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. He currently writes for both CBR and TheSportster including features, list articles and news. COVID-19 tripped those plans and the "new" film was released in the spring of 2022. 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. Bruno Sammartino is . [43][44], Sammartino was married to his wife Carol from 1959 until his death in 2018. Imagine doing something all those years and loving it all of a sudden, you never do it again. We never spoke again. ", Disclaimer, Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and Disclosure. Dr. Jerry Graham: WWWF World Heavyweight Title: WWWF MSG Show (Nov '63) Nov 18th 1963: . [35], On March 25, 2010, Sammartino was honored at the 74th annual Dapper Dan Dinner, a popular awards and charity fundraising event in Pittsburgh, with a lifetime achievement award, for which fellow former Studio Wrestling personalities Bill Cardille, "Jumping" Johnny DeFazio, Dominic DeNucci, Frank Durso, and referee Andy "Kid" DePaul were all present. These are ten resulting championship reigns which lasted a considerable amount of time, but featured very few notable matches for the title in question. In a televised match, Professor Toru Tanaka blinded both men with salt and they were maneuvered into fighting each other. Rogers was one of the great wrestlers of his era. Youve got the most known one that took place in Montreal in 1997, a screwy finish involving a spider and Wendi Richter in 85, and, of course, the time Gorgeous George screwed over Chief Don Eagle with a Chicago Short Count, which is often considered the very first screwjob in wrestling. Bruno! Bob Backlund, the talented former N.C.A.A. Bruno Sammartino. Bruno Sammartino Saves Freddie Blassie From Being Killed By The Mob! Bruno only gave up his championship when he wanted to, and there was one championship belt he decided never to let go. In todays story, we hear from both Bruno Sammartino and Buddy Rogers regarding the screwjob finish in 1963 that propelled "The Italian Strongman" into becoming "The Living Legend. In CM Punk's 434 day reign, he defended the title 141 times, or an average of just over once every three . It was there that he was spotted by local professional wrestling promoter Rudy Miller, who recruited the young man into the ring. 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. Bruno Sammartino had been wrestling professionally since 1959, and the Italian immigrant who had left to the US with his family from Italy in 1950 after hiding from the Nazis during World War II captivated a rising influx of immigrants into the US during and post-war. Bruno! . 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. (1965-1971) Bruno Sammartino is the greatest world champion in the history of professional wrestling. Any fifteen-year-old kid coulda beat me that night. Bruno chose a photo with his 1965 belt for the cover of his autobiography, Bruno Sammartino:The Autobiography of Wrestlings Living Legend, 8. He went on to win the World Welterweight and Middleweight Titles. By Robert D. McFadden. Bruno's belt was briefly worn by Ivan Kohloff, 3. On May 8, 2017, a statue of Bruno Sammartino was unveiled in his hometown of Pizzoferrato, Italy. 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. It opens with Bruno delivering a strong personal message while holding his prized possession, the 1965-1971 version of the WWWF World Championship. Buddy Rogers continued to wrestle after this match, though he worked mainly in short tag matches until his first retirement one year later. Bruno Sammartino: WWWF World Heavyweight Title: WWWF MSG Show (May '77) May 16th 1977: Bruno Sammartino: def. But it would be Canadian-born Russian wrestler Ivan Koloff who would put an end to Sammartinos historic reign. I was in that hospital for up to 5 days before I wrestled. His final attempt was in Philadelphia, just a few days before Graham was scheduled to lose the title to Bob Backlund. Defeating Stan Stasiak, Bruno became the first-ever two-time WWE Champion. Eager to recapture the support of the immigrant wave that had carried Bruno Sammartino for nearly eight years, McMahon hoped that Morales would appeal to the growing Hispanic audience as Bruno had for Europeans. On May 17, 1963, after only 22 days as WWWF World Champion, Rogers lost his title to 27-year old Bruno Sammartino in Madison Square Garden. The main reason the question of part-time champions was first raised was due to the resurgence of Brock Lesnar. 11. He became the first wrestler to become a WWE triple crown champion. ROSS TOWNSHIP PA - Daniel Sammartino, the son of the late wrestling giant Bruno Sammartino, died Tuesday. 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. He has now held the belt for 337 days, almost a full calendar year, and yet in that time has only performed in 4 major televised title defenses. 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. . or scroll down to learn more about the history of Bruno's Belt. In 1966, he began using another gimmick briefly as Red McNulty working Western Canada with NWA Vancouver and Stampede Wrestling (then Wildkat Wrestling), then off to Japan, where he competed for Rikidozans Japan Wrestling Association (JWA) for three months. 