The Funker won the NWA World Heavyweight title in 1975 from Jack Brisco and held it for more than a year defending it against the likes of Harley Race, Dusty Rhodes and Jumbo Tsuruta. In it there are many variations of the species, each peculiar to its own terrain and indigenous populous. Later, he would join AJPW where he feuded with The Destroyer. Andres professional wrestling career began in his home country France where he wrestled under the moniker, Jean Ferre. To show dominance over the American, Inoki applied a real submission move that Sammartino somehow managed to overpower. The two fought in New Japan Pro Wrestling and in the WWE, and changed wrestling in the process. Billy started his career in the 1950s, where he established himself as a wrestling bad guy. The Klimaszewski girls are popular for being The Coors Light Twins, yet they also appeared on WCW Nitro frequently as members of The Nitro Girls. The Russian Bear beat Bruno Sammartino for the WWE Championship in 1971, a win that almost caused a riot. A Montreal native, The Wild Bear was a dominant force in the WWF. Obviously, the gimmick was an unsuccessful one. The result, a ripped cauliflower ear and tons of bandages. Koloff went on to the NWA where he became a top villain as the leader of the Russians, with his kayfabe nephew Nikita Koloff and Krusher Kruschev. Cowboy Bob Bradley was born Robert Claton Bradley in Dickens County, TX, in February 1935. Most matches started the same, being preceded by a plethora of trash talking. He was one of Vince McMahon's most trusted confidants and is the man who created the Royal Rumble match. The twin brothers founded Phoenix Championship Wrestling together in 2001. There have often been times where female twins are signed by wrestling companies not because of their in-ring skills, but more so their ability to make the sleazy male demographic drool. And you can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Because of his immense popularity back in the 60s and 70s, Haystacks Calhoun got the opportunity to go head to head with some of the biggest names in wrestling at the time. Jamaica Kid and Little Beaver backstage at a wrestling arena April 25, 1969. 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. In the '70s, he had a chance to work title matches in the WWWF against Bruno Sammartino and Pedro Morales before returning to the AWA, where he finally became a babyface.He ended up feuding with former allies Nick Bockwinkel and Ray Stevens. After a ban on masks in the WWF was lifted, Mil Mascaras would join WWE where he began his long-running feud with Superstar Billy Graham for the World Heavyweight title. Dynamite Kid. Although she was often teaming with her mentor, Dump Matsumoto, she also held the All Japan Pro Wrestling womens title for three years starting in 1985 she was only 16 years old at the time. Giant Baba and Antonio Inoki became two of the most popular Japanese wrestlers of all time. He started his career as a circus acrobat before taking up wrestling in the 1950s. Dubbed the Executioners, the duo would go ahead and capture the World Tag Team belts in the same year. The Blossom Twins had high hopes in the wrestling industry as two twin girls growing up in the United Kingdom. In fact, it was the Crush Gals that catalyzed All Japan Pro Wrestlings international following. It is his ruthlessness and fearless nature during matches and interviews that saw him pull crowds. This was an era where there were three major United States promotions in the NWA. Two of the best tag team wrestlers ever. Nikki Bella. Kowalski would lose the match and head into retirement after a successful and illustrious career as a professional wrestler. I believe this was broadcast on 26 August 1997. The 72-year-old joined Vince McMahon's company in the early 1980s and has refereed some historic matches, including Randy Savage vs. Hulk . Cowboy Bob Bradley and Joey Russell, February 23 1968. The 15 Greatest 70's Wrestlers of All Time - Sportlister Just try not to cry while watching it! First-run syndication. If you enjoy what we do, please consider becoming a patron with a recurring monthly subscription of your choosing. A pioneer of womens wrestling, Fabulous Moolah had an illustrious wrestling career that saw her become one of the biggest female superstars of all time. Aside from a week in December 1974, Brisco held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship from July 1973 to December 1975. [2], The twins were married to sisters Maryse and Danielle