Ilio DiPaolo
Encyclopedia
Ilio DiPaolo was an Italian professional wrestler
and restaurateur who lived in the Buffalo, New York
area.
, who taught him to wrestle. While waiting to get the proper paperwork to move to the United States, he relocated to the Dominican Republic to wrestle in the meantime. After the paperwork was completed, he moved to Buffalo, New York
in 1951. He then began to work for Frank Tunney
out of the Toronto area. Around this time he teamed with Whipper Billy Watson
to win the NWA Canadian Open Tag Team Championship
.
After wrestling around the world, he returned to Toronto in 1968 to wrestle Pat O'Connor
for the World Championship, but the match went to a one-hour time limit draw. His last match was against Lou Thesz
for the same title; a match that also went to a one-hour time limit draw.
He opened his first restaurant, a pizzeria, when he was in his 40s, but it was destroyed by a fire. DiPaolo retired from wrestling full time in 1965 and opened his second restaurant, an eponymous Italian restaurant now known as "Ilio DiPaolo's" in Blasdell, New York
. He died in 1995 while trying to enter a restaurant with his wife after being struck by a car during a torrential downpour. After his death, DiPaolo's oldest son Dennis began to run the restaurant. His other children also worked in the restaurant.
World Championship Wrestling
held the Ilio DiPaolo Memorial Show
for DiPaolo from 1996 through 1999. He was selected as a New York State Award recipient by the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum in 2003.
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
and restaurateur who lived in the Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
area.
Professional wrestling career
DiPaolo was born in Italy and lived there until he moved to Venezuela in 1949. There, he met promoter Toots MondtToots Mondt
Joseph Raymond "Toots" Mondt was a former wrestling promoter who revolutionized the wrestling industry in the early to mid 1920s and co-promoted the World Wide Wrestling Federation...
, who taught him to wrestle. While waiting to get the proper paperwork to move to the United States, he relocated to the Dominican Republic to wrestle in the meantime. After the paperwork was completed, he moved to Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
in 1951. He then began to work for Frank Tunney
Frank Tunney
Francis Martin “Frank” Tunney was a Canadian professional wrestling promoter, based in Toronto.-Early years:...
out of the Toronto area. Around this time he teamed with Whipper Billy Watson
Whipper Billy Watson
William John Potts, O.Ont was a Canadian professional wrestler best known by his ring name Whipper Billy Watson, and was a two-time world heavyweight wrestling champion.-Early life:...
to win the NWA Canadian Open Tag Team Championship
NWA Canadian Open Tag Team Championship
The NWA Canadian Open Tag Team Championship was the top tag team professional wrestling championship in the Canadian promotion Maple Leaf Wrestling from 1952 through 1961. The title was then replaced with the Toronto version of the NWA International Tag Team Championship.-Title history:...
.
After wrestling around the world, he returned to Toronto in 1968 to wrestle Pat O'Connor
Pat O'Connor (wrestler)
Patrick John "Pat" O'Connor , was a professional wrestler from New Zealand. O'Connor was regarded as one of the premier workers of his era...
for the World Championship, but the match went to a one-hour time limit draw. His last match was against Lou Thesz
Lou Thesz
Aloysius Martin "Lou" Thesz was a United States professional wrestler and 18-time world heavyweight champion, most notably holding the NWA World Heavyweight Championship three times. Combined, he held the NWA Championship for 10 years, three months and nine days , longer than anyone else in history...
for the same title; a match that also went to a one-hour time limit draw.
Personal life
DiPaolo met his wife Ethel, stepdaughter of promoter Pedro Martinez, in 1952. The couple had four children.He opened his first restaurant, a pizzeria, when he was in his 40s, but it was destroyed by a fire. DiPaolo retired from wrestling full time in 1965 and opened his second restaurant, an eponymous Italian restaurant now known as "Ilio DiPaolo's" in Blasdell, New York
Blasdell, New York
Blasdell is a village in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 2,718 according to the year 2000 census. The name is derived from Herman Blasdell, the first station master of the Erie and Pennsylvania railroad depot...
. He died in 1995 while trying to enter a restaurant with his wife after being struck by a car during a torrential downpour. After his death, DiPaolo's oldest son Dennis began to run the restaurant. His other children also worked in the restaurant.
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
held the Ilio DiPaolo Memorial Show
Ilio DiPaolo Memorial Show
The Ilio DiPaolo Memorial Show was an annual professional wrestling event held between 1996 and 1999 as a tribute to wrestler Ilio DiPaolo and featured talent from World Championship Wrestling as well as appearances from older wrestling stars of the "television era"...
for DiPaolo from 1996 through 1999. He was selected as a New York State Award recipient by the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum in 2003.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Spinning fireman's carry
- Signature moves
- DropkickDropkickA dropkick is an attacking maneuver in professional wrestling. It is defined as an attack where the wrestler jumps up and kicks the opponent with the soles of both feet; this sees the wrestler twist as he or she jumps so that when the feet connect with the opponent one foot is raised higher than...
- Full nelson
- Dropkick
Championships and accomplishments
- Cauliflower Alley ClubCauliflower Alley ClubThe Cauliflower Alley Club is a non-profit fraternal organization, which includes a newsletter and website, comprising both retired and active professional wrestlers and boxers in North America....
- Other honoree (1994)
- Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame
- 1996 inductee
- Maple Leaf WrestlingMaple Leaf WrestlingMaple Leaf Wrestling was the unofficial name in the 1970s and 1980s of the professional wrestling promotion run by Frank Tunney in Toronto.-Queensbury Athletic Club:...
- NWA Canadian Open Tag Team ChampionshipNWA Canadian Open Tag Team ChampionshipThe NWA Canadian Open Tag Team Championship was the top tag team professional wrestling championship in the Canadian promotion Maple Leaf Wrestling from 1952 through 1961. The title was then replaced with the Toronto version of the NWA International Tag Team Championship.-Title history:...
(5 times) - with Whipper Billy WatsonWhipper Billy WatsonWilliam John Potts, O.Ont was a Canadian professional wrestler best known by his ring name Whipper Billy Watson, and was a two-time world heavyweight wrestling champion.-Early life:...
(4) and Billy Red LyonsBilly Red LyonsWilliam Snip was a Canadian professional wrestler, who used the stage name Billy Red Lyons. He was an active wrestler between 1956 and 1984, and won numerous championship throughout his career. He worked for promotions in both Canada and the United States, particularly in Ontario, California,...
(1)
- Midwest Wrestling Association
- MWA Ohio Heavyweight Championship
- MWA Ohio Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Athol Layton
- Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum
- New York State Award (2003)
- Stampede WrestlingStampede WrestlingStampede Wrestling is a Canadian professional wrestling promotion based in Calgary, Alberta and was for nearly 50 years one of the main promotions in western Canada and the Canadian Prairies...
- NWA Canadian Tag Team Championship (Calgary version)NWA Canadian Tag Team Championship (Calgary version)The Calgary version of the NWA Canadian Tag Team Championship was established in 1954 as the original top tag team championship in Stampede Wrestling; it held that status until 1959, when the title was abandoned in favor of Stampede's then-newly created International Tag Team Championship.-Title...
(1 time) - with Tex McKenzie