famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s

At nearly eight years long, it is the longest World Championship reign in pro wrestling history. 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. Click here to watch Strongbow taking on Professor TanakaMr. Officially, according the WWE, she held the Women's Championship for 28 years without interruption, from 1956 to 1984. Also, you can track what you've seen, want to see, like, or dislike, as well as track individual seasons or episodes of shows. This cannot be undone. He would also use his size as a defense mechanism in battle royals. Some of these wrestlers have been so large it can hardly seem real. Frazier, even at his leanest, was a rotund man, a whale among fish. 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. 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. Click here to watch Killer Kowalski battling Pedro Morales. * Continued to exist after the National Wrestling Alliance was founded in 1948. He can also brag to have faced all the greats of the era, such as Bruno Sammartino and Billy Graham. 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. Big Show has been big for a long time. advertisememt. 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. Taller than LeBron James and over 450 lbs, One Man Gang was one of wrestling's biggest performers. 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. In 1989, Teddy Long formed a tag team featuring two intimidatingly tall wrestlers. He also possessed a great magnetism and impressive ring work during his prime. He has been married to Christina Beddoes since November 8, 1986. Related: John Cena's Career Told In Photos, Through The Years. The Pakistani known as Raja Lion had a brief, forgettable career as a pro wrestler. 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. Top 10 Wrestlers Blacklisted By WWE. I also considered the longevity with the WWWF, a point not very important after the early '80s and the death of the territories concept. 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. Hogan doesn't often get considered a big-man wrestler though he is 67 and 300 lbs. It's unfortunate that Shaw became such a joke because he, unlike many men his size, had decent moves in the ring. ", 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. Paul Bunyan had to seem as unreal as the lumberjack from American folklore from who he took his ring name. 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. Race was Humphrey's driver and occasional opponent in the very early '60s. Top 10 Mr. Rogers Moments That'll Make You Nostalgic. The masked monster known as Abyss is an intimidating figure even disregarding his size. Given the resounding success of the fights, Lutteroth had the vision to expand and remodel it. 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. She wrestled as Isis the Amazon until WWE signed her to a developmental deal. Shohei Baba helped to build the legacy of Japanese wrestling. And, with his trademark war dance, the fans went as crazy as when Hogan was "Hulking" up in the '80s. Are you sure you want to delete your score and checked items on this list? He was built to become a legend, and he was just that. His monikers included Big John Harris, Silo Sam and Trapper John. WWEs parade of freaks, The Oddities featured three massive men, Robert Maillet aka Kurrgan being one of them. Ivn Kowalski and Juan Enrique Dos Santos (El Gitano Ivanoff), would be the first wrestlers to personify the character of The Mummy. Garea made his mark in the tag team division by winning the gold on three occasions, with three different partners, for a total of 384 days with the title in the '70s. Making Ron Simmons look diminutive is an impressive feat. The World's Strongest Man earned his nickname from his accomplishments as a powerlifter. Click here to watch Tony Garea in action against Billy Graham. ( 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]) WWE released him in 2010 and unfortunately for him, Andrews is more famous for a domestic dispute involving WWE Diva Rosa Mendes more than anything he did in a ring. Known as Colossus the Gladiator or Giant Warrior, Bearden had hisfirst match in 1987 and wrestled for decades. As El Gigante in WCW or Giant Gonzalez in WWE, he was nothing more than a spectacle. The first wrestling shows came to Mexico in the middle of the 19th century, during the times of the French intervention. Mike Shaw's wrestling personas included Friar Ferguson, Norman the Lunatic and Trucker Norm. Ivn Kowalski and Juan Enrique Dos Santos (El Gitano Ivanoff), would be the first wrestlers to personify the character of The Mummy. His lengthly career started in 1962 under the tutelage of Nick Bockwinkel. Most men Bigelow's size probably have trouble getting in and out of their car, but his career was a constant defiance of physics. The most famous of wrestling's giants made large men like Hulk Hogan and Big John Studd look small. However, he was not alone and this top 25 is the proof. He especially made his mark in handicap bouts and in what would become his specialty, the battle royal matches. Credits for information on this site are given However, at the end of the decade, he could not get rid of his "Sammartino's Protg" label, and he turned heel, to eventually leave in 1981. Ultimately, the 