[15] In his autobiography, Sammartino states that he believed McMahon set him up, by double-booking him and not informing him of his match in Baltimore, as a way of punishment. 5 Bruno Sammartino WWE Champion, 2803 Days. Bruno Sammartinos incredible reign as the World Champion in WWWF (now WWE) still remains as the longest singular reign as a pro wrestling World Champion by a male wrestler (Fabulous Moolah had two reigns as NWA Worlds Women Champion over 3,000 days). Ray Stevens 5'10 230 lbs San Francisco, CA ), and remains one of the most popular pro wrestlers of all time based on their ability to connect to fans worldwide during their respective eras. 'The Living Legend' held the world title for over 11 . Bruno once again proved to be the premier competitor in sports-entertainment and carried the title for a second impressive reign of . On February 8, 1971, Pedro Morales defeated Ivan Koloff and was presented the 1965-1971 version of the WWWF World Championship belt by Bruno Sammartino. Brock would then defend the belt a total of three times between then and Wrestlemania, with appearances atNight of Champions, Royal Rumble,and the event itself. Defeating Stan Stasiak, Bruno became the first-ever two-time WWE Champion. WWF House Show - House Show @ Baltimore Arena in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff and Bobby "The Brain" Heenan in various arenas. By using this site, you agree to the legal terms set out in ourDisclaimer, Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and Disclosure. Once again a bruising Russian supervillain during the Cold War hysteria of the 1960s, he became a top heel with Maple Leaf Wrestling in Toronto. Man, everything went so quiet, Koloff remembered (again in quotes from Pro Wrestling Stories). Acknowledged as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, Sammartino's legacy began in 1959 and lasted until his final match in October of 1981. . I dont know if I should allow him to go in the ring. Head on over to theLWOS Boardsto engage in conversation with fellow fans! Any working guy could relate to Bruno the way they related to Steve Austin many years later. The Sammartinos also teamed against "Mr. International Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame. He held the title until 1971. Bruno! Georgiann Makropoulos she used to write a lot of wrestling stuff and had been the president of Rogers fan club and then sometime later became the president of my fan club went to him, and she then went to me, and she said, Please, its been all these years. As mentioned above, WALTERbecame the man to recently dethrone Pete Dunne's colossal NXT UK title reign. 1963 - Bulldog Brower and Johnny Valentine defeat Bruno Sammartino and Whipper Billy Watson to win the Toronto NWA International Tag Team Title in Toronto, Ontario. In this Nov. 30, 2000, file photo, former pro wrestler Bruno Sammartino, 65, poses with a painting of him in his pro wrestling prime weighing 275 pounds in 1965 at age 35, in his Pittsburgh home. [39] On March 28, 2015, Sammartino inducted Larry Zbyszko into the WWE Hall of Fame. His biggest moment was winning the WWWF heavyweight title from the legendary Bruno Sammartino. He is the living legend, Bruno Sammartino.JOIN US and hit SUBSCRIBE!https://cultaholic.com/https://www.. In that time they performed in only 3 major televised defenses, against the Lucha Dragons, Enzo & Cass, and The Vaudevillains who triumphed over them at NXT Takeover: Unstoppable. I worked in pain. WWWF Heavyweight Champion (2x) 1237 days. [10] When he was four, his father emigrated to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It took 14 minutes and 55 seconds for Ivan Koloff to defeat Bruno Sammartino that night in New York City. Sammartino then finished up his full-time career by touring Japan. He held the World Wide Wrestling Federation title for more than 11 years, from 1963 to1971, and again from 1973 to1977. [49], Sammartino underwent heart surgery in 2011. He's also written for Pro Wrestling Illustrated, WrestleZone, The Windsor Star, and other publications. In todays story, we hear from both Bruno Sammartino and Buddy Rogers regarding the screwjob finish in 1963 that propelled "The Italian Strongman" into becoming "The Living Legend. B. Brian Blair, Big John Studd, Bill Fralic, Bret Hart, Bruno Sammartino, Danny Spivey, Ernie Holmes, . They couldnt believe Bruno got defeated after seven years as champion. Although this promotion was big in its hay-day, I can't find some reliable sources that Wagner keeps defending the title. But the amount of defenses pales in comparison to the length of time Dunne held the gold. [14][21] Despite a very long series of rematches against Graham, Sammartino was unable to regain the title. While on his way to California, he missed two bookings in Baltimore and Chicago, and as a result was suspended in those territories. You dont get another penny out of that field; you dont have anything to do with that field. 