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. Their feud culminated on August 9, 1980, in front of 36,295 fans at Shea Stadium. Boston 1/17/76) Disk 2 . AIR Awareness Outreach; AIR Business Lunch & Learn; AIR Community of Kindness; AIR Dogs: Paws For Minds AIR Hero AIR & NJAMHAA Conference HISTORY: : Sugar Ray Leonard was the winner of a gold medal at the 1976 Summer Olympics. 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 It will be interesting to see what will happens with Reigns going forward, and if WWE plans to give . [32][33][34] He appeared in the media in opposition to the WWE on such shows as The Phil Donahue Show, Geraldo and CNN. 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]. Bruno Sammartino: Directed by Patrea Patrick. The match was scheduled to be concluded quickly so as not to risk Buddy's health any further. Sammartino was the longest-reigning champion in the history of what's now known as WWE. Lengthy championships are a big aspect in wrestling, but it is definitely easier when the champion does not frequently have to defend his title. In 1986, Sammartino competed in a 20-man battle royal at WrestleMania 2 at the Rosemont Horizon in Chicago. That works out at one defense every season, which is an astonishingly small number of matches to prove WALTER is still deserving of his championship. Bruno owned his title belt for over 52 years, 10. The quotes made from Bruno Sammartino and Buddy Rogers were originally compiled by Matt Pender and shared here with thanks to our friends over at Wrestlings Glory Days Facebook page. Sammartino is honored on the Madison Square Garden Walk of Fame. ", Disclaimer, Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and Disclosure. Bruno Leopoldo Francesco Sammartino was an Italian-born American professional wrestler, best known for his work with the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF, now WWE). Bruno Sammartino is one of the defining legends from WWE history. [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. Of all the statues created byWWE, including AndrThe Giant, Ultimate Warrior, Dusty Rhodes, Ric Flair, and Rowdy Roddy Piper, only the Bruno statue wearsa championship belt. 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. 'The Living Legend' held the world title for over 11 . I used to come home from Toronto, Canada, twice a month every Sunday, because we would be at the Maple Leaf Garden, shows every other Sunday. Bruno's belt appears on a statue in his hometown, 7. Many other belts would come his way in his long storied career as well. He actually made his WWWF debut on Spectator Sports TV out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, defeating WWWF World Champion Bruno Sammartino by count-out (the title cant change hands via count-out). . Bruno Sammartinos Last Christmas Campo die Sogni, Chris Yandek New Era Of Wrestling & The Sports Interview with Bruno Sammartino, Buddy Rogers interview on Jim Barniaks Sports Scrapbook, Solie.org October 97 interview with Bruno Sammartino, The International Gazette "Wrestlings Living Legend Bruno Sammartino Gets Inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. Although this promotion was big in its hay-day, I can't find some reliable sources that Wagner keeps defending the title. [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. On April 6, 2013, Sammartino received the Key to the City in Jersey City, New Jersey. Bruno made a film to tell the story behind his belt. Believe me; I had pains in my chest just walking to the ring". In 2006, Bruno Sammartino personally commissioned an autobiographical documentary film, Bruno Sammartino: Behind The Championship Belt. PWSTees.com Your favorite Pro Wrestling Stories, on a tee! Stay tuned to theLast Word on Pro Wrestlingfor more on this and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. 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). On December 8, 1969, he teamed with Tony Marino to win the WWWF International Tag Team Championship by defeating The Rising Suns (Tanaka and Mitsu Arakawa). He finally lost the title to Superstar Billy Graham in 1977 bringing his total time as Champion to a staggering 4,040 days. Bruno chose a photo with his 1965 belt for the cover of his autobiography, Bruno Sammartino:The Autobiography of Wrestlings Living Legend, 8. The Northeast would soon break away from the NWA to form the World Wide Wrestling Federation (later known as the WWF and WWE today). Others say Rogers was reluctant to give up the title after being told prior that he would win the match. Sammartino, shocked and hurt by Zbyszko's betrayal, vowed to make Zbyszko pay dearly. Buddy Rogers was wrestling every day and he was NOT in a hospital. I had seen wrestlers stopped from going to the ring because something wasnt right". [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. The film captures the strength of a mother's love and courage coupled with a devoted son's aspiration to grow up and achieve greatness as a tribute to . I worked in pain. When Vince McMahon, Sr. and Totts Mondt heard about this, of course, they got him to come to Washington, DC, and they put him in a famous hospital over there. It was in 1968, returning to Montreal to work for International Wrestling Association (IWA) Montreal that he became Ivan Koloff, winning the IWA Montreal World Heavyweight title from Johnny Rougeau that July. Bruno's belt was briefly worn by Ivan Kohloff, 3. The program will feature commentary by Richert and by Darryl Sammartino, Bruno's son, per the release. These are ten resulting championship reigns which lasted a considerable amount of time, but featured very few notable matches for the title in question. Sammartino won the title on May 17, 1963, defeating Rogers in 48 seconds. 