Jun Akiyama advances.
Dino Bravo
Hometown: Montreal, Quebec
Height & Weight: 6'0" - 248 lbs
Trained by: Gino Brito
Debut: 1970
Previous Gimmicks: Canadian Strongman
Finishing Move: Airplane Spin (Montreal), Sidesuplex (WWF)
# (Montreal) Grand Prix Wrestling Tag Team titles w/Gino Brito (1973);
# NWA (Los Angeles) Americas Heavyweight title (1974);
# NWA (Los Angeles) Americas Tag Team titles w/Victor Rivera defeating Raul Reyes & Tony Rocco (October 25, 1974);
# NWA (Mid Atlantic) World Tag Team titles w/Tim Woods defeating Ole & Gene Anderson (May 5, 1976);
# NWA Mid Atlantic Tag Team titles w/Tim Woods defeating Micheal Dubois & Rene Goulet in a tournament (November 3, 1976);
# NWA Mid Atlantic Tag Team titles w/Tiger Conway Jr. defeating Buddy Roberts & Jerry Brown (April 10, 1977);
# WWWF Tag Team titles w/Dominic DeNucci defeating Mr. Fuji & Toru Tanaka (March 14, 1978);
# NWA (Toronto) Canadian Heavyweight title defeating Gene Kiniski (December 17, 1978);
# NWA (Toronto) Canadian Heavyweight title defeating Greg Valentine (June 3, 1979);
# AWA Canadian Heavyweight title Awarded (September ??, 1979);
# IWA (Montreal) International Heavyweight title defeating
?? (
? ??, 1980);
# IWA (Montreal) International Heavyweight title defeating Micheal Dubois (June 20, 1981);
# IWA (Montreal) International Heavyweight title defeating Sailor White (
?, 1982);
# IWA (Montreal) International Heavyweight title defeating Billy Robinson (March 7, 1983);
# IWA (Montreal) International Tag Team titles w/Tony Parisi defeating Frenchy Martin & Pierre Lefebvre (Febuary 20, 1984);
# IWA (Montreal) International Heavyweight title defeating King Tonga (Febuary 11, 1985);
# IWA (Montreal) International Heavyweight title defeating King Tonga for vacant title (May 28, 1985);
# WWF Canadian Heavyweight title Awarded (August ??, 1985);
# The name "Dino Bravo" was taken from a wrestler from the late 50s, who was the Original Dino Bravo (Pepe DiPasquali)..
# 1970: Dino Bravo began his wrestling career in Montreal, where he would eventually become a legendary sport figure..
# Dino Bravo was initially billed as the cousin of Gino Brito, his tag partner, in Montreal's Grand Prix promotion..
# 1970s: Dino Bravo wrestled in the Los Angeles and Mid-Atlantic territories to gain exposure and experience..
# 1977: Dino Bravo went to work for the World Wide Wrestling Federation, but later quit and returned to Canada..
# 1978: Dino Bravo won the inaugural tournament for Frank Tunney's NWA Canadian title which was presented by Whipper Watson..
# 1980s: Dino Bravo was the lead wrestler and co-promoter (along with Gino Brito & Frank Valois) of the Montreal promotion..
# 1985: Dino Bravo rejoined the World Wrestling Federation..
# January 1986: A rumored incident occured when a WWF Montreal show with Hogan vs Bravo was advertised was cancelled..
# ~~~This was at the last minute with 20,000 fans in their seats simply because the WWF did not want Hulk Hogan booed..
# March 1987: Dino Bravo reinvented himself as a bleeched blonde heel managed by Frenchy Martin..
# April 1987: Dino Bravo formed a tag team with Greg "the Hammer" Valentine, called Dream Team II..
# Royal Rumble 1988: Dino Bravo successfully bench pressed "715 pounds" with Jesse Ventura spotting (and obviously helping)..
# Dino Bravo began calling himself "The World's Strongest Man" but later downgraded to "Canada's Strongest Man"..
# January 6, 1989 - WWF in Montreal: Hulk Hogan & Jim Duggan & Ron Garvin defeated The Rougeaus & Dino Bravo by DQ..
# ~~~Dino Bravo was disqualified for not releasing the Bearhug on Hulk Hogan, who was taken away from the ring on a stretcher!
