Bruno Sammartino: WWWF World Heavyweight Title: WWWF MSG Show (May '77) May 16th 1977: Bruno Sammartino: def. Because Monsoon won the match by disqualification, thus Sammartino retained his belt. This match was booked by NWA promoter Sam Muchnick as a preliminary to the forming of the WWWF, to ensure the dominance of the senior organization and its championship.[18]. They had three sons together, David and fraternal twins Danny and Darryl. title(s) WWWF MSG Show (Dec '63) Dec 16th 1963: Bruno Sammartino (c) def. Late 1967: Sammartino vacated his half of the tag team titles to focus on his world title defenses. Bruno Sammartino is to professional wrestling what Babe Ruth is to baseball.The legendary grappler is the longest reigning WWE (then-WWF) champion of all time, with two title reigns spanning an . 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. (1965-1971) Bruno Sammartino is the greatest world champion in the history of professional wrestling. And it was 50-years ago this week that that legendary run came to a shocking end in Madison Square Garden. He was quickly recruited by Capitol Sports Wrestling (the precursor to WWWF, founded by Jess McMahon and Toots Mondt in 1948, and now under control by Jesss son, Vince McMahon Sr.), but in 1962 he left the promotion. Matt Pender is an old-school wrestling fan who currently lives in New Zealand. It was no different on the night of May 17, 1963, when. Rogers pinned Sammartino for the third and deciding fall. He said that the grueling schedule was taking its toll on him and he couldn't keep up the pace of it. 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. 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. . Despite this, the reign lasted for alengthy 161 days. Bruno Sammartinos Last Christmas Campo die Sogni, Chris Yandek New Era Of Wrestling & The Sports Interview with Bruno Sammartino, Buddy Rogers interview on Jim Barniaks Sports Scrapbook, Solie.org October 97 interview with Bruno Sammartino, The International Gazette "Wrestlings Living Legend Bruno Sammartino Gets Inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. On May 17, 1963, Bruno Sammartino made history by defeating Buddy Rogers for the WWE Championship then known as the WWWF Championship in Madison Square Garden. 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 . Wrestling legend Bruno Sammartino has died at the age of 82. Sammartino filed suit against McMahon Sr. and his Capitol Wrestling Corporation. Bruno Sammartino was a 90-pound weakling in high school. And with the US-Russia Cold War now in mass effect, it was the companys resident Russian bad-guy that McMahon turned to. [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. 2022. May 18 - USA Event: Bruno Sammartino (c) vs. Miguel Torres - Singles match Sammartino won. By 1971, Bruno Sammartino was beaten up. Bruno Sammartino earned his fame. Ivan Koloff vs Bruno Sammartino 1/18/71 The Russian Nightmare had a long career starting in Canada and continuing thru the United States. They had a show at the Civic Arena, but those were the days of the Buddy Rogers era, and Vince McMahon Sr. was trying to get me to come back because he saw my success in Canada. On February 20 2012, Wagner beat Bruno Sammartino's record, and as of today, has kept the title for over 3195 days. 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. wrestling champion, was personally selected by Vincent J. McMahon to fill the void left when his longtime titleholder Bruno Sammartino made the decision that he no longer wanted to carry the WWWF championship. After Bruno defeated Rogers, just one month later, the first official WWWF (WWE) World Championship was designed. [19] Sammartino and Rogers faced each other two months later at Madison Square Garden in a tag team match, with Rogers and Johnny Barend defeating Sammartino and Bobo Brazil by 2 falls to 1. On January 22, 1980, his former student Larry Zbyszko turned on him at the World Wrestling Federation's Championship Wrestling show. [47], In his autobiography, The Cowboy and the Cross: The Bill Watts Story: Rebellion, Wrestling and Redemption, Bill Watts told of witnessing a backstage incident between Sammartino and Gorilla Monsoon. 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. Sammartino continued doing commentary on Superstars of Wrestling until March 1988.[17]. [28] The suit was eventually settled out of court by McMahon Sr's son, Vince McMahon after his father had died, and included an agreement for Sammartino to return to the company as a commentator. 18.06.1987. [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. Sammartino, professional wrestling's "Living Legend" and one of its longest-reigning champions, has died. 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? His decision to loan the artifact to the IPWHF will not only benefit this organization but allows us to preserve and share thelegacy of the greatest wrestling champion of all time, Bruno Sammartino. International Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame. After handing over ME duties to Alex Richards, he remains a frequent contributor to the site. May 20 - USA Event: Bruno . The very business model of television/pay per view that Vince McMahon's WWE now runs off of was non-existent. 