Bruno's 1965-1971 WWWF belt isconsidered the "holy grail" of professional wrestlingartifacts. In 1986, Sammartino competed in a 20-man battle royal at WrestleMania 2 at the Rosemont Horizon in Chicago. Jamie Greer joined LWOPW in 2015 and was the site's Managing Editor from 2016 through 2020. May 17, 1963: Bruno Sammartino defeated Buddy Rogers with a reverse backbreaker to capture the WWWF World title. [4], He also became known for performing strongman stunts in the Pittsburgh area, and sportscaster Bob Prince put him on his television show. 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. Pro Wrestling Stories - Your daily source of nostalgia and a peek behind the curtain wall of wrestlings past! Lonnie Mayne The Glass Eating, Raw Meat Chewing Original Moondog! (Hornby had 12,989) Some of the nearly 20,000 Madison Square Garden fans watched as Sammartino defeated his . ), 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. Still an affiliate under the banner of the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), Sammartino felt he was stuck in a holding pattern behind NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion, Nature Boy Buddy Rogers, who was Capitols biggest star since winning NWAs top prize in 1961. Fortunately for Bruno Sammartino, his time had now arrived. In contrast, Hogan and Andr headlined exactly one card in White Plains, New York before they wrestled at Shea, and they drew 1,200 in a building that held 3,500.[27]. [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. Bruno Sammartino is the longest reigning WWE Champion in the company's history, stemming from the period when it was officially known as the WWWF. [37] The ceremony took place at Madison Square Garden on April 6, 2013, and Sammartino was inducted by Arnold Schwarzenegger. The toll of a near eight year run as the top star in the WWWF a company that was still very much trying to expand its influence nationally beyond the realm of the NWA was beginning to grind The Living Legend down, both mentally and physically. Sammartino won the title on May 17, 1963, defeating Rogers in 48 seconds. [30], Sammartino's highest-profile feud during this run was with "Macho Man" Randy Savage. Yet few people know all the history behind Brunos belt and why some have called it the 'holy grail' of professional wrestling artifacts. 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. [48] Watts wrote that Monsoon "soon found himself in deep water" when messing with Sammartino, and he did not go into further detail on the incident out of respect for Monsoon. Sammartino would go on to hold the title for 2,803 days, nearly eight years(! While nearly all the NWA territories were in favor of the new Champion in the NWA, one promotion was not McMahons Capitol Wrestling. 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. Bobo Brazil & Bruno Sammartino & Buddy Austin & Pedro Morales: def. His final attempt was in Philadelphia, just a few days before Graham was scheduled to lose the title to Bob Backlund. To put everything in perspective, if Roman Reigns stays Universal Champion through New Year's Day 2028, he'd still be many, many months short of reaching Sammartino's record title reign length! December 13, 1969: WWWF World Champion Bruno Sammartino & Batman defeated Tanaka & Arakawa in a Best 2 out of 3 falls match at the Pittsburgh Civic Arena to "win the titles". Bruno Sammartino is the longest reigning WWE Champion in the company's history, stemming from the period when it was officially known as the WWWF. Pro wrestling legend Bruno Sammartino dies at 82, "Without Toronto, there would have been no Bruno Sammartino", "10 championships you never knew existed in WWE", "Remembering Bruno Sammartino, the singular face of a bygone pro wrestling era", Bruno Sammartino v. Capitol Wrestling Corporation and Vince McMahon, "Professional wrestling great Bruno Sammartino dies at 82", "Sammartino: McMahon is 'a sick-minded idiot', "Bruno's bad call on WWE Hall of Fame shows Vince is right everyone has a price", "Dapper Dan: Malkin, Sammartino, Penn State volleyball claim awards", "WWE to induct Bruno Sammartino into HOF", "WWE NEWS: Hall of Fame 2013 report - Complete "virtual-time" coverage of ceremony with Sammartino & Co., Stratus announces big news, Trump-McMahon?, more", "CALDWELL'S WWE RAW RESULTS 10/7 (Hour 1): Battleground PPV fall-out, WWE Title match to continue at next PPV, one "firing", Bruno Sammartino, more", "WWE HALL OF FAME REPORT 3/28: Complete "virtual-time" coverage of 2015 Ceremony - Randy Savage inducted, Nash, Zbysko, Schwarzenegger, Flair, Michaels, more", "Bruno Sammartino Behind The Championship Belt", "Madison Square Garden Pays Tribute To Bruno Sammartino", "New WWE 2K14 DLC Introduces More Superstars", "WWE 2K23 Roster Official List | WWE 2K23", "Wrestling with fame: Bruno Sammartino still a hero to fans", "Bruno Sammartino given key to Jersey City before his induction into WWE Hall of Fame", "WWE Hall of Famer Bruno Sammartino dies at age 82", "WWE Hall Of Famer Bruno Sammartino Dies At 82", "Bruno Sammartino, wrestling's original good-guy hero, dies at 82", "WWE Raw live results: Brock Lesnar returns to TV", "2019 TRAGOS/THESZ PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING HALL OF FAME CLASS ANNOUNCED - PWInsider.com", "Induction Weekend 2022 | Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame", "Keystone Sate Wrestling Alliance - Hall of Fame", "Bruno Sammartino body slams hall of fame", "WWWA honors Bruno Sammartino, and vice versa", "Triple H reveals Bruno Sammartino statue at WrestleMania Axxess", "W.W.A. Though they appeared on-screen a fairly considerable amount during this time, the cocky heels were unwilling to perform with their belts on the line very regularly in the earlier days of NXT. In CM Punk's 434 day reign, he defended the title 141 times, or an average of just over once every three . Ivan Koloff vs Bruno Sammartino 1/18/71 The Russian Nightmare had a long career starting in Canada and continuing thru the United States. Seth Turner, President of the International Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame, successfully procured the belt. Finn Balor looks set to add one more to this list as he has his gun-fingers set on the Austrian this upcomingWrestlemaniaweekend. During one title reign he held the belt for an astonishing 2,803 days, a period positively unheard of in today's wrestling climate. [26] As the main event of 1980's Showdown at Shea, Sammartino defeated Zbyszko inside a steel cage. 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. He successfully defended the belt against both Ali and The Miz before being recently dethroned by Braun Strowman on the lastWWE Smackdownepisode in January. Bruno Sammartino was the rock that WWE was built upon. 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. Some of his defenses ended in time limit draws, and some in DQ, but . He died in 1992 at the age of 71. He is also a musical performer with his band OdESSA who can be investigated at the link above. Mr. Sammartino, 50, of Allison Park, was the co-owner of the . Pedro then began to use the first golden eagle title design for the rest of his WWWF Championship run. Bruno's belt appears on a statue in his hometown, 7. 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. On April 30, 1977, he was defeated by Superstar Billy Graham for the title. [10][11] During World War II, Pizzoferrato was invaded by troops of the Waffen SS, leading Emilia to hide Sammartino and his siblings in a remote hideout at the top of a nearby mountain called Valla Rocca. That match meant so much to me because that put me at the top. The following title matches feature the WWE Championship. title(s) WWWF MSG Show (Dec '63) Dec 16th 1963: Bruno Sammartino (c) def. WWF House Show - House Show @ Baltimore Arena in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. I worked in pain. He lives in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, with his wife and son. 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 went in that ring". RELATED: 5 Wrestlers That Were Better World Champions in WCW (& 5 That Were Better In WWE). 27.06.1987. Over the course of his record-breaking run, Sammartino successfully retained his title 653 times, including 62 defenses in MSG alone. Sammartino instead that night had his first match against new number one contender, Gorilla Monsoon. You could hear a pin drop, remembered veteran wrestling journalist Bill Apter in an article for WWE.com recounting his memory at ringside. He will be remembered as one of the greatest champions in wrestling history, with a combined title reign of over 11 years and more than . . Boston 1/17/76) Disk 2 . You dont get another penny out of that field; you dont have anything to do with that field. [47], In his autobiography, The Cowboy and the Cross: The Bill Watts Story: Rebellion, Wrestling and Redemption, Bill Watts told of witnessing a backstage incident