Damien Demento

After training under Johnny Rodz, Theis made his debut on the independent circuit in 1987 under the ring name "Jonn Reinhart".{{cite web|url=https://www.cagematch.net/?id=2&nr=3462|title=Cagematch profile}} He later renamed himself "Mondo Kleen". In 1990 he worked for Tri-State Wrestling Alliance. In September 1992, he wrestled a tryout match with World Championship Wrestling as "Mando Phil".{{cite web|url=http://cagematch.de/?id=1&nr=56339|title=WCW Worldwide « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database|first=Philip|last=Kreikenbohm|website=cagematch.de}}

After The Bushwhackers helped forward a tape of Theis performing an interview, the World Wrestling Federation signed him to a contract.{{cite web |url=http://www.iconsofthering.com/damiendementointerview.html |title=Damien Demento Interview |access-date=December 22, 2007 |publisher=Icons of the Ring |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071225141427/http://www.iconsofthering.com/damiendementointerview.html |archive-date=December 25, 2007 }} Theis, performing under his Mondo Kleen ring name, debuted in WWF at a live event on October 2, 1992, wrestling Jeff Jarrett in a losing effort.{{cite web|url=http://www.cagematch.de/?id=2&nr=3462&view=matches&gimmick=&jahr=&liga=®ion=&art=&artmatches=&gegner=Gegner&partner=Partner&suchbegriff=Suchbegriff&Start=101#matches|title=Cagematch match listings, page 3}} Ten days later, on the October 12 episode of Superstars of Wrestling, Theis made his televised debut under the repackaged ring name and gimmick of "Damien Demento", a villainous character who hailed from "The Outer Reaches of Your Mind" and showed mentally disturbed behavior such as talking to himself. He then proceeded to defeat Steve May in his televised debut match. On the October 28 episode of Wrestling Challenge, he defeated Jim Brunzell. He mostly remained a mid-card performer. Demento was notable for his appearance in the main event of the debut episode of Monday Night Raw on January 11, 1993, where he was defeated by The Undertaker.{{cite web|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/raw/_1993/|title=WWE Raw Results – 1993|access-date=December 22, 2007|publisher=Online World of Wrestling|quote=January 11, 1993[...]The Undertaker w/Paul Bearer b Damien Demento|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080607173201/http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/raw/_1993/|archive-date=June 7, 2008}} He made his only pay-per-view appearance at Royal Rumble as a participant in the 1993 Royal Rumble match. Demento lasted over twelve minutes before being eliminated by Carlos Colón.{{cite web|title=Royal Rumble Entrance and Elimination Information: 1993|publisher=Pro Wrestling History|url=http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/wwf/rumble2.html#93|access-date=April 9, 2008}} He also appeared at UK Rampage '93, where he lost to Bob Backlund.{{cite web|title=UK Rampage 1993 results|publisher=Pro Wrestling History|url=http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/wwf/wwfuk.html#ramp93|access-date=January 11, 2018}} After this, Demento competed almost solely on house shows before leaving the WWF in October 1993.

After a stint on the East Coast independent circuit, Theis retired from wrestling in 1994. Under his Damien Demento ring name, he made a short return to wrestling on November 8, 2008, where he defeated The Musketeer in a match for the New York-based World of Unpredictable Wrestling. A month later they had a rematch in which Demento was on the losing end.{{cite web|url=http://www.ganges.com/Damian_Demento_returns_to_pro_wrestling_11_8_WUW_video_6871514/ |title=Damien Demento returns to pro wrestling! |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711072850/http://www.ganges.com/Damian_Demento_returns_to_pro_wrestling_11_8_WUW_video_6871514/ |archive-date=July 11, 2011 }}{{cite web|url=http://www.nyprowrestling.com/results/2008.html|title=NYProWrestling.com: Results: 2008|website=NYProWrestling.com}}

He made another return to the squared circle in September 24, 2011. This time wrestling as "Mondo Kleen", he defeated Steven Person in a steel cage match at a show that WUW promoted for the Dumbo Arts Festival.{{YouTube|DW7ITQ3PrAI}}

On October 29, 2011, Damien Demento defeated long time WUW Trophy Champion "Izzy" Israel Joffe at the WUW October show at Gleason's gym to win the WUW Trophy Championship.{{cite web|url=http://www.wuwonline.com|title=World of Unpredictable Wrestling|website=World of Unpredictable Wrestling}} On December 10, 2011, Israel Joffe defeated Damien Demento at the WUW December show at Gleason's gym.{{YouTube|H-KCG3fxAr4}}

In 2014, Demento made a few appearances for World Wrestling Organization.{{cite web|url=http://www.cagematch.net/?id=8&nr=1251&page=8|title=Results « World Wrestling Organization (WWO) « Promotions Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database|first=Philip|last=Kreikenbohm|website=www.cagematch.net}}

• Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995) - Erik

Theis originally wanted to become a professional football player. He attended Wagner College on a football scholarship, and majored in art at the school. He later had a tryout with the New York Jets, but did not make team, and instead opted to train for a career in professional wrestling.{{cite web|url=https://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/15/from-inside-a-bad-guy-wrestler-a-brutal-artist-screamed-for-release/|title=From Inside a Bad-Guy Wrestler, a Brutal Artist Screamed for Release|first=Corey|last=Kilgannon|date=March 15, 2012}} He cites King Curtis Iaukea as his inspiration for becoming a wrestler.

After retiring from professional wrestling, he began working as an artist and a sculptor.

• International Wrestling Federation
• IWF Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
• International World Class Championship Wrestling
• IWCCW Heavyweight Championship (1 time){{cite web|url=http://ecwfrenchtribute.free.fr/HTLM/Photos/D/Damian_Demento.htm|title=BIO/Profil Damian DeMento|website=ecwfrenchtribute.free.fr}}
• World of Unpredictable Wrestling
• WUW Trophy Championship (1 time)
• Pro Wrestling Illustrated
• PWI ranked him #216 of the 500 best singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 1992{{cite web|url=http://www.cagematch.de/?id=2&nr=3462&view=awards#awards|title=Awards}}

{{Reflist}}

• Mazer, Sharon. Professional Wrestling: Sport and Spectacle. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 1998. {{ISBN|1-57806-020-6}}

• [http://www.guysfromqueens.com Phil Theis Presents : Art on GFQ] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101228174044/http://www.guysfromqueens.com/ |date=December 28, 2010 }}
• {{IMDb name|id=0857363|name=Phil Theis}}
• {{Professional wrestling profiles}}
• [https://www.mondaynightwrestling.com Wrestlers trained by Johnny Rodz]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Demento, Damien}}

Category:1958 births

Category:American male professional wrestlers

Category:Living people

Category:People from Long Island

Category:20th-century male professional wrestlers

Category:20th-century American professional wrestlers

Category:21st-century male professional wrestlers

Category:21st-century American professional wrestlers

Category:Professional wrestlers from New York City

Category:1987 professional wrestling debuts