TNA Weekly PPV #62 | September 17, 2003 | [134] |
And, under his real name of Scott Levy, he holds a degree in criminal justice from University of Delaware.
,Cagematch,Wrestlingdata,Internet Wrestling Database| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |