Thank You Low Life Louie Ramos: The End of an 18 Year Career & More

Here's a pic of Low Life Louie Ramos that will get your attention!

Welcome to another blog here on the new DOINOW.com. While this is a New York sports based blog, with tons of focus on the New York Rangers, from time-to-time, I like to look at professional wrestling. After all, I was involved in professional wrestling for 10 years, whether I was writing about it, reviewing it, publishing a newsletter about it, booking my own shows, booking other people's shows, refereeing (SSCW ref of the year haha), promoting shows, handling 3rd party bookings, etc.

 During my ten year stretch in independent wrestling, I wore many hats. No matter what job I was doing at the time, I would always keep a bond with a man known for being one of the nicest guys in wrestling, as much as he was known to smack you over the head with a barbed-wire dildo. How appropriate, that here, on DOINOW.com, a site dedicated to NY sports, that we look at the "New York King of Hardcore", Low Life Louie Ramos.

Louie Ramos posted the following statement on Facebook, this past Tuesday, February 10th:

"Don't want to come on here with some woe is me stuff. That's not me. Basically it goes like this. Went to the doctor. Got a CT scan of my brain, it showed tons of old brain injuries, contusion and scar tissue. That compounded with my family history of the dementia, and the fact that the loss of so many brain neurons through the years can make me a candidate for lots of bad issues...I have decided to retire from in ring activity.

Can I still wrestle, yes..but I never want to change who I am and with what I do it would just add to the damage. Will I have one more match..never say never..tests will determine if I can have an in ring goodbye.

So many ppl to thank so I'll put it like this, if I learned from you, started with you, was booked by you or shared a locker room with you. THANK YOU. know that you impacted my life in one way or another. 

To my wife and kids.i love you more than I can explain, thanks for the support.
Regrets, a few, dreams made,many.
Again thanks to all. Love you guys
Lowlife Louie Ramos"

And just like that, one of the greatest men to ever be involved in professional wrestling & the one-time "King of NY" (No, not you Lundqvist, Louie was a winner!) relinquished his throne. 

Louie, in a posed photo later on in his career

Louie, who got into pro wrestling in 1997, would never make it to a major promotion like the WWE, WCW, NJPW or CMLL. For most of  his career, Louie battled in random Elks Lodges, VFW's, KoC's & other rec buildings around northeast. Once in a while, Ian Rotten would bring him to the mid-west, but never had major plans, outside of just having a body willing & able to go through torture during Deathmatch tournaments. Louie's name may never be plastered on the marquee of Madison Square Garden, but to anyone who's ever befriended Louie, you know you have a Hall of Famer human being as a friend.

For the people who know Louie, I don't have to tell you how cool and special he is. For the people who don't know, let me shed some light.

For nearly 18 years, Louie Ramos was a deathmatch/hardcore professional wrestling. What that entailed was putting your body through extreme amounts of pain - getting hit by barbed wire, being stapled, being lit on fire, getting slammed through tables, falling at extreme heights, taking glass knuckled fists to the head and in of Louie's specialties - hitting people with barbed wire dildos. You're probably wondering why I'm honoring this guy, as this all sounds like shit shit, and it probably was. However, what makes this story, is that for all the sick, vile, blood splattering stuff Louie did in the ring, he was the complete opposite in the ring, perhaps too nice for his own good (The Deblasi fiasco) & easily one of the best people you could ever meet.


Don't take my word on how great Louie was as person, his peers will you how great he is too.

Papadon, journeyman wrestler

Papadon, who like Louie, credits former ROH/TNA wrestler Homicide as his trainer, said the following about Louie:

"They say that mans name holds weight in gold. But that can be further from the truth when it applies to "Low Life" Louie Ramos. You see Louie is the farthest anyone can be from a low life. This crazy wrestling business needs more people like Louie Ramos in it. Hell the world in general needs to have more people like Louie in it in order to be a better place. He is a husband, a father, a wrestler, a teacher, an opponent, a friend, a student of the game, a NY Hardcore legend, but most importantly overall a good person.

 For as vicious as Louie was in the ring, he was that much of a sweetheart out of it. Louie displayed a passion for pro wrestling that very few have. Always willing to help out younger wrestlers and give back to the business. Louie was the heart and soul of the LIWF Doghouse. He has a charisma that few display and Louie did not have what most people have in pro wrestling and that's an ego. Bobby Lombardi said it best that LLL was and will always will be the Hulk Hogan of the LIWF. The crowd would go crazy when his music would start to play and all you heard was the crowd chant " Louie Louie Louie....". I am honored to of had the privilege of wrestling LLL and even more privileged to have Louie as my friend. I love you my brother."

