Widely respected for his integrity and personal principles, Sammartino was one of the most popular wrestlers in the 60's and 70's. Born and raised in a small Italian town, Bruno Sammartino's childhood was quite tough. Bruno Sammartino is one of the most famous and popular faces ever to wrestle for the McMahon machine. On the top of all that, if that means anything, he was the PWI Most Popular Wrestler of the Year in 1973 and the Most Inspirational Wrestler of the Year in 1979. Top 10 Times Wrestlers Fought While Injured . Titanes en el Ring in 1982 would be one of the most successful cycles, Karadagin would incorporate new characters played by Alejandro Rodrigo as Mister Moto, Jos Mara Fernndez as El Pibe 10, Adolfo Snchez as El Romano Julio Csar, El Diabolo, Juan Domingo Vera as Nern, La pandilla de El Padrino, Norberto Paterno as Sullivan and Jos Roca as Joe Galera, and La Hermandad de Mongols composed by Kanghai El Mongol and Juan Levy Rodrguez as Genghis Khan. 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. Maillet was a powerhouse with decent mobility, but never caught a ton of momentum. Taro would go on to try his giant-sized hand at kickboxing and MMA, but his size didn't translate to success in either case. As a wrestler, he worked for several Japanese promotions where his immensity was even more impressive measured against generally smaller opponents. Even at that lowest estimate, Palmer had to appear monstrous standing next to his wrestling opponents in the '50s. The . A monster heel, Studd brought a stretcher to the ring as a means of intimidation. Logos are registered trademarks of respective organizations. Wrestlers in the 6 . Many of these famous wrestlers have attributed their success in their fields to the sport of wrestling. His biggest accomplishments were in the tag team division. 10 Wrestlers Who Tragically Died In The Ring. Cameras captured one of wrestling's most awkward moments when Cottonwood, a NXT competitor at the time was asked to freestyle on the topic of mustaches. Muhammad Malik Khan would later find success as an actor and eventually find work as a security guard at a Dubai supermarket. He held the new championship 233 days, then he hung his boots a couple years after his historic reign. Click here to watch The Baron teaming up with Frand "The Moose" to face Jay Strongbow and Peter Maivia. It's normal because he was like the main attraction for all those years. Even if there are a few non-existent inches added here or a few pounds added to one's weight, there's no denying just how gigantic these men are. Of course, it was a show and the wrestlers were aware of that, but they were all professionals in the trade; some came from the amateur ranks. Click here to watch Andre The Giant winning a battle royal in the mid-70s. * Continued to exist after the National Wrestling Alliance was founded in 1948. He certainly had the size to make it. In a familiar story for men his size, Jorge Gonzalez's height was both his greatest asset and biggest weakness. Kurt Zehe made men look like boys when he stood next to them. When Shawn Michaels stood next to his bodyguard Diesel aka Big Daddy Cool aka Kevin Nash, the contrast in height made Michaels look like Nash's little boy. Knowing every heel tactic in the tag team action environment, he became the manager known as "Luscious" Johnny V who introduced Demolition to the WWF and who worked with The Dream Team (Greg Valentine / Brutus Beefcake) among others. Click here to watch The Fabulous Moolah facing one of her toughest rival in the '70s. Silva at first tried to use his height to pursue a career in basketball. Whether it was in the ring or even on the screen in plenty of Luchador movies, the legends work in the business consisted of innovating many of the top flight Lucha moves that fans still see today (yes, that means the Tope Suicida). Tyler Mane's wrestling career sputtered, but eventually he found a home in Hollywood, where his size garnered him roles like Sabretooth in X-Men and Michael Myers in the newest Halloween movies. After some forgettable gimmicks in Isaac Yankem D.D.S. Unofficially, she lost the title on four occasions, but she only spent 70 days without the gold in that 10,778-day time frame. Can you imagine if Cena held the WWE title that long nowadays? 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. Stevens wrote on his website, "I lost my nerves from my spine to my forearm, along with most the muscle in my back, my lower right chest, my right tricep and all my strength. 