between Sammartino and Gorilla Monsoon. It was time to make a switch. Bruno Sammartino had been wrestling professionally since 1959, and the Italian immigrant who had left to the US with his family from Italy in 1950 after hiding from the Nazis during World War II captivated a rising influx of immigrants into the US during and post-war. You can check out an almost unlimited array of WWE content, including these Sasha Banks matches on theWWE Network. Sold-out Madison Square Garden 189 times! On April 6, 2013, Sammartino received the Key to the City in Jersey City, New Jersey. Ivan Koloff was actually a pro wrestler from Montreal, Quebec in Canada, and after starting out in the Canadian indies in 1961, soon adopted a Russian gimmick, under the name Ivan Zukoff. 7 WWE Hall of Fame Stories WWE Doesnt Want You To Know! [12][11] During this time, his mother would sneak into their German-occupied town for food and supplies. Buddy Rogers & Diamond Jack & Johnny Barend & The Shadow: 8-person tag: WWWF Philadelphia Show (Jun '63) Jun 8th . WWE Hall of Famer Bruno Sammartino died on Wednesday at the age of 82 in Pittsburgh. Never Forget That Donald Trump Once Shaved Vince McMahon's Head and Is a Member of the WWE Hall of Fame 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. [21], At the inaugural WrestleMania on March 31, 1985, Sammartino was in his son David's corner for his match against Brutus Beefcake. When their eyes cleared, they kept fighting each other. One match ended in a draw and the other with Thesz scoring a fluke pin after a collision, despite Sammartino controlling the 20 minute match from the beginning. He held the company's top title from 1963 to 1971 and again from 1973 to 1977. 3.0 3 Ratings. During one title reign he held the belt for an astonishing 2,803 days, a period positively unheard of in today's wrestling climate. Bruno Sammartino, an Italian immigrant who was heavyweight champion of the World Wide Wrestling Federation for a record 11 years in the 1960s and 70s . By 1971, Bruno Sammartino was beaten up. When McMahon Sr. gestured for them to shake hands, both wordlessly turned and walked away. Sammartino teamed with Paul Orndorff in his matches against Piper, while Piper would tag with his "bodyguard", Ace "Cowboy" Bob Orton. Thesz made him this offer: "We could do this the easy way or the hard way." They had a show at the Civic Arena, but those were the days of the Buddy Rogers era, and Vince McMahon Sr. was trying to get me to come back because he saw my success in Canada. Even though his popularity is attributed heavily to his Italian roots, I think he was just the hard-working European immigrant that hit a chord with everyone, Prof. Ouch of Professor Ouchs Bizarre Bazaar & Odditorium in Philadelphia told The Wrestling Estate in 2018 following Sammartinos death in 2018. In 1980, he won the tag team titles with Bob Backlund and was the Intercontinental Champion during the early '80s. Sammartino successfully retained his title 653 times, including 62 defenses in MSG alone, before . I told him that the only way I would come back is if he put me in the ring with Buddy Rogers for the title. The MSG title . Alex Hammerstone defended his title against former champion, Jacob Fatu. Turner has agreed to display the King of Classy Titles atthe IPWHF Museum, soon to be built in New York State. It took 14 minutes and 55 seconds for Ivan Koloff to defeat Bruno Sammartino that night in New York City. He is the living legend, Bruno Sammartino.JOIN US and hit SUBSCRIBE!https://cultaholic.com/https://www.. Ray Stevens 5'10 230 lbs San Francisco, CA 11. [7] During his second reign, on April 26, 1976, Sammartino suffered a legitimate neck fracture in a match against Stan Hansen at Madison Square Garden, when Hansen improperly executed a move and dropped Sammartino on his head. 78 days. Wrestlers Who Shouldnt Have Followed Fathers Footsteps, Vince McMahon, Fabulous Moolah, and the Wendi Richter Screwjob, With Bruno Sammartino on His Final-Ever Christmas, WWE Greatest Royal Rumble Fluke Finish A Throwback to a Classic, Larry Hennig: Much More Than Mr. Perfects Dad, Nikolai Volkoff: A Hero, a Legend, and My Friend, Mark Madden His Controversial Career in Pro Wrestling, Bruno Sammartino and Vince McMahons Venomous 25-Year Feud, Buddy Rogers The Man Who Drove a Wedge in the NWA. That victory in 48 seconds began a 2,803-day reign that stands today as the longest in history, by far. 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