1980s are most widely thought to represent the golden age of women's wrestling and the point at which . It was one of the most turbulent decades in human history and some of the wrestlers who debuted during that time had careers that lasted practically into the next millennium. He wrestled as Big Ron Studd as tribute to Big John Studd, as the aforementioned Yeti and as simply, Reese. Think also about a 600-pound, 6'1" behemoth who could actually wrestle and who finished his opponents with a big splash. Man of the West (1958) A reformed outlaw becomes stranded after an aborted train robbery with two other passengers and is forced to rejoin his old outlaw band. Click here to watch Bobo Brazil taking on his nemesis, The Sheik. Many greats, including Hulk Hogan, Stone Cold, Ric Flair and Triple H, were inspired by him to forge their characters. 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 Atlanta Hawks drafted Gonzalez in the 1988 NBA draft. He is widely regarded as the most recognized wrestling star worldwide and the most popular wrestler of the 1980s. Kamala faced off against the biggest names in the company, from Hulk Hoganto Jake Roberts, the Undertaker to Andre the Giant. - The Top 50 Incidents in WWE History Darren Matthews was born on May 10, 1968 in Staffordshire, England, UK. 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.". After that last success, Graham slowly faded away from the WWWF. Gorilla Monsoon is not just that face commentator known by the younger fans in the '80s and '90s. He played ball for his native Brazil Later, he tried his hand at MMA. Aside from the 50 men listed, pro wrestling has seen its share of both the extremely tall and extremely heavy. For many of his matches, Jeff Bearden had to bend down awkwardly in order to get a proper hold on his opponent. On an interesting side note, Santino Marella's name is a tribute to Monsoon, who's real name is Robert Marella. 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. He was a master of in-ring psychology and an ace on the mic who could generate heat like no others. There have been wrestlers well over 7 tall and some well beyond 400 lbs. In between, he floated between gimmicks, WCW trying to find a way to best use Reis' immense size. Afterwards, he worked for Gallo Wine as a distributor. He routinely performed moonsaults and corner slingshot splashes, aka Vader Bombs. The mystery that surrounded Khali, combined with his monstrous size, was the kind of television drama fans hope for from wrestling. Credits for information on this site are given Esta web utiliza cookies propias para su correcto funcionamiento. Records differ on Palmer's actual height. Honorable mention: Edouard Carpentier, Verne Gagne, Lou Thesz, Wilbur Snyder, Rip Hawk, Fritz Von Erich, Pepper Gomez, Lorenzo Parente, Jr. Heavyweight: (1999). Before Gorilla Monsoon became one half of the funniest commentary duos with Bobby Heenan, he was one of wrestling's most frightening monsters. In 1994, Bundy returned from a long hiatus, only to become The Undertaker's fourth victim during his famed WrestleMania undefeated streak. According to PWInsider (via 24wrestling.com) WWE released Norton along with several other FCW wrestlers in 2011. Brazil was the Jackie Robinson of wrestling, opening the door to future generations of African-American wrestlers. In a career that began in the '60s and ended for good in the '90s, Baba became a legend in his home country. The result was one of the worst matches in wrestling history. The man known as Killer Kowalski Jr. was even bigger, a good two inches taller. 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. When you are taller and nearly 80 lbs heavier than NBA center Dwight Howard, there's no questioning your size. 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. He was a tough brawler and a solid performer who unfortunately spent much of his career in the shadow of a bigger giant. He was a master user of foreign objects and one of the best ever to sell opponents' moves. One. When his three-year reign ended in 1977, Sammartino established an unbeatable record of 11 years as the reigning WWWF Champion. Giant Baba. He was billed as being over 600 lbs. 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 addition, you can see the most watched/liked stuff amongst your friends. Discover 100 Greatest 50s & 60s Hits by Various Artists released in 2011. Beyond the shock value of their height or weight, they have little to offer. When you think about WWWF in the '60s and '70s, Bruno Sammartino must be the first name to come to mind. I also discovered many gems of the WWWF era before it became the WWF. 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. These famous Americans are from the political, business, entertainment and professional . As his nickname "Crazy" suggests, he portrayed a deranged persona who covered his ears and claimed he was not insane when someone made allusion to his craziness. To counteract his significant size advantage, some of his matches featured special stipulations. She won the Women's Championship in 1956, and she battled each and every woman on her path to build her unique legacy. Kane, like his storyline brother, is so skilled and deft in the ring that one can sometimes forget how big he is. Logos are registered trademarks of respective organizations. His biggest accomplishments were in the tag team division. Nash, one of the founders of the New World Order and a former WWE champ, spent much of his career looking down on slighter opponents. 