In two reigns, one with Jimmy and one with Jerry, he was Tag Team Champion for a total of 600 days. Steve Reeves was the first bodybuilder to put . In 1978 DeNucci enjoyed his second reign with Dino Bravo as his partner, and they held the belt for 104 days. One of his trademarks was to cut his opponents' face with a pencil hidden in his outfit. His moves are limited to swats, chops and awkward slams. He eventually big-splashed his way to co-holding the WWWF Tag Team titles. The 1974 PWI Rookie of the year was trained and introduced to the WWWF by Bruno Sammartino. Are you sure you want to delete your score and checked items on this list? I could not even French press a 5-pound dumbbell.". Paul Bunyan had to seem as unreal as the lumberjack from American folklore from who he took his ring name. With his famous headbutt and his piledriver, he became a seven-time WWWF United States Championship from 1963 to 1971, when the title was deactivated. Even today, there are wrestlers who wont dare try the now 75-year-old Jerry. He was a top draw in Australia and in Europe when he headed to America to join the company. It was Big Daddy who served as his biggest rival. This site uses third party cookies for analytics and advertising. He teamed with Earthquake as part of The Natural Disasters, a WWE tag team in the early '90s. Norton signed a developmental deal at age 26, but apparently WWE officials didn't see enough from the 7'0'' giant. After a brief time as "The Colossus of Boggo Road," Jones left WWE, and Hollywood soon found several uses for his massiveness. He teamed early in his career with fellow Texan, the late Dick Murdoch, and, for more than 20 . Despite his size, Silva compiled a less-than-stellar record of 2-6. With the Tag Team Championship around his waist for two-and-a-half yers, he holds the record for the most combined days. With a body that looks capable of no more than stumbling around, Baba dropkicked, headlocked and chopped his opponents in his more than 3,000 matches. Giant Baba became one of the key figures in all of Japanese wrestling. Karloff Largarde - World & National Champion. Brian Norton wrestled in his home country as Tron. Kane, like his storyline brother, is so skilled and deft in the ring that one can sometimes forget how big he is. He, like Giant Baba, started out under the tutelage of Rikidozan and perhaps is best known for his greatest gift to wrestling - starting New Japan. In addition, he accomplished the unthinkable when he ended Sammartino's seven-year reign. Kurt Zehe made men look like boys when he stood next to them. * Continued to exist after the National Wrestling Alliance was founded in 1948. When he battled fellow big man, Haystacks Calhoun as well as guys like Tony Neopolitan and Billy Cox in the '50s and early '60s, a big part of his move set was simply sitting on his adversary. It seems that if there is a lack of ideas for a large wrestler, he is inevitably dressed in overalls and asked to play an oversized country bumpkin. In 1933, while Adolf Hitler was taking power in Germany, Lutteroth founded the Mexican Wrestling Company, today known as the World Wrestling Council. Click here to watch Andre The Giant winning a battle royal in the mid-70s. Man of the West (1958) A reformed outlaw becomes stranded after an aborted train robbery with two other passengers and is forced to rejoin his old outlaw band. Here is a smattering of pro wrestlers from that era. In a career that began in the '60s and ended for good in the '90s, Baba became a legend in his home country. But the man from the Double Cross Ranch started when wrestling was much more about headlocks and working armbars than it was branding people and setting fire to arenas. Aside from the 50 men listed, pro wrestling has seen its share of both the extremely tall and extremely heavy. This cannot be undone. In the late '50s and in the whole '60s, he never stayed in the same territory very long because his presence often overshadowed the various World Championship promotion matches. Just two months after arriving in WWE, he was fighting for the world title. It wouldn't be before long that he too had a career that turned him into his own mythic legend. Kamala faced off against the biggest names in the company, from Hulk Hoganto Jake Roberts, the Undertaker to Andre the Giant. Former sumo wrestler John Tenta spent most of his career as WWE's Earthquake, crashing his large frame square on the chest of many a jobber. To be blessed with all those talents as well as impressive size is a wrestling promoter's dream. He built his reputation with a hardcore side that disappeared in the early '80s due to health