Brad Jacobowitz (May 22, 1981), is an American writer, director, producer, actor, boxer and retired professional wrestler formerly known as Manny Montana.
Early Life and Career
Jacobowitz was born in The Bronx, New York and grew up in Ocala, Florida. His father was a NYPD officer of Russian Jewish descent and his mother was a school teacher of Puerto Rican descent who converted to Judiasm. His parents met because his mother was stabbed by a mugger in the South Bronx and his father worked the case. Jacobowitz's father made headlines being involved in a deadly shooting in Harlem, New York. Jacobowitz was instilled a hard work ethic at a young age. When he was twelve, Jacobowitz worked for his father's pressure cleaning business. While he was a junior in high school, Jacobowitz was in the NJROTC and worked as a dishwasher thirty-two hours a week. He planned on a career in the military after scoring extremely high on the ASVAB at the MEPS station in Jacksonville, Florida. Jacobowitz was disqualified due to a medical condition. He has held many jobs ranging from corrections officer, bartender, long-haul truck driver, construction laborer, New York City yellow cab driver and real estate agent.
Professional Wrestling Career
Jacobowitz trained under Dory Funk Jr. and TNT Kenny G. He learned the fundamentals of pro wrestling working with training partners like Paul London, Sylvain Grenier, Eric Perez and The UK Kid. In 2001, Jacobowitz made his debut in High Voltage Wrestling pinning Rick Fuller to become the High Voltage Wrestling Heavyweight Champion. He successfully defended the HVW Heavyweight title belt by defeating Kyle Storm. Jacobowitz was never defeated for the title and was the longest reigning heavyweight champion in the history of the company. He held the HVW Heavyweight title for 671 consecutive days until the company closed in early 2003. During this time, Jacobowitz was placed on the roster for Xtreme Pro Wrestling before the federation was shut down by the FBI in April 2003. Jacobowitz went on to main event independent shows all over the state of Florida. Jacobowitz faced Ahmed Johnson while working for Championship Wrestling From Florida in Johnson's hometown of Auburndale, Florida. He was pinned after Johnson delivered the Pearl River Plunge to Jacobowitz. Jacobowitz formed a tag team with Kahagas, managed by TNT Kenny G in Florida Championship Wrestling. The team mostly feuded with the tag team, Native Blood(Navajo Warrior & Gabriel Gallo). Jacobowitz was also a tag team partner of Joe Gomez and wrestled in tag team matches against Conor O'Brian and Hack Meyers. During 2003, Jacobowitz began working for Southern Championship Wrestling Florida and South Eastern Championship Wrestling. He had a string of victories in singles matches over Tony Smith, Chris Michaels, Mr. Pretty Good, J-Dawg Brooks, Robbie Chance, Sam Stash, Flatline and JB Cool. Jacobowitz began training with Adam Pollock at Kokopellis Gym in Longwood, Florida. He trained for two years in submission grappling to legitimize his overall mat skills. During this time, Jacobowitz regularly trained in powerlifting and was capable of bench pressing over four hundred pounds. To maintain his stamina in the ring, Jacobowitz would run seven miles a day. In 2004, Jacobowitz became a member of Team Vision along with Mister Saint Laurent, Chasyn Rance and So Cal Val. He had notable feuds with Dagon Briggs, Ryze, David Mercury, Brian Gamble and Vordell Walker. Jacobowitz also wrestled matches for New England Championship Wrestling, Full Impact Pro, Doghouse Pro Wrestling and many other independent promotions. While working for these promotions, he wrestled in tag team and singles matches against Phi Delta Slam, Alex Porteau, Federico Palacios, The Hellraisers(Axis & Python), Aaron Epic and Jason Rumble. Jacobowitz also fought Bruce Santee in a street fight match while working for IPW Hardcore Wrestling. His wrestling style was heavily influenced by Japanese strong style pro wrestling. Jacobowitz considers his greatest match to be against Vordell Walker in a pro wrestling/shootfight match at Southern Championship Wrestling's Six Year Anniversary Show on October 16, 2004 in Altamonte Springs, Florida. During commentary on SCW Brutal Battle 2004 DVD, Byron Saxton referred to Jacobowitz as a young Dynamite Kid or Chris Benoit due to the similarities in their wrestling technique. Jacobowitz emulated wrestlers like Chris Benoit, The Great Muta, Dean Malenko, Dynamite Kid, Tiger Mask and Ultimo Dragon. He was considered an excellent mat worker by many pure wrestling fans. Jacobowitz's career was cut short due to an accumulation of injuries. In 2006, Jacobowitz decided to move to Los Angeles, California to pursue a career in the film industry. While living in LA, he considered a return to pro wrestling after being accepted to train at the New Japan Dojo. After careful deliberation, Jacobowitz eventually reconsidered.
