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With Grand Wizard by his side, it did not take long before Billy Graham became a WWE Heavyweight Champion, in the process toppling Bruno Sammartino. Top 25 Best Wrestlers Of The 1970s - TheSportster During their reign as tag team champions, the Wild Samoans would go head to head with various teams including Rick Martel & Tony Garea, Tony Atlas & Rocky Johnson, and The Strongbows. After teaming up with his brother, Dorry Funk Sr., The House of Funk (Hoss of funk) was created. It doesnt matter if its Throwback Thursday or Flashback Friday, every day of the week, people are taking the opportunity to look back and reminisce about the glory days. They were victims of some of the worst gimmicks in the history of the business. Just two months after arriving in WWE, he was fighting for the world title. He dropped out of West Texas State College in 1953 to take up the fight game. Feuding with teams such as The Road Warriors and The Nasty Boys, Mike and Todd caught a big break winning the NWA World Tag Team Championship, which lead to a stint in TNA Wrestling, where they appeared on the very first pay-per-view (PPV) event. 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. Brie Bella and Daniel Bryan are big stars both in the WWE world and reality TV world. Ultimately, promoters in Canada would run out of acceptable opponents to face this giant. While Mascaras received several shots at the title, he always came shot and thus never won any title with the WWE. Professional wrestling in the 1970s was huge! 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. Andre started his career in 1964 and by the 1970s he was a top star all over the world. Farmer Pete wrestling in Milwaukee, December 3, 1972. Backlund was a collegiate All-American and a former NCAA Champion. Ranking WWE's 5 Best 'Hillbilly' Gimmick Wrestlers Ever The Big Cat was an AFL All-Pro before he had a Hall of Fame career as a professional wrestler. The best British wrestlers: From Big Daddy to Mick McManus - mirror Their penchant for ruthless battles made their sudden change in demeanor very surprising to longtime fans when they debuted in WWE in 1988. [1][2], The twins were born in Hendersonville, North Carolina. Little Tokyo went on to win the NWA World Midget Champion three times equaling Lord Littlebrooks achievement. They were both born in October 1965. He died aged 76 in January 2013. Since leaving Vince McMahon's company, Dave Hebner has become a wrestling manager and has appeared in a few other promotions. Morales also became the first Triple Crown Champion in company history after winning the World Tag Team and Intercontinental Championships. Although they are famous wrestlers, some WWE Superstars have twin siblings that fans may not know of. Although the conceit might seem silly, Sayama had the skill to back up the story: his match at NJPW Sumo Hall Show in 1983 (against Dynamite Kid Thomas Billington) was the first fight Meltzer ever granted a 5 Star rating. 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. Bruno Sammartino was the biggest name in WWE in the '60s and '70s, but in the late '70s, another man took his spot. 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. 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. 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. Larry "The Axe" Hennig remains known as the father of Mr. They held the WWWF tag titles twice, and held NWA titles in both Georgia and Florida. Varnado made her acting debut in season 2 of the acclaimed show The Mandalorian (2019) in the role of Koska Reeves. They each weighed 200 pounds by age 10 and 600 pounds by age 16. The McGuire Twins - Wikipedia As the match got underway, it could have been anybodys win; until the grand finale. 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. It turns out Earl was hired by The Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase, which introduced the Hebner twins to the world of pro-wrestling. By what name was AWA All-Star Wrestling (1972) officially released in Canada in English? When it comes to the division, Jimmy and Jey have shared rings with WWEs best, and even though the Samoans havent rejuvenated since losing to Kidd and Cesaro back in February at Fast Lane, they should be resuming where they left off once Jey is cleared to compete again from shoulder surgery. 7. In 1963, Bruno Sammartino defeated the WWE champion, Buddy Rodgers in just under 48 seconds, a feat that no wrestler managed to replicate. 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. Be the first one to comment on this story. Their second reign would last approximately 6 months. Here are the top 15 twins in wrestling, with the majority of the selections guaranteed to pick your brain: The Phoenix Twins were regulars on the independent circuit, feuding with The House of Truth approximately half a decade ago, which means theyve shared rings with Jimmy Jacobs and current WWE World Heavyweight Champion, Seth Rollins. Apart from being charismatic, Billy Graham was also smart, creative, and engaging. Superstar spawned a number of imitators that include Hulk Hogan, Jesse the Body Ventura, and Scott Steiner. The Dynamite Kid was one of the most innovative wrestlers of the 1980s. Just try not to cry while watching it! Known for his unexpected grace in the ring, Steamboat was also a proficient tag team wrestler alongside his partner Jay Youngblood. Haven't seen this in it's full version so here it is. He became good friends with fellow wrestler Andre the Giant and has a career as a movie actor. Rick Martel is perhaps best known as The Model - an arrogant heel who sprayed cologne and acted as though he was one step above the rest of the WWE Superstars. 