Slaughter on house show matches, Lombardi made his TV debut on the October 29 episode of All American Wrestling where he was submitted by The Iron Sheik and carried out on a stretcher.

But apart from that he continued on as an enhancement talent, losing to much of the WWF roster including Big John Studd, Paul Orndorff, David Schultz, Iron Mike Sharpe, Rocky Johnson, and others.

On July 31 he became involved in a mild angle with WWF World Champion Hulk Hogan during the company's initial "Championship Wrestling" taping in Poughkeepsie, NY.

[10] After numerous losses, a month later Lombardi garnered the first win streak of his career when he defeated Dan Rignati and George Sanders on successive house shows.

The company continued to pair the young but now experienced Lombardi against other new wrestlers, and he faced newcomers such as Sivi Afi, Tony Parisi, Nick Kiniski, Dan Spivey, and Scott McGhee.

He gained his first ever tag-team win when he teamed with fellow enhancement talent Lanny Poffo to defeat SD Jones and George Skaaland on April 13 in Brisbane, Australia.

After gaining a pair of pinfall singles wins over the newly arrived Sam Houston, Lombardi then switched alliances to join Mike Sharpe.

Entering the fall, Lombardi continued to lose regularly but was now gaining a smattering of wins (Sivi Afi, David Sammartino, Jerry Allen, Tony Garea, and Outback Jack).

Lombardi began 1988 with several squash losses, and then a win over Scott Casey on January 23 in Lexington, KY. Two days later at Madison Square Garden he resumed his partnership with Barry Horowitz and faced The Young Stallions in a losing effort.

The following day in Hershey, PA Lombardi and Horowitz gained their first victory as a team when they defeated Scott Casey and Lanny Poffo in a match that aired on Prime Time Wrestling.

Later that winter Lombardi began a house show series with Brady Boone, and for the first time in his career enjoyed a consistent string of success.

However beginning in July his small push seemed to dissipate as he found himself consistently on the losing end to Paul Roma and the new arrival, The Blue Blazer (Owen Hart).

Lombardi soon returned to his former enhancement talent status and won only five more matches (Tom Stone, Jerry Monti, Paul Roma, and Al Perez) for the rest of 1989.

After sustaining numerous defeats to upper level talent such as Intercontinental Champion The Ultimate Warrior, Lombardi finally gained a measure of revenge by pinning The Red Rooster on March 18 in Calgary, Alberta.

On October 9 Lombardi faced Davey Boy Smith in his first match back after nearly a two-year absence, and in December he went on his first overseas tour when the WWF joined forces with Super World Sports to promote in Japan.

On December 6 in Hijemi, Japan he teamed with Nuboyashi Sugawara and Kenny the Striker to defeat Biff Wellington, Road Block, and Masao Orihara.

[19] Lombardi returned to heel status with his Brawler gimmick, matching up against numerous faces during the winter and spring such as Kerry Von Erich, Tatanka, and Big Bossman.

Lombardi renewed his partnership with a returning Barry Horowitz on March 9 at a WWF Superstars taping, facing and losing to The Samoan Swat Team in the latter's tryout match.

He closed out the summer teaming with Blake Beverly and Little Louie against The Bushwhackers and Tiger Jackson, as well as defeating a young Tommy Dreamer at a WWF Superstars taping on August 17.

At a WWF Superstars taping in Grand Rapids, MI he debuted with the new persona and defeated Reno Riggins, then did the same the following day at a Wrestling Challenge event.

A month later, as "MVP", he made his first appearance on Monday Night Raw and participated in the 20-man battle royal to determine the champion for the vacated Intercontinental title.

Still in the clown gimmick, Lombardi made his first appearance in the United States Wrestling Association on October 26 in Louisville, KY. Teaming with Brian Christopher, the two defeated Jeff Jarrett and Tony Falk.

Finally in late September he enjoyed his first win streak, defeating Louie Spicolli and PJ Walker on numerous house show matches on the West Coast.

Wrestling now full-time as The Brooklyn Brawler, his career was seemingly devoid of momentum as he dropped matches to Lex Luger, Duke Droese, Man Mountain Rock, and Doink (Ray Apollo).

However, on March 10 at a WWF Superstars taping in Corpus Christi he participated in the debut of perhaps the most famous of the wrestlers that he had helped usher into the company – Dwayne Johnson.

[33] On the July 4th edition of Smackdown Lombardi gained his first victory in several years when he joined Taka Michinoku and Sho Funaki to face HHH in a 3 on 1 match.

Lombardi continued to be semi-active throughout 2000, wrestling in numerous house shows and facing Jerry Lawler for the first time at an event in New Haven, CT on August 9, 2000.

[1] The surge of in-ring activity continued, as Lombardi began 2001 with a victory over The Goodfather on January 13, 2001, in Detroit, MI after Billy Gunn interfered.

After being inactive throughout the summer, Lombardi returned to the house show circuit to face Chuck Palumbo in October[34] In November he was matched against MMA fighter Ron Waterman, who was working for the WWF at the time under a developmental deal.

He reprised his role as Kim Chee, having apparently reconciled with Kamala, on the August 11, 2005, edition of SmackDown accompanying the Ugandan Giant to the ring for his match with Randy Orton.