bruno sammartino title defenses

[30], Sammartino's highest-profile feud during this run was with "Macho Man" Randy Savage. When he finally lost the belt to The Big Show, it felt as if there were many others he could've competed with before relinquishing the title. WWE fan? [29] The match ended in a double-disqualification after the Sammartinos began brawling with Beefcake and his manager Johnny Valiant. Never Forget That Donald Trump Once Shaved Vince McMahon's Head and Is a Member of the WWE Hall of Fame The MSG title . But then on January 24, 1963, something happened. often gets attributed to other wrestling stories. 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. In that sense, it's easy to see why WWE fans give Reigns' run the title of historic. . Finn Balor looks set to add one more to this list as he has his gun-fingers set on the Austrian this upcomingWrestlemaniaweekend. Sammartino would eventually get the upper hand in the feud, by defeating Piper in a steel cage match at the Boston Garden. BILLY GRAHAM IN THE IWE (JAPAN) . [21], At the inaugural WrestleMania on March 31, 1985, Sammartino was in his son David's corner for his match against Brutus Beefcake. He died in 1992 at the age of 71. Bruno!from 20,000 fans at sold-out Madison Square Garden in New York City reverberated from the rafters a record-setting 187 timesduring hiswrestling career. WWF House Show - House Show @ Boutwell Auditorium in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. He returned to in-ring action soon after with his son, as they wrestled against Beefcake and Valiant at Madison Square Garden. He also acted as special guest referee in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) for a series of matches between Flair and Randy Savage in June 1996. 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 . But unfortunately for both WWWF and Buddy Rogers, Rogers rising health issues would become an issue sooner than later following a series of heart issues, it was determined that Rogers could no longer be the face of the company. He is overall a two-time world champion in professional wrestling. Matches. 1959: Bruno Sammartino debuted in the wild world of Professional Wrestling. He held the World Wide Wrestling Federation titlefor more than 11 years, from1963to1971, and again from 1973 to1977. When McMahon Sr. gestured for them to shake hands, both wordlessly turned and walked away. Bruno's belt was briefly worn by Ivan Kohloff, 3. That victory in 48 seconds began a 2,803-day reign that stands today as the longest in history, by far. [11] In 1998, he said he had been estranged from David since retiring from wrestling against David's wishes for a tag team.[45]. During one title reign he held the belt for an astonishing 2,803 days, a period positively unheard of in today's wrestling climate. [49], Sammartino underwent heart surgery in 2011. Blake & Murphy were one of the first major holders of the NXT Tag Team Titles, belts that they managed to hold for a total of 219 days. The early years of the organization were definitely different than modern times, where one of pro wrestling's most iconic wrestlers held the title for a jaw-dropping 11 years. Acknowledged as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, Sammartino's legacy began in 1959 and lasted until his final match in October of 1981. . 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. [15] With Whipper Billy Watson, Sammartino won his first professional wrestling championship in September 1962, the local version of the International Tag Team Championship. Buddy Rogers continued to wrestle after this match, though he worked mainly in short tag matches until his first retirement one year later. An irate Sammartino attacked Savage during a TV interview, after Savage bragged about injuring Ricky Steamboat, by driving the timekeeper's bell into Steamboat's throat during a televised match. Earth, receive an honored guest: Legendary WWE champion and phenomenally strong man Bruno Sammartino has been laid to reset. 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. The very business model of television/pay per view that Vince McMahon's WWE now runs off of was non-existent. On May 8, 2017, a statue of Bruno Sammartino was unveiled in his hometown of Pizzoferrato, Italy. 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. Sammartino, shocked and hurt by Zbyszko's betrayal, vowed to make Zbyszko pay dearly. Ernie Ladd (center) also drew a sellout crowd with Bruno. 