Dino Casanova
Dino Casanova | |
---|---|
Baltimore, Maryland, United States[2] | |
Died | March 1, 2002[1] | (aged 35)
Professional wrestling career | |
Ring name(s) | Dave Casanova Dino Casanova Dino DiMeglio[3] |
Billed height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
Billed weight | 227 lb (103 kg) |
Debut | 1987 |
David Mark DiMeglio (February 8, 1967 – March 1, 2002) was an American
Professional wrestling career
Early career
DiMeglio began wrestling in the Mid-Atlantic region during the late 1980s and eventually began teaming with Rip Sawyer as Cream Team on the Virginia independent circuit. In May 1988, they defeated International World Class Championship Wrestling's Billion Dollar Babies (G.Q. Stratus and Mike Sampson) in a tournament final to become the first tag team champions for Max Thrasher's Atlantic Wrestling Federation.[4]
On December 17, 1988, they wrestled
DiMeglio and Sawyer, among others such as Barry Hardy, Duane Gill and Axl Rotten, helped train Ian Rotten during his early career.[7]
Appearing at the Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation's first event, he and Sawyer lost to the Lords of Pain (Pain & Agony) in a match to crown the first MEWF Tag Team Champions on August 2, 1991. Defeating Pain and Bubba Monroe (substituting for an injured Agony) for the title on December 1, the two would continue defending the title for much of 1992, as well becoming the Atlantic Coast Wrestling Federation's first tag team champions in April 1992, until they began wrestling for the Philadelphia-based Eastern Championship Wrestling. Following their departure, the title were vacated on October 23.[4][8]
Eastern Championship Wrestling
He and Sawyer made their debut in Eastern Championship Wrestling in late 1992, teaming with
At the beginning of the year, DiMeglio and Sawyer had regained the AWF Tag Team titles from the Hellhounds. The two men remained champions until their breakup in May 1993. DiMeglio and Nick Tarentino, as "The Goodfellows", defeated Rip Sawyer and A.J. Fritzoid for the belts in York that same month and held the belts until the promotion's close that same year.[4]
Returning to Maryland, he began teaming with
World Championship Wrestling
On February 2, 1995, he and Valentino made their WCW debut on
Occasionally appearing in
Return to Maryland and later career
In October 1999, he and Max Thrasher defeated
Teaming with Romeo Valentino, DiMeglio lost to
During the summer, he made several appearances in
He defeated Max Thrasher for the MEWF Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship on January 27, 2001, losing the title to Morgus the Maniac on March 17.[4][22]
Death
DiMeglio died from a heart attack on March 1, 2002.[1][23][24][25] He was survived by his wife, Leslie, and son, Dylan Mark.[26]
Championships and accomplishments
- Atlantic Coast Wrestling Federation
- ACWF Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Rip Sawyer[4]
- Atlantic States Wrestling Alliance
- ASWA Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Rip Sawyer[4]
- Atlantic Wrestling Federation
- AWF Tag Team Championship (3 times) – with Rip Sawyer (2) and Nick Tarentino[4]
- Maryland Championship Wrestling
- MCW Hall of Fame (Class of 2009)[2]
- Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation
- MEWF Heavyweight Championship (2 times)[4][21]
- MEWF Mid-Atlantic Championship (2 times)[4][22]
- Universal Independent Wrestling
- UIW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Rip Sawyer[4]
- Virginia Wrestling Association
- VWA Tag Team Championship (6 times) – with Rip Sawyer[4]
- Wrestling Independent Network
- WIN Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Rip Sawyer[4]
See also
References
- ^ a b c Turner, Scott (November 14, 2007). "Grappling With Death". Maxim. Archived from the original on December 5, 2012. Retrieved 2013-07-08.
- ^ Maryland Championship Wrestling. 2009. Archived from the originalon October 17, 2013. Retrieved December 27, 2012.
- ^ "WCW Saturday Night". WCW Saturday Night. 1995-07-15. TBS (TV channel).
