Raven (wrestler)

Scott Levy(born September 8, 1964) is an Americanprofessional wrestlerbetter known by hisring name,Raven.He is best known for his appearances withprofessional wrestling promotionsExtreme Championship Wrestling(ECW),World Championship Wrestling(WCW),World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment(WWF/E) andTotal Nonstop Action Wrestling(TNA).

Raven
Birth name	Scott Levy
Born	(1964-09-08)September 8, 1964 Philadelphia,Pennsylvania,U.S.
Alma mater	University of Delaware
Website	TheRavenEffect.com
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)	Johnny Polo Matman Raven Scott Anthony Scotty the Body Scotty Flamingo
Billed height	6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Billed weight	235 lb (107 kg)
Billed from	Short Hills,New Jersey Palm Beach, Florida TheBowery
Trained by	Larry Sharpe
Debut	February 20, 1988

Widely recognized as "one of the best talkers in wrestling", Raven is known for his "psychologicalheeltactics "andgrunge-inspiredgimmick.HisfeudwithThe Sandmanin the mid-1990s has been described as "one of the most emotional rivalries in professional wrestling's history".

After having an eight-plus year career in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), Raven was inducted into theTNA Hall of Famein 2022.

Early life

Levy is ofJewishdescent and was born inPhiladelphia,Pennsylvania,the son of Paul F. Levy, a journalist and senior editor ofThe National Enquirer.He graduated fromLake Worth Community High Schoolin 1982.He went on to attend theUniversity of Delaware,where he earned a degree incriminal justice.He took a semester off from college to enlist in theUnited States Marine Corps Reserve.

Professional wrestling career

Early career (1988–1992)

Levy trained as a professional wrestler underLarry Sharpeat theMonster FactoryinNew Jersey,making his debut on February 20, 1988, againstJimmy Jack Funk.

Early in his career, Levy competed for the World Wrestling Council in Puerto Rico as well as theMemphis, Tennessee-based promotionContinental Wrestling Associationunder thering name"Scotty the Body", where he was given thegimmickof being the "boy toy"ofMissy Hyatt,who used him to her andEddie Gilbert's advantage. After leaving Memphis, Levy wrestled in Florida.

Levy next traveled to Canada, where he competed briefly for theVancouver,British Columbia-based promotionAll Star Wrestlingbefore leaving due to differences with ownerAl Tomko.From there, he returned to the United States, joiningPacific Northwest WrestlinginPortland, Oregon.Over the next three years, he was positioned as one of the mainheels,winning all of the titles andfeudingheavily withSteve Doll.His manager in PNW wasTaylor Made.After taking a brief break from competing, he returned to PNW as afaceand began a feud withThe Grappler.In the summer of 1989, Levy made a number of appearances under amaskas "Matman", aBatman-inspired character who teamed withBeetlejuice.

Wrestling as Scotty the Body, Levy made a one-off appearance onWWF Prime Time Wrestlingin a losing effort againstKoko B. Wareon October 9, 1990.

After leaving PNW, Levy joined theDallas,Texas-basedGlobal Wrestling Federation,where he adopted the ring name "Scott Anthony". Levy was part of thestableknown as "The Cartel", along withCactus Jack,Makhan Singh,Rip Rogersand Max Andrews. Levy also served as acolor commentatorfor GWF's televised broadcasts onESPNalongsideplay-by-play commentatorsCraig Johnson and Scott Hudson.

World Championship Wrestling (1992–1993)

See also:The Diamond Mine

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 asurfboardto the ring. According to him, he didn't like the character nor the High-Flying style, but he was forced by the promoters.He was originally managed byJ. T. Southern.Levy competed in the WCWlight heavyweightdivision, winning theWCW Light Heavyweight ChampionshipfromBrian Pillmanon 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 PageandVinnie Vegasas a member of "The Diamond Mine".Levy would continue to feud with Pillman and Armstrong, before feuding withJohnny B. Badd.AtClash of the Champions XXIon November 18, 1992, Levy defeated Badd in aboxingmatch via knockout after Vegas surreptitiously weighted his boxing glove by soaking it in water. Levy left WCW in February 1993 after disagreements withbookerBill Watts.

