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. Like Andre, Big Show was a massive man, sported a black singlet and suffered from acromegaly. It's difficult to determine some wrestlers' true size with a business so famous for twisting the truth and exaggerating reality. 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. Ivn Kowalski and Juan Enrique Dos Santos (El Gitano Ivanoff), would be the first wrestlers to personify the character of The Mummy. Morton hires a . When a man stands tall enough to look down on Kane, he's sure to make jaws drop as he passes by. Brian Norton wrestled in his home country as Tron. He teamed early in his career with fellow Texan, the late Dick Murdoch, and, for more than 20 . 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. You probably noticed that the name of Bruno Sammartino was repeated often and was featured in many videos. When he wore colorful facepaint he looked like Ultimate Warrior, only stretched out to the size of an NBA center. 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. He was a master of in-ring psychology and an ace on the mic who could generate heat like no others. Here is a smattering of pro wrestlers from that era. The man known as Killer Kowalski Jr. was even bigger, a good two inches taller. 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. 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. While he certainly brought his share of physical intimidation courtesy of his massive frame, Kane was never a freak show. Considering his height, it's not surprising that Cottonwood (real name: Kipp Christianson) played basketball at St. John's (Minn.) as well as for the Dallas Mavericks and Milwaukee Bucks during the summer league. 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. He was a rigid wrestler on redwood-like legs. Nelson Frazier began his WWE career as one-half of the purple-clad, rap-happy Men on a Mission. 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 . Certainly not glamorous, but that was how wrestlers paid their dues decades ago. * Continued to exist after the National Wrestling Alliance was founded in 1948. Many of these famous wrestlers have attributed their success in their fields to the sport of wrestling. 2. Nerve damage ended the former Australian Heavyweight Champion's career before it truly began. He made matches like his battle vs. Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania III an unforgettable experience. Terry Eugene Bollea, better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American retired professional wrestler and television personality. Goldust. Season 2 Episode 12 The Wrestler. Throughout the '70s and '80s, he captured numerous titles, wrestling Andre the Giant, Bruno Sammartino, Dusty Rhodes and Bob Backlund along the way. 1962-08-10 - National Wrestling Association (source: LegacyOfWrestling.com) The longevity of his career, his multiple title runs and great matches have him considered by some to be wrestling's best big man ever. However, he was not alone and this top 25 is the proof. Quite possibly, the first ever Japanese born WWE Champion, Antonio Inoki might win the award for being the most prolific wrestler of all time. - The Top 50 Incidents in WWE History Darren Matthews was born on May 10, 1968 in Staffordshire, England, UK. 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. In 1989, Teddy Long formed a tag team featuring two intimidatingly tall wrestlers. He was a real animal in the ring, and his brutality was matched by only few other hardcore legends. The Top Ranked Pro Wrestlers of the 1950s 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. "The American Dream" has been one of the most popular and colorful professional wrestlers in history. 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. 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. 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 battled in various territories, but he always remained loyal to the WWWF. Back then it was a foreign exhibition, but when a man named Enrique Ugartechea became known as the first Mexican-made wrestler in the early 20th century, a new craze for the discipline was born. 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. Satiating its obsession for girth, wrestling's promoters have found real-life Goliaths and showcased them for fans. Yokozuna's weight was his greatest attraction, but it was also ultimately his downfall. Credits for information on this site are given 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. 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. and the fake Diesel, WWE found the perfect fit for Glenn Jacobs. Records differ on Palmer's actual height. When you are taller and nearly 80 lbs heavier than NBA center Dwight Howard, there's no questioning your size. Click here to watch Pedro Morales defeating Ivan Koloff for the WWWF Championship. Also, you can track what you've seen, want to see, like, or dislike, as well as track individual seasons or episodes of shows. 10 Wrestlers Who Tragically Died In The Ring. From 1970 to 1973, Pedro Morales left a permanent mark on WWE. While Juan Manuel Figueroa would be La Momia between 1975 and 1988. Ruben Juarez - National Champion, Middleweight (Mexico): Unofficially, she lost the title on four occasions, but she only spent 70 days without the gold in that 10,778-day time frame. Muhammad Malik Khan would later find success as an actor and eventually find work as a security guard at a Dubai supermarket. Logos are registered trademarks of respective organizations. He started out in his native France as Geant Ferre, a play on a French folk hero. 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. The world may be most familiar with Silo Sam for his role as Andy in Pee Wee's Big Adventure. Unique lists featuring pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts. 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. 