The Valiant Brothers The curious thing was that none of the so-called wrestlers were true athletes. So I decided to explore an unknown zone for me and to tackle an era I didn't witness, the '60s and the '70s. 11. ( 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]) This soon turned into the uncomfortable "Love Machine" angle where Viscera wouldhump his opponents. He is widely regarded as the most recognized wrestling star worldwide and the most popular wrestler of the 1980s. He was already a huge mainstream attraction before he joined the WWWF in the early '70s, and his fame never declined. The lumbering and lovable behemoth set the standard for what a big man should be. 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 . He spent the later stages of his life as a traveling preacher, where flyers for his services included his height and weight. 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). Top 25 1950's Westerns. Paul Bunyan had to seem as unreal as the lumberjack from American folklore from who he took his ring name. Much of his success can be attributed to his size and his menacing look. He also was part of a wrestling family that gave us Paul "Butcher" Vachon, Vivian Vachon and Luna Vachon. 50. He towered over most of his competition in Puerto Rico orindy promotions like Professional Championship Wrestling. Top 10 Mr. Rogers Moments That'll Make You Nostalgic. A budding star, the Aussie known as 7-foot Thunder dreamed of a career in WCW. All are heavyweight unless otherwise noted. Eddie Graham. Wrestlers in the 6 . Despitehis walrus-like physique, Vader was very agile in the ring. Big Show has been big for a long time. English wrestler Martin Ruane made opponents as large as Big Daddy look like children. The duo, called The Executioners, holds the distinction to have not actually lost the belts since they were stripped after a third Executioner interfered in a match. I also discovered many gems of the WWWF era before it became the WWF. Backlund will always be remembered as one of the greatest technicians in pro wrestling history who built his legacy by battling other promotional World Champions several times and any comer, often very bigger than him. His biggest accomplishments were in the tag team division. By the time most old school wrestling fans got to see him, Mr. Fuji was known more as a diminutive little manager who looked slightly like Oddjob from James Bond. He began his WWE career as one-half of the Headshrinkers in a crowded tag team division. Man Mountain Mike and Haystacks Calhoun formed a tag team, testing the structural integrity of every wrestling ring they entered. Click here to watch The Fabulous Moolah facing one of her toughest rival in the '70s. With two different partners (Professor Tanaka and Mr. Saito), he managed to have five reigns as Tag Team champion, for a total of 932 days. The man known as Killer Kowalski Jr. was even bigger, a good two inches taller. 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. Yokozuna's size made nearly every match a David-and-Goliath battle, even with a man as large as Hulk Hogan. Pro wrestling has been home to its share of giants, enormous men who forced our necks to tilt upward and rings to strain. His handler, Daivari, claimed that Khali could destroy the Undertaker, certainly an exciting prospect. He was in the first Wrestlemania against Hogan and Mr. T. As a competitor,. He was a tough brawler and a solid performer who unfortunately spent much of his career in the shadow of a bigger giant. While the Ugandan portion of his character was all show, the giant part was not. "The American Dream" has been one of the most popular and colorful professional wrestlers in history. 23. He bumbled about the ring worse than Giant Gonzales or The Great Khali ever did. Vintage Wrestling Girls - 50s & 60s. 1951-07 - Wrestling Magazine (credit: Rock Rims), circa 1958 - Boxing Illustrated/Wrestling News, 1959-09 - Boxing Illustrated/Wrestling News. Previous Decade > Next Decade . It was here that he tagged with Kevin Nash, who was known then as Vinnie Vegas. According to the Chronicle-Telegram, Zehe "won several matches simply because his opponents couldn't get his arms around him.". He has since found a niche playing monsters and colossal men in movies like 300 and Sherlock Holmes. Chyna. The Samoan wrestler played a Japanese sumo wrestler, complete with Japanese flag waving behind him. From 1963 to 1971, the man held the WWWF Championship for an astonishing first reign of 2,803 days. One Man Gang (real name: George Gray) wrestled for WWE during the late '80s where he battled fellow big man Bam Bam Bigelow and powerhouse Don Muraco. 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. On an interesting side note, Santino Marella's name is a tribute to Monsoon, who's real name is Robert Marella. He eventually became a three-time WWWF United States Tag Team Championship. Season 2 Episode 12 The Wrestler. He's best known for his time as Big Sky in WCW. advertisememt. Vicious in contrast, became a world champion several times over. He was very agile and resilient for a man his size; he battled several 60-minute time limit draws against the greats of the time, such as Bruno Sammartino. Making Ron Simmons look diminutive is an impressive feat. Learn more at. When the former baseball player met the Rising Suns first legend, Rikidozan, that was it for Baba, and he began training to become a pro wrestler. He once was a fierce wrestler, with a heel character back in the '60s. 1. When you are taller and nearly 80 lbs heavier than NBA center Dwight Howard, there's no questioning your size. Unlike Khali, Silva could move quite well in the ring, even mixing in some flying moves. Nowadays, wrestling podcast fans know Mil Mascaras as no yob, but the man of a thousand masks is responsible for bringing Lucha Libre to the masses by wrestling all over the world. Quite possibly, the first ever Japanese born WWE Champion, Antonio Inoki might win the award for being the most prolific wrestler of all time. 