Boxing
At a young age, Jacobowitz was inspired by his favorite fighter "Iron" Mike Tyson. During Jacobowitz's freshman year in high school, he started a boxing club and would fight kids from his school every weekend. When Jacobowitz was sixteen years old, he trained at Bad Boys boxing gym in Ocala, Florida and sparred with former WBA/WBO and IBO world light heavyweight title challenger, Danny Santiago. After high school, Jacobowitz would regularly fight in unsanctioned bar room boxing matches at Omalley's Alley in Ocala, Florida. Jacobowitz never received professional boxing training until he moved to Orlando, Florida in 2003 and trained under 1996 Olympic boxing coach, Reginald Forde. Jacobowitz sparred with many professional and amateur fighters at the Orlando Amateur Boxing Center. During 2006, he would train actors in the fundamentals of boxing at the Hollywood Boxing Gym in Hollywood, California. He also trained regularly at Gleasons Gym in Brooklyn, New York. In 2012, Jacobowitz trained with Jay Deas at the Sky Boxing Gym in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and sparred regularly with the current WBC Heavyweight Champion of the World, Deontay Wilder.
Film career
Jacobowitz made a living in Los Angeles for two years working for Central Casting as an uncredited extra in over a hundred film and TV projects. In 2007, he appeared regularly as an extra on TV shows like CSI Miami, Greys Anatomy, Curb your Enthusiasm, Entourage and The Shield. Jacobowitz was also a featured extra and did stunt work(uncredited) in the feature film, The Comebacks. In 2008, he was bumped up to a bit part on the hit TV series, Numb3rs, playing an FBI agent. Jacobowitz joined the Screen Actors Guild and took acting lessons in North Hollywood, California from acting coach, Robert Miano and in Midtown Manhattan from acting coach, Jon Freda. While working on sets, he was able to observe first hand, film icons like Robert De Niro, Larry David, Will Smith, Harrison Ford, Barry Levinson and Guy Ritchie work. Jacobowitz eventually learned the filmmaking process. Jacobowitz wrote, directed, produced and starred in the feature film, The Pizza Boy. In 2013, The Pizza Boy premiered at the AMC Loews 19th st. East 6 in New York City and received positive reviews. The film was produced for five hundred dollars and was the lowest budget film ever to premiere in Midtown Manhattan. Jacobowitz currently owns a film production company called Hard Living Productions and is in development of his second feature film, The Spike(2018).
Personal life
Jacobowitz was raised Jewish and resides in New York City.
In wrestling
- Finishing and signature moves
- Forearm smash
- Knife Edge Chop
- Dragon Suplex(Release)
- Rolling Kneebar
- Rolling Armbar
- Torture Crab(knee to back)
- Northern Lights suplex
- Powerbomb
- Belly to Back suplex
- Rear Naked Choke
- Dragon Screw Leg Whip
- Brainbuster
- Gutwrench backbreaker
- German suplex(Release)
- Teams and stables
- Team Vision w/ Mister Saint Laurant, Chasyn Rance and So Cal Val
- The Axis of Evil w/ Kahagas and TNT Kenny G
- Entrance Music
- "Maps" Yeah Yeah Yeahs
- "Down with the sickness" Disturbed
- "Bem, Bem, Maria" The Gypsy Kings"
- Nicknames
- "The Man"
- "The Silent Killer"
Championships and accomplishments
- High Voltage Wrestling
- High Voltage Wrestling Heavyweight Championship (1 time)