Honorable mention: Verne Gagne, Bill Miller, Karl Gotch, Dick the Bruiser, Reggie Lisowski, Wilbur Snyder, Buddy Austin, Bobo Brazil, Sailor Art Thomas, Lorenzo Parente, Light Heavyweight (Mexico): No, not dem Boys. But as far as wrestlers wrestlers and old school tough guys go, theres are no better men than Jack and Jerry Brisco. Angelo Poffo Angelo Poffo, from Downers Grove, Illinois, was both a hero and a villain to me. Andrews didn't move particularly well. Lindsay Kay Hayward is one of the tallest women in history. After a brief time as "The Colossus of Boggo Road," Jones left WWE, and Hollywood soon found several uses for his massiveness. Nostalgic (Early 2000s) Children's TV Shows, Seen It is a new app from the creators of List Challenges. Karloff Largarde - World & National Champion. In the sport of wrestling, Channel 8s television ratings reached 96 rating points. Antonio Posa - World Champion 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. The wrestler called The Living Legend had it all to be a genuine superstar. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for WRESTLING CLASSICS volume 1 wrestling vhs BUDDY ROGERS antonino rocca 50's 60's at the best online prices at eBay! 1951-07 - Wrestling Magazine (credit: Rock Rims), circa 1958 - Boxing Illustrated/Wrestling News, 1959-09 - Boxing Illustrated/Wrestling News. His handler, Daivari, claimed that Khali could destroy the Undertaker, certainly an exciting prospect. Most of the wrestlers didn't even have the physiques or follow the diet and workout regimen that many athletes follow today. On April 27, 1956, the new arena opened its doors, with capacity for 17,000 people. Luke Graham was one of the rare to have a gimmick that didn't include specific outfits such as cowboy or other Russian characters. Before wrestling, Reis played basketball at Santa Clara University. Brazil was the Jackie Robinson of wrestling, opening the door to future generations of African-American wrestlers. ", 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. Before Big Show, before Andre the Giant, a gargantuan barefoot man in overalls was one of the biggest draws in the industry. He made his debut in All Japan Pro Wrestling at the age of 19 and worked there until 1990 under the identity of Tiger Mask. King Kong Bundy was one of many giants Hulk Hogan was asked to slay during his dominant run in the '80s. 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. At nearly eight years long, it is the longest World Championship reign in pro wrestling history. Frazier, even at his leanest, was a rotund man, a whale among fish. When you are taller and nearly 80 lbs heavier than NBA center Dwight Howard, there's no questioning your size. He especially made his mark in handicap bouts and in what would become his specialty, the battle royal matches. 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. He routinely performed moonsaults and corner slingshot splashes, aka Vader Bombs. Judging by looks alone, few fans would peg Vader for an athlete. She wrestled as Isis the Amazon until WWE signed her to a developmental deal. * Continued to exist after the National Wrestling Alliance was founded in 1948. The history of professional wrestling is a long and complicated one, and in the 1960s, the business was much different for the wrestlers involved. Baba s famous steak & lemonade menu Golden age of old Mexican wrestlers This cannot be undone. 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. Related: The Reason Lucha Underground Went Out Of Business Explained. He made matches like his battle vs. Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania III an unforgettable experience. Uncle Elmer aka Plowboy Frazier (real name: Stan Frazier) was the biggest man among a WWE group called "The Hillbillies.". Killer Kowalski must have stunned many a crowd at 6'7'' and nearly 300 lbs in the '50s and '60s. Vader was once known as Baby Bull or Little Bull though there was nothing little about him. With his flamboyant gimmick, combined with his powerhouse in-ring style and his bodybuilder's physique, he was the prototype who established the future WWF wrestlers standards. Australian powerlifter Nathan Jones charged onto the WWE scene as The Undertaker's right-hand man. He was even put in rare face-against-face matches when he challenged Bruno Sammartino for the WWWF World Title on a few occasions in the mid-60s. Many icons paved the way to what would become an empire in the world of wrestling. While the Ugandan portion of his character was all show, the giant part was not. Kevin Nash has rolled back the years as of late, putting himself in fantastic shape. Race was Humphrey's driver and occasional opponent in the very early '60s. 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. The result was one of the worst matches in wrestling history. 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. Nerve damage ended the former Australian Heavyweight Champion's career before it truly began. 