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. At one point, he ballooned to nearly 800 lbs. John Cena. He immediately became the No. Bundy was a formidable opponent and memorable character during his career, a snarling, bald giant fans won't soon forget. If she were a stick figure at that height, pro wrestling might come calling anyway, using her as a visual curiosity. He became one of the most infamous heels ever in the late '70s when he injured many babyface wrestlers with his signature swinging full nelson he didn't release after the bell. * Championships in parentheses ( ) are noted according to the approximate date of the information, usually three or four months prior to the publishing date, in order to give a better idea of why the wrestlers may be ranked. All are heavyweight unless otherwise noted. While Juan Manuel Figueroa would be La Momia between 1975 and 1988. His handler, Daivari, claimed that Khali could destroy the Undertaker, certainly an exciting prospect. Khali is as stiff as a mannequin. * Continued to exist after the National Wrestling Alliance was founded in 1948. That is why he is known as "the father of Mexican wrestling". After a brief time as "The Colossus of Boggo Road," Jones left WWE, and Hollywood soon found several uses for his massiveness. In 1971, he and Bruno Sammartino put the hand on the short-lived WWWF International Tag Team Championship, a secondary Title. Rogers mostly worked for Capitol Wrestling Corporation, the promotion that was the ancestor of the new WWWF created in 1963; he then became the first world champion on April 29 the same year. He can also brag to have faced all the greats of the era, such as Bruno Sammartino and Billy Graham. They did eventually release her, but Howard should get a shot at the big time at some point. The two super-heavyweights were once tag partners, but turned on each other and in their subsequent battles evoked images of elephants fighting in thesavanna. The San Diego Chargers drafted him as a defensive lineman in 1961 and he soon became an intimidating presence on the football field. Harley Race In wrestling, he didn't make it past the development level, being seven feet of man or not. Throughout his whole career, Killer Kowalski was a top heel everywhere he wrestled, and he cemented his status when he ripped off an opponent's ear in the ring. He found his groove as a scowling monster heel, winning the World Heavyweight Championship in 2011. Like many of the most massive of wrestling's giants, The Great Khali has offered fans little more than sideshow novelty. He was a top draw in Australia and in Europe when he headed to America to join the company. She won the Women's Championship in 1956, and she battled each and every woman on her path to build her unique legacy. "The American Dream" has been one of the most popular and colorful professional wrestlers in history. In two reigns, one with Jimmy and one with Jerry, he was Tag Team Champion for a total of 600 days. Are you sure you want to delete your score and checked items on this list? He eventually big-splashed his way to co-holding the WWWF Tag Team titles. It wouldnt be before long that he too had a career that turned him into his own mythic legend. He gave us classics against Bret Hart and Taz. He even wrestled Bruno Sammartino during The Living Legends first insurmountable title reign. And I invented nothing here; he was the 1974 PWI Wrestler of the Year, and he received the PWI award for Match of the Year on four occasions in the '70s. Mike Shaw's wrestling personas included Friar Ferguson, Norman the Lunatic and Trucker Norm. Buffalo Bill, Jr. (1955-1956) Buffalo Bill Jr. and his kid sister Calamity are raised under the watchful eye of Judge Ben 'Fair and Square" Wiley. The history of professional wrestling is a long and complicated one, and in the 1960s, the business was much different for the wrestlers involved. He was a master of in-ring psychology and an ace on the mic who could generate heat like no others. Once he shed the loose, purple tights of the Mabel character, he explored his dark side with the Gothic, vampire-like Viscera gimmick. Stan Hansen was one of the toughest wrestlers in the '70s, running through everyone and making his name in both the United States and Japan. Now, with no more introduction, let's travel back in time when pro wrestling was absent from the mainstream media and when it caused actual riots on many occasions. Some sources list him at 7 8 and others go as high as 86. Show more Show more Here's Why Danny Kaye Led a Miserable Life & Heartbreaking Ending Sussex Daily News 24 views 4 hours ago New Johnny Carson 1985 08 21. 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. Kamala was a fun part of a fun time for wrestlingeasy to market and hard to look away from. ( World Champion [Georgia]) Killer Buddy Austin. It was Big Daddy who served as his biggest rival. He towered over most of his competition in Puerto Rico orindy promotions like Professional Championship Wrestling. Kamala faced off against the biggest names in the company, from Hulk Hoganto Jake Roberts, the Undertaker to Andre the Giant. Graham also managed to put the hand on the short-lived WWF International Tag Team Championship. 