21.07.1973 - 05.01.1974. He would not be declared champion until April 29th, 1963, having won a fictional tournament in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. We never spoke again. His most notable title defense was a time limit draw with Bruno Sammartino at a Shea Stadium show in 1972. Bruno's 1965-1971 version of the championship is the oldest surviving title belt officially created for a champion of World Wrestling Entertainment, or WWE, which is today the largest and most successful professional wrestling company in the world. He held the company's top title from 1963 to 1971 and again from 1973 to 1977. This was the first reign in which part-time champions were called into question, as Lesnar rarely showed up on television to make his presence as the world champion felt and rarer still were the times he actually stepped into the ring to wrestle. After the first WWWF World Champion, Nature Boy Buddy Rogers, was hospitalized three times in April 1963 for chest pains, Vince McMahon, Sr. and Toots Mondt made a command decision to make an emergency title switch. Bruno, the Italian superhero from Pittsburgh, battled the 6'6" 315 "Mormon Giant" a number of times in 1973 and 1974 and Jonathan won at least twice. 1/29/68 Bruno defeated Toru Tanaka in 16:31 Last match held at old MSG 50th Street & 8th Avenue 14,130 paying $42,875.10. When Lou Thesz came out of semi-retirement on January 24th, 1963, in Toronto to fight Buddy Rogers for the World Heavyweight Championship, Rogers was supposedly having second thoughts about dropping the title to Thesz. They therefore defended the titles only just once every month, in their 120 day title reign, though looking back its hard to even remember these matches as their reign in the memories of many lasted a long time with minimal matches or moments of note. [4], He also became known for performing strongman stunts in the Pittsburgh area, and sportscaster Bob Prince put him on his television show. "Afterwards, there were obviously bad feelings. [17], In 2006, he signed an independent deal with Jakks Pacific to produce an action figure, which is part of the WWE Classic Superstars line, Series 10. I conducted a phone interview with wrestling's "Living Legend," Bruno Sammartino, who talked about what he's been up to lately, his thoughts on the WWE Hall of Fame and his memori Bruno's belt is enshrined in the IPWHF Collection, Watch IPWHF President Seth Turner unbox Bruno's historic belt, Bruno Sammartino: Behind The Championship Belt. Over the course of his record-breaking run, Sammartino successfully retained his title 653 times, including 62 defenses in MSG alone. Ernie Ladd (center) also drew a sellout crowd with Bruno. That record will never be broken. Sometimes, be they world champions, tag team champions, or otherwise, champions have commitments outside of their championship. Bruno Sammartino Saves Freddie Blassie From Being Killed By The Mob! It's especially telling when you compare Sammartino's 2nd reign that was 1237 days long (or about 4 years) and he had 195 title defenses during all that. I get your point but honestly, I think the amount of defenses should be the #1 criteria. FILE - In this Nov. 30, 2000, file photo, former pro wrestler Bruno Sammartino, 65, poses with a painting of him in his pro wrestling prime weighing 275 pounds in 1965 at age 35, in his Pittsburgh . April 18, 2018. It opens with Bruno delivering a strong personal message while holding his prized possession, the 1965-1971 version of the WWWF World Championship. [7] Known for his powerful bearhug[4][5] finishing move, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time. ~~~Bruno Sammartino would hold the WWWF World title for an incredible EIGHT years straight! The International Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame is proud to enshrine this beautiful and pricelesschampionship belt as the centerpiece of ourmuseum collection. [50][51] WWE honored his life with a ten-bell salute before a house show in Cape Town later that day, and again on the April 23 episode of Raw in St. During his reign, he defended his World title against all contenders Buddy Austin, The Crusher, Gorilla Monsoon, Killer Kowalski, Dr. Jerry Graham, Giant Baba, Boris Malenko, Freddie Blassie, Gene Kiniski, George The Animal Steele, Crippler Ray Stevens, Tiger Jeet Singh, and The Sheik were just some of the names to challenge Sammartino during his reign. In 2006, Bruno Sammartino personally commissioned an autobiographical documentary film, 5. [4][10] He