Brad Cain

Infobox Wrestler
name=Brad Cain


names=Brad Cain
Brad Kane
Idol
Lodi
Lodi Lane
Rave
Razen Cain
Skank
height=height|ft=5|in=10
weight= convert|220|lb|kg|abbr=on|lk=on
birth_date =birth date and age|1970|9|8
death_date =
birth_place =Asheboro, North Carolina, United States
resides=
billed=West Hollywood
trainer=C.W. Anderson
debut=1997
retired=|

Bradley "Brad" Cain (born September 8, 1970) is an American professional wrestler, author and personal trainer, better known by his ring name, Lodi. Cain is likely best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling between 1997 to 2000, where he was a member of The Flock and The West Hollywood Blondes.

US Army career

Cain attended East Carolina University, graduating with a degree in political science in 1993. [cite web|url=http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=51361034|title=MySpace Profile|author=Brad Cain|accessdate=2007-08-04] During his time in college, Cain was a member of the United States Army Reserve, serving as an operating room specialist. During the Gulf War, Cain participated in Operation Desert Storm.

Bodybuilding career

Upon graduating, Cain worked as a competitive bodybuilder from 1993 to 1997.

Professional wrestling career

In 1997, Cain trained as a wrestler under Extreme Championship Wrestling alumnus C.W. Anderson. He debuted later that year, and wrestled on the independent circuit before being signed by WCW.cite web|url=http://www.accelerator3359.com/Wrestling/bios/lodi.html|publisher=Accelerator3359.com|title=Lodi|accessdate=2007-06-01]

World Championship Wrestling (1997-2000)

He was briefly sent to the WCW Power Plant to train before making his first WCW appearance at World War 3 on November 23, 1997 under the name Lodi (an anagram of the surname of Billy Idol, whom he was thought to resemble). Lodi was introduced as a member of Raven's Flock in order to replace the injured Stevie Richards. Cain's in-ring debut was on "WCW Monday Nitro" on December 8, 1997 against Chris Benoit, to whom he lost. [cite web|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/nitro/1997.html|title=WCW Monday Nitro Results: 1997|publisher=Online World of Wrestling|accessdate=2007-08-04] He accompanied his fellow Flock members to ringside carrying a variety of signs, which he displayed to the audience at intervals (a gimmick borrowed from ECW's Sign Guy Dudley). The signs were generally intended to be humorous and variously furthered storylines, antagonized the audience, promoted the Flock and made inside jokes aimed at other wrestlers. They often bewailed the small amount of television time devoted to the Flock, or their poor win / loss record. The Flock eventually disbanded at the September 13, 1998 Fall Brawl when Perry Saturn defeated Raven to win the freedom of the Flock, and Lodi disappeared from WCW TV several months later after suffering a fractured ankle while wrestling Psicosis.

In June 1999 WCW jobber Lenny Lane persuaded Cain to team with him as the West Hollywood Blondes, a gay Californian duo with pink trunks and flamboyant haircuts who were later revealed to be brothers. The name was a reference to the Hollywood Blonds, a popular tag team of the early 1990s consisting of Steve Austin and Brian Pillman. The Blondes were highly controversial, and their depiction of homosexuals was protested by the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD). Entertainment Media Director Scott Seomin wrote in a letter sent to Turner Network Television president Brad Siegel "The character of Lenny is presented with the intention to incite the crowd to the most base homophobic behavior." Seomen later stated "the audience's reaction" [to Lenny and Lodi being physically attacked by other wrestlers] "gives permission to viewers to do harm to gay people in a very literal way -- it's appalling"." TNT quickly acceded to the demands of GLAAD, removing Lenny and Lodi from the active roster for six months. [cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/news/sb/1999-10-12|title=WCW Bars Gay Wrestlers|publisher=IMDB.com|accessdate=2007-08-04|date=1999-10-12] It is rumored that the bad press caused by the incident was a determining factor in the firing of Eric Bischoff as Vice-President of WCW by Ted Turner. [cite web|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/tv/features/daily/wrestling101299.htm|title=TNT Tosses Gay-Bashing Spectacle Out of the Ring|author=Lisa de Moraes|publisher=Washington Post|accessdate=2007-08-04|date=1999-10-12]

The Blondes returned as Standards and Practices, a team intended to lampoon the censorship of TNT. They failed to regain their earlier notoriety, however, and were released from WCW in 2000. Cain believes that his addiction to painkillers and drinking habit at this time was responsible for the loss of his job.