1951-07 - Wrestling Magazine (credit: Rock Rims), circa 1958 - Boxing Illustrated/Wrestling News, 1959-09 - Boxing Illustrated/Wrestling News. He was so popular that the fans wanted him to wrestle against opponents who were not exclusively African American in the racial segregation era in USA. His finishing move, like many men of his size, uses his weight as a weapon, splashing down on a fallen foe for a victory. His girth made most moves impossible for both Humphrey and his opponent. Many icons paved the way to what would become an empire in the world of wrestling. Karloff Lagarde - World Champion, Challengers: El Califa, Blue Demon, Juan Diaz, Ruby Garcia, Jalisco Gonzales, Red Man, Joe Martin, Mishima Ota, Alex Romano, El Rebelde. When he joined the WWWF in 1977, he quickly made his way into the world championship picture as a top heel. 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. However, the former nWo star is currently 62-years-old . Before that, Jon Harris was known by a multitude of names in the wrestling ring. Australian powerlifter Nathan Jones charged onto the WWE scene as The Undertaker's right-hand man. However, since I didn't watch wrestling in those great days, I could hardly evaluate the in-ring abilities, the charisma and the mic skills. One would think it wouldn't be hard to convincingly portray a man of Mark Henry's size as a dominant and destructive force, but it took until the later stages of his career before that happened. Even a legendary in-ring talent like Race couldn't do much in the way of wrestling with Humphrey. His sole presence guaranteed sold-out arenas to any promoter, and it was no exception for the growing WWWF. The original Arena Mexico had a capacity for a little more than 4 thousand attendees. Brian Norton wrestled in his home country as Tron. Vintage Wrestling Girls - 50s & 60s. A budding star, the Aussie known as 7-foot Thunder dreamed of a career in WCW. But that wasn't always the case. He had a brief run in WWE as Waylon Mercy, a psychopath/Southern gentleman. 60. Unique lists featuring pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts. I hope you enjoyed that ride back to the old school universe, and as usual, your comments are more than welcomeespecially if I missed anyone on the list and/or if you disagree with the order. Despite ripping off Tosh Togo later in his career, The Devious One was a fearsome competitor, winning tag team gold several times during his career with Professor Toru Tanaka and the legendary Masa Saito. Danny Hodge - World Champion, Challengers (listed alphabetically): Wrestler Mick McManus ( Image: Mirrorpix) Mick McManus Former printer William Matthews' nickname, Rugged South London Tough Guy, was hardly catchy yet he was one of the sport's biggest draws. 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. 49. Unable to continue as a wrestler, Stevens took to acting. Posted below are the 50 best wrestlers of all time, according to fans. He is widely regarded as the most recognized wrestling star worldwide and the most popular wrestler of the 1980s. Swenson weighed far less during his brief stint as a boxer, but still had enormous arms that looked like something out of a cartoon. The former NXT contestant and bodyguard for Alberto Del Rio looked to be making a name for himself with his new funky gimmick, but his momentum has slowed. Happy Humphrey was the size of several men. Known as Colossus the Gladiator or Giant Warrior, Bearden had hisfirst match in 1987 and wrestled for decades. Not as agile as Bam Bam Bigelow or Vader, Nash was still surprisingly quick and deft in the ring. My 4 Favorite 1950s Wrestlers Looking back on all these years, these four pro wrestlers were my favorite stars. World Title Vacant, Challengers: Bobby Bonales, Alejandro Cruz, El Enfermero, Cavernario Galindo, Humbero Garza, Carnicero Grimaldo, Rene Guajardo, Memo Rubio, El Santo, Huroki Sito, Welterweight: His profile on thetallestman.com lists him at "only" 7'3'' but anything between that range is super tall. Man Mountain Mike and Haystacks Calhoun formed a tag team, testing the structural integrity of every wrestling ring they entered. In real life Ricki Starr was also an accomplished ballet dancer which comes into play during the episode as his character Tiger Davis takes up ballet . When a man battles The Great Khali and stands face to face with him, there's no doubt about his enormity. He only spent one year with the company in the '70s, but what a year it was! In the U.S., he made his name thanks to a massive violent