Before becoming a wrestler, Steve Corino worked as a milkman in Pennsylvania. He began wrestling in 1994 and spent four years working on the independent circuit. He grew a cult following that dubbed him the "4-5-6 Kid"(according to Corino, the first man to dub him this was Tracy Smothers) due to his likeness to the 1-2-3 Kid. Corino began an anti-hardcore gimmick on the independent circuit, because he felt he would have more chance of getting work if he did not work hardcore matches. Ironically, Corino became known for his bladejobs, and has a heavily scarred forehead as a result. Corino was scheduled to have a WWF tryout match but because Tiger Ali Singh spent too much time on the microphone, it was scrapped.

In 1998 Corino debuted in Extreme Championship Wrestling as a heel manager. He stood out in ECW as a result of his "King of Old School" gimmick, where he would deride hardcore wrestlers, at one point invading a Limp Bizkit concert and protesting the immoral conduct.

He began feuding with the legendary Dusty Rhodes, who defeated him in a gory Bullrope Match at Living Dangerously 2000. Corino went on to win the ECW World Heavyweight Championship on November 5, 2000 at November To Remember. After ECW declared bankruptcy in March 2001, Corino went on to wrestle for many of the National Wrestling Alliance regional promotions.

He also continued his feud with Dusty in Dusty's Turnbuckle Championship Wrestling and was part of the Xtreme Horsemen with C.W. Anderson and Barry Windham. He was also part of the Xtreme Horsemen in Major League Wrestling with C.W. Anderson, Justin Credible and Simon Diamond. They were briefly managed by the legendary James J. Dillon before MLW folded. In April 2002, he was given a tryout with the WWF as a color commentator, but didn't join the WWF.

In 2006, rumors surfaced about the return of Extreme Championship Wrestling as a branch of World Wrestling Entertainment. As Steve Corino was a major part of ECW towards the end of its run rumors swirled surrounding Corino possibly signing with WWE and returning to his ECW roots, but he squashed those rumors in a posting on his LiveJournal.

Instead of signing with WWE Corino can be found working for Zero-One and HUSTLE in Japan, 1PW in the United Kingdom where he is the current 1PW Heavyweight champion and Ring of Honor in the United States. He is also president of a promotion World-1 Fighting Arts that runs shows in Michigan, Pennyslvania and Georgia.

TolerancE - Steve, I want to thank you for taking the time to interview with The Ringside Voice. What got you started in the interested in becoming a professional wrestler?

Steve Corino - From the moment I saw it on TV in 1981 I was hooked! There was something about the whole atmosphere of pro-wrestling that just sucked me in. I knew right then I wanted to be a pro-wrestler.

TolerancE - You have a very successful career that spans all over the globe. How many promotions have you worked for and which one(s) do you feel you helped your career the most?

Steve Corino - Every company no matter how big or how small helps you because in the beginning companies give you the experience you need. Anyone can learn in a wrestling school but performing in front of people is what makes you better. Once you get that experience then getting in front of people is the never-ending saga of trying to perfect your craft (which can never be done. Well maybe Ric Flair!). I would say all in all over the last 12 years I have wrestled for about 300 different companies.

TolerancE - Who decided to put you a Dusty together for your infamous rivalry in ECW?

Steve Corino - It was one of those perfect timing things. Dusty had just gotten released from WCW and ECW was in Atlanta. Paul Heyman saw the two of us and it clicked for him.

TolerancE - One promo of that you cut stands out in my mind, and that was when you blamed Dusty for cutting the break line of Magnum T.A's porche the night he wrecked. Who was the one who scripted that and did Dusty have any problems with that being said?

Steve Corino - Most of my promos, I would say 95% of them, come off the top of my head. Dusty had no problem with it but I think that everyone else in the locker room did.

TolerancE - From 1999 until they went under in 2001 there was a lot of talk of financial issues.During your time in ECW, what were some of the concerns that you had about the security of your job and the company?

Steve Corino - There were always concerns because of the problems but once you got to the building you put it out of your head because when the lights went on it was about the fans. The fans don't need to know if you are being paid. They paid their hard-earned money for tickets and it was our job to kick ass out there.

