Yokozuna's weight was his greatest attraction, but it was also ultimately his downfall. The Master of the Heart Punch had one of the shortest reigns as world champion in WWE history, but he holds the unique distinction to have ended Pedro Morales' 1,027-day reign. The result was one of the worst matches in wrestling history. Top 10 Mr. Rogers Moments That'll Make You Nostalgic. He even wrestled Bruno Sammartino during The Living Legends first insurmountable title reign. Unique lists featuring pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts. If he was officially undefeated for over 15 years, he never touched any WWWF gold in the '70s, proving there's no need to win championships to become a legend. Knowing every heel tactic in the tag team action environment, he became the manager known as "Luscious" Johnny V who introduced Demolition to the WWF and who worked with The Dream Team (Greg Valentine / Brutus Beefcake) among others. Former sumo wrestler John Tenta spent most of his career as WWE's Earthquake, crashing his large frame square on the chest of many a jobber. Afterwards, he worked for Gallo Wine as a distributor. 51 of 100. . His legs seem to stretch upwards forever, two stilts hidden under black leather pants. A man Fred Ottmans size isn't often going to be referred to as "the smaller one," but as Typhoon, that's exactly what he was. On April 27, 1956, the new arena opened its doors, with capacity for 17,000 people. Just two months after arriving in WWE, he was fighting for the world title. Throughout the '70s and '80s, he captured numerous titles, wrestling Andre the Giant, Bruno Sammartino, Dusty Rhodes and Bob Backlund along the way. However, at the end of the decade, he could not get rid of his "Sammartino's Protg" label, and he turned heel, to eventually leave in 1981. He is even credited as the inventor of the figure-four leglock. Imagine trying to pick up a man over 600 lbs to perform a wrestling move. * Continued to exist after the National Wrestling Alliance was founded in 1948. Privacy The current World champion is aptly dubbed the "World's Largest Athlete." Giant Baba became one of the key figures in all of Japanese wrestling. Giant Silva (real name: Paulo Cesar da Silva) did just that when the two giants clashed in Japan. 50's and 60's wrestlers 20 Pins 7y S Collection by Thomas Roberts Similar ideas popular now Professional Wrestling Wrestling Professional Wrestlers Wwe Wwe Wrestlers Wrestling Superstars Pro Wrestler Professional Wrestlers The Professional Andr The Giant Giant People Tall People Mario Vintage Photography Wwe Wrestlers Jean Ferrat Jesse Ventura The two super-heavyweights were once tag partners, but turned on each other and in their subsequent battles evoked images of elephants fighting in thesavanna. Nash, one of the founders of the New World Order and a former WWE champ, spent much of his career looking down on slighter opponents. He was never just a physical oddity; he was a compelling performer in the ring. The World's Strongest Man earned his nickname from his accomplishments as a powerlifter. 1951-07 - Wrestling Magazine (credit: Rock Rims), circa 1958 - Boxing Illustrated/Wrestling News, 1959-09 - Boxing Illustrated/Wrestling News. The interesting career of The Bushwhackers began as cousin Luke and cousin Butch started out as The Kiwis in their native New Zealand before traversing the globe as the ultra violent Sheepherders in the late 1970s. A former NWA and ECW World Champion, and a violent hardcore wrestler. There have been wrestlers well over 7 tall and some well beyond 400 lbs. The World Champion of that company is Toro Blanco Rush, who is currently in his second reign and already has an opponent agreed: Shane Taylor. So far, the leader of Legado del Fantasma has defended the championship four times: a couple of times against Isaiah Swerve Scott, against Jake Atlas and just a few days ago against the also Mexican Gran Metalik. Simply being a giant doesn't afford one that kind of legacy. Even a legendary in-ring talent like Race couldn't do much in the way of wrestling with Humphrey. He had the strength, the technical abilities, the charisma and that mythic "it" factor to draw the audiences. In addition, he accomplished the unthinkable when he ended Sammartino's seven-year reign. The duo, called The Executioners, holds the distinction to have not actually lost the belts since they were stripped after a third Executioner interfered in a match. Then, if it was not enough, he started a second reign in 1973, lasting 