Mike Malachi To Be Inducted Into KSWA Wrestling Hall Of Fame

By Thomas Leturgey

“Big” Mike Malachi made his debut in the Keystone State Wrestling Alliance (KSWA) for the promotion’s second event, on May 20^th, 2000. The 6’5”, 293-pound Malachi defeated Soul Fighter via disqualification at the Bloomfield VFW. It was two events later in which Malachi won his first title, the Golden Triangle Championship, from Justin Sane at the Candle Light Lounge.

It would be the start of a championship-lined career that would find the North Hills of Pittsburgh (via Ireland) resident’s reach the KSWA Hall of Fame.

Malachi’s first reign as the Golden Triangle Champion lasted only a few months. It would take eight years before he’d win the city of Pittsburgh’s top prize again. In 2008 he would win that title and rule until December of the same year.

The early wins propelled Malachi into the hunt for the Commonwealth’s most prestigious championship. He would fall short in a number of attempts, but in 2002, Malachi became the organization’s fourth KSWA Heavyweight Champion when he defeated then two-time titleholder Shawn Blanchard in November at the Bloomfield VFW. He held onto the championship for 441 days (the second-longest reign at the time) when he lost to Lou Martin.

Tommy Faime (KSWA Hall of Fame Class 2013) and Malachi would both win and lose the KSWA tag team championships on the same day, May 17, 2003. Later championship wins would be more impressive.

For most of 2004, Malachi was out of action due to a knee injury. He returned in February, 2005 in a loss to long-time friend and/or foe Tommy Faime. Malachi would defeat “Stat Tracker” Del Douglas and Joey Quervo upon his return. The wins would keep coming for Malachi, who defeated the likes of Ali Kaida, the Latin Assassin (by disqualification) and Shawn Blanchard. The year would wrap up well for Big Mike as he defeated “The Asian Persuasion” Simon Ho and then The Latin Assassin at the very first FanFest to win the Tri-State Championship.

It was around this time that Malachi joined a stable of wrestlers that included Kaida, Bosco Baracus and their manager, “Gentleman” Joe Perri. It was at this time Malachi abandoned his North Hills roots and became the Ireland-transplant “Irish Bear” Mike Malachi. The serious-minded “International Thugs” were born. Malachi and the Thugs would remain in championship contention for the next few years.

In 2006, the International Thugs, led by Malachi, defeated Justin Sane and La Lucha for the KSWA tag team championships. They held onto the tag belts for 442 days (one day longer than his KSWA Championship reign), which was the longest term in the KSWA’s first six years (a record that would last more than five years).

By 2009, Malachi once again became a fan favorite. In one of his most popular moments, Malachi helped host a fundraiser at the Ross Township Community Center for a neighbor in need. The “Drop Kick Diabetes” event drew just over 406 KSWA Krazies, which was then an attendance record. The neighborhood also got together with a diverse Chinese Auction and 50/50 raffle than helped raise more than $14,000 that night. To top off the Main Event, Malachi defeated Lou Martin in a Table’s Match.

In May, 2010 Malachi defeated an emerging and enormous Bulldozer in a Body Slam match. At FanFest of 2010, then-Golden Triangle Champion Anthony Alexander defeated Malachi. As part of the stipulation, Malachi was forced to leave the KSWA. The retirement spanned four years.

Malachi returned, triumphantly, as a surprise entrant in the 2014 Battle Bowl at the KSWA Arena. His return was hugely popular and more so when he was victorious as the ultimate winner. On May 31, 2014, Malachi and Jack Massacre were the KSWA Owner Bobby O’s hand-picked tandem in a tag team challenge by then-champions Tyler Cross and Edric Everhart. The team of “Big and Bigger” went on to defeat “System Elite” for the tag team championship, in front of a Wall Street Journal photographer. In June, 2014, Malachi and Massacre became the first-ever Independent tag team wrestling champions to ever be featured on the cover of the WSJ. The team, also dubbed “Irish Massacre” went on to hold the straps some 490 days, the third-longest in KSWA history. He was part of the KSWA Tag Team of the Year two times and in 2014 was the KSWA’s Comeback Megastar of the Year. He also won the People’s Choice Award once.

Since losing those titles in October 2015, Malachi wrestled in several major feuds including other giants like T-Rantula, Massacre and then KSWA Champion Jay Flash. In 2018, Malachi won the Joe Abby Memorial Tournament. Most recently, Malachi once again turned his back on the fans, and joined Jack Massacre who did the same. The two feuded without 2019 against T-Rantula and “Big Country” Matt McGraw.

Malachi has also started a very successful fundraising effort that benefits the Pittsburgh Spirit 14U Westwood Girls Fast Pitch organization and the & Pioneer Hose Company in nearby Brackenridge.

At KSWA FanFest 15, Malachi and Massacre teamed once again and took on T-Rantula and McGraw. Again, a stipulation was the man pinned would be forced to leave the Keystone State Wrestling Alliance. Malachi was on the losing end of that proposition and left the KSWA.

At the February 8, 2020 fundraiser at the Pioneer Hose Company in Brackenridge the announcement was made by KSWA Owner Bobby O that Malachi is the 35^th and latest inductee into the KSWA Hall of Fame. The official induction ceremony takes place on March 21, at the 13^th annual Joe Abby Memorial Tournament, to be held at Spirit Hall in Lawrenceville.

More announcements are expected before the event.