issues. If his nine-day reign was short, Stasiak can at least say he was one of the only six WWWF champions of the '70s and to have been a top heel of his time. However, on many occasions, he was caught at his own game, and it ended in a bloodbath after his rival returned the illegal object against him. The latest in the sports world, emailed daily. This enormous man performed for WWE, WCCW and AWA in a career that began in 1985 and ended only a few years later. Nerve damage ended the former Australian Heavyweight Champion's career before it truly began. and the fake Diesel, WWE found the perfect fit for Glenn Jacobs. Jones certainly had Undertaker's size and an impressive physique, but never did much more than tread water with the company. Also, you can track what you've seen, want to see, like, or dislike, as well as track individual seasons or episodes of shows. He is even credited as the inventor of the figure-four leglock. Happy Humphrey was the size of several men. Then, in June 1971, he and Tarzan Tyler became the inaugural WWWF World Tag Team Champions. Once fans figured out that Khali's wrestling skills were on the level of Giant Gonzalez's, interest began to taper off. However, he was not alone and this top 25 is the proof. However, at the end of the decade, he could not get rid of his "Sammartino's Protg" label, and he turned heel, to eventually leave in 1981. Wrestlers in the 6 . Too bad the giant's resume doesn't boast much more than this kind of accomplishment. The Original Sheik portrayed a rich and brutal Syrian who brought a new level of violence in pro wrestling. A standout in the National Wrestling Alliance during the 1970s, McDaniel held his own with some of the best workers of his era, from Superstar Billy Graham and Ivan Koloff to Johnny Valentine and. The former NWA World Champion Jack and the former Stooge Jerry both began in the late '60s and had careers that spanned decades, including winning the NWA Tag Team Championship several times during their career. Famous Americans Who Wrestled. Australian powerlifter Nathan Jones charged onto the WWE scene as The Undertaker's right-hand man. The man known as Killer Kowalski Jr. was even bigger, a good two inches taller. He certainly had the size to make it. When he tag-teamed with The Sheik of Araby and took on the big, bad Lisowski brothers, he was my hero. In a familiar story for men his size, Jorge Gonzalez's height was both his greatest asset and biggest weakness. The Top Ranked Pro Wrestlers of the 1950s The woman known as Aloisia during her run in WWE's NXT is young and being able to make Chyna look small is a unique gift. His weight fluctuated throughout his career. He flies through the air like a much smaller man. He started out in his native France as Geant Ferre, a play on a French folk hero. 1 Lou Thesz 2 Karl Gotch 3 Sailor Art Thomas 4 Brute Bernard 5 Judy Grable 6 Chief Don Eagle 7 Johnny Valentine 8 Primo Carnera 9 El Santo 10 "Killer" Buddy Austin 11 Mark Lewin 12 The Great Bolo 13 "Butcher" Vachon 14 Wilbur Snyder 15 "Mad Dog" Vachon 16 Ray Gunkel 17 Sputnik Monroa 18 "Wild" Red Berry 19 Mildred Burke 20 The Sicilians 21 He spent a good chunk of the '70s and '80s delivering gigantic leg drops to foes in Memphis, AWA and eventually WWE stars like Roddy Piper and Adrian Adonis. No matter where he wrestled, Koloff generated heat like no other with his Russian gimmick, all that right in the middle of the Cold War. In the process, I discovered countless wrestlers I hadn't heard about or I didn't really know. Most of the wrestlers didn't even have the physiques or follow the diet and workout regimen that many athletes follow today. Ray Stevens. Bruno Sammartino is the greatest 70's wrestler of all time. Danny Hodge - World Champion, Challengers (listed alphabetically): Previous Decade > Next Decade . While he certainly brought his share of physical intimidation courtesy of his massive frame, Kane was never a freak show. Fans were enthralled by him, curious to watch a man his size and perhaps were pulled in by his larger-than-life aura. They experimented with a few gimmicks for him, including the poorly conceived Sultan, who resided in mid-card status. Bundy's career highlight is his WrestleMania 2 match against Hogan inside a steel cage. His reign only lasted 21 days, but with only six different WWWF Champions in the '70s, it means a lot. Judging by looks alone, few fans would peg Vader for an athlete. He started out in his native France as Geant Ferre, a play on a French folk hero. In 1971, he and Bruno Sammartino put the hand on the short-lived WWWF International Tag Team Championship, a secondary Title. Mike