Where Are They Now?: Rico

A former bail bonds collector, “American Gladiators” champion and motivational speaker, there isn’t too much that Rico Costantino hasn’t done in his 51 years. The Las Vegas native packed in plenty of experience before the WWE Universe got to know him as Billy & Chuck’s personal stylist in 2002. But don’t let the antics and gaudy outfits cloud your judgment of him. Today, if you’re in Nevada and step out of line, the sergeant for the Nevada Taxicab Authority and a part-time District Security Officer with the U.S. Marshals might lock you up. (CLASSIC PHOTOS | CURRENT PHOTOS | VIDEO PLAYLIST)

Born in Sin City, Rico grew up a wrestling fan, but he never thought he would end up becoming a Superstar.

“When you’re a kid, you have those dreams, but I was very small growing up,” Rico explained to WWEClassics.com. “In ninth grade, I was only 4-foot-11 and 82 pounds.”

After high school, he started working out, which paid off in spades when he tried out for the second season of the hit show “American Gladiators.” A staple of early ’90s television, the syndicated program pitted regular Joes against hulking “Gladiators” in a series of high-risk competitive challenges. Accepting a challenge from Gemini, one of the show’s massive warriors, Rico went to an open tryout at Universal Studios, where he and 15,000 other hopeful contenders were put through the wringer.

“You had to do 25 chin-ups in 30 seconds, a 40-yard dash in under six seconds, a shuttle run under 30 seconds and a one-on-one tug of war,” Rico said. “Most everybody got knocked out on the chin-ups.”

Rico impressed the producers of the show so much that he was invited to try out to become a Gladiator, but they ended up choosing him to be a contestant. That ended up being for the best, as he went on to win his season of the show. The victory made him an unlikely celebrity and he spent the next year donating his time to many charities, including Special Olympics and Make-A-Wish.

Costantino took on a number of different professions before he entered the world of sports-entertainment. He spent two years as a member of The Power Team, a Christian group that travels around to schools and performs feats of strength while encouraging children to avoid substance abuse and violence. He was a bodyguard and private investigator before returning home to Las Vegas to help his brother run his bail bonds business.

Not long after his return home, Rico and his brother decided to learn how to wrestle. They drove three and a half hours each way several times a week to San Bernardino, Calif., where they were taught the ropes by Jesse Hernandez. After eight months and 12 professional matches, Rico soon got the opportunity of a lifetime.