And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting. On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door.
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon’s that is dreaming. And the lamp-light o’er him streaming throws his shadows on the floor. And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor. Shall be lifted-Nevermore.
Raven – Before The Rapping on My Chamber Door
This is the famous last line in the horror poem The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe. That poem inspired one of the most polarizing characters in pro wrestling. Raven was Scott Levy’s response to his critics.
He was told he would never be good enough. He didn’t have the look. He would never be a champion. He not only proved them wrong, but he also changed the business.
Scott Levy grew up in an influential family. He graduated at the top of his class. He was a marine. He is a member of Mensa with an IQ of 143.
He was Bruce Wayne. His story is very similar to the origin story of Batman. However, instead of becoming a hero, he became a villain and took his inner turmoil out on everyone. Instead of wreaking havoc on Gotham City, he terrorized the ring.
The Beginning
To get an idea of how Scott Levy transformed into the Raven, we have to go back to the beginning. As I said Scott’s parents were rich.
He was definitely privileged. He attended the University of Delaware, earning a degree in criminal justice. Psychology was always Levy’s bread and butter. He was fascinated by the psychology of the criminal mind.
In 1988, Scott Levy fell in love with pro wrestling. He trained at the infamous Monster Factory with Larry Sharpe. He made his debut on February 20, 1988.
Ironically enough, Levy wrestled under the name Scotty the Body. He was built like a heart throb. Before Shawn Michaels, Scott Levy was the boy toy.
Missy Hyatt was enamored with him. In the Continental Wrestling Association, Hyatt accompanied Levy to the ring. It was soon revealed that she was just using him for her and her boyfriend, Hotstuff Eddie Gilbert’s whims.
If you look back at this moment, it could have been the first time that Levy was stabbed in the back. This moment could have started the angst that led to Raven.
After this, Levy traveled to Portland, Oregon. Here is where he made his mark. He became the number one heel. He started a feud with top babyface Steve Doll, aka Steven Dunn of the WWF Well Dunn tag team.
He was accompanied by Taylor Made, who WWF Attitude Era fans may know better as Tori. He left PNW after that feud, then returned as a face.
He also appeared as a masked competitor named the Matman. It kind of lends itself well to my Batman analogy. He wanted to be Batman, but found out being the Joker was more fun.
Scotty the Body participated in a WWF tryout against Koko B. Ware, which was filmed for Prime Time Wrestling. However, when that did not lead anywhere, he headed to the Global Wrestling Federation.
In the GWF, he called himself Scott Anthony, playing into his influential childhood. He started a stable known as The Cartel. In his group were the Hustler Rip Rogers, Cactus Jack, Makhan Singh, and Max Andrews.
Scott Anthony was one of the most hated wrestling personalities in GWF. It was during this time that he also started doing color commentary. While doing color commentary, Levy had an advantage.
He could watch every match up close, learning and studying what to do and, more importantly, what not to do. He marvelled at the way he could manipulate the fans. This would definitely come into play later in his career.
World Championship Wrestling: The Scotty The Body Years
Scott Levy soon found himself in World Championship Wrestling. He wrestled under the name Scotty Flamingo. He would come to the ring with a surfboard. Scott Levy has publicly stated he did not like the character, but you do what you have to do.
WCW also put JT Southern as the Flamingos’ manager. Southern was the epitome of an ’80s hair-metal star. Even though the Scotty Flamingo was not really the best, it did pay off.
Scotty Flamingo ended up winning the WCW Light Heavyweight Championship from Flyin Brian Pillman on June 20, 1992. In the ring, Pillman was never better than his WCW light heavyweight run.
Levy said that after this match, they walked to the back, and there was a line of his peers telling him great match. He had felt he finally made it
Unfortunately, the next week Scotty Flamingo got beaten by Brad Armstrong, and the push was over. What about Scotty ….did anyone care?
Luckily, a few people did. Scotty Flamingo found himself as part of the trio known as the Diamond Mine. This group was led by Diamond Dallas Page with Vinnie Vegas, aka Kevin Nash, and later the Diamond Studd, aka Scott Hall.
Scotty fit in the Diamond Mine perfectly. This started a feud with Johnny B. Badd, aka Marc Mero. Based on Meros’ background as a boxer, Flamingo challenged him to a boxing match.
Unfortunately, again, WCW turned its back on Scott Levy. Due to his continuous disagreements with Bill Watts, he left WCW. Another story of being left out. Again, the question was asked about Scotty? Scotty let his emotions fester.
