Vittorio Apollo
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Vincent Denigris (April 28, 1938 – August 2, 1984) was an Argentine professional wrestler better known by his ring name Vicente Denigris or Argentina Apollo (often Vittorio Argentina Apollo). He was part of the Chicago Comiskey Park shows in 1961, teaming with
Antonino Rocca Antonino Rocca (born Antonino Biasetton; 13 April 1921 – 15 March 1977) was an Italian naturalized Argentinian Professional wrestling, professional wrestler. He tag teamed with partner Miguel Pérez (wrestler), Miguel Pérez. He was posthumous ...
, and a popular star on ''
Studio Wrestling ''Studio Wrestling'' was a live professional wrestling show broadcast from WIIC-TV Channel 11 in Pittsburgh every Saturday evening. In 1959, WIIC began broadcasting professional wrestling from their studio located in Fineview. The show was hos ...
'' during the 1960s. He achieved his greatest success in WWWF where he was a 1-time WWWF United States Tagteam Champion along with Don McClaritty.


Professional career

Apollo made his debut in 1960 in northeastern territories of NWA. He made his debut against Jack Vancy on a house show in New York City under Capital Wrestling corporation. He wrestled extensively for Capital Wrestling Corporation the precursor to WWWF. Also worked for
Studio Wrestling ''Studio Wrestling'' was a live professional wrestling show broadcast from WIIC-TV Channel 11 in Pittsburgh every Saturday evening. In 1959, WIIC began broadcasting professional wrestling from their studio located in Fineview. The show was hos ...
in Pittsburgh. His main work was for the
World Wide Wrestling Federation Capitol Wrestling Corporation (CWC) was an American sports promotion company. Run by Vincent J. McMahon from the 1950s until the 1980s, the company was originally a professional wrestling and boxing promotion and later became the holding company ...
1963-1968 and various territories of the
National Wrestling Alliance The National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) is an American professional wrestling professional wrestling promotion, promotion and governing body owned by Billy Corgan and operated by its parent company Lightning One, Inc. Founded in 1948, the NWA be ...
, most notably,
Championship Wrestling from Florida Championship Wrestling from Florida (CWF) was the corporate and brand name of the Tampa, Florida professional wrestling promotion, wrestling office existing from 1961, when Eddie Graham first bought into the promotion, until 1987, when it close ...
and
Georgia Championship Wrestling Georgia Championship Wrestling is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Atlanta, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. The promotion was affiliated with what had been the world's top sanctioning body of championship titles for decades b ...
. Just a few months in his stint in the CWC, he teamed up with
Johnny Valentine John Theodore Wisniski (September 22, 1928 – April 24, 2001), better known by his ring name Johnny Valentine, was an American professional wrestler with a career spanning almost three decades. He has been inducted into four halls of fame ...
to win the WWWF United States Tag Team Championship from the team of the Fabulous Kangaroos (
Al Costello Giacomo Costa (14 December 1919 – 22 January 2000) was an Italian Australian professional wrestler best known by his ring name, Al Costello. Costello was the first professional wrestler to be nicknamed "The Man of a Thousand Holds" because of ...
and
Roy Heffernan Laurence Roy Heffernan (12 July 1925 – 24 September 1992) was an Australian professional wrestler. Roy Heffernan toured all over the world, but is most famous for being one half of the original version of the tag team the Fabulous Kangaroos ( ...
). But due to the confines of the time limit curfew, the title did not change hands. He was best known for his gymnastics in the ring, performing such feats as climbing onto the ropes, performing a back aerial somersault into a roll, then using a handspring to return to his feet and to throw a savate kick to his opponent's midsection. He eventually had to retire due to injuries from his explosive wrestling style. He had his last match in 1975 when he teamed up with Luiz Martinez, to challenge the IWA world tagteam champions The Mongols ( Geeto and
Bolo Mongol William Reid Eadie (born December 27, 1947) is an American retired professional wrestler, best known for performing under the ring names The Masked Superstar and Ax, the latter as part of Demolition. Early life Eadie was born in Brownsville, ...
) for the championship. Apollo and Martinez lost the match and Apollo retired shortly afterwards. He died on 2 August 1984, due to a
heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when Ischemia, blood flow decreases or stops in one of the coronary arteries of the heart, causing infarction (tissue death) to the heart muscle. The most common symptom ...
.


Championships and accomplishments

*All-South Wrestling Alliance **ASWA Georgia Tag Team Championship (1 time, first) - with
Dick Steinborn Richard Steinborn (September 28, 1933 – April 18, 2020) was an American professional wrestler who was best known as Dick Steinborn in various territories including Georgia Championship Wrestling, and World Wrestling Council in Puerto Rico. P ...
*
Championship Wrestling from Florida Championship Wrestling from Florida (CWF) was the corporate and brand name of the Tampa, Florida professional wrestling promotion, wrestling office existing from 1961, when Eddie Graham first bought into the promotion, until 1987, when it close ...
**
NWA Florida Tag Team Championship The NWA Florida Tag Team Championship is the primary tag team title in NWA Florida Underground Wrestling. It started out in 1968 as the main tag team title in Championship Wrestling from Florida Championship Wrestling from Florida (CWF) was ...
(1 time) - with Jose Lothario *
Mid-South Sports Georgia Championship Wrestling is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Atlanta, Georgia. The promotion was affiliated with what had been the world's top sanctioning body of championship titles for decades before, the National W ...
**
NWA Georgia Tag Team Championship The NWA Georgia Tag Team Championship was the top tag team championship (professional wrestling), championship in Georgia Championship Wrestling from 1968 to 1980, when it was replaced with the NWA National Tag Team Championship. The title was r ...
(1 time) - with Dick Steinborn **
NWA Macon Tag Team Championship The NWA Macon Tag Team Championship was a tag team professional wrestling championship in Georgia Championship Wrestling, defended exclusively on events held at the Macon City Auditorium and Macon Coliseum in Macon, Georgia Macon ( ), offi ...
(1 time) - with Tommy Seigler **NWA Southeastern Tag Team Championship (Georgia version) (1 time) - with Roberto Soto *
World Wide Wrestling Federation Capitol Wrestling Corporation (CWC) was an American sports promotion company. Run by Vincent J. McMahon from the 1950s until the 1980s, the company was originally a professional wrestling and boxing promotion and later became the holding company ...
**
WWWF United States Tag Team Championship The WWWF United States Tag Team Championship was the first version of the main tag team title in the World Wide Wrestling Federation from 1963 until 1967. Originally, the WWWF was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance operating out of the N ...
(1 time) - with Don McLarity *World Wide Wrestling Association **WWWA Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with
Bruno Sammartino Bruno Leopoldo Francesco Sammartino (October 6, 1935 – April 18, 2018) was an Italian-American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler. He is best known for his time with the WWE, World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE). Sammartin ...


See also

*
List of premature professional wrestling deaths According to a 2014 study by Eastern Michigan University examining professional wrestlers who were active between 1985 and 2011, mortality rates for professional wrestlers are up to 2.9 times greater than the rate for men in the wider United State ...


References


External links

* 1938 births 1984 deaths Argentine male professional wrestlers Sportspeople from Buenos Aires 20th-century male professional wrestlers NWA Florida Tag Team Champions NWA Macon Tag Team Champions NWA Georgia Tag Team Champions WWWF United States Tag Team Champions {{Prowrestling-bio-stub