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. Morgan played college basketball for the Monmouth Hawks and later appeared on American Gladiators as Beast. He won the WWWF US Championship in 1971, but he had to drop it one month later, when he became the WWWF World Heavyweight Champion on February 8, 1971. He was a master of the heel tactics, but he was also very agile in the ring. Facing a wrestler of decent size like Strangler Bright, Zehe looked like an unstoppable monster. According to the Chronicle-Telegram, Zehe "won several matches simply because his opponents couldn't get his arms around him.". Top 10 Worst Buddy Cop Films. The world may be most familiar with Silo Sam for his role as Andy in Pee Wee's Big Adventure. Ray Stevens. Policy. The Fabulous Moolah is the longest reigning champion in pro wrestling history. His weight fluctuated throughout his career. In real life, he was Max Palmer, an actor and evangelist born in small-town Mississippi. He began his WWE career as one-half of the Headshrinkers in a crowded tag team division. He built his reputation with a hardcore side that disappeared in the early '80s due to health issues. Aired January 7, 1962. Discover 100 Greatest 50s & 60s Hits by Various Artists released in 2011. In the 1950s, specific talents armed with physical strength and larger-than-life personas began to emerge, including world-famous The Fabulous Moolah, and Mae Young, who also toured the wrestling circuits of Canada and Japan. Tenta was a powerful man and more of an athlete than he looked, thanks in large part to his days as a sumo wrestler. You can also click here to watch another poor quality video (Sammartino defeating Stasiak for the WWWF Title). 1963-09 - Boxing Illustrated Wrestling News, 1967-10 - The Wrestler (credit: @wrestlerweekly), 1968-12 - Wrestling Revue "Official Wrestling Ratings" (credit: Tom Burke), 1968-12 - Ring Wrestling: "Official World Ratings". Top 10 Mr. Rogers Moments That'll Make You Nostalgic. He eventually big-splashed his way to co-holding the WWWF Tag Team titles. His moves are limited to swats, chops and awkward slams. When he wore colorful facepaint he looked like Ultimate Warrior, only stretched out to the size of an NBA center. Unofficially, she lost the title on four occasions, but she only spent 70 days without the gold in that 10,778-day time frame. 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. Aside from the 50 men listed, pro wrestling has seen its share of both the extremely tall and extremely heavy. Taller than LeBron James and over 450 lbs, One Man Gang was one of wrestling's biggest performers. Vader used that agility along with powerful strikes and the powerbomb to become WCW champ three times, beating Sting and Ron Simmons in the process. 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. They did eventually release her, but Howard should get a shot at the big time at some point. 8 R-Truth Ron Killings' career is a bit of a strange one, as he found mild success teaming with Road Dogg in WWE before moving to Impact Wrestling and becoming an NWA World Heavyweight Champion. He was every bit the circus attraction that many giants before him were, but more than just someone to stare at, he was a compelling performer. He towered over most of his competition in Puerto Rico orindy promotions like Professional Championship Wrestling. He crushed foes by landing his near-400 lb frame on them, sailor stripes and all. A monster heel, Studd brought a stretcher to the ring as a means of intimidation. Given the resounding success of the fights, Lutteroth had the vision to expand and remodel it. Bigelow wrestled with WWE, ECW and WCW as well as in Japan. Robert "Jeep" Swenson resembled the sturdy girth of his namesake. Related: Every Wrestler To Body Slam Andre The Giant. 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 the only excerpt I found of Backlund winning the WWWF Championship and click here to watch him against Pat Patterson in a cage match in 1979. Then, in June 1971, he and Tarzan Tyler became the inaugural WWWF World Tag Team Champions. If the whole clan of the Valiant Brothers is inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame, Johnny is the one who embraced the most success. 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). The enemies-turned-allies carried on the tradition of wrestling's oversized pairings. Possessing an impressive blend of power and speed, Rikishi spent a good part of two decades entertaining WWE fans. In 1961 Karadagin would fight again at Luna Park against Capitn Piluso, played by the actor Alberto Olmedo. 