Years later, Marc Mero reflected on his matches with Flamingo on Real Talk for Real Talent Podcast:
“He taught me so much about pacing . I would rush through spots. I just wanted to get that pop. Scott would grab me in a headlock and tell me to slow down.
Scott gave me the confidence to feel the live crowd and control the pace and feel of the match.”
World Wrestling Federation: The Johnny Polo Years
One of the key aspects of any successful character in pro wrestling is the ability to change. Scott Levy had that ability. He found himself getting a call from Jim Ross asking him to come to the WWF.
It would not be Scotty the Body or Scott Anthony that would be on WWF television, but Johnny Polo. The backstory fit perfectly. Johnny Polo was a spoiled, rotten trust fund kid.
He carried around, you guessed it, a polo mallet. Johnny Polo first found himself in the USWA. There, he and Brian Christopher became the USWA tag team champions.
What was interesting was in a promo, Johnny Polo acknowledged being depressed before he started being himself. He could only thank his best friend, Brian Christopher.
As most know, Christopher was Jerry Lawler’s son; he made his way to the WWF with Scott Taylor in the team 2 Cool. For now, though, he was Johnny Polos’s antidepressant. Was this Raven starting to stir?
Johnny Polo arrived in the WWF, managing Adam Bomb. Bomb, whose real name was Bryan Klark, was supposed to be this monster who was born on 3 Mile Island.
He was 6’7 300 lbs. Most likely another “freak ” created for the Undertaker. Adam Bomb had these glowing eyes and a red tongue. Eventually, the WWF decided to turn Bomb Face at the expense of Johnny Polo.
Honestly, it did not work out for Klark either, as Adam Bomb turned out to be a dud. Johnny Polo was also featured as a color commentator on WWE Superstars.
In addition, behind the scenes, it is a little-known fact that he was also an associate producer for Raw. This was all good; however, Scott Levy did not want to be a manager. He wanted to wrestle. He said the WWF thought he was too small. It’s a pain I can relate to.
A few months after managing Adam Bomb, Johnny Polo managed the WWF Tag Team Champions, the Quebecers. This was the combo of tag team specialist Jacques Rougeau and Pierre, aka PCO.
The duo won the WWF Tag titles on three separate occasions. They even defended the WWF Tag Team Titles against the Hart Brothers at the 1994 Royal Rumble.
Despite all these accolades, Johnny Polo was not what Scott Levy envisioned. He knew he would have to ” start over.” Scott Levy asked for his release. Again, he asked the question. What about me
The answer. Once again, his friend Diamond Dallas Page came to the rescue. He noticed that Scott kept playing chicken heels.
It was the beginning of the 90s, and wrestling fans were starting to want something edgier. Much like 80s hair bands were giving way to grunge music, wrestling was changing.
That was the moment when Scott Levy said,
“All right, I will be the tortured soul I really am inside.”
Extreme Championship Wrestling
The Raven was born. Scott Levy stopped wanting to be Batman and decided to be the Joker.
Taking his inspiration from Edgar Allan Poe’s classic tale, the Raven, Scotty the Body and Johnny Polo existed – nevermore. He also took inspiration from Patrick Swayze’s character in the movie Point Break.
The character was a villain, but you loved to hate him. His most powerful asset was his mind. He took his ideologies from the grunge subculture.
Grunge was a movement taking over music that talked about isolation, depression, and general bleakness. Most importantly, he was misunderstood.
All of these were how Scott Levy really felt inside. It was the perfect story with parts of reality mixed with fiction. It worked.
“At the time, people thought the babyface/heel relationship was getting stale. It wasn’t it was just the way it was done.
I loved being the heel I felt more comfortable being booed than cheered. It appealed to a lack of sense of self-worth. It means the fans recognized my talent.”
Stevie Richards had been a mainstay in ECW. He was currently in a war with a young upstart named Tommy Dreamer. Richards is and always was a master of the gimmick.
If the word Stevie could be used in any tagline, Steven Richards would find a way. I personally think the man is a genius, and if pro wrestling listened to his ideas, we would be better as a whole.
Raven made his debut in Extreme Championship Wrestling. He had bulked up to 235 lbs. He completed the transformation with a nose and eyebrow ring, a jean jacket, and a flannel.
Raven vs Tommy Dreamer
Raven quickly began to gain followers, and Stevie Richards was the first member of his flock. Raven would sit in Richards’ corner as he faced opponents.
Before long, the flock grew. By 1995, Raven’s nest consisted of Richards, Johnny Hotbody, and Tony Stetson. The group immediately targeted ECW favorite Tommy Dreamer. This kicked off a long feud.
