Antonino Rocca

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Antonino Rocca
Statistics
Ring name(s)	Antonino Rocca Argentine Rocca
Billed height	183 cm (6 ft)
Billed weight	103 kg (226 lb)
Born	April 23, 1928 Treviso, Italy
Died	March 15, 1977 New York, New York
Trained by	Stanislaus Zbyszko
Debut	1942

Antonino Rocca (born Antonino Biasetton, b. April 23, 1928 - d. May 15, 1977) was a professional wrestler from Argentina of Italian descent. Rocca was an enormously popular "good guy" with both Italian-American and Hispanic audiences.

Contents 1 Wrestling career 2 Wrestling facts 3 Championships and ccomplishments 4 Trivia

[edit] Wrestling career

As a former acrobat, Rocca was known for his unique wrestling style, wowing audiences with his dazzling aerial maneuvers. He was responsible for the revival of the New York territory in the late 1940's, which would eventually become the modern day World Wrestling Entertainment. Rocca became one of the most well-known wrestlers during the golden age of television. He also had a successful tag team career, forming a popular tandem with Miguel Perez. The two would draw large crowds to Madison Square Garden on a regular basis.

[edit] Wrestling facts

Finishing/signature move(s): Argentine Backbreaker Airplane Spin Backbreaker

[edit] Championships and ccomplishments

• American Wrestling Association (Montreal)

• AWA World Heavyweight Championship (Montreal vesion) (1 time)

• American Wrestling Association (Ohio)

• AWA World Heavyweight Championship (Ohio version) (1 time)

• National Wrestling Alliance
• Regional

• NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
• NWA World Tag Team Championship (Capitol version) (1 time) - with Miguel Perez

• World Wrestling Council
  • WWC North American Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Miguel Perez

• World Wrestling Entertainment

• WWE International Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
• WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 1995)

• Wrestling Observer Newsletter

• Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (Class of 1996)

[edit] Trivia

• He had a love for Opera, he was described as having an excellent - if untrained - singing voice.
• Famed maestro Arturo Toscanini, a rabid wrestling fan, was good friends with Rocca.
• Rocca was depicted wrestling Superman on the cover the Superman #155 (August 1962) comic book.
• The 1976 horror film Alice Sweet Alice, featuring child actress Brooke Shields, includes Rocca in a bit part.
• Famous Japanese wrestler Antonio Inoki took the first part of his stage name in honor of Rocca.