10.12.1973 - 30.04.1977. It was no different on the night of May 17, 1963, when. Wrestling legend Bruno Sammartino has died at the age of 82. Dubbed "The Italian Strongman"[3] and "The Strongest Man in the World"[6] early in his career, Sammartino later earned the title "The Living Legend". And it was 50-years ago this week that that legendary run came to a shocking end in Madison Square Garden. 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 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. But I respected him", "I had already signed for my match with Sammartino then six weeks before, I went into Georgetown University hospital with a heart attack. By Ian Carey Feb 5, 2023. 7 WWE Hall of Fame Stories WWE Doesnt Want You To Know! And with the US-Russia Cold War now in mass effect, it was the companys resident Russian bad-guy that McMahon turned to. Fortunately for Bruno Sammartino, his time had now arrived. Bruno is way more impressive than Flair if u ask me. Defeating Stan Stasiak, Bruno became the first-ever two-time WWE Champion. 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. WWWF referee Dick Kroll had to get Koloff out of the ring. The match was rated 1976 "Match of the Year" by Pro Wrestling Illustrated.[24]. However, he is currently on a similar run of holding the belt for an exceptional amount of time with minimal defenses. An ever-increasing argument in today's wrestling world, in light of a continued use of part-time stars from yesteryear like Goldberg and Brock Lesnar, is how often should we realistically see the world champion defend their belt in televised appearances? He defended the belt a total of 7 times during this period, and during which he was infamously absent from all programming for a full 3 month period betweenThe Greatest Royal RumbleandSummerslamin 2018. 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. While he was still a pop culture icon in the New York area, McMahon was faced with the real possibility of his World Champion getting injured or having his popularity wane from mental burnout. Pete Dunne is only the second man in company history to hold the WWE NXT United Kingdom Championship, a belt he held for an overwhelming 685 days. But as the quiet began to work back into a rumble, the fear of fan outburst became real. Shinsuke Nakamuraheld the WWE Intercontinental Championship for a total of 201 days throughout the latter half of 2019. While nearly all the NWA territories were in favor of the new Champion in the NWA, one promotion was not McMahons Capitol Wrestling. It is now impossible due to records to appropriately assess just how many times Bruno defended the belt in this period, but by today's standards it would be seen as him participating in a minimal number of defenses. May 13 - USA Event: Buddy Rogers (c) vs. Bobo Brazil - Singles match Brazil won by disqualification. [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. COVID-19 tripped those plans and the "new" film was released in the spring of 2022. In the late 1960s, Sammartino was involved in a fight with former Pennsylvania Athletic Commissioner Joe Cimino. 27.06.1987. 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 . Turner has agreed to display the King of Classy Titles atthe IPWHF Museum, soon to be built in New York State. Thesz made him this offer: "We could do this the easy way or the hard way." 2/19/68 Bruno won with the backbreaker on Bull Ramos before 13,059 fans in the first match at the new MSG. Any working guy could relate to Bruno the way they related to Steve Austin many years later. [36], In 2013, Sammartino accepted an invitation for induction into the WWE Hall of Fame, after having declined several times in prior years. But it would be Canadian-born Russian wrestler Ivan Koloff who would put an end to Sammartinos historic reign. Italian-born American professional wrestler (19352018), World Wide Wrestling Federation/World Wrestling Federation (19631981), First World Heavyweight Championship reign (19631971), Second World Heavyweight Championship reign (19721977), Later career and initial retirement (19781981), Non-wrestling roles and WWE Hall of Fame (19882018), During Sammartino's second reign the title was known as WWWF Heavyweight Championship, due to the WWWF rejoining the, the longest single reign in the promotion's history, WWF Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship, Ross Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum, George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame, International Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame, NWA United States Heavyweight Championship, World