Juarry, whom they met in Montreal. The 8 Best And 7 Worst Brother Tag Teams In Wrestling History Fans and pundits even began referring to him as the 8th Wonder of the World, thanks to his colossal size and ability to attract the masses. Although he was often relegated to WWFs midcard, he garnered immense popularity as a working mans hero. Its almost impossible to overstate the precision and crispness of Harts technical abilities and his resilience in the face of some very real tragedies is beyond admirable. Eventually, the character morphed into a deranged barber who cut the hair of his opponents following his decisive victories. Meltzer has previously described her as the most popular womens wrestler of all time.. In an homage to Dusty on the WWE Network, Vince McMahon claimed that no wrestler "personified the essence of charisma quite like Dusty Rhodes., As one half of the Crush Gals, Chigusa Nagayo was a key player in the rising popularity of Japanese womens wrestling in the 1980s and quickly became an international icon. Beefcake held nine titles throughout his career and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2019. The 25 Best Wrestlers of The 1980's, Ranked - ONE37pm As a professional wrestler, Terry Funk worked with various promotions including WCW, USWA, ECW TNA, and WWF. Handsome Jimmy, Luscious Johnny, and Gentleman Jerry dominated the tag team scene in the NWA and WWWF. The sport reached an outrageous and never before seen numbers of viewers. [4] Benny believed in evangelicalism and enjoyed golf, playing until he was bedridden. When you think of pro-wrestling in the 1980s who comes to mind? However, in 1985 she was forced to vacate her championship due to an injury, which prompted an early retirement in 1986 at the age of 24. WWE billed Andre as an undefeated wrestler until his loss to Hulk Hogan, but that was not entirely true. The Golden Era and the Attitude Era gave wrestling fans some of the most electrifying matches in WWEs history. While both men were great wrestlers in their own right, there was not a tag team in the 1970s that was more dominating that the Wild Samoans. His first run lasted more than 1,700 days from 1975-1980. While some of these siblings have previously worked in Vince McMahon's company, others have never competed inside the squared circle. Fans who started watching professional wrestling in the 1980s never got to see how great the Valiant Brothers really were. Apart from doing all he could to win matches, Mr. Fuji always took it a step further and hid bags of salt within his pants. June 7, 2022; id10t podcast cancelled . Prior to The Model, Rick Martel was one half of Strike Force along with Tito Santana. Now retired, Lord Littlebrook resides with his son in Saint Joseph, Missouri. While the 1970s may seem like a bit of a forgotten time for wrestling, some of the best wrestlers ever performed in this decade. With Frank Valois, Andre managed to make a name for himself in the United Kingdom, Africa, New Zealand, and Germany. Just two months after arriving in WWE, he was fighting for the world title. The main rival of the Crush Gals, Matsumotos ghastly look complimented her domineering in-ring presence. During his debut at Madison Square, Santana did not take any chance in establishing himself as an upcoming wrestler with so much promise. Introducing acrobatic aerial attacks to Japanese audiences, Mscaras is considered an innovator of high-risk antics like the ever-popular tope suicida. Tito Santana began his wrestling career as a jobber for other well-established wrestlers and heels. After teaming up with his brother, Dorry Funk Sr., The House of Funk (Hoss of funk) was created. Played by Satoru Sayama, who Bret Hart once called the Bruce Lee of professional wrestling, Tiger Mask I was both a real-life wrestling character and the star of a popular Japanese cartoon. Although they are famous wrestlers, some WWE Superstars have twin siblings that fans may not know of. This, and a ton of hard work, became the blueprint to win championships for specific sets of twins in WWE. Their gravestone displays images of two Honda motorcycles and is inscribed "Worlds Largest Twins". He retired in 1970 and moved to Las Vegas where he became a blackjack dealer. 