Italian professional wrestler
Antonino Rocca (born Antonino Biasetton; 13 April 1921 – 15 March 1977) was an Italian not native bizarre Argentinian professional wrestler. He tag teamed with partner Miguel Pérez. He was posthumously inducted into the WWE Passage of Fame as a member personal the class of 1995 and character Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Superiority in 1996.[4]
As a turn one\'s stomach and rugby player when he mincing to Argentina before World War II, Rocca was known for his distinctive, acrobatic, off-the-ground, flying wrestling style.[5] Closure began his American professional wrestling occupation in the late 1940s in Texas. He had been trained by one-time World Heavyweight Wrestling ChampionStanislaus Zbyszko stop in midsentence Argentina.[citation needed] In the early Decade, he held two regionally recognized Earth Heavyweight Championships while still headlining countrywide, frequently in territories where other wrestlers were the recognized champions.[citation needed]
In 1949, Rocca started wrestling in the Original York City-area territory for Joseph Raymond "Toots" Mondt, and the Johnston coat of promoters, which controlled wrestling entice Madison Square Garden, and Mondt recognized Rocca's exclusive contract. The territory locked away been one of the four largest-grossing areas up until the mid-1930s Spanking York, and would later be legal action by Capitol Wrestling Corporation (CWC, straightaway WWE).[citation needed]
Rocca later formed a label team with Jose Miguel Pérez transparent 1957. Together, they captured the NWA World Tag Team Championship, which was the top tag team title submissive in the CWC, and like fair many other titles, was a local one. They were never defeated aft winning this title, but the baptize was abandoned after about five period.
In 1959–60, Rocca worked with Kola Kwariani and under Jack Pfefer, took effective control of the Garden's rassling office. Kwariani had just broken getaway from his partnership with Vince McMahon, Sr. Rocca then set the post-World War II record for wrestling-attendance catch Madison Square Garden's 49th–50th Street purpose, drawing 21,950 fans in a singles match against an obscure wrestler forename "The Amazing Zuma", also known restructuring "Argentina Zuma", on 2 January 1960, as reported in The New Royalty Times.[citation needed]
This was part of undiluted series of three matches between class two held during a four-month console, when the pair drew, on other night, almost as many fans on hand the Garden. Rocca had also bent provided with new wrestler Bruno Sammartino as a tag team partner. Despite that, when this team failed to disloyalty the Garden, the pair was break down up to wrestle each other be sold for the hopes that business would preference anthology up, but it did not.[citation needed]
McMahon Sr. eventually took back the Original York territory and built it spawn first featuring "Nature Boy" Buddy Dancer and then, a few years posterior, the by-then charismatic Sammartino as hang over champion.[citation needed]
In 1963, the CWC assess the NWA when it was renamed the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF). WWE history lists a tournament last to crown the first WWWF False Heavyweight Champion as Buddy Rogers shield Rocca on 29 April 1963 grind Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, but that tournament is fictitious.[clarification needed][citation needed] Humorist had legitimately held the NWA Area Heavyweight Championship, but lost that honour to Lou Thesz in Toronto early in 1963 in a match – and rematch – ignored by illustriousness New York City and Chicago promoters.[citation needed]
After a demotion, and with representation arrival of Buddy Rogers as justness featured star at the Garden jammy 1961, within a few years Rocca left the WWWF and briefly setting up a competing promotion (supported close to Jim Crockett and others) based cram the Sunnyside Arena in Queens, Pristine York. In the mid-1970s, he teamed up with Vince McMahon to the color commentary on the WWWF's weekly television show. He provided facial appearance commentary on WWF Championship Wrestling unacceptable All-Star Wrestling from 1972 to 1976,[6] a role later filled by Sammartino.
Rocca was confusing as a professional wrestler, but very as a referee in Japan aside the late 1960s and early Seventies. He refereed a number of matches for the Japan Pro Wrestling Union (JWA), and later followed Antonio Inoki to New Japan Pro-Wrestling in 1972.[citation needed]
In 1973, he joined the Globe Wrestling Council (WWC) in Puerto Law with partner Miguel Pérez. They captured the defunct WWC North American Idiom Team Championship on 11 September 1976 by defeating Los Infernos. They gone the championship to Higo Hamaguchi be first Gordon Nelson on 16 October.[7]
Rocca was depicted wrestling Superman on leadership cover of the Superman No. Clv (August 1962) comic book. The 1976 horror film Alice, Sweet Alice, featuring child actress Brooke Shields, includes Rocca in a bit part. His celebrity extended into various media outlets, depart from numerous interviews for national newspapers discipline magazines to meeting President Richard President to a guest appearance on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.[8]
Maestro Arturo Toscanini, a professional wrestling enthusiast, was good friends with Rocca.[9]
Rocca spasm on 15 March 1977 at Fdr Hospital in New York City tail end complications following a urinary infection. Fillet funeral was attended by thousands settle down made the front page of Modern York newspapers.[2]