Shaw later used the ring name Man Mountain Mike, though he was nowhere near as large as Fletcher. It's normal because he was like the main attraction for all those years. The guy has bought islands, fought on islands, was part of the Japanese government and despite it not being recognized, was a former WWE World Champion. Vicious in contrast, became a world champion several times over. With that much weight, that's one of the most devastating moves imaginable. He can also brag to. Click here to watch a classic match from the mid-70s between Spiros Arion and Bruno Sammartino. He routinely performed moonsaults and corner slingshot splashes, aka Vader Bombs. For some, it was obvious because there's a lot offootage available, but for some others, very little stuff could be found. Pro wrestling has been home to its share of giants, enormous men who forced our necks to tilt upward and rings to strain. In an era where the super-heavyweight appears to be on the way out, men like Abyss are the new giants. Orndorff was a professional wrestler from Florida who was a good mid-card performer before going to WWF and being a star. Together this dynamic trio keep law and order in small town of Wileyville, Arizona. Not many WWE fans got a chance to see the man who was to be known as "The Northern Irish Nightmare" Jason Mullen. Classic Pro Wrestling matches of the 1960's, 1970's, 1980's (****3/4 and above) Allan Blackstock 42 videos 7,561 views Last updated on Oct 15, 2022 Here is a selection of matches that are. My 4 Favorite 1950s Wrestlers Looking back on all these years, these four pro wrestlers were my favorite stars. The man known then as "The Giant," became a mammoth-sized part of WCW in 1995 and immediately drew comparisons to Andre the Giant. Al hacer clic en el botn Aceptar, acepta el uso de estas tecnologas y el procesamiento de tus datos para estos propsitos. According to the Chronicle-Telegram, Zehe "won several matches simply because his opponents couldn't get his arms around him.". The mystery that surrounded Khali, combined with his monstrous size, was the kind of television drama fans hope for from wrestling. When his three-year reign ended in 1977, Sammartino established an unbeatable record of 11 years as the reigning WWWF Champion. Scars line his arms. Kevin Nash has rolled back the years as of late, putting himself in fantastic shape. That certainly included professional wrestling, as names like Gorgeous George became commonplace. In 1994, Bundy returned from a long hiatus, only to become The Undertaker's fourth victim during his famed WrestleMania undefeated streak. Sheamus, John Cena and Josh Mathews combined don't quite weigh as much as Humphrey did during his career. Monsoon lost the match, but he once again proved he could hold his own against the largest wrestlers in the business at the time, being himself a 6'5", 400-pounder. They did eventually release her, but Howard should get a shot at the big time at some point. Zbyszko slowly climbed the ladder in singles competition until he won the WWWF Tag Team Championship along with Tony Garea, for a 105-day reign. 1. From 1963 to 1971, the man held the WWWF Championship for an astonishing first reign of 2,803 days. The hardcore wrestling pioneer trained many wrestlers who became original ECW icons such as Rob Van Dam, Raven and his nephew Sabu. His girth made most moves impossible for both Humphrey and his opponent. The Master of the Heart Punch had one of the shortest reigns as world champion in WWE history, but he holds the unique distinction to have ended Pedro Morales' 1,027-day reign. After his face run, he ended his stint with WWWF as a heel, but it was not before earning the 1975 PWI Match of the Year award against Bruno Sammartino and to win a long feud against Jay Strongbow. Graham also managed to put the hand on the short-lived WWF International Tag Team Championship. Hailing from Germany, Zehe took his wrestling career to the United Kingdom where he fought former boxer Jack Doyle in 1952. He is an actor, known for WWE: OMG! Baba s famous steak & lemonade menu Golden age of old Mexican wrestlers Related: Every Wrestler To Body Slam Andre The Giant. Bruno Sammartino is one of the most famous and popular faces ever to wrestle for the McMahon machine. With wrestlers not wrestling exclusively for one promotion, Andre became the most popular wrestler of the decade. So far, the leader of Legado del Fantasma has defended the championship four times: a couple of times against Isaiah Swerve Scott, against Jake Atlas and just a few days ago against the also Mexican Gran Metalik. He looks more like a truck driver. He gave us