Quick Links
Known mostly for his work in Extreme Championship Wrestling, the Northeast-based wrestling promotion spearheaded by Paul Heyman, Bill Alfonso's place in wrestling history will always be tied to the promotion. Connected to a number of talents throughout the company's history, Alfonso would play key roles in the careers of Sabu, Rob Van Dam, and Taz, with his partnership with RVD being the most noteworthy, as while working together, Van Dam would become the longest reigning ECW World Television Champion. Despite standing out in ECW, Alfonso would also work in WCW, WWE, and TNA Impact Wrestling throughout his wrestling career.
RELATED: 10 Things Fans Should Know About MTV's Wrestling Society X
Bill Alfonso Was A Referee In WWE, Even Working WrestleMania 9
While most wrestling fans may remember Bill Alfonso for his work in Paul Heyman's ECW promotion, the truth is that the man was a part of wrestling long before that. Beginning his career as a referee, Alfonso start as a pro wrestling referee at only 21 years old. Some of his notable matches included refereeing a chain match between Terry Funk and The Sheik, and Ric Flair vs Harley Race from Starrcade.
In the subsequent years, Alfonso would work in a number of promotions, including stints in both WCW and WWE, meaning that he would have worked in every major wrestling promotion at the time. While working in WWE, Alfonso's biggest match that he refereed would be a WrestleMania match between The Undertaker and Giant Gonzalez at WrestleMania 9.
RELATED: 10 WCW Wrestlers Who Surprisingly Wrestled In A Match
In ECW, Bill Alfonso Became One Of Wrestling's Most Popular Managers
Following his exit from WWE as a referee, Alfonso made his debut in Extreme Championship Wrestling in May 1995 at Enter the Sandman, once again working as a referee. While most may remember him for his work as a manager, his early days in ECW saw Alfonso acting as a very strict referee who enforced the rules and handed out rare disqualifications towards wrestlers for using steel chairs as weapons or anything "extreme" in nature. During this period, Alfonso would also wrestle a few matches, though they would not be on the more memorable side of his run.
Later into his run with the company, his refereeing duties would be stripped away from the man before he would assume the role of Taz's manager, helping him develop his famous winning streak in ECW that would last over a year. During a feud with Sabu, Alfonso would turn against Taz by aligning with his bitter rival in a shocking twist. Cast in this new role, Alfonso did more than just serving as an in-ring manager, as outside the ring he also managed Sabu's personal finances. Arguably the most famous part of his time with ECW would come in the form of Alfonso's partnership with Rob Van Dam, who he would lead to the longest ECW World Television Championship reign in the history of ECW. For his work as Rob Van Dam's manager, Alfonso would win Pro Wrestling Illustrated's Best Manager Award in 1997.
RELATED: 10 Great ECW Managers You Totally Forgot About
Bill Alfonso Made Appearance In WWE's Version Of ECW And TNA
Following the end of ECW, Bill Alfonso would take his talents to the independent scene for a few years. In 2005, when WWE held their ECW One Night Stand event, Alfonso would return to the fold, managing Sabu on the show and also appearing with Rob Van Dam. The following year, Alfonso would once again take part in ECW One Night Stand 2006 after Rob Van Dam won the WWE Championship, joining in on the celebration with RVD and the rest of the ECW Roster on hand.
Alfonso would never appear again for WWE or the ECW brand. In 2010, however, Bill Alfonso would make his first-ever appearance in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. Appearing for that company's ECW reunion show, titled Hardcore Justice, a show that Impact still runs yearly, Alfonso would manage both Rob Van Dam and Sabu during their match against each other. Following Hardcore Justice, a number of ECW wrestlers would become known as Extreme Version 2.0, otherwise known as EV 2.0, with Alfonso managing them. This group would be attacked by Ric Flair's Fortune faction including Kazarian, AJ Styles, and Robert Roode. With Alfonso standing with EV 2.0, this would serve as the last time during his career that the famed referee-turned-manager would appear on a major stage in wrestling.