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. 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. Fans were enthralled by him, curious to watch a man his size and perhaps were pulled in by his larger-than-life aura. 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. Man Mountain offered a large cash reward for anyone who could bodyslam him. 8 Kevin Nash. He did it so often that he was named the PWI Most Hated Wrestler in 1977. Angelo Poffo Angelo Poffo, from Downers Grove, Illinois, was both a hero and a villain to me. King Kong Bundy was one of many giants Hulk Hogan was asked to slay during his dominant run in the '80s. Heavyweight: 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. The World's Most Entertaining Car Website. 1. Stevens most recently played an orc chieftain in the new Hobbit trilogy. In between, he floated between gimmicks, WCW trying to find a way to best use Reis' immense size. His lengthly career started in 1962 under the tutelage of Nick Bockwinkel. Click here to watch Luke Graham in the ring; it's probably not a WWWF footage, but that's all I could find. Baba was extremely proficient as a technical wrestler considering his size. Orndorff was a professional wrestler from Florida who was a good mid-card performer before going to WWF and being a star. This enormous man performed for WWE, WCCW and AWA in a career that began in 1985 and ended only a few years later. 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. The enemies-turned-allies carried on the tradition of wrestling's oversized pairings. Ruane wrestled for the majority of his career in England, but had a short stint in WCW as Loch Ness. In wrestling, he didn't make it past the development level, being seven feet of man or not. However, he was not alone and this top 25 is the proof. 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. Gori Guerrero - World Champion He has been married to Christina Beddoes since November 8, 1986. Palmer went from playing a giant ape in The Killer Ape to being an attraction in wrestling to the self-proclaimed "Goliath for Christ." From his debut in 1973 and for the rest of the decade (in fact until 1987), Andre was one of the most beloved wrestlers and the most well known across the planet. Here is a smattering of pro wrestlers from that era. He can also brag to. Graham also managed to put the hand on the short-lived WWF International Tag Team Championship. 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. This cannot be undone. Larry Chene, Mike Clancy, Jack Curtis, Mike DiBiase, Pepper Gomez, Red McKim, Sonny Myers, Angelo Savoldi, Joe Scarpello, Oni Wiki Wiki. 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 This was a time when bodybuilding was not only raw, but also rare and these were the pioneers of bodybuilding. 60. WWEs parade of freaks, The Oddities featured three massive men, Robert Maillet aka Kurrgan being one of them. Killer Kowalski must have stunned many a crowd at 6'7'' and nearly 300 lbs in the '50s and '60s. to these sites/people. 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. Ruben Juarez - National Champion, Middleweight (Mexico): Bruno Sammartino is the greatest 70's wrestler of all time. To be blessed with all those talents as well as impressive size is a wrestling promoter's dream. In spite of that ridiculousness, he managed to come off as intimidating, mostly due to his size. 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. 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 Kowalski, who opened a pro wrestling school after he retired in 1977, trained none other than Triple H and many others. Just like Hogan or Stone Cold, he could not do it all by himself. It didn't help that WWE outfitted him in perhaps the worst wrestling gear in company history, but no amount of fashion sense could have hidden his deficiencies. He was a master of the heel tactics, but he was also very agile in the ring. It wouldnt be before long that he too had a career that turned him into his own mythic legend. Strongbow will probably be most remembered for his Native American gimmick, with the complete outfit, including his famous traditional headdress than for his achievements. By the time he was working for WCCW and WCW, Swenson's body was a mass of bulging muscles. The latest in the sports world, emailed daily. 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. Giant Baba. Yokozuna's weight was his greatest attraction, but it was also ultimately his downfall. 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 the whole clan of the Valiant Brothers is inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame, Johnny is the one who embraced the most success. 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. He gave us classics against Bret Hart and Taz. Click here to watch Bobo Brazil taking on his nemesis, The Sheik. 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. Click here to watch Tony Garea in action against Billy Graham. His legs seem to stretch upwards forever, two stilts hidden under black leather pants. Other Links > Pro Wrestling > Top Ranked Pro Wrestlers by Decade . The man known then as "The Giant," became a mammoth-sized part of WCW in 1995 and immediately drew comparisons to Andre the Giant. There isnt a single person reading this list that doesnt understand the level of greatness behind Bobby "The Brain" Heenan. The Fabulous Moolah is the longest reigning champion in pro wrestling history. He routinely performed moonsaults and corner slingshot splashes, aka Vader Bombs. As The Shockmaster, Typhoon or the ridiculously dressed Tugboat, Ottman was a powerful, wide mass. 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. Credits for information on this site are given Possessing an impressive blend of power and speed, Rikishi spent a good part of two decades entertaining WWE fans. Given the resounding success of the fights, Lutteroth had the vision to expand and remodel it. In addition, you can see the most watched/liked stuff amongst your friends. 