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. [7] Later that year, he won the International Tag Team Championship for the second time by teaming with Dominic DeNucci. RELATED: 10 Superstars Who Were WWE ChampionFor One Day Or Less. 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 . [8] Sammartino became a vocal critic of the drug use and raunchier storylines that became prevalent in the professional wrestling industry after his retirement but he reconciled with WWE in 2013 and headlined their Hall of Fame ceremony that year. This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Sammartino was living proof of the American Dream, an immigrant who left a wartorn time to become an accomplished athlete. Buddy Rogers was examined and re-examined, and they couldnt find a thing wrong with him, and then after that, his license was reinstated. [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). The statue is over 13 feet talland includes a likeness of his 1965-1971 version of the WWWF World Championship. Yet few people know all the history behind Brunos belt and why some have called it the 'holy grail' of professional wrestling artifacts. Bruno's belt now appearsin an acclaimed film, 9. In early 1977, Sammartino informed McMahon Sr. that he felt he could no longer continue as champion due to his injuries. ), 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. After the first WWWF World Champion, Nature Boy Buddy Rogers, was hospitalized three times in April 1963 for chest pains, Vince McMahon, Sr. and Toots Mondt made a command decision to make an emergency title switch. [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. 2022. World Wide Wrestling Federation. 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. FILE - 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 . WWE Hall of Famer Bruno Sammartino revealed why his record-setting WWWF title reign ended. [10] When he was four, his father emigrated to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Shinsuke Nakamuraheld the WWE Intercontinental Championship for a total of 201 days throughout the latter half of 2019. Late 1967: Sammartino vacated his half of the tag team titles to focus on his world title defenses. 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. It was the hardest thing in my life to go out of wrestling. World Tag Team Title (Indianapolis)", "WWC North American Heavyweight Title (Puerto Rico)", "Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) 500 for 2007", "Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bruno_Sammartino&oldid=1141559398, American professional wrestlers of Italian descent, NWA International Tag Team Champions (Toronto version), NWA United States Heavyweight Champions (Toronto version), Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles lacking reliable references from August 2019, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Ranked No. The Sammartinos lived in Ross Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania near Pittsburgh from 1965 on. Brunopresented hisbelt toPedro Morales, 4. 10.12.1973 - 30.04.1977. He held the title until 1971. After Bruno defeated Rogers, just one month later, the first official WWWF (WWE) World Championship was designed. 21.07.1973 - 05.01.1974. 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. 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 [7] Known for his powerful bearhug[4][5] finishing move, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time. 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. When their eyes cleared, they kept fighting each other. 27.06.1987. Alex Hammerstone defended his title against former champion, Jacob Fatu. 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. 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. 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). Following the match, thieves smashed a window and broke into Brunos car while he was having dinner. As for "Bruno Finally Wins Mat Title," the 260-pound, 27-year-old Pittsburgh matter scored a two-fall win over the long-time champion "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers, 42, 235-pounds of Camden, New Jersey. On April 6, 2013, Sammartino received the Key to the City in Jersey City, New Jersey. Flair had denigrated Sammartino's wrestling ability in his book To Be the Man. "[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. The match was rated 1976 "Match of the Year" by Pro Wrestling Illustrated.[24]. The toughest job in my life was climbing in that ring [after] coming out of intensive care and knowing that I could never wrestle again after that. Terry Funk commented that Sammartino "was bigger than wrestling itself". Brock would then defend the belt a total of three times between then and Wrestlemania, with appearances atNight of Champions, Royal Rumble,and the event itself. Sammartino finally lost the WWE Championship in January 1971 . The MSG title . The match was scheduled to be concluded quickly so as not to risk Buddy's health any further. Between 1963 and 1980, he main evented many times and many of those main events drew a full house. 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. May 18 - USA Event: Bruno Sammartino (c) vs. Miguel Torres - Singles match Sammartino won. 