August 16, 2021 Observer Newsletter: More NXT cuts, Dominic DeNucci passes away
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.
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Dave Meltzer is the founder and lead writer on the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the weekly constant when it comes to news and reviews in pro wrestling and mixed martial arts for more than 40 years. Dave also co-hosts Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and had had bylines for The National, Yahoo Sports, MMA Fighting and others.