Dominic DeNucci, one of pro wrestling’s major stars of the 1960s and the biggest long-term drawing card in the history of Jim Barnett’s World Championship Wrestling promotion in Australia, passed away on 8/11 at the age of 89.
Born Dominic DeNucciaroni on January 23, 1932, he had gotten his first big break in a tag team with Ronnie Etchison in Stampede Wrestling in 1963 and made his name by drawing big crowds pushed as an Italian superstar in 1964 opposite Ray Stevens at the Cow Palace in San Francisco, including a run as United States champion.
When Barnett opened up World Championship Wrestling, with national television in Australia in 1964, he used DeNucci as his top babyface, feuding with the likes of Killer Kowalski and Stevens. The territory opened on fire, as over the first year, they averaged 9,000 paid weekly at Sydney Stadium and the top stars like DeNucci were the highest paid wrestlers in the world of that era.
Dominic DeNucci, a former tag team champion in the WWF who later became a prominent pro wrestling trainer, has passed away at the age of 89.
Cauliflower Alley Club confirmed the news that DeNucci had passed away.
“We’ve received the sad news that wrestling Legend Dominic DeNucci has passed away at the age of 89.” they wrote on Twitter. “Known not only for his wrestling, but for training Mick Foley, Shane Douglas and others. We send our sincerest condolences to his family,friends and many fans the world over. R.I.P.”
DeNucci made his pro wrestling debut in 1958 in Montreal, Canada. He had runs both in Australia and Japan. He joined the World Wide Wrestling Federation (later WWF, then WWE) in 1967 and won the WWWF International Tag Team titles with Bruno Sammartino in 1971. He would later hold the WWWF World Tag Team titles with Victor Rivera, and later Pat Barrett.
He left the WWF in 1982 and continued wrestling in Canada, New York, and the independents through 2012, when he wrestled his final match against protege Shane Douglas. That same year, he was inducted into the Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame.
DeNucci later was a trainer of a few wrestlers who later became names in the industry, including Douglas, Mick Foley, Brian Hildebrand, and Moondog Spot.
We have a feature on systemic prejudice in the U.S. as the lead story in this week’s issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
Also in this issue:
The Dana White/Jon Jones story, explaning the economic realities, the economic fallacies and where things stand with both men’s arguments. We look at what does and doesn’t make sense economically, why Jones and Conor McGregor and all the top draws have lost value to UFC, plus exactly what both men have said about each other and where things stand.
The economics of what Jones has drawn in the past, and the numbers of recent UFC show.
The unwritten WWE rule about not criticizing other talent in a public forum outside of storyline-related reasons, why it was broken this past week, what was said, as well as looking at the ties beween the ownerships of the different wrestling companies with Donald Trump, statements released, and the key things no talent can say.
New WWE Network updates.
Upcoming guidelines for WWE shows, Paul Levesque talks COVID testing, notes on more WWE cuts, Vince McMahon sends out memo, original Gronkowski plans and why they changed and why now.
Upcoming Backlash and Takeover shows, an update on the XFL bankruptcy, how WWE is involved and more.
Update the Kairi Sane injury, Vince McMahon bio, Drake Maverick angle, people talked about for main roster, WWE hires new man t head the Middle East business, Kurt Angle talks why he’s not returning at this point to WWE, plus we look at the current market value of WWE and poll results, as well as WWE’s own track record.
Coverage of Saturday’s UFC show with the storylines and the business news, plus match-by-match coverage.
A large feature on the retirement of Stu Saks and the westling magazine era, the life and times and the glory years of Pro Wrestling Illustrated, the death of the magazine business, how VinceMcMahon tried to kill it early, and the different stages of the magazine era.
A feature on the wrestling career, and life of Danny Havoc from many of the people who knew him best in the industry.
In-depth looks at the ratings of all the major shows, the key demos and quarters for AEW and WWE, what happened head-to-head and what can be learned from them.
Results of all the major pro wrestling events around the world over the past week.
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MONDAY NEWS UPDATE
Bryan and I will be back tonight covering the reopening of New Japan Pro Wrestling, Raw, New Day, 30 year anniversary of one of the most important matches in history and a lot more. You can send questions to the show to [email protected],
New Japan’s press conference on restarting the promotion will be at 11 p.m. Eastern right after Raw on New Japan World. The belief is the announcement will be empty arena shows starting imminently, perhaps by next week and they may announce shows with fans starting some time later.
WrestleZone reported that Dominic DeNucci, 88, who was known to have been rushed to the hospital yesterday, is going through a cardiac catheterization process.
With the special 30 for 30 on Bruce Lee last night, he was No. 7 for most searched term on the Internet yesterday with 200,000. NXT Takeover did not crack the top 20 yesterday. For UFC on Saturday, the final tally was UFC was No. 1, Conor McGregor was No. 3, Sean O’Malley was No. 5, Cody Garbrandt was No. 6, Cody Stamann was No. 8 and Chase Hopper was No. 16. It’s pretty clear the show was a much bigger deal than most had predicted it would be.
Randy Orton and Tommaso Ciampa have gone back-and-forth on Twitter. Considering WWE considers it unprofessional to attack others in the company regarding wrestling unless you are doing a program with them, you have to think about work but that’s a waste of time unless the two do a program. Plus both of Orton’s tweets were on the “slapping the leg” direction which is the same line FTR is doing with their worked shoot Young Bucks promo that they did on the Jim Cornette podcast. Why wrestlers would tell fans to look for thigh slapping is beyond me.
WWE
Johnny Gargano suffered tightness in his hips and lower back after yesterday’s match with Keith Lee according to Paul Levesque.
Tonight is the go-home show for Backlash with The Peep Show with Edge & Christian, the VIP lounge with Bobby Lashley, Asuka vs Charlotte Flair in a rematch, Viking Raiders vs, Street Profits in a Decathlon and Bayley & Sasha Banks appear to set up the three-way with the Iiconics and Nikki Cross & Alexa Bliss for Backlash.
Tamina is doing a new character where she went crazy and has been in a mental institution after her loss to Bayley.
UFC
Holly Holm vs. Irene Aldana and Edmen Shahbazyan vs. Derek Brunson have been added to a 8/1 show. If Aldana wins, she probably will get a shot at Amanda Nunes. If Holm wins, I have no idea who Nunes faces next.
MISCELLANEOUS
On the TV show “Billions” on Showtime, which Becky Lynch appeared on several weeks back, there was a reference to John Studd on last night’s show with the phrase “They seem ready to stomp him like Big John Studd.” (thanks to Joe Puccio)
A cool story on wrestling in Richmond, VA from Haystacks Calhoun to Dwayne Johnson with your expected Ric Flair and Wahoo McDaniel detours and descriptions of a promotional war in the city that got quite nasty. (thanks to Mike Kuzmuk)