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. "Bruno Sammartino proved that hard work can overcome even the most difficult of circumstances. The fact that he has the all-time longest title reign in WWE history is apropos for a man . 1 Hour 35 Minutes. If he does, it remains to be seen who could defeat him in 2020. He held the company's top title from 1963 to 1971 and again from 1973 to 1977. ", 10 Reasons why Bruno Sammartino's 1965-1971 WWWF Title Belt is the 'Holy Grail' of Pro Wrestling Artifacts, 2. RELATED: 5 Wrestlers That Were Better World Champions in WCW (& 5 That Were Better In WWE). 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. His second reign began in 1973 and it lasted until he was pinned by "Superstar" Billy Graham in 1977. 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). Bruno Leopoldo Francesco Sammartino (October 6, 1935 - April 18, 2018) was an Italian-born American professional wrestler, best known for his work with the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF, now WWE). Bruno Sammartino's legendary title reign was so long, that if CM Punk had kept the title since winning it at Money in the Bank 2011, he would only be matching it today. [11] In 1998, he said he had been estranged from David since retiring from wrestling against David's wishes for a tag team.[45]. Ivan Koloff (left) and Superstar Billy Graham (right) each drew six sellouts with Bruno and each defeated him for the WWWF Championship. "One of the finest men I knew, in life and in business," WWE chairman Vince McMahon said . [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. Seth Turner, President of the International Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame, successfully procured the belt. There are paper champions, there are fighting champions, and there are champions who scarcely put their gold up for grabs. He lives in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, with his wife and son. Sammartino retired from North American wrestling full-time in 1981,[10] in a match that opened the Meadowlands Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey. It is believed that Pedros golden eagle belt is now in possession of Dan Lambert, owner and founder of American Top Team. "Superstar Billy Graham v. Bruno Sammartino (MSG 1/12/76) 22. WWF House Show - House Show @ Baltimore Arena in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. They couldnt believe Bruno got defeated after seven years as champion. Ray Stevens 5'10 230 lbs San Francisco, CA They were grandparents of four grandchildren. [14] He died on April 18, 2018, at the age of 82 from multiple organ failure due to heart problems[12] following a two-month hospitalization. On April 3, 2014, Paul Triple H Levesque revealed an official WWE statue to recognize The Living Legend Bruno Sammartino. [20] Sammartino held the WWWF World Heavyweight Championship for seven years, eight months, and one day (2,803 days). Sammartino defeated Savage in a lumberjack match for the WWF Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship via disqualification at the Boston Garden. 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. It was no different on the night of May 17, 1963, whenBruno Sammartino defeated Nature Boy Buddy Rogers to become the WWWF World Champion. Indianpolis, Indiana: . He died in 1992 at the age of 71. 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". 10. The toll of a near eight year run as the top star in the WWWF a company that was still very much trying to expand its influence nationally beyond the realm of the NWA was beginning to grind The Living Legend down, both mentally and physically. Sammartino was the longest-reigning champion in the history of what's now known as WWE. Louis. Ivan Koloff backstage with manager Captain Lou Albano after defeating Bruno Sammartino (Photo: PWI) Sadly, Koloff's reign was short-lived. In the late 1960s, Sammartino was involved in a fight with former Pennsylvania Athletic Commissioner Joe Cimino. (Laughs) Yeah, thats how it happened". Their feud culminated on August 9, 1980, in front of 36,295 fans at Shea Stadium. 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. [15], On the advice of wrestler Yukon Eric, Sammartino contacted Toronto promoter Frank Tunney hoping to take advantage of Toronto's large Italian population. RELATED: Ruthless Aggression: 10 Title Reigns (That We Completely Forgot About). Others say Rogers was reluctant to give up the title after being told prior that he . He held the World Wide Wrestling Federation title for more than 11 years, from 1963 to1971, and again from 1973 to1977. I didnt get as great as I did in wrestling by not loving it. [15], Sammartino also challenged NWA World Heavyweight Champion Lou Thesz twice for the championship in Canada. The doctor who was at every show said to Paul Sullivan, I am checking Buddy Rogers blood pressure, and I am listening to his chest, and everything sounds okay, but he claims that he has a pain in his chest. 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. On September 30, 1972, Sammartino and Morales wrestled to a 65-minute draw at Shea Stadium in New York. 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. [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. It was dead silence as the new champion left the ring with Albano behind him. 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