Please continue to support the ads and DVD'sYou can visit my website http://wrestlingfilms.blogspot.com/ for more classic wrestling and DVD information. In 1973, he joined the World Wrestling Council (WWC) in Puerto Rico with partner Miguel Pérez. He died due to complications following a urinary infection at age 49 on March 15, 1977. Perez was videotaped with his original championship belt from that title in a 1987 30th anniversary tribute, after Rocca's death.[6]. He tag teamed with partner Miguel Pérez. Work: Position: Wrestler • Athlete • Manager. They captured the defunct WWC North American Tag Team Championship on 11 September 1976 by defeating Los Infernos. He will be remembered as a hero for the working man, in and out of the ring in his adopted home of New York and his fearless high-flying style inspired many after him to take to the skies for the fans’ enjoyment. Antonino Rocca’s connection with the migrant population of the Big Apple laid the foundations for Bruno Sammartino and Pedro Morales’ success in the late 1960s and 70s. However, when this team failed to sell-out the Garden, the pair was split up to wrestle each other in the hopes that business would pick up, but it did not. New York's Madison Square Garden became one of wrestling's many meccas in the years to follow. Princiotta Antonino PSG 26° Slalom Rocca Novara HD - YouTube Argentina Rocca was depicted wrestling Superman on the cover of the Superman No. DuMont was not keen on giving Vince the initial one-hour slot but McMahon took a huge plunge and paid for the first two weeks’ production costs himself to prove the shows’ worth to the Network. Rocca's star rised and when as the 50s rolled in so did a new territorial powerhouse. Rogers had legitimately held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, but lost that title to Lou Thesz in Toronto earlier in 1963 in a match – and rematch – ignored by the New York City and Chicago promoters. Antonino Rocca (born Antonino Biasetton, 13 April 1921 – 15 March 1977) was an Italian Argentine professional wrestler. The territory had been one of the four largest-grossing areas up until the mid-1930s New York, and would later be run by Capitol Wrestling Corporation (CWC, now WWE). Long before Bruno Sammartino and Pedro Morales captured the hearts of New York’s ethnic population, Antonino Rocca was the hero in the ring and hero in the community – a true People’s Champion writes Will Burns. YouTube Encyclopedic 1 / 3 WWE history lists a tournament final to crown the first WWWF World Heavyweight Champion as Buddy Rogers over Rocca on 29 April 1963 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, but this tournament is fictitious. As a soccer and rugby player when he moved to Argentina before World War II, Rocca was known for his unique, acrobatic, off-the-ground, flying wrestling style. Real Name Antonino Rocca (born Antonino Biasetton) Ring Names. Antonino Rocca was born on April 23, 1928 in Treviso, Italy. It was a huge risk, but a risk that paid off, as DuMont signed on a long-term contract by the third week of TV. He was posthumously inducted into the WWF Hall of Fame as a member of the class of 1995 and the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame in 1996.[4]. Rocca was hugely popular in New York throughout the 50's. Cielito lindo by Antonino Rocca was written by Quirino Mendoza y Cortés and was first recorded by Trío González in 1920. If you buy stuff from Amazon using this link, we receive a minor promotional bonus -- … Rocca was hugely popular in New York throughout the 50's. In 1949, Rocca started wrestling in the New York City-area territory for Joseph Raymond "Toots" Mondt, and the Johnston family of promoters, which controlled wrestling at Madison Square Garden and Mondt, who owned Rocca's exclusive contract. Valentine's slow, methodical style won him titles across the US. Died: 15 March 1977 • NY. Scroll below to learn details information about Antonino Rocca's salary, estimated earning, lifestyle, and Income reports. You can support the development of the CAGEMATCH.net website and database backend via Patreon! It was covered by Andy Russell with Orchestra, David Livingstone Jazzmessengers, Barry Martyn's Down Home Boys, Chor Und Orchester Thomas Berger and other artists. They lost the championship to Higo Hamaguchi and Gordon Nelson on 16 October. PROFILE: Antonino ‘Argentina’ Rocca. As a soccer and rugby-player when he moved to Argentina, before In the Veneto region of Italy, the city of … Rocca was the first Italian to play for Europe in