Dino Bravo

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Dino Bravo


Statistics
Ring name(s)	Dino Bravo
Billed height	6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Billed weight	248 lb (116 kg)
Born	August 6, 1949(1949-08-06) Italy
Died	March 11, 1993 (aged 43) Laval, Quebec, Canada
Billed from	Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Trained by	Gino Brito
Debut	1970
Retired	1992

Adolfo Bresciano (August 6, 1949 - March 11, 1993) was an Italian-born Canadian professional wrestler, best known for his work as Dino Bravo, self-proclaimed as "Canada's Strongest Man" and later as the "World's Strongest Man."

1 Career
2 Retirement and Murder
3 In wrestling
- 3.1 Finishing and Signature Moves
- 3.2 Managers
4 Championships and accomplishments
5 References
6 External links

[edit] Career

Bresciano began wrestling in 1970, taking the "Dino Bravo" moniker from a wrestler from the early 1960s who had teamed with Dominic DeNucci as the Bravo brothers, Dino and Dominic. He was trained by Gino Brito, and often worked in a tag team with his mentor, billed as Brito's cousin. Bravo worked in a number of other tag teams, partnering with, among others, Mr. Wrestling Tim Woods and DeNucci. With DeNucci, Bravo would go on to capture the WWF World Tag Team Titles. By the late 1970s Bravo had become a big enough draw to get a singles push in the Montreal territory. In December 1978 he defeated Gene Kiniski in Toronto to win the new Canadian heavyweight title as recognized in that area.

Bravo had primarily worked for Canadian promotions and other promotions in the NWA, but when one of the Canadian promotions was bought by the World Wrestling Federation in the early 1980s, Bravo began working for the McMahon family. He and King Tonga (later known as Haku) formed a tag team for a brief while, but never got much of a push. Bravo was scheduled to headline a card against Hulk Hogan in 1986, but the match was canceled 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.

Bravo returned to the WWF the next year, with his hair dyed blond and working as part of Lucious Johnny Valiant's stable with Greg "The Hammer" Valentine and Brutus Beefcake. Beefcake was kicked out of the stable at WrestleMania III and 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 press more than 500 pounds) attempted to bench press what he claimed was 715 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, Ken Patera, Jim Duggan, and Ron Garvin. He played up his French Canadian heritage wearing the Fleur-de-lis and was managed by Frenchy Martin; who often toted around a sign reading USA Is Not OK. After Frenchy Martin's departure, Bravo joined Jimmy Hart's stable and often teamed up with Earthquake, and Bresciano would often display his strength by doing push ups whilst the 460 lb. Earthquake sat on his back (although Tenta kept his feet on the floor, so not all of his weight was on his partner). The team of Earthquake and Bravo would have a lengthy feud with Hulk Hogan and The Ultimate Warrior.

[edit] Retirement and Murder

Following a Wrestlemania VII loss to Kerry Von Erich, he disappeared from WWF TV for several months before having a short run on several Canadian house shows as a babyface in matches against "The Mountie." Bresciano left the WWF and retired from active competition following a tour in Britain in April of 1992. After his retirement, he helped train wrestlers in Montreal such as Mike Lyons.

On March 11, 1993, Bresciano was found shot to death, in his Vimont, Laval, Quebec mansion. Rumors circled that Bresciano, having retired from wrestling, was supporting himself as part of a cigarette smuggling ring. The rumors were never proven, even after intense investigation.