Steve Lombardi (b. 1961) is an American Professional Wrestler and official from Brooklyn, NY best known for his time in WWE from the 1980s to 2016, particularly under the name The Brooklyn Brawler. He started his career in 1983 and was a Jobber for years. In 1989, he was repackaged as a Heel as the Brawler, as manager Bobby "The Brain" Heenan's revenge against the Red Rooster having turned face and left the Heenan Family. The gimmick stayed with him after the feud ended. In 1992, he was Kim Chee, the handler for Kamala, until he turned face and sided with Reverend Slick. After Matt Borne left WWE, he became the first Face version of Doink the Clown. When the Baseball strike hit in mid-1994, he was turned into MVP, renamed Abe "Knuckleball" Schwartz. He has also worked as a referee and as a backstage official for years. He has also competed for many independent promotions. He made his PPV in-ring debut as Kim Chee in the Gimmick Battle Royal at WrestleMania X-7 in 2001. Among his in-ring achievements, he is a former NWA Michigan Heavyweight Champion
, a former BCW (Border City Wrestling in Ontario, Canada) Television Champion and, on the July 6, (taped July 4) 2000 WWE SmackDown!, actually pinned TRIPLE H in a handicap match where he teamed with Kaientai following Chris Jericho's interference.
"Brawlin' Tropes":
- Alliterative Name: Brooklyn Brawler
- Almighty Janitor: He's lost far more times than he's won, but, he's always had a job.
- Arch-Enemy: The Red Rooster
- Bash Brothers: With Barry Horowitz, Iron Mike Sharpe
- Brooklyn Rage
- Commuting on a Bus: Shows up on TV in one gimmick or another every few years or so. He was the Doink who Heath Slater defeated on the July 2, 2012 Raw.
- Cool Mask: As Kim Chee
- A Day in the Limelight: His pin on HHH.
- Facial Markings: As Abe "Knuckleball" Schwartz, his face was painted to look like a baseball.
- Finishing Move: Swinging Neckbreaker, Cannonball Splash
- He's Back!: Teamed with The Miz and Alberto Del Rio to defeat 3MB at TLC 2012.
- I Have Many Names
- Jobber: This is his image, to the point that, in mid-1999, the Rock once compared fighting Billy Gunn (who was getting pushed but wasn't over) to fighting Gangrel (who wasn't getting pushed but could have been a big name under the right circumstances) and to fighting the Brawler.
- Power Stable: The Heenan Family
- The Voiceless: For the most part as Kim Chee, though sometimes he would bark orders to Kamala in some unidentified language.
- Wrestling Doesn't Pay: Abe "Knuckleball" Schwartz, a striking wrestling baseball player.