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. Sammartino was living proof of the American Dream, an immigrant who left a wartorn time to become an accomplished athlete. 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. 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. Now, here's the tricky thing. It is believed that Pedros golden eagle belt is now in possession of Dan Lambert, owner and founder of American Top Team. As the final entrant on this list, Ricochet is unique in the fact that during his NXT North American Championship reign he was actually unsuccessful in ever once retaining his belt on pay per view, losing it in his first defense at an NXT Takeover. [10][11] During World War II, Pizzoferrato was invaded by troops of the Waffen SS, leading Emilia to hide Sammartino and his siblings in a remote hideout at the top of a nearby mountain called Valla Rocca. non-confrontation at the Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh. WWA World Tag Team Champion (with Dick The Bruiser as Annihilation Inc.) Sammartino defeated Savage in a lumberjack match for the WWF Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship via disqualification at the Boston Garden. His most notable title defense was a time limit draw with Bruno Sammartino at a Shea Stadium show in 1972. By using this site, you agree to the legal terms set out in ourDisclaimer, Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and Disclosure. He can be reached by e-mail at matthew.pender@hotmail.co.nz. "Screwjob" is a term that gets thrown around loosely in the wrestling world. Samuel Kendall is a freelance writer predominantly covering film, video games and professional wrestling. I dont know if I should allow him to go in the ring. His biggest moment was winning the WWWF heavyweight title from the legendary Bruno Sammartino. Bruno's belt appears on a statue in his hometown, 7. But this is the precise difference, as wrestling in Sammartino's day was very different compared to how it is today. 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. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. It was the hardest thing in my life to go out of wrestling. Pittsburgh has a new arena, which was the Civic Arena that held 19,000 people, and Buddy Rogers came in with a big cigar strutting around, and by the time it was 8:00 pm, he went to look at the audience, and the place was empty. 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. Buddy ROGERS vs. Bruno SAMMARTINO NWA WORLD TITLE. Bruno was the foot that held the door open for Rocky to become a phenomenon. Just 48 seconds later, Bruno Sammartino was the new champ, and a hero was born. [23], Eventually, on December 10, 1973, Sammartino regained the WWWF Heavyweight Championship by defeating Stan Stasiak. Page 12, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, May 18, 1963. Bruno's 1965-1971 WWWF belt isconsidered the "holy grail" of professional wrestlingartifacts. 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. Buddy Rogers & Diamond Jack & Johnny Barend & The Shadow: 8-person tag: WWWF Philadelphia Show (Jun '63) Jun 8th . Turner has agreed to display the King of Classy Titles atthe IPWHF Museum, soon to be built in New York State. [36], In 2013, Sammartino accepted an invitation for induction into the WWE Hall of Fame, after having declined several times in prior years. Bruno! BILLY GRAHAM IN THE IWE (JAPAN) . 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). Boston 1/17/76) Disk 2 . 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. [39] On March 28, 2015, Sammartino inducted Larry Zbyszko into the WWE Hall of Fame. Sammartino actually . Cimino was new to his post and intervened in a match finish involving Sammartino, who took a shot at Cimino in the ring and the argument continued backstage. After leaving the WWF, Sammartino became an outspoken critic of the path on which Vincent K. McMahon had taken professional wrestling. He began working in the NWA territories, such as Georgia Championship Wrestling, St. Louis Wrestling Club, NWA Mid America, and others. If he does, it remains to be seen who could defeat him in 2020. The Sammartinos lived in Ross Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania near Pittsburgh from 1965 on. He held the World Wide Wrestling Federation titlefor more than 11 years, from1963to1971, and again from 1973 to1977. [14], Feeling like he was being held back in the New York territory in favor of National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) star Buddy Rogers, Sammartino gave his notice to Capitol Wrestling Corporation (CWC) owner Vince McMahon Sr. and planned to go to San Francisco to work for Roy Shire. Author: Matt Pender Jan. 10, 2023. On September 27, 1965, Bruno wrestled Tarzan Tyler in Madison Square Garden. You couldnt achieve a higher goal than winning the title. In 2006, Bruno Sammartino personally commissioned an autobiographical documentary film, 5. In the summer of 1960 James M. During one title reign he held the belt for an astonishing 2,803 days, a period positively unheard of in today's wrestling climate. . When their eyes cleared, they kept fighting each other. In a televised match, Professor Toru Tanaka blinded both men with salt and they were maneuvered into fighting each other. Scroll down to learn more about Bruno's Belt and its journey to the IPWHF. Finn Balor looks set to add one more to this list as he has his gun-fingers set on the Austrian this upcomingWrestlemaniaweekend. 