6 6. Funk was the PWI Wrestler of the Year in 1976 and won the inaugural AJPW Real World Tag League tournament in 1977 and won it again in 79. A wrestler, politician and founder of the 800-pound gorilla of New Japan Pro Wrestling, Antonio Inoki was best known for his use of heavy strikes mixed with shoot wrestling. Bruno Sammartino is one of the most famous and popular faces ever to wrestle for the McMahon machine. Bucci competed in a few matches between 1996 and 2002, but is now retired. Dean has a twin brother, Don Bucci, who has also worked in the wrestling business. RELATED: 10 Best Pat Patterson Moments In WWE HistoryPatterson also became one of the most important men behind the scenes when he retired in the '80s. Quick! He then spent several years competing on the independent circuit and in ECW before officially joining WWE in 2002. Billy Leon McCrary (December 7, 1946 - July 14, 1979) and Benny Loyd McCrary (December 7, 1946 - March 26, 2001), known together as The McGuire Twins, were American professional wrestlers listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the "World's Heaviest Twins" (328 kilograms (723 lb) and 338 kilograms (745 lb), respectively). In 1971 he became a dual titleholder when he won the WWWF World Heavyweight Title from Ivan Koloff while holding the United States Heavyweight Title. He was also, at the time, one of the best pure wrestlers in the company. Knowing what was to follow, the venue was apposite. Pro Wrestling fans may remember some of the most prominent wrestling twins, Today we are presenting you with " Top 10 Twins In Wrestling History That You Pro. Technically, these two were Rockstars in Japan. Entering the ring to Queens infectious anthem, Another One Bites The Dust, Junkyard Dog was a paradigm of pure power. Kayfabe is often seen as the suspension of disbelief that is used to create the non-wrestling aspects of promotions, such as feuds, angles, and gimmicks, in a manner similar to other forms of fictional entertainment. [1][2], The twins were born in Hendersonville, North Carolina. His IRL truculent personality and tendency towards bridge-burning made him an unlikely favorite in the industry and although he was likely portrayed as a villain (along with his partner Nikolai Volkoff) due to xenophobia within the USA, he certainly lived up to his dastardly, devil-may-care reputation out of the ring. During his stint with JWA, Antonio Inoki faced Bruno Sammartino in one of the most controversial matches of all time. They were tough, savage-like and had some of the hardest. The company released Dean from his contract in 2007. During the 70s, he spent time in the AWA, All-Japan Pro Wrestling, Stampede Wrestling and New Japan Pro Wrestling where catch wrestling was emphasized. Kayfabe has also evolved to become a code word of sorts for maintaining this "reality" within the direct or indirect presence of the general public. He died aged 76 in January 2013. Amassing 34 total championship wins in his career, Pipers legacy now lives on in Ronda Rousey, whom he gifted the Rowdy moniker. Many old-school wrestling fans remember the House of Funk for their Wrestlemania 2 appearance. They first competed in Florida Championship Wrestling where they held the FCW Florida Tag Team Championship. Ephemeral, disposable, they served only one purposeto let someone know "I'm here. After briefly competing in Deep South Wrestling in 2006, WWE parted ways with both Mike and Todd. Weve compiled a list of 15 wrestlers whom we believe stood out during the 70s and helped propel the company to greater heights. Bucci (AKA Donnie B.) Your login session has expired. Years later, the brothers appeared on WWE programming, this time accompanied by fitness freak Simon Dean as Gymini, an offshoot from the mythical Gemini twins. At six feet, nine inches tall, he was one of the few men who could almost measure up to Andre the Giant. 7. Cole WWE.com Kent and Keith Cole were WCW regulars during the mid-1990s, a mid-card act who would beat other jobbers but usually lost to more established teams. The Best Wrestlers of the 70s: Top-Rope Grooviness - Omigods A key member of The Hart Foundation faction, Niedhart ran roughshod through the WWF with his pink-clad partners throughout the 1980s. We could always count on a suplex, a body slam or a chair over the head. In the U.S., he made his name thanks to a massive violent feud with Bruno Sammartino in WWE. Andre started his career in 1964 and by the 1970s he was a top star all over the world. Although in the year 2020 fans are more likely familiar with Machu Picchu, the GLOW character she inspired, Mountain Fiji was widely considered the heart and soul of the imminently campy Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling TV series that went on to garner a cult following. In retrospect, its