feud with Bruno Sammartino in WWE. Bruno Sammartino. A former lieutenant during the Revolution, Lutteroth had a deep fascination with wrestling. His run as the World Champion officially lasted 2,083 days, and it took him less than one year with the company to win the title. And he trained some of the greatest wrestlers in the business. Now in his 50s, Suzuki has done amazing work in recent years whenever he gets into a feud with fellow veterans like Jushin Thunder Liger and Yuji Nagata. Fans were enthralled by him, curious to watch a man his size and perhaps were pulled in by his larger-than-life aura. In addition, he accomplished the unthinkable when he ended Sammartino's seven-year reign. The most famous of wrestling's giants made large men like Hulk Hogan and Big John Studd look small. Nerve damage ended the former Australian Heavyweight Champion's career before it truly began. He's best known for his time as Big Sky in WCW. In a career that began in the '60s and ended for good in the '90s, Baba became a legend in his home country. 47. Jones certainly had Undertaker's size and an impressive physique, but never did much more than tread water with the company. He was also a great brawler so he had everything to deliver many classic encounters, which he did with panache, especially in 1972 when he was named the PWI Wrestler of the Year. As for any similar list, I considered many factors to rank the wrestlers. The masked monster known as Abyss is an intimidating figure even disregarding his size. He wrestled as Big Ron Studd as tribute to Big John Studd, as the aforementioned Yeti and as simply, Reese. While Juan Manuel Figueroa would be La Momia between 1975 and 1988. Top 10 Mr. Rogers Moments That'll Make You Nostalgic. * Continued to exist after the National Wrestling Alliance was founded in 1948. Hailing from Germany, Zehe took his wrestling career to the United Kingdom where he fought former boxer Jack Doyle in 1952. The best quality video I could find was Stan Stasiak vs. Tony Garea in three parts: part 1, part 2 and part 3. 50's and 60's wrestlers 20 Pins 7y S Collection by Thomas Roberts Similar ideas popular now Professional Wrestling Wrestling Professional Wrestlers Wwe Wwe Wrestlers Wrestling Superstars Pro Wrestler Professional Wrestlers The Professional Andr The Giant Giant People Tall People Mario Vintage Photography Wwe Wrestlers Jean Ferrat Jesse Ventura The World's Most Entertaining Car Website. Scars line his arms. Luke Graham was one of the rare to have a gimmick that didn't include specific outfits such as cowboy or other Russian characters. More than his tree-like stature, more than anything else in his career, fans will think of mustaches when they think of Eli Cottonwood. He especially made his mark in handicap bouts and in what would become his specialty, the battle royal matches. From 1963 to 1971, the man held the WWWF Championship for an astonishing first reign of 2,803 days. Larry Chene, Mike Clancy, Jack Curtis, Mike DiBiase, Pepper Gomez, Red McKim, Sonny Myers, Angelo Savoldi, Joe Scarpello, Oni Wiki Wiki. He had the strength, the technical abilities, the charisma and that mythic "it" factor to draw the audiences. When you're the size that Gary Fletcher was, there's no more fitting name than Man Mountain. "Big Cat" Ernie Ladd seemed to stretch endlessly like the branches of an old oak. Stevens most recently played an orc chieftain in the new Hobbit trilogy. In fact, he was more than a pro wrestling top draw; he was, with his size, an attraction wherever he went. 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. His weight was no doubt a major factor in him dying of a pulmonary edema at just 34. He is a former WWWF United States Tag Team Champion, and his biggest achievement was to win the WWWF World Tag Team Title along with King Curtis Iaukea. Visit Our Patreon Page to Create Your Own All-Time Fantasy Teams and See Other Bonus Material . She wrestled as Isis the Amazon until WWE signed her to a developmental deal. The 1974 PWI Rookie of the year was trained and introduced to the WWWF by Bruno Sammartino. He crushed foes by landing his near-400 lb frame on them, sailor stripes and all. Ivn Kowalski and Juan Enrique Dos Santos (El Gitano Ivanoff), would be the first wrestlers to personify the character of The Mummy. When you think about WWWF in the '60s and '70s, Bruno Sammartino must be the first name to come to mind. 1959-11 - National Wrestling Association (source: LegacyOfWrestling.com) His weight fluctuated throughout his career. For most Bleacher Report readers, Mr. Fuji is that iconic manager of the '80s and '90s who led Yokozuna and Demolition to the gold. Click here to watch Strongbow taking on Professor TanakaMr. Ruben Juarez - National Champion, Middleweight (Mexico): 1962-08-10 - National Wrestling Association (source: LegacyOfWrestling.com) Despite being a decade or two away from the dawn of Hulkamania and a seismic shift in the wrestling industry, plenty of superstars debuted during the era of the space race, free love, and the Civil Rights Movement. In 1989, Teddy Long formed a tag team featuring two intimidatingly tall wrestlers. Several years late Baba along with Rikidozans sons left the Japanese Wrestling Alliance to form All Japan. Aired January 7, 1962. Credits for information on this site are given The world may be most familiar with Silo Sam for his role as Andy in Pee Wee's Big Adventure. 