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Stephen Cepello

b. 1949

American artist, professional wrestler

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About Stephen Cepello

Born 1949. Stephen Cepello is an American artist and professional wrestler.

Professional wrestling career Strong began wrestling in 1973, competing for Stu Hart's Stampede Wrestling promotion. until June 1977, and the promotion held tournaments to determine the new champions when the titles were revived in July 1977. Strong competed for the NWA Hawaii Heavyweight Championship and advanced to the final round of the tournament before losing to Bill Francis. On July 28, Strong teamed with Ventura to win the tag team championship. They held the belts until November, when they dropped them to John Tolos and Bill Francis. He has also appeared in several movies. In 1981, he played Ivory King in Tarzan, The Ape Man. That year, he also had a role in Looker, which was directed by Michael Crichton. In 1985, Strong appeared in Grunt! The Wrestling Movie, portraying a character known as The Mask.

Cepello has painted two portraits of former tag team partner and Governor of Minnesota Jesse Ventura. One, which was painted for the Governor's Mansion, shows Ventura riding a horse while holding an American flag. The other, a portrait of Ventura resting his hand on Musée Rodin's The Thinker, is displayed in the Minnesota State Capitol. The latter picture has been the subject of scrutiny, as Cepello stated before the unveiling that it would contain a reference to Ventura's wrestling career. Some viewers have stated that they see the letters WWF, a reference to the World Wrestling Federation, hidden in the folds of Ventura's sleeve, while others believe that Ventura's tie contains a hidden face.

He has also done commercial artwork, which has including the logo for Dave Draper's Bomber Blend whey protein. While living in Hawaii, he also painted and sold seascape paintings. NWA Hawaii Tag Team Championship (3 times) – with Jesse Ventura (1 time), Chris Markoff (1 time), and John Tolos (1 time)

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Important facts

People in Stephen Cepello's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Stephen Cepello's

Frequently asked questions

Who is Stephen Cepello?

American artist, professional wrestler

When was Stephen Cepello born?

Stephen Cepello was born on 29 June 1949 in Arizona.

What is Stephen Cepello's occupation?

Stephen Cepello is an artist and professional wrestler.

What nationality is Stephen Cepello?

Stephen Cepello is American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Stephen Cepello

· Wikidata: Q7608875

· DBpedia: Stephen Cepello

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Stephen Cepello. https://biography.guide/stephen-cepello/

MLA: "Stephen Cepello." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/stephen-cepello/.

Chicago: "Stephen Cepello." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/stephen-cepello/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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