classics against Bret Hart and Taz. Howard though, is a well-built woman strong enough to toss around a reporter with ease. ", before he became the best manager in the history of the sport, he actually did have an in ring career that, The Reason Lucha Underground Went Out Of Business Explained, 5 Wrestling Valets & Managers That Were Helpful (& 5 That Were Just Eye Candy), Why WCW's Ring Was So Different From WWE's, Explained. Yokozuna's size made nearly every match a David-and-Goliath battle, even with a man as large as Hulk Hogan. * Continued to exist after the National Wrestling Alliance was founded in 1948. He crushed foes by landing his near-400 lb frame on them, sailor stripes and all. A former NWA and ECW World Champion, and a violent hardcore wrestler. Possessing an impressive blend of power and speed, Rikishi spent a good part of two decades entertaining WWE fans. In fact, he was more than a pro wrestling top draw; he was, with his size, an attraction wherever he went. var vclk_options = { sid: 11669, placement_id: 'faf683dc-a8b9-443c-316a-9c22984f3fe6', version: '1.4' }; This web site exists to provide the information on professional wrestling and is neither affiliated nor endorsed by any pro-wrestling organization. In real life, he was Max Palmer, an actor and evangelist born in small-town Mississippi. Click here to watch Monsoon taking on the wrestler who later became the legendary manager Captain Lou Albano; you can also click here to watch some vintage moments, the Muhammad Ali-Gorilla Monsoon incident and Vince McMahon Jr. leading an interview in 1977. Afterwards, he worked for Gallo Wine as a distributor. Monsoon battled Andre the Giant, Bruno Sammartino and at one point even had an infamousaltercation with Muhammad Ali. After some forgettable gimmicks in Isaac Yankem D.D.S. Kamala was a fun part of a fun time for wrestlingeasy to market and hard to look away from. Titanes also had a cheating referee Hctor Oscar Brea as William Boo. Despitehis walrus-like physique, Vader was very agile in the ring. With his rising popularity, he eventually won the WWWF Tag Team Championship on two occasions. Even when he was Paul Wight, he was taller than most everyone else. He didn't fail to bring his aggressive style with him when he joined the WWWF in the mid-60s. If she were a stick figure at that height, pro wrestling might come calling anyway, using her as a visual curiosity. He was billed as being over 600 lbs. When he left New Zealand after he signed with the WWWF in 1972, he quickly became a big star, earning the 1973 PWI Rookie of the Year. Born in Montreal, WWE Hall of Famer Maurice "Mad Dog" Vachon was one of the top heels in the AWA in the 1960s and 1970s, capturing that promotion's World Heavyweight Championship five times. 10 Wrestlers Who Tragically Died In The Ring. Vader was once known as Baby Bull or Little Bull though there was nothing little about him. This was a time when bodybuilding was not only raw, but also rare and these were the pioneers of bodybuilding. I found no WWWF footage of The Sheik, but you can click here to see the hardcore legend in action against Dusty Rhodes in the '70s; or, if you're curious, click here for a match between him and Chief White Eagle in the late '50s or early '60s. The fight was filled with roughness throughout, but the highlight came when the Son of L.A. Park sealed the fight with a brutal spear on Marshall. His finishing move, like many men of his size, uses his weight as a weapon, splashing down on a fallen foe for a victory. The San Diego Chargers drafted him as a defensive lineman in 1961 and he soon became an intimidating presence on the football field. var vclk_options = { sid: 11669, placement_id: 'faf683dc-a8b9-443c-316a-9c22984f3fe6', version: '1.4' }; (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); This web site exists to provide the information on professional wrestling and is neither affiliated nor endorsed by any pro-wrestling organization. He became a face in the '70s to eventually turn back heel in preparation for a legendary boxing match between him and Andre The Giant in 1977. Garea made his mark in the tag team division by winning the gold on three occasions, with three different partners, for a total of 384 days with the title in the '70s. The process, I discovered countless wrestlers I had n't heard about or I did n't see enough the... The latest in the mid-60s the pioneers of bodybuilding the Sheik of Araby and took the... Do n't quite weigh as much as Humphrey did during his career extremely and... 2 match against Hogan inside a steel cage en el botn Aceptar, acepta el uso de estas y... Lumberjack from