actually shocking that he only had one heavyweight title run during his stint in WWF. RCW Tag Team Title: The Wrecking Crew ( Dean Richtor & Shaun Martens) defeat The Voros Twins ( Chris Voros & Patrick Voros) (c) - TITLE CHANGE !!! He is widely regarded as the most recognized wrestling star worldwide and the most popular wrestler of the 1980s. ( 1990) AWA All-Star Wrestling was a syndicated television series featuring wrestling matches as promoted by the American Wrestling Association (AWA). Brie Bella and Daniel Bryan are big stars both in the WWE world and reality TV world. After being rebranded as The Arabian Butchers (a team managed by Jim Cornette), the Santiago brothers wrestled against teams such The Dudley Boyz, The Gangstas, and The Bruise Brothers (who come up shortly on this listing) in ECW. Theyve competed against two major tag teams on the indie circuit in War Machine and Best Friends, and they make appearances regularly as Dalton Castles boys as two elegant and dreamy studs that had an episode alongside Japanese legend Jushin Liger at this past years Global Wars in Canada. Her garish fashion statements have since inspired a new generation of sartorial outsiders. Ivan Koloff did the impossible. Of the two, Jack proved to be the star. Remembered for his hardcore style of wrestling, Terry Funk became an inspiration to many up and coming wrestlers at the time like Mick Foley. Flair had nothing but praise for Race upon his death in 2019: Without Harley Race, there was no Ric Flair. [5] They used the stage name McGuire, which is the French version of their last name, since it was easier for Japanese ring announcers to pronounce. St. Petersburg. They never won WWE gold, but the brothers did win the WCW Tag Team titles three times as Creative Control, as well as the USWA World Tag Team Championship five times. Bret Hart Self | WWF Survivor Series He made his debut into in the wild world of Professional Wrestling in 1959 and defeated Buddy Rogers with a reverse backbreaker to capture the WWWF World title in 1963. Billy and Benny werent exactly the most talented superstars in wrestling history, yet the business was different in their days, which ultimately led them to matches in NJPW and Canadas very own Stampede Wrestling. In 1972, Moolah made history by becoming the first-ever female star to wrestle at Madison Square. Born and raised in a small Italian town, Bruno Sammartinos childhood was quite tough. While he never beat Bruno for the world title, Kowalski teamed up with Gorilla Monsoon and Big John Studd to win tag team titles. 12K views 6 years ago Led by the NWA in Detroit this territory was highlighted as the first renegade promotion in the USA, their battles were bloody their feuds were intense with such stars as The. worlds heaviest twins were wrestlers "the mcguire twins" - bigtime memories clip - wrestling legends. Legendary British wrestlers and promoters tell you what. Little Bruiser in Chicago, September 1, 1972. Haven't seen this in it's full version so here it is. RELATED: The 10 Best Wrestlers In The World Outside WWEHe later went to the WWE where he would become the first masked wrestler to appear at Madison Square Garden while working alongside legends like Superstar Billy Graham, Andre the Giant, and Dusty Rhodes. Times have changed and its increasingly difficult to view grapplers like The Ultimate Warrior without thinking of his appalling and bigoted worldviews. After working for AWA for a few years, Tito Santana eventually attracted the attention of Vince McMahon. St Petersburg is the city Christopher Hitchens called "an apparent temple of civilization: the polished window between Russia and Europe the, "I never saw Eric Ravilious depressed. Upon joining WWE, Bruno Sammartino would become an instant hit and the companys biggest star at the time. Even an alternative canon of pro-wrestling would have to include Andre The Giant. 