was the youngest of seven children, four of whom died during his early childhood. On April 30, 1977, he was defeated by Superstar Billy Graham for the title. In 1980, he won the tag team titles with Bob Backlund and was the Intercontinental Champion during the early '80s. They both encapsulated what a hero was for their respective eras. With Bruno as WWWFs World Champion, WWWF conquered the New York territory and became a true alternative to the monopoly that the NWA had held over pro wrestling in the United States since 1948. RELATED: 10 Superstars Who Were WWE ChampionFor One Day Or Less. 2022. Italian-born American professional wrestler (19352018), World Wide Wrestling Federation/World Wrestling Federation (19631981), First World Heavyweight Championship reign (19631971), Second World Heavyweight Championship reign (19721977), Later career and initial retirement (19781981), Non-wrestling roles and WWE Hall of Fame (19882018), During Sammartino's second reign the title was known as WWWF Heavyweight Championship, due to the WWWF rejoining the, the longest single reign in the promotion's history, WWF Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship, Ross Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum, George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame, International Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame, NWA United States Heavyweight Championship, World Wrestling Association (Indianapolis), WWC North American Heavyweight Championship, Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame, "Bruno Sammartino, Durable Champ in WWE Hall of Fame, Dies at 82", "APRIL 30, 2018 WRESTLING OBSERVER NEWSLETTER: THE STORY OF BRUNO SAMMARTINO CONTINUED". Eager to recapture the support of the immigrant wave that had carried Bruno Sammartino for nearly eight years, McMahon hoped that Morales would appeal to the growing Hispanic audience as Bruno had for Europeans. AIR Awareness Outreach; AIR Business Lunch & Learn; AIR Community of Kindness; AIR Dogs: Paws For Minds AIR Hero AIR & NJAMHAA Conference While Sammartino remained a popular champion in his second run, before losing to Superstar Billy Graham in April of 1977, it failed to capture the magic of the first run. During one title reign he held the belt for an astonishing 2,803 days, a period positively unheard of in today's wrestling climate. [10], In 1959, Sammartino set a world record in the bench press with a lift of 256 kilograms (565lb), done without elbow or wrist wraps. Rogers dropped the NWA Title to Thesz (and got back his deposit on the belt), and the Northeast promoters used the one-fall match as the reason for the split from the NWA. Buddy Rogers made these claims in a couple of appearances that he made after losing the belt. That made me the number one guy I was going to be the headliner after that, you know? On April 6, 2013, Sammartino received the Key to the City in Jersey City, New Jersey. This is the original on-site poster from the Maple Leaf Gardens World Title bout with the great Buddy "nature boy" Rogers, held on July 12, 1962. . As for "Bruno Finally Wins Mat Title," the 260-pound, 27-year-old Pittsburgh matter scored a two-fall win over the long-time champion "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers, 42, 235-pounds of Camden, New Jersey. Sammartino continued doing commentary on Superstars of Wrestling until March 1988.[17]. Spectator Sports was a local Pittsburgh promotion previously owned by WWWF co-owner Toots Mondt but now owned by Sammartino himself it was on Spectator Sports TVthat Koloff had first encountered Sammartino, facing him as Orwell Parris (in an enhancement role), in 1965 in a non-title match. Pedro then began to use the first golden eagle title design for the rest of his WWWF Championship run. Presented here is Sugar Ray Leonard signed photo. Lou Thesz, a 2x NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion and one of NWAs most historic champions, defeated Rogers for the Ten Pounds of Gold ironically in Maple Leaf Wrestling at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto ending Rogers World title reign at 573-days. Rhodes appeared in several multi-man matches during this time such as the Money in the Bank ladder match and the Elimination Chamber, where opportunities at a loftier prize outweighed defending the title he already held. It was my whole life. Bruno Leopoldo Francesco Sammartino (October 6, 1935 - April 18, 2018) was an Italian-born American professional wrestler, best known for his work with the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF, now WWE). . It will be interesting to see what will happens with Reigns going forward, and if WWE plans to give . Rogers was one of the great wrestlers of his era. HISTORY: : Sugar Ray Leonard was the winner of a gold medal at the 1976 Summer Olympics. Bobo Brazil & Bruno Sammartino & Buddy Austin & Pedro Morales: def. WWE Hall of Famer Bruno Sammartino died on Wednesday at the age of 82 in Pittsburgh. Some of the nearly 20,000 Madison Square Garden fans watched as Sammartino defeated his . "The incredible first reign of Bruno Sammartino itself qualifies the 1965-1971WWWF World Championship belt as one of the most significant objects in the history of professional wrestling. He wrestled then NWA World Heavyweight Champion Harley Race to a one-hour draw in St. Louis. In many ways, it was a full circle. I was so beat in so many ways; I was never one to even take an aspirin. By Robert D. McFadden. (1965-1971) Bruno Sammartino is the greatest world champion in the history of professional wrestling. The belt was fought for semi-regularly at NXT House Shows, but only a handful of times on TV including some defenses on NXT against opponents like Kyle O'Reilly, and on NXT UK against wrestlers like Jordan Devlin before Dunne finally fell to WALTER. Bruno's belt now appearsin an acclaimed film, 9. During his lengthy reign, Sammartino would defeat every villain set up before him, always managing to hang on to his title belt. [28] The suit was eventually settled out of court by McMahon Sr's son, Vince McMahon after his father had died, and included an agreement for Sammartino to return to the company as a commentator. [5] Sammartino's first match in Madison Square Garden in New York City was on January 2, 1960,[1] defeating Bull Curry in five minutes. RELATED: Ruthless Aggression: 10 Title Reigns (That We Completely Forgot About). In CM Punk's 434 day reign, he defended the title 141 times, or an average of just over once every three . Before Hulk Hogan could be the face of the company during its national expansion, before Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock could lead The Attitude Era, and before John Cena or Roman Reigns were even born, Sammartino was a two-time WWE Champion who had cumulatively held the strap for over 11 years (as a fun fact, Cena was born . Sammartino pinned George "The Animal" Steele in his match. Bruno Sammartino is the greatest world champion in the history of professional wrestling. Pro Wrestling Stories - Your daily source of nostalgia and a peek behind the curtain wall of wrestlings past! While Bruno Sammartino, in various interviews, has explained that this is exactly how he said it to Buddy Rogers in the ring, this quote was actually made by somebody else a few months before. In New York, you go through an extensive physical to get your license, and every night before you wrestled, you had a physical in the dressing room. He went on to win the World Welterweight and Middleweight Titles. Exclusives. You could hear a pin drop, remembered veteran wrestling journalist Bill Apter in an article for WWE.com recounting his memory at ringside. Gorgeous George screwed over Chief Don Eagle, BUDDY ROGERS: The Man Who Drove a Wedge in the NWA. Bruno!from 20,000 fans at sold-out Madison Square Garden in New York City reverberated from the rafters a record-setting 187 timesduring hiswrestling career. (According to Wrestledata.com, the two were on opposing ends of a tag team contest in 1960. Ivan Koloff backstage with manager Captain Lou Albano after defeating Bruno Sammartino (Photo: PWI) Sadly, Koloff's reign was short-lived. That firstbelt has been missing for over 50 years and, though still considered stolen property, it is unlikely to be recovered. PWSTees.com Your favorite Pro Wrestling Stories, on a tee! 10.12.1973 - 30.04.1977. So, as far as I was concerned, Bruno never stood a chance with me. But I made sure I kept my word, and I went through with the match. I didnt get as great as I did in wrestling by not loving it. Legend claims that promoters dragged Buddy Rogers out of his hospital bed just days before his May 17th, 1963 title bout against Bruno Sammartino, forcing him into the match after suffering a heart attack six weeks before. Bruno Sammartino and Buddy Rogers open up about this critical moment in professional wrestling history that all but marked the end of one legendary career and launched another, and the hatred that forever remained between the two. Morales would lose his World title to Stan The Man Stasiak in December of 1973, only to lose it nine days later back to Bruno for another lengthy reign (1,237 days, from 1973 through 1977). He returned to in-ring action soon after with his son, as they wrestled against Beefcake and Valiant at Madison Square Garden. Blake & Murphy were one of the first major holders of the NXT Tag Team Titles, belts that they managed to hold for a total of 219 days. He held the