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Adolfo Bresciano

Adolfo Bresciano (June 8, 1949 - March 11, 1993) was an Italian-born professional wrestler, best known for his work as Dino Bravo, self-proclaimed "World's Strongest Man."

Career

Bresciano began wrestling in 1970, taking the "Dino Bravo" moniker from Pepe DiPasquali, who wrestled as "The Italian Casanova, Dino Bravo." He was trained by Gino Brito, and often worked in a tag team with his mentor in his early matches, being billed as Brito's cousin. Bravo worked in a number of other tag teams, partnering with, among others, Mr. Wrestling Tim Woods and Dominic Denucci. By the late 1970's Bravo had become a big enough draw to get a singles push in the Montreal territory, and won a tournament for the new Canadian Heavyweight Championship.

Bravo had primarily worked for Canadian promotions and the NWA, but when one of the Canadian promotions was bought by the World Wrestling Federation in the early 1980's, Bravo began working for the McMahon family. Unfortunately for Bravo the WWF wanted access to the Canadian markets more than it wanted the promotion's talent. Bravo was scheduled to headline a card against Hulk Hogan in 1986, but the match was cancelled on short notice, with Bravo leaving the company shortly thereafter; the rumor was that the company didn't want the Montreal crowd to cheer Bravo, the hometown hero, over Hogan, and that Bravo quit after finding out.

But Dino Bravo returned to the WWF the next year, with his hair dyed blonde and working as part of a stable with Greg "The Hammer" Valentine and Brutus Beefcake. When Beefcake left the stable, Bravo took his place in the "Dream Team" tag team with Valentine.

Bravo returned to singles competition after a few months, and began a strongman gimmick. At the 1988 Royal Rumble, Bravo (who was legitimately strong and was said to be able to lift more than 500 pounds) attempted to lift what he claimed was 710 pounds, which would have been a world record at the time. Commentator Jesse "The Body" Ventura helped lift the bar at one point, but Bravo played the lift as a success, and began billing himself as the "World's Strongest Man." In this gimmick, Bravo feuded with Don Muraco, Jim Duggan, Ron Garvin and the Ultimate Warrior. He often teamed up with John Tenta, and Bresciano would often display his strength by doing push ups whilst the 460lb Tenta sat on his back (although Tenta kept his feet on the floor, so not all of his weight was on his partner.)

Retirement and Murder

In the early 90's, Bravo became a babyface again, and feuded briefly with Jacques Rougeau. But Bravo's push was beginning to wane, and Bresciano retired from active competition following a tour in Britain in January of 1992. Just over a year later, Bresciano was shot dead in his Montreal apartment, aged forty-four. Rumors circled that Bresciano, having retired from wrestling, was supporting himself as part of a cigarette smuggling ring run by elements of organized crime in the city. His murder appears to be unsolved as of August 2005.

Profile

Height: 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight: 255 lbs
Birthday: August 6, 1949
Hometown: Italy, later Montreal, Quebec
Date of Death: March 11, 1993 (Gunshot Wound)
Trained By: Gino Brito
Professional Debut: 1970
Previous Identities: "The Worlds Strongest Man", "The Italian Strongman"
Finishing/Signature Move(s): Airplane spin
Managers: Jimmy Hart, Johnny Valiant, Frenchy Martin

Championships/Accomplishments

1-time Grand Prix Tag-Team Champion
1-time NWA Americas Heavyweight Champion
1-time NWA Americas Tag-Team Champion
1-time NWA World Tag-Team Champion (with Tim Woods)
2-time NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag-Team Champion (with Tim Woods and Tiger Conway, Jr.)
1-time WWWF World Tag-Team Champion (Dominic DeNucci)
3-time Canadian Heavyweight Champion
6-time Canadian International Heavyweight Champion
1-time Canadian International Tag-Team Champion

Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) ranked him # 179 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the "PWI Years" in 2003.

External link

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 '''Adolfo Bresciano''' ([[June 8]], [[1949]] - [[March 11]], [[1993]]) was an [[Italy|Italian]]-born [[professional wrestler]], best known for his work as '''Dino Bravo''', self-proclaimed "World's Strongest Man."
-He often teamed up with [[John Tenta]], and Bresciano would often display his strength by doing [[push up]]s whilst the 460lb Tenta sat on his back (although Tenta kept his feet on the floor, so not all of his weight was on his partner.)
+== Career ==
-He was shot dead in his [[Montreal]] apartment in [[1993]], aged forty-four. There had been rumours circling of his association in [[organized crime]], specifically that he had been involved in a cigarette smuggling operation.
+Bresciano began wrestling in [[1970]], taking the "Dino Bravo" moniker from [[Pepe DiPasquali]], who wrestled as "The Italian Casanova, Dino Bravo." He was trained by [[Gino Brito]], and often worked in a tag team with his mentor in his early matches, being billed as Brito's cousin. Bravo worked in a number of other tag teams, partnering with, among others, [[Mr. Wrestling]] Tim Woods and [[Dominic Denucci]]. By the late 1970's Bravo had become a big enough draw to get a singles push in the [[Montreal]] territory, and won a tournament for the new Canadian Heavyweight Championship.
+Bravo had primarily worked for Canadian promotions and the [[National Wrestling Alliance|NWA]], but when one of the Canadian promotions was bought by the [[World Wrestling Federation]] in the early 1980's, Bravo began working for the McMahon family. Unfortunately for Bravo the WWF wanted access to the Canadian markets more than it wanted the promotion's talent. Bravo was scheduled to headline a card against [[Hulk Hogan]] in [[1986]], but the match was cancelled on short notice, with Bravo leaving the company shortly thereafter; the rumor was that the company didn't want the Montreal crowd to cheer Bravo, the hometown hero, over Hogan, and that Bravo quit after finding out.
+But Dino Bravo returned to the WWF the next year, with his hair dyed blonde and working as part of a stable with [[Greg Valentine|Greg "The Hammer" Valentine]] and [[Brutus Beefcake]]. When Beefcake left the stable, Bravo took his place in the "Dream Team" tag team with Valentine.
+Bravo returned to singles competition after a few months, and began a strongman gimmick. At the [[1988]] [[Royal Rumble]], Bravo (who was legitimately strong and was said to be able to lift more than 500 pounds) attempted to lift what he claimed was 710 pounds, which would have been a world record at the time. Commentator [[Jesse Ventura|Jesse "The Body" Ventura]] helped lift the bar at one point, but Bravo played the lift as a success, and began billing himself as the "World's Strongest Man." In this gimmick, Bravo feuded with [["The Rock" Don Muraco|Don Muraco]], [["Hacksaw" Jim Duggan|Jim Duggan]], [["Rugged" Ronnie Garvin|Ron Garvin]] and the [[Ultimate Warrior]]. He often teamed up with [["Earthquake" John Tenta|John Tenta]], and Bresciano would often display his strength by doing [[push up]]s whilst the 460lb Tenta sat on his back (although Tenta kept his feet on the floor, so not all of his weight was on his partner.)
+== Retirement and Murder ==
+In the early 90's, Bravo became a babyface again, and feuded briefly with [[The Mountie|Jacques Rougeau]]. But Bravo's push was beginning to wane, and Bresciano retired from active competition following a tour in Britain in January of [[1992]]. Just over a year later, Bresciano was shot dead in his [[Montreal]] apartment, aged forty-four. Rumors circled that Bresciano, having retired from wrestling, was supporting himself as part of a cigarette smuggling ring run by elements of [[organized crime]] in the city. His murder appears to be unsolved as of August [[2005]].
 ==Profile==