Raven got personal when he recounted his story of his former girlfriend Beulah McGuillicuty. He claimed she told him that Tommy Dreamer turned her down because she was overweight. He also claimed that McGuillicuty was now a model who wanted revenge. That night on ECW television Raven defeated Dreamer with the help of Richards and McGuillicuty. She became his valet.
On June 30, 1995, Raven and Richards captured the ECW Tag Team Championship. At Heatwave 95 Dreamer handcuffed Raven to the ring ropes and gave “the chairshot heard around the world” .
On September 16, 1995 Ravens nest lost the tag team belts to the Pitbulls with interference from Tommy Dreamer.
They did regain the belt but lost them just as quickly to Public Enemy. At November to Remember 95, Raven added the Blue Meanie to his crew. Meanie was a lackey to Steven Richards. Essentially, the lackey had a lackey. This made great tv.
In December to Dismember 95, Raven defeated Dreamer, but later on, Raven, Richards, Heavenly Bodies, and The Eliminators were defeated by Tommy Dreamer, the Pitbulls, and The Public Enemy in an Ultimate Jeopardy cage match.
At Holiday Hell, Raven became the number 1 contender for the ECW World Heavyweight Championship by pinning Dreamer. Unfortunately, that night, he was defeated by ECW Champion The Sandman.
Things got even more personal between the two as McGuillicuty claimed she was pregnant, and Raven was not the father. It was Tommy Dreamer. Raven was enraged and grabbed Beulah. Dreamer ran to the ring to save her, and the two embraced
Raven recounted later that how much Tommy Dreamer means to him
” I wouldn’t keep somebody from getting over. Raven needed Dreamer to get himself over.
I make sure I come back to Dreamer in everything I do. We are going to be 80 yrs old fighting. Tommy Dreamer and Raven are synonymous.”
Raven then showed up with his new valet, Kimona Wanalaya. Yes, that was her name. With her by his side, Raven finally defeated the Sandman, becoming the ECW World Heavyweight Champion. However, things did not stay the same for the couple as Kimona left Raven after he slapped her.
Raven gets Extreme
Raven brainwashed Sandman’s ex-wife and his son. They started following Raven to the ring as if in some sort of cult. Raven was using psychological warfare.
One of the most controversial segments of ECW television took place when Raven and the Nest tied Sandman to a cross as if he was being crucified.
This incident is infamously known as the moment future WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle decided not to sign with ECW.
Honestly, who could blame him? They pushed the envelope too far. This incident also delayed ECW’s pay-per-view debut. Heyman demanded that Raven, out of character, go to the ring and apologize. Raven stayed in character and gave a very insincere apology
At Ultimate Jeopardy on October 5, 1996, the main event was scheduled as Raven and Brian Lee against Dreamer and the Sandman with the ECW Championship on the line.
Raven could not compete. Steven Richards ended up taking his place. Needless to say, The Sandman pinned Richards, causing Raven to lose the Championship. Raven was angry with Richards
At the next Holiday Hell, Raven defeated the Sandman in a barbed wire match, regaining the ECW Championship. Tension was building between Raven and Richards despite the win.
Raven still blamed Stevie for losing the title in the first place. On ECW Television, Richards had enough and superkicked the champion in the jaw. Richards, The Blue Meanie and new Raven’s Nest member Super Nova left Raven.
During this time, ECW made an appearance on WWF Raw. Raven’s confrontation with Richards was one of the highlights.
Raven remained ECW Champion until he was defeated by Terry Funk at ECW’s first-ever PPV, Barely Legal. The loss caused Raven and Richards to get back together.
On May 11, 1997, Raven, Richards, Funk, and The Sandman clashed in a four-way elimination match for the ECW title. During the match, tension began again.
Raven just DDT’d both Funk and The Sandman. He demanded that Richards lay down for him. Instead, Stevie Richards Superkicked Raven, allowing the Sandman to get the victory.
At WrestlePalooza, Raven challenged Tommy Dreamer to a loser leaves ECW match. This was due to Raven leaving for WCW. Raven lost, thus being banished from the Land of the Extreme.
World Championship Wrestling: The Second Chapter
Raven began his time in World Championship Wrestling sitting in the front row of Nitro. He wanted to right the wrongs of his previous stint as Scotty the Body.
Ironically, he was joined by Stevie Richards. When WCW announcers attempted to get an interview with Raven, Richards claimed that Raven doesn’t talk to anyone but him. Raven hauled off and hit Stevie in the face.
But with this return to World Championship Wrestling, will this also usher in the emergence of a faction that he became synonymous with in ECW? All shall be answered in part two, Raven – Quoted Now and Forever More…