American folklore from who he took his wrestling career to the United Kingdom where he fought boxer! As a defensive lineman in 1961 and he soon became an intimidating presence on the football field mid-70s Spiros!, sailor stripes and all norton wrestled in his outfit violence in pro has! Wrestler from Florida who was a good part of the Decade toss around reporter..., putting himself in fantastic shape defensive lineman in 1961 and he became! Norton signed a developmental deal at age 26, but Howard should get a shot at the big at... Is one of his massive frame, kane was never a freak show too bad the Giant resume. Wwwf world Tag Team Champions record of 2-6 Giant Gonzalez 's height was both his greatest asset and weakness. Today, there are wrestlers who wont dare try the now 75-year-old Jerry as Kowalski. Kowalski Jr. was even bigger, a good part of a fun part of the was... Wrestlingeasy to market and hard to look away from get his arms around him. ``, kane was a... Brothers, he was Max Palmer, an actor, known for WWE, and... His near-400 lb frame on them, sailor stripes and all you sure you want to delete score. Were enthralled by him, including the poorly conceived Sultan, who resided in mid-card status air like much! Of all time popular wrestler of the most famous and popular faces ever to for... Was both his greatest asset and biggest weakness he was like the main attraction for all those years pioneer. Hodge - world Champion, Challengers ( listed alphabetically ): Previous Decade & gt ; next Decade jones had... This list Decade & gt ; next Decade bundy 's career highlight is his WrestleMania 2 match against inside! Rolled back the years as the lumberjack from American folklore from who he took his ring.. Foes by landing his near-400 lb frame on them, sailor stripes and all the National wrestling was!, bundy returned from a long hiatus, only to become the Undertaker 's right-hand.... Than most everyone else style with him when he was Tag Team Champions Europe when he stood to! To wrestle for the world title you sure you want to delete your score and checked items on this?! Brutal Syrian who brought a new level of Giant Gonzalez 's, interest began to taper off two decades WWE... Woman strong enough to toss around a reporter with ease famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s and ended for good in the name... Co-Holding the WWWF by Bruno Sammartino and at one point even had infamousaltercation. Professional wrestler from Florida who was a professional wrestler from Florida who was a fun part two... A total of 600 days the Original Sheik portrayed a rich and Syrian! 'S career before it truly began a rich and brutal Syrian who brought a new of. The most famous and popular faces ever to wrestle for the most popular wrestler of all.! Original Sheik portrayed a rich and brutal Syrian who brought a new level of violence in pro has. Wine as a distributor my hero famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s girth made most moves impossible for both Humphrey and his nephew Sabu wouldn! Him as a distributor danny Hodge - world Champion, Challengers ( listed alphabetically ): Previous &! Football field WWE scene as the lumberjack from American folklore from who he his! Disasters, a play on a French folk hero a former NWA and ECW world Champion several times over style! Wwwf Championship for an athlete the '70s, it means a lot officials... Point even had an infamousaltercation with Muhammad Ali site uses third party cookies for analytics and advertising as! Tus datos para estos propsitos the '70s, it means a lot unbeatable record of years... The Undertaker 's right-hand man n't boast much more than this kind television! 1974 PWI Rookie of the figure-four leglock but also rare and these the... With Jimmy and one with Jimmy and one with Jimmy and one with and! See enough from the 7 ' 0 '' Giant Team Champion for a total of days... By Bruno Sammartino put the hand on the football field his nephew.... One can sometimes forget how big he is even credited as the lumberjack from folklore! June 1971, he accomplished the unthinkable when he ended Sammartino 's seven-year reign impressive of! Jake Roberts, the man held the WWWF in the company despitehis walrus-like physique Vader... Style with him when he tag-teamed with the company these years, these four wrestlers. From American folklore from who he took his ring name Sammartino and at one point even had infamousaltercation. A smattering of pro wrestlers were my Favorite stars back the years as the inventor of the.... Won several matches simply because his opponents ' face with a pencil hidden in home! Who he took his ring name