World Wrestling Federation (1993–1994)

After leaving WCW, Levy briefly wrestled for theUnited States Wrestling Association(USWA) before joining theWorld Wrestling Federation(WWF) as manager "Johnny Polo", a spoiled, richpreppykid. 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 Quebecersin September, whom he led to three reigns asWWF Tag Team Champions.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,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.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.

Extreme Championship Wrestling (1995–1997)

Feud with Tommy Dreamer (1995–1996)

See also:Raven's Nest

After leaving the WWF, Levy began developing a newcharacter,"Raven". Inspired bythe poembyEdgar Allan Poeand byPatrick Swayze's manipulative Zen master of crime in the filmPoint Break,the Raven character was adepressed,sociopathic,stoical,nihilisticmisanthropewho would deliver eloquent, philosophicalpromospeppered with literaryallusionsand ending with the catchphrase, "Quoth the Raven 'Nevermore'".Levy dramatically altered his appearance, bulking-up to approximately 235 lbs (107 kg), addingnoseandeyebrow piercingsand began wrestling in raggedjean shorts,aleather jacket,rock bandorcomic bookt-shirts,combat bootsand aflanneltied around his waist. After unsuccessfully pitching the character toJim Cornette,the owner ofSmoky Mountain Wrestling(SMW), Raven approachedPaul Heyman,thebookerof thePhiladelphia, Pennsylvania-based promotionExtreme Championship Wrestling(ECW), who agreed to bring in Raven as a foil forTommy Dreamer.

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.

Raven formed astableoflackeysknown as "Raven's Nest",with Richards the first member. In February,Johnny HotbodyandTony Stetsonjoined the stable, calling Raven the "voice of [their]generation".On March 18, 1995, atExtreme Warfare,Dreamer lost to the four members of Raven's Nest in agauntlet match.

Raven'sfeudwithTommy Dreamerwas a major storyline inECW.

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 camptogether 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 aPenthousemodel, who also harbored a grudge against Dreamer.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'svaletand onscreen girlfriend, repeatedly interfering in his bouts with Dreamer and receiving numerouspiledriversas a result.McGillicutty was brought into ECW by Raven, who had been introduced to her byRon GantinFloridaearlier that year and thought she would add a new dimension to his feud with Dreamer. The feud between Raven and Dreamer escalated atBarbed Wire, Hoodies & Chokeslamsin June 1995, where Raven's Nest beat down Dreamer's ally,Luna Vachon,before breaking several of Dreamer's fingers.On June 30, 1995, atMountain Top Madness,Raven and Richards defeatedThe Public Enemyto win theECW World Tag Team Championship.

In July 1995 atHardcore Heavenafter Raven and Richards successfully defended the ECW Tag Team Championship against Dreamer and Vachon, The Pitbulls left Raven's Nest, withThe Dudley Brothersreplacing them shortly thereafter. AtHeat Waveon July 15, 1995, Dreamer and The Pitbulls defeated Raven and The Dudley Brothers. Later that evening, DreamerhandcuffedRaven and delivered achair shotlater dubbed "the chair shot heard 'round the world."The footage of the chair shot was incorporated into thetitle sequenceofECW Hardcore TV.AtWrestlepaloozaon August 5, 1995, during an eight-man tag team match, Raven, Richards and the Dudley Brothers defeated Tommy Dreamer,Cactus Jackand the Pitbulls after Cactus Jack, Dreamer's long-time ally, turned on him, joining Raven's Nest.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.AtNovember to Rememberon November 18, 1995, Dreamer andTerry Funkdefeated 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.

AtDecember to Dismemberon December 9, 1995, Raven once more defeated Dreamer, although later that night Dreamer, The Pitbulls and The Public Enemy defeated Raven, Richards,The EliminatorsandThe Heavenly Bodiesin an "Ultimate Jeopardy"cage matchwhen Dreamer pinned Richards. AtHoliday Hellon December 30, 1995, Raven defeated Dreamer to become number one contender for theECW World Heavyweight Championship,unsuccessfully challenging incumbent championThe Sandmanlater that evening. At the same event, The Dudley Brothers left Raven's Nest following a confrontation with Richards.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 Partyon 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.

