Ted Arcidi

Infobox Wrestler
name=Ted Arcidi
names=Ted Arcidi
"The World's Strongest Man"
"Mr. 705"
"The Boss of the Bench Press"


image_size=
img_capt=Arcidi on the left, holding an action figure of himself
height=
weight=
real_height=5 ft. 11 in. (180 cm)cite web|title=Powerlifter Ted Arcidi interview|last=Weis|first=Dennis B.|work=Power Bobybuilding|url=http://www.power-bodybuilding.com/ted_arcidi_powerlifter.html|accessdate=2008-01-01]
real_weight=295 lb. (134 kg)
birth_date=June 16, 1958
accessdate=
birth_place=Buffalo, NY
death_date=
death_place=
resides=Manchester, NH
billed=
trainer=
debut=
retired=
website=

Ted Arcidi was a professional wrestler and powerlifter. Ted Arcidi was born in Buffalo, New York on June 16, 1958. The son of a nurse and doctor & one of seven children, Ted took a different route from the family's academia tradition. He left Tufts University dental school to pursue the sport of Powerlifting.

Arcidi lifted for several years and eventually was sought by and debuted in Vince McMahon's WWF in late 1985. Massive in size and impressive in strength, Arcidi faced other "strongmen" such as Big John Studd and Hercules Hernandez during his stint and made a single appearance at WrestleMania 2 in the WWF/NFL Battle Royal. He was released upon the return of Ken Patera (who incidentally was instrumental in his signing with Titan Sports-WWF) as Vince McMahon did not want to have issues with having two men billed as the "World's Strongest Man". Strangely though, even with his brief tenure, Arcidi did have an action figure produced by LJN for their Wrestling Superstars toy line.

Post WWF Wrestling Career

After his WWF run, he went to Calgary and briefly worked for Stu Hart's Stampede Wrestling. After that, Arcidi moved on the World Class Championship Wrestling in Dallas, Texas, where he was known as "Mr. 705" (referring to his world record bench press). He was managed by Percival Pringle III and was part of a stable of wrestlers including Rick Rude, the Dingo Warrior and Cactus Jack Manson. Arcidi captured that organization's Texas Heavyweight Title on August 31, 1987 and would hold it until he lost to Matt Borne on November 10 that same year.

Arcidi left the organization in 1990 to pursue other endeavors. He made several appearances in the Caribbean but never came back to national stature.

Business Ventures

Arcidi has several ventures outside of his wrestling and bench press careers. Among these are his ownership of New England's largest women's gym in Manchester, New Hampshire, a supplement company called Arcidi Strength Systems, and a gym equipment company called Weightlifters Warehouse. He is also heavily involved in real estate. He is also focusing on an acting career with parts in such shows as Law & Order and has appeared in several commercials.

He was instrumental in the initial strength coaching of both Paul "Triple H" Levesque and Joanie "Chyna" Laurer and assisted them in contacting Killer Kowalski, who trained them for wrestling.cite web|url=http://www.otherarena.com/htm/cgi-bin/biography.cgi?hunterhe|title=tOa Triple H Biography|accessdate= 2007-08-19|publisher=the Other arena] [cite web|url=http://prowrestling.about.com/od/wwerawwrestlers/p/tripleh.htm|title=Triple H - a biography of WWE Superstar Triple H|accessdate=2007-09-26|publisher=About]

World's Strongest Man

Arcidi was the first man to bench press 700 pounds in an officially recognized competition. [cite book|title=Tributes II: Remembering More of the World's Greatest Professional Wrestlers|last=Meltzer|first=Dave|publisher=Sports Publishing LLC|pages=102|isbn=1582618178|date=2004] His lifetime best in a contest came on September 14 1991, when he bench pressed 725 pounds. That attempt was later disqualified after it was revealed that Arcidi had failed to lock out his arms He is sometimes known as "The Boss of the Bench Press". His lift of 705 pounds in 1982 (303 kg) would stand as a world record for eight years.

In Wrestling

*Finishing and signature moves
**"Bearhug"

*Managers
**Percival Pringle III

*Nicknames
**"The World's Strongest Man"
"Mr. 705"
"The Boss of the Bench Press"

Championships and Accomplishments

*World Class Wrestling Association:*WCWA Texas Heavyweight Championship (1 time)cite web|title=Texas Heavyweight Title|work=Wrestling Titles|url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/tx/tx-h.html|accessdate=2008-01-30] [http://www.wrestlecrap.com/oldinductions.html Wrestlecrap Hall of Shame Inductee]

External links

[http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0033827/ Ted Arcidi on IMDB]
[http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/t/ted-arcidi.html Ted Arcidi at Online World Of Wrestling]

References