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Two Reigns 1978-1979
Dino Bravo would be the first Canadian Heavyweight champion in the area since the 50's and would prove to be a good choice as the inaugural champion when the Canadian title was introduced in Dec 1978.
Big matches while champ would include wins over AWA World champ Nick Bockwinkel (via dq), and Ric Flair. Bravo would also find time to form a popular team with Ricky Steamboat and the two would earn a win over Flair and his partner Greg Valentine at MLG.
Title defenses in bold
12/17/78 Toronto: Dino Bravo w Gene Kiniski to win the title
12/18/78 New York, NY: Ivan Koloff/Victor Rivera/Lumberjack Pierre w Dino Bravo/Domenic Denucci/Dusty Rhodes
01/11/79 Palmyra, VA: Dino Bravo vs Greg Valentine
01/12/79 Charleston, SC: Dino Bravo w Greg Valentine
01/13/79 Spartanburg, SC: Dino Bravo/Tony Atlas w Ken Patera/Paul Jones
01/14/79 Toronto: Dino Bravo w/dq Nick Bockwinkel (AWA Title)
...In another title bout, Canadian champion Dino Bravo won by disqualification over American Wrestling Alliance champ Nick Bockwinkel but Bravo can't claim the title because a title can't change hands on a disqualification.
01/16/79 Columbia, SC: Canadian Champion Dino Bravo vs Greg Valentine
01/19/79 Richmond: Dino Bravo w Greg Valentine
01/20/79 Spartanburg: Canadian Champion Dino Bravo vs Ric Flair
01/23/79 Raleigh, NC: Dino Bravo vs Gene Anderson
01/25/79 Norfolk, VA: Dino Bravo w Gene Anderson
01/28/79 Charlotte, NC: Dino Bravo w Greg Valentine
01/28/79 Greensboro, NC: Dino Bravo/Tony Atlas w Ken Patera/John Studd
01/30/79 Angier, NC: Dino Bravo/Tony Atlas w Ken Patera/John Studd
02/01/79 Norfolk, VA: Dino Bravo w Moose Morowski
02/03/79 Spartanburg: Dino Bravo/Rufus Jones ddq Ric Flair/John Studd
02/04/79 Toronto: Dino Bravo w Ric Flair
02/08/79 Winston-Salem, NC: Ric Flair/Paul Jones vs Ricky Steamboat/Dino Bravo
02/09/79 Richmond: Dino Bravo vs Ken Patera (for Patera's M-A Title)
02/11/79 Charlotte, NC: Dino Bravo w John Studd
02/11/79 Greensboro, NC: Dino Bravo/Rufus R. Jones w Moose Morowski/Gene Anderson
02/13/79 Raleigh, NC: Dino Bravo beat Mid Atlantic Champion Ken Patera dq
02/17/79 Hampton, VA: Dino Bravo w Kim Duk
02/17/79 AIRDATE-TORONTO TV: Dino Bravo/Tiger Jeet Singh W Brian Mackney/Joe Marcus
02/18/79 Richmond, VA: Dino Bravo w Ric Flair
02/19/79 Fayetteville, NC: Mid Atlantic Champion Ken Patera vs Dino Bravo
02/20/79 Columbia, SC: Paul Jones/Baron Von Raschke w Dino Bravo/Ricky Steamboat
02/26/79 Greenville, SC: Dino Bravo w Ric Flair
02/27/79 Columbia, SC: Canadian Champion Dino Bravo vs Baron Von Raschke
??/??/79 MID ATLANTIC TV: Dino Bravo w Len Denton
Bravo is introduced as Canadian Champion and appears with the belt
03/03/79 Charlotte: Dino Bravo vs Paul Jones (for Jones NWA TV Title)
03/04/79 Richmond, VA: Dino Bravo w Ric Flair
03/04/79 Toronto: Dino Bravo/Ricky Steamboat w Ric Flair/Greg Valentine
Ricky Steamboat and Dino Bravo defeated Ric (Nature Boy) Flair and Greg Valentine in the feature tag-team bout last night at Maple Leaf Gardens. The referee disqualified Flair for throwing Bravo over the top rope at 30:17 of their one-fall match
