1961-09-29 - National Wrestling Association (source: LegacyOfWrestling.com) There isnt a single person reading this list that doesnt understand the level of greatness behind Bobby "The Brain" Heenan. On April 27, 1956, the new arena opened its doors, with capacity for 17,000 people. Goldust. The contest ended after an hour-and-16 minute time limit draw in front of a crowd that went nuts after the officials declared they had to comply with a curfew. Giant Silva (real name: Paulo Cesar da Silva) did just that when the two giants clashed in Japan. 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: Sid Vicious suffered a broken rib and a punctured lung and Long replaced him on the team with the man would eventually become The Undertaker. 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. Brazil was the Jackie Robinson of wrestling, opening the door to future generations of African-American wrestlers. 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 . Billed at 7'7'', his actual height is debated. In his career in movies, he had the advantage of multiple takes or being asked just to stand there like he did in his appearance in Bloodfight. Then, if it was not enough, he started a second reign in 1973, lasting 1,237 days. They experimented with a few gimmicks for him, including the poorly conceived Sultan, who resided in mid-card status. Calhoun's enormity turned him somewhat of a circus attraction. Palmer went from playing a giant ape in The Killer Ape to being an attraction in wrestling to the self-proclaimed "Goliath for Christ." He can also brag to have faced all the greats of the era, such as Bruno Sammartino and Billy Graham. 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. Aired January 7, 1962. Honorable mention: Edouard Carpentier, Verne Gagne, Lou Thesz, Wilbur Snyder, Rip Hawk, Fritz Von Erich, Pepper Gomez, Lorenzo Parente, Jr. Heavyweight: Standing behind his partners in Fortune, Morgan made James Storm and Ric Flair look tiny. Jerry 'The King' Lawler. The Valiant Brothers The curious thing was that none of the so-called wrestlers were true athletes. 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. Following that, he made sporadic appearances in various territories to eventually retire for good in the late '70s. 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. Think also about a 600-pound, 6'1" behemoth who could actually wrestle and who finished his opponents with a big splash. 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. As for pro wrestling's scale-strainers, Abdullah the Butcher weighed 360 lbs, Umaga came in at about 350 lbs and Englishman Big Daddy weighed 375 lbs. He needed a solid supporting crew to become such an icon. Before wrestling, Reis played basketball at Santa Clara University. To counteract his significant size advantage, some of his matches featured special stipulations. Harris used his size to crush his opposition, particularly with a splash he called Air Africa. He started out in his native France as Geant Ferre, a play on a French folk hero. Click here to watch Bobo Brazil taking on his nemesis, The Sheik. 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. During his heyday in the '60s, Calhoun feuded with Dick the Bruiser and battled Bruno Sammartino. It's unfortunate that Shaw became such a joke because he, unlike many men his size, had decent moves in the ring. Australian powerlifter Nathan Jones charged onto the WWE scene as The Undertaker's right-hand man. Click here to watch Killer Kowalski battling Pedro Morales. The lack of speed and mobility that hampered his basketball career would go on to do the same for his wrestling career. When his three-year reign ended in 1977, Sammartino established an unbeatable record of 11 years as the reigning WWWF Champion. to these sites/people. It's hard to imagine someone Big John Studd's size being dwarfed, but that will happen when you face off against Andre the Giant. As for any similar list, I considered many factors to rank the wrestlers. In 1994, Bundy returned from a long hiatus, only to become The Undertaker's fourth victim during his famed WrestleMania undefeated streak. 47. A 400-lb man should not be able to perform such a beautiful enzuigiri or be able to pull off so many slingshot moves as Bam Bam Bigelow did. When he was not embracing success in the tag team division, he had some memorable feuds in singles against the likes of Billy Graham and Ken Patera. Free shipping for many products! Kurt Nielsen of Slam! - The Top 50 Incidents in WWE History (2011), WCW Monday Nitro (1995) and WWE Smackdown! He is nimble and versatile. He started out in his native France as Geant Ferre, a play on a French folk hero. * Championships in parentheses ( ) are mentioned according to the approximate date of the information, usually two or three months prior to the publishing date. 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. Never the most skilled wrestler, Frazier, for much of his career, was a major draw. 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. 1. In 1933, while Adolf Hitler was taking power in Germany, Lutteroth founded the Mexican Wrestling Company, today known as the World Wrestling Council. 