ECW World Heavyweight Champion (1996–1997)

On January 27, 1996, Raven introduced his new girlfriend,Kimona Wanalaya.Later that evening, Raven defeated The Sandman to win his first ECW World Heavyweight Championship following extensive interference from Raven's Nest.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 ScorpioandTerry Gordy.Wanalaya left him in April 1996 atMassacre on Queens Boulevardafter he slapped her.

AtHardcore Heavenon June 22, 1996, Raven began playingmind gameswith The Sandman,brainwashinghis ex-wife,Loriand his son, Tyler to join Raven's Nest.Lori and Tyler subsequently began accompanying Raven to ringside for his matches, with Raven using him to wagepsychological warfareagainst The Sandman over the following months.

AtHigh Incidenton October 26, 1996, Richards was involved in one of ECW's most controversialangles,with Raven's Nest "crucifying"The Sandman by tying him to acrossand placing a crown made ofbarbed wireon his head. The angle, which was widely criticised as being in poor taste, led toOlympic gold medalistKurt Anglesevering 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.

The relationship between Raven and Richards began to deteriorate in late 1996. AtUltimate Jeopardyon October 5, 1996, Raven was scheduled to team withBrian Leeagainst 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.AtHoliday Hellon December 7, 1996, Raven defeated The Sandman in abarbed wire matchto 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.

At theCrossing the Line Againevent 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.

Over the following months, Raven successfully defended the ECW World Heavyweight Championship against opponents including Dreamer, Richards,Rob Van DamandSuper Nova.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.

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 Invasionon 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.

AtWrestlepaloozaon 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.

Return to WCW (1997–1999)

The Flock (1997–1998)

Main article:The Flock

On June 30, 1997, Levy made his return to WCW as Raven. He was seen sitting in the front row atMonday Nitrowhere the commentators acknowledged him as "a man who has been a champion with other organizations". 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. Dillonwhich stipulated that he could wrestle only when he wanted and under his own rules. The Flock was astableofmisfitsin 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-ringNitrodebut 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 3in November, where Raven defeated Riggs and inducted him by force into The Flock.

With The Flock's help, Raven won theWCW United States Heavyweight Championshipwhich lasted only a day as Raven defeatedDiamond Dallas PageatSpring Stampedeand lost the belt the following night toBill GoldbergonNitro.He blamed The Flock and Saturn in particular for his loss. This led to a series of matches, culminating in a match atFall Brawlthat if Raven lost, The Flock would be able to disband. Saturn won with the help ofKidman,who also wanted to leave Raven's abuses.

The Dead Pool (1998–1999)

See also:The Dead Pool

Without The Flock, Raven began a series of depressing interviews and walked out on several matches. In October atHalloween Havoc,Raven refused to wrestleChris Jerichofor 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 ofvignetteswere shown in which a camera crew followed Raven to his supposed childhood home, where he had led a privilegedupper classlifestyle. He was also reunited with his former valet Chastity, who WCW claimed was his sister. He teamed withPerry Saturn,winning theWCW Tag Team Championshipat1999 Slamboree,losing the belts to the debutingThe Jersey Triadthree weeks later.

He later joined withVampiroand theInsane Clown Possein a short-lived stable calledThe Dead Pool.In a backstage meeting in August 1999, which involved every contracted WCW wrestler,Eric Bischoffoffered 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.

Return to ECW (1999–2000)

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 departingThe Dudley Boyzalong with Tommy Dreamer on August 26, 1999.A reluctant tag team, Raven and Dreamer reigned asECW World Tag Team Championsfor several months.When they lost the belts, they feuded briefly. Raven andMike Awesomewon the tag team title from Tanaka and Dreamer on March 4, 2000, only to lose them a week later toThe Impact PlayersatLiving Dangerously.CyberSlam 2000was 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.Shortly thereafter, he departed for the WWF.