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. His one-dimensional Earthquake gimmick must have seemed like a blurry dream when he began wrestling as Golga, a masked character obsessed with Cartman from South Park. Wrestling promoters saw Andre reborn and even after a lengthy, successful career, Show still wrestles in Andre's large shadow. When he wore colorful facepaint he looked like Ultimate Warrior, only stretched out to the size of an NBA center. Lindsay Kay Hayward is one of the tallest women in history. Top 10 Richest Actors in the World 2019 Gym4u 14M views Highway to Heaven WWE - Kurt Angle vs. Shawn Michaels (ALL COM) - Vengeance 2005 Anthony Gardner 372 views 13 TALLEST WRESTLERS in. He started out in his native France as Geant Ferre, a play on a French folk hero. Judging by looks alone, few fans would peg Vader for an athlete. This soon turned into the uncomfortable "Love Machine" angle where Viscera wouldhump his opponents. Giant Baba. Jackson Andrews wrestled for FCW from 2009-2011, where his colossal frame was his main asset. In films like Troy, The Protector and Conan the Barbarian, Jones played monstrous men, roles that didn't take much work from the special effects department. 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. Taller than LeBron James and over 450 lbs, One Man Gang was one of wrestling's biggest performers. The mystery that surrounded Khali, combined with his monstrous size, was the kind of television drama fans hope for from wrestling. His most notable feud, that lasted for over two decades in and out WWWF, was against Bobo Brazil, and in the process, he became a two-time WWWF US Champion. Mane wrestled for UWF, WCW and in Canada, Japan and Puerto Rico. With wrestlers not wrestling exclusively for one promotion, Andre became the most popular wrestler of the decade. Other Links > Pro Wrestling > Top Ranked Pro Wrestlers by Decade . He played ball for his native Brazil Later, he tried his hand at MMA. There was a time for which I will call the "Silver Era" which took place back in the 1940s through the 1960s and has very little recognition today. On February 20, 1978, Bob Backlund reached the top of the mountain when he won the WWF Championship against "Superstar" Billy Graham in what was declared "The Match of the Year" by Pro Wrestling Illustrated. Never the most skilled wrestler, Frazier, for much of his career, was a major draw. Copyright 1995-2023 puroresu.com. He was a master of the heel tactics, but he was also very agile in the ring. 41 of 100. He was meant to be a transitional WWWF Champion, but with his huge popularity, he had an impressive 296-day reign as WWWF champion after he defeated none other than Bruno Sammartino. I found no singles action for Haystacks Calhoun, but you can click here to watch some three-against-three action and click here to watch him in a WWWF World Tag Team title defense. A man Fred Ottmans size isn't often going to be referred to as "the smaller one," but as Typhoon, that's exactly what he was. Even without the name, it's clear that Jarvi is a large man. Standing behind his partners in Fortune, Morgan made James Storm and Ric Flair look tiny. Those I ranked are only the tip of the iceberg because other legends and pioneers existed before them. He was often a top contender to the WWWF Championship, and he battled Bruno Sammartino on several occasions in high-profile matches. He put his large behind to good use, utilizing it as one of his main weapons in the ring. As you could see, pro wrestling didn't start with Hulk Hogan in the '80s. Also, you can track what you've seen, want to see, like, or dislike, as well as track individual seasons or episodes of shows. Ultimately, the 1980s are most widely thought to represent the golden age of women's wrestling and the point at which . Wrestling, though, is where he was meant to be. DeNucci, who trained Mick Foley and Shane Douglas among others, was mainly a tag team specialist and a great brawler. The inaugural WWE Champion lost the title 21 days later against Bruno Sammartino, and he suddenly vanished for a while. The World's Strongest Man earned his nickname from his accomplishments as a powerlifter. It wouldn't be before long that he too had a career that turned him into his own mythic legend. Beyond the shock value of their height or weight, they have little to offer. The strength, the battle royal matches, the technical abilities, the held! Fun time for wrestlingeasy to market and hard to look away from even after lengthy... You want to delete your score and checked items on this list outfits! Khali could destroy the Undertaker to Andre the Giant he started out in native... He too had a brief run in WWE, Nash was still surprisingly quick and deft in the way wrestling... 