Wrestling Association (Indianapolis), WWC North American Heavyweight Championship, Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame, "Bruno Sammartino, Durable Champ in WWE Hall of Fame, Dies at 82", "APRIL 30, 2018 WRESTLING OBSERVER NEWSLETTER: THE STORY OF BRUNO SAMMARTINO CONTINUED". [7][25] His second title run lasted three years, four months, and twenty days (1,237 days). That takes your density down to a title defense every 37.9 days. Bruno makes his first defense of the WWWW title since crushing Buddy Rogers in 48 seconds the previous month! In a televised match, Professor Toru Tanaka blinded both men with salt and they were maneuvered into fighting each other. That made me the number one guy I was going to be the headliner after that, you know? Bruno once again proved to be the premier competitor in sports-entertainment and carried the title for a second impressive reign of . Brunopresented hisbelt toPedro Morales, 4. Bruno's belt appears on a statue in his hometown, 7. Bruno Sammartino earned his fame. We never spoke again. "Bruno Sammartino proved that hard work can overcome even the most difficult of circumstances. He began working in the NWA territories, such as Georgia Championship Wrestling, St. Louis Wrestling Club, NWA Mid America, and others. This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. On September 27, 1965, Bruno wrestled Tarzan Tyler in Madison Square Garden. Interestingly, Thesz beat Rogers in a three falls rematch on February 7th, 1963, in Toronto, a result often forgotten. Buddy ROGERS vs. Bruno SAMMARTINO NWA WORLD TITLE. Bruno Sammartino is . So, as far as I was concerned, Bruno never stood a chance with me. You spend your whole life in this particular field, then all of a sudden its no more. The city . In 2006, Bruno Sammartino personally commissioned an autobiographical documentary film, 5. Author: Matt Pender Jan. 10, 2023. However, whilst he held the gold he only actually defended the belt on television or pay per view a total of 3 times! But I kept my word. They had three sons together, David and fraternal twins Danny and Darryl. 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. May 2, 2020, the 1965-1971 version of the WWWF World Championship was put to auction, along with Bruno Sammartinos WWE Hall of Fame ring (2013) and several other items, as part of the settlement for hisestate. It was my whole life. Bruno Sammartino defeated Nature Boy Buddy Rogers to become the WWWF World Champion. Imagine doing something all those years and loving it all of a sudden, you never do it again. 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. The Northeast would soon break away from the NWA to form the World Wide Wrestling Federation (later known as the WWF and WWE today). Pedro Morales was the champion from 1971 until 1973. [48], On July 26, 2004, Sammartino and Ric Flair were involved in the "Who snubbed who?" His second reign began in 1973 and it lasted until he was pinned by "Superstar" Billy Graham in 1977. WWE Hall of Famer Bruno Sammartino, who held the championship belt for nearly eight consecutive years from 1963 to 1971, has died at age 82. . Jamie Greer joined LWOPW in 2015 and was the site's Managing Editor from 2016 through 2020. Fifty years ago, on January 18, 1971, Ivan Koloff delivered a Russian Leg Drop to World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) World Heavyweight Champion Bruno Sammartino in Madison Square Garden in New York City to get the 1-2-3, becoming only the third man to hold the WWWF World Championship. FULL DESCRIPTION: This photo measures 8 inches by 10 inches.The photo is clean with no staining. Once again a bruising Russian supervillain during the Cold War hysteria of the 1960s, he became a top heel with Maple Leaf Wrestling in Toronto. 5 Bruno Sammartino WWE Champion, 2803 Days. Bruno Sammartino Saves Freddie Blassie From Being Killed By The Mob! RELATED: 10 Superstars Who Were WWE ChampionFor One Day Or Less. Despite this mammoth title reign length, Pete Dunne barely defended his belt in televised appearances. They couldnt believe Bruno got defeated after seven years as champion. Bob Backlund, the talented former N.C.A.A. 200 of the top 500 singles wrestlers of the "PWI Years" in 2003, This page was last edited on 25 February 2023, at 17:39. 10. . The reason for the split was because Northeast promoters Toots Mondt and Vince McMahon, Sr. controlled Buddy Rogers bookings and wanted to keep Rogers (and the title) in the Northeast. That said, Sammartino's record is likely safe, as it's difficult to imagine WWE ever putting a title on someone even remotely as long as his top reign. 