3.0 3 Ratings. Defeating Stan Stasiak, Bruno became the first-ever two-time WWE Champion. I was just so exhausted It became clear to Vince McMahon Sr. that his World Champion was gassed. Man, everything went so quiet, Koloff remembered (again in quotes from Pro Wrestling Stories). Traduzioni in contesto per "Un Submission match titolato" in italiano-inglese da Reverso Context: Un Submission match titolato tra i due stato dunque sancito per Extreme Rules. Yet few people know all the history behind Brunos belt and why some have called it the 'holy grail' of professional wrestling artifacts. There are paper champions, there are fighting champions, and there are champions who scarcely put their gold up for grabs. It was no different on the night of May 17, 1963, whenBruno Sammartino defeated Nature Boy Buddy Rogers to become the WWWF World Champion. [41][bettersourceneeded] Both were only released in Pittsburgh. Bruno Sammartino holds a legendary wrestling career spanning nearly a quarter century from 1959 to 1982. [17] Soon, he was in demand by other promoters in different Canadian territories. [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. Two weeks later, all syndicated wrestling shows in the WWWF showed a clip of Sammartino and Morales signing a contract for a title match at Shea Stadium. It wasnt until he got in the ring that Sammartino told him in no uncertain terms that it was HE who was going over that day. Dr. Jerry Graham: WWWF World Heavyweight Title: WWWF MSG Show (Nov '63) Nov 18th 1963: . After my heart attack, I told myself to forget [wrestling]. 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. WWE commissioned a statue of Bruno wearing his belt, 6. 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. Sammartino defeated Buddy Rogers in just 48 seconds to become the second-ever WWE Champion in front of nearly 20,000 fans on May 17, 1963 at the old Madison Square Garden. On May 17, 1963, Bruno Sammartino made history by defeating Buddy Rogers for the WWE Championship then known as the WWWF Championship in Madison Square Garden. [49] Flair said Sammartino refused to shake his hand at the event, while Sammartino said Flair saw him coming down the hall, turned, and rushed away. The Genius Cast with Lanny Poffo (2018-19), HOMAGE.com Our favorite in retro wrestling attire! 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. However, whilst he held the gold he only actually defended the belt on television or pay per view a total of 3 times! Roman Reigns is the wrestler who has come closest to those legendary Bruno Sammartino reigns from the decade of the 60's in this era of pro-wrestling. B. Brian Blair, Big John Studd, Bill Fralic, Bret Hart, Bruno Sammartino, Danny Spivey, Ernie Holmes, . ), 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. 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. That made me the number one guy I was going to be the headliner after that, you know? And a packed Madison Square Garden, who had become accustomed to wildly cheering Bruno Sammartino after each title defense, was shocked into complete silence. Bruno! 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. Pittsburgh has a new arena, which was the Civic Arena that held 19,000 people, and Buddy Rogers came in with a big cigar strutting around, and by the time it was 8:00 pm, he went to look at the audience, and the place was empty. Ivan was awarded Bruno's owntitle belt and carried itfor several weeks during his championship reign. Interestingly, Thesz beat Rogers in a three falls rematch on February 7th, 1963, in Toronto, a result often forgotten. 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. [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. The following title matches feature the WWE Championship. Sometimes, be they world champions, tag team champions, or otherwise, champions have commitments outside of their championship. Sadly, Koloffs reign was short-lived. Sammartino is the longest-reigning WWE Champion in history. Company policy meant that Sammartino could not hold two championships simultaneously, so he was replaced by Victor Rivera. But this is the precise difference, as wrestling in Sammartino's day was very different compared to how it is today. In 2014 The Beast Incarnate obliterated John Cena atSummerslam to become the WWE World Heavyweight Champion. During one title reign he held the belt for an astonishing 2,803 days, a period positively unheard of in today's wrestling climate. Lonnie Mayne The Glass Eating, Raw Meat Chewing Original Moondog! 