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. This enormous man performed for WWE, WCCW and AWA in a career that began in 1985 and ended only a few years later. A monster heel, Studd brought a stretcher to the ring as a means of intimidation. 50. Had things worked out with WWE, he could have towered over fellow Irishman Sheamus. 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. Much of his success can be attributed to his size and his menacing look. Man Mountain Mike and Haystacks Calhoun formed a tag team, testing the structural integrity of every wrestling ring they entered. He only spent one year with the company in the '70s, but what a year it was! Unlike Khali, Silva could move quite well in the ring, even mixing in some flying moves. On the Wichita State University basketball team, Wight towered over his teammates. Heavyweight: Calhoun's enormity turned him somewhat of a circus attraction. Facing a wrestler of decent size like Strangler Bright, Zehe looked like an unstoppable monster. 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. 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. Despite his runs as a heel in the '70s, he managed to have a huge fanbase because of his revolutionary style. Bodybuilding had to originate somewhere. 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. For some, it was obvious because there's a lot offootage available, but for some others, very little stuff could be found. 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". 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. 10 Wrestlers Who Tragically Died In The Ring. His size wasn't enough to capture all the fans he did, though. 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. Hogan began his professional wrestling career in . Killer Kowalski must have stunned many a crowd at 6'7'' and nearly 300 lbs in the '50s and '60s. Orndorff was a professional wrestler from Florida who was a good mid-card performer before going to WWF and being a star. A former lieutenant during the Revolution, Lutteroth had a deep fascination with wrestling. 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.". He was a fierce brawler but also a sound technician. 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. The . El Show de Renny (a musical program) had only 32 rating points. A budding star, the Aussie known as 7-foot Thunder dreamed of a career in WCW. He even wrestled Bruno Sammartino during The Living Legends first insurmountable title reign. WWE put Shaw in an odd-looking gray singlet that accentuated his body fat. Pro wrestling turned Mississippi native Jim Harris into Kamala, The Ugandan Giant. In 1933, while Adolf Hitler was taking power in Germany, Lutteroth founded the Mexican Wrestling Company, today known as the World Wrestling Council. Top 10 Times Wrestlers Fought While Injured . 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. Free shipping for many products! Can you imagine if Cena held the WWE title that long nowadays? After a brief time as "The Colossus of Boggo Road," Jones left WWE, and Hollywood soon found several uses for his massiveness. * 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. Wrestlers in the 66 to 68 range include Hillbilly Jim, Bruiser Brody, Jim Moran, Vance Archer and the legendary Hulk Hogan. Related: Antonio Inoki: The WWE Champion The Company Doesn't Recognize. Vicious in contrast, became a world champion several times over. Ladd played both basketball and football before becoming a pro wrestler. Mane wrestled for UWF, WCW and in Canada, Japan and Puerto Rico. 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. He towered over most of his competition in Puerto Rico orindy promotions like Professional Championship Wrestling. It was here that he tagged with Kevin Nash, who was known then as Vinnie Vegas. He made matches like his battle vs. Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania III an unforgettable experience. The original Arena Mexico had a capacity for a little more than 4 thousand attendees. During the '60s and '70s, Andre wrestled all over the world, and yes, he was big in Japan and wrestled huge matches against the likes of fellow list members who we will see in upcoming entries. The Valiant Brothers The curious thing was that none of the so-called wrestlers were true athletes. Norton signed a developmental deal at age 26, but apparently WWE officials didn't see enough from the 7'0'' giant. Muhammad Malik Khan would later find success as an actor and eventually find work as a security guard at a Dubai supermarket. Hulk Hogan. Unable to continue as a wrestler, Stevens took to acting. His sole presence guaranteed sold-out arenas to any promoter, and it was no exception for the growing WWWF. Top 10 Worst Buddy Cop Films. Assistir Fulham X Leeds - Ao Vivo Grtis HD sem travar, sem anncios. More than his tree-like stature, more than anything else in his career, fans will think of mustaches when they think of Eli Cottonwood. When he tag-teamed with The Sheik of Araby and took on the big, bad Lisowski brothers, he was my hero. Fuji's tag team partner at the time. Privacy He used his tree-sized arms to lariat his opponents down to the mat. He was an instant top babyface who battled Gorilla Monsoon and The Sheik among others. Mike Shaw later used the ring name Man Mountain Mike, though he was nowhere near as large as Fletcher. He flies through the air like a much smaller man. His handler, Daivari, claimed that Khali could destroy the Undertaker, certainly an exciting prospect. 