Antonino Rocca

Infobox Wrestler
name=Antonino Rocca
names=Antonino Rocca
Argentine Rocca
height=height|foot=6
weight=convert|226|lb|kg st|abbr=on|lk=on
birth_date=April 13, 1921
birth_place=Treviso, Italy
death_date=March 15, 1977 (aged 57)
death_place=New York, New York
trainer=Stanislaus Zbyszko
debut=January 15, 1942

Antonino Rocca (born Antonino Biasetton, April 13, 1921 – March 15, 1977) was a professional wrestler from Argentina of Italian descent. Rocca was an enormously popular "good guy" with both Italian-American and Hispanic audiences.

He had a love for Opera and was described as having an excellent - if untrained - singing voice. Famed maestro Arturo Toscanini, a rabid wrestling fan, was good friends with Rocca. Fact|date=September 2007

Wrestling career

As a former national champ rugby and overall tremendous athlete, Rocca was known for his unique wrestling style wowing audiences with his dazzling aerial maneuvers. He was responsible for the revival of the New York territory in the late 1940s, which would eventually become the modern day World Wrestling Entertainment. Rocca became one of the most well-known wrestlers during the golden age of television. He also had a successful tag team career, forming a popular tandem with Miguel Pérez. The two would draw large crowds to Madison Square Garden on a regular basis.

Midwest Wrestling Association (1942-1944)

Rocca started his professional wrestling career in 1942. He was trained by Stanislaus Zbyszko as a professional wrestler. He made in-his ring professional wrestling debut on January 15, 1942 (He had already been a "..national, (Argentine), champ rugby,(soccer), player.." *, but began pro wrestling when he was still only 13 years old? ) , and spent his early career wrestling for Midwest Wrestling Association. He left the company in 1944.

American Wrestling Association (1944-1948)

After leaving Midwest Wrestling Association, Rocca had a stint with American Wrestling Association as Argentine Rocca. He wrestled for that promotion wrestling in its Ohio and Montreal territories capturing their World titles.

National Wrestling Alliance (1948-1952)

In 1948, Rocca left American Wrestling Association territories and went to wrestle for the newly born National Wrestling Alliance. He won the NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship on August 6, 1948 from Dizzy Davis. He lost the title to Danny McShain on November 12. He would get his second Texas Heavyweight title by defeating Danny McShain on November 30. This time, he lost the title to Dizzy Davis on January 1, 1949.

Capitol Wrestling/World Wide Wrestling Federation (1952-1963)

In 1952, Rocca started wrestling for a territory that rose in New York, Capitol Wrestling Corporation (now World Wrestling Entertainment). He was responsible for the starting of CWC. In 1953, it joined NWA.

Rocca was so popular that he was being used as a main eventer by Joseph Raymond "Toots" Mondt who was the co-founder of CWC. Unfortunatley, Mondt was unable to keep Rocca happy. Rocca formed a tag team with Miguel Perez in 1957 and they both were a successful tag team within their audiences. They both captured the NWA Capitol World Tag Team Championship which was used in CWC.

During the same time, Rocca participated in a tournament for the CWC International Heavyweight Championship. He defeated Buddy Rogers in the finals to become the first-ever International Heavyweight Champion.

He was a successful International Heavyweight Champion who defended his title successfully against opponents. In 1963, the promotion left NWA and was renamed World Wide Wrestling Federation. WWE history lists a tournament final to crown the first WWWF World Heavyweight Champion as Buddy Rogers over Rocca on April 29, 1963 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, but this tournament is fictitious.Fact|date=November 2007 He later left WWWF and the WWWF International Heavyweight Championship was abandoned. He was the longest reigning WWWF International Heavyweight Champion.

Appearances in Japan (late 1960's-early 1970's)

Rocca was involved as a wrestler, but also as a referee in Japan during these years. He refereed a number of matches for the Japan Prowrestling Association (JPA), and later followed Antonio Inoki to New Japan Pro Wrestling in 1972. Among his matches as an official was the first main event of the first New Japan card, in which Karl Gotch defeated Inoki.

World Wrestling Council (1973-1976)

There is not much information on where Rocca worked in the following ten years, but it is known that in 1973, he joined the World Wrestling Council in Puerto Rico with partner Miguel Perez. They captured the WWC North American Tag Team Championship on September 11, 1976 by defeating Los Infernos. They lost the titles to Higo Hamaguchi and Gordon Nelson on October 16.

Gorilla Monsoon vs. André The Giant

On February 25, 1977, in his last days, Rocca made an appearance with World Wide Wrestling Federation, officiating a boxing match between Gorilla Monsoon and André the Giant at the famed Madison Square Garden.

Death

On March 15, 1977, Rocca passed on in New York City as a result of a urinary tract infection. He was later inducted into the WWF Hall of Fame Class of 1995 by Diesel.

In wrestling

*Finishing and signature moves::*"Argentine Backbreaker":*Airplane Spin:*Backbreaker:*Dropkick

Championships and Accomplishments

*American Wrestling Association (Montreal):*AWA World Heavyweight Championship "(Montreal version)" (1 time)

*American Wrestling Association (Ohio):*AWA World Heavyweight Championship "(Ohio version)" (1 time)

*Stampede Wrestling:*Stampede Wrestling Hall of Fame [ cite web |url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/canada/ab/hof.html |title=Stampede Wrestling Hall of Fame (1948-1990) |accessdate= |author= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year=2003 |month= |format= |work= |publisher=Puroresu Dojo |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ]

*NWA Capitol Wrestling:*NWA World Tag Team Championship "(Capitol version)" (1 time) - with Miguel Perez

*Southwest Sports, Inc.:*NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship (2 times)

*World Wrestling Council
**WWC North American Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Miguel Perez

*World Wide Wrestling Federation | World Wrestling Federation:*WWF Hall of Fame (Class of 1995):*WWWF International Heavyweight Championship (1 time) (First)

*Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards:*Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (Class of 1996)

In popular culture

*Rocca was depicted wrestling Superman on the cover of the "Superman" #155 (August 1962) comic book.
*The 1976 horror film Alice, Sweet Alice, featuring child actress Brooke Shields, includes Rocca in a bit part.

References

External links

* [http://www.wwe.com/superstars/halloffame/antoninorocca/bio/ Antonino Rocca at WWE.com]
* [http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/a/argentina-rocca.html Antonino Rocca at Online World of Wrestling]
* [http://www.wrestlingmuseum.com/pages/bios/halloffame/roccabio.html Antonino at Wrestling Museum]