Unfortunately, the promotion closed two years later. Beefcake held nine titles throughout his career and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2019. Despite that, Andre was someone that territories brought in to beat their biggest heels, and he sold out every appearance. For a while Race was a record holder as far as World Heavyweight Title reigns went until he was bested by Ric Flair. Dean has a twin brother, Don Bucci, who has also worked in the wrestling business. He started wrestling at the age of fifteen and went on to become one the worlds top midget wrestler over a 30 year period, during which time he won the NWA World Midget Championship twice. Many wrestling fans will remember him for his feud with WWEs golden boy, Tito Sammartino. He spent his later childhood years growing up in Brooklyn and became a fan favorite for New York Citys large Puerto Rican population, the home base of the WWE. While the WWE continues to evolve and incorporate new ideas and aspects into its production, we can attribute the success that the company currently to the foundations laid by these wrestlers during its formation years. He started the decade as a heel, but in 1974 he turned babyface and shot to the top. Unique lists featuring pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts. 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This was Afa and Sika, the men who were the patriarchs of the Samoan Dynasty. One of the first true giants in professional wrestling, Haystacks Calhoun weighed more than 600 pounds making him one of the biggest wrestlers of all time. This, and a ton of hard work, became the blueprint to win championships for specific sets of twins in WWE. 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. Many old-school wrestling fans remember the House of Funk for their Wrestlemania 2 appearance. He was a clever and wily opponent who brought considerable showmanship to the arena. Only Keith would be given PPV time, competing in the Lethal Lottery alongside Ron Simmons at Battlebowl 1993. Accompanied by Mortimer Plumtree, the Shane Twins were known as The Johnsons, two latex-wearing brutes made to resemble giant penises. As you will notice, this list features some of the biggest wrestlers in the history of wrestling, a trend that the WWF adopted back in its early years. 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. Billy the Kid with Cowboy Bob Bradley (aka Robert Bradley). [4] Benny believed in evangelicalism and enjoyed golf, playing until he was bedridden. A key member of The Hart Foundation faction, Niedhart ran roughshod through the WWF with his pink-clad partners throughout the 1980s. During his debut at Madison Square, Santana did not take any chance in establishing himself as an upcoming wrestler with so much promise. Our rubric is based not only on cultural pervasiveness but on global influence and pure skill. The company then released her from her contract in November 2007. I believe this was broadcast on 26 August 1997. Audiences believed the violent action they were seeing and took it for gospel! He sadly died at the age of 56 in January 2007. Although she was far more active in All Japan Womens Wrestling, she made brief appearances in the WWF in 1986. As a pioneer . [3], They spent three years working at the Circus Circus Las Vegas, then performed their minbike routine for a few months in Los Angeles. Matches frequently went up to an hour on a regular basis. Sammartino would then go ahead and beat Inoki bloody. A co-founder of NJPW, Antonio Inoki did not hold as many titles as other Japanese wrestlers at the time and those who came after him. In 1974, Killer Kowalski would have his last match against Bruno Sammartino for the WWF World heavyweight championship. They competed as The Power Twins under a WWE development territory, yet both Diane and Elaine werent exactly equipped for the squared circle. With a wrestling career that spanned more than three decades, Ivan Koloff managed to win various titles including the WWWF Heavyweight Championship and the NWA tag team titles. At six feet, nine inches tall, he was one of the few men who could almost measure up to Andre the Giant. These guys could keep crowds engaged for 30, 45, or 60 minutes with ease, as that was the length of their matches on a regular basis. In WWE, he beat Superstar Billy Graham for the WWE Championship in 1978 and held the title for five years before dropping it to Iron Sheik. Widely known as the inventor of the DDT, Jake Roberts often arrived to fights toting his signature reptilian friend. 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. With Frank Valois, Andre managed to make a name for himself in the United Kingdom, Africa, New Zealand, and Germany. While other '80s wrestlers are known as much for their bombastic personalities as for their actual fighting ability, its the latter quality that continues to endear industry insiders to Hart. Did a WWE legend just take a shot at Sami Zayn's physique right here? 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. Antonio Inoki. Tipping the scales at approximately 1,470 pounds, The McGuire Twins were once the worlds heaviest twins in the Guinness Book of World Records. 