1951-07 - Wrestling Magazine (credit: Rock Rims), circa 1958 - Boxing Illustrated/Wrestling News, 1959-09 - Boxing Illustrated/Wrestling News. He immediately became the No. Angelo Savoldi - World Champion, Light Heavyweight: I also considered the longevity with the WWWF, a point not very important after the early '80s and the death of the territories concept. In the U.S., he made his name thanks to a massive violent feud with Bruno Sammartino in WWE. Not many WWE fans got a chance to see the man who was to be known as "The Northern Irish Nightmare" Jason Mullen. 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. While the wrestling world has seen plenty of guys bigger, six-foot-ten is nothing to sneeze at either, especially in Japan where historically, isnt filled with a lot of taller individuals. Norton signed a developmental deal at age 26, but apparently WWE officials didn't see enough from the 7'0'' giant. Nothing could be further from the truth for The Undertaker. Brought into the business by the real life original Zybysko brothers, "Handsome" Harley Race certainly didnt start out being one of the most feared men to walk on "Gods Green Earth." Much of his success can be attributed to his size and his menacing look. 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. No one on this list changed with the times more than the legendary Terry Funk. 19 Stan Hansen. 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. Ladd played both basketball and football before becoming a pro wrestler. Anyone who is 7'0'' tall is inherently a giant, and a titan in Greek mythology refers to a race of giants. Mike Shaw's wrestling personas included Friar Ferguson, Norman the Lunatic and Trucker Norm. ( World Champion [Georgia]) Killer Buddy Austin. 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. In the process, I discovered countless wrestlers I hadn't heard about or I didn't really know. He spent the later stages of his life as a traveling preacher, where flyers for his services included his height and weight. This cannot be undone. With as much intensity and muscle as Matt Morgan managed to pack into his large frame, becoming a pro wrestler may have been an inevitability. So, I took in consideration the impact, the popularity, the legacy and the "it" factor when I could. 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. From 1972 to 1978, in an age when tag team wrestling actually meant a lot, Fuji portrayed the stereotypical heel Japanese persona, and he was often involved in anti-American storylines. 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. This was his most successful endeavor. In 1978 DeNucci enjoyed his second reign with Dino Bravo as his partner, and they held the belt for 104 days. ( United States Champion [San Francisco]) Antonino Rocca. Before Big Show, before Andre the Giant, a gargantuan barefoot man in overalls was one of the biggest draws in the industry. Graham, one of the greatest brawlers ever, won three different tag team championships during his runs with the company. His handler, Daivari, claimed that Khali could destroy the Undertaker, certainly an exciting prospect. 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. The latest in the sports world, emailed daily. Yokozuna's size made nearly every match a David-and-Goliath battle, even with a man as large as Hulk Hogan. 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. while others continued to bill Byers as the title holder. And, when we take a look at everything he did in 1980 and after he left, he is clearly one of the most misused talents in WWE's history. Dorrel Dixon - World Champion, Middleweight: 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. This was a time when bodybuilding was not only raw, but also rare and these were the pioneers of bodybuilding. 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. Shohei Baba helped to build the legacy of Japanese wrestling. He teamed with Earthquake as part of The Natural Disasters, a WWE tag team in the early '90s. Before he donned tie-dye and began to dance around to the Insane Clown's Posses music, WWE put his size to use as a more domineering presence known as The Interrogator. The enemies-turned-allies carried on the tradition of wrestling's oversized pairings. Antonio Posa - World Champion It would take a whole book to cover his unique career, but to make it short, he was the face of the company for over 15 years. He could've been a world champion in any promotion, but he preferred the freedom of travelling all over the USA thus becoming the most popular wrestler in the country. Yokozuna's weight was his greatest attraction, but it was also ultimately his downfall. 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. Click here to watch Mr. Fuji in rare singles action taking on Pedro Morales and click here to see him in some tag team action. Bundy was a formidable opponent and memorable character during his career, a snarling, bald giant fans won't soon forget. His legs seem to stretch upwards forever, two stilts hidden under black leather pants. He only spent one year with the company in the '70s, but what a year it was! Bodybuilding had to originate somewhere. Monsoon battled Andre the Giant, Bruno Sammartino and at one point even had an infamousaltercation with Muhammad Ali. 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. Sheamus, John Cena and Josh Mathews combined don't quite weigh as much as Humphrey did during his career. Karloff Largarde - World & National Champion. You probably noticed that the name of Bruno Sammartino was repeated often and was featured in many videos. After a stint in World Class Championship Wrestling, Bundy made a name for himself in WWE, squashing opponents with his Avalanche Splash. Here is a smattering of pro wrestlers from that era. * Some NWA promoters recognized Moolah as world champion 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. 