Domenic DeNucci, a three-time World Wide Wrestling Federation title-belt holder, and longtime resident of New Sewickley Township, personified the American Dream say friends of the Venice, Italy, native who died Thursday at UPMC Passavant Hospital in McCandless Township. He was 89.
As tough as he was in the wrestling ring, he was as nice of a guy out of it, happy to share stories of his decades-long career.
In the 1980s, DeNucci ran the Domenic DeNucci Wrestling Training Professional School from a gym on Fourth Avenue in Freedom, where he mentored future stars Mick Foley, Moondog Spot and five-time world champion Shane Douglas of New Brighton.
Learning of DeNucci's death, World Wrestling Entertainment (formerly the World Wide Wrestling Federation) issued a statement saying he "blazed a trail in wrestling that spanned the globe."
In 2012, he was inducted into the Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame.
Born as Domenico Nucciarone, he took the wrestling surname DeNucci, with his first name often spelled professionally as Dominic.
In 1971, DeNucci paired with fellow Italian immigrant and Pittsburgh "Living Legend" Bruno Sammartino as a tag-team duo that earned the WWWF title belt.
DeNucci would later win the World Tag Team Championship alongside both Victor Rivera and Dino Bravo. He would go on to challenge inaugural Intercontinental Champion Pat Patterson multiple times, the WWE noted in its tribute.