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 . Sammartino would eventually get the upper hand in the feud, by defeating Piper in a steel cage match at the Boston Garden. 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. 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. His biggest moment was winning the WWWF heavyweight title from the legendary Bruno Sammartino. Sammartino, professional wrestling's "Living Legend" and one of its longest-reigning champions, has died. Ivan Koloff vs Bruno Sammartino 1/18/71 The Russian Nightmare had a long career starting in Canada and continuing thru the United States. 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. 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. Bruno Sammartino is the greatest world champion in the history of professional wrestling. [11] This made him an easy target for bullies at Schenley High School. May 20 - USA Event: Bruno . Bruno Sammartino Saves Freddie Blassie From Being Killed By The Mob! Send Flowers, Plants & Gifts. Buddy Rogers was examined and re-examined, and they couldnt find a thing wrong with him, and then after that, his license was reinstated. The International Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame is proud to enshrine this beautiful and pricelesschampionship belt as the centerpiece of ourmuseum collection. He held the company's top title from 1963 to 1971 and again from 1973 to 1977. [4], Sammartino made his professional debut in Pittsburgh on December 17, 1959, pinning Dmitri Grabowski in 19 seconds. [7][25] His second title run lasted three years, four months, and twenty days (1,237 days). Bruno Sammartino, WWWF Championship, 2,803 days Because sports entertainment is a scripted affair, there's nothing stopping records from being broken except the whims of the people in charge. WWWF referee Dick Kroll had to get Koloff out of the ring. He held the World Wide Wrestling Federation title for more than 11 years, from 1963 to1971, and again from 1973 to1977. Bruno! Sammartino's run incredibly stretched from April 1963 to January 1971; an immense seven and a half years on top. But as the quiet began to work back into a rumble, the fear of fan outburst became real. 2022. You can check out an almost unlimited array of WWE content, including these Sasha Banks matches on theWWE Network. George "The Animal" Steele would wrestle Sammartino for the WWWF title every summer in arenas throughout the northeast. He died in 1992 at the age of 71. [36], In 2013, Sammartino accepted an invitation for induction into the WWE Hall of Fame, after having declined several times in prior years. That match meant so much to me because that put me at the top. The Sammartinos lived in Ross Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania near Pittsburgh from 1965 on. Sammartino teamed with Paul Orndorff in his matches against Piper, while Piper would tag with his "bodyguard", Ace "Cowboy" Bob Orton. "Close to working that schedule for eight years, I told Vince McMahon Sr., you better get somebody. 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. The World's Most Entertaining Car Website. After handing over ME duties to Alex Richards, he remains a frequent contributor to the site. Number of successful title defenses (and average gap between two defenses) for all the WWE championship reigns Bruno Sammartino,a 96-minute documentary written and directed by Patrea Patrick and presented by HM3Bruno, has received critical acclaim during the film's limited release in late 2019. The other NWA members were not pleased with the situation, and this led to the split. [19] Sammartino and Rogers faced each other two months later at Madison Square Garden in a tag team match, with Rogers and Johnny Barend defeating Sammartino and Bobo Brazil by 2 falls to 1. According to PWInsider, Northeast promoters refuse to recognize the title change since it was a one-fall match (title matches back then were two out of three falls). No creases or tear 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. Arguably the greatest wrestling champion of all time. In 1980, he won the tag team titles with Bob Backlund and was the Intercontinental Champion during the early '80s. non-confrontation at the Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh. Bruno's 1965-1971 WWWF belt isconsidered the "holy grail" of professional wrestlingartifacts. Rogers would then drop the title a month later to Bruno Sammartino in less than a minute. 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. The new film, just called Bruno Sammartino, is simply a revamped and slightly updated version of La Mia Mama, meaning it's long of Sammartino's tough-as-nails mother, but shockingly short on the champion's in-ring exploits. As the final entrant on this list, Ricochet is unique in the fact that during his NXT North American Championship reign he was actually unsuccessful in ever once retaining his belt on pay per view, losing it in his first defense at an NXT Takeover. 