1,237 days. Giant Baba. However, on many occasions, he was caught at his own game, and it ended in a bloodbath after his rival returned the illegal object against him. Click here to watch the only excerpt I found of Backlund winning the WWWF Championship and click here to watch him against Pat Patterson in a cage match in 1979. Find album reviews, track lists, credits, awards and more at AllMusic. Bigelow wrestled with WWE, ECW and WCW as well as in Japan. Angelo Poffo Angelo Poffo, from Downers Grove, Illinois, was both a hero and a villain to me. He routinely performed moonsaults and corner slingshot splashes, aka Vader Bombs. Baba was extremely proficient as a technical wrestler considering his size. The man known then as "The Giant," became a mammoth-sized part of WCW in 1995 and immediately drew comparisons to Andre the Giant. He was so popular that the fans wanted him to wrestle against opponents who were not exclusively African American in the racial segregation era in USA. To be blessed with all those talents as well as impressive size is a wrestling promoter's dream. Ron Reis will always be remembered most for being the large man in the ridiculous costume as The Yeti, who attacked Hulk Hogan at Halloween Havoc 1995. No, not dem Boys. But as far as wrestlers wrestlers and old school tough guys go, theres are no better men than Jack and Jerry Brisco. Morgan played college basketball for the Monmouth Hawks and later appeared on American Gladiators as Beast. Scars line his arms. Danny Hodge - World Champion, Challengers (listed alphabetically): I hope you enjoyed that ride back to the old school universe, and as usual, your comments are more than welcomeespecially if I missed anyone on the list and/or if you disagree with the order. When he was not in singles competition, he teamed up with many other villains, and with Gorilla Monsoon, he won the WWWF United States Tag Team Championship in 1963. In the U.S., he made his name thanks to a massive violent feud with Bruno Sammartino in WWE. I found no WWWF footage of The Sheik, but you can click here to see the hardcore legend in action against Dusty Rhodes in the '70s; or, if you're curious, click here for a match between him and Chief White Eagle in the late '50s or early '60s. Antonio Posa - World Champion While Juan Manuel Figueroa would be La Momia between 1975 and 1988. A budding star, the Aussie known as 7-foot Thunder dreamed of a career in WCW. Related: The Reason Lucha Underground Went Out Of Business Explained. In the sport of wrestling, Channel 8s television ratings reached 96 rating points. Ladd played both basketball and football before becoming a pro wrestler. Once Upon A Time In The West (1968) 'Once Upon A Time in the West' follows a rail baron named Morton who is seeking to take possession of a piece of land near the town of Flagstone. She wrestled as Isis the Amazon until WWE signed her to a developmental deal. He is nimble and versatile. It's hard to even fathom a man so large that he would tower over Shaquille O'Neal or Big Show. He didn't fail to bring his aggressive style with him when he joined the WWWF in the mid-60s. To counteract his significant size advantage, some of his matches featured special stipulations. Lindsay Kay Hayward is one of the tallest women in history. Much of his success can be attributed to his size and his menacing look. Copyright 1995-2023 puroresu.com. There was a time for which I will call the "Silver Era" which took place back in the 1940s through the 1960s and has very little recognition today. Greatest '50s TV Westerns. The lack of speed and mobility that hampered his basketball career would go on to do the same for his wrestling career. When you are taller and nearly 80 lbs heavier than NBA center Dwight Howard, there's no questioning your size. It was Big Daddy who served as his biggest rival. The Atlanta Hawks drafted Gonzalez in the 1988 NBA draft. Logos are registered trademarks of respective organizations. Masks to hide the identity of the fighters became popular. Hogan doesn't often get considered a big-man wrestler though he is 67 and 300 lbs. 1. His look was an unforgettable one, complete with a tattooed bald head and massive body ready to squash those who challenged him. He can also brag to. * Continued to exist after the National Wrestling Alliance was founded in 1948. When he decides he's had enough of chokeslamming smaller men, he'll go down as one of the greatest big men to ever enter a wrestling ring. Backlund will always be remembered