Superstars of Wrestling Creator Joe Pedicino Passes Away

Joe Pedicino, who worked as a commentator for WCW and created Superstars of Wrestling, has passed away. PWInsider reports that Pedicino died on April 12th after a long period of illness that followed a stroke in June of last year. He was 70 years old.

Pedicino was working on the sales staff of WATL TV 36 in 1986 when he made his first dive into pro wrestling, developing Superstars of Wrestling for the station which would feature an eight-hour syndicated block of wrestling from NWA territories throughout the country. The show aired Saturday nights with host segments used as wrap-arounds. The format was inspired by Elvira’s programminbg for horror films. The show featured Pedicino and Gordon Solie and Boni Blackstone, who Pedicino would eventually marry. Superstars of Wrestling would last almost seven years and was seen in dozens of markets throughout the US.

Pedicino would go on to start his own wrestling promotion, Georgia All-Star Wrestling, in 1989 and would co-found the Global Wrestling Federation in Dallas in 1991. He served as the lead announcer for the company, which ran out of the Dallas Sportatorium that the then-recently closed WCCW had occupied. As the wrestling business went into decline, the show became financially drained and Pedicino sold his share of the company after leaving in April of 1992.

Pedicino had a run in WWF as an interviewer for several months in 1993 but largely exited the wrestling business in the 1990s, turning his attention to radio where he owned and operated several Georgia-based radio stations.

On behalf of 411, our condolences to the family, friends and fans of Mr. Pedicino.