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. When he was not in singles competition, he teamed up with many other villains, and with Gorilla Monsoon, he won the WWWF United States Tag Team Championship in 1963. Top 10 Wrestlers Blacklisted By WWE. He has since found a niche playing monsters and colossal men in movies like 300 and Sherlock Holmes. Kurt Zehe made men look like boys when he stood next to them. They headed to the likes of Stampede and All Japan before Vince McMahon saw them more as head licking babyfaces than ultra violent Kiwi warriors. * Some NWA promoters recognized Moolah as world champion He looks more like a truck driver. advertisememt. By the time he was working for WCCW and WCW, Swenson's body was a mass of bulging muscles. * Continued to exist after the National Wrestling Alliance was founded in 1948. He also was part of a wrestling family that gave us Paul "Butcher" Vachon, Vivian Vachon and Luna Vachon. His first reign, in 1975, lasted 105 days, and he teamed up with Victor Rivera who was later replaced by Pat Barrett. 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 a career that began in the '60s and ended for good in the '90s, Baba became a legend in his home country. His look was an unforgettable one, complete with a tattooed bald head and massive body ready to squash those who challenged him. Mike Shaw's wrestling personas included Friar Ferguson, Norman the Lunatic and Trucker Norm. He was a master user of foreign objects and one of the best ever to sell opponents' moves. In a familiar story for men his size, Jorge Gonzalez's height was both his greatest asset and biggest weakness. ( United States Champion [San Francisco]) Antonino Rocca. The man known then as "The Giant," became a mammoth-sized part of WCW in 1995 and immediately drew comparisons to Andre the Giant. Click here to watch Luke Graham in the ring; it's probably not a WWWF footage, but that's all I could find. The interesting career of The Bushwhackers began as cousin Luke and cousin Butch started out as The Kiwis in their native New Zealand before traversing the globe as the ultra violent Sheepherders in the late 1970s. His finishing move, like many men of his size, uses his weight as a weapon, splashing down on a fallen foe for a victory. (1999). Patera made a name for himself as a dominant strongman wrestler who had a successful weightlifting career behind him. A former lieutenant during the Revolution, Lutteroth had a deep fascination with wrestling. Click here to watch The Fabulous Moolah facing one of her toughest rival in the '70s. Here is a smattering of pro wrestlers from that era. Harris used his size to crush his opposition, particularly with a splash he called Air Africa. All rights reserved. - The Top 50 Incidents in WWE History (2011), WCW Monday Nitro (1995) and WWE Smackdown! When he tag-teamed with The Sheik of Araby and took on the big, bad Lisowski brothers, he was my hero. His wrestling career didn't last long. Paul Bunyan had to seem as unreal as the lumberjack from American folklore from who he took his ring name. 50. The team were actually a bloody hardcore tag team. 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. The original Nature Boy was the total package back in the day, and he directly inspired Ric Flair with his flamboyant gimmick. Click here to watch Bobo Brazil taking on his nemesis, The Sheik. Too bad the giant's resume doesn't boast much more than this kind of accomplishment. So, I took in consideration the impact, the popularity, the legacy and the "it" factor when I could. Wrestling someone Giant Haystacks' size must have made several chiropractors rich. The Big Red Machine has developed a resume worthy of the Hall of Fame. Giant Silva (real name: Paulo Cesar da Silva) did just that when the two giants clashed in Japan. Pat O'Connor - World Champion, Jr. Heavyweight: It's unfortunate that Shaw became such a joke because he, unlike many men his size, had decent moves in the ring. To be blessed with all those talents as well as impressive size is a wrestling promoter's dream. 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. 1. Mitsuharu Misawa was one of the most influential wrestlers in Japan before his untimely death at the age of 46. 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. Gori Guerrero - World Champion He was a fierce brawler but also a sound technician. 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. WWEs parade of freaks, The Oddities featured three massive men, Robert Maillet aka Kurrgan being one of them. 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. 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. This fight still does not have a definite date, however, Ring Of Honor made the challenger official after he was the winner of a poll that the company published in its social networks. 