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. 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). I was just so exhausted It became clear to Vince McMahon Sr. that his World Champion was gassed. Sammartino's run incredibly stretched from April 1963 to January 1971; an immense seven and a half years on top. 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. His second reign began in 1973 and it lasted until he was pinned by "Superstar" Billy Graham in 1977. 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. 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. [10], In 1959, Sammartino set a world record in the bench press with a lift of 256 kilograms (565lb), done without elbow or wrist wraps. WWE fan? [4][10] He was the youngest of seven children, four of whom died during his early childhood. He held the title until 1971. [17], In 2006, he signed an independent deal with Jakks Pacific to produce an action figure, which is part of the WWE Classic Superstars line, Series 10. Two weeks before the Madison Square Garden show, I wrestled him on TV in Washington, DC. But I made sure I kept my word, and I went through with the match. In 2014 The Beast Incarnate obliterated John Cena atSummerslam to become the WWE World Heavyweight Champion. Later in 1972, Sammartino was asked back by McMahon Sr. to regain the title. The International Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame is proud to enshrine this beautiful and pricelesschampionship belt as the centerpiece of ourmuseum collection. Any fifteen-year-old kid coulda beat me that night. Sadly, Koloffs reign was short-lived. However, whilst he held the gold he only actually defended the belt on television or pay per view a total of 3 times! Sometimes, be they world champions, tag team champions, or otherwise, champions have commitments outside of their championship. Sammartino then finished up his full-time career by touring Japan. Sammartino successfully retained his title 653 times, including 62 defenses in MSG alone, before . Presented here is Sugar Ray Leonard signed photo. Bruno Sammartino is . He actually made his WWWF debut on Spectator Sports TV out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, defeating WWWF World Champion Bruno Sammartino by count-out (the title cant change hands via count-out). Sammartino won the title on May 17, 1963, defeating Rogers in 48 seconds. Bruno once again proved to be the premier competitor in sports-entertainment and carried the title for a second impressive reign of . RELATED: 10 Failed WWE Champions That Should Have Worked. I cant explain it". Although this promotion was big in its hay-day, I can't find some reliable sources that Wagner keeps defending the title. In that time they performed in only 3 major televised defenses, against the Lucha Dragons, Enzo & Cass, and The Vaudevillains who triumphed over them at NXT Takeover: Unstoppable. It took 14 minutes and 55 seconds for Ivan Koloff to defeat Bruno Sammartino that night in New York City. Lonnie Mayne The Glass Eating, Raw Meat Chewing Original Moondog! But it would be Canadian-born Russian wrestler Ivan Koloff who would put an end to Sammartinos historic reign. Sammartino finally lost the WWE Championship in January 1971 . One match ended in a draw and the other with Thesz scoring a fluke pin after a collision, despite Sammartino controlling the 20 minute match from the beginning. Irvin Muchnick mentioned the incident in his book, Wrestling Babylon. It was during this time Sammartino found out through Angelo Savoldi, a recently fired office employee of Capitol Wrestling Corporation, that he had been cheated by Vince McMahon Sr. on the promised gate percentages for his entire second title run. That match meant so much to me because that put me at the top. 78 days. 