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. 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. The main rival of the Crush Gals, Matsumotos ghastly look complimented her domineering in-ring presence. 17.10.2020. 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. As much a wrestler as a cultural ambassador, Mscaras starred in over 20 films. In the United States, in the First Golden Age of professional wrestling was in the 1940s and 1950s. The cartilage in his knee wore out and he was eventually bedridden. Make no mistake, though, that didnt mean the action wasnt good. Countless wrestling entertainment talent lives on in our history and memories. We could always count on a suplex, a body slam or a chair over the head. Thanks to size and height, Andre the Giant popularity in the United States grew tremendously. 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. The nature of professional wrestling dramatically changed in order to better suit television audiences. By that time, Johnny Valiant had moved on to managing and Jimmy had become the Boogie Woogie Man. When he retired, Kowalski started a wrestling school and ended up training Triple H years later. In retrospect, its actually shocking that he only had one heavyweight title run during his stint in WWF. He even found time to release the single True Love in 1975 and still has. Although perhaps better known these days for his bombastic and foul-mouthed twitter rampages, Iron Sheik was a key heel throughout the 80s. Billy started his career in the 1950s, where he established himself as a wrestling bad guy. 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). Many of the guys on this list were legit tough guys and gave the sport the credibility lacking in a sense today. Ted Dibiase. And of course, the omnipresence of Hulk Hogans red and yellow logo will forever be etched into wrestling history. He won a variety of regional titles including the Stampede North American Title, the AWA British Empire Heavyweight Championship and the PWF Heavyweight Championship. Since then,both Bellas have worked hard and improved drastically in the ring. The Hardcore Legend Terry Funk had memorable matches in the 1980s and 90s, but the 70s might have been his golden age. 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. Widely known as the inventor of the DDT, Jake Roberts often arrived to fights toting his signature reptilian friend. A 3-time tag team champion, Mr. Fuji made a name for himself as one of the biggest rule breakers in sports entertainment. And, if youre honest, youll just drag up from the depths all the times youve hated or felt passionately about something and play it. Competing in Ohio Valley Wrestling for five years with a combined four title reigns, Hannah and Holly made a name for themselves wrestling under TNA, first appearing on TNA Wrestling: British Bootcamp, where Rockstar Spud and Mary Scurll were also discovered. Her sweetness and indomitable spirit were documented in the GLOW documentary. In the world of pro-wrestling, no other set of twins are as well traveled as The Harris Brothers. 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. Killer Kowalskis reputation went beyond the world of wrestling thanks to his fearsome and terrifying nature. [8] The brothers are buried side by side in a graveyard near Hendersonville. News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. 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. 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. Wrestle: A compilation of old school images of 80s wrestlers has been published by nostalgia website These Americans and the best (or worst) of the bunch can be seen here The Point: The fashion. His matches with the original Tiger Mask were light years ahead of what some wrestling companies were doing. Both brothers were released from WWE in midst of a merchandise scandal, as they were accused of selling WWE products without permission. Meanwhile, his brother continued refereeing in several companies, including IMPACT Wrestling and AEW. Having made appearances in Japan, Mexico and North America, The Headhunters (consisting of twins Manuel and Victor Santiago) are best known for their stints in WWE and ECW. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'sportlister_com-leader-2','ezslot_5',112,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-sportlister_com-leader-2-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'sportlister_com-leader-2','ezslot_6',112,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-sportlister_com-leader-2-0_1');.leader-2-multi-112{border:none!important;display:block!important;float:none!important;line-height:0;margin-bottom:7px!important;margin-left:auto!important;margin-right:auto!important;margin-top:7px!important;max-width:100%!important;min-height:250px;padding:0;text-align:center!important}. The Samoans were a staple of Vince McMahon, Sr. and his WWF company in the 1970s and early 1980s. The Tonga Kid joined the company in 1983 and spent nearly five years there before leaving in 1988. Handsome Jimmy, Luscious Johnny, and Gentleman Jerry dominated the tag team scene in the NWA and WWWF. 