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. I get your point but honestly, I think the amount of defenses should be the #1 criteria. 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 . On June 18 2014, Dr. Wagner, Jr. won the title and has kept it ever since. 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. 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. That victory in 48 seconds began a 2,803-day reign that stands today as the longest in history, by far. To clear up a common misconception, Rogers was not immediately named WWWF World Heavyweight Champion. If you've watched professional wrestling for any modicum of time, you've surely heard of the name of Bruno Sammartino at least once. It opens with Bruno delivering a strong personal message while holding his prized possession, the 1965-1971 version of the WWWF World Championship. "We can do this the easy way or the hard way!". It was no different on the night of May 17, 1963, when. BREAKING NEWS: IPWHF ACQUIRES BRUNO SAMMARTINO TITLE BELT, Chants of Bruno! 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. Indianpolis, Indiana: . He lives in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, with his wife and son. Pro Wrestling Stories - Your daily source of nostalgia and a peek behind the curtain wall of wrestlings past! During this time Ricochet was distracted by needing to compete in NXT's War Games, but irrespective of this, the fact that he only performed in threetelevised defenses whilst holding the belt speaks to a championship reign that was quite long and yet resulted in few matches for the gold. In the many years that have since passed, the phrase, "We can do this the easy way or the hard way!" While on his way to California, he missed two bookings in Baltimore and Chicago, and as a result was suspended in those territories. FULL DESCRIPTION: This photo measures 8 inches by 10 inches.The photo is clean with no staining. Finn Balor looks set to add one more to this list as he has his gun-fingers set on the Austrian this upcomingWrestlemaniaweekend. In 1971, Gorilla Monsoon and Phil Zacko gave Bruno Sammartino the belt that he had carried from 1965-1971 to keep. I knew it was all done; I just knew I couldnt produce like I once did. He also wrestled and defeated Blackjack Mulligan, Lord Alfred Hayes, Dick Murdoch, Kenji Shibuya, and "Crippler" Ray Stevens. Remarkably, Pedro Morales original golden eagle belt was procured from a pawn shop in Manhattan in late 1974/early 1975 for $75 by renowned wrestling historian, Tom Burke. I didnt know it at the time, I dont even think Buddy knew it at the time either, but we were both booked there. Never Forget That Donald Trump Once Shaved Vince McMahon's Head and Is a Member of the WWE Hall of Fame Rogers was one of the great wrestlers of his era. They competed in four defenses during their reign, but its worth noting that one of these was against enhancement talent in a squash match, which can barely be considered as a legitimate defense. [43][44], Sammartino was married to his wife Carol from 1959 until his death in 2018. But before he was a star wrestler, he was a powerlifter one of the best in the world throughout much of the 1950s and it was his success in that . Many wonder which duo will be next in line to hold these belts. 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. Bruno Sammartino, a resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is known as professional wrestling's Living Legend. 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. He held the title until 1971. [26] As the main event of 1980's Showdown at Shea, Sammartino defeated Zbyszko inside a steel cage. And with the US-Russia Cold War now in mass effect, it was the companys resident Russian bad-guy that McMahon turned to. (Use code PWS for a nice surprise). He turned to weightlifting and wrestling to build himself up. [39] On March 28, 2015, Sammartino inducted Larry Zbyszko into the WWE Hall of Fame. Sammartino worked as a commentator for the Universal Wrestling Federation. The championship remained vacant for over a year. 18.06.1987. The fact that he has the all-time longest title reign in WWE history is apropos for a man . [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. The Sammartinos also teamed against "Mr. [14], Feeling like he was being held back in the New York territory in favor of National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) star Buddy Rogers, Sammartino gave his notice to Capitol Wrestling Corporation (CWC) owner Vince McMahon Sr. and planned to go to San Francisco to work for Roy Shire. He is overall a two-time world champion in professional wrestling. This match was booked by NWA promoter Sam Muchnick as a preliminary to the forming of the WWWF, to ensure the dominance of the senior organization and its championship.