Dino Casanova

**David Mark DiMeglio** (February 8, 1967 – March 1, 2002) was an American professional wrestler, better known by the ring name **Dino Casanova**.

## Professional wrestling 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.

On December 17, 1988, they wrestled The Rock 'n' Roll Express (Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson) for the Virginia Wrestling Association tag team titles losing via countout. A year later, The Cream Team fought The Brothers Superior (Doug Superior & Neil Superior) to decide the first NWL Tag Team Champions. After more than three years as champions, the Cream Team lost the AWF Tag Team titles to the Hellhounds in York, Pennsylvania at the end of the year.

He and Sawyer made their debut in Eastern Championship Wrestling in late 1992, teaming with Glen Osbourne in a six-man tag team match to defeat Max Thrasher and The Super Destroyers at the Taber Youth Association in Philadelphia on October 3. The two later made an unsuccessful bid for the ECW Tag Team Championship weeks later losing to The Super Destroyers at The Chestnut Cabaret in Philadelphia on October 24. 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.

On February 2, 1995, he and Romeo Valentino made their WCW debut on WCW Worldwide against The Fantastics (Bobby Fulton & Tommy Rogers) at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. Several weeks later, they appeared on *WCW Saturday Night* in the main event against Stars & Stripes (Marcus Bagwell & The Patriot). This was included as a dark match  at SuperBrawl V at the Baltimore Arena in Baltimore, Maryland on February 19, 1995.

After confronting Eric Bischoff, WCW World Heavyweight Champion Big Van Vader interfered in the match attacking all four men. Bobby Heenan frequently referred to Casanova and Valentino as "The Flying Linguinis" during their matches (they did not use their official team name in WCW).

Occasionally appearing in World Championship Wrestling during the next two years, DiMeglio was seen on *WCW Saturday Night* facing "Flyin'" Brian Pillman on April 29  and Sting in a match for the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship at the Center Stage Theatre in Atlanta on July 11, 1995. Later that year, he and Frankie Lancaster lost to Pillman & Chris Benoit on *WCW Saturday Night* on December 9 and, several weeks later, he faced Hugh Morris at WCW Main Event on January 7, 1996. Casanova also won the MEWF Light Heavyweight/Maryland Championship from Mark Schrader on March 17, 1996, but was stripped of the title a month later. He continued to compete in the independent circuit until his death.

## Death

DiMeglio died from a heart attack (which initially was stated as being drug-related) on March 1, 2002. He was survived by his wife, Leslie, and son, Dylan Mark.