In his day-to-day life, he was known as Adolfo Bresciano, an Italian immigrant in Quebec. When the spotlight was on, he became Dino Bravo, professional wrestler. Dino achieved his greatest success in the late 1980s working with the World Wrestling Federation where he was billed as “Canada’s Strongest Man.”

Dino Bravo retired in 1992. Less than one year later, he was dead. His body was found in his home, sitting in front of a hockey game and riddled with 17 bullets.

Nobody was ever charged with Dino Bravo’s murder, and the precise circumstances regarding his death remain a mystery to this day. However, wrestlers talk. Rumors soon arose that Bravo was killed by the Mafia due to his involvement in a cigarette smuggling ring.

Although there’s no official story regarding Bravo’s death, wrestler and friend Rick Martel gave a detailed description of the events in an interview. After retiring from wrestling, Bravo used his family ties to Montreal mobster Vic Cotroni to make some money.

Bravo leveraged his fame to secure connections with people who wanted to work with a former wrestling champion. He grew more and more successful until he became responsible for a shipment worth hundreds of thousands of dollars which was picked up by the police. His death was mob retaliation for a deal gone bad.

On March 10, 1993, Bresciano was found shot dead.[1] He was 43 years old. He was hit by 17 bullets, 7 to the head and 10 to the torso, while watching hockey in his Vimont, Laval, Quebec home. His alleged role in illegal cigarette smuggling in Canada is popularly believed to have led to his officially unsolved murder.[9] Rick Martel has stated in interviews that because of Bresciano's notoriety from being a popular professional wrestler, he was able to attract many customers (particularly natives), thus crossing the mafia.[10] Right before his death, Bresciano confided to friends that he knew his days were numbered.[11] He was a nephew by marriage of Montreal crime boss Vic Cotroni, and was believed by authorities to be involved in his organization for some time.[12] Bresciano's remains are in a mausoleum at Notre Dame des Neiges Cemetery in Montreal, Quebec.[13]

Growing up in CT, I had the chance to meet some of the Wrestlers back in the day. I remember getting Dino Bravo and Chief Jay Strongbow's autographs when i ran into them at a diner.

There's another old wrestling story about how English wrestler Dynamite Kid nearly ended up in serious trouble with the Montreal Mob.

Kid was a total asshole to everybody backstage, after repeatedly fucking with the Rougeau Brothers apparently they and Dino decided to call in a few friends.

The story goes that Vince McMahon realised what was brewing and managed to iron the issue out. I don't think Dynamite ever fcked with any of those Montreal wrestlers again.