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Mario Bulfone (15 May 1935 – 9 December 2016), better known by his ring name Mario Milano, was a professional wrestler. Milano got his start in wrestling in Venezuela and later competed in Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, South Africa, Mexico and North America. The Daily Telegraph
With Jackie Fargo, he won his first championship, the Mid-America version of the NWA Southern Tag Team Championship, on 5 November 1963. After holding the title belts for one month, they dropped them to Tojo Yamamoto and Ivan Malenkov but regained them later in December 1963 when Malenkov left the territory and was a no-show at the title defense.
On 2 March 1965, Milano again teamed with Fargo to win the Mid-America version of the NWA World Tag Team Championship. He also teamed with Len Rossi to win the Mid-America version of the NWA Southern Tag Team Championship six times - in total, he won that title nine times.
He used the Atomic Drop as a finisher, and did an angle where he used it on a 400-pound (180 kg) wrestler.
In 2008 Mario appeared on Australian TV for International Wrestling Australia (IWA) on their series Main Event Wrestling on the Aurora Community Channel. He featured in 6 shows in an angle with resident heel champion Mark Mercedes.
Milano also appears in Roy Slaven's South Coast News series, set in the NSW South Coast town of Ulladulla, as the proprietor of the Bluebird Cafe and the captain/coach of the local A-Grade cricket team.Slaven, R. (1990), 'This is the South Coast News and I'm Paul Murphy: Volume II', Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Australia
Milano made a live appearance on Saturday 14 May 2011 for Melbourne-based promotion Professional Championship Wrestling.
Australia
In 1967, Milano was offered a three-month stint wrestling in Australia for promoter Jim Barnett. His stay was then extended, after which he was offered a contract and moved to Australia permanently. Wrestling in the Australian World Championship Wrestling promotion, he teamed with Red Bastien to win the IWA World Tag Team Championship three times that year. He also had two reigns in 1967 as IWA World Heavyweight Champion after defeating Killer Kowalski and Ripper Collins.
WWWF
In 1970 Milano wrestled for the World Wide Wrestling Federation in the Northeast (New York) territory where he was a babyface. Feuding with Eric the Red and Professor Toru Tanaka. He only stayed with the company for a year.
Japan
Bulfone wrestled for All Japan Pro Wrestling on tours in 1975 to 1985 after World Championship Wrestling shut down.
Death
Bulfone died on 13 December 2016 at the age of 81.
Personal life
Mario Bulfone was born in Trieste, Italy and later in 1948 moved to Venezuela. He lived in Australia at the time of his death. Bulfone had five children.
Championships and accomplishments
(2025). 9780969816157, Archeus Communications. ISBN 9780969816157
In film
Mario Milano appeared as the Russian muscleman in Chang Cheh's The Boxer From Shantung in 1972.
External links
Categories: 1935 Births, 2016 Deaths, Italian Emigrants To Australia, Sportspeople From Trieste, Professional Wrestlers From Melbourne, Sportsmen From Victoria, Australian Male Professional Wrestlers, Italian Male Professional Wrestlers, Australian Male Actors, Italian Male Actors, 20th-century Male Professional Wrestlers, Nwa Austra-asian Heavyweight Champions, Nwa Austra-asian Tag Team Champions, Iwa World Heavyweight Champions, Iwa World Tag Team Champions, World Brass Knuckles Champions, 20th-century Australian Sportsmen, 20th-century Italian Sportsmen
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