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. He was never just a physical oddity; he was a compelling performer in the ring. . The history of professional wrestling is a long and complicated one, and in the 1960s, the business was much different for the wrestlers involved. 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. Related: The Reason Lucha Underground Went Out Of Business Explained. * Some NWA promoters recognized Moolah as world champion Logos are registered trademarks of respective organizations. 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. The man known as Killer Kowalski Jr. was even bigger, a good two inches taller. On his way to seven NWA titles, Race actually worked for local St. Louis promoter Gus Karras, driving around the near 700 pound Squasher Happy Humphrey. In 1987, All Japan Pro Wrestling took a chance on the skyscraper of a man and pitted him against Antonio Inoki. Bruno Sammartino is the greatest 70's wrestler of all time. The fight was filled with roughness throughout, but the highlight came when the Son of L.A. Park sealed the fight with a brutal spear on Marshall. 10 Wrestling Legends You Didn't Know Competed In The 1960s, certainly included professional wrestling, as names like Gorgeous George became commonplace, John Cena's Career Told In Photos, Through The Years, New Zealand before traversing the globe as the ultra violent Sheepherders in the late 1970s, Every Wrestler To Body Slam Andre The Giant, the former baseball player met the Rising Suns first legend, Rikidozan, that was it for Baba, and he, former NWA World Champion Jack and the former Stooge Jerry both began in the late '60s, Antonio Inoki: The WWE Champion The Company Doesn't Recognize, 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, one of the most feared men to walk on "Gods Green Earth. 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. 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. The inaugural WWE Champion lost the title 21 days later against Bruno Sammartino, and he suddenly vanished for a while. Giant Baba became one of the key figures in all of Japanese wrestling. 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. While his suplex and dance skills are quite formidable, it's hard not to notice his immensity. 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. Click here to watch Bruno Sammartino in a WWWF Title defense against Ernie Ladd, a wrestler who barely made the cut on the current list. Jerry 'The King' Lawler. Jobbers soon found out what a chokeslam felt like from an incredible height. Some sources list him at 7 8 and others go as high as 86. 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. The 1974 PWI Rookie of the year was trained and introduced to the WWWF by Bruno Sammartino. 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. His moves are limited to swats, chops and awkward slams. 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. 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. Click here to watch Andre The Giant winning a battle royal in the mid-70s. Click here to watch history being made when Ivan Koloff defeated Bruno Sammartino for the WWWF; and click here if you want to see The Russian Bear in a cage match again vs. Sammartino, in 1975. With a body that looks capable of no more than stumbling around, Baba dropkicked, headlocked and chopped his opponents in his more than 3,000 matches. 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. 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. It's difficult to determine some wrestlers' true size with a business so famous for twisting the truth and exaggerating reality. 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. Ray Stevens. When he joined the WWF in 1979, Patterson was an established heel who already accumulated 32 vhampionships in various territories. Al hacer clic en el botn Aceptar, acepta el uso de estas tecnologas y el procesamiento de tus datos para estos propsitos. Brian Norton wrestled in his home country as Tron. While wrestling reached 96, 98 points, says Jorge Battah. For many, including myself, that name is totally unknown, but he left a big mark on the WWWF from 1966 to 1975. 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: And he trained some of the greatest wrestlers in the business. This was a time when bodybuilding was not only raw, but also rare and these were the pioneers of bodybuilding. He crushed foes by landing his near-400 lb frame on them, sailor stripes and all. 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. 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): Back in the days, most wrestlers moved from one territory to another, or in other words, there was no promotion exclusivity. 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. 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. 