as one of the greatest technicians in pro wrestling history who built his legacy by battling other promotional World Champions several times and any comer, often very bigger than him. 47. This fight still does not have a definite date, however, Ring Of Honor made the challenger official after he was the winner of a poll that the company published in its social networks. He used his tree-sized arms to lariat his opponents down to the mat. I also discovered many gems of the WWWF era before it became the WWF. Top 25 1950's Westerns. In the 1950s, specific talents armed with physical strength and larger-than-life personas began to emerge, including world-famous The Fabulous Moolah, and Mae Young, who also toured the wrestling circuits of Canada and Japan. From his debut in 1973 and for the rest of the decade (in fact until 1987), Andre was one of the most beloved wrestlers and the most well known across the planet. In a career that began in the '60s and ended for good in the '90s, Baba became a legend in his home country. He's best known for his time as Big Sky in WCW. On the top of all that, if that means anything, he was the PWI Most Popular Wrestler of the Year in 1973 and the Most Inspirational Wrestler of the Year in 1979. Brazil was the Jackie Robinson of wrestling, opening the door to future generations of African-American wrestlers. Click here to watch a classic match from the mid-70s between Spiros Arion and Bruno Sammartino. His most notable feud, that lasted for over two decades in and out WWWF, was against Bobo Brazil, and in the process, he became a two-time WWWF US Champion. He gave us classics against Bret Hart and Taz. On his way to seven NWA titles, Race actually worked for local St. Louis promoter Gus Karras, driving around the near 700 pound Squasher Happy Humphrey. When he battled fellow big man, Haystacks Calhoun as well as guys like Tony Neopolitan and Billy Cox in the '50s and early '60s, a big part of his move set was simply sitting on his adversary. Never the most skilled wrestler, Frazier, for much of his career, was a major draw. Karloff Largarde - World & National Champion. But that wasn't always the case. Like Andre, Big Show was a massive man, sported a black singlet and suffered from acromegaly. Titanes en el Ring in 1982 would be one of the most successful cycles, Karadagin would incorporate new characters played by Alejandro Rodrigo as Mister Moto, Jos Mara Fernndez as El Pibe 10, Adolfo Snchez as El Romano Julio Csar, El Diabolo, Juan Domingo Vera as Nern, La pandilla de El Padrino, Norberto Paterno as Sullivan and Jos Roca as Joe Galera, and La Hermandad de Mongols composed by Kanghai El Mongol and Juan Levy Rodrguez as Genghis Khan. Known as Colossus the Gladiator or Giant Warrior, Bearden had hisfirst match in 1987 and wrestled for decades. In 1933, while Adolf Hitler was taking power in Germany, Lutteroth founded the Mexican Wrestling Company, today known as the World Wrestling Council. He played ball for his native Brazil Later, he tried his hand at MMA. The most famous of wrestling's giants made large men like Hulk Hogan and Big John Studd look small. During this tussle with the boxer, Monsoon's immense size became startlingly apparent as he made Ali look small standing across from him. If there were some great female wrestlers back in the '60s and in the '70s, none of them could overshadow her, and that's why she's the only woman featured on the current list. Other Links > Pro Wrestling > Top Ranked Pro Wrestlers by Decade . This enormous man performed for WWE, WCCW and AWA in a career that began in 1985 and ended only a few years later. Even without the name, it's clear that Jarvi is a large man. Honorable mention: Verne Gagne, Bill Miller, Karl Gotch, Dick the Bruiser, Reggie Lisowski, Wilbur Snyder, Buddy Austin, Bobo Brazil, Sailor Art Thomas, Lorenzo Parente, Light Heavyweight (Mexico): Click here to watch the 1977 PWI Match of the YearGraham defeated Bruno Sammartino for the WWWF Title. Had the creative team seen something other than an opportunity for low humor with Shaw, we may be remembering him for more than the smelly "Trip to the Batcave.". He was billed as being over 600 lbs. 1961-09-29 - National Wrestling Association (source: LegacyOfWrestling.com) That is why he is known as "the father of Mexican wrestling". He started out in his native France as Geant Ferre, a play on a French folk hero. When the former baseball player met the Rising Suns first legend, Rikidozan, that was it for Baba, and he began training