Dino Bravo

Bravo began working in the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) in the late 1970's. With Dominic DeNucci, Bravo captured the WWWF World Tag Team Title in March 1978 from Professor Tanaka and Mr. Fuji. Three months later in June, The Yukon Lumberjacks defeated Bravo and DeNucci for the title.

In the early 1980's, Bravo and King Tonga formed a tag team for a brief while, but never got much of a push. Bravo was scheduled to headline a card against Hulk Hogan in 1986, but the match was cancelled on short notice, with Bravo leaving the company shortly thereafter.

Bravo returned to the WWF in late 1986 with a new look. He was now noticeably more muscular and almost immediately began bleaching his brown hair blond. He was again a heel and began working as part of Luscious Johnny Valiant's stable with Greg "The Hammer" Valentine and Brutus Beefcake. Beefcake was kicked out of the stable at WrestleMania III and Bravo took his place in The Dream Team with Valentine.

Bravo returned to singles competition after a few months and began a strongman gimmick. At the 1988 Royal Rumble, Bravo attempted to bench press what he claimed was 715 pounds, which would have been a world record at that time. Commentator Jesse "The Body" Ventura helped lift the bar at one point, but Bravo played the lift as a success and began billing himself as the "World's Strongest Man." In this gimmick, Bravo feuded with Don Muraco, Ken Patera, Ronnie Garvin, and Jim Duggan.

Bravo was soon managed by Frenchy Martin; who often toted around a sign reading *USA is not OK*. In March 1988, Bravo lost in the first round of the WWF Championship tournament at WrestleMania IV against Don Muraco after pulling the referee between himself and Muraco to prevent a hit from the Hawaiian. Before the match, to further play on Bravo's "world's strongest man" claim, Jesse Ventura in commentary claimed that during Bravo's "record" lift of 715 pounds, he had only used his "two little pinkies" and had only put two pounds of pressure on the bar. During a rematch at the inaugural SummerSlam at Madison Square Garden in August, Martin distracted Bravo's opponent Muraco to allow Bravo to get the victory. In October at the King of the Ring, Bravo lost to Jim Duggan in a flag match. At the Royal Rumble in January 1989, Bravo, accompanied by Martin, teamed with The Fabulous Rougeau Brothers (Jacques and Raymond) but lost a two out of three falls match against Jim Duggan and The Hart Foundation (Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart). At WrestleMania V, Bravo defeated fellow Canadian "Rugged" Ronnie Garvin.

After Frenchy Martin's departure, Bravo joined Jimmy Hart's stable and entered a feud with another power wrestler, The Ultimate Warrior, unsuccessfully challenging Warrior for his WWF Intercontinental Championship. Prior to a WrestleMania VI loss to Duggan, Bravo teamed up with Earthquake. Bravo would often display his strength by doing push ups while the 460 pound Earthquake sat on his back. The team of Earthquake and Bravo would go on to have a lengthy feud with Hulk Hogan and Tugboat.

Following a WrestleMania VII loss to Kerry Von Erich, he wrestled less frequently, with his next appearance on WWF television coming in August 1991 as a face (without Jimmy Hart or dyed-blonde hair), now being billed as the "Canadian Strongman" Dino Bravo in victories over Louie Spicolli and Shane Douglas. Bravo then began a short run on Montreal house shows as a face, against The Mountie and The Barbarian. In his final match, he and Colonel Mustafa lost to The Legion of Doom in Sheffield, England. Bravo left the WWF in 1992.

On March 10, 1993, Bravo passed away.