15 Facts About Lorenzo Parente

Lorenzo Parente "Martino" was an Italian professional wrestler who competed throughout the United States from 1958 to 1976.

Lorenzo Parente was known for his long standing tag team with Bobby Hart, with whom he captured numerous regional and world NWA Tag Team Championships.

Lorenzo Parente was born March 16,1935, in the small village of Chieti, one of five sons born to parents Antonio and Rosaria Lorenzo Parente.

Lorenzo Parente moved to the United States in 1959 to pursue professional that same year, wrestling under his real name and as "Pancho Lopez", primarily in the Amarillo, Texas territory.

Lorenzo Parente feuded with Danny Hodge in Arkansas and Oklahoma in the mid-1960s.

Lorenzo Parente defeated Hodge on November 23,1965, to win his first NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship.

Lorenzo Parente lost the title to Hodge on January 4,1966, before winning it back on January 14 to become a two-time champion.

Lorenzo Parente became a mainstay with Championship Wrestling from Florida and on December 24,1967, he captured the NWA World Tag Team Championship with Paul DeMarco, defeating Kurt and Skull Von Stroheim.

Lorenzo Parente describes Parente and Hart as "main event caliber guys who had been in the business a long time".

Lorenzo Parente held several other championships during the remainder of his career, including two reigns as NWA United States Junior Heavyweight Champion, both times defeating Don Greene.

Lorenzo Parente had retired from in-ring competition by the mid-1970s.

Lorenzo Parente last wrestled in Lou Thesz's UWA promotion in 1976.

Lorenzo Parente settled in Brentwood, Tennessee, with his wife Christine "Dina" Parente where he opened a successful restaurant; Lorenzo's Italian Village in 1975.

Lorenzo Parente died on March 15,2014, at the age of 78.

Lorenzo Parente received a Catholic funeral and was laid to rest at Christ Church Memorial Gardens.