The wrestling of Antonino Rocca
As already written in the story of Bruno Sammartino, Italy has donated many champions to the world of wrestling, both Italian thoroughbreds and Italian Americans. Today we will talk about another 100% Italian athlete, Antonino Rocca.
Antonino Biasetton was born on April 13, 1921 in Treviso. The young Antonino was not affected by the Second World War because he moved to Argentina before the start of the conflict. Antonino excels in many sports (such as football and rugby) and in 1949 he made his debut in the world of wrestling fighting in Texas working for the promoter Toots Moondt. His style was extremely innovative for the time, very athletic and spectacular, with jumps and stunts never seen before and which will become the basis for all subsequent wrestlers. Antonino prefers to fight barefoot and his look, his skills and his charisma conquer the Italians and Hispanics living in America. Antonino arrives at the CWC in New York (what would later become the WWWF of Sammartino) on behalf of Vincent J. McMahon (father of Vince McMahon Sr. of Sammartino) and in team with Miguel Perez becomes the main attraction. For more than 7 years, his meetings at Madison Square Garden have been the main attraction of the evening.
his talent
The public loves him and he is capable of becoming the idol of two distinct ethnic communities, the Hispanics and the Italians.
On 29 April 1963 Antonino loses the final of a tournament to decree the first WWWF world champion in Rio De Janeiro against Buddy Rogers but according to many historians the tournament is only a farce to legitimize Rogers' reign (nominated official champion after a dispute territorial with another federation).
Antonino brings his talent also to Japan for the JPA (the first Japanese wrestling federation) and then for the newborn NJPW (now the fed n 1 in Japan) in 1972. Japanese legend Antonio Inoki (born Kanji Inoki) decides to adopt the stage name Antonio to honor Rocca.
After retiring from active competitions Antonino remains involved in the discipline by refereing several high profile matches such as a boxing match between Gorilla Moonsoon and Andrè The Giant at Madison Square Garden.
in history…
Antonino died suddenly on March 15, 1977 in New York from complications due to an infection. His funeral gets the front page of the New York Times and an ocean-going crowd goes to pay their respects to the great champion.
The WWF pays homage to his history by introducing him to its Hall Of Fame in 1995 and the following year he is inducted into the Hall Of Fame of the famous Wrestling Observer newspaper.
The popularity of Antonino Rocca during his heyday was so great that the wrestler was even the protagonist of a number of Superman, to be precise Superman Vol 1 # 155 of August 1962 where Rocca arrives in Metropolis for a match of charity and defeats both Clark Kent and Superman, throwing the Man of Steel over the third rope.
Rocca was also very fond of opera and was gifted with a beautiful voice. The great Maestro Arturo Toscanini was a wrestling fan and was a very good friend of Rocca.
This was Antonino Rocca, born Antonino Biasetton, a pioneer, an innovator and a character capable of uniting two populations, the Italians and the Spanish under the banner of sport.
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