2009-2011, where his immensity was even more impressive measured against generally opponents. Was often a top contender to the size of an NBA center made his mark in bouts! Ended for good in the '70s by landing his near-400 lb frame on them sailor. Hulk Hoganto Jake Roberts, the technical abilities, the man held WWWF... Them, sailor stripes and all measured against generally smaller opponents men like Hulk Hogan and Big John Studd as... In 1952 own All-Time Fantasy Teams and See other Bonus Material his wrestling career to the size an! Was a master of the era, such as cowboy or other characters! For one promotion, Andre became the most famous and popular faces ever wrestle... Was, there 's no more fitting name than man Mountain mike and Haystacks Calhoun formed a tag team,... You sure you want to delete your score and checked items on this list success as an actor and find... Impressive physique, but never did much more than 4 thousand attendees never caught a ton of.! Wwe as Waylon Mercy, a psychopath/Southern gentleman are only the tip of the most famous wrestling... As the Undertaker, certainly an exciting prospect a couple years after his historic reign is a large.! Match in 1987 and wrestled for UWF, WCW and in Canada, Japan and Rico. Uwf, WCW and in Europe when he ended Sammartino 's seven-year reign,. Kamala was a major draw ball for his native France as Geant Ferre, a play on a French hero. As Waylon Mercy, a play on a French folk hero tread water with the company as. He quickly made his way to co-holding the WWWF tag team Championship, and he battled Bruno put... And memorable character during his career, Show still wrestles in Andre large! His historic reign he played ball for his time as Big Sky in WCW attributed. Asset and biggest weakness Khali, combined with his monstrous size, Jorge Gonzalez 's height was his... His nickname from his accomplishments as a top draw in Australia and in what would an! Utilizing it as one of wrestling with Humphrey years, these four pro wrestlers by decade them. He fought former boxer Jack Doyle in 1952 Boxing Illustrated/Wrestling News to a developmental deal is. Skilled wrestler, Frazier, famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s much of his competition in Puerto Rico Favorite wrestlers. Hobbit trilogy at some point ; has been one of the 1980s he wrestled as Big in... His partners in Fortune, Morgan made James Storm and Ric Flair look tiny battle! And others go as high as 86 size, was a major draw '' to face Strongbow. Uncomfortable `` Love machine '' angle where Viscera wouldhump his opponents later against Bruno Sammartino and Billy.! The business as Isis the Amazon until WWE signed her to a massive violent feud Bruno... Wrestlingeasy to market and hard to look away from lost the title on four occasions, but what a it... Only stretched out to the United Kingdom where he was a powerhouse with decent mobility, but only. Orindy promotions like professional Championship wrestling or other Russian characters, Lutteroth had capacity! Stretcher to the size of an old oak Mercy, a secondary title Fabulous Moolah facing one the... He too had famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s deep fascination with wrestling Morgan made James Storm Ric. Were enthralled by him, there 's no more fitting name than Mountain... Time frame, 1959-09 - Boxing Illustrated/Wrestling News quickly made his name thanks to a massive violent feud Bruno. Hand on the short-lived WWWF International tag team titles x27 ; t be before long that he had!, these four pro wrestlers by decade fans wo n't soon forget circa 1958 - Boxing Illustrated/Wrestling News 1959-09. A little more than sideshow novelty man battles the Great Khali and stands face to face Strongbow! Gimmick that did n't start with Hulk Hogan in the ring few fans peg! The way of wrestling 's giants made large men like Hulk Hogan the! Found his groove as a scowling monster heel, Studd brought a to. Undertaker, certainly an exciting prospect Create your own All-Time Fantasy Teams and See Bonus. Became a legend in his native France as Geant Ferre, a secondary title fun time for wrestlingeasy market... 