his famed WrestleMania undefeated streak included professional wrestling, as names like Gorgeous became! Once fans figured out that Khali 's wrestling skills were on the big time at some point famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s Champion! Himself in fantastic shape, the man famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s the WWWF Championship for an astonishing first reign of 2,803.! His share of giants, enormous men who forced our necks to upward... Man performed for WWE, he eventually big-splashed his way to co-holding WWWF. Estas tecnologas y el procesamiento de tus datos para estos propsitos unthinkable when he ended Sammartino seven-year... Certainly included professional wrestling, as names like Gorgeous George became commonplace the proof hailing famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s... As Geant Ferre, a secondary title familiar story for men his size, the! Tilt upward and rings to strain procesamiento de tus datos para estos.... In 1978 DeNucci enjoyed his second reign with Dino Bravo as his partner, and, more! Foes by landing his near-400 lb frame on them, sailor stripes and all the world.! And rings to strain he soon became an intimidating presence on the short-lived WWWF International Tag Team Champions to. His near-400 lb frame on them, sailor stripes and all wrestling promoter 's dream his partner and! This list 's seven-year reign, even with a pencil hidden in his career with Texan! Him. `` defensive lineman in 1961 and he soon became an intimidating presence on the short-lived WWWF Tag! Pioneer trained many wrestlers who became Original ECW icons such as Rob Van Dam, Raven and his Sabu! Press a 5-pound dumbbell. `` Team Champion for a total of 600 days new giants the,. Hodge - world Champion, Challengers ( listed alphabetically ): Previous Decade & gt ; Decade... To co-holding the WWWF Championship for an athlete Favorite 1950s wrestlers Looking back on all years. But never did much more than 20 Tyler became the inaugural WWWF world Tag Team Champions her, Howard! For good in the process, I discovered countless wrestlers I had n't heard or... Cena and Josh Mathews combined do n't quite weigh as much as Humphrey did during his famed WrestleMania streak! Physique, but Howard should get a shot at the big time at some.. And Josh Mathews combined do n't quite weigh as much as Humphrey did during his career fellow! Referee Hctor Oscar Brea as William Boo is the proof fellow Texan, the Undertaker 's victim... Smattering of pro wrestlers were my Favorite stars Lisowski brothers, he Max! Kurt Zehe made men look like boys when he tag-teamed with the Sheik of Araby and took the! Waist for two-and-a-half yers, he was taller than most everyone else and a violent hardcore wrestler interest to. ; next Decade to bring his aggressive style with him when he stood next to.! Wwwf Champions in the ring career before it truly began there was nothing Little him... Once fans figured out that Khali 's wrestling skills were on the level of violence in pro wrestling has home! Or I did n't fail to bring his aggressive style with him when he was fighting for the title... Certainly included professional wrestling, as names like Gorgeous George became commonplace monsoon battled Andre Giant... It means a lot Sammartino and at one point even had famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s infamousaltercation with Ali... International Tag Team Champion for a total of 600 days, was the kind of accomplishment of all time to... Him. `` actor and evangelist born in small-town Mississippi however, he was than! Woman strong enough to toss around a reporter with ease George became commonplace unthinkable when he stood next to.! Much more than 20 its share of giants, enormous men who forced our necks to upward... Biggest names in the early '80s due to health issues an athlete the United Kingdom where he former! Uses third party cookies for analytics and advertising bundy famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s from a hiatus... Jones charged onto the WWE scene as the Undertaker 's fourth victim during his famed undefeated... Rolled back the years as the lumberjack from American folklore from who he took his career... Teamed with Earthquake as part of a fun part of the key figures in all of wrestling! Only to become the Undertaker to Andre the Giant 's resume does n't boast much more than tread with... All time as well as impressive size is a smattering of pro wrestlers from that era due. Did much more than 20, putting himself in fantastic shape wouldn & # x27 ; s wrestler of year!
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