03/06/79 Raleigh, NC: Dino Bravo w Moose Morowski
03/08/79 Norfolk, VA: Ernie Ladd/Baron Von Raschke w Tony Atlas/Dino Bravo
03/09/79 Charleston, SC: Mid Atlantic Champion Ken Patera vs Dino Bravo
03/10/79 Savannah, GA: Dino Bravo w Ric Flair
03/12/79 Greenville, SC: Ric Flair/Ernie Ladd w Dino Bravo/Ricky Steamboat
03/19/79 Fayetteville, NC: Ric Flair vs Dino Bravo
03/20/79 Columbia, SC: Dino Bravo w Gene Anderson
03/23/79 Lynchburg, VA: Dino Bravo w/dq NWA TV Champion Paul Jones
03/24/79 Savannah: Ric Flair/Paul Jones w Dino Bravo/Ricky Steamboat
03/25/79 Toronto: Greg Valentine w/dq Dino Bravo
03/26/79 Greenville, SC: Mid Atlantic Champion Ken Patera w Dino Bravo
03/27/79 Columbia, SC: Dino Bravo w/dq NWA TV Champion Paul Jones
03/29/79 Norfolk, VA: Dino Bravo w Ric Flair
03/30/79 Charleston, SC: NWA TV Champion Paul Jones vs Dino Bravo
03/31/79 Spartanburg, SC: Ricky Steamboat/Dino Bravo w Ric Flair/Paul Jones
03/31/79 Charlotte, NC: Dino Bravo w Ric Flair
04/02/79 Fayetteville, NC: NWA TV Champion Paul Jones vs Dino Bravo
04/03/79 Raleigh, NC: Ken Patera w/cor Dino Bravo
04/08/79 Toronto: Greg Valentine w Dino Bravo -to win title
2nd Reign
06/03/79 Toronto: Dino Bravo w Greg Valentine -to win the title
06/04/79 Fayetteville, NC: Dino Bravo w Ernie Ladd
06/05/79 Columbia, SC: Mid Atlantic Champion Ken Patera w Dino Bravo
06/12/79 Raleigh, NC: Mid Atlantic Champion Ken Patera vs Dino Bravo
06/17/79 Greensboro: Dino Bravo w/dq Mid Atlantic Champion Ken Patera
06/23/79 Winston-Salem, NC: Mid Atlantic Champion Ken Patera vs Dino Bravo
06/24/79 Toronto: Dino Bravo w/dq Ric Flair
07/07/79 Hampton: Ken Patera w Dino Bravo
07/08/79 Roanoke, VA: Dino Bravo w/dq Mid Atlantic Champion Ken Patera
07/10/79 Fisherville, VA: Mid Atlantic Champion Ken Patera vs Dino Bravo
07/15/79 Toronto : Dino Bravo d/dq Ken Patera
Dino Bravo and Ken Patera were both disqualified by referee Terry Yorkston at 19:36 of their one-fall match. Bothe wrestlers went wild and ignored the referee when told to break holds
07/19/79 Oshawa, ON: Dino Bravo/Bob Backlund w/dq Ken Patera/Greg Valentine
07/21/79 Winston-Salem, NC: Mid Atlantic Champion Ken Patera vs Dino Bravo
07/29/79 Savannah, GA: Mid Atlantic Champion Ken Patera w Dino Bravo
07/30/79 Forest City, NC: Dino Bravo vs Ernie Ladd
07/31/79 Harrisonburg, VA: Canadian Champion Dino Bravo vs Ernie Ladd
08/04/79 Winston-Salem, NC: Dino Bravo vs Jimmy Snuka
Bravo missed a 08/06/79 Fayetteville, NC show
NWA Tag Team Champions Paul Jones/Baron Von Raschke w Johnny Weaver (sub Dino Bravo)/Ricky Steamboat
After missing the Aug 19 Toronto show, Bravo would be stripped of the title
Bravo would set the trend for the Canadian Title holder to appear through-out the Carolinas region while champion. In many of the matches outside the area Bravo was billed as Cdn. champ and wore the belt to the ring.
If you can add to this record please contact me
*With assistance from Gary Will, Jim Zordani, Mark Eastridge
  
Bravo with belt pics courtesy G. Henderson coll
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