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. The Hart . On top of that, the win would mark one of the longest reigns as Bruno would retain the title for 8 consecutive years. He also became famous in America on 'Monday Night Raw' when he fought WWE Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar in an MMA style match that ended brutally. Top 25 Best Wrestlers Of The 1970s - TheSportster Starting her career at the age of 15, it wouldnt take her too long to start snatching titles. He lost it to Pedro Morales but cemented his place in history. Sky Low Low (outside ring) in a tag team with Little Beaver (nearside) versus Mighty Atom, May 5, 1967. A wrestling promoter saw them in El Paso, Texas and convinced them to begin a wrestling training program in Ciudad Jurez, Mexico, lifting weights and running often. All of this when the AWA sported one of the deepest rosters in territorial wrestling. However, some fans may not know that Hebner has a twin brother. The Usos also went to war with another brother duo in Goldust and Stardust, where they lost their belts to the Rhodes brothers at Night of Champions 2014. He won a variety of regional titles including the Stampede North American Title, the AWA British Empire Heavyweight Championship and the PWF Heavyweight Championship. In 1965, Mascaras made his professional debut in Guadalajara, Mexico. He worked everywhere from the AWA and WWWE to Japan and the territories. 10 Greatest Real-Life Wrestling Twins - WhatCulture.com In the U.S., he made his name thanks to a massive violent feud with Bruno Sammartino in WWE. Some twins rose to prominence by being glamour models inside and out of the squared circle, while other duos shared a common goal of calling matches down the middle. Koloff is one of the only former WWE Champions who is still not in the WWE Hall of Fame. During that span, he notched victories over Lou Thesz, Dory Funk Jr., Gene Kiniski, Terry Funk, Dusty Rhodes, Harley Race, all of whom held the same title at least once during their careers. Their second reign would last approximately 6 months. Many of the guys on this list were legit tough guys and gave the sport credibility that it is lacking in a sense today. Nonetheless, Richter won championships around the globe before her retirement in 2005. Prior to his professional wrestling debut, Giant Baba was a professional pitcher for one of the biggest baseball teams in Japan. While Inoki never accepted nor denied these claims, however, this is just but one of the many incidences that took place back in 70s that fans were never aware of. Over the past few years, the former Diva Search contestant has posted a few photos on Instagram of herself and her sister together. Blood, barrel chests, and mutton chops. The Owens, composed of Leah and Casey, are two Irish girls that recently auditioned for WWE Tough Enough casting. He was born Roland Barriault in Sudbury, Ontario on July 22, 1946. Verne was as old-school as they come, a grappler who was all about mat wrestling, and someone who could tie up any opponent and win a match with just about any move. After his stint as a wrestler, Mr Fuji would embark on a new journey as a manager with Yokozuna, Demolitions and Powers of Pain being his clients. 18. She also likes to stay away from the public eye. Meanwhile, his brother continued refereeing in several companies, including IMPACT Wrestling and AEW. The 56-year-old also entered the WWE Hall of Fame in 2015. [3], Last edited on 27 February 2023, at 17:23, List of premature professional wrestling deaths, "The Wrestling Mc Guire Twins Weigh 747 and 727 but It's Their Opponents Who Go Boing, Boing", "700-pound NC twins rode minibikes, wrestled with Andre the Giant. They dont quite look alike, but to the Olsens credit, they often wore matching outfits, which facilitated the gimmick, also helping tag teams like The Fabulous Ones, The Dicks, and The Basham Brothers to look like similar siblings in the past. Widely known as the inventor of the DDT, Jake Roberts often arrived to fights toting his signature reptilian friend. Her sweetness and indomitable spirit were documented in the GLOW documentary. At one point she even worked as Nature Boys valet. Both flashy and furious, Mil Mscaras is considered one of Mexican wrestlings first international stars. It was loosely called a sport, and anything went! Unlike his brother, Dash, Tweek still competes to this day and both twins have wrestled indie vets like Austin Aries, The Briscoe Brothers, Chris Sabin, and The Young Bucks. However, long before these emerging stars ever eyed a career between the ropes, there was a rugged brother tag team travelling the territories in the 1970's as "The Islanders". His over-the-top video packages established him as a kind of miraculous meta-human that, despite or because of their inherent campiness, catalyzed his global superstardom. Although the world of 80s pro-wrestling was filled with neon tiger stripes and cocaine dreams that decade was also a time of immense athleticism, over-the-top characters, and intrepid innovation in the art of combat sports. According to Wikipedia, kayfabe, /kefeb/ is the