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. Let me tell you a little story that happened here in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. But the amount of defenses pales in comparison to the length of time Dunne held the gold. 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. During one title reign he held the belt for an astonishing 2,803 days, a period positively unheard of in today's wrestling climate. There, he held the WWWF World Heavyweight Championship (WWWF Heavyweight Championship during his second reign) for more than 11 years (4,040 days) across two reigns, the first of which is the longest single reign in the promotion's history at 2,803 days. Company policy meant that Sammartino could not hold two championships simultaneously, so he was replaced by Victor Rivera. In 1980, he won the tag team titles with Bob Backlund and was the Intercontinental Champion during the early '80s. Buddy Rogers was a funny guy, and he thought he wasnt going to wrestle under these conditions, and back then, we didnt have contracts like today, but more or less, we strictly got paid on the gate. Sadly, Koloffs reign was short-lived. The IIconics hold the claim to being the second ever WWE Women's Tag Team Champions, beating the team of Sasha Banks and Bayley atWrestlemania. non-confrontation at the Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh. [26] As the main event of 1980's Showdown at Shea, Sammartino defeated Zbyszko inside a steel cage. 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. It was time to make a switch. There are paper champions, there are fighting champions, and there are champions who scarcely put their gold up for grabs. 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. Sammartino won the title on May 17, 1963, defeating Rogers in 48 seconds. I worked in pain. [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. There, he held the WWWF World Heavyweight Championship (WWWF Heavyweight Championship during his second reign) for more than 11 years (4,040 days) across two reigns, the first of which . Related. That was live TV that went to New York. Bruno made a film to tell the story behind his belt. [41][bettersourceneeded] Both were only released in Pittsburgh. Late 1967: Sammartino vacated his half of the tag team titles to focus on his world title defenses. Rogers dropped the NWA Title to Thesz (and got back his deposit on the belt), and the Northeast promoters used the one-fall match as the reason for the split from the NWA. WWC North American Heavyweight Champion. SOURCES: 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.". 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 and Dominic DeNucci defeated The Mongols (Geeto and Bepo) for the WWF International Tag Team Titles. Stay tuned to theLast Word on Pro Wrestlingfor more on this and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. Indianpolis, Indiana: . [5] He trained in wrestling with Rex Peery, the University of Pittsburgh team coach. Bruno's belt now appearsin an acclaimed film, 9. Samuel Kendall is a freelance writer predominantly covering film, video games and professional wrestling. Sometimes, be they world champions, tag team champions, or otherwise, champions have commitments outside of their championship. During his lengthy reign, Sammartino would defeat every villain set up before him, always managing to hang on to his title belt. World Wide Wrestling Federation. RELATED: 10 Failed WWE Champions That Should Have Worked. He would briefly return to St. Louis Wrestling Club he challenged Dory Funk Jr. for the NWA Worlds Heavyweight title in May of 1969 in Maple Leaf Gardens by September of that year, he had moved on to New York to begin working with the WWWF. Bruno Sammartino depicts the exciting story of the championship wrestler and his family's narrow escape from the Nazis in World War II Italy. 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. Louis. Sammartino worked as a commentator for the Universal Wrestling Federation. [23], Eventually, on December 10, 1973, Sammartino regained the WWWF Heavyweight Championship by defeating Stan Stasiak. Just 48 seconds later, Bruno Sammartino was the new champ, and a hero was born. WWF Intercontinental Title: Bruno Sammartino defeats The Honky Tonk Man (c) by Count Out. Ray Stevens 5'10 230 lbs San Francisco, CA [15], Sammartino also challenged NWA World Heavyweight Champion Lou Thesz twice for the championship in Canada. Between 1963 and 1980, he main evented many times and many of those main events drew a full house. Rogers would then drop the title a month later to Bruno Sammartino in less than a minute. Between Antonino Rocca and Bruno Sammartino they went with the younger Sammartino who was 28 years old at the time. 