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 fact, he was more than a pro wrestling top draw; he was, with his size, an attraction wherever he went. Giant Baba became one of the key figures in all of Japanese wrestling. From 1970 to 1973, Pedro Morales left a permanent mark on WWE. Posted below are the 50 best wrestlers of all time, according to fans. He would also use his size as a defense mechanism in battle royals. Gorilla Monsoon is not just that face commentator known by the younger fans in the '80s and '90s. 60. Those I ranked are only the tip of the iceberg because other legends and pioneers existed before them. The man known as Killer Kowalski Jr. was even bigger, a good two inches taller. Whether in WWE, TNA or elsewhere, Morgan has displayed an impressive amount of power and showmanship to go along with his largeness. Had the creative team seen something other than an opportunity for low humor with Shaw, we may be remembering him for more than the smelly "Trip to the Batcave.". The man known as Killer Kowalski Jr. was even bigger, a good two inches taller. The original Nature Boy was the total package back in the day, and he directly inspired Ric Flair with his flamboyant gimmick. WWE put Shaw in an odd-looking gray singlet that accentuated his body fat. Masks to hide the identity of the fighters became popular. Wrestlers in the 6 . And he trained some of the greatest wrestlers in the business. Giant Baba. One built a reputation just meeting him in the ring. Spivey wouldn't make much noise in his career without Vicious. (1999). Ron Reis will always be remembered most for being the large man in the ridiculous costume as The Yeti, who attacked Hulk Hogan at Halloween Havoc 1995. 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. Related: John Cena's Career Told In Photos, Through The Years. He can also brag to. to these sites/people. How many of them have you seen in at least one match? Harley Race 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 you think about WWWF in the '60s and '70s, Bruno Sammartino must be the first name to come to mind. He had grueling rivalries against Bruno Sammartino and Bob Backlund over the WWWF Championship. Once the race barrier was finally crossed, he had feuds against Killer Kowalski, The Sheik and all the other heels in WWWF at the time. As the wresting worlds first ever global superstar, Andre the Giant has been wrestling since the '60s as well. Hailing from Germany, Zehe took his wrestling career to the United Kingdom where he fought former boxer Jack Doyle in 1952. He was a master user of foreign objects and one of the best ever to sell opponents' moves. News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. His weight fluctuated throughout his career. When he wore colorful facepaint he looked like Ultimate Warrior, only stretched out to the size of an NBA center. El Santo - National Champion, Welterweight (Mexico): "Big Cat" Ernie Ladd seemed to stretch endlessly like the branches of an old oak. He also was part of a wrestling family that gave us Paul "Butcher" Vachon, Vivian Vachon and Luna Vachon. The original Arena Mexico had a capacity for a little more than 4 thousand attendees. Wilbur and his neighbor Roger buy the contract of a professional wrestler Tiger Davis played by actual professional wrestler Ricki Starr. 1. Top 10 Wrestlers Blacklisted By WWE. He also possessed a great magnetism and impressive ring work during his prime. The hardcore wrestling pioneer trained many wrestlers who became original ECW icons such as Rob Van Dam, Raven and his nephew Sabu. 1. Morton hires a . Some sources list him at 7 8 and others go as high as 86. Humphrey weighed around 750 lbs in his heyday, but according to Harley Race in King of the Ring: The Harley Race Story, Humphrey, "at one point, topped 1,000 pounds.". Other famous referees were Alfredo Giardina, Albert Jaitt, El Conde Schiaffino, Professor Eduardo Davis and Johnny Well. Morales, who would later become the first Triple Crown Champion in WWE history, was known for his uncommon resilience and for his mat skills. In no particular order, here are wrestling's biggest competitors, the leviathans of the ring. Nostalgic (Early 2000s) Children's TV Shows, Seen It is a new app from the creators of List Challenges. Together this dynamic trio keep law and order in small town of Wileyville, Arizona. Ultimately, the 1980s are most widely thought to represent the golden age of women's wrestling and the point at which . The World Champion of that company is Toro Blanco Rush, who is currently in his second reign and already has an opponent agreed: Shane Taylor. In two reigns, one with Jimmy and one with Jerry, he was Tag Team Champion for a total of 600 days. All rights reserved. 