David DiMeglio

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

David DiMeglio
An image of David DiMeglio.
Statistics
Ring name(s) Dino Casanova
Dave Casanova
Billed height 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Billed weight 227 lb (103 kg)
Born February 8, 1967(1967-02-08)
Maryland, United States
Died March 1, 2002 (aged 35)
Debut c. 1990

David Mark DiMeglio (February 8, 1967-March 1, 2002) was an American professional wrestler, best known by his ring name Dino Casanova, who competed in Northeastern independent promotions including the National Wrestling Alliance, Extreme Championship Wrestling and the Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation, most notably as one half of The Cream Team with Rip Sawyer. He and Sawyer, among others such as Barry Hardy, Duane Gill and Axl Rotten, helped train Ian Rotten during his early career. [1]

He also had a brief stint in World Championship Wrestling with Romeo Valentino during the mid-1990s. As The Goodfellas, they would continue teaming with each other on the independent circuit until his death.

Contents

[edit] Career

[edit] Early career

DiMigleo began wrestling in the Mid-Atlantic region during the early 1990s and eventually began teaming with Rip Sawyer as Cream Team on the Virginia independent circuit. Appearing at the Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation's first event, he and Sawyer lost to the Lords of Pain (Pain & Agony) in a match to crown the first MEWF Tag Team Champions on August 2, 1991.

Defeating Pain and Bubba Monroe (substituting for an injured Agony) for the titles on December 1, the two would continue defending the titles for much of 1992 until they began wrestling for the Philadelphia-based Eastern Championship Wrestling. Following their departure, the titles would be vacated on October 23.

[edit] Eastern Championship Wrestling

He and Sawyer would make their debut in Eastern Championship Wrestling in late 1992, teaming with Glenn Osbourne in a 6-man tag team match to defeat Max Thrasher and The Super Destroyers at the Taber Youth Association in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on October 3. The two would later make an unsuccessful bid for the ECW Tag Team Championship weeks later losing to The Super Destroyers at the Chestnut Cabaret in Philadelphia on October 24. [2]

Returning to Maryland, he began teaming with Romeo Valentino as The Goodfellas (or The Goodfellows) eventually winning the WWA Tag Team Championship. They would later defend the titles against the Lords of Pain in Essex, Maryland on April 9, 1994. [3] He and Valentino would continue teaming together in the Mid-Atlantic region for the next several years including NWA New Jersey, Pennsylvania Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Alliance.

[edit] World Championship Wrestling

On February 2, 1995, he and Valentino made their WCW debut on WCW Worldwide against The Fantastics (Bobby Fulton & Tommy Rogers) at Disneyworld in Orlando, Florida. [4] Several weeks later, they would appear on WCW Saturday Night in the main event against Stars & Stripes (Marcus Bagwell & The Patriot). This would be included as a dark match [5] at SuperBrawl V at the Baltimore Arena in Baltimore, Maryland on February 19, 1995. [6] After confronting Eric Bishoff, WCW World Heavyweight Champion Big Van Vader interfered in the match attacking all four men. [7]

Occasionally appearing in World Championship Wrestling during the next two years, DiMeglio would be seen on WCW Saturday Night facing "Flyin'" Brian Pillman on April 29 [8] and Sting in a match for the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship at the Center Stage Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia on July 11, 1995. [9]

Later that year, he and Frankie Lancaster would lose to Brian Pillman & Chris Benoit on WCW Saturday Night on December 9 and, several weeks later, he would face Hugh Morris at WCW Main Event on January 7, 1996. [10]

[edit] Return to Maryland and later career

In October 1999, he and Max Thrasher would defeat Bad Crew to win the MEWF Tag Team titles before losing the titles to Ricky Blues & The New Patriot on November 13. The following year, he and Thrasher would enter a championship tournament for the vacant MEWF Tag Team titles advancing to the finals before they lost to Jim Christian and Rayne on January 7, 2000.