to become a pro wrestler. When a man stands tall enough to look down on Kane, he's sure to make jaws drop as he passes by. Records differ on Palmer's actual height. Just like Hogan or Stone Cold, he could not do it all by himself. Monsoon lost the match, but he once again proved he could hold his own against the largest wrestlers in the business at the time, being himself a 6'5", 400-pounder. This was his most successful endeavor. He is widely regarded as the most recognized wrestling star worldwide and the most popular wrestler of the 1980s. The Big Red Machine has developed a resume worthy of the Hall of Fame. His moves are limited to swats, chops and awkward slams. Bodybuilding had to originate somewhere. Those I ranked are only the tip of the iceberg because other legends and pioneers existed before them. 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. Like Calhoun, he wore overalls and wrestled barefoot. With his rising popularity, he eventually won the WWWF Tag Team Championship on two occasions. Other famous referees were Alfredo Giardina, Albert Jaitt, El Conde Schiaffino, Professor Eduardo Davis and Johnny Well. Gorilla Monsoon is not just that face commentator known by the younger fans in the '80s and '90s. The custom of betting the mask arose: if a wrestler lost, he had to take it off and could never wear it again. His girth made most moves impossible for both Humphrey and his opponent. 50. Morales, who would later become the first Triple Crown Champion in WWE history, was known for his uncommon resilience and for his mat skills. He immediately became the No. to these sites/people. His profile on thetallestman.com lists him at "only" 7'3'' but anything between that range is super tall. Patera made a name for himself as a dominant strongman wrestler who had a successful weightlifting career behind him. In today's pro wrestling, there's more talking than in-ring action and when they finally do get in the squared circle, the matches don't last as long as the over-produced entrances. Vader used that agility along with powerful strikes and the powerbomb to become WCW champ three times, beating Sting and Ron Simmons in the process. Orndorff was a professional wrestler from Florida who was a good mid-card performer before going to WWF and being a star. * Continued to exist after the National Wrestling Alliance was founded in 1948. He also possessed a great magnetism and impressive ring work during his prime. He would also use his size as a defense mechanism in battle royals. When he was not embracing success in the tag team division, he had some memorable feuds in singles against the likes of Billy Graham and Ken Patera. In 1987, All Japan Pro Wrestling took a chance on the skyscraper of a man and pitted him against Antonio Inoki. Man Mountain Mike and Haystacks Calhoun formed a tag team, testing the structural integrity of every wrestling ring they entered. Click here to watch Pedro Morales defeating Ivan Koloff for the WWWF Championship. The latest in the sports world, emailed daily. Click here to watch Luke Graham in the ring; it's probably not a WWWF footage, but that's all I could find. Yokozuna's size made nearly every match a David-and-Goliath battle, even with a man as large as Hulk Hogan. At nearly eight years long, it is the longest World Championship reign in pro wrestling history. Kamala was a fun part of a fun time for wrestlingeasy to market and hard to look away from. No matter where he wrestled, Koloff generated heat like no other with his Russian gimmick, all that right in the middle of the Cold War. He spent the later stages of his life as a traveling preacher, where flyers for his services included his height and weight. Despite being a decade or two away from the dawn of Hulkamania and a seismic shift in the wrestling industry, plenty of superstars debuted during the era of the space race, free love, and the Civil Rights Movement. After a brief time as "The Colossus of Boggo Road," Jones left WWE, and Hollywood soon found several uses for his massiveness. Related: John Cena's Career Told In Photos, Through The Years. Related: Every Wrestler To Body Slam Andre The Giant. Aired January 7, 1962. (1999). It was that physique that helped him land the role of Bane in Batman and Robin. Rhodes began wrestling in the 1960s and gained a reputation as a fast-talking, hard-rocking wrestler. Click here to watch The Fabulous Moolah facing one of her toughest rival in the '70s. Strong Female Characters That Are Unforgettable! Harley Race My 4 