Marco Corleone, formerly WWE’s Mark Jindrak, is one of the central characters on “Lucha Libre USA: Masked Warriors,” a new pro wrestling show seen 10 p.m. EST/PST Fridays on MTV2.
After being released by WWE in 2005, Jindrak contemplated a different career path. Going to Mexico changed his mind-set, and after starting as a rudo (bad guy), he became a big star as a technico (good guy).
“I started off as a rudo in Mexico,” Corleone said, “but because of my physical appearance [6-6, 260] and my style of wrestling, the Mexican fans fell in love with me. You have to listen to the people. If they want you to be a rudo, then you’re a rudo. If they want you to be a technico, you’re a technico. I’m a technico. People like me.”
Corleone lives in Mexico with a Mexican girlfriend.
“Sometimes when I go back to the United States, I almost feel like a foreigner,” he said. “I’m here in Mexico, and I enjoy it. In all shapes and sizes and forms, I’m an ally of Mexico. I love the Mexican culture.
“I came here four years ago. I fell in love with lucha libre, and it made me love professional wrestling so much more because of the culture; the fast pace, high-flying, acrobatic styles; the history of it; and the masks. Even though I don’t wear a mask, I’m a huge fan of the mask. I love seeing the different masks and the history of the masks.”
• How did you devise the name Marco Corleone for lucha libre in Mexico?
“I came in with a guy, Johnny Stamboli, and he had a character, the FBI, Full Blooded Italians,” Corleone said, “and I had an opportunity to come here as an Italian character.”
Jindrak and Stamboli trained at the WCW Power Plant in the late 1990s.
“My dad’s side is German. My mom’s side is Italian,” Corleone said. “Of course, my name is Mark. You add a little `o’ to my name and Marco. Then Corleone is from the movie `The Godfather.’ Michael Corleone. There you are. Marco Corleone.”
He continued: “I was Mark Jindrak [real name] in the United States. I thought it was a little bland. I got a new start in Mexico, and people here are a little more spicy, and there’s a lot that goes into a name. Marco Corleone. It hit.”
• Jindrak moved to Mexico City in 2006, changed his ring name to Marco Corleone, learned a new language and progressed at a rapid rate.
When a wrestler in Mexico reaches superstar status, many doors open. Corleone burst through those doors.
He appeared on game shows, soap operas, TV shows. He’s been in campaigns for major companies. He was photographed for magazine covers and was named Best Body in Mexico. He even wrote a children’s book in Spanish — “Marco Corleone: las primera luchas de mi vida (the first fights of my life)” — helping kids deal with bullying in schools.
“I actually bumped into a lady from Cleveland last year who had moved to Mexico to start a publishing company,” Corleone said. “I basically made my dream a reality and wrote the book.”
• What has been your favorite time in pro wrestling?
“My favorite time in pro wrestling has been my experiences in Mexico, the opportunity in Mexico.
“In my career as a professional wrestler, I started young. It’s really the only profession I’d ever known. So what happens when you’re with a big company like WWE and you’re part of a big release? In 2005, I was one of 17 guys who got released.