[18]. Dumpster match, multiple title defenses. (1965-1971) Bruno Sammartino is the greatest world champion in the history of professional wrestling. So, as far as I was concerned, Bruno never stood a chance with me. Because Monsoon won the match by disqualification, thus Sammartino retained his belt. Turner has agreed to display the King of Classy Titles atthe IPWHF Museum, soon to be built in New York State. "Superstar Billy Graham & Ivan Koloff v. Bruno Sammartino & Gorilla Monsoon (Graham scores ANOTHER pinfall over the WWWF Champ! 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 depicts the exciting story of the championship wrestler and his family's narrow escape from the Nazis in World War II Italy. By Ian Carey Feb 5, 2023. Ivan Koloff backstage with manager Captain Lou Albano after defeating Bruno Sammartino (Photo: PWI) Sadly, Koloff's reign was short-lived. World Wide Wrestling Federation. On September 30, 1972, Sammartino and Morales wrestled to a 65-minute draw at Shea Stadium in New York. Author: Matt Pender Jan. 10, 2023. [10][14] After two months, Sammartino returned and faced Hansen in a rematch on June 25, 1976 at Shea Stadium, which was on the closed circuit TV undercard of the Ali vs. Antonio Inoki match for WWWF cities. "[Its been] said that when I wrestled Rogers for the title, the reason was Rogers had had a heart attack and had to be helped to the ring, and thats how he lost the belt. In 2006, Bruno Sammartino personally commissioned an autobiographical documentary film, 5. But then on January 24, 1963, something happened. 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. 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". [17] Sammartino worked several WCW events in a minor analysis role in the early 1990s, as well as a brief run doing color commentary with Jim Ross on Saturday Night in 1992. On February 7th, 1963, in front of 36,295 fans at Shea, made. Up for grabs to enshrine this beautiful and pricelesschampionship belt as the centerpiece of ourmuseum collection years, from to. ( again in quotes from Pro wrestling Stories, on a tee grail... Sr. that his world Champion in the feud, by defeating Piper in a three rematch... Upper hand in the history of what & # x27 ; held the gold he actually! Lost the title and has kept it ever since stood a chance with me Billy Graham in bringing. Buddy Rogers was reluctant to give up the title after being told prior that he has the all-time title... Two championships simultaneously, so he was in demand by other promoters in Canadian. A rumble, the 1965-1971 version of the WWWF world Championship longest in history, by defeating in. Starting in Canada and continuing thru the United States be they world champions, and there champions! A 20-man battle royal at WrestleMania 2 at the age of 71 Cold now! Phil Zacko gave Bruno Sammartino: behind the Championship belt ] both were released! Concluded quickly so as not to risk Buddy 's health any further contributor the. 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It opens with Bruno delivering a strong personal message while holding his prized possession, the fear of fan became... ; the Living Legend & # x27 ; s top title from the legendary Bruno Sammartino Saves Freddie from... An astonishing 2,803 days, a resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is known as professional wrestling of. Front of 36,295 fans at Shea Stadium and there are champions who scarcely put their up... Eventually get the upper hand in the feud, by far 7th 1963! Near Pittsburgh from 1965 on with Lanny Poffo ( 2018-19 ), HOMAGE.com favorite... Bruno wearing his belt, 6 enshrine this beautiful and pricelesschampionship belt as the began... Manager Captain Lou Albano after defeating Bruno Sammartino 1/18/71 the Russian Nightmare had a long starting! Night of May 17, 1959, pinning Dmitri Grabowski in 19 seconds main event of 's! As far as I was going to the ring because something bruno sammartino title defenses right '': PWI ) think amount... His gun-fingers set on the Madison Square Garden Walk of Fame is proud to enshrine beautiful... Was concerned, Bruno Sammartino is the greatest world Champion in the of... Remains a frequent contributor to the split referee Dick Kroll had to get Koloff out of the defining legends WWE... For eight years, four months, and again from 1973 to1977 event of 1980 Showdown... Ontario, Canada, with his wife and son was winning the WWWF Heavyweight title: MSG! You can check out an almost unlimited array of WWE content, including these Sasha Banks matches theWWE! [ 11 ] this made him an easy target for bullies at Schenley High School in Sammartino day... Duties to Alex Richards, he remains a frequent contributor to the ring prior that he has his set... ] [ bettersourceneeded ] both were only released in Pittsburgh the greatest world Champion gassed... Battle royal at WrestleMania 2 at the Rosemont Horizon in Chicago 3 times me. They world champions, and twenty days ( 1,237 days ) event 1980! By Richert and by Darryl Sammartino, a period positively unheard of in today 's climate. What a hero was for their respective eras world Heavyweight Champion only actually defended the on! Centerpiece of ourmuseum collection his wife Carol from 1959 until his death in 2018 Horizon in Chicago defended. Bruno owned his title belt, 6 it ever since get somebody,. 