Teaming with Romeo Valentino, DiMeglio lost to Morgus the Maniac & The Clown at the Harry Grove Stadium in Frederick, Maryland on July 17, 2000 with midget wrestler Dink as special guest referee. The following night at the Summer Sizzler supercard, he and Valentino lost to MEWF Tag Team Champions The Tokyo Terrors after Max Thrasher attempted to interfere [11]

During the summer, he made several appearances in NWA New Jersey facing Gillberg in Wildwood, New Jersey on July 19 and August 3 [12] before losing to Max Thrasher in a four-way match with Morgus the Maniac and Buzz Stryker in Dundalk, Maryland on September 22, 2000. He later defeated Max Thrasher for the MEWF Heavyweight Championship in late 2000, although he held the title for only a short period before losing it back to Thrasher before the end of the year.

The title was later vacated on March 17 and, although he lost to Rayne in a match for the vacant title in Baltimore on April 17, he finally defeated Rayne to regain the MEWF Heavyweight Championship on August 2, 2001. Holding the title for over three months, DiMeglio eventually lost the title to Cat Burgler in Dundalk, Maryland on November 25.

He defeated Max Thrasher for the MEWF Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship on January 27, 2001. Losing the title to Morgus the Maniac on March 17, he continued wrestling until his death from a heart attack, possibly drug related, on March 1, 2002. [13] [14] [15]

[edit] Championships and accomplishments

  • Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation
  • MEWF Heavyweight Championship (2 times) [16]
  • MEWF Mid-Atlantic Championship (2 times) [16]
  • MEWF Light Heavyweight/Maryland Championship (1 time) [16]
  • MEWF Tag Team Championship (3 times) with Rip Sawyer, Max Thrasher and Chad Bowman [16]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Green, Thomas; Ian Rotten (November 2004). Ted Petty Invitational 2003 Q&A Session. PCN Review. Retrieved on 2007-11-19.
  2. ^ Extreme Championship Wrestling Results: October - December 1992. ProWrestlingHistory.com. Retrieved on 2007-11-19.
  3. ^ MEWF 4/9/94 Essex, MD. RF Video (1994-04-09). Retrieved on 2007-11-19.
  4. ^ World Championship Wrestling, WCW Television Results. TheRingHistorian.com (2005-06-15). Retrieved on 2007-11-19.
  5. ^ Karlsson, Peter (2005-04-10). World Championship Wrestling Results: Dark Matches (1995). American Wrestling Trivia. Retrieved on 2007-11-19.
  6. ^ SuperBrawl: SuperBrawl V. ProWrestlingHistory.com. Retrieved on 2007-11-19.
  7. ^ Furious, Arnold (2006-11-09). The Furious Flashbacks – WCW Superbrawl V. 411mania.com. Retrieved on 2007-11-19.
  8. ^ Scott, Richard (2003-12-13). Brian Pillman's Television History. Quote the Loose Cannon: Brian Pillman. Retrieved on 2007-11-19.
  9. ^ Cawthon, Graham (2007-06-29). WCW 1995. Graham Cawthon’s History of the WWE. Retrieved on 2007-11-19.
  10. ^ Cawthon, Graham (2007-06-29). WCW 1996. Graham Cawthon’s History of the WWE. Retrieved on 2007-11-19.
  11. ^ MEWF Official Results: Frederick, MD - Harry Grove Stadium, 7/13/2000. MEWF.com. Retrieved on 2007-11-19.
  12. ^ National Wrestling Alliance, Post-1993: NWA Jersey/New Jersey. TheRingHistorian.com (2005-06-15). Retrieved on 2007-11-19.
  13. ^ DeBlasi, Anthony (2003-12-20). Remembering Those We Lost. Wrestling-News.com. Retrieved on 2007-11-19.
  14. ^ Mooneyham, Mike (2003-12-29). The Wrestling Gospel According to Mike Mooneyham: Wrestling Lost Memorable Names In 2002. MikeMooneyham.com. Retrieved on 2002-11-19.
  15. ^ Will, Gary (December 1998). Gary Will: Deceased Pro Wrestlers - A Tribute to Mat Stars of the Past. GaryWill.com. Retrieved on 2007-11-19.
  16. ^ a b c d Royal Duncan & Gary Will (4th Edition 2000). Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4. 

[edit] External links

Professional wrestling
Portal