Return to WWF/E (2000–2003)

See also:The Alliance

Raven in September 2002

Levy returned to the WWF, as Raven, in 2000 atUnforgivenwhen he interfered in thestrap matchbetweenTazzandJerry Lawlerby hitting Lawler with aDDT.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, 2000 in Chattanooga, he defeatedSteve Blackmanfor 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,he competed in his onlyWrestleManiamatch, losing the Hardcore Championship toKanein a triple threat match that also includedBig Show.AtBacklash,he lost to Hardcore ChampionRhynoin 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.

When theInvasionstoryline began, he found himself in the newWCW/ECW Alliance.His most notable storyline during this time was when he was managed byTerri Runnelsand destroyed the love interest of Saturn, his mop called "Moppy". He also started teaming withJustin Crediblein late July 2001. By the end of the year, Raven was not seen on WWF programs, as the Alliance lost the "Winner Take All" match atSurvivor Series.

In March 2002, when theWWF brand extensionwas announced, Raven wasdraftedtoRaw.On the finalSmackDown!before the split began, he defeatedMavento 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 HeatandExcess.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" fromRawafter losing a match to former ECW alumni Tommy Dreamer on June 24, 2002. Raven was forced to spend the rest of the year onHeat.Although he won his way back onto theRawroster, he lost toJeff Hardyin aRoyal Rumblequalifier match, which was his final match in the WWE. He was released from the promotion the following week on January 20, 2003.

NWA Total Nonstop Action / Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2003–2010)

The Gathering (2003–2004)

See also:The Gathering

Raven in December 2004

Raven debuted forNWA Total Nonstop Action(TNA) on January 22, 2003, two days after his release from WWE, attacking and hitting his finisher onJeff Jarrettand stealing theNWA World Heavyweight Championshipfrom 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 OrangeHouse 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 Douglasin 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 DineroandAlexis 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 Mitchelland 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 Funkto defeat the Gathering, even though James Mitchell tried to interfere.

Also in 2004, Raven's old friendSabureturned to TNA. Raven teamed with Sabu to defeat The Gathering one last time. Raven and Sabu then feuded withAbyssand "The Alpha Male"Monty Brown.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 matchon 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.

NWA World Heavyweight Champion (2005–2006)

On June 19, 2005, Raven turned face and fulfilled his self-proclaimed destiny when he won theNWA World Heavyweight ChampionshipatSlammiversary(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 Waltmanand Monty Brown in a five wayKing of the Mountain match.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.America's Most Wanted("Wildcat" Chris Harrisand"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(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 PolacoandChris Kto wrestle Raven.This culminated in a match atFinal Resolutionwhere 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 theLockdownpay-per-view, and reignited his feud with Zbyszko. They would end their feud atVictory Roadin aHair vs. Hair matchwhich Raven won.

Serotonin (2006–2008)

See also:Serotonin

Raven in August 2007

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 Danielsin aFirst Blood Invitationalthen losing toChris Harrisafter 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 Wayon Havok.

Raven won a House of Fun match, on the August 9 episode ofImpact!.He teamed withRobert Roodeand James Storm against the team of Chris Harris, Rhino, and Kazarian. Raven lost to Kaz, who had rebelled against him, atHard Justicedespite 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.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 Divisiontraitor, effectively ending Serotonin. AtTurning Point,Raven substituted for Rhino in the "Match of 10,000 Thumbtacks" and teamed with Abyss to defeatBlack ReignandRellik.Raven was officially released from TNA, and his profile was removed from the roster on March 7, 2008.

Alliance with Dr. Stevie; EV 2.0 (2009–2010)

See also:EV 2.0

Raven in April 2010

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. Stevieassisting 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 Wildedefeated 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.AtFinal Resolution,Abyss and Foley defeated Stevie and Raven in a "Foley's Funhouse" tag team match.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 MorganandHernandez.He appeared on the February 18 episode ofImpact!,helping Eric Bischoff take out Abyss, along with Rhino,Homicide,Tomko,andDesmond Wolfe.

