Steve DiSalvo
Encyclopedia
Steve DiSalvo is a retired professional wrestler
, best known for his appearances with the WCW
as The Minotaur and his short run in WWF
as Sadistic Steve.
, the man who also had a hand in training future superstars such as Sting and The Ultimate Warrior
. DiSalvo's career has taken him to the United States
, Puerto Rico
and Canada
.
Fighting as Steve Strong in the 1980s, he was a main-event performer in Montreal
-based International Wrestling, managed by Eddie Creatchman
and brawling with the likes of Abdullah the Butcher
(who was managed by Deepak Singh), and Rick Martel
. At a time when Abdullah was destroying his opponents, DiSalvo battered him in a televised match, giving as good as he got.
Moving on to Stampede Wrestling
, he was known as "Strangler" Steve DiSalvo, one of the most hated men in the company's history. Here, he feuded with Phil LaFleur over who had the better physique. DiSalvo would end up smashing a trophy over LaFleur's skull on TV, leading to several matches between the two.
In time though, the Stampede fans would rally behind DiSalvo in his battles against the hated Mahkan Singh
, and when Don Muraco
arrived at Stampede, DiSalvo would help Muraco win the Stampede North American Title from Singh.
DiSalvo moved onto the WWC World Wrestling Council
promotion in Puerto Rico, where he again was known as "Sadistic" Steve Strong. Again, he had bloody brawls with Abdullah the Butcher
, as well as company owner, Carlos Colón. Strong would win the WWC Universal Championship from Colón, only to lose it back to him soon after.
Strong returned to the United States, this time for World Championship Wrestling
, where he was named The Minotaur. He became Steve DiSalvo again and drifted around the independent circuit before retiring.
Steve DiSalvo has also had brief stays with the World Wrestling Federation
, and also in the American Wrestling Association
, where he wrestled as Billy Jack Strong. DiSalvo is now sells homes for a living and is happily retired with no intention of coming back to the wrestling business.
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...
, best known for his appearances with the WCW
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...
as The Minotaur and his short run in WWF
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...
as Sadistic Steve.
Career
DiSalvo was trained by Billy AndersonBilly Anderson
Billy Anderson may refer to:*Billy Anderson , American college and professional football player*Billy Anderson , American bass guitarist and record producer -See also:*William Anderson...
, the man who also had a hand in training future superstars such as Sting and The Ultimate Warrior
Warrior (wrestler)
Also see Warrior .Warrior is an American retired professional wrestler who notably performed under the ring names The Ultimate Warrior and Warrior...
. DiSalvo's career has taken him to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Fighting as Steve Strong in the 1980s, he was a main-event performer in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
-based International Wrestling, managed by Eddie Creatchman
Eddie Creatchman
Eddie Creatchman was a Canadian wrestler-turned-manager who is perhaps most famous for his time in Gino Brito's Montreal based promotion, where he was known as Eddie "The Brain" Creatchman, hated manager of wrestlers such as The Sheik, The Great Samu and Steve Strong.-Professional wrestling...
and brawling with the likes of Abdullah the Butcher
Abdullah the Butcher
Lawrence Robert "Larry" Shreve best known as Abdullah the Butcher, and also at times The Madman from the Sudan, is a semi-retired Canadian professional wrestler known as one of the most brutal or "hardcore" professional wrestlers of all-time...
(who was managed by Deepak Singh), and Rick Martel
Rick Martel
Richard Vigneault is a retired Canadian professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation between 1980 and 1995 under the ring name Rick Martel...
. At a time when Abdullah was destroying his opponents, DiSalvo battered him in a televised match, giving as good as he got.
Moving on to Stampede Wrestling
Stampede Wrestling
Stampede 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...
, he was known as "Strangler" Steve DiSalvo, one of the most hated men in the company's history. Here, he feuded with Phil LaFleur over who had the better physique. DiSalvo would end up smashing a trophy over LaFleur's skull on TV, leading to several matches between the two.
In time though, the Stampede fans would rally behind DiSalvo in his battles against the hated Mahkan Singh
Mike Shaw
Mike Shaw was a professional wrestler who was best known for his stint in World Championship Wrestling as Norman The Lunatic, and as Bastion Booger in the World Wrestling Federation...
, and when Don Muraco
Don Muraco
Donald Muraco , better known by his ring name "The Rock" Don Muraco, is a retired American professional wrestler...
arrived at Stampede, DiSalvo would help Muraco win the Stampede North American Title from Singh.
DiSalvo moved onto the WWC World Wrestling Council
World Wrestling Council
The World Wrestling Council is one of Puerto Rico's two main professional wrestling promotions, the other one being the International Wrestling Association....
promotion in Puerto Rico, where he again was known as "Sadistic" Steve Strong. Again, he had bloody brawls with Abdullah the Butcher
Abdullah the Butcher
Lawrence Robert "Larry" Shreve best known as Abdullah the Butcher, and also at times The Madman from the Sudan, is a semi-retired Canadian professional wrestler known as one of the most brutal or "hardcore" professional wrestlers of all-time...
, as well as company owner, Carlos Colón. Strong would win the WWC Universal Championship from Colón, only to lose it back to him soon after.
Strong returned to the United States, this time for 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...
, where he was named The Minotaur. He became Steve DiSalvo again and drifted around the independent circuit before retiring.
Steve DiSalvo has also had brief stays with the 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...
, and also in the American Wrestling Association
American Wrestling Association
The American Wrestling Association was an American professional wrestling promotion based in Minneapolis, Minnesota that ran from 1960 to 1991. It was owned and founded by Verne Gagne and Wally Karbo...
, where he wrestled as Billy Jack Strong. DiSalvo is now sells homes for a living and is happily retired with no intention of coming back to the wrestling business.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Charging Bull (Spear)
- Piledriver'
Championships and accomplishments
- California Pro Wrestling
- CPW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- CPW Brass Knuckles Championship (2 times)
- 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...
- Stampede North American Heavyweight ChampionshipStampede North American Heavyweight ChampionshipThe Stampede North American Heavyweight Championship is the major title in the Canadian professional wrestling promotion Stampede Wrestling. From its establishment in 1968 until 1972, it was Stampede's secondary singles championship, becoming the top title in 1972 after the previous top...
(1 time)
- World Wrestling CouncilWorld Wrestling CouncilThe World Wrestling Council is one of Puerto Rico's two main professional wrestling promotions, the other one being the International Wrestling Association....
- WWC Universal Heavyweight ChampionshipWWC Universal Heavyweight ChampionshipThe WWC Universal Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship and the top title contested for in the Puerto Rican professional wrestling promotion, the World Wrestling Council. The championship was established in July 1982, as the WWC World Heavyweight...
(1 time) - WWC World Tag Team ChampionshipWWC World Tag Team ChampionshipThe WWC World Tag Team Championship is the tag team title contested for in the Puerto Rican professional wrestling promotion, the World Wrestling Council.-Title history:-External links:***...
(1 time) - with Jason the Terrible
- Other titles
- AWF World Heavyweight Championhip