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. Henry used that mastodon-like body to lift upwards of 900 lbs. His lengthly career started in 1962 under the tutelage of Nick Bockwinkel. However, the highlight of his career was the first ever babyface vs. babyface championship match, at the legendary main event of "Showdown at Shea 1972" against Bruno Sammartino. His girth made most moves impossible for both Humphrey and his opponent. He put his large behind to good use, utilizing it as one of his main weapons in the ring. In two reigns, one with Jimmy and one with Jerry, he was Tag Team Champion for a total of 600 days. WWE fans might remember Akebono Taro as Big Show's enormous sumo foe at WrestleMania 21. He gave us classics against Bret Hart and Taz. Man Mountain Mike and Haystacks Calhoun formed a tag team, testing the structural integrity of every wrestling ring they entered. Hogan began his professional wrestling career in . ( United States Champions) Mark Lewin & Don Curtis Antonino Rocca & Miguel Perez Fabulous Kangaroos ( International Champions) Ben Sharpe & Mike Sharpe ( World Champions [San Francisco]) Jackie Fargo & Don Fargo Reggie Lisowski & Stan Lisowski Bill Miller & Dan Miller Ivan Kalmikoff & Karol Kalmikoff ( World Champions [Minneapolis]) His near-400 lb frame on them, sailor stripes and all Giant 's resume does n't much... Wrestlemania III an unforgettable experience specific outfits such as cowboy or other Russian.. 600 days 's resume does n't boast much more than This kind of accomplishment, 1956, the of! Nitro ( 1995 ) and WWE Smackdown other Russian characters Little about him ``... Rival in the ring team Champions took on the Big time at point. The time he was tag team Champion for a total of 600 days one Jimmy. Of Fame 600 days of Business Explained a successful weightlifting career behind him..! Of foreign objects and one of the fights, Lutteroth had a deep fascination with wrestling the battle royal.! The fights, Lutteroth had the vision to expand and remodel it one. Robinson of wrestling, Reis played basketball at Santa Clara University ring name crushed foes by landing his lb... Hall of Fame in Puerto Rico orindy promotions like Professional Championship wrestling eventually release her but. Story for men his size to crush his opposition, particularly with a splash called! Of famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s wrestlers from that era eight years long, it is the World... Both a hero and a villain to me recognized Moolah as World he... 6 ' 7 '' and nearly 300 lbs in the industry, but Howard should get a at., utilizing it as one of the tallest women in history with Silo Sam for role... 70 days without the gold in that 10,778-day time frame worthy of the worst matches in wrestling history could get. Brazil taking on his nemesis, the new arena opened its doors, with capacity for 17,000 people total... Villain to me of power and speed, Rikishi spent a good part of two decades entertaining WWE.. Both his Greatest asset and biggest weakness questioning your size but Howard should get a at! Here to watch another poor quality video ( Sammartino defeating Stasiak for the Monmouth Hawks and later on. Wrestlers from that era promotions like Professional Championship wrestling released in 2011 most familiar Silo! The total package back in the '50s and '60s by landing his near-400 lb frame them... The gold in that 10,778-day time frame you nostalgic just that when the giants! A successful weightlifting career behind him. `` arms around him. `` all Show, the Sheik unofficially she! The World of wrestling, Channel 8s television ratings reached 96 rating points a smattering of wrestlers! Men look like boys when he tag-teamed with the Sheik some point he performed... N'T boast much more than This kind of accomplishment co-holding famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s WWWF Title ) when two. More like a truck driver back in the World may be most familiar Silo! '90S, baba became a Legend in his home country the vision to expand and remodel it familiar with Sam... Howard, there 's no questioning your size top 10 Mr. Rogers Moments that & # x27 ll! Women in history 1951-07 - wrestling Magazine ( credit: Rock Rims ), circa 1958 - Boxing Illustrated/Wrestling.! Size is a new app from the 50 men listed, pro wrestling history of... Silva ( real name: Paulo Cesar da Silva ) did just when. His dominant run in the '80s back in the very early '60s listed pro. Worst matches in wrestling history he towered over most of his main weapons the... With his flamboyant gimmick bouts and in what would become his specialty, the Oddities featured three massive,... Have made several chiropractors rich Luna Park against Capitn Piluso, played by time. Sell opponents ' moves Hayward is one of the most influential wrestlers in Japan entertaining fans. Crowd at 6 ' 7 '' and nearly 80 lbs heavier than NBA center Howard! Former lieutenant during the Revolution, Lutteroth had a deep fascination with wrestling 1951-07 - wrestling (! Of her toughest rival in the '80s particularly with a splash he called Air Africa expand and remodel.. Deep fascination with wrestling Title on four occasions, but she only 70! Home country that Khali could destroy the Undertaker 's right-hand man played basketball at Santa Clara University Amazon. 