Antonino Rocca

While growing up in the wrestling business in Flint, I followed the action on the East Coast by way of just about every wrestling magazine there was to purchase. The Ring / Wrestling News, Wrestling Revue and five or six others provided me with an insight to the top stars that were appearing at Madison Square Garden.

They also gave me eye opening stories about other venues in many of the cities around the globe. They also pictured the top stars and champions throughout different alliances.

One of the most talked about guys in the mid to late fifties was Antonino "Argentina" Rocca. He was a high flyer born in Italy on April 13, 1921 as Antonino Biasetton. He was involved with soccer and other sports while growing up and turned to professional wrestling at the tender age of 21. He was taught under the guidance of Stanislaus Zbyszko.

He migrated to America during the war years (1942) and became involved with the Midwest Wrestling Association, where he stayed for two years. From 1944 to 1948, he was connected with the American Wrestling Association and wrestled in Ohio and also Montreal.

During 1948-1952, he wrestled under the NWA banner, mostly in Texas, where he had some epic battles with Danny McShain and Dizzy Davis. He was then called to Capitol Wrestling in Washington , D.C., where he stayed on top until 1963. This was a forerunner to the WWWF, the WWF and the current WWE.

During the time he was involved with Capitol Wrestling, he was part of the biggest riot ever at Madison Square Garden in 1957. So huge was it that Life magazine carried the event in their weekly publication. It ended with Dick the Bruiser losing his New York license to wrestle for life and a heavy fine.

It also gave the East Coast a huge boost in attendance in their house shows at major arenas. Many of the pioneers in the business to that point were being brought in to give combat to "Tony" Rocca. Stars like Johnny Valentine, Bob Orton, Buddy Rogers and many more tried their hand at eliminating Rocca. "Tony" made the claim often that he would wrestle until he was 75 and live to be 150.

Rocca and Rogers were the finalists in the first ever International Heavyweight tournament. With a combination of dropkicks, flying head scissors and other aerial moves ... Rocca became the first ever International Champion, much to Buddy Rogers’ dislike. They would sell out venues for the next two years trying to outdo each other. Buddy even hired Bobby Davis to help beat Rocca, but that never happened, and the title was retired when Capitol Sports became the WWWF.

Rocca teamed up with Miguel Perez, and they became the tag team champions. They sold out the Gardens many times and were so well accepted that they were carried to the ring by excited fans almost every night they competed.

In the late 60's, Rocca went to Japan and beat almost every top star that was on their agenda. From 1973 to 1976, Tony went to Puerto Rico and again teamed with Miguel Perez. They packed arenas every time their names were on the marquee.

On February 25, 1977, in his last days, Rocca made an appearance with World Wide Wrestling Federation, officiating a boxing match between Gorilla Monsoon and André the Giant at the famed Madison Square Garden.

On March 15, 1977, due to a urinary tract infection, Antonino Biasetton went to that big ring in the sky just a month short of his 56th birthday.

Tony, you were an inspiration to the high flyers of today's wrestling. You taught the world to love life at its fullest. You were an aficionado of the opera and good friends with a lot of people. You opened doors up to a lot of different nationalities to come to MSG and perform. Mostly, you were one of my original Supermen that made me want to become what I did.

Rest in peace, Antonino "Argentina Rocca" Biasetton.

Percival A. Friend, Retired
The Epitome of Wrestling Managers

2003 BWC Hall of Fame Inductee
2004 CAC Hall of Fame Inductee
2006 LWA Hall of Fame Inductee
2007 TCCW Hall of Fame Honoree