TolerancE - Was Heyman able to pay you on time and are you still owed any money from ECW performances?

Steve Corino - In my mind Paul Heyman doesn't owe me a thing. Paul made my career.

TolerancE - In 2002 you started working with TNA and Jeff Jarrett, where there any long term plans for you?

Steve Corino - I don't think there were any plans for me to be honest.

TolerancE - What was it like working with TNA and the Jarretts?

Steve Corino - TNA was ok. Working for Jeff and Jerry was cool. Working for Vince Russo was not.

TolerancE - What happened to Mike Rapada? One minute he's the next best thing since sliced bread, next thing he is playing golf with Hoffa. Whats the deal?

Steve Corino - I have no idea. I think Mike always had a lack of committment to wrestling. On my first tour of Japan the office asked Mike to work more like a Von Erich and he didn't listen to them and never got brought back. He was good in the ring but just not a leader.

TolerancE - In 1998 you had a few appearances in the WWF. Were you part of the developmental talent there or were you trying to find a spot?

Steve Corino - I was just a job guy from 1996-98 for WWE.

TolerancE - You tried your hand at color commentary for the WWE. Who did you have to work with and do you feel that you were given a fair chance?

Steve Corino - I had a lot of fun with the color commentary but at the time I still wanted to be involved in the ring action and Japan was just heating up for me. I did my tryout with Kevin Kelly and had a blast. It is something I would love to do one day.

TolerancE - What is it like working in Japan?

Steve Corino - I was always a big fan of Japanese wrestling as a kid (Big Jumbo Trustra mark!) so it was my dream to go there. 99% of pro-wrestlers will tell you that their dream is the WWE but mine was different. Japanese wrestling is still to an extent pure wrestling and I love the seriousness that the fans, wrestlers, and press have for it.

TolerancE - The Japanese fans have always show that they still respect the sport as a sport and not as "entertainment" or "story telling". Since you been there first hand, is that true?

Steve Corino - Story telling is in every match, or at least should be. Unlike US wrestling Japanese wrestling is based on fighting spirit first and then entertainment second. Its just a different culture in the Japan that makes the wrestling different.

TolerancE - Who is the most professioinal and respectable person in the business that you have ever met?

Steve Corino - There are so many. It would take me too long to list but one guy I was really surprised at was Tenryu. You would figure at his age and 30 plus years in wrestling he could care less about today's guys but I was 100% wrong.

TolerancE - Do you have any legitimate heat with anyone in the business?

Steve Corino - In 1996 Chris Hamrick took a cookie from me. I never forgave the bastard for it.

TolerancE - What is your thought on the current ECW revival?

Steve Corino - I think it is OK. It is going to take time for it to sink into people's heads that its not the same ECW from the past.

TolerancE - Have you been contacted by anyone within WWE to work for either promotion?

Steve Corino - No.

TolerancE - Is there anyone you wish you could work with?

Steve Corino - Ric Flair or Keiji Mutoh

TolerancE - What do you think of the current use of Eddie Guerrero in WWE storylines?

Steve Corino - Haven't really watched it. If Mrs. Guerrero, Chavo, Chris Benoit, and Rey have no problem with it then who am I to have a problem with it.

TolerancE - Who is the best opponent that you have worked with?

Steve Corino - Masato Tanaka or Takao Omori

TolerancE - What can we expect from Steve Corino in the future?

Steve Corino - Ahhh, just wait and see....

TolerancE - If we wanted to get our hands on some Steve Corino swag, how can we do that?

Steve Corino - www.SteveCorino.com and/or www.MySpace.com/SteveCorino

TolerancE - Who is the best worker in the business today?

Steve Corino - Shinjiro Otani

Brief word association....

CM Punk-The next face of ECW

Wrestlemania-The only DVD I buy from WWE every year.

New Jack-Crazy but a good crazy. I love him

Chicago Cubs (Go easy on me here!)-As horrible as my Phillies

Rob Fienstein-Good video guy. Again,

I would like take this time to thank Steve for his time and cooperation with this interview. For more information on Steve or to pick up exclusive merchandise, head over to Steve Corino's OFFICIAL WEBSITE