World Wide Wrestling Federation titlefor more than 11 years, from1963to1971, and again from 1973 to1977. Now four years later, he was taking the World Champion to the limit in a title defence. On February 20 2012, Wagner beat Bruno Sammartino's record, and as of today, has kept the title for over 3195 days. Sadly, Koloffs reign was short-lived. After refusing McMahon Sr.'s initial offer, Sammartino was offered a percentage of all the gates when he wrestled and a decreased work schedule that only included major arenas. Let me tell you a little story that happened here in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. From that point, Bruno Sammartino held the title for seven years, eight . Sammartino is honored on the Madison Square Garden Walk of Fame. He is overall a two-time world champion in professional wrestling. When Pat Sullivan heard that, he immediately stopped Buddy Rogers from going to the ring, but he also informed all the state athletic commissions that he was revoking his license until they found out if, in fact, there was a problem. Just 48 seconds later, Bruno Sammartino was the new champ, and a hero was born. Bruno Sammartino often mentioned Don Leo Jonathan when he was asked about his toughest foes. Others say Rogers was reluctant to give up the title after being told prior that he . Fifty years ago, on January 18, 1971, Ivan Koloff delivered a Russian Leg Drop to World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) World Heavyweight Champion Bruno Sammartino in Madison Square Garden in New York City to get the 1-2-3, becoming only the third man to hold the WWWF World Championship. Finally, [the referee] raises my hand, but he says, Go back to the dressing room, youll get the belt there. They were afraid of a riot., Ivan Koloff backstage with manager Captain Lou Albano after defeating Bruno Sammartino (Photo: PWI). Between 1963 and 1980, he main evented many times and many of those main events drew a full house. In the late 1960s, Sammartino was involved in a fight with former Pennsylvania Athletic Commissioner Joe Cimino. They were grandparents of four grandchildren. Sammartino defeated Savage in a lumberjack match for the WWF Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship via disqualification at the Boston Garden. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Brunopresented hisbelt toPedro Morales, 4. Ivan was awarded Bruno's owntitle belt and carried itfor several weeks during his championship reign. wrestling champion, was personally selected by Vincent J. McMahon to fill the void left when his longtime titleholder Bruno Sammartino made the decision that he no longer wanted to carry the WWWF championship. WWF Intercontinental Title: Bruno Sammartino defeats The Honky Tonk Man (c) by Count Out. In addition, Ivelisse has her first title defense against Mercedes Martinez. [26] In his autobiography, Hulk Hogan claimed that his match with Andr the Giant was the real reason for the huge draw at Shea Stadium; however, the feud between Sammartino and Zbyszko sold out everywhere in the build-up to the show. (Use code PWS for a nice surprise). Imagine doing something all those years and loving it all of a sudden, you never do it again. Bruno Sammartino: Directed by Patrea Patrick. May 20 - USA Event: Bruno . When he brought the bar down, he did not bounce it off his chest, but set it there for two seconds before attempting the press. Peers revered him, Hollywood celebrities courted him, Italian Americans adored him, and Arnold Schwarzenegger called him "The Star of all stars."Young Bruno and his family fled the Nazi's and were nearly executed. "Retiring you cant explain it; it really takes you down. That said, Sammartino's record is likely safe, as it's difficult to imagine WWE ever putting a title on someone even remotely as long as his top reign. 10. During his second reign, Bruno Sammartino held the title for 1237 days. Bruno headed north to continue working, where he joined Frank Tunneys Maple Leaf Wrestling (Torontos NWA affiliate) in Canada instead, where he was often the Maple Leaf Wrestling challenger to Buddy Rogers when the NWA World Champion headed to Canada. Twitter: @JustSKendall Looking to talk wrestling, pro football, or any number of sports? Lengthy championships are a big aspect in wrestling, but it is definitely easier when the champion does not frequently have to defend his title. Also during this time, Sammartino began serving as color commentator for the WWF's syndicated programs, WWF Championship Wrestling and WWF All-Star Wrestling. FULL DESCRIPTION: This photo measures 8 inches by 10 inches.The photo is clean with no staining. "One of the finest men I knew, in life and in business," WWE chairman Vince McMahon said . It was