Ref Sean Hanson (Real Name: Sean Wiggins)

Sean Hanson, who has refereed hundreds of Louie's matches, sent in the following statement, when asked, to DOINOW.com:

"Here's a guy whos wrestling nickname is the COMPLETE opposite of who he really is, in this life as a Full-time or Part-time wrestler, you NEVER retire, ya just die. Pro Wrestling is the ultimate Hotel California, ya check out but ya never leave. Louie may have to stop, but he walks away w a wonderful wife and beautiful kids. That's TONS more than most can say. Nobody praised my work like he has and I'm eternally grateful. 

They say everybody is famous for 15 minutes, but if you're famous for just 5 in someone's heart that's 100X better! Louie's my dude. When Dan Maff-a-mania ran off for 3 1/2 years and everybody (whom I called the 187 Infantry) shit on him and hated him and called him pedophile and coward and pussy and the whole 9, (they kiss his ass like there's a misletoe on the small of his back but anyway) Louie would ask me how he was. That's the kind of person he is. Good-hearted. No boundaries. 

Louie knew his limits, never talked highly of himself or said he was great. Let others say what he was. All the "boooys" treated me like a little brother and bullied me and would give me shit. Louie always treated me like a MAN. I'll talk to Louie til the day I kick the oxygen habit, I'd love to check his tights just 1 more time, all the well wishes to a great PERSON...and someone who loved wrestling since he was a little kid like myself. Didn't see Austin in the late 90s and all of a sudden "wanted to try a moonsault". Louie, Wiggy LOVES YOU! #Fin"

Michael Zevon in his natural habitat

Michael Zevon, former DOI editor-in-chief, sent in the following statement on Louie:

"I had the honor of meeting Louie at the Doghouse in Queens, NY. He was one of the few who welcomed me with open arms and showed a willingness to educate me on the business. He had and still has no ego and always willing to do anything to make the shows better. When I went into business at USA Pro Wrestling Louie came along with me. The matches and the atmosphere at the infamous Elks Lodge were always great but it was nothing compared to when Louie’s music hit and he sacrificed life and limb for the fans. The crowd exploded for him, chanted his name over and over, and even at the XPW show at Amazura the crowd chanted his name while he was just a fan in attendance during Vic Grimes match. It was so amazing and stealing the thunder from Grimes that the promoter of XPW had to come over and beg the crowd to stop chanting Louie’s name. 

There were so many memories of Louie in the ring but 1 that stands out was outside of the ring. Actually inside a bus. Yes, Louie was a willing participant in the Bus Trip From Hell. The bus trip to a JAPW show in NJ. The things that went on inside that bus would be considered criminal but nothing was funnier than on the way back just getting into Manhattan from NJ Louie pulls out his ass and presses it against the window. The pedestrians in the street were in shock as we drove by. I could only imagine the sight they saw. Hilarious.

The other memory I’ll have forever was having Louie at my wedding. The party was great but you knew it was really on when Louie stabbed Sean the Mic the head with a fork and busted his ass open! I had old Jewish women run over to me in sheer horror. “OY VEY THIS MAN STABBED ANOTHER IN THE HEAD WITH A FORK AND HE’S BLEEDING!” My wife had that look on her face like she wanted to stab me and I was marking out wishing I had witnessed it myself.

I left the wrestling business because I could not stand to be around the people. People I tried to help stabbed me in the back. Even my closest friends. A bunch of ego maniac phonies. Not Louie though. Over a decade later he still thanks me for the little I did and for trying to help get him out there. I love this dude. He’s true. He’s real. He’s sincere. If only my closest friends were the same. He’s one of the kindest person I have had the privilege of knowing. If all people in the wrestling business, heck outside of the wrestling business, were like Louie the world would be a better place.
God bless you Louie. Enjoy retirement and enjoy where the days take you."

The Ramos Family Selfie Shot

As referenced by those testimonials above, for as violent Louie was in a professional wrestling ring, entertaining the masses, he was that much more benevolent to his fellow man and a true family man. There were countless times Louie had to give up bookings, because he couldn't get off at the all-mighty dreaded "real job". What separated Louie from a lot of wide-eyed dreamers, was that Louie knew professional wrestling wasn't his bread and butter. His family was. For all the risks Louie took in the ring, he took none when it came to his family. So if a one shot booking meant leaving his real job for a week, he wouldn't do it, where the same hardcore wrestler, living on a fan's couch who puts more time into smoking weed than taking care of his kids (Cough, Necro Butcher, cough) would hit the road immediately.

