Tito Presenza, who wrestled in from the mid-1970s into the early 1990s as Tito Senza and Tony Senza, has died. He was 70.
The news was confirmed by his son, Nick Presenza, on Facebook, on October 29:
To my father, 🙏🌹🌹
a true giant with a heart as strong as his arms. You marked the professional wrestling scene, but most of all, you marked my heart with your strength, courage, and passion. Every fight you have fought, in the ring and in life, speaks to the incredible man you were. Today, I carry within me your legacy of strength and determination. Rest in peace, champ. ”
I love you 🌹🙏🙏🌹 29/10/2024
Nino Presenza, born of Italian descent on September 8, 1954, was the brother of two other wrestlers: Giuseppe, aka Joe Ventura/Jos Ventura and Joe Lightfoot; and Antonio Ricco/Tony Rico.
It appears that Nino Presenza started wrestling as early as 1971, but it wasn’t until the mid-’70s that he was an established hand, finding a decent push in Atlantic Grand Prix as “Hollywood Bomb” Nature Boy Nelson. There were appearances for the Grand Prix Wrestling promotion in Montreal that was started by the Vachon brothers.
There were some other tours outside Quebec, including working for “Bearman” Dave McKigney in Ontario and even a few dates at Toronto’s Maple Leaf Gardens, as well as at least one tour of Japan.
However, it’s Montreal’s International Wrestling with which Tony Senza is most associated. The three owners — Frank Valois, Andre the Giant and Gino Brito Sr. — combined their real names into Promotions Varoussac (VAlois, ROUSSimoff, and ACcocella), more commonly known as International Wrestling.
Senza, a bulky 250-pounds or so, was a regular there, though not a top star by any means. He teamed with Tarzan Tyler for a short while. Another team was with Lionel Provost as the Blond Angels.
In a Facebook post, Senza wrote that “C’était la plus belle des époques!” (It was the most beautiful time!) and noted all the fun the wrestlers had on the road.
There was one story he shared, involving manager Eddy Creatchman, Abdullah the Butcher and Dino Bravo: “In Hull we took some beautiful outdoor photos at the island theater with Eddy, Abdullah and Dino and we went to eat opposite at Naples Pizza. When they saw Abby enter, several remained frozen, it was almost impossible for them to see Eddy and Dino eating at the same table!” is the translated version of the story.
Louis “The Farmer” Laurence was paired often with Senza.
“Tito was the heel. He was a little bit bigger than me,” recalled Laurence. “He dyed his hair blond and we do all the time, a thing called, in the language, time killer. I mean, they put us on the card and they all the time ask us to make it 15, 17, 18 minutes, 20 Broadway.”
There were times on spot shows, noted Laurence, that he and Senza might actually main event, since there would be a bigger card at a major city at the same time. Even if they weren’t always victorious on TV, “the wrestling fans in Quebec, they know us,” stressed Laurence.
“Outlaw” Bobby Bass worked with Senza in International Wrestling, just once, but it stands out for Bass. He had won the Junior Heavyweight Championship of Canada from Lionel Robert, and Bass had a tour of Japan scheduled, so knew he should leave the belt behind. Bass pitched to promoter Brito that it should be someone unexpected.
“I said, ‘Let’s pick somebody that they’d never expect,'” recalled Bass. “Tito was in the dressing room. I said, ‘Tito, you’re the new champ.’ He went, ‘What?’ I said, ‘I’m dropping the belt on TV to you.’ He said, ‘No.’ I said, ‘Oh yeah.’ So we went about 15 minutes.”
Bass could still rhyme off the finish: “Headlock. He threw me into the ropes, he dropped down, he hit the ropes. He got up, he turned around me, we had a double knockout. He fell, I fell, and his hand went on the chest, and the referee went 1-2-3. I got up and went nuts, of course, and he was the champ.”
Where Bass only worked with Senza once — to his best recollection — he knew the brothers better, and immediately recalled Tony Ricco’s “fuzzy hair and mustache” and being tag team champions in Vancouver’s All-Star Wrestling with Joe Joe Lightfoot/Joe Ventura.
Senza kept himself in good share and worked a legends leg of an Atlantic Grand Prix tour in 1999, and worked for the ICW promotion run by the Proulx family, and even held the ICW tag team titles in 2004 with Spoiler.
“Kowboy” Mike Hughes was one of those young wrestlers who got to work with Senza/Nelson in the Maritimes in 1999. “We use to call him Nutsack Nelson. Every night he wrestled his balls fell out the side of his tights after first bump,” recalled Hughes. “Crowd would horrified, kids would be laughing. He was a character. Funny guy.”
Senza apparently died of a heart attack. He is survived by his four children.
There will be a memorial service for Tito Senza / Tito Presenza on November 29, 2024, at 1 pm, at 6800 Av. Henri-Julien, Montreal.
