Steve DiSalvo

Steve DiSalvo
Born (1949-04-07) April 7, 1949
Boston, Massachusetts
Residence Edina, Minnesota
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s) Billy Jack Strong
Dinosaur DiSalvo
Indian Warrior
Sadistic Steve
Steve DiSalvo
Steve Strong
Strangler DiSalvo
The Minotaur
Billed height 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Billed weight 310 lb (140 kg)
Billed from Tempe Arizona
Trained by Billy Anderson
Ross Hart[1]
Bruce Hart
Debut 1985

Steve DiSalvo (born April 7, 1949) is a retired American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling as The Minotaur and for his main event runs in Calgary and (as Sadistic Steve Strong) in Montreal and Puerto Rico.

Professional wrestling career

DiSalvo was trained by Billy Anderson. DiSalvo's career has taken him to the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada.

Fighting as Steve Strong in the 1980s, he was a main-event performer in Montreal-based International Wrestling Owned by Gino Gino Brito Sr, managed by Eddy Creatchman and brawling with the likes of Abdullah the Butcher and Rick Martel

Stampede Wrestling

Moving on to Stampede Wrestling, he was known as "Strangler" Steve DiSalvo and was the top heel in the territory. Here, he feuded with Phil LaFleur over who had the better physique. DiSalvo would end up smashing a trophy over LaFleur's skull on TV, leading to several matches between the two. In time though, the Stampede fans would rally behind DiSalvo in his battles against the hated Mahkan Singh, and when Don Muraco arrived at Stampede, DiSalvo would help Muraco win the Stampede North American Title from Singh.

World Wrestling Council

DiSalvo moved on to the World Wrestling Council (WWC) promotion in Puerto Rico in 1989, where he again was known as "Sadistic" Steve Strong but this time with a satanic gimmick which was controversial and he was hated by many fans and at the same time loved by many other fans as also cause his controversial promos and physical strength. He had bloody brawls with Abdullah the Butcher,TNT (Savio Vega), Invader #1 and he also won the [[WWC World Tag Team Championship teaming with Jason The Terrible (Karl Moffat) but his most remarkable feud was against The Puertorrican Wrestling Legend,"El Acrobata de Puerto Rico" Carlos Colon. Strong The WWC Universal Heavyweight Championship in a Texas Death Match defeating Carlos Colon in May 27, 1989 injuring Carlos Colon of his left shoulder. After winning the WWC Universal Heavyweight Championship had a successful reign of 133 days and then Carlos Colon deating him during The Aniversario 1989 at The Juan Ramon Loubriel Stadium in Bayamon, Puerto Rico in a Barbed Wire Match in October 7,1989. Then the feud spread for about a month and a half and the feud ended when Steve Strong lost against Carlos Colon in a retire vs retire match and for The WWC Universal Heavyweight Championship at November 23 (Thanksgiving Day) of 1989. He's always remembered as one of the best heel wrestlers in The History of The Professional Wrestling in Puerto Rico.

World Wrestling Federation

DiSalvo previously had made a one-off appearance for the WWF in 1987, wrestling twice on a house show event in Quebec (losing to Tito Santana via countout and defeating Outback Jack later in the night).[2] He was substituting for Butch Reed and Killer Khan in the event.

On February 13, 1990 he received a tryout match with the WWF at a Superstars taping in Phoenix, AZ, losing to The Red Rooster. He next made an appearance on a March 18 house show in Calgary, Alberta, defeating Buddy Rose. The following month he competed on a joint house show tour with the WWF and Arena Wrestling Alliance, tagging with Mano Yanez on three events against The Pitbulls.[3]

World Championship Wrestling

Two weeks later, DiSalvo received a tryout match for World Championship Wrestling on April 23, 1990 in Marietta, GA.[4] He was signed to the company later that year and given the gimmick of "The Minotaur". DiSalvo made his first televised appearance on the January 5, 1991 episode of WCW Saturday Night, defeating Man Mountain Bailey. He began a house show series against The Juicer and was undefeated, and later faced The Junkyard Dog.[5]

Independents and Retirement

DiSalvo also appeared in the American Wrestling Association, where he wrestled as Billy Jack Strong. He became Steve DiSalvo again and drifted around the independent circuit before retiring. He now sells homes for a living.

In wrestling

Championships and accomplishments

References

  1. ↑ "Ross Hart: Entourage". cagematch.net.
  2. ↑ http://www.thehistoryofwwe.com/87.htm
  3. ↑ http://www.thehistoryofwwe.com/90.htm
  4. ↑ http://www.thehistoryofwwe.com/wcw90.htm
  5. ↑ http://www.thehistoryofwwe.com/wcw91.htm
  6. 1 2 Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2000). Wrestling Title Histories (4th ed.). Archeus Communications. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
  7. ↑ "North American Heavyweight Title (Calgary Stampede)". Puroresu Dojo. 2003.
  8. ↑ "W.W.C. Universal Heavyweight Title". Puroresu Dojo. 2003.
  9. ↑ "W.W.C. World Tag Team Title". Puroresu Dojo. 2003.
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