the Ryder Cup, and remained the only Italian to do so until 2010, when Francesco Molinari qualified for the Ryder Cup held in Celtic Manor and Edoardo Molinari was a captain's pick. In 1963, the CWC left the NWA when it was renamed the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF). Antonino Rocca released it on the album In This Corner...The Musical World of Antonino Rocca in 1963. Rocca later formed a tag team with Jose Miguel Pérez in 1957. Rocca was a popular face and in some cities ... Wikipedia References . Antonino Rocca released it on the album In This Corner...The Musical World of Antonino Rocca in 1963. His funeral was attended by thousands and made the front page of New York newspapers. [5] Rocca started his American professional wrestling career in the late 1940s in Texas. Here is a chance to see the incredibly popular Argentina Rocca in action against Johnny Valentine. In 1959 and into 1960, Rocca worked briefly with Kola Kwariani and under Jack Pfefer, took effective control of the Garden's wrestling office. He provided color commentary on WWF Championship Wrestling and All-Star Wrestling from 1972 to 1976. [7], Rocca died on 15 March 1977, at Roosevelt Hospital in New York City after complications following a urinary infection. See also: the Wrestlers with Highest Win Percentages series of record lists. April 5, 2021 Will Burns Leave a comment. He had been trained by former World Heavyweight Wrestling Champion Stanislaus Zbyszko in Argentina. Buffalo 1963-5-10NWA Heavyweight Championship2 out of 3 Falls [Highlights of the first two falls] The 1976 horror film Alice, Sweet Alice, featuring child actress Brooke Shields, includes Rocca in a bit part. Antonino Rocca (January 1, 1942 - Present ) Height 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) Weight. According to his Social Security Application, filled out on August 7, 1953, Antonino Rocca was born, "Antonino Biasetton" on April 13, 1921 in Treviso, Italy. 224 lbs (102 kg) Born April 13, 1921 Died March 15, 1977 (aged 55) Birth Place Treviso, Veneto, Italy Billed From. -The late Antonino Rocca (Antonino Biasetton) was born on April 13, 1927. Antonino Rocca is sometimes left off lists of the greatest Superstars in WWE history simply because he was around before the letters were. Antonino Rocca, Haystacks Calhoun & Miguel Perez defeat The Golden Grahams (Dr. Jerry Graham & Eddie Graham) & The Sheik NWA Capitol Wrestling - Event @ Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA 27 These two classic grapplers step inside the ring for a match in the late 1950s. Discover Antonino Rocca Net Worth, Salary, Biography, Height, Dating, Wiki. When Antonino slipped, a crude incarnation of the Powerbomb was created, and it'd make wrestling history. Eventually, McMahon Sr. took the New York territory back and built it by first featuring "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers and then, a few years later, the by-then charismatic Sammartino as its champion. ContentsBiographyAntonino Rocca Net WorthDoes Antonino Dead or Alive?FAQs Biography Antonino Rocca is best known as a Celebrity. They were never defeated after winning this title, but the appellation was abandoned after about five years. Education: Area of science: Television. Antonino Rocca (born Antonino Biasetton, April 13, 1927 March 15, 1977) was an Italian professional wrestler. Together, they captured the NWA World Tag Team Championship, which was the top tag team title used in the CWC, and like so many other titles, was a regional one. After a demotion, and with the arrival of Buddy Rogers as the featured star at the Garden in 1961, within a few years Rocca left the WWWF and briefly set up a competing promotion (supported by Jim Crockett, Sr. and others) based at the Sunnyside Arena in Queens, New York. He achieved his greatest success in the Buffalo territory (and later NWF) and the Mid-Atlantic territory.Thank you all for your support, the ad revenue from Youtube helps me to purchase new films and continue with the transfers and uploads. [2], Capitol Wrestling Corporation/World Wide Wrestling Federation (1949–1976), Learn how and when to remove this template message, Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame, AWA World Heavyweight Championship (Ohio version), NWA World Tag Team Championship (Northeast version), World Wide Wrestling Federation/World Wrestling Federation, CWC/WWWF International Heavyweight Championship, Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum, List of premature professional wrestling