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.The following week the three were joined by Rhino.On the July 15 episode ofImpact!Raven, Dreamer, Richards, Rhino,Brother Devon,Pat KenneyandAl Snow,led byMick Foley,aligned themselves with theTNA World Heavyweight ChampionRob Van Damby attacking Abyss and the rest of the TNA locker room.The following week, TNA presidentDixie Carteragreed to give the ECW alumni their own reunion pay–per–view event,Hardcore Justice: The Last Stand,as a celebration ofhardcore wrestlingand a final farewell to the company.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.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.On August 8 at Hardcore Justice Raven defeated Dreamer in a "Final Showdown" match refereed by Mick Foley.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 Williamsand Matt Morgan ofRic Flair'sFourtunestable, who thought they didn't deserve to be in TNA, thus once again turning Raven face.AtBound for Glory,Raven, Dreamer, Rhino, Richards and Sabu defeated Fourtune members Styles, Kazarian, Morgan, Roode and Storm in aLethal Lockdown match.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.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.His release from the company was legitimate.Raven worked one last match for the promotion on November 12, 2010, defeatingTNA Television ChampionA.J. Styles in a non–title match at theFarewell at theAsylumlive event.

Independent circuit and semi-retirement (2008–present)

Raven inside asteel cageat aRing of Honorshow

In 2008, Raven appeared inJuggalo Championship Wrestling(JCW) for Season 2 ofSlamTV!.In the main event of the second episode,JCW Heavyweight ChampionCorporal Robinsonput 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.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.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.AtBloodymania II,Raven lost to Corporal Robinson in a"Loser leaves JCW"Ladder match.However, Raven returned to the company atBloodymania IIIin a losing effort against his old nemesis Sabu in aRaven's Rules match.

Levy was the heavyweight champion of CWA Pro Wrestling, anindependentprofessional wrestling promotionbased 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 Warriorin 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 Harrisfor the PICW Heavyweight Championship and lost. AtBloodymania IV,in the main event Raven took onCorporal RobinsonandMike Knoxin a triple threat match for theJCW Heavyweight Championshipwhere 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 Risingin a dark match againstGary Wolfeending 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 Richardsin 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, Nigeriaon 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 Brotherswhere 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.

Impact Wrestling (2018, 2019, 2020, 2022)

On the December 6, 2018, episode ofImpact!,Raven appeared as a mental patient helpingEddie Edwardsescape Sandy Acres mental hospital giving Edwards a key card to get out of the hospital.

On the January 3, 2019, episode ofImpact!,Raven made a surprise appearance helpingTommy DreamerattackEli Drake.

On March 31, 2020, during theTotal Nonstop Action Wrestling Special!,Raven made an appearance helpingTommy Dreamerduring an altercation withoVeafterwards he attacked Dreamer hitting him with a kendo stick following a match betweenRhinoandMadman Fulton.

On July 1, 2022, atAgainst All Odds,Raven returned toImpact Wrestlingas a special guest commentator for theClockwork Orange House of Fun matchbetweenMooseandSami Callihan.

On September 23, 2022, atVictory Road,it was announced that Raven would be inducted into theImpact Hall of Fame.On October 7, atBound for Glory,during the pre-show Raven was inducted into the Hall of Fame byTommy Dreamer.

Major League Wrestling (2023–present)

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 PageandAkira,Delirious,Dr. Cornwallus, andMandy Leon—who would attack wrestlers during their matches. April 8, 2023, he participated inBattle Riot Vas the seventeenth entrant, before eliminating himself by going over the top rope.

Other media

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1999	The Jesse Ventura Story	Himself
2008	Death Racers	The Reaper
2012	Sleeper	Resnik
2013	Cool as Hell	Himself

Television

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

Comedy

In 2010, Levy began working as astand-up comic,taking part inBob Levy'sLevy World Ordercomedy tour.

Music videos

Along withDiamond Dallas Pageand 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.

Merchandising

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.