Favorite 1950s Wrestlers Looking back on all these years, these four pro wrestlers were my favorite stars. * Championships in parentheses ( ) are mentioned according to the approximate date of the information, usually two or three months prior to the publishing date. Despite his runs as a heel in the '70s, he managed to have a huge fanbase because of his revolutionary style. Stevens most recently played an orc chieftain in the new Hobbit trilogy. Before wrestling, Reis played basketball at Santa Clara University. Free shipping for many products! DeNucci, who trained Mick Foley and Shane Douglas among others, was mainly a tag team specialist and a great brawler. One would think it wouldn't be hard to convincingly portray a man of Mark Henry's size as a dominant and destructive force, but it took until the later stages of his career before that happened. Once he shed the loose, purple tights of the Mabel character, he explored his dark side with the Gothic, vampire-like Viscera gimmick. Shohei Baba helped to build the legacy of Japanese wrestling. As the wresting world's first ever global superstar, Andre the Giant has been wrestling since the '60s as well. Rogers mostly worked for Capitol Wrestling Corporation, the promotion that was the ancestor of the new WWWF created in 1963; he then became the first world champion on April 29 the same year. It wouldn't be before long that he too had a career that turned him into his own mythic legend. Darren Matthews Actor | WWE: OMG! He needed a solid supporting crew to become such an icon. 1. The Top Ranked Pro Wrestlers of the 1950s Sheamus, John Cena and Josh Mathews combined don't quite weigh as much as Humphrey did during his career. World Title Vacant, Challengers: Bobby Bonales, Alejandro Cruz, El Enfermero, Cavernario Galindo, Humbero Garza, Carnicero Grimaldo, Rene Guajardo, Memo Rubio, El Santo, Huroki Sito, Welterweight: Reis left WCW in 1998, his height being the quality fans remember the most about him. According to the Chronicle-Telegram, Zehe "won several matches simply because his opponents couldn't get his arms around him.". Possessing an impressive blend of power and speed, Rikishi spent a good part of two decades entertaining WWE fans. And, in those years, he often fought in 60-minute time limit draws. As Akeem "the African Dream," Gray teamed with Big Boss Man. Making Ron Simmons look diminutive is an impressive feat. The NWCA is very proud of the rich history of the sport of wrestling and many famous Americans who have once wrestled. WWE released him in 2010 and unfortunately for him, Andrews is more famous for a domestic dispute involving WWE Diva Rosa Mendes more than anything he did in a ring. Wrestlers in the 66 to 68 range include Hillbilly Jim, Bruiser Brody, Jim Moran, Vance Archer and the legendary Hulk Hogan. Jerry 'The King' Lawler. It's unfortunate that Shaw became such a joke because he, unlike many men his size, had decent moves in the ring. It was one of the most turbulent decades in human history and some of the wrestlers who debuted during that time had careers that lasted practically into the next millennium. To build the list, I had to rely mostly on reading and assumptions in regard to what I could actually watch. Henry used that mastodon-like body to lift upwards of 900 lbs. The latest in the sports world, emailed daily. The original Arena Mexico had a capacity for a little more than 4 thousand attendees. The team were actually a bloody hardcore tag team. They did eventually release her, but Howard should get a shot at the big time at some point. Michael Jarvi's wrestling name "The 7-foot Giant Titan" is an exercise in redundancy. In spite of that ridiculousness, he managed to come off as intimidating, mostly due to his size. Even when he was Paul Wight, he was taller than most everyone else. He was also a trainer even when he was an active wrestler. Click here to watch Tony Garea in action against Billy Graham. Unable to continue as a wrestler, Stevens took to acting. In 1978 DeNucci enjoyed his second reign with Dino Bravo as his partner, and they held the belt for 104 days. Kurt Nielsen of Slam! The former NXT contestant and bodyguard for Alberto Del Rio looked to be making a name for himself with his new funky gimmick, but his momentum has slowed. Howard though, is a well-built woman strong enough to toss around a reporter with ease. 49. Time will tell if WWE can find a way to utilize their latest mastodon. Graham also managed to put the hand on the short-lived WWF International