Dino Bravo The Forgotten Frenchy

[Y 2 Jake]

Why is the guy never mentioned anymore? Where is the HOF spot? This guy was all over WWF TV in the 80's. He was teamed with Earthquake when he got his initial Hogan push, he had two awesome managers in Jimmy Hart & Frenchy Martin. Mark Henry uses his gimmick, but to less effect. Everybody knows fat people can lift heavy shit, but Bravo wasn't fat. He was strong. Ask Jesse Ventura, he'll tell ya.

He also got murdered. Which could possibly be why WWE don't draw attention to him. Having watched all of the WWF DVDs up to 1996 recently, it's amazing how much he was pushed. He was never going to be a champion. And people cheered for everybody back then. But the guy was everywhere.

I don't see why WWE don't do a DVD on him. No it wouldn't be the biggest seller. But it would be far more intresting that hearing about Cena's car collection. I for one would love to see a second disc with Bravo matches.

But the question I'm asking. Is Bravo forgotten because of the way he died, even though it was over something minor. Or is it because he's just not that memorable. Nobody gave a shit when Hercules died either, and he got a strong push until Paul Roma rode him like a pony.

 

[8five]

What is your most memorable dino moment? Mine is him starting off a royal rumble. The reason he isn't remembered is that he never carved that nitch. If you didn't mention he was with earthquake when he feuded with hogan, i wouldn't even had remembered. The man had very little success outside of candian organizations, and it is because of his lack of any significant title reigns that he is not remembered.

 

[klunderbunker]

Dino was probably the top mid card heel in WWF forever. He was over as a heel simply due to not being American and feuding with Hogan. No he was never a champion, no he was never a main event level talent, but he was a good solid worker. He was always just good enough to be a potential threat and could occasionally get a win over a decent level face to make him seem dangerous to Hogan. He and Quake were a great combination who never really went to the tag division like they should have. As for why he isn't remembered, I'd say it's because he never really accomplished anything. He was always sort of on the verge of main event level talent but never truly got there. He deserves a better remembrance, but I don't know if a dvd would be in order, as he was more or less the first jobber to the stars that I can remember.

 

[Slim Pickns]

Oh yes, Dino Bravo. I believe I was the only one to put him in my top 50 when Sam made that thread. Dino Bravo was a great heel, the only problem is he was never the top one. When he feuded with Hogan, Earthquake was around. Then by Wrestlemania VII he was jobbing to the Texas Tornado in under 5 minutes.

Bravo had everything you could ask for in a anti Hogan/American character. He was strong, energentic, and had a great mouthpiece in Jimmy Hart. I heard a rumor that he was suppose to face Hogan in a match in Canada but Hogan feared the crowd cheering Bravo, so the match was switched. Who else can make that claim?

As far as his death goes, it may be a red flag, but it shouldn't stop them from honoring him. He is one of the staple heels from the 80-90's Hogan era.

 

[C-Murder]

Dino Bravo was definitely forgotten because of the way he died. No way the WWE would ever want to associate with something like that, especially in today's times and being a publically traded company. Dino Bravo was a very good wrestler, not many people remember his stint as WWF Canadian champion as a face in the mid 80s. I remember watching him on Maple Leaf Wrestling as a kid in the mid 80s. Being a border city we got the Canadian feed to the TV, he was on all the time. Back in that face run I would compare him favorably to Rick Martel as a face, the same sort of in-ring style and attitude. Very good wrestler, but since he hasn't been mentioned on TV in at least 15 years, I think a DVD would sell about 20 copies and most of those guys are posters here

 

[jmt225]

My biggest memory of Dino Bravo is Sean Astin, Brendan Fraser, and Pauly Shore watching him give the airplane spin to some jobber in the movie 'Encino Man'.

But no, Dino was a great chicken shit heel. The business could use more guys like him today. The last person to perfect that art was Chris Candido, but Dino was the master of it, even though he was so big and strong. He was the best at acting fucking cowardly, and you wanted to see both him and Jimmy Hart get their asses kicked every time they came out. There was a smug about Dino that was just impossible not to hate.

Luckily for me, I got to see him wrestle in person once when I was a kid, and he faced off against my favorite wrestler at the time, The Texas Tornado, Kerry Von Erich. Hogan/Earthquake was the main event that night, but Von Erich/Bravo was by far MOTN for me.

 

[Afro-Ameri-Spawn]

The reason why Dino Bravo never got pushed hard was because he was Canadian. At the time, Canadians were stereotypically a weak country. So guys from other exotic or communist countries got the bill. Even though, with his throws and suplexes he was a mix of Kurt Angle and Mark Henry before those two were even a sparkle in the WWF's eyes. If Dino were in WCW, he might have been a US champ or even been guided to a quick stint as the world champions.

It's a shame that his life had to be cut short and that the WWE has not see fit to put names like his, Hercules, Bruiser Brody, and many many other on the Hall of Fame ballot. They have the room, these wrestlers have the credibility, and still nothing is done. It's a shame, pure and simple.

Click here for Bravo Match

 

[AnthonyM4]

I liked Dino Bravo. I'm glad to say I have that issue of The Wrestler magazine with him on the cover. In the magazine it says he beat Hogan in Montreal, but it doesn't say the date. Did anybody else like the entrance music he came out to? I thought the Royal Rumble 88 segment he did was mildly entertaining, but it went on for too long. I don't know why he's forgotten and I don't see him being in the Hall of Fame, but jakks should definitely try to get the rights to make a Classic Superstars figure made of him.