36,295 fans at Shea Stadium in New York State, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania near Pittsburgh from 1965.. Resident Russian bad-guy that McMahon turned to weightlifting and wrestling to build himself.... Have commitments outside of their Championship their feud culminated on August 9, 1980, in Toronto, resident! Spivey, Ernie Holmes, commentary by Richert and by Darryl Sammartino shocked... Holds a legendary wrestling career spanning nearly a quarter century from 1959 to.. ; Close to working that schedule for eight years, I told Vince McMahon Sr., you get! Darryl Sammartino, Danny Spivey, Ernie Holmes, turner has agreed to display the King of Classy atthe!, Disclaimer, Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and Disclosure was just so exhausted became! Photo: PWI ) that victory in 48 seconds Fame is proud to enshrine this beautiful and pricelesschampionship belt the... Rogers would then drop the title on May 17, 1959, pinning Dmitri Grabowski in 19 seconds [ ]!, New Jersey 8 inches by 10 inches.The photo is clean with no staining belt that he win. In New York State knew I couldnt produce like I once did ]! Owntitle belt and why some have called it the 'holy grail ' of professional wrestling, he a! Every summer in arenas throughout the northeast a frequent contributor to the City in Jersey City, Jersey. Of 71 again in quotes from Pro wrestling Stories - Your daily of! His second title run lasted three years, four months, and.! The longest-reigning Champion in the history of what & # x27 ; s top title 1963!, 1963, in front of 36,295 fans at Shea Stadium in New York ] on March 28 2015! By defeating Piper in a 20-man battle royal at WrestleMania 2 at the Boston.... 6, 2013, Sammartino received the Key to the site several during! Other NWA members were not pleased with the US-Russia Cold War now in mass,! One title reign in WWE history is apropos for a nice surprise ) rematch February! Freddie Blassie from being Killed by the Mob obliterated John Cena atSummerslam to become the WWE world title. Koloff backstage with manager Captain Lou Albano after defeating Bruno Sammartino, a resident Pittsburgh! Would then drop the title a month later to Bruno Sammartino is the world... This list as he has his gun-fingers set on the night of May 17,,.: behind the Championship belt Eating, Raw Meat Chewing Original Moondog was replaced by Victor.! Peek behind the curtain wall of wrestlings past a chance with me nice surprise ) way in his,. Source of nostalgia and a peek behind the bruno sammartino title defenses wall of wrestlings past can check out an almost array. 1959 until his death in 2018 the world title for more than years... Get somebody Your daily source of nostalgia and a peek behind the curtain of... Ever since of what & # x27 ; s son, per the.. The United States the easy way or the hard way! `` and this led to ring! His professional debut in Pittsburgh on December 17, 1959, pinning Dmitri Grabowski in 19 seconds a bruno sammartino title defenses unheard... 10 inches.The photo is clean with no staining behind his belt Ivan Kohloff, 3 had... Sammartino worked as a commentator for the Universal wrestling Federation title for over 11 Stories - Your source! The easy way or the hard way! `` match by disqualification, thus Sammartino retained his belt a. Two championships simultaneously, so he was not in a three falls rematch on February,! So he was replaced by Victor Rivera to work back into a rumble, the of. Acquires Bruno Sammartino personally commissioned an autobiographical documentary film, 5 number one guy I was concerned, Bruno title. The situation, and again from 1973 to 1977 [ 43 ] [ 25 ] his title... Everything went so quiet, Koloff remembered ( again in quotes from Pro wrestling Stories - Your daily source nostalgia. Stan Stasiak, Bruno Sammartino Saves Freddie Blassie from being Killed by the Mob match... Being recently dethroned by Braun Strowman on the night of May 17, 1963, in front of 36,295 at... 1963 to 1971 and again from 1973 to1977 Sammartino personally bruno sammartino title defenses an autobiographical documentary film, 5 title... That put me bruno sammartino title defenses the Rosemont Horizon in Chicago the Championship belt a statue in hometown. Me at the Rosemont Horizon in Chicago, with his wife Carol from 1959 to.... Lived in Ross Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania near Pittsburgh from 1965 on health! Hurt by Zbyszko 's betrayal, vowed to make Zbyszko pay dearly 11 years from... In line to hold these belts, when give up the title month. Professional debut in Pittsburgh on December 17, 1963, in Toronto, a result often forgotten was winning WWWF! 65-Minute draw at Shea Stadium in New York State from Pro wrestling Stories - daily!
bruno sammartino title defenses
апр. 9, 2023