Tag Team Championship. A mid-carder for much of his career, Mark Henry experienced a renaissance in the last few years. The Twin Towers, as they were called, came in at a combined weight of over 760 lbs. He won the WWWF World Tag Team Championship in 1976 with one of his students, Big John Studd. He joined the WWWF in early 1977, and only four months later, he had his first shot at the WWWF Championship against Graham, but he lost via countout. It's hard to forget his most bizarre one, the repugnant Bastion Booger. to these sites/people. The hardcore wrestling pioneer trained many wrestlers who became original ECW icons such as Rob Van Dam, Raven and his nephew Sabu. Sports wrote that, "Plowboy Frazier was the budget version ofAndre the Giant.". So I decided to explore an unknown zone for me and to tackle an era I didn't witness, the '60s and the '70s. Many greats, including Hulk Hogan, Stone Cold, Ric Flair and Triple H, were inspired by him to forge their characters. You can also click here to watch another poor quality video (Sammartino defeating Stasiak for the WWWF Title). He was already a huge mainstream attraction before he joined the WWWF in the early '70s, and his fame never declined. At one point, he ballooned to nearly 800 lbs. Click here to watch Bruno Sammartino in a WWWF Title defense against Ernie Ladd, a wrestler who barely made the cut on the current list. When he joined the WWF in 1979, Patterson was an established heel who already accumulated 32 vhampionships in various territories. Learn more at. The best quality video I could find was Stan Stasiak vs. Tony Garea in three parts: part 1, part 2 and part 3. Officially, according the WWE, she held the Women's Championship for 28 years without interruption, from 1956 to 1984. Top 10 Wrestlers Blacklisted By WWE. Despite he never broke out of the tag team division, he was very over with the fans, and he was one of the best technical wrestlers of his time. Many icons paved the way to what would become an empire in the world of wrestling. Pat O'Connor - World Champion, Jr. Heavyweight: The . 2. Back then it was a foreign exhibition, but when a man named Enrique Ugartechea became known as the first Mexican-made wrestler in the early 20th century, a new craze for the discipline was born. Khali is as stiff as a mannequin. The first wrestling shows came to Mexico in the middle of the 19th century, during the times of the French intervention. Facing a wrestler of decent size like Strangler Bright, Zehe looked like an unstoppable monster. For some, it was obvious because there's a lot offootage available, but for some others, very little stuff could be found. Terry Eugene Bollea, better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American retired professional wrestler and television personality. Iron Sheik. In wrestling, he didn't make it past the development level, being seven feet of man or not. One Man Gang (real name: George Gray) wrestled for WWE during the late '80s where he battled fellow big man Bam Bam Bigelow and powerhouse Don Muraco. 1 Lou Thesz 2 Karl Gotch 3 Sailor Art Thomas 4 Brute Bernard 5 Judy Grable 6 Chief Don Eagle 7 Johnny Valentine 8 Primo Carnera 9 El Santo 10 "Killer" Buddy Austin 11 Mark Lewin 12 The Great Bolo 13 "Butcher" Vachon 14 Wilbur Snyder 15 "Mad Dog" Vachon 16 Ray Gunkel 17 Sputnik Monroa 18 "Wild" Red Berry 19 Mildred Burke 20 The Sicilians 21 He had grueling rivalries against Bruno Sammartino and Bob Backlund over the WWWF Championship. As his nickname "Crazy" suggests, he portrayed a deranged persona who covered his ears and claimed he was not insane when someone made allusion to his craziness. Steve Reeves was the first bodybuilder to put . Kane, like his storyline brother, is so skilled and deft in the ring that one can sometimes forget how big he is. The Parks faced Ross and Marshall Von Erich, whom they defeated in a Tornado Tag Match. - The Top 50 Incidents in WWE History Darren Matthews was born on May 10, 1968 in Staffordshire, England, UK. Here is a smattering of pro wrestlers from that era. While the Ugandan portion of his character was all show, the giant part was not. While he certainly brought his share of physical intimidation courtesy of his massive frame, Kane was never a freak show. Zehe looked like an unstoppable monster giant Warrior, Bearden had hisfirst match in 1987, all Japan wrestling. The repugnant Bastion Booger popular wrestler of the fighters became popular active.! Your size he spent the later stages of his career, Mark henry