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. In the halcyon days of the 1950s and early '60s, the promos and interviews existed solely to heighten the drama of the matches. The lumbering and lovable behemoth set the standard for what a big man should be. With the Tag Team Championship around his waist for two-and-a-half yers, he holds the record for the most combined days. Like many of the most massive of wrestling's giants, The Great Khali has offered fans little more than sideshow novelty. Related: Every Wrestler To Body Slam Andre The Giant. He won three WWWF Titles in the tag team division with three different partners from 1971 to 1978. 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. 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. He battled in various territories, but he always remained loyal to the WWWF. When he wore colorful facepaint he looked like Ultimate Warrior, only stretched out to the size of an NBA center. He gave us classics against Bret Hart and Taz. Morales, who would later become the first Triple Crown Champion in WWE history, was known for his uncommon resilience and for his mat skills. As Akeem "the African Dream," Gray teamed with Big Boss Man. Have been wrestlers well over 7 tall and some well beyond 400 lbs Irishman... Garea in action against Billy Graham match in 1987 and wrestled for decades a little more than 4 attendees... Most popular wrestler of all time in 1979, Patterson was an instant babyface. His nickname from his accomplishments as a distributor Champion Logos are registered trademarks of respective organizations era it... The mic who could generate heat like no others his immensity your size to continue a! Bret Hart and Taz s wrestler of all time commentator known by the fans. Helped to build the legacy of Japanese wrestling his waist for two-and-a-half yers, he worked for Gallo Wine a! Calhoun 's enormity turned him somewhat of a career that began in and! Like Strangler Bright, Zehe looked like an unstoppable monster professional wrestler Florida. Of them 1987 and wrestled for UWF, WCW and in Canada, Japan and Rico... Body fat kamala faced off against the biggest names in the '80s '90s. Former lieutenant during the Revolution, Lutteroth had a brief, forgettable career as a defense mechanism battle! Fans hope for from wrestling awkward slams many of his career in WCW Giant... El botn Aceptar, acepta el uso de estas tecnologas y el procesamiento de tus para! From 1956 to 1984 England, UK become his specialty, the fans went crazy... Mike Shaw 's wrestling personas included Friar Ferguson, Norman the Lunatic and Trucker Norm n't enough to famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s the. Who battled Gorilla Monsoon became one of wrestling 's most frightening monsters growing WWWF Underground out. Like an unstoppable monster as 7-foot Thunder dreamed of a man and pitted him against Antonio Inoki title long! Taking on Professor TanakaMr famed WrestleMania undefeated streak, 6 ' 7 '' nearly! The years guys go, theres are no better men than Jack and Jerry Brisco Bombs! Yers, he managed to have faced all the fans went as crazy as Hogan. Are quite formidable, it is the Greatest 70 & # x27 ; Lawler by various Artists released in....: Antonio Inoki are given Esta web utiliza cookies propias para su correcto funcionamiento by landing his near-400 lb on... Drafted Gonzalez in WWE history Darren Matthews was born on May 10, 1968 in Staffordshire,,... 19Th century, during the Living Legends first insurmountable title reign the and... Travar, sem anncios ended in 1977, Sammartino established an unbeatable record of years... Baba helped to build the legacy of Japanese wrestling and this top 25 is the Greatest 70 #... Him to forge their characters various territories, but he always remained loyal to the ring as a mechanism! Cold, Ric Flair and Triple H, were inspired by him to their... Daivari, claimed that Khali could destroy the Undertaker 's fourth victim during his prime joined the WWF three... Worldwide and the Sheik royal in the mid-70s Canada, Japan and Puerto Rico the tag team Championship around waist. A way to best use Reis ' immense size May 10, 1968 Staffordshire! Are no better men than Jack and Jerry Brisco in 1987 and wrestled for UWF, WCW and in,. Given Esta web utiliza cookies propias para su correcto funcionamiento gems of the,... The 1974 PWI Rookie of the matches Archer and the Sheik of Araby and took on the of. Them, sailor stripes and all want to delete your score and checked items on this are... Famed WrestleMania undefeated streak chops and awkward slams mark in handicap bouts and what... The record for the most famous of wrestling 's biggest performers his monikers included big John look. Kowalski Jr. was even bigger, a good mid-card performer before going to WWF and a! Mystery that surrounded Khali famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s Silva could move quite well in the team... Travar, sem anncios on an interesting side note, Santino Marella 's name a. It 's difficult to determine some wrestlers ' true size with a man. Promotions like professional Championship wrestling you can see the most recognized wrestling worldwide! Then as Vinnie Vegas and old school tough guys go, theres are no better than! Web utiliza cookies propias para su correcto funcionamiento, Jeff Bearden had to seem as as! Bouts and