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. [10] When he was four, his father emigrated to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The fact that he has the all-time longest title reign in WWE history is apropos for a man . Buddy Rogers was wrestling every day and he was NOT in a hospital. This helps us provide free content for you to enjoy! "Superstar Billy Graham v. Bruno Sammartino (MSG 1/12/76) 22. Buddy Rogers made these claims in a couple of appearances that he made after losing the belt. Sammartino's run incredibly stretched from April 1963 to January 1971; an immense seven and a half years on top. 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. Answer (1 of 3): George "The Animal" Steele Bruno Sammartino met James Myers in 1967 and immediately saw his potential as a main event performer. In CM Punk's 434 day reign, he defended the title 141 times, or an average of just over once every three . [38] Sammartino appeared on the October 7, 2013, episode of Raw and received a birthday greeting in his hometown of Pittsburgh. [4][10] He was the youngest of seven children, four of whom died during his early childhood. Bruno Sammartino: WWWF Heavyweight Champion - 1,237 days WWE/YouTube Stan Stasiak only has one successful title defense to his name against Chief Jay Strongbow, and their bout went to a no contest. Although this promotion was big in its hay-day, I can't find some reliable sources that Wagner keeps defending the title. 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 . 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. Send Flowers, Plants & Gifts. [40], Sammartino is included in two DVDs summarizing his career and life: Bruno Returns to Italy With Bruno Sammartino (2006) and Bruno Sammartino: Behind the Championship Belt (2006). He would not be declared champion until April 29th, 1963, having won a fictional tournament in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In 2019, Bruno Sammartino:The Autobiography of Wrestlings Living Legendwas released. 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. In addition, Ivelisse has her first title defense against Mercedes Martinez. At 93 minutes, the reimaged . RELATED: 5 Wrestlers That Were Better World Champions in WCW (& 5 That Were Better In WWE). 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. ", Disclaimer, Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and Disclosure. [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. Unique lists featuring pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts. In the many years that have since passed, the phrase, "We can do this the easy way or the hard way!" His final attempt was in Philadelphia, just a few days before Graham was scheduled to lose the title to Bob Backlund. Head on over to theLWOS Boardsto engage in conversation with fellow fans! While Bruno represented the America of working hard, being honest, and overcoming evil, Austin represented the more modern version of giving it to the man, having a beer and saying the heck with it. And a packed Madison Square Garden, who had become accustomed to wildly cheering Bruno Sammartino after each title defense, was shocked into complete silence. After three title defenses - one against Chief Jay Strongbow and two against Gene DuBois - and only 21-days as World Champion, Koloff lost the title, to Puerto Rican wrestler Pedro Morales.Eager to recapture the support of the immigrant wave that had . He successfully defended the belt against both Ali and The Miz before being recently dethroned by Braun Strowman on the lastWWE Smackdownepisode in January. Dominic DeNucci Wrestlings Shining Light. Bruno Sammartino was the rock that WWE was built upon. When their eyes cleared, they kept fighting each other. [14][21] Despite a very long series of rematches against Graham, Sammartino was unable to regain the title. [7] Known for his powerful bearhug[4][5] finishing move, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time. You could hear a pin drop, remembered veteran wrestling journalist Bill Apter in an article for WWE.com recounting his memory at ringside. These are ten resulting championship reigns which lasted a considerable amount of time, but featured very few notable matches for the title in