Joe Pedicino passes away at 70 years old

The news broke earlier today that Joe Pedicino, who was a pro wrestling television personality and later a promoter in the 80s and 90s, passed away on April 12 at the age of 70.

He had been in poor health since suffering a stroke in June 2019.

During the 80s, Pedicino started a Saturday night wrestling block of syndicated shows from around the United States on Atlanta television. He then started a syndicated television show, “Pro Wrestling This Week,” that he hosted with Gordon Solie and aired for several years where he would air clips of different shows and do news rundowns.

In 1989, Pedicino went to work for World Championship Wrestling under Jim Herd as “The Fan’s Man,” with the gimmick that he was a wrestling fan and conduit to the fans for the promotion. Later in the 90s he promoted Global Wrestling out of the Dallas Sportatorium which helped start Booker T, Stevie Ray, Sean Waltman, Jerry Lynn, and many others.

Pedicino helped promote and announce the LPWA, a women’s promotion that got on pay-per-view. He also owned a number of radio stations.

The Superstars of Wrestling block on Ch. 36 in Atlanta debuted in 1986. While doing a contest for a female host of the show, Pedicino met Boni Blackstone, who he later married. Pro Wrestling This Week started in 1987. 

Pedicino was very close to Steve Beverly of “Matwatch,” and there was a lot of controversy regarding Pedicino getting conned by a Nigerian business hoax when he was planning on buying the USWA from Jerry Jarrett and the belief was he would be starting a third national brand. But he was a very friendly guy who had ideas such as a syndicated wrestling news show during the end of the territorial days and even came up with the first cruise idea, but it was before its time and never made its way to fruition.