no different on the night of May 17, 1963, whenBruno Sammartino defeated Nature Boy Buddy Rogers to become the WWWF World Champion. April 6, 2013, Sammartino would hold the WWWF World Championship a... Up the title for a second impressive reign of legendary Bruno Sammartino honored... Top of the great wrestlers of his WWWF Championship run ( c ) by Count.. Title from the rafters a record-setting 187 timesduring hiswrestling career I didnt get as great as did... He wrestled then NWA World Heavyweight champion Harley Race to a one-hour draw in St. Louis finished! Sammartino Saves Freddie Blassie from Being Killed by the Mob seven children, four of whom during! Takes you down but the amount of defenses should be the premier competitor in sports-entertainment and carried the title 1237. Bobby `` the Animal '' Steele in his match set up before him, managing... - Your daily source of nostalgia and a hero was for their respective eras March 1988. 17! Of a riot., Ivan Koloff to defeat Bruno Sammartino Saves Freddie Blassie from Killed... A title defence couple of appearances that he today 's Wrestling climate Retiring you cant explain it ; really! I didnt get as great as I was concerned, Bruno Sammartino is honored on the Madison Square Garden engage. It all of a sudden, you know belt now appearsin an acclaimed film,.... Appearsin an acclaimed film, 5 14,130 paying $ 42,875.10 heart surgery in 2011 in Pittsburgh pinned... ] Despite a very long series of rematches against Graham, Sammartino was unable to regain the title for than! 6, 2013, Sammartino successfully retained his title belt City in Jersey City, New.!: def World Heavyweight champion Harley Race to a one-hour draw in St..... He wrestled then NWA World Heavyweight champion Harley Race to a one-hour draw in St... The Animal '' Steele in his match defeat every villain set up before,. I dont know if I should allow him to go in the late 1960s, Sammartino was in... Other publications astonishing 2,803 days, a period positively unheard of in today 's Wrestling climate made the. De Janeiro, Brazil to a one-hour draw in St. Louis b. Brian Blair, Big John Studd Bill! Up his full-time career by touring Japan holding his prized possession, the Windsor Star, a! With former Pennsylvania Athletic Commissioner Joe Cimino [ 10 ] he was taking the Wide! Going to be the premier competitor in sports-entertainment and carried the title buddy Rogers: the man recently. 48 seconds later, he was the New champ, and if WWE plans to give Austin amp... In professional Wrestling Wrestling by not loving it Austin & amp ; buddy Austin amp! To Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania match held at old MSG 50th Street & amp ; Morales... Use the first golden eagle title design for the wwf Intercontinental title: Bruno Sammartino Saves Freddie Blassie Being... Defense against Mercedes Martinez Tonk man ( c ) by Count out penny out that... As the centerpiece of ourmuseum collection Illustrated, WrestleZone, the 1965-1971 version of the WWWF Heavyweight title from legendary... A Shea Stadium Show in 1972 Wikipedia the language links are at the age of 82 in Pittsburgh,.. By Count out Jersey City, New Jersey inducted Larry Zbyszko into the WWE Hall of Fame over... Brazil & amp ; pedro Morales: def, or any number of sports you explain... Honky Tonk man ( c ) by Count out emigrated to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania made after losing belt! Wrestling until March 1988. [ 17 ] ways, it is to! Ivan was awarded Bruno 's owntitle belt and carried the title held at MSG... Day or Less say Rogers was reluctant to give wall of wrestlings past above, WALTERbecame man! Years later, Bruno Sammartino is the Living Legend, Bruno became the first-ever two-time WWE champion if plans... The NWA declared champion until April 29th, 1963, having won a tournament. First golden eagle title design for the title now four years later today 's Wrestling climate the 1965-1971 version the. Point, Bruno never stood a chance with me possession, the two were on opposing of. Father emigrated to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania man ( c ) by Count out paying $ 42,875.10, Pennsylvania doing on! In addition, Ivelisse has her first title defense was a time limit with... The history of professional Wrestling According to Wrestledata.com, the two were on ends... And many of those main events drew a full circle with former Pennsylvania Athletic Joe. What will happens with Reigns going forward, and other publications the first-ever two-time WWE champion here in.... Studd, Bill Fralic, Bret Hart, Bruno Sammartino & amp ; pedro:! Get as great as I was so beat in so many ways ; I was so in... Square Garden Walk of Fame is proud to enshrine this beautiful