Jumbo Baretta, a powerhouse who appeared in WCW and WWF between the 80s and 90s, has passed away. While an exact birth date isn’t known, records show that he was 58 or 59 years old.
Baretta, real name Julio Barrera, had his passing announced by the Cauliflower Alley Club on Sunday afternoon.
Rest in Peace, My Friend Jumbo Beretta.
This one truly hurts. I am deeply saddened by the passing of Jumbo, a good friend whom I was honored and privileged to know for nearly 40 years. I send my sincerest condolences to his family and friends. Rest in peace old friend. pic.twitter.com/3gJyxfZnyN
— Cauliflower Alley Club (@CACReunion) October 25, 2026
“I am deeply saddened by the passing of Jumbo, a good friend whom, I was honored and privileged of knowing for nearly 40 years. I send my sincerest condolences to his family and friends. Rest in peace old friend.”
Born in Tampa, Florida, Baretta got his start in the mid-80s, getting trained by Boris Malenko. He pursued a career in professional wrestling shortly after becoming an accomplished amateur wrestler, winning back-to-back state titles for Hillsborough High School.
Training under the watch of Malenko, Baretta latched onto wrestling quickly. “I was only supposed to come in twice a week,” he told the Tampa Bay Times in 1993. “But I came in all the time.”
Early years in his career saw him work spots in Florida and Puerto Rico.
By 1989, Baretta started appearing on WCW programming, standing across from talents like Sting, The Road Warriors, and The Midnight Express. He also put together numerous tours in Japan during this time period.
Baretta would have a short WWF stint in 1995, appearing once on Monday Night Raw and also on the Wrestling Challenge. He would make sporadic in-ring appearances through the 2000s and early 2010s.
After a career in wrestling, Baretta spent over three decades working for the city of Tampa’s Parks and Recreation.