# October 10, 1989 - WWF: Dino Bravo defeated Bret "Hitman" Hart in a match that took place in the United Kingdom..
# 1990-91: Dino Bravo joined forces with Earthquake (John Tenta) and went after The Ultimate Warrior..
# December 1992: WWF scheduled a retirement show for Dino Bravo at the Montreal Forum but it was cancelled.
VS
Giant Baba
Hometown: Sanjo, Niigata, Japan
Height & Weight: 6'10 - 310lbs
Trained by: Rikidozan
Debut: 1960
Finishing Move: Boston Crab, Running Yakuza Kick
# AJPW All Asia Tag Team titles w/Toyonobori defeating Caripus Hurricane & Gene Kiniski (May 29, 1964);
# AJPW All Asia Tag Team titles w/Toyonobori defeating The Destroyer & Billy Red Lyons (July 15, 1965);
# NWA (JWA) International Heavyweight title defeating Dick the Bruiser for vacant title (November 24, 1965);
# AJPW All Asia Tag Team titles w/Michiaki Yoshimura defeating Eddie Graham & Killer Karl Kox (July 1, 1966);
# NWA (JWA) International Tag Team titles w/Michiaki Yoshimura defeating Fritz Von Goering & Mike Paidosis (November 5, 1966);
# NWA (JWA) International Tag Team titles w/Antonio Inoki defeating Tarzan Tyler & Bill Watts (October 31, 1967);
# NWA (JWA) International Tag Team titles w/Antonio Inoki beating Bill Miller & Crusher Lisowski for vacant titles (February 3, 1968);
# NWA (JWA) International Heavyweight title defeating Bobo Brazil (June 27, 1968);
# NWA (JWA) International Tag Team titles w/Antonio Inoki defeating Danny Hodge & Wilbur Snyder (February 4, 1969);
# NWA (JWA) International Tag Team titles w/Antonio Inoki defeating Dick the Bruiser & Crusher (August 13, 1969);
# NWA (JWA) International Heavyweight title defeating Gene Kiniski (December 19, 1970);
# NWA (JWA) International Tag Team titles w/Seiji Sakaguchi defeating Terry & Dory Funk Jr. (May 19, 1972);
# PWF (Japan) Heavyweight title wins Series Tournament (February 27, 1973);
# NWA World Heavyweight title defeating Jack Brisco (December 2, 1974);
# NWA (All Japan) International Tag Team titles w/Jumbo Tsuruta defeating Terry & Dory Funk Jr. (February 5, 1975);
# NWA (All Japan) International Tag Team titles w/Jumbo Tsuruta defeating Kintaro Ohki & Kim Duk (December 9, 1976);
# All Asia Heavyweight title defeating Kintaro Ohki (October 29, 1977);
# NWA (All Japan) International Tag Team titles w/Jumbo Tsuruta defeating Kintaro Ohki & Kim Duk (May 11, 1978);
# PWF (Japan) Heavyweight title defeating Abdullah the Butcher (February 10, 1979);
# NWA (All Japan) International Tag Team titles w/Jumbo Tsuruta defeating Ray Candy & Abdullah the Butcher (October 19, 1979);
# NWA World Heavyweight title defeating Harley Race (October 31, 1979);
# NWA (Detroit) World Tag Team titles w/Jumbo Tsuruta defeating Randy Scott & John Bonello (June 28, 1980);
# NWA World Heavyweight title defeating Harley Race (September 4, 1980);
# PWF (Japan) Heavyweight title defeating Harley Race (February 11, 1983);
# NWA (All Japan) International Tag Team titles w/Jumbo Tsuruta defeating Ron Bass & Stan Hansen (April 17, 1983);
# NWA (All Japan) International Tag Team titles w/Jumbo Tsuruta defeating Umanosuke Ueda & Tiger Jeet Singh (August 1, 1983);
# PWF (Japan) Heavyweight title defeating Stan Hansen (July 31, 1984);
# 1955: Shohei Baba joined the Yomiuri Giants baseball team after dropping out of High School as a pitcher..
# 1959: Shohei Baba was released from the team due to injury and lackluster performances..
# 1960: Shohei Baba, who towered over the average Japanese with a 209-centimeter frame, became a professional wrestler..
# Giant Shohei Baba formed a tag team with the equally legendary wrestler, Antonio Inoki in the JWA promotion..
# July 1, 1961: Giant Baba leaves Japan to tour the United States..
# 1970: Giant Baba founded the All Japan Pro Wrestling promotion..
# 1970: Giant Baba's All Japan promotion went head-to-head with Antonio Inoki's New Japan Pro Wrestling..
# 1970s: Giant Baba & AJPW had a strong relationship with many NWA promoters, such as:
# ~~~Texas (Dory Funk Sr. & Fritz Von Erich), Florida (Eddie Graham), Georgia (Jim Barnett), and Mid Atlantic (Jim Crockett Jr.)..
# December 2, 1974: Giant Baba defeated Jack Brisco to become the first Japanese wrestler to win the NWA World Heavyweight title..
# September 28, 1985 - AWA SuperClash: Jumbo Tsuruta & Giant Baba & Genichiro Tenryu beat Harley Race & Bill & Scott Irwin..
# April 20, 1986 - AWA WrestleRock: Giant Baba defeated :Bulldog: Bob Brown..
# April 13, 1990 - WWF/AJPW Wrestling Summit: Giant Baba & Andre the Giant defeated Demolition (Ax & Smash)..
# February 1, 1999: Giant Baba, an avid cigar smoker, passed away as a result of Cancer at the age of 61.
LET'S GET IT ON!