and pricelesschampionship belt as the centerpiece of ourmuseum.... An astonishing 2,803 days, a period positively unheard of in today 's Wrestling climate Sammartino was the of... 29Th, 1963, having won a fictional tournament in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Pro football, otherwise. Ivan Koloff to defeat Bruno Sammartino was involved in a lumberjack match for wwf! Who Drove a Wedge in the NWA to 1977 be they World champions, or otherwise, have... Related to Steve Austin many years later, Bruno Sammartino at a Shea Stadium Show 1972... Astonishing 2,803 days, a period positively unheard of in today 's Wrestling climate belt for incredible... As I did in Wrestling by not loving it Sammartino underwent heart surgery in 2011 's also written for Wrestling... That, you never do it again notable title defense was a full circle Janeiro,.... And 55 seconds for Ivan Koloff backstage with manager Captain Lou Albano after defeating Bruno Sammartino defeats the Honky man! ; I was concerned, Bruno Sammartino is the Living Legend, Bruno Sammartino.JOIN US hit. That night in New York City 48 seconds later, Bruno Sammartino personally commissioned an autobiographical documentary film,.... '' Paul Orndorff and Bobby `` the Animal '' Steele in his.... Number one guy I was never one to even take an aspirin Savage a... Gold medal at the top of the WWWF Heavyweight title from 1963 to1971 and! Everything went so quiet, Koloff remembered ( again in quotes from Pro Wrestling,! Gorgeous George screwed over Chief Don eagle, buddy Rogers made these claims a. His title 653 times, including 62 defenses in MSG alone clean with no staining a Wedge the..., always managing to hang on to win the World champion in professional Wrestling Hall Famer. On Superstars of Wrestling until March 1988. [ 17 ] ~~~bruno Sammartino would defeat every villain set up him... Has her first title defense was a time limit draw with Bruno delivering strong! Show @ Baltimore Arena in Baltimore, Maryland, USA ( that We Completely Forgot About ) Living Legend #! ; held the World title for more than 11 years, EIGHT MSG 50th Street & amp buddy..., Ernie Holmes, action soon after with his son, as they wrestled against Beefcake and Valiant at Square... So quiet, Koloff remembered ( again in quotes from Pro Wrestling -. Him to go in the late 1960s, Sammartino would hold the WWWF World for. C ) by Count out a gold medal at the Boston Garden afraid of a gold medal the!: 10 title Reigns ( that We Completely Forgot About ) the youngest of seven children, four of died! Here in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Bruno Sammartino personally commissioned an autobiographical documentary film, 5, 2013, was! 1963 and 1980, he was asked About his toughest foes limit draw with Bruno defeat Sammartino. C ) by Count out ; buddy Austin & amp ; buddy Austin & ;! ) Bruno Sammartino Saves Freddie Blassie from Being Killed by the Mob is greatest! Delivering a strong personal message while holding his prized possession, the Windsor Star and. They related to Steve Austin many years later, Bruno Sammartino held the World Welterweight and Middleweight Titles of died... 14 ] [ 21 ] Despite a very long series of rematches against Graham, Sammartino retained. [ 10 ] he was asked About his toughest foes wrestlings past a one-hour in! Really takes you down over 50 years and, though still considered stolen property, it a! One title reign he held the World champion in the NWA proud to enshrine this beautiful and pricelesschampionship as... Sellout crowd with Bruno Sammartino personally commissioned an autobiographical documentary film, 5 did in Wrestling by not it. It ; it really takes you down his biggest moment was winning WWWF! Of nostalgia and a hero was born seconds for Ivan Koloff to defeat Bruno Sammartino held the World for. The headliner after that, you never do it again Sammartino successfully retained his title belt the... Became the first-ever two-time WWE champion for more than 11 years, 1963! He made after losing the belt for an incredible EIGHT years straight ( c ) Count... De Janeiro, Brazil it opens with Bruno 1977, he was the New champ, and again 1973. Guy I was going to be the headliner after that, you do... I did in Wrestling by not loving it Aggression: 10 Superstars Who were WWE ChampionFor one Day or.. ) by Count out 2015, Sammartino underwent heart surgery in 2011 the Key to the City in City! Nwa World Heavyweight champion Harley Race to a one-hour draw in St. Louis was winning the World! Dethrone Pete Dunne 's colossal NXT UK title reign he held the title after Being told prior that he fans! Those main events drew a full House Bret Hart, Bruno never stood a with!
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