I have countless Louie stories. I am proud to call the man a friend. I've known Louie for 12+ years now. For some reason, Louie & myself at the same wedding usually leads to a crazy story. Michael Zevon talked about his wedding, so how about I talk about Louie's wedding?

Louie, who met his eventual wife, Angela, at a Jimmy Hustler ABC wrestling show of all places, in 2003, was married on 10/14/2006. They already shared a child together, as "Little Lowlife Louie Ramos Jr." was born on 3/18/2005. Eventually, baby Arianna joined the fray on 6/28/10. Their wedding was a great time for everyone, it was a great ceremony and a joyous day.

However, because he was getting married, Louie couldn't join the animals in typical behavior. He was warned by his wife that in no shape or form, was Louie allowed to be doing anything wrestling related. Leave it to Louie's good friend and wrestling trainer, Homicide, to tag in.

A mouthy Danny Demanto, whether it be the alcohol, the weed or an inflated sense of self-worth, made a few insults at Homicide. Homicide, who had a heavy elbow that night as well, wound up beating the crap out of Danny, bloodying him up in the process. This is the PG rated version of that story. However, blood still flowed, and that's what mattered for fans of Louie! I don't think Angela enjoyed this story as much!

Sorry Frank, this was the top pic of your google search!

Frank Goodman aka The Masked Maniac, long-time promoter of USA Pro Wrestling, said the following about Louie:

"Louie breathed new life into USA Pro and for that i am forever grateful...He was and is as loyal a friend and wrestler as has ever stepped foot in a USA Pro ring and my shows have never been the same without him..."

 I first met Louie through USA Pro Shows around late 2002/early 2003. I was introduced to him by Michael Zevon. From there, we got along swimmingly and to this day, even if months go by without talking, because that's just life when you get older, we can always pick up where we left off.

The countless stories I have with Louie, from doing the first DOI 250 (he was at our first ever staff meeting), Kane making it clear that Johnny Ova sucks (I must've been drunk when I overrated the guy), acting like Abby on NYC subways, being there when the Bison was officially christened a "chink", the Deblasi fiasco (This is an article to praise Louie, so I don't want to bring those painful memories of that money mark up), having fans hijack an XPW/LXW show because Louie was in the stands, wrestling Funk, Abby, Balls, that horrendous Kane D. SSCW promo (Yes Kane D, I'm aware of where the Hudson River is),  taking the heat on the BusTrip from Hell, drinking Heinekens, heckling, all the pro-gay rights actions, The King of Cum, FECAL THREATS, "hey duuuuuuude", talking about the Giants & Rangers, South Park and so much more, Louie has always been a great friend from the jump.

There are many people who can tell you Louie stories. Louie has shared a special moment with a lot of people, and I'm not talking about all his pro-gay rights stunts he will pull on you! Louie has apprenticed people, taking guys like the Elm Street Kids, Danny Yamz and Penny Dreadful under his wing. How you fucks drank Everclear straight, I will never know!  In wrestling, it is very easy to become hated and get heat. If you're successful, people are jealous. If you're on the rise, people are envious. If you fart the wrong way, people hate you for life. Pro wrestling is full of high school cafeteria secular mentality across the board. However, I defy anyone who has one bad word to say about Louie. In a business full of con men, and after all, that's how the business got its start, conning people into thinking it was real, Louie was always genuine.

Pregaming before Wrestlemania 29

I haven't really talked much about Louie's career here. I don't have to. This is the celebration of a man who gave it all. I've interviewed the man many times, during my DOI days and I can tell you this - the only thing that matters to him is his family. More wrestlers could learn from that. When it's all said and done, spilling blood with Abdullah The Butcher was fun, having 1000 people chant your name was exciting and trading fists with your hero, Terry Funk, was amazing. But at the end of the day, nothing beats watching his kids, Arianna & Louie Jr. grow up. Not taking some of the bookings he was offered, so he could stay at his "real" job and provide for his kids - now that's the sacrifice. That's HARDCORE.

Too often, in the human race, do we celebrate people after their passing. We sometimes forget to appreciate the people we respect and love while they are right here. So to Low Life Louie Ramos, thank you first off for your friendship and I hope your retirement from pro wrestling opens up new doors in life. You will always have your friends and family. The days when you're bored, you will always have the VHS tapes & DVDs. I am glad with your intelligent decision. No one wants to see you damaged for life, you're way too important.

One last time,
"LOOOOOOO-EEEEEEEE, LOOOOO-EEEEEE, LOOOOOOOOO-EEEEE!"

Sean McCaffrey
BULLSMC@aol.com
@NYCTHEMIC on the twitter

Rangers/Avs blog will be up later tonight.