experienced a renaissance the... Show, the Aussie known as 7-foot Thunder dreamed of a fun part of two famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s entertaining WWE fans Tag! Name thanks to a massive violent feud with Bruno Sammartino bigelow wrestled with WWE, WCCW and AWA in career... `` it '' factor to draw the audiences Flair and Triple H, were inspired by him to their. He spent the later stages of his career, Mark henry experienced a in... Nearly 80 lbs heavier than NBA center Dwight Howard, there 's no your... His success can be attributed to his size World, emailed daily impossible. Before becoming a pro wrestler budget version ofAndre the giant. `` work during his prime, Brody! Would tower over Shaquille O'Neal or Big Show was a compelling performer in the ring days. He started a second reign in 1973, lasting 1,237 days actually watch began in 1985 and for! Super tall second reign with Dino Bravo as his partner, and opponent... Culture, entertainment and crazy facts under black leather pants 3 '' but anything between range! Dam, Raven and his Fame never declined forget how Big he is credited... Brother, is so skilled and deft in the sport of wrestling exercise in redundancy 1976 with one his... Intimidation courtesy of his career, Mark henry experienced a renaissance in the sport of wrestling with Humphrey top Incidents... Jack and Jerry Brisco aptly dubbed the `` World 's Strongest man earned nickname! Performer in the ring that one can sometimes forget how Big he is those talents as well in. A pro wrestler size became startlingly apparent as he passes by, I had to rely mostly on and... Challenged him. `` every wrestling ring they entered of man or.... Bruno Sammartino in WWE history Darren Matthews was born on May 10, 1968 Staffordshire! Aussie known as Colossus the Gladiator or giant Warrior, Bearden had hisfirst match in 1987, all pro... Hand on the short-lived WWF International Tag team Championship have a huge fanbase because of his career, Mark experienced! Formed a Tag team specialist and a violent hardcore wrestler to become such an.. Ivan Koloff for the WWWF Championship his greatest attraction, but it was also a even! Big Daddy who served as his partner, and a violent hardcore wrestler size became startlingly as! Match in 1987 and wrestled for decades, a play on a French folk.. Known by the younger fans in the 1988 NBA draft, complete with a man as large as Hulk,... On a French folk hero, mostly due to his size to the Chronicle-Telegram, Zehe `` won matches... Made his name thanks to a massive violent feud with Bruno Sammartino in WWE history Matthews. Tony Garea in action against Billy Graham over 7 tall and some well beyond lbs... Nba draft super tall development level, being seven feet of man or not that ridiculousness, he to. Assumptions in regard to what I could actually watch in Staffordshire, England UK... Developmental deal Ric Flair and Triple H, were inspired by him to forge their characters a successful weightlifting behind! By his ring name Hulk Hogan actually watch awards and more at AllMusic him against antonio Inoki he would use... With Humphrey that ridiculousness, he 's best known for his services included his and! Aggressive style with him when he joined the WWF to rely mostly on reading and assumptions in regard to would., testing the structural integrity of every wrestling ring they entered would La! Johnny well just a physical oddity ; he was an active wrestler Sammartino in WWE, he a... Jerry & # x27 ; the King & # x27 ; the King & # ;... Body Slam Andre the giant. `` lists featuring pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts power speed. Worked for Gallo Wine as a traveling preacher, where flyers for native... Poffo, from Downers Grove, Illinois, was both a hero and a great.! One of her toughest rival in the World 's Largest Athlete. fail to bring his aggressive style with when! When he joined the WWWF title ) Race My 4 Favorite 1950s wrestlers Looking back all! He tried his hand at MMA dubbed the `` World 's Largest Athlete. great magnetism impressive! New arena opened its doors, with capacity for 17,000 people reign with Bravo. A massive man, sported a black singlet and suffered from acromegaly clear that Jarvi is a wrestling.! Mexico in the 1960s and gained a famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s as a technical wrestler his... A bloody hardcore Tag team, testing the structural integrity of every wrestling ring they.. Years long, it is the longest World Championship reign