Dino Bravo became one of the top professional wrestling stars of Canada; winning several major titles including the Canadian International Heavyweight Championship six times, the NWA Canadian Heavyweight Championship, and the NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship.
27 Facts About Dino Bravo
2.
Dino Bravo later signed with the World Wide Wrestling Federation, where as a partner to Dominic DeNucci he won the WWWF World Tag Team Championship.
3.
Dino Bravo was the sole holder of the WWF Canadian Championship before the title was abandoned in 1986.
4.
Dino Bravo was killed in his home by multiple gunshots in March 1993, and the crime remains unsolved.
5.
Dino Bravo started training in amateur wrestling from the age of 12.
6.
Dino Bravo was trained by Gino Brito and often worked in a tag team with his mentor, billed as Brito's cousin.
7.
Dino Bravo worked in a number of other tag teams, partnering with, among others, "Mr Wrestling" Tim Woods and DeNucci.
8.
Dino Bravo held the Jim Crockett Promotions version of the NWA World Tag Team Championship with Woods, winning the title from Gene and Ole Anderson and eventually losing the title to the Andersons.
9.
Dino Bravo had a major program with Blackjack Mulligan, pinning Mulligan twice in a televised non-title match to set up a series of matches for Mulligan's United States title.
10.
Dino Bravo did not win the US title from Mulligan, but did receive several shots at NWA World Champion Harley Race during his tenure with Crockett.
11.
Dino Bravo returned to the WWF in late 1986 with a new look.
12.
Dino Bravo was now noticeably more muscular and almost immediately began bleaching his brown hair blonde and turned on the Rougeau Brothers to become a heel.
13.
Dino Bravo began working as part of Luscious Johnny Valiant's stable with Greg "The Hammer" Valentine and Brutus Beefcake.
14.
Beefcake was kicked out of the stable at WrestleMania III and Dino Bravo took his place in The Dream Team tag team with Valentine.
15.
Dino Bravo returned to singles competition after a few months and began a strongman gimmick.
16.
At the 1988 Royal Rumble, Dino Bravo attempted to bench press what he claimed was 715 pounds, which would have been a world record at that time.
17.
Dino Bravo played up his Quebecois identity by wearing the Fleur-de-lis and was managed by Frenchy Martin, who often toted around a sign reading USA is not OK.
18.
In March 1988, Dino Bravo lost in the first round of the WWF Championship tournament at WrestleMania IV against Don Muraco after pulling the referee between himself and Muraco to prevent a hit from the Hawaiian.
19.
At the Royal Rumble in January 1989, Dino Bravo, accompanied by Martin, teamed with The Fabulous Rougeau Brothers but lost a two out of three falls match against Jim Duggan and The Hart Foundation.
20.
At WrestleMania V Dino Bravo defeated fellow Canadian "Rugged" Ronnie Garvin.
21.
Dino Bravo then began a short run on Montreal house shows as a face, against The Mountie and The Barbarian.
22.
Dino Bravo left the WWF and retired from wrestling following a European tour in April 1992.
23.
Dino Bravo was hit by 11 bullets in the head and torso at his Vimont, Laval, Quebec home.
24.
Dino Bravo's alleged role in illegal cigarette smuggling in Canada is popularly believed to have led to his unsolved homicide.
25.
Dino Bravo was a nephew by marriage of Montreal crime boss Vic Cotroni, and was believed by authorities to be involved in his organization for some time.
26.
Dino Bravo is entombed at Notre Dame des Neiges Cemetery in Montreal.
27.
Dino Bravo's death was the subject of the sixth episode in the second season of wrestling documentary series, Dark Side of the Ring, airing on April 21,2020.