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. Ultimately, the 1980s are most widely thought to represent the golden age of women's wrestling and the point at which . Hogan doesn't often get considered a big-man wrestler though he is 67 and 300 lbs. The Samoan wrestler played a Japanese sumo wrestler, complete with Japanese flag waving behind him. Morales, who would later become the first Triple Crown Champion in WWE history, was known for his uncommon resilience and for his mat skills. He immediately became the No. His weight was no doubt a major factor in him dying of a pulmonary edema at just 34. Kevin Nash has rolled back the years as of late, putting himself in fantastic shape. To be blessed with all those talents as well as impressive size is a wrestling promoter's dream. Bodybuilding had to originate somewhere. Swenson weighed far less during his brief stint as a boxer, but still had enormous arms that looked like something out of a cartoon. Free shipping for many products! The fact that he has been able to have so much success outside of the wrestling world later on in life with movie roles is something that has led many fans to believe he is much younger. As the wresting worlds first ever global superstar, Andre the Giant has been wrestling since the '60s as well. Jackson Andrews wrestled for FCW from 2009-2011, where his colossal frame was his main asset. 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. During this tussle with the boxer, Monsoon's immense size became startlingly apparent as he made Ali look small standing across from him. 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. Those I ranked are only the tip of the iceberg because other legends and pioneers existed before them. He certainly is a large man, coming in at just an inch shorter than Big Show, but Undertaker is so skilled that it's easy to forget you're watching a giant at work. He managed to win two Tag Team Championships in the '70s, once with Sonny King and once with Billy White Wolf. Sports wrote that, "Plowboy Frazier was the budget version ofAndre the Giant.". 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. Bruno Sammartino is one of the most famous and popular faces ever to wrestle for the McMahon machine. Many greats, including Hulk Hogan, Stone Cold, Ric Flair and Triple H, were inspired by him to forge their characters. 60. 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. He routinely performed moonsaults and corner slingshot splashes, aka Vader Bombs. . 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. He was a top draw in Australia and in Europe when he headed to America to join the company. Lance Storm 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. while others continued to bill Byers as the title holder. Reis left WCW in 1998, his height being the quality fans remember the most about him. It's normal because he was like the main attraction for all those years. John Cena. 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. The enemies-turned-allies carried on the tradition of wrestling's oversized pairings. It's unfortunate that Shaw became such a joke because he, unlike many men his size, had decent moves in the ring. Click here to watch Killer Kowalski battling Pedro Morales. Top 10 Times Wrestlers Fought While Injured . Bruno Sammartino is the greatest 70's wrestler of all time. Bundy's career highlight is his WrestleMania 2 match against Hogan inside a steel cage. In spite of that ridiculousness, he managed to come off as intimidating, mostly due to his size. Visit Our Patreon Page to Create Your Own All-Time Fantasy Teams and See Other Bonus Material . Discover 100 Greatest 50s & 60s Hits by Various Artists released in 2011. I could not even French press a 5-pound dumbbell.". 1 contender to Bruno Sammartino's WWWF Championship, but he always fell short, and he greatly contributed to put the champ over in the process. The masked monster known as Abyss is an intimidating figure even disregarding his size. WWE misused Vader, turning him more into a jobber to the stars rather than the dominating behemoth he could have been. Top 10 Worst Buddy Cop Films. 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. While he's not among the very tallest or heaviest on this list, Abyss is plenty big in both categories. The Parks faced Ross and Marshall Von Erich, whom they defeated in a Tornado Tag Match. 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): Fuji's tag team partner at the time. 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. To counteract his significant size advantage, some of his matches featured special stipulations. 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. Mike Shaw later used the ring name Man Mountain Mike, though he was nowhere near as large as Fletcher. The result was one of the worst matches in wrestling history. Related: Antonio Inoki: The WWE Champion The Company Doesn't Recognize. Despitehis walrus-like physique, Vader was very agile in the ring. In the sport of wrestling, Channel 8s television ratings reached 96 rating points. Kane, like his storyline brother, is so skilled and deft in the ring that one can sometimes forget how big he is. 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. As Akeem "the African Dream," Gray teamed with Big Boss Man. 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. If there were some great female wrestlers back in the '60s and in the '70s, none of them could overshadow her, and that's why she's the only woman featured on the current list. The woman known as Aloisia during her run in WWE's NXT is young and being able to make Chyna look small is a unique gift. 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. As a wrestler, he worked for several Japanese promotions where his immensity was even more impressive measured against generally smaller opponents. When his three-year reign ended in 1977, Sammartino established an unbeatable record of 11 years as the reigning WWWF Champion. 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