Independent circuit (2000-)

Lenny and Lodi teamed up again on the independent circuit, wrestling for the World Wrestling All-Stars. They were scheduled to appear with Jeff Jarrett's promotion, but Cain was injured. He was sidelined from wrestling for nineteen months while recovering from neck surgery (his recovery time was unusually long because he underwent the same operation in 1994), and Lenny Lane formed a new tag team, the "Rainbow Express", with Bruce in the interim. Lodi now competes for All-Star Championship Wrestling (ACW) and Extreme Canadian Championship Wrestling (ECCW), and is also a personal trainer. In 2005 he formed a tag team with Scotty Matthews known as The Hybrids.

Cain is now working independents in North Carolina.

Wrestling facts

*Finishing and signature moves
**"Sign–Off" (Snap DDT)
**Brainbuster
**Leg drop bulldog
**Rolling German suplexes

*Managers
**Joel Gertner
**Miss Hancock
**Raven

Championships and accomplishments

*National Wrestling Alliance
**NWA Mid-Atlantic Hardcore Championship (1 time)
*Turnbuckle Championship Wrestling
**TCW Hardcore Championship (1 time)cite web|url=http://www.solie.org/titlehistories/hctcw.html|author=Palma, R.|title=TCW Hardcore Title History|publisher=Solie.org|accessdate=2007-06-01|date=2001]

Personal life

Despite portraying homosexuals on television, Cain describes himself and his former tag team partner Lenny as "pretty much straight as nails." He refers to his fans as "Lodettes and Lodites".

Cain is a former drug addict, and was addicted to GHB and painkillers for seven years. He went into rehab in 2000 and overcame his addictions.cite web|url=http://www.fortunecity.com/greenfield/shell/125/new/id4.htm|title=Interview Stories|accessdate=2007-06-01] cite web|url=http://www.prowrestling.com/articles/news/9573.shtml|author=Edler, D.|title=Lodi Names Somebody From WCW In Drug Scandal|accessdate=2007-06-01|date=2003-11-13]

In addition to wrestling, Cain is a personal fitness trainer, and operates a studio named "Your FLEX Appeal" in Charlotte, North Carolina.cite web|url=http://www.angelfire.com/ak3/ig/prison.html|title=Brad "Lodi" Cain Interview|publisher=NinjaPimp Men's Magazine|accessdate=2007-06-01] On May 17, 2004 Cain lost a number of personal possessions when his apartment building burned down.cite web|url=http://www.mikemooneyham.com/pages/viewfull.cfm?ObjectID=8D5F6C24-B0E5-45C4-8F3AEDFE6C1BE1C5|author=Mooneyham, M.|title=Benoit Champ, But Triple H Headliner|publisher=MikeMooneyham.com|accessdate=2007-06-01|date=2004-05-23|quote=Former WCW performer Lodi (Brad Cain) lost his apartment in a fire Sunday night. Among the lost possessions were his many wrestling mementos.]

In November 2005, Cain's first novel, "Perfect", was published by Dog Ear Publishing.cite web|url=http://www.wrestlingobserver.com/wo/news/headlines/default.asp?aID=14849|author=Meltzer, D.|title=Wednesday news update...|publisher=Wrestling Observer|accessdate=2007-06-01|date=2005-11-23|quote=Brad Cain, formerly Lodi in WCW, has finished a book called "Perfect" a fiction book about the inner world of bodybuilding. Cain competed as a high level amateur bodybuilder before getting into pro wrestling.]

References

* [http://www.lodirulz.com/interviews.html Interview with Cain]

External links

* [http://www.yourflexappeal.com/ YourFlexAppeal.com]
*
* [http://www.ddtdigest.com/features/lodi0001.htm The DDT Digest Online Guide to Lodi and Lodi Signs]