Don't call Dean Malenko a sports entertainer.

"I like being called a wrestler," said Malenko. "I think of an entertainer as a guy with a top hat and a cane. I'm a wrestler. I trained to be a wrestler. I never trained to be an entertainer."

In this modern era where wrestling federations profess to be sports entertainment empires, Malenko steadfastly claims he is anything but a song-and-dance man.

"If someone asks what I do for a profession, Dean Malenko says he's a wrestler," he said.

A wrestler, indeed. Malenko, a second-generation star and son of the late Boris Malenko, spent a majority of his career in Japan honing his ring abilities, not his flamboyant antics. Through that experience, he was exposed to a variety of wrestler styles that he employs successfully today. The way he demonstrates the skills he gained in Japan has earned him the nickname "The Man of 1,000 Holds."

"I was fortunate to spend about 12 years over in Japan," recalled Malenko. "It's the greatest place in the world for somebody to start in the wrestling business for the main reason that there was an influx of the European wrestlers, the Mexican wrestlers and wrestlers from the United States.

"I try to take what I did over there, adapt it over here and add a little showmanship to it," continued Malenko.

After his lengthy stint in Japan during the 1980's, Malenko returned to the United States and joined Extreme Championship Wrestling in 1994. World Championship Wrestling liked what it saw in the "Iceman" and recruited him away from the Philadelphia-based promotion in 1996. Malenko was now competing under a much brighter spotlight. But that brighter spotlight did not bring happiness.

"First year and a half I was there, I had a great time," said Malenko. "It got to the point where it wasn't fun anymore. It became a job. When you're unhappy at what you're doing, you take that in every facet of life.

"As an employee, I was working for a company that didn't believe in what I was doing, and I would never by any more that a mid-card wrestler," continued Malenko. "If that was the case or not, all I ever asked for was an opportunity. To have someone call you a failure without getting an opportunity is ludicrous."

Malenko's unhappiness and frustration came to a head in January 2000. When a new booking team, featuring Kevin Sullivan and James J. Dillon, took power, Malenko, along with some friends, decided that enough was enough.

"Me, Eddy (Guerrero), and Chris (Benoit) have collectively been together for that last eight years now, wrestling in New Japan and then ECW and WCW," said Malenko. "We formed a bond and a business agreement together that we would stick together through thick and thin. We kind of adopted Perry (Saturn) over the last year."

United, the four men stood up to WCW management and demanded their releases from the company. Then WCW Vice President Bill Busch, not wanting unhappy wrestlers working within his organization, agreed to their requests.

WCW's loss became the World Wrestling Federation's gain.

It was Malenko's gain as well. He and The Radicalz, the foursome's WWF moniker, were immediately pushed into high-profile bouts and title matches following their debut on Jan. 31, 2000. Malenko was the first to capture a WWF championship when he won the light-heavyweight title on March 13. Benoit (Intercontinental), Guerrero (European), and Saturn (hardcore) soon followed that triumph with title wins of their own.

"I think (Vince McMahon) believed in us right off the bat," said Malenko. "I think he was elated that he could take four talented guys at one time and bring an addition to this company. The WWF definitely did not need us. It wasn't like they weren't selling out arenas. But what it did was add more to his roster."

How does Malenko, a proud self-professed wrestler, compete in a land of sports entertainers? In the past, wrestlers such as Malenko, who were more substance than flash, were in need of a dramatic change in persona to get over with WWF fans.

"When I went to the WWF, the first thing Vince McMahon ever said to me was, 'Don't ever change. Do what you do because that's what you do best,'" said Malenko. "And I'll continue to do that. I still believe that there's a Dean Malenko fan out there. I'm not the guy who goes out on the microphone. I'm not the guy who dressed funny. I'm the guy who goes out and wrestles. And there are some people who appreciate that."

Malenko's natural abilities have not necessarily stopped the WWF from tweaking his persona. Instead of associating with his fellow Radicalz, Malenko made some new alliances June by strolling to ringside accompanied by two of The Godfather's hos, a storyline element that Malenko admits is not set in stone.

"We're trying to, as we're talking right now, test the market and see how the fans accept Dean Malenko in another light," said Malenko. "But as far as when the bell rings, I'll still be me."

Just as he remains steadfast in calling himself a wrestler and not a sports entertainer, Malenko is confident that not all fans want glitz and glamour. There is still an audience who cheers and hails a style that employs no-nonsense ring action - hip tosses as opposed to worms, Texas cloverleafs as opposed to people's elbows.

"I still believe there are wrestling fans out there who enjoy Dean Malenko," said Malenko. "There are wrestling fans who enjoy what The Rock has done. There are wrestling fans who enjoy Chris Benoit. Everybody has a different style. Everybody's going to attract a different kind of wrestling fan."

Unhappiness and frustration characterized his tenure in WCW. There were changes in management and opposition to moving up the political ladder. Once concerned with staking his claim and emerging from the shadows of his father, Malenko is not enjoying the twilight of a career that has been rejuvenated in a new federation.

"After 20 years in the business, I wanted to go out at least having a crack at working with Vince McMahon and the WWF," said Malenko. "Four years from now, I can walk away from the business on a high not, because I worked for a company that believed in what I did and believed in Dean Malenko."