deaths, "Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame", "Jose Miguel Perez celebra su 30 aniversario de campeonato", "Stampede Wrestling Hall of Fame (1948–1990) (2003)", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Antonino_Rocca&oldid=1023001648, Articles needing additional references from February 2008, All articles needing additional references, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, MAC World Heavyweight Championship (1 time), This page was last edited on 13 May 2021, at 18:59. Antonino Rocca Defeating Buddy Rogers - WWWF MSG Live Event WWE If you read the history books, it will say that 'Nature Boy' Buddy Rogers became the … Antonino Rocca defeated Jack Wentworth in the show’s main event. 155 (August 1962) comic book. Antonino Rocca Professional Wrestling History. These two classic grapplers step inside the ring for a match in the late 1950s.More WWE - http://www.wwe.com/ It was covered by Ena Baga, James Last, Al Caiola & Orch., Playboys II and other artists. Kwariani had just broken away from his partnership with Vince McMahon, Sr. Rocca then set the post-World War II record for wrestling-attendance at Madison Square Garden's 49th–50th Street location, drawing 21,950 fans in a singles match against an obscure wrestler named The Amazing Zuma, also known as Argentina Zuma, on 2 January 1960, as reported by The New York Times. Miguel José Pérez (April 7, 1937 – July 16, 2005) was a Puerto Rican professional wrestler who was best known for his tag team with Antonino Rocca. In the early 1950s, he held two regionally recognized World Heavyweight Championships while still headlining nationwide, frequently in territories where other wrestlers were the recognized champions. This was part of a series of three matches between the two held during a four-month period, when the pair drew, on another night, almost as many fans to the Garden. Antonino Rocca (born Antonino Biasetton, 13 April 1921 – 15 March 1977) was an Italian Argentine professional wrestler. He tag teamed with partner Miguel Pérez. Believe it or not, Antonino “Argentina” Rocca did just that in 1962, and for good reason. Maestro Arturo Toscanini, a professional wrestling fan, was good friends with Rocca. Rocca was involved as a professional wrestler, but also as a referee in Japan during the late 1960s and early 1970s. YouTube; Contact Us; Search for: Profiles. Antonino Rocca & Edouard Carpentier vs Skull Murphy & Pampero Firpo Even before the days of the WWWF, Vince McMahon Sr.’s Capitol Wrestling Corporation featured a hero of epic proportions, Antonino Rocca. About: Born: 13 April 1927 • Treviso. He refereed a number of matches for the Japan Pro Wrestling Association (JPA), and later followed Antonio Inoki to New Japan Pro-Wrestling in 1972. Antonino Rocca blazed the trail for many, including non-traditional aerial wrestlers too numerous to mention and ethnic stars like Miguel Perez, Bruno Sammartino, Pedro Morales and Ivan Putski. Rocca was born Antonino Biasetton on April 13, 1921 in Treviso, Veneto, Italy and moved to Argentina in the years just prior to World War II. Antonino Rocca. Rocca had also been provided with new wrestler Bruno Sammartino as a tag team partner. La golondrina by Antonino Rocca was written by Narciso Serradell Sevilla and . These two classic grapplers step inside the ring for a match in the late 1950s. Antonino Rocca Profile & Match Listing • Facts & Stats • PWI Ratings • Opponents & Partners • Win/Loss Record • Star Ratings • Win Types • Relations. But Rocca was the first major Superstar promoted by the McMahon family, and no such list would be complete without him. In the mid-1970s, he teamed up with Vince McMahon to handle the color commentary on the WWWF's weekly television show. What are the odds of a grappler appearing on the cover of a Superman comic and throwing the Man of Steel over the top rope? He was posthumously inducted into the WWF Hall of Fame as a member of the class of 1995 and the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame in 1996. You can support the development of the CAGEMATCH.net website and database backend via Patreon! He appeared in 1993, 1995 and 1997, and had a 6-5-0 win-loss-half record, including 1 win and 2 losses in singles matches. If you buy stuff from Amazon using this link, we receive a minor promotional bonus -- … Credited … Antonino Rocca. Professional wrestling career. Here is a chance to see the incredibly popular Argentina Rocca in action against Johnny Valentine. Di Matteo Antonino || 26° Slalom Rocca Novara || GLORIA C8F