portrayal of staged events within the industry as "real" or "true", specifically the portrayal of competition, rivalries, and relationships between participants as being genuine and not of a staged or predetermined nature of any kind. He moved to the US in the early 1960s, where he became NWA World Midget Championwinning a record three times (tied with Little Tokyo). Category:Professional wrestlers from Hawaii - Wikipedia Superstar Billy Graham dropped it nearly a year later to Bob Backlund, PWIs 1978 Match of the Year. A movie star, a pop hero, and a gentle soul Andres kindness is often remembered as fondly as his physical domination. Since then,both Bellas have worked hard and improved drastically in the ring. As for championships, Nikki is the reigning Divas champ, currently enjoying her second stint with the title. Theyve also shared rings with two promising Scottish standouts, Carmel Jacob and Nikki Storm, as well as Japans Tsukasa Fujimoto. Bruno Sammartino is the greatest 70's wrestler of all time. Jimmy and Jey Uso, for example, joined WWE in 2009 and have achieved a lot throughout their 13 years with the company. Cheerfulness kept creeping in." Many fans may not know that Rikishi has a twin brother, The Tonga Kid (AKA Sam Fatu). DiBiase ran rampant in NWA, NJPW, and WWF throughout the '80s and proved himself to be a paragon of in-ring excellence in each federation. Mascaras has been inducted in the WWE, NWA, and Professional Wrestling Halls of Fame. Bruno Sammartino is the greatest 70s wrestler of all time. The McGuire Twins - Wikipedia A force to reckon with, Big John Studd dominated matches with much ease. Twin brothers Jimmy and Jey Uso are the sons of former wrestler Rikishi and members of the Anoa'i wrestling family. They made their WWE debuts in 1995 as The Blu Brothers, participating in the Royal Rumble Match and eventually losing to Davey Boy Smith and Lex Luger in the opening bout of WrestleMania 11. These wrestlers of the 70s were violent and dangerous men who had no problem beating up the wrestler across the ring from them, and most had no problem stepping in the ring with other athletes. A major star of Midget Wrestling Littlebrook was born in England in 1929. Arguably the most popular set of twins in wrestling today, The Bellas arent everyones forte, but theyve been at the forefront of WWEs Divas division for quite some time. The legendary Lord Littlebrook (aka Eric Tovey), in Milwaukee July 7, 1968. During his run in the land of the rising sun, Mascaras wrestled Giant Baba, Jumbo Tsuruta, and other legends, while performing acrobatic moves that would become a staple of the Japanese style. [5], From 1974 to 1978, they participated in several matches in Japan, organized by New Japan Pro-Wrestling, defeating other notable wrestling tag teams including Kantaro Hoshino and Seiji Sakaguchi as well as Osamu Kido and Riki Choshu. ( 1960) -. 3. They often provided an excellent foil to the overpowered Crush Gals throughout their influential run. Simon Dean made a few appearances for McMahon in the early 1990s. With that in mind, weve created an alternate pantheon of both iconic wrestling legends and lesser-known heroes who many would consider underappreciated compared to the more ubiquitous and deeply obvious wrestling celebrities of that decade. In the 70s, he also worked matches against boxer, Chuck Wepner. He sadly died at the age of 56 in January 2007. 35 Greatest Women's wrestlers in WWE history - IMDb While Mascaras received several shots at the title, he always came shot and thus never won any title with the WWE. And, if youre honest, youll just drag up from the depths all the times youve hated or felt passionately about something and play it. Standing at 610, Giant Baba was one of the biggest wrestlers in the WWE. While Olsen is best known for his time in Chikara, Delaney is a familiar face to WWE fans, competing in the revamped ECW against the likes of Matt Hardy, Tommy Dreamer, and Mark Henry, to name a few. Many of the guys on this list were legit tough guys and gave the sport the credibility lacking in a sense today. But Ladd never won a major promotion's top belt. Bobo Johnson also wrestled under the name the Brown Panther. Best known for his tag performances with Louie Louie and later Rocky Johnson, Bobo was one of the earliest Black midget wrestlers alongside Haiti Kid. A few years later, he retired as a referee due to injury and became a road agent. He later moved to Walkertown, North Carolina and worked for the Christian Golfers Ministry.