Salvatore Bellomo
Encyclopedia
Salvatore Bellomo is a retired Belgian-Italian
professional wrestler
with a career spanning more than three decades.
under various ring name
s of Italian derivation, Bellomo portrayed a wildman in the ring, thought to be unpredictable and/or brutal by wrestling audiences. The list of titles he has held over the years is almost as colorful and includes everything from the NWA Canadian Tag Team Championship
to the WXW Heavyweight Championship
.
. At first, his record was actually quite favorable - particularly in Pennsylvania
throughout 1983 and 1984, where the then-World Wrestling Federation
put him over the likes of Johnny Rodz
, Tony Colon and Butcher Vachon
on a regular basis. Bellomo also wrestled former heavyweight champion Bob Backlund
at the Philadelphia Spectrum on August 4, 1984, jobbing
for Backlund in what would be Backlund's last WWF match of the decade.
From this point on, Bellomo was most recognizable as a jobber on WWF programs throughout the 1980s. He even lost cleanly to Bobby "The Brain" Heenan in a match at Madison Square Garden in November 1984. Being the fall guy was not necessarily ignominious, as Bellomo got to work with a veritable who's-who of professional wrestling in some of the biggest venues to hold wrestling around the world. During one "Piper's Pit
" segment, Bellomo made an "unscheduled" appearance, inspiring host Roddy Piper
to quip, "What are you doing here? I didn't order a pizza."
in 1993, wrestling in the first-ever ECW Championship match (losing to Jimmy Snuka
).
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
professional wrestler
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...
with a career spanning more than three decades.
Career
Working in North AmericaNorth America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
under various ring name
Ring name
A ring name is a stage name used by a professional wrestler, martial artist, or boxer. While some ring names may have a fictitious first name and surname, others may simply be a nickname, such as The Undertaker.-Wrestling:...
s of Italian derivation, Bellomo portrayed a wildman in the ring, thought to be unpredictable and/or brutal by wrestling audiences. The list of titles he has held over the years is almost as colorful and includes everything from the NWA Canadian Tag Team Championship
NWA Canadian Tag Team Championship
The NWA Canadian Tag Team Championship is an National Wrestling Alliance-sanctioned tag team professional wrestling championship based mainly in the Extreme Canadian Championship Wrestling promotion, although the title has been contested for in the Canadian Wrestling Federation, NWA Green Mountain...
to the WXW Heavyweight Championship
WXW Heavyweight Championship
The WXW Heavyweight Championship is the top professional wrestling title in the World Xtreme Wrestling promotion. It was created in 1996 as the WSWF Heavyweight Championship under WXW's original name, the World Star Wrestling Federation. The promotion renamed to its current name in 1998, and the...
.
WWF
Bellomo's solid in-ring work eventually landed him a stint in the growing pro-wrestling empire of Vince McMahonVince McMahon
Vincent Kennedy "Vince" McMahon is an American professional wrestling promoter, announcer, commentator, film producer, actor and former occasional professional wrestler. McMahon is the current Chairman, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Committee of professional wrestling promotion WWE...
. At first, his record was actually quite favorable - particularly in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
throughout 1983 and 1984, where the then-World Wrestling Federation
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
put him over the likes of Johnny Rodz
Johnny Rodz
Johnny Rodriguez is a retired American professional wrestler. He has previously worked as a professional wrestler under the ring name Johnny Rodz.-World Wide Wrestling Federation:...
, Tony Colon and Butcher Vachon
Paul Vachon
Paul "Butcher" Vachon is a former professional wrestler. He is a member of the Vachon wrestling family.-Professional wrestling career:Paul Vachon grew up as one of thirteen children of Ferdinand Vachon, a Montreal police officer...
on a regular basis. Bellomo also wrestled former heavyweight champion Bob Backlund
Bob Backlund
Robert Lee "Bob" Backlund is an American professional wrestler with an in ring career that spanned over 30 years. Over that time, he went on to become a two-time WWWF/WWF Champion...
at the Philadelphia Spectrum on August 4, 1984, jobbing
Job (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling slang, the term job describes a losing performance in a wrestling match. It is derived from the euphemism "doing one's job", which was employed to protect kayfabe. As professional wrestling is scripted, inevitably a wrestler will be required to lose to an opponent.The term...
for Backlund in what would be Backlund's last WWF match of the decade.
