James Tilquist (better known by his ring names Big Tilly and later Big Rocco) carved out a lengthy career in professional wrestling, with his greatest notoriety coming as one half of the long-running Florida-based tag team Phi Delta Slam and through his appearances in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) during the mid-to-late 2000s. Known for his fraternity-themed gimmick, larger-than-life personality, and later his role as an enforcer for TNA stables, Tilquist has remained a staple of the independent circuit while also passing his knowledge on through training younger wrestlers.
Early Career & WCW Appearances
Tilquist began wrestling in the 1990s, making appearances as enhancement talent for World Championship Wrestling (WCW). Like many regional wrestlers of the era, his WCW work consisted mainly of jobbing—helping to establish bigger stars in competitive squash matches. Despite not being pushed as a star in WCW, the exposure gave Tilquist valuable television experience and visibility.
Phi Delta Slam – Florida Independent Circuit
It was on the Florida independent wrestling circuit that Tilquist found his most enduring identity. Teaming with Bruno Sassi, the two created the tag team Phi Delta Slam. Playing on fraternity stereotypes, they adopted the personas of boisterous frat brothers—loud, comedic, and rowdy. The act became a fixture in the Southeastern wrestling scene throughout the 1990s and 2000s.
Phi Delta Slam won multiple tag team championships across Florida promotions, including the Florida Wrestling Alliance, Independent Pro Wrestling Association, and International Wrestling Federation, establishing themselves as one of the region’s go-to teams. They also founded and operated a wrestling school in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, called Bodyslam University, training future talent while still performing.
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
First Run (2005)
Tilquist and Sassi got their first national break in TNA in early 2005. At the time, booker Dusty Rhodes had two on-screen assistants—Traci Brooks and Trinity—who were each tasked with bringing in a tag team to represent them. Trinity introduced Phi Delta Slam, who debuted on television in February 2005, wrestling dark matches before making their official debut at Destination X (March 13, 2005), where they lost to The Harris Brothers.
Although given a platform, Phi Delta Slam struggled to connect with the TNA audience, and their characters did not translate to the national stage as hoped. By September 2005, their profiles were quietly removed from the TNA website, signaling the end of their initial run.
Cameo (2007)
The team resurfaced for a light-hearted cameo in December 2007, appearing in comedy skits during Eric Young’s Christmas Party segment on Impact! alongside Luke Williams, Kevin Nash, ODB, and Awesome Kong.
Return as Security (2009–2010)
Tilquist’s most memorable TNA stint came during his 2009 return, when both he and Sassi re-emerged as personal security for The Main Event Mafia, TNA’s dominant heel faction. To fit the mafia aesthetic, Tilquist was repackaged as “Rocco” (later Big Rocco). His look was overhauled—he dyed his hair black, sported a goatee, and wore dark sunglasses, presenting himself as a bodyguard-type heavy.
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March 13, 2009: Rocco lost to Eric Young in a singles match on Impact! despite outside support from Kurt Angle.
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April 2, 2009: He and Sassi (renamed Sal) lost to Team 3D in a tag match.
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May 2009: The duo were used in handicap and comedy matches, including a loss to Matt Morgan.
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May 28, 2009: With Sting assuming leadership of the Mafia, both Rocco and Sal were fired from the group.
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June 4, 2009: Immediately after, they were “rehired” by Mick Foley as his personal security, keeping them sporadically on television through 2010.
Tilquist’s last notable TNA moment came at Hardcore Justice (August 8, 2010), the ECW-themed reunion PPV, where he donned the gimmick of a parody Blue Meanie as “Blue Tilly.” Alongside Hollywood Nova, he accompanied Stevie Richards and later ambushed Tommy Dreamer during his match with Raven.
Independent Circuit & Later Career
Following his TNA appearances, Tilquist continued to wrestle primarily in South Florida with Coastal Championship Wrestling (CCW), where Phi Delta Slam captured the CCW Tag Team Championship. He and Sassi remained a staple tag team on the independents, keeping the Phi Delta Slam gimmick alive for nostalgic fans while also working as trainers.
Championships and Accomplishments
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Coastal Championship Wrestling
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CCW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Bruno Sassi
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Florida Wrestling Alliance
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FWA Tag Team Championship (4 times) – with Bruno Sassi
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Independent Pro Wrestling Association
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IPWA Tag Team Championship (5 times) – with Bruno Sassi
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International Wrestling Federation
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IWF Tag Team Championship (4 times) – with Bruno Sassi
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South Eastern Championship Wrestling
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SECW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Bruno Sassi
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World Wide Wrestling
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WWW Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Bruno Sassi
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Legacy
While James Tilquist never became a household name in the wrestling industry, his career is a testament to persistence, adaptability, and the value of niche success. As Big Tilly, he found his lane in regional wrestling as part of a beloved gimmick act. As Big Rocco, he added character depth to TNA’s storylines, playing the heavy for one of the company’s most famous factions.
Alongside Bruno Sassi, he gave Phi Delta Slam nearly three decades of relevance in independent wrestling, while also helping train the next generation of wrestlers through their school.
