Salvatore Bellomo

Birthday: June 18, 1951

Death: February 09, 2019

Salvatore Bellomo was a Belgian professional wrestler. His career spanned over 40 years; he is perhaps best known for his appearances in the United States with WWE in the 1980s and with ECW in the 1990s. In 1982, Bellomo was signed by WWE after Peter Maivia advised him to audition as WWE was looking for a new babyface Italian wrestler to replace Bruno Sammartino. Wrestling under his real name, Bellomo made his televised in-ring debut on the June 28, 1982 episode of WWE on MSG Network, defeating Baron Mikel Scicluna. In mid-1983, Bellomo and a series of tag team partners unsuccessfully challenging The Wild Samoans for the WWE World Tag Team Championship. In late-1983 and early-1984, he unsuccessfully challenged both WWE Champion The Iron Sheik and WWE Intercontinental Champion Don Muraco. By mid-1984, Bellomo was winning less regularly, putting over opponents such as David Schultz, Greg Valentine, Big John Studd, Paul Orndorff & Pat Patterson. In August 1984, he lost to former WWE Champion Bob Backlund in Philadelphia, in what was Backlund's final match before leaving WWE. By 1985, Bellomo was being used as a jobber, losing to opponents such as Brutus Beefcake, Jim Neidhart, and The Missing Link. On the 34th episode of Tuesday Night Titans in May 1985, Bellomo defeated Frankie Williams and hosted a segment titled "Thatsa My Kitchen" featuring traditional Italian cooking. He made his final appearance with WWE in March 1987, losing to Brad Rheingans in the Nassau Coliseum. In April 1992, Bellomo began appearing with the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States-based promotion Eastern Championship Wrestling, approaching ECW promoter Tod Gordon as he was living in Philadelphia at the time. Now considerably heavier than during his WWE run and sporting a full beard, he was billed as "Wildman" Sal Bellomo, adopting both a distinctive new ring attire resembling a Roman centurion and a more brawling-orientated wrestling style. In his first match, he won a battle royale as part of a tournament to crown the inaugural ECW Heavyweight Champion. He went on to lose to Jimmy Snuka (who had won a separate battle royale) in the tournament final. In mid-1992, Bellomo began feuding with Tony Stetson, with Stetson winning a loser leaves town match in August 1992. Bellomo returned in November 1992. In January 1993, he wrestled Kerry Von Erich (the "secret weapon" of Woman) to a double DQ at the "Battle of the Belts" event. In June 1993, he wrestled at ECW's first supercard, the Super Summer Sizzler Spectacular, teaming with Super Destroyer #1 & Stevie Wonderful to defeat the Suicide Blondes and Hunter Q. Robbins III. In the same month, he had a brief rivalry with the Super Destroyers after he began impersonating them, calling himself "Super Destroyer #3". In August 1993, Bellomo and The Sandman entered a tournament for the vacant ECW Tag Team Championship, first defeating Sir Richard Michaels & Tony Stetson, then defeating Ivan & Vladimir Koloff, before losing to The Dark Patriot & Eddie Gilbert in the finals. A short feud between Bellomo and Sir Richard Michaels culminated in a strap match at UltraClash that was won by Bellomo. Bellomo went on to feud with Rockin' Rebel, defeating him in a chairs match at November to Remember by forfeit. Bellomo continued to appear on ECW Hardcore TV until leaving ECW in May 1994. Before returning in 1996.