From this point on, Bellomo was most recognizable as a jobber on WWF programs throughout the 1980s. He even lost cleanly to Bobby "The Brain" Heenan in a match at Madison Square Garden in November 1984. Being the fall guy was not necessarily ignominious, as Bellomo got to work with a veritable who's-who of professional wrestling in some of the biggest venues to hold wrestling around the world. During one "Piper's Pit
Piper's Pit
Piper's Pit was an interview segment featuring Roddy Piper which was a mainstay of WWF/WWE television from 1984 to 1987, and then returned briefly in 1989. Also, Piper hosted similar segments while wrestling for other promotions in 2003 - 2011....
" segment, Bellomo made an "unscheduled" appearance, inspiring host Roddy Piper
Roddy Piper
Roderick George Toombs , better known by his ring name "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, is a Canadian semi-retired professional wrestler and film actor who is currently signed to WWE. In professional wrestling, he is best known for his work with WWE...
to quip, "What are you doing here? I didn't order a pizza."
ECW
Bellomo was an early performer for Eastern Championship WrestlingExtreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1992 by Tod Gordon and closed when his successor, Paul Heyman, declared bankruptcy in April 2001...
in 1993, wrestling in the first-ever ECW Championship match (losing to Jimmy Snuka
Jimmy Snuka
James William "Jimmy" Reiher is a semi-retired Fijian professional wrestler and actor, better known by his ring name Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka. Originally from the Fiji Islands, Snuka wrestled for several promotions in the 1970s and 1980s. Snuka is a two-time world heavyweight champion, having been a...
).
Later life
Although retiring at BWS: Collision Detected on November 25, 2006, Bellomo continues to be active in the business up to the present day, working as a trainer for the Belgian Wrestling School located in Terhagen and Flémalle (Belgium). He often tries to send his kids home with his trademarked expression of saying "Go Home!".In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Mule Kick
- Managers
- The Cosmic Commander
Championships and accomplishments
- NWA All-Star Wrestling
- NWA Canadian Tag Team Championship (Vancouver version)NWA Canadian Tag Team Championship (Vancouver version)The Vancouver version of the NWA Canadian Tag Team Championship was established in 1962 as the top tag team title in NWA All-Star Wrestling. The title held that status until late summer 1985, when the title was renamed the UWA Tag Team Championship upon All-Star Wrestling's departure as a member of...
(2 times) - with Mike SharpeMike SharpeMichael "Mike" Sharpe is a Canadian professional wrestler better known as Iron Mike Sharpe.-Career:Sharpe comes from a family legacy of wrestling, as his father and uncle were a successful tag team in the 1950s, recognized as champions from San Francisco to Japan. He grew up in California, but...
(1) and Bill Cody (1) - NWA Pacific Coast Heavyweight Championship (Vancouver version) (1 time)
- NWA Canadian Tag Team Championship (Vancouver version)
- NWA Hollywood WrestlingNational Wrestling AllianceThe National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
- NWA Americas Tag Team ChampionshipNWA Americas Tag Team ChampionshipThe NWA Americas Tag Team Championship was a professional wrestling tag team title in the National Wrestling Alliance's NWA Hollywood Wrestling based out of Los Angeles, California....
(1 time) - with Victor RiveraVictor RiveraVíctor Rivera is a volleyball player from Puerto Rico, who was a member of the Men's National Team that ended up in sixth place at the 2007 FIVB Men's World Cup in Japan. In the same year the wing-spiker was named Best Spiker at the NORCECA Championship in Anaheim...
- NWA Americas Tag Team Championship
- Pro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling Illustrated is a professional wrestling magazine. PWI is currently based in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and published by Kappa Publishing Group.-History:The first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated was released in 1979...
- PWI ranked him # 276 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the PWI 500 in 1992.
- World Xtreme WrestlingWorld Xtreme WrestlingWorld Xtreme Wrestling is a Northeastern-based independent professional wrestling promotion which has held events across the United States and have toured in Japan, the Middle East and South Pacific region including American Samoa and Guam....
- WXW Heavyweight ChampionshipWXW Heavyweight ChampionshipThe WXW Heavyweight Championship is the top professional wrestling title in the World Xtreme Wrestling promotion. It was created in 1996 as the WSWF Heavyweight Championship under WXW's original name, the World Star Wrestling Federation. The promotion renamed to its current name in 1998, and the...
(1 time) - WXW Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with The Mad Russian
- WXW Heavyweight Championship