Short Sleeve Sampson
Posted: November 9, 2021
Author: Jeff Docherty
SMALL MAN WITH HUGE DETERMINATION
For over 20 years, Short Sleeve Sampson has been travelling around the world performing for fans in the top wrestling companies. His friendly personality has made him a huge fan-favorite wherever he has wrestled throughout his multi-decade career.
In fact, you've probably seen him on television and you didn't even realize it. More on that later.
Who you may not know is the man behind Short Sleeve Sampson and his drive and desire to grow the Midget Wrestling Warriors into the most successful midget wrestling company on the planet.
It's 5AM and, while most of you are tucked in your beds sleeping, Dan DiLucchio is already having his morning Monster energy drink and is sitting down to his computer to begin a busy day. Better known to fans as Short Sleeve Sampson, DiLucchio is the owner of Midget Wrestling Warriors and is the driving force behind one of the fastest growing independent wrestling companies touring today. From the moment he steps out of bed each morning until it's time to lay down to catch some sleep, DiLucchio is hard at work contacting venues and events all over North America and around the world to secure dates and bookings for the Midget Wrestling Warriors. His work ethic is second to none and his determination to grow his company and showcase the top wrestling talent available knows no bounds. There's just one minor caveat...all of his wrestlers are under 5'2".
DiLucchio made his professional wrestling debut in 1999 and was hugely popular on the independent circuits. His big smile and ability to quickly develop a rapport with the fans won over those who saw him wrestle. That's part of the reason he's always been a "babyface" or "good guy". He's always loved making fans smile, especially children. He's one of only a handful of professional wrestlers who have had such a lengthy career without having turned "heel" or "bad guy".
DiLucchio turned Short Sleeve Sampson into a highly sought-after character and, over the years, he has continued to increase in popularity and is in huge demand across North America and around the world.
WWE Comes Calling
World Wrestling Entertainment saw the charismatic Sampson and quickly realized that he would be a valuable asset for several very memorable segments on their television programming. One of the most popular was when DiLucchio portrayed a mini version of The Undertaker on WWE SmackDown during a segment with JBL and The DeadMan himself!
DiLucchio was a dead-ringer for Taker...albeit a noticeably smaller version...and was on the receiving end of an Undertaker choke slam.
Another WWE SmackDown appearance saw DiLucchio portraying Olympic Gold Medalist Kurt Angle in a segment that saw DiLucchio locking the Angle-Lock on the WWE Hall of Famer, who was dressed as John Cena.
The crowd was clearly loving DiLucchio and he would go on to make several more appearances on WWE television.
Sampson would go on to appear for Total Non-Stop Action Wrestling at their 2006 Bound For Glory Pay-Per-View where he competed as the only midget in Kevin Nash's X-Division Invitational.
In August of 2013, DiLucchio decided that it was time to bring his wrestling career to a close and "Short Sleeve Sampson" embarked on a 40-stop retirement tour. The shows were hugely popular as many fans wanted to catch their beloved Sampson in action one more time before he retired.
However, with wrestling coursing through his veins, DiLucchio decided he wasn't quite ready to call it a career. He wanted to show the fans that midget wrestlers are among the most talented performers in the world and he wanted to showcase that talent for all to see. He postponed his retirement and Midget Wrestling Warriors was born.
With the advent of Midget Wrestling Warriors, DiLucchio has assembled an all-star roster of midget wrestlers and the company has performed in front of sold-out crowds around the world. He is incredibly proud of the fact that his shows are family-friendly and he is not satisfied unless every fan in attendance leaves with a smile on their face.
The Midget Wrestling Warriors are currently on their "Rising Legends" tour but DiLucchio is already busy booking shows for the company's 2022 "Evolution" tour which promises to be the biggest yet!
DiLucchio continues to perform as Short Sleeve Sampson and is more popular than ever before. Children and adults alike can't wait to meet the master of the Inch Worm. His larger-than-life personality shines when he meets his fans. In less than a minute with Sampson, fans feel like they're talking to a friend they've known for years. That comes easily for Short Sleeve Sampson because that's exactly how the man behind Sampson is in real-life.
Whether it's Dan DiLucchio or Short Sleeve Sampson, you're guaranteed to get that big smile and huge personality every day and it appears that he has no plans of slowing down anytime soon!
With the success of the current "Rising Legends" tour and dates already filling in for the 2022 "Evolution" tour, one thing is absolutely certain...Sampson's catch phrase has never been more true than it is now...