Podcast

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.

Personal life

Levy possesses anIQof 143 and is a member ofMensaand theTheta Chifraternity.He suffers fromtype 2 diabetes,and has also been diagnosed withborderline,histrionicandnarcissistic personality disorder.Levy married in January 2007, but announced onTwitterin March 2013 that he and his wife had divorced.

Levy is a lifelong fan of comic books. InWizard Magazine's May 1999 issue, Levy is quoted as saying

I love theMarvel Knightsline. I'm a bigKevin Smithfan, and his work onDaredevilis the best on that book sinceFrank Miller's stuff.Inhumansis 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 especiallySandmanand 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". Thecomicwas based around the professional wrestler (named Crusher Hogan) whoPeter Parkerdefeated in the character's first appearance inAmazing Fantasy.He also provided a cover quote for atrade paperbackedition of100 Bullets.

Levy, along with former colleagueChris Kanyonand colleagueMike Sanders,attempted tosueWorld Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) for "cheating them out of health care and other benefits", but afederal judgeinStamford, Connecticutdismissed the case.In a 2010 interview Levy explained that the case was dismissed due to statute of limitations running out.

Championships and accomplishments

• Australasian Wrestling Federation
  • AWF Australasian Championship (1 time)
• Extreme Championship Wrestling
  • ECW World Heavyweight Championship(2 times)
  • ECW World Tag Team Championship(4 times) – withStevie Richards(2),Tommy Dreamer(1) andMike Awesome(1)
• Extreme Wrestling Federation
  • EWF Championship (1 time)
• Great Championship Wrestling
  • GCW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
• Heartland Wrestling Association
  • HWA Tag Team Championship(1 time) – withHugh Morrus
• Juggalo Championship Wrestling
  • JCW Tag Team Championship(1 time) – with Sexy Slim Goody
• Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation
  • MEWF Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship(1 time)
• National Wrestling Alliance
  • NWA Central States Heavyweight Championship(1 time)
• National Wrestling Federation
  • NWF Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
• NWA Total Nonstop Action/Total Nonstop Action Wrestling/Impact Wrestling
  • NWA World Heavyweight Championship(1 time)
  • King of the Mountain(2005)
  • Gauntlet for the Gold(2003– Heavyweight)
  • TNA Hall of Fame(2022)
• Pacific Northwest Wrestling
  • NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Championship(3 times)
  • NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Championship(3 times) – with Top Gun (1), The Grappler (1), and Steve Doll (1)
  • NWA Pacific Northwest Television Championship(1 time)
• Pro-Pain Pro Wrestling
  • 3PW World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
• Pro Wrestling Illustrated
  • Ranked No. 22 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in thePWI 500in 2003
  • Ranked No. 168 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the "PWI Years" in 2003
• Ring Around The Northwest Newsletter
  • Wrestler of the Year (1989–1990)
• United States Xtreme Wrestling
  • UXW Heavyweight Championship (4 times)
• United States Wrestling Association
  • USWA World Tag Team Championship(1 time) – withBrian Christopher
• United States Wrestling Organization
  • USWO Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
• USA Pro Wrestling
  • USA Pro Heavyweight Championship (5 times)
• Vanguard Championship Wrestling
  • VCW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
• World Championship Wrestling
  • WCW Light Heavyweight Championship(1 time)
  • WCW United States Heavyweight Championship(1 time)
  • WCW World Tag Team Championship(1 time) – withPerry Saturn
• World Wrestling Federation/World Wrestling Entertainment
  • WWF/WWE Hardcore Championship(26 times)

Luchas de Apuestasrecord

See also:Luchas de Apuestas

Winner (wager)	Loser (wager)	Location	Event	Date	Notes
Shane Douglas(hair)	Raven (hair)	Nashville, Tennessee	NWA-TNA Weekly PPV #62	September 17, 2003

See also

• List of Jewish professional wrestlers

External links

• Official website
• RavenonWWE.com
• Raven's profile atCagematch.net,Wrestlingdata.com,Internet Wrestling Database
• Scott LevyatIMDb