He would make his debut on August 30, 1980 at 18 defeating John Callahan by disqualification at Kowalski's International Wrestling Federation in Sailsbury Beach, Massachusetts.
[5] Then in 1982, he worked in Vancouver for NWA All-Star Wrestling where he feuded with his trainer Dean Ho.
He won the NWA International Tag Team Championship with Terry Adonis.
Costa stayed in Vancouver until 1988 a year before All-Star Wrestling folded.
Costa returned to New England working as The Lobsterman in the early 1990s and wearing lobster claws to the ring.