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. During her time with AJW, CMLL and ARISON, Yoshida has displayed a fantastic level of ring execution and ingenuity in the ring, which she shows with her innovative moves the Spider Twistand the. * Some NWA promoters recognized Moolah as world champion Scars line his arms. In 1961 Karadagin would fight again at Luna Park against Capitn Piluso, played by the actor Alberto Olmedo. His impressive reign lasted until December 1, 1973 when Stan "The Man" Stasiak defeated him for the title in a shocking moment. Billed at 7'7'', his actual height is debated. Most men Bigelow's size probably have trouble getting in and out of their car, but his career was a constant defiance of physics. 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. Related: John Cena's Career Told In Photos, Through The Years. 49. Back in the days, most wrestlers moved from one territory to another, or in other words, there was no promotion exclusivity. 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. Race was Humphrey's driver and occasional opponent in the very early '60s. The Parks faced Ross and Marshall Von Erich, whom they defeated in a Tornado Tag Match. Imagine trying to pick up a man over 600 lbs to perform a wrestling move. He is nimble and versatile. 19 Stan Hansen. Click here to watch Strongbow taking on Professor TanakaMr. His girth made most moves impossible for both Humphrey and his opponent. 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. 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. Before tossing smaller man about in wrestling rings, Taro was in fact a real-life sumo wrestler. After some forgettable gimmicks in Isaac Yankem D.D.S. When his three-year reign ended in 1977, Sammartino established an unbeatable record of 11 years as the reigning WWWF Champion. 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. 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. top 10 wrestlers from the 50s and 60s. Pat O'Connor - World Champion, Jr. Heavyweight: The first wrestling shows came to Mexico in the middle of the 19th century, during the times of the French intervention. He was an instant top babyface who battled Gorilla Monsoon and The Sheik among others. 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. When he joined the WWF in 1979, Patterson was an established heel who already accumulated 32 vhampionships in various territories. ( United States Champion [San Francisco]) Antonino Rocca. Titanes also had a cheating referee Hctor Oscar Brea as William Boo. Swenson weighed far less during his brief stint as a boxer, but still had enormous arms that looked like something out of a cartoon. In a career that began in the '60s and ended for good in the '90s, Baba became a legend in his home country. Click here to watch Zbyszko turning on his mentor at the end of 1979; then, treat yourself by clicking here to watch their classic cage match in August 1980. Even a legendary in-ring talent like Race couldn't do much in the way of wrestling with Humphrey. As the wresting world's first ever global superstar, Andre the Giant has been wrestling since the '60s as well. 48. 51 of 100. . 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. Regardless of how he performed in the ring, Vicious always looked the part of the massive monster. 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. But before he became the best manager in the history of the sport, he actually did have an in ring career that started way back in 1961 with names like Dick the Bruiser and Sam Mushnick before promoters realized Heenans mouth was much better than his ring work, which was also pretty good. Jackson Andrews wrestled for FCW from 2009-2011, where his colossal frame was his main asset. 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. Policy. After a stint in World Class Championship Wrestling, Bundy made a name for himself in WWE, squashing opponents with his Avalanche Splash. 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. Related: Antonio Inoki: The WWE Champion The Company Doesn't Recognize. 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. In addition to his championships, he left his mark on the WWE hardcore scene, with his uncommon mix of technician and brawler's skills.Click here to watch Pat Patterson defending the Intercontinental Championship against Dominic DeNucci. It was that physique that helped him land the role of Bane in Batman and Robin. On April 27, 1956, the new arena opened its doors, with capacity for 17,000 people. 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. Jerry 'The King' Lawler. His monikers included Big John Harris, Silo Sam and Trapper John. 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. 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. Nerve damage ended the former Australian Heavyweight Champion's career before it truly began. 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. 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During his dominant run in the ring, vicious always looked the part of so-called! One-Half of the Headshrinkers in a crowded tag team Championship Class Championship wrestling, Bundy made a for... A man over 600 lbs to perform a wrestling move about the ring with Humphrey behind., Sammartino established an unbeatable record of 11 years as the reigning WWWF Champion big man should be its of... Men, Robert Maillet aka Kurrgan being one of the most recognized wrestling star worldwide and the popular..., Patterson was an established famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s who already accumulated 32 vhampionships in various.... Only a few years later made most moves impossible for both Humphrey and his fame never declined a star lovable!