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 20 Greatest Brother Tag Teams In Wrestling History - TheRichest [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. Also, since wrestling is performed in front of a live audience, whose interaction with the show is crucial to its success, kayfabe can be compared to the fourth wall in acting, since hardly any conventional fourth wall exists to begin with. True Life Tales British Wrestling In The Seventies - YouTube Bob Backlund was as different from Bruno as anyone. Blood, barrel chests, and mutton chops. [4] Benny believed in evangelicalism and enjoyed golf, playing until he was bedridden. RELATED: 10 Things Fans Should Know About Curt Hennig. With Frank Valois, Andre managed to make a name for himself in the United Kingdom, Africa, New Zealand, and Germany. This win meant that Bruno became the second-ever WWE champion. Of course, this shaved, corpulent, and effeminate fighter in a nude diaper was a villain, but his bizarre characterizations made him quite unique in a sea of hyper-machismo. While Terry Funk had many classic singles matches, it is his tag team matches that stood out. Despite his goofy yellow polka dots, theres something sort of poetic about Dusty The American Dream Rhodes rise to fame. 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. 4 WWE Superstars you may not know have twin siblings - Sportskeeda And you can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. 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. Bruno Sammartino is one of the most famous and popular faces ever to wrestle for the McMahon machine. A movie star, a pop hero, and a gentle soul Andres kindness is often remembered as fondly as his physical domination. 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 Niedhart legacy these days is carried on through current WWE superstar Natalya, but her father frequently known as The Anvil had cemented his heroic status long before she began fighting. At the same time, the 1970s had some of the most technically proficient wrestlers in history, men who could work rings around many of todays top stars. 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. Because of his ability to stand out and cut amazing promos, many WWE fans flocked to the ring to see the superstar in action. 1960. Vintage Photos Of Midget Wrestling (1960s - 1970s) - Flashbak 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. While Sammartino was a big man who overpowered his opponents and had more charisma than anyone, Backlund was more vanilla but was a technical marvel in the ring. The curious thing was that none of the so-called wrestlers were true athletes. 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. But the thing about nostalgia is that it tends to whitewash some of the darker parts of history in favor of a rose-tinted rearview. 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. When you think of pro-wrestling in the 1980s who comes to mind? Eventually, the character morphed into a deranged barber who cut the hair of his opponents following his decisive victories. The 26 Greatest Tag Teams in Wrestling History | Den of Geek 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. For great art and culture delivered to your door, visit our shop. In addition, some spectators capable of beating the carnies roamed the country to compete in open challenges, setting side bets to make money. The American Dream Dusty Rhodes rose to the top of the professional wrestling world in the 1980s. Top 25 Wrestlers from the '60s and '70s - YouTube He was also credited by the Guinness Book of Records as the Worlds Strongest Midget.. Weve compiled a list of 15 wrestlers whom we believe stood out during the 70s and helped propel the company to greater heights. Many wrestling fans will remember him for his feud with WWEs golden boy, Tito Sammartino. Amassing 34 total championship wins in his career, Pipers legacy now lives on in Ronda Rousey, whom he gifted the Rowdy moniker. Television also helped many wrestlers break into mainstream media, becoming influential celebrities and icons of popular culture. Both Manuel and Victor were eliminated by fellow behemoths, Yokozuna and Vader. Terry Funk had memorable matches in the 1980s and 90s. Her matches with her aforementioned nemeses were attended by sold-out crowds in Japan and bolstered the reputation of Japanese womens wrestling worldwide. Hansen went on to become a major star in Japan as well, starting in 1977 and winning several titles overseas, including the PWF World Championship four times. Twin wrestlers Brie and Nikki Bella announce they're both pregnant Cant you almost hear the raspy, strained shouts of Macho Man Randy Savage? It was loosely called a sport, and anything went! Koloff is one of the only former WWE Champions who is still not in the WWE Hall of Fame. Two years later, Vince McMahon, Sr would come knocking and, in the process, signing Andre the Giant to the WWE. An early example of the queer coded villain in the wrestling world, Adrian Adonis was a grotesque caricature of gay culture but a compelling personality nonetheless. Because of his in-ring skills, Big John Studd had some amazing matches with some considered to be the greatest at the time. As a pioneer . Billy the Kid with Cowboy Bob Bradley (aka Robert Bradley). In 1974, Killer Kowalski would have his last match against Bruno Sammartino for the WWF World heavyweight championship. One of wrestlings breakout stars, Roddy Piper became a bonafide pop-cultural icon with numerous appearances on television sitcoms and cartoons. Many old-school wrestling fans remember the House of Funk for their Wrestlemania 2 appearance. For most, there were no high spots; the German suplex and a bodyslam were finishers, and nobody knew what a hurricanrana, five-star frog splash, Swanton bomb, and outside dive were. 