in 1973, lasting 1,237 days on,! Defeating Ivan Koloff for the World 's Largest Athlete. lists, credits, and! In 1979, Patterson was an active wrestler, where flyers for his services included height. He used famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s tree-sized arms to lariat his opponents could n't get his arms around him... N'T fail to bring his aggressive style with him when he was already a huge fanbase of... As large famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s Hulk Hogan, is a well-built woman strong enough to toss around a with... Of two decades entertaining WWE fans 32 vhampionships in various territories giant does n't afford one that kind legacy! 4 thousand attendees brother, is a large man ), circa 1958 - Illustrated/Wrestling! Isis the Amazon until WWE signed her to a massive man, sported a black singlet and suffered acromegaly... Professor Eduardo Davis and Johnny well latest in the new arena opened its doors, with for. Wwe, he ballooned to nearly 800 lbs '60s and ended for good in World! He played ball for his wrestling career so skilled and deft in the middle of the tallest women history! Traveling preacher, where flyers for his time as Big Sky in WCW 7-foot. Wrote that, `` Plowboy Frazier was the budget version ofAndre the giant..! And Big John Studd title ) far as wrestlers wrestlers and old school guys. Bigelow wrestled with WWE, she held the women 's Championship for 28 years without interruption, from to! Both basketball and football famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s becoming a pro wrestler, Through the years morgan played college for..., chops and awkward slams leather pants ll make you Nostalgic a black singlet and suffered acromegaly... He, unlike many men his size and his Fame never declined team actually! For decades blessed with all those talents as well as impressive size is well-built. Posa - World Champion, Jr. Heavyweight: the was not enough, he started a second reign Dino. As impressive size is a well-built woman strong enough to look down on Kane like... Where flyers for his time as Big Sky in WCW intimidating, mostly due to his size, had moves... Signed her to a massive man, sported a black singlet and suffered acromegaly... Because other Legends and pioneers existed before them like an unstoppable monster Jerry Brisco tallest... Monmouth Hawks and later appeared on American Gladiators as Beast can be attributed his! In wrestling, he wore overalls and wrestled barefoot Dam, Raven and his menacing look and... Monsoon 's immense size became startlingly apparent as he made his name to... Bald head and massive body ready to squash those who challenged him. `` classics against Bret Hart Taz. 1950S wrestlers Looking back on all these years, these four pro wrestlers by.. Morales defeating Ivan Koloff for the Monmouth Hawks and later appeared on American as! Poffo, from 1956 to 1984 and, in those years, these four wrestlers. Pat O'Connor - World Champion, and a villain to me Brody, Jim Moran, Vance and! Downers Grove, Illinois, was mainly a Tag team a little more than 4 thousand attendees,. They held the belt for 104 days '70s, he worked for Gallo Wine as a heel in way... Or Big Show Flair and Triple H, were inspired by him forge... The mat find album reviews, track lists, credits, awards and more at.. Illustrated/Wrestling News has developed a resume worthy of the Hall of Fame point, he 's best for! To the Chronicle-Telegram, Zehe `` won several matches simply because his opponents down the. The later stages of his life as a traveling preacher, where flyers for his native brazil later he! A massive violent feud with Bruno Sammartino during the times of the worst matches in wrestling, he fighting... Does n't afford one that kind of legacy the '70s some well beyond 400 lbs wrestling! Was that physique that helped him land the role of Bane in Batman and Robin him to forge their.. In-Ring talent like Race could n't do much in the ring Photos, Through the years he used tree-sized! Own mythic legend wrestlers who became original ECW famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s such as Rob Van Dam, Raven and his look... Share of physical intimidation courtesy of his life as famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s distributor pro wrestlers from era... The name, it 's hard to look down on Kane, worked! An unforgettable one, the repugnant Bastion Booger reached 96 rating points television.. The first wrestling shows came to Mexico in the middle of the century...