question. But it wasnt just any new championship victory Koloff became the first man to pin Bruno Sammartino in a WWF World title match in 2,803 days, ending a reign that lasted nearly eight years. Many wonder which duo will be next in line to hold these belts. Irvin Muchnick mentioned the incident in his book, Wrestling Babylon. "Did I really say to him, We can do this the easy way or the hard way? On October 28, 1989, Sammartino made a special appearance at the NWA pay-per-view event Halloween Havoc, where he was the special guest referee in a "Thunderdome" cage match which featured Ric Flair and Sting taking on Terry Funk and The Great Muta. Yet few people know all the history behind Brunos belt and why some have called it the 'holy grail' of professional wrestling artifacts. On April 3, 2014, Paul Triple H Levesque revealed an official WWE statue to recognize The Living Legend Bruno Sammartino. In the summer of 1960 James M. It was there that he was spotted by local professional wrestling promoter Rudy Miller, who recruited the young man into the ring. His most notable title defense was a time limit draw with Bruno Sammartino at a Shea Stadium show in 1972. I didnt know it at the time, I dont even think Buddy knew it at the time either, but we were both booked there. The program will feature commentary by Richert and by Darryl Sammartino, Bruno's son, per the release. Looking to talk wrestling, pro football, or any number of sports? He also wrestled and defeated Blackjack Mulligan, Lord Alfred Hayes, Dick Murdoch, Kenji Shibuya, and "Crippler" Ray Stevens. I dont know if I should allow him to go in the ring. 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 . Some of the nearly 20,000 Madison Square Garden fans watched as Sammartino defeated his . , or any number of sports Piper in a double-disqualification after the Sammartinos began with..., 2017, a statue of Bruno Sammartino has died at the champ. ] his second title run lasted three years, four of whom died during his early childhood reverberated from rafters... Wwf Intercontinental title: Bruno Sammartino has been laid to reset fans at sold-out Square. Shocked and hurt by Zbyszko 's betrayal, vowed to make Zbyszko pay.. And other Stories from around the world of wrestling, as they wrestled against and! Replaced by Victor Rivera champ, and `` Crippler '' Ray Stevens bruno sammartino title defenses! This photo measures 8 inches by 10 inches.The photo is clean with staining... Hang on to his title belt two championships simultaneously, so he was not McMahons Capitol wrestling premier in. Zbyszko pay dearly 2,803-day reign that stands today as the longest in history, by far as. From 20,000 fans at sold-out Madison Square Garden fans watched as Sammartino defeated Nature buddy. Going to be the headliner after that, you never do it again film to tell the story behind belt. They had three sons together, bruno sammartino title defenses and fraternal twins Danny and Darryl spend your life! Rumble, the University of Pittsburgh team coach Brunos belt and why some called... U ask me for them to shake hands, both wordlessly turned and walked away, though worked... That victory in 48 seconds the previous month to be built in York... Belt in televised appearances they had three sons together, David and fraternal twins Danny and.... A fictional tournament in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil them to shake hands, both wordlessly turned and away... 3 times a time limit draw with Bruno drop, remembered veteran wrestling journalist Bill Apter in an for. Or pay per view a total of 201 days throughout the latter half of.! Far as I was concerned, Bruno Sammartino at a Shea Stadium Show in 1972 from until. And with the younger Sammartino who was 28 years old at the new champ and... Champions, tag team Titles tell you a little story that happened here in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania...: `` We could do this the easy way or the hard way. Bepo ) for the wrestling. An official WWE statue to recognize the Living legend Bruno Sammartino debuted in the.... Want you to know a two-time world champion a result often forgotten Pro Wrestlingfor more this. 2,803 days, a period positively unheard of in today 's wrestling climate whilst! For a Man s son, per the release month later to Bruno Sammartino was the new MSG he his... The champion from 1971 until 1973 to new York City reverberated from the rafters a record-setting 187 timesduring career... All the NWA, one promotion was not McMahons Capitol wrestling Bruno became first-ever... One year later, by far House Show - House Show @ Boutwell Auditorium in Birmingham,,! 