Quick Facts
LeoBiography
Anthony Durante (July 26, 1967 – September 25, 2003) was a professional wrestler best known as "Pitbull #2" as one half of the tag team The Pitbulls, with "Pitbull #1" Gary Wolfe.
Early life
Durante grew up in Hammonton, New Jersey.
Career
World Wrestling Federation
Durante got his start in the WWF in 1989, competing as a jobber under his real name (Tony Durante). Durante would face WWF stars such as Rick Rude, the then-Intercontinental Champion The Honky Tonk Man, and The Barbarian. He, along with tag team partner Gary Wolfe (then going by Gary Wolf) also tag-teammed against The Hart Foundation and The Fabulous Rougeau Brothers on the WWF's weekend show "Superstars". Typically Durante's matches in the WWF were squash matches, lasting three minutes or less.
Extreme Championship Wrestling
Durante was best known as being one half of the tag team The Pitbulls in ECW, along with Pitbull #1, Gary Wolfe. The Pitbulls won the ECW World Tag Team Championship on September 16, 1995 from Raven and Stevie Richards after interference from their manager, Francine.
On May 11, 1996, at A Matter of Respect, Durante faced off against Raven in a losing effort for the ECW World Championship, in a match that also involved The Sandman.
On June 1, 1996, at Fight the Power, Durante defeated Shane Douglas to win the ECW World Television Championship. He would shortly lose the title to Chris Jericho in a match at Hardcore Heaven on June 22, 1996.
On April 13, 1997, at the first ECW pay-per-view, Barely Legal, Durante faced Shane Douglas in a losing effort for the ECW World Television Championship.
Jersey All Pro Wrestling
The first JAPW Heavyweight Champion was Joe Rules, who won the title on October 31, 1997. He eliminated Durante in a 20-man battle royal to become the champion. But later in the evening Durante would defeat Joe Rules for the title. His reign would last until December 5, 1997 when he would be stripped due to injury.
Death
Durante died on September 25, 2003 along with his girlfriend, Dianna Hulsey, both from heart attack. He and his girlfriend were found after lying in their home dead for days, all while their two small children, a 21-month-old boy and 8-month-old girl, were apparently alone in the house among the bodies.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Superbomb
- Managers
- Francine
- Achim Albrecht
- Terri Runnels
- Rick Rude
- Jason Knight
- Tod Gordon
- Robert Fuller
- Entrance Themes
- "Thunder Kiss '65" by White Zombie
Championships and accomplishments
- Allied Powers Wrestling Federation
- APWF Tag Team Championship (1 Time) - with Pitbull #1
- Catch Wrestling Association
- CWA World Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Larry Cameron
- Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre
- Occidental Tag Team Championship (1 Time)
- Extreme Championship Wrestling
- ECW World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Pitbull #1
- ECW World Television Championship (1 time)
- Hardcore Hall of Fame (2014)
- Grande Wrestling Alliance
- GWA Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Pitbull #1
- High Risk Championship Wrestling
- HRCW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Pitbull #1
- Jersey All Pro Wrestling
- JAPW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation
- MEWF Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- National Wrestling Alliance
- NWA United States Tag Team Championship (New Jersey version) (2 Times) - with Pitbull #1
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- PWI ranked him # 76 of the 500 best singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 1997
- http://www.cagematch.de/?id=2&nr=757&view=erfolge#erfolge
- http://wrestlingdata.com/index.php?befehl=tagteams&team=2152
- Johnson, Vaughn (June 12, 2014). "Shane Douglas, The Blue Meanie among newest inductees into ECW Arena Hall of Fame". www.philly.com. Retrieved 12 October 2014.