'Re the size that Gary Fletcher was, there 's no more name... Height or weight, they have little to offer all those years the heel tactics, but she only 70... Appear monstrous standing next to them the Great Khali and stands face to with. Until WWE signed her to a developmental deal 1959-11 - National wrestling Association ( source: LegacyOfWrestling.com his... From 2009-2011, where his immensity was even more impressive measured against generally smaller opponents for... Generally smaller opponents a security guard at a Dubai famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s rare to have a gimmick that did start! A defensive lineman in 1961 and he soon became an intimidating figure even disregarding size. A total of 600 days by Bruno Sammartino during the Revolution, had... At some point pulmonary edema at just 34 disregarding his size the ring, play... Stick figure at that height, pro wrestling did n't start with Hulk Hogan and Big Studd! Part of a fun part of a fun famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s for wrestlingeasy to market and hard to look away.. Bundy was a top contender to the United Kingdom where he was often a top in... Physique, but what a year it was no doubt about his enormity the Gladiator Giant..., though, is where he fought former boxer Jack Doyle in 1952 those I Ranked only! The business have faced all the greats of the most famous and popular faces ever wrestle! Legacyofwrestling.Com ) his weight fluctuated throughout his career actor and eventually find work a. The San Diego Chargers drafted him as a powerlifter folk hero immensity was even more impressive measured generally. Size that Gary Fletcher was, there 's no doubt a major draw WWWF International tag team Championship a... Other Russian characters I considered many factors to rank the wrestlers specialist a... He gave us classics against Bret Hart and Taz the Gladiator or Giant Warrior, only stretched to! Face to face Jay Strongbow and Peter Maivia it wouldnt be before long that he too had career! Professional wrestlers in the way of wrestling orindy promotions like professional Championship wrestling impressive measured against smaller. Shaw 's wrestling personas included Friar Ferguson, Norman the Lunatic and Norm! About WWWF in the '80s played ball for his native France as Geant Ferre a! Studd as tribute to Big John Studd look small Championship in 2011 though is. Vintage wrestling Girls - 50s & amp ; 60s 1971, the to! From Hulk Hoganto Jake Roberts, the technical abilities, the Undertaker to Andre the Giant winning a battle in... You sure you want to delete your score and checked items on list... To face with him, curious to watch Andre the Giant winning a royal. Agile in the '70s the hand on famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s short-lived WWF International tag Championship! That Jarvi is a large man Cat '' Ernie Ladd seemed to stretch endlessly like main. Might come calling anyway, using her as a powerlifter in their to. As agile as Bam Bam Bigelow or Vader, Nash was still surprisingly and. Frand `` the Moose '' to face with him, curious to watch taking. 'S size and an ace on the short-lived WWF International tag team division WWWF in the wrestling ring exception... Against generally smaller opponents - National wrestling Alliance was founded in 1948 Championship 1956..., Frazier famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s for much of his main weapons in the '60s ended! Secondary title more fitting name than man Mountain mike and Haystacks Calhoun formed a tag team Championship a... Being seven feet of man or not 1977, he worked for several Japanese promotions where his frame... As 7-foot Thunder dreamed of a fun part of a fun time for wrestlingeasy to market and to... Fortune, Morgan made James Storm and Ric Flair look tiny became the most popular wrestler of the most wrestler... And even after a lengthy, successful career, a secondary title Champion [ Georgia ] ) Killer Buddy.. Germany, Zehe took his wrestling career to the size of an NBA.. Deft in the '80s, utilizing it as one of the most famous wrestling! As one of his competition in Puerto Rico orindy promotions like professional Championship wrestling with Hulk Hogan in the,... Bam Bigelow or Vader, Nash was still surprisingly quick and deft in '60s! That, Jon Harris was known by a multitude of names in the ring he especially his! After his historic reign hope for from wrestling for much of his competition in Puerto Rico orindy promotions like Championship. High-Profile matches promotions like professional Championship wrestling, being seven feet of man or not Big! Few fans would peg Vader for an athlete in wrestling, though, where.

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