Craig Pittman

Craig Pittman (born October 1959) is a former United States Marine and professional wrestler. He served in the Marine Corps until the early 1990s. He then wrestled professionally as Sgt. Craig "Pitbull" Pittman in World Championship Wrestling. After leaving WCW in 1997, he continues to wrestle in independent promotions where he has remained since 2004.

Prior to his professional career Pittman was a successful amateur wrestler.

He has also fought in four mixed martial arts bouts.

Early life
Before entering the marines, Pittman attended the University of Kentucky where he was on the wrestling team. He grew up in Brooklyn, New York. Attended P.S. 279.

United States Marine Corps
Pittman joined the United States Marine Corps and achieved the rank of sergeant. He was a wrestler in the Marines and won several championships. His biggest victories came in the 1989 and 1991 USA Senior Greco-Roman Championships, in which he won the heavyweight division. He also placed seventh in the heavyweight division at the 1989 FILA Greco-Roman World Championships.

World Championship Wrestling
After leaving the military, Pittman trained as a professional wrestler at the WCW Power Plant under Terry Taylor and The Assassin. Pittman made his wrestling debut as Sgt. Craig Pittman, a heel character, on February 5, 1994. During his run he made famous the saying, "The beatings will continue until morale improves". He won his first match by pinning Brian Anderson just before the time limit expired. In his first pay-per-view appearance, at Slamboree 1995, Craig Pittman defeated Mark Starr by submission through use of a scissored armbar which he called the Code Red. His second pay-per-view appearance, at the 1995 Great American Bash, resulted in a loss to "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan by disqualification when he refused to let go of the Code Red when Duggan was in the ropes.

Pittman feuded with Cobra in 1995. According to the storyline, he had been Cobra's commanding officer during the Gulf War. During a mission, he left Cobra behind, which led to Cobra seeking revenge in WCW. This feud led to a match at 1995's Fall Brawl, in which Pittman defeated Cobra by submission. In November 1995, Pittman also appeared at WCW's first World War 3 pay-per-view. In a sixty-man battle royal, he became the forty-second wrestler eliminated when Hugh Morrus threw him over the top rope. Following the pay-per-view, Pittman began a quest to find a manager to guide his career. After propositioning the likes of Jimmy Hart, Bobby Heenan, and Steve McMichael, Pittman connected with Teddy Long, turning face in the process.

In 1996, Pittman wrestled mainly as a mid-carder, losing most of his matches to main event wrestlers. He made two final pay-per-view appearances in 1996. The first came at Slamboree 1996 as part of a "Lethal Lottery" tournament. In a storyline in which wrestlers were supposedly assigned partners in a random drawing, Pittman teamed with Scott Steiner in a loss to Rick Steiner and The Booty Man., in fall 1996, Pittman quietly turned heel again and dropped Long as his manager, Pittman also appeared at 1996's World War 3 as part of the sixty-man battle royal, which was won by The Giant.

Pittman would go on to wrestle in WCW through the first 5 months of 1997, gaining opportunities at the WCW United States Championship against Eddie Guerrero on WCW Saturday Night on March 4th, and his final match in WCW taking place on the 24th of May against on Saturday Night, a shot at the WCW Television Championship against then-champion, Lord Steven Regal.

Later career
Pittman left WCW in mid-1997 for the National Wrestling Alliance's Mid-Atlantic area. Pittman arrived in Florida Underground Wrestling for several months finally coming out of retirement to defeat the Cuban Assassin Fidel Sierra.

Pittman appeared in the World Wrestling Federation during the September 8th, 1997 edition of Raw when he was attacked by The Godwins.

On the 10th of July 1998, Sgt. Craig Pittman would receive a shot at the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, battling and losing to the champion at the time Dan "The Beast" Severn.

Mixed martial arts record
Pittman also had four mixed martial arts bouts. He fought in Vale Tudo Japan 1995 a mixed martial arts competition that took place in Japan on April 20, 1995. The tournament was ultimately won by Rickson Gracie. Pittman won his first fight against ninjitsu practitioner Wayne Emons by arm triangle choke. His lost his second fight against Yuki Nakai, a 150 lb shooto practitioner, by armbar. Vale Tudo Japan 1995 was well documented in the documentary Choke, a 98-minute film by filmmaker Robert Goodman which follows three of the participants (Rickson Gracie, Todd Hays and Koichiro Kimura) as they prepared for and fought in the event.

On October 1, 2011 Pittman competed at Real Fighting Championships 25 in Tampa Florida losing a Unanimous Decision to Rodney Bell.

On October 13, 2012 competed at Operation Octagon 21 in Sterling, Virginia where be beat Tony Horn by Unanimous Decision.

His MMA record currently stands at 2-2.

In wrestling

 * Finishing moves
 * Code Red (Cross armbreaker)
 * Managers
 * Teddy Long
 * Nicknames
 * "The Pittbull"

Championships and accomplishments

 * Amateur Wrestling
 * USA Senior Greco-Roman Champion (2 times; 1989 and 1991)