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. The climax of their feud came was a victory for Sammartino and Santana in a steel cage match in Madison Square Garden. Bruno Leopoldo Francesco Sammartino[1] (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). Head on over to theLWOS Boardsto engage in conversation with fellow fans! Thesz made him this offer: "We could do this the easy way or the hard way." [26] In his autobiography, Hulk Hogan claimed that his match with Andr the Giant was the real reason for the huge draw at Shea Stadium; however, the feud between Sammartino and Zbyszko sold out everywhere in the build-up to the show. Very bad feelings. Itis due to hit theaters in 2020and features many images of Bruno and his1965-1971 version of the WWWF World Championship. They couldnt believe Bruno got defeated after seven years as champion. Morales would lose his World title to Stan The Man Stasiak in December of 1973, only to lose it nine days later back to Bruno for another lengthy reign (1,237 days, from 1973 through 1977). [4], He also became known for performing strongman stunts in the Pittsburgh area, and sportscaster Bob Prince put him on his television show. On February 8, 1971, Pedro Morales defeated Ivan Koloff and was presented the 1965-1971 version of the WWWF World Championship belt by Bruno Sammartino. Spectator Sports was a local Pittsburgh promotion previously owned by WWWF co-owner Toots Mondt but now owned by Sammartino himself it was on Spectator Sports TVthat Koloff had first encountered Sammartino, facing him as Orwell Parris (in an enhancement role), in 1965 in a non-title match. In the late 1960s, Sammartino was involved in a fight with former Pennsylvania Athletic Commissioner Joe Cimino. [20] Sammartino took a hiatus from the company in 1971 and 1972 working in Japan, and various territories. COVID-19 tripped those plans and the "new" film was released in the spring of 2022. 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). I worked in pain. Soon after, Sammartino and then champion Pedro Morales teamed up for a series of tag team matches. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff and Bobby "The Brain" Heenan in various arenas. 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. . On December 8, 1969, he teamed with Tony Marino to win the WWWF International Tag Team Championship by defeating The Rising Suns (Tanaka and Mitsu Arakawa). 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. 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. Seth Turner, President of the International Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame, successfully procured the belt. Battle Royal: Winner: Bruno Sammartino. [11] This made him an easy target for bullies at Schenley High School. Buddy Rogers was examined and re-examined, and they couldnt find a thing wrong with him, and then after that, his license was reinstated. Pro wrestling legend Bruno Sammartino dies at 82, "Without Toronto, there would have been no Bruno Sammartino", "10 championships you never knew existed in WWE", "Remembering Bruno Sammartino, the singular face of a bygone pro wrestling era", Bruno Sammartino v. Capitol Wrestling Corporation and Vince McMahon, "Professional wrestling great Bruno Sammartino dies at 82", "Sammartino: McMahon is 'a sick-minded idiot', "Bruno's bad call on WWE Hall of Fame shows Vince is right everyone has a price", "Dapper Dan: Malkin, Sammartino, Penn State volleyball claim awards", "WWE to induct Bruno Sammartino into HOF", "WWE NEWS: Hall of Fame 2013 report - Complete "virtual-time" coverage of ceremony with Sammartino & Co., Stratus announces big news, Trump-McMahon?, more", "CALDWELL'S WWE RAW RESULTS 10/7 (Hour 1): Battleground PPV fall-out, WWE Title match to continue at next PPV, one "firing", Bruno Sammartino, more", "WWE HALL OF FAME REPORT 3/28: Complete "virtual-time" coverage of 2015 Ceremony - Randy Savage inducted, Nash, Zbysko, Schwarzenegger, Flair, Michaels, more", "Bruno Sammartino Behind The Championship Belt", "Madison Square Garden Pays Tribute To Bruno Sammartino", "New WWE 2K14 DLC Introduces More Superstars", "WWE 2K23 Roster Official List | WWE 2K23", "Wrestling with fame: Bruno Sammartino still a hero to fans", "Bruno Sammartino given key to Jersey City before his induction into WWE Hall of Fame", "WWE Hall of Famer Bruno Sammartino dies at age 82", "WWE Hall Of Famer Bruno Sammartino Dies At 82", "Bruno Sammartino, wrestling's original good-guy hero, dies at 82", "WWE Raw live results: Brock Lesnar returns to TV", "2019 TRAGOS/THESZ PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING HALL OF FAME CLASS ANNOUNCED - PWInsider.com", "Induction Weekend 2022 | Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame", "Keystone Sate Wrestling Alliance - Hall of Fame", "Bruno Sammartino body slams hall of fame", "WWWA honors Bruno Sammartino, and vice versa", "Triple H reveals Bruno Sammartino statue at WrestleMania Axxess", "W.W.A. 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. No creases or tear Rogers would then drop the title a month later to Bruno Sammartino in less than a minute. WWE commissioned a statue of Bruno wearing his belt, 6. 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). Him to go out of wrestling TV in Washington, DC because Monsoon the... Matt Pender is an old-school wrestling fan who currently lives in New York City freelance writer predominantly film! Atthe IPWHF Museum, soon to be seen who could defeat him 2020. Outspoken critic of the American Dream, an immigrant who left a wartorn time to become an athlete. 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