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. Most of the wrestlers didnt even have the physiques or follow the diet and workout regimen that many athletes follow today. Pedro Morales was the perfect champion for Vince McMahon Sr.'s New York territory in the 70s. The world of sports has seen its fair share of successful twin tandems, including NHLs Sedin brothers, MMAs Nogueira brothers, footballs Pouncey brothers, and the Lopez brothers competing in the NBA, to name a few. Perfect Curt Hennig and grandfather of Curtis Axel, but during his time in wrestling, he was one of the top stars in the world. Later, he would join AJPW where he feuded with The Destroyer. The world of sports has seen its fair share of successful twin tandems, including NHL's Sedin brothers, MMA's Nogueira brothers, football's Pouncey brothers, and the Lopez brothers competing in the NBA, to name a few. When it comes to pro-wrestling, weve seen twins trick their opponents, help one another out, and dish out the punishment on foes that take their adversaries for granted. St. Petersburg. A major star of 'Midget Wrestling' Littlebrook was born in England in 1929. Meanwhile, his brother continued refereeing in several companies, including IMPACT Wrestling and AEW. The Phelps twins, 36, will forever be known as Ron Weasley's lovable older twin brothers, Fred and George, roles they played from 2001 to 2011. Along with Ronnie himself and his, "It is time for art to flow into the organisation of life." This was an era where there were three major United States promotions in the NWA. The brothers worked together in the 1970s in Stampede Wrestling They also moved on in that decade to various territories in the NWA as well as in Puerto Rico and the World Wrestling Council, where the won several tag team titles before finally making their way to WWE in the 1980s. Poised as an everyman, Dusty managed to wrack up title wins across divisions and federations. Frenchy Lamonte was also known as Rolly the Rocket, the Little Hawk, and Little Evilborn. Remembered for his hardcore style of wrestling, Terry Funk became an inspiration to many up and coming wrestlers at the time like Mick Foley. 5 years down the line he would join NWA briefly, before returning to the WWE one more time. 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. Celebrating their birthday in 2015, Adams sent her twin a heartfelt message: Brittaney is not a professional wrestler. This made Koloff one of the only men to ever beat Sammartino in a WWE match. RELATED: 10 Greatest WWE Golden Era Wrestlers, RankedLadd won a number of regional titles and was a master heel during the 70s wrestling WWWF champions Bruno Sammartino, Pedro Morales and Bob Backlund, NWA champion Harley Race and the AWAs top titleholder Nick Bockwinkel. Andres professional wrestling career began in his home country France where he wrestled under the moniker, Jean Ferre. Updated on February 1, 2022, by Shawn S. Lealos: The 1970s didn't feature the flashiest wrestlers in professional wrestling history, but its wrestlers were some of the toughest. Do check the Promotions tab if you cannot find it in the Primary Inbox. They both left TNA in 2014 and havent competed since. Introducing acrobatic aerial attacks to Japanese audiences, Mscaras is considered an innovator of high-risk antics like the ever-popular tope suicida. Luke & Butch continued brawling across America throughout the '70s and '80s, capturing championships in various National Wrestling Alliance territories and Bill Watts' Universal Wrestling Federation. Bucci competed in a few matches between 1996 and 2002, but is now retired. When he retired, Kowalski started a wrestling school and ended up training Triple H years later. Mascaras has been inducted in the WWE, NWA, and Professional Wrestling Halls of Fame. It turns out Earl was hired by The Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase, which introduced the Hebner twins to the world of pro-wrestling. He later briefly returned to WWE to compete in a few matches between 1992 and 1994. Despite being a well-known name in the wrestling industry, many fans may not know that Adams has a twin sister, Brittaney. The Samoans were a staple of Vince McMahon, Sr. and his WWF company in the 1970s and early 1980s. By what name was AWA All-Star Wrestling (1972) officially released in Canada in English? Prior to The Model, Rick Martel was one half of Strike Force along with Tito Santana. He started his career as a circus acrobat before taking up wrestling in the 1950s. 1960. Throughout the 1990s, professional wrestling achieved highs in both viewers and financial success during a time of fierce competition among competing promotions, such as WWF, World Championship Wrestling, and Extreme Championship Wrestling. Hes a member of the WWE and Professional Wrestling Halls of Fame, has been honored multiple times by the Cauliflower Alley Club and was the 1973 PWI Wrestler of the Year. In 1957 after spending most of his early wrestling years in Canada, Kowalski began working for Vince McMahon. Wrestling became an international phenomenon with the expansion of the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). The Golden Era and the Attitude Era gave wrestling fans some of the most electrifying matches in WWEs history. 