- ^ ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
- The Free Lance-Star. 1988-12-20.
- ^ Tsakiries, Phil (2004). "NWL Tag Team Title History". Solie's Title Histories. Solie.org.
- ^ Green, Thomas; Ian Rotten (November 2004). "Ted Petty Invitational 2003 Q&A Session". PCN Review. Archived from the original on 2005-09-10. Retrieved 2007-11-19.
- ^ a b Duncan, Royal and Gary Will; Brian Westcott; Eric Roelfsema (2004). "MEWF Tag Team Title History". Solie's Title Histories. Solie.org.
- ^ "Extreme Championship Wrestling Results: October - December 1992". ProWrestlingHistory.com. Retrieved 2007-11-19.
- ^ "MEWF 4/9/94 Essex, MD". RF Video. 1994-04-09. Archived from the original on 2011-07-15. Retrieved 2007-11-19.
- ^ "World Championship Wrestling, WCW Television Results". TheRingHistorian.com. 2005-06-15. Archived from the original on 2011-07-17. Retrieved 2007-11-19.
- ^ Karlsson, Peter (2005-04-10). "World Championship Wrestling Results: Dark Matches (1995)". American Wrestling Trivia. Retrieved 2007-11-19.
- ^ "SuperBrawl: SuperBrawl V". ProWrestlingHistory.com. Retrieved 2007-11-19.
- ^ Furious, Arnold (2006-11-09). "The Furious Flashbacks – WCW Superbrawl V". 411mania.com. Retrieved 2007-11-19.
- ^ Scott, Richard (2003-12-13). "Brian Pillman's Television History". Quote the Loose Cannon: Brian Pillman. Retrieved 2007-11-19.
- ^ Cawthon, Graham (2007-06-29). "WCW 1995". Graham Cawthon's History of the WWE. Archived from the original on 2007-11-01. Retrieved 2007-11-19.
- ^ Cawthon, Graham (2007-06-29). "WCW 1996". Graham Cawthon's History of the WWE. Archived from the original on 2007-06-29. Retrieved 2007-11-19.
- ^ a b Duncan, Royal and Gary Will; Brian Westcott (2004). "MEWF Light Heavyweight/Maryland Title History". Solie's Title Histories. Solie.org.
- ^ "MEWF Official Results: Frederick, MD - Harry Grove Stadium, 7/13/2000". MEWF.com. Retrieved 2007-11-19.
- ^ "National Wrestling Alliance, Post-1993: NWA Jersey/New Jersey". TheRingHistorian.com. 2005-06-15. Archived from the original on 2011-07-17. Retrieved 2007-11-19.
- ^ a b Duncan, Royal and Gary Will; Brian Westcott; Eric Roelfsema (2004). "MEWF Heavyweight Title History". Solie's Title Histories. Solie.org.
- ^ a b Duncan, Royal and Gary Will; Brian Westcott; Eric Roelfsema (2004). "MEWF Mid-AAtlantic Heavyweight Title History". Solie's Title Histories. Solie.org.
- ^ DeBlasi, Anthony (2003-12-20). "Remembering Those We Lost". Wrestling-News.com. Archived from the original on 2007-12-01. Retrieved 2007-11-19.
- ^ Mooneyham, Mike (2003-12-29). "The Wrestling Gospel According to Mike Mooneyham: Wrestling Lost Memorable Names In 2002". MikeMooneyham.com. Archived from the original on November 13, 2008. Retrieved 2002-11-19.
- ^ Will, Gary (December 1998). "Gary Will: Deceased Pro Wrestlers – A Tribute to Mat Stars of the Past". GaryWill.com. Archived from the original on May 23, 2015. Retrieved 2007-11-19.
- ^ "David Mark DiMeglio – Death Notice". The Baltimore Sun. March 5, 2002. Retrieved 2013-07-08.
External links
- Dino Casanova at IMDb
- Dino Casanova's profile at Cagematch.net , Internet Wrestling Database