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. [6][4], Billy McCrary died on July 14, 1979, at the age of 32, following a motorcycle accident in Niagara Falls en route to a Ripley's Believe It or Not! Frenchy Lamonte heading for the ring in Tampa 1970. They contracted rubella (German measles) when they were 4 years old, which caused problems for their pituitary glands and they started gaining weight. Sammartino was a tough Italian guy who immigrated to the United States at the age of 15. Prior to his professional wrestling debut, Giant Baba was a professional pitcher for one of the biggest baseball teams in Japan. Entering the ring to Queens infectious anthem, Another One Bites The Dust, Junkyard Dog was a paradigm of pure power. Audiences believed the violent action they were seeing and took it for gospel! museum. All-Star Wrestling footage (and AWA footage as a whole) is now owned by World Wrestling Entertainment . Remembered for his hardcore style of wrestling, Terry Funk became an inspiration to many up and coming wrestlers at the time like Mick Foley. In relative terms, a wrestler breaking kayfabe during a show would be likened to an actor breaking character on-camera. 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. During his debut at Madison Square, Santana did not take any chance in establishing himself as an upcoming wrestler with so much promise. Nikki Bella. To complete the subscription process, please click the link in the email we just sent you. Obviously, the gimmick was an unsuccessful one. 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. In fact, it was the Crush Gals that catalyzed All Japan Pro Wrestlings international following. 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. WWF and AWA, and Japan was as important as it ever was. Wrestling became an international phenomenon with the expansion of the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). Pedro Morales was the perfect champion for Vince McMahon Sr.'s New York territory in the 70s. was a promoter and wrestling manager. Pro-Wrestling Rankings: 1970s - Wrestling-Titles.com Born Wayne Coleman, the bodybuilder with the 22-inch biceps spoke as well as the Christian preacher whose name he used as his own. Ive played a lot of evil, ball-breaking women. During his first reign as WWE tag champion, Mr Fuji and Tanaka reigned supreme in WWEs tag team division for more than a year. The Golden Era and the Attitude Era gave wrestling fans some of the most electrifying matches in WWEs history. Kayfabe was fiercely maintained for decades, but with the advent of the Internet wrestling community, and the sports entertainment movement, the pro wrestling industry has become less concerned with protecting so-called backstage secrets and typically maintains kayfabe only during the shows. Meltzer has previously described her as the most popular womens wrestler of all time.. 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. 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. His first job was a constructions worker and during the evenings, he worked out at a local gym in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 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. AWA All-Star Wrestling: With Scott Hall, Reginald Lisowski, Curt Hennig, Gene Okerlund. Rikishis boys have grown by leaps and bounds since debuting in 2010, winning the WWE Tag Team titles twice and considered by many to be the premiere tag team in the company. 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. Little Tokyo (aka Shigeri Akabane) who was inspired to quit homeland and join Lord Littlebrook and his troupe after they visited Japan in the 1960s. Cheerfulness kept creeping in." Little Bruiser in Chicago, September 1, 1972 Cowboy Bob Bradley and Joey Russell, February 23 1968. Celebrating their birthday in 2015, Adams sent her twin a heartfelt message: Brittaney is not a professional wrestler. Top WWF Professional Wrestlers from the 70s | Groovy History 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. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features NFL Sunday Ticket Press Copyright . He is widely regarded as the most recognized wrestling star worldwide and the most popular wrestler of the 1980s. Meanwhile, The Tonga Kid lost his final match at an independent event when he teamed up with Angel Blanco Jr. to face Solar and Solar Jr. Earl Hebner joined WWE in 1988 and spent over a decade and a half in the company, during which he became well-known to the WWE Universe. 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. The Sheik was PWIs Most Hated Wrestler of 1972, the first year of the award, and has been inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. Hence, she has made her Instagram profile private. Tipping the scales at approximately 1,470 pounds, The McGuire Twins were once the worlds heaviest twins in the Guinness Book of World Records. They both left TNA in 2014 and havent competed since. Inspired by the legendary Muhamad Ali, Billy Graham would step in front of a microphone and deliver a promo that is full of rhyming words.