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. When you think of pro-wrestling in the 1980s who comes to mind? Jamaica Kid and Little Beaver backstage at a wrestling arena April 25, 1969. AWA All-Star Wrestling: With Scott Hall, Reginald Lisowski, Curt Hennig, Gene Okerlund. Twin brothers Jimmy and Jey Uso are the sons of former wrestler Rikishi and members of the Anoa'i wrestling family. Inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2009, Ricky Steamboats fights against Macho Man Randy Savage (1987) and Ric Flair (1989) were both awarded Match of the Year by Pro-Wrestling Illustrated and the Wrestling Observer. 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. Surely, Jimmy and Jey are set aside by some in favor of Tyson Kidd & Cesaro or The Prime Time Players, yet theyve been holding down the fort for a while and excel in entertaining matches. Verne Gagne started out the 1970s as the AWA World Champion and he was a top contender to the title even after the rise of Nick Bockwinkel. was a promoter and wrestling manager. [3], Benny died at age 54 on March 26, 2001 of heart failure. 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. Gorgeous George gained epic mainstream popularity, followed in the Second Golden Age in the 1980s and 1990s by the likes of Ric Flair, Andre the Giant, Hulk Hogan, Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart, Sting, The Undertaker, Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, Kurt Angle, and Triple H. By way of the beginning of television in the 1950s and, subsequently cable television in the 1980s, professional wrestling began appearing in powerful, multiple media outlets. 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. The Russian Bear beat Bruno Sammartino for the WWE Championship in 1971, a win that almost caused a riot. Best known as a top showjumper who occasionally flicked a V-sign, Yorkshire's finest, 78, also grappled in the 1970s. A 3-time tag team champion, Mr. Fuji made a name for himself as one of the biggest rule breakers in sports entertainment. RELATED: 10 Best WWE Wrestlers Of All-Time, According To Cagematch.netMost wrestlers didnt have the physiques or follow the diet and workout regimen that many athletes follow today, but make no mistake, that didnt mean the action wasnt good. Wrestling journalist In the book WCW: The Ultimate Guide, Dave Scherer described Hennig as "one of the best all-round competitors this business has ever produced.. During her early years, Moolah would move from one promotion to another while trying to get a foothold. 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. Just try not to cry while watching it! 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. Its no surprise that The Crush Gals are often considered the greatest womens tag team of all time considering the duos perfectly honed and incredibly powerful movesets. In 1965, Mascaras made his professional debut in Guadalajara, Mexico. This secret weapon made Mr. Fuji one of the most dangerous wrestlers in the WWE. Although wrestling back then was strictly segregated by gender, Yokotas unquestioned skill level was often thought of as far surpassing that of her male counterparts. Sky Low Low (outside ring) in a tag team with Little Beaver (nearside) versus Mighty Atom, May 5, 1967. Brie Bella and Daniel Bryan are big stars both in the WWE world and reality TV world. DONATE, Before the money moved in, Kings Cross was a place for born-and-bred locals, clubs and crime, See what really went on during that time in NYC's topless go-go bars, Chris Stein 's photographs of Debbie Harry and friends take us back to a great era of music. I tried my hardest every day to live up to his standard in the ring, he said. 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. This win at Madison Square would mark the beginning of a 170 days reign before dropping the titles to another promising duo, the Wild Samoans. Gorgeous George gained epic mainstream popularity, followed in the Second Golden Age in the 1980's and 1990's by the likes of Ric Flair, Andre the Giant, Hulk Hogan, Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart, Sting, The Undertaker, Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, Kurt Angle, and Triple H. Ric Flair Saturday Night was all about the WWF Main Event! The 72-year-old joined Vince McMahon's company in the early 1980s and has refereed some historic matches, including Randy Savage vs. Hulk . One of the greatest Japanese wrestlers of all time, Antonio Inokis contribution to the world of wrestling cannot be ignored. Little Beaver was born Lionel Giroux in Saint-Jrme, Quebec in 1935. he began his wrestling career at the age of fifteen and teamed up with fellow Canadian Sky Low Low, the pair going on to become two of the most famous wrestlers in history. Ed Farhat, uncle and trainer of Sabu and trainer of Rob Van Dam, held a number of regional titles across the Midwest in the 70s. Both Hebners served as referees, with Dave taking on more of the backend stuff like promoting and working as a road agent. A movie star, a pop hero, and a gentle soul Andres kindness is often remembered as fondly as his physical domination. Owner/booker Verne Gagne may have been the face of the AWA, but Nick Bockwinkel wasnt far behind, holding the promotions heavyweight strap four times over his career.