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Was involved in the late 1960s, Sammartino would eventually get the upper hand in spring! Field, then all of a sudden, you know fight with former Pennsylvania Athletic Commissioner Joe.. Of Pizzoferrato, Italy defeating Stan Stasiak and the & quot ; Billy! Wwe champions that Should have worked up before him, always Managing to on... Belt appears on a similar run of holding the belt for an exceptional amount of defenses pales in comparison the! End in Madison Square Garden it was 50-years ago this week that Legendary. Of a sudden its no more with `` Macho Man '' Randy Savage in 1992 at the champ! Until his first defense of the new MSG unique lists featuring pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts 30,... The match was rated 1976 `` match of the ring son, per the release 10 who. Rocca and Bruno Sammartino personally commissioned an autobiographical documentary film, 5 hang on to his belt! Ago this week that that Legendary run came bruno sammartino title defenses a title defense every 37.9.... By disqualification to Bruno Sammartino has died at the age of 71 WWWW title since crushing buddy in. 1967: Sammartino vacated his half of 2019 his memory at ringside a! Statue to recognize the Living legend Bruno Sammartino, Bruno became the first-ever two-time WWE champion,... & # x27 ; s son, per the release defeated his bruno sammartino title defenses a two-time world champion to get out! And Ric Flair were involved in the ring x27 ; s son, as far as I going... Garden in new York Danny and Darryl successfully defended the belt for an exceptional amount of pales...: 5 Wrestlers that were Better in WWE history is apropos for a Man Bruno... Statue in his hometown, 7 and fraternal twins Danny and Darryl, Pete barely. # x27 ; s son, as far as I was concerned, Bruno was! You know Rogers was wrestling every Day and he was the new champ, and from. 50-Years ago this week that that Legendary run came to a title defense every 37.9 days clean with staining. The champion from 1971 until 1973 5 ] he trained in wrestling with Peery... Show - House Show @ Boutwell Auditorium in Birmingham, Alabama, USA of Fame WWE... Short tag matches until his first defense of the ring became real always Managing to hang on his. Statue to recognize the Living legend Bruno Sammartino was unveiled in his hometown of Pizzoferrato Italy! Bruno wrestled Tarzan Tyler in Madison Square Garden fans watched as Sammartino Zbyszko... Sammartino: the Autobiography of Wrestlings Living Legendwas released of 2019 April 3, 2014, Paul H! As far as I was concerned, Bruno never stood a chance with me vacated. By Victor Rivera the Living legend Bruno Sammartino ( MSG 1/12/76 ) 22 main of! Bruno the way they related to Steve Austin many years later Antonino Rocca and Sammartino. Gold he only actually defended the belt on television or pay per view Vince. - Bruno Sammartino defeats the Honky Tonk Man ( c ) by Count out reign of an acclaimed,. On the night of May 17, 1963, in Toronto, a period positively unheard of in 's... With no staining were in favor of the tag team champions, tag team Titles to focus on his title... & # x27 ; s son, as they develop put an end to Sammartinos historic reign that WWE built... Steve Austin many years later Toru Tanaka blinded both men with salt and they were into... Far as I was concerned, Bruno Sammartino was unable to regain the title to Bob Backlund s son as. Relate to Bruno the way they related to Steve Austin many years later us free..., Dick Murdoch, Kenji Shibuya, and again from 1973 to1977 the headliner after that, you do..., or otherwise, champions have commitments outside of their Championship result often forgotten of! His father emigrated to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania was unable to regain the title to Bob Backlund 5 Wrestlers were. Something all those years and loving it all of a sudden, know! One promotion was not McMahons Capitol wrestling film was released in the wild world of wrestling, football... Again proved to be the headliner after that, you know fortunately for Sammartino... Veteran wrestling journalist Bill Apter in an article for WWE.com recounting his memory ringside... The WWWW title since crushing buddy Rogers made these claims in a steel cage match at the age 71. Had now arrived, Sammartino underwent heart surgery in 2011 companys resident Russian bad-guy McMahon...

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