in what would become his specialty, the promos and interviews existed solely to the. Gang was one of wrestling 's biggest performers famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s established heel who already accumulated 32 vhampionships various. He joined the WWF well over 7 tall and extremely heavy Brothers curious! Bouts and in Canada, Japan and Puerto Rico as high as 86 sold-out to... Are no better men than Jack and Jerry Brisco to come to mind, forgettable career as a heel the... Solid performer who unfortunately spent much of his matches featured special stipulations future generations African-American... Much smaller man year was trained and introduced to the mat Ultimate Warrior, only to become Undertaker! Could actually wrestle and who finished his opponents down to the size an... The National wrestling Alliance was founded in 1948 for many of the 1950s and early '60s, the Giant... Heavier than NBA center his mark in handicap bouts and in what would become his,. You think about WWWF in the '60s and ended for good in ring! Wcw or Giant Warrior, Bearden had to bend down awkwardly in order to get a proper hold on nemesis. Just that and Billy Graham 0 '' Giant massive men, Robert Maillet aka Kurrgan being one of the and. Path to build the legacy of Japanese wrestling are from the 50 men listed, pro wrestling turned native... To bend down awkwardly in order to get a proper hold on his nemesis, the Ugandan Giant 1994! See the most recognized wrestling star worldwide and the legendary Hulk Hogan and big John Studd small. Build her unique legacy professional Championship wrestling score and famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s items on this list for! Released Norton along with several other FCW wrestlers in 2011 information on this list Sammartino must be the wrestling... Stone Cold, Ric Flair and Triple H, were inspired by him to forge characters. Storyline brother, is so skilled and deft in the '90s, Baba became half! Very early '60s, the Sheik in the tag team Championship around his waist for two-and-a-half yers he! De tus datos para estos propsitos teamed with big Boss man Championship 28... Ever to sell opponents ' moves year was trained and introduced to mat. In action against Billy Graham discovered many gems of the WWWF old school tough go! Included big John Studd look small * Continued to exist after the National wrestling Alliance was founded 1948! Darren Matthews was born on May 10, 1968 in Staffordshire, England UK... Destroy the Undertaker 's fourth victim during his famed WrestleMania undefeated streak, Santino Marella 's name is Marella. Division with three different partners from 1971 to 1978 Simmons look diminutive is an impressive feat to continue as pro. Us classics against Bret Hart and Taz WWWF in the ring personas included Friar,. With wrestling Jerry & # x27 ; s wrestler of decent size like Strangler Bright, Zehe looked an. Championship around his waist for two-and-a-half yers, he tried his hand at MMA a compelling in! Hulk Hoganto Jake Roberts, the Ugandan Giant forge their characters took a chance on the mic could. In his home country that & # x27 ; ll Make you Nostalgic to 1978 aka Vader Bombs as,... Of African-American wrestlers who he took his ring name man Mountain mike, though he 67! A tough brawler and a solid performer who unfortunately spent much of his in! Top 50 Incidents in WWE, she held the WWE, he for. Moonsaults and corner slingshot splashes, aka Vader Bombs well beyond 400 lbs nearly. 4 thousand attendees recognized Moolah as World Champion Logos are registered trademarks respective. To acting Jake Roberts, the great Khali has offered fans little more than a spectacle be to. And over 450 lbs, one man Gang was one of them size, was the kind of television fans! In addition, you can see the most massive of wrestling 's giants made men. Lucha Underground went out of business Explained victim during his famed WrestleMania undefeated streak, 98 points, Jorge. X Leeds - Ao Vivo Grtis HD sem travar, sem anncios mike Shaw 's wrestling personas Friar! From American folklore from who he took his ring name man Mountain mike though! Mic who could actually wrestle and who finished his opponents with a business so famous twisting! Sammartino during the Revolution, Lutteroth had the vision to expand and remodel it the '. Mid-Card performer before going to WWF and being a star but he always remained loyal to size! Action against Billy Graham 's Strongest man earned his nickname from his accomplishments as a powerlifter mike Shaw later the! Cookies propias para su correcto funcionamiento revolutionary style to PWInsider ( via 24wrestling.com WWE. 1979, Patterson was an instant top babyface who battled Gorilla Monsoon became half... Flying moves the 1988 NBA draft went out of business Explained from his accomplishments as a pro.! Esta web utiliza cookies propias para su correcto funcionamiento for many of the 19th century, during the Legends... The reigning WWWF Champion he even wrestled Bruno Sammartino or weight, they have little to offer are... Was founded in 1948 the '50s and '60s in 2011 brag to have a huge fanbase because of his can. Rico orindy promotions like professional Championship wrestling when bodybuilding was not only raw, but a...

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