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 wrestler called The Living Legend had it all to be a genuine superstar. On the Wichita State University basketball team, Wight towered over his teammates. Any similar list, I discovered countless wrestlers I had n't heard about or did... Was tag team Champion for a little more than the legendary Terry Funk finished his opponents his... Particular order, here are wrestling 's oversized pairings character during his runs with the company in the as... 104 days figures in all of Japanese wrestling took in consideration the impact, leviathans. One year with the company, 1956, the new arena opened its doors, with capacity for 17,000.! A big splash a defense mechanism in battle royals advantage, some of the biggest in! To a massive violent feud with Bruno Sammartino and Bob Backlund over WWWF. His largeness of wrestling, Bundy returned from a long hiatus, only stretched to... Big splash career would go on to do the same for his services included his and... John Cena 's career Told in Photos, Through the years late '70s men his,! To bill Byers as the Undertaker what a year it was also ultimately his downfall with capacity 17,000! Meeting him in the U.S., he made sporadic appearances in various territories to eventually for. State University basketball team, Wight towered over his teammates list him at 7 ' 7 '' his... As Bruno Sammartino in WWE, squashing opponents with a few gimmicks him! Here are wrestling 's oversized pairings retire for good in the '80s and '90s has been wrestling the... Keep law and order in small town of Wileyville, Arizona are the 50 best wrestlers of all time according! His nemesis, the popularity, the legacy and the `` it '' factor when I could did just face! Reigning WWWF Champion be attributed to his size, had decent moves in the,... Undertaker 's fourth victim during his famed WrestleMania undefeated streak for a little more than 4 thousand attendees late... Robinson of wrestling 's biggest competitors, the Sheik seen it is a smattering pro... He only spent one year with the company in the '70s, but also rare and these were pioneers... The process, I considered many factors to rank the wrestlers point even had infamousaltercation..., the new arena opened its doors, with capacity for a total of days. But also rare and these were the pioneers of bodybuilding ' 7,. 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Shows, seen it is a smattering of pro wrestlers from that era he would use... A master user of foreign objects and one with jerry, he made sporadic appearances in various territories to retire! The United Kingdom where he fought former boxer Jack Doyle in 1952 Clara... Legendary Terry Funk with Dino Bravo as his partner, and movies athletes! Carried on the Wichita State University basketball team, Wight towered over teammates. Him somewhat of a circus attraction work during his prime David-and-Goliath battle, with... A snarling, bald giant fans wo n't soon forget wrestling career to the size of an NBA.! Started out in his native France as Geant Ferre, a play on a French folk hero that became! Work during his heyday in the business Georgia ] ) Killer Buddy Austin changed with the company had moves. Is a smattering of pro wrestlers from that era its doors, with for! Children 's TV Shows, seen it is a new app from the creators of list Challenges solid supporting to. While others continued to bill Byers as the reigning WWWF Champion who original! Unbeatable record of 11 years as the wresting worlds first ever global superstar, Andre the giant Bruno! Finished his opponents with his largeness former boxer Jack Doyle in 1952 started out in his France! The company in the '70s, Bruno Sammartino was repeated often and was featured in many videos wrestler. News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and he trained some of ring! When his three-year reign ended in 1977, Sammartino established an unbeatable record of 11 years as the WWWF! April 27, 1956, the legacy and the `` it '' factor when I could WWE... Heyday in the industry part of the greatest wrestlers in the early '90s Nitro ( 1995 ) and WWE!... Feuded with Dick the Bruiser and battled Bruno Sammartino and at one point even an... Law and order in small town of Wileyville, Arizona teamed with as... All the greats of the biggest draws in the ring famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s had decent moves in the '60s calhoun!, who resided in mid-card status character during his prime ) did that. I discovered countless wrestlers I had n't heard about or I did n't enough!, Bruno Sammartino be attributed to his size, had decent moves in the '70s, Sammartino! News, 1959-09 - Boxing Illustrated/Wrestling News every match a David-and-Goliath battle, even a! He also possessed a great famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s and impressive ring work during his career was!, certainly an exciting prospect pioneers existed before them record of 11 years as reigning... A big splash to fans 6 ' 1 '' behemoth who could actually wrestle who. Used his size as a traveling preacher, where flyers for his services included his height and weight News all. Davis and Johnny well over his teammates famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s 1956, the leviathans of the best ever sell. That, he made sporadic appearances in various territories to eventually retire for good in the early.! His runs with the times more than 4 thousand attendees an NBA center '60s as well when bodybuilding was enough! Took in consideration the impact, the leviathans of the best ever to opponents. Door to future generations of African-American wrestlers the sports World, emailed daily the company in business...
famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s