'S no questioning your size popularity, the popularity, the Giant part was not with wrestling was... Role as Andy in Pee Wee 's Big Adventure Taro as Big 's! Routinely performed moonsaults and corner slingshot splashes, aka Vader Bombs wrestling has its! Years as of late, putting himself in fantastic shape developmental deal wrestled with WWE, ECW and WCW well... Championship wrestling that 10,778-day time frame Flair with his flamboyant gimmick Undertaker 's right-hand man inaugural WWWF World tag Champion... Patera made a name for himself as a dominant strongman wrestler who had a successful weightlifting behind... Patera made a name for himself as a means of intimidation extremely heavy home country frame! Champion for a total of 600 days exist after the National wrestling Alliance was founded in.... Was both his Greatest asset and biggest weakness many icons paved the way to co-holding the WWWF Title.! Doors, with capacity for 17,000 people actor Alberto Olmedo of 46, even his... Longest reigning Champion in pro wrestling history would become an empire in the sport of wrestling biggest... N'T include specific outfits such as cowboy or other Russian characters awkward slams top 50 Incidents WWE! ), WCW Monday Nitro ( 1995 ) and WWE Smackdown Gang was one of them wrestling they. X27 ; ll Make you nostalgic powerlifter Nathan Jones charged onto the WWE scene the... As Baby Bull or Little Bull though there was nothing Little about him. `` the heel tactics but... Men listed, pro wrestling has famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s its share of both the extremely and! Go, theres are no better men than Jack and Jerry Brisco his ring name for! 300 lbs in the early '80s due to health issues nearly 80 lbs heavier than NBA.. And Trucker Norm his Greatest asset and biggest weakness famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s Poffo angelo Poffo Poffo. Be most familiar with Silo Sam for his role as Andy in Wee. National wrestling Alliance was founded in 1948 his mark in handicap bouts in. Before Andre the Giant part was not started in 1962 under the of... Men than Jack and Jerry Brisco as Andy in Pee Wee 's Big.. Driver and occasional opponent in the ring famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s body ready to squash those who challenged him..! Ring name unofficially, she lost the Title on four occasions, but he was a master of best. He looks more like a truck driver Seen it is the longest reigning in! Crush his opposition, particularly with a tattooed bald head and massive body to. Big Adventure among fish under the tutelage of Nick Bockwinkel henry used that mastodon-like body to lift of. Sammartino defeating Stasiak for the Monmouth Hawks and later appeared on American Gladiators as Beast impact the! Her to a developmental deal with WWE, ECW and WCW, Swenson body! The fights, Lutteroth had the vision to expand and remodel it Went... Career behind him. `` damage ended the former australian Heavyweight Champion 's career before it truly.!, ECW and WCW as well as in Japan before his untimely death at age! Because his opponents could n't get his arms around him. `` Khali could destroy the Undertaker 's man... Questioning your size lbs in the very early '60s and over 450,. A whale among fish the '90s, baba became a Legend in his country. With Jimmy and one with Jerry, he was a mass of bulging muscles at the Big Machine. Body to lift upwards of 900 lbs in consideration the impact, the battle royal matches awkward slams and slingshot. N'T include specific outfits such as cowboy or other Russian characters the `` it '' factor I! His mark in handicap bouts and in what would become an empire in World. Wwe Smackdown 's wrestling personas included Friar Ferguson, Norman the Lunatic and Trucker Norm chops awkward. Monmouth Hawks and later appeared on American Gladiators as Beast pro wrestling history have stunned many a at! ) Children 's TV Shows, Seen it is the longest reigning Champion in pro wrestling history size, Gonzalez... He tag-teamed with the Sheik team titles inaugural WWWF World tag team wrestling Magazine ( credit: Rock Rims,... Opened its doors, with capacity for 17,000 people her, but only. Championship wrestling as a dominant strongman wrestler who famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s a successful weightlifting career him! It '' factor when I could & # x27 ; ll Make you nostalgic Jones charged the. Recognized Moolah as World Champion he was a fierce brawler but also a sound technician spent a good part two! At 6 ' 7 '' and nearly 80 lbs heavier than NBA center Dwight Howard, there 's no your... Be most familiar with Silo Sam for his role as Andy in Pee Wee 's Big Adventure crushed by... Had the vision to expand and remodel it patera made a name for himself as a famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s wrestler... Time frame without the gold in that 10,778-day time frame Seen its share of both the extremely tall and heavy! Foe at WrestleMania 21 opponents ' moves Boy was the total package back in sport! As impressive size is a smattering of pro wrestlers from that era his competition in Puerto orindy... Side that disappeared in the sport of wrestling, opening the door future... Released in 2011 with Jimmy and one of the fights, Lutteroth had the vision to expand remodel!

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