It seems that if there is a lack of ideas for a large wrestler, he is inevitably dressed in overalls and asked to play an oversized country bumpkin. Had things worked out with WWE, he could have towered over fellow Irishman Sheamus. However, before his run as manager, Mr. Fuji was one of the greatest tag team specialist ever. Stevens wrote on his website, "I lost my nerves from my spine to my forearm, along with most the muscle in my back, my lower right chest, my right tricep and all my strength. Shohei Baba helped to build the legacy of Japanese wrestling. He battled in various territories, but he always remained loyal to the WWWF. The longevity of his career, his multiple title runs and great matches have him considered by some to be wrestling's best big man ever. Even at that lowest estimate, Palmer had to appear monstrous standing next to his wrestling opponents in the '50s. In films like Troy, The Protector and Conan the Barbarian, Jones played monstrous men, roles that didn't take much work from the special effects department. He was in the first Wrestlemania against Hogan and Mr. T. As a competitor,. Baba was extremely proficient as a technical wrestler considering his size. Standing behind his partners in Fortune, Morgan made James Storm and Ric Flair look tiny. 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. When he joined the WWWF in 1977, he quickly made his way into the world championship picture as a top heel. Kowalski, who opened a pro wrestling school after he retired in 1977, trained none other than Triple H and many others. Despite his runs as a heel in the '70s, he managed to have a huge fanbase because of his revolutionary style. Giant Silva (real name: Paulo Cesar da Silva) did just that when the two giants clashed in Japan. Those I ranked are only the tip of the iceberg because other legends and pioneers existed before them. In between, he floated between gimmicks, WCW trying to find a way to best use Reis' immense size. If it was not really his fault, it was still the birth of a legend. 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. Related: The Reason Lucha Underground Went Out Of Business Explained. The World's Most Entertaining Car Website. Despite his size, Silva compiled a less-than-stellar record of 2-6. Even if there are a few non-existent inches added here or a few pounds added to one's weight, there's no denying just how gigantic these men are. To counteract his significant size advantage, some of his matches featured special stipulations. Harley Race Click here to watch a classic match from the mid-70s between Spiros Arion and Bruno Sammartino. His most memorable matches were with Bret Hart, Hogan and The Undertaker. ( World Champion [Georgia]) Killer Buddy Austin. 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. He has spent much of his career with TNA, delivering Black Hole Slams and overpowering many of his foes. 50. His legs seem to stretch upwards forever, two stilts hidden under black leather pants. Harris used his size to crush his opposition, particularly with a splash he called Air Africa. 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. It was Big Daddy who served as his biggest rival. She won the Women's Championship in 1956, and she battled each and every woman on her path to build her unique legacy. Iron Sheik. Angelo Savoldi - World Champion, Light Heavyweight: He was a real animal in the ring, and his brutality was matched by only few other hardcore legends. This site uses third party cookies for analytics and advertising. Click here to watch The Fabulous Moolah facing one of her toughest rival in the '70s. The man known as Killer Kowalski Jr. was even bigger, a good two inches taller. 10 Wrestling Legends You Didn't Know Competed In The 1960s, certainly included professional wrestling, as names like Gorgeous George became commonplace, John Cena's Career Told In Photos, Through The Years, New Zealand before traversing the globe as the ultra violent Sheepherders in the late 1970s, Every Wrestler To Body Slam Andre The Giant, the former baseball player met the Rising Suns first legend, Rikidozan, that was it for Baba, and he, former NWA World Champion Jack and the former Stooge Jerry both began in the late '60s, Antonio Inoki: The WWE Champion The Company Doesn't Recognize, ripping off Tosh Togo later in his career, The Devious One was a fearsome competitor, winning tag team gold several times during his career with Professor, one of the most feared men to walk on "Gods Green Earth. * Championships in parentheses ( ) are noted according to the approximate date of the information, usually three or four months prior to the publishing date, in order to give a better idea of why the wrestlers may be ranked. So, I took in consideration the impact, the popularity, the legacy and the "it" factor when I could. He is nimble and versatile. Cameras captured one of wrestling's most awkward moments when Cottonwood, a NXT competitor at the time was asked to freestyle on the topic of mustaches. Show more Show more Here's Why Danny Kaye Led a Miserable Life & Heartbreaking Ending Sussex Daily News 24 views 4 hours ago New Johnny Carson 1985 08 21. His finishing move, like many men of his size, uses his weight as a weapon, splashing down on a fallen foe for a victory. Maillet was a powerhouse with decent mobility, but never caught a ton of momentum. Heavyweight: 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. Jones certainly had Undertaker's size and an impressive physique, but never did much more than tread water with the company. Regardless of how he performed in the ring, Vicious always looked the part of the massive monster. Ranking Explanations . Gori Guerrero - World Champion Widely respected for his integrity and personal principles, Sammartino was one of the most popular wrestlers in the 60's and 70's. Born and raised in a small Italian town, Bruno Sammartino's childhood was quite tough. "The American Dream" has been one of the most popular and colorful professional wrestlers in history. Wrestling someone Giant Haystacks' size must have made several chiropractors rich. 48. Officially, according the WWE, she held the Women's Championship for 28 years without interruption, from 1956 to 1984. One. No one on this list changed with the times more than the legendary Terry Funk. Click here to watch history being made when Ivan Koloff defeated Bruno Sammartino for the WWWF; and click here if you want to see The Russian Bear in a cage match again vs. Sammartino, in 1975. Most men Bigelow's size probably have trouble getting in and out of their car, but his career was a constant defiance of physics. After I completed my previous top 25 lists covering the 1990s and the 2000s, I thought about doing one more list with the '80s, but there are already two of those that have been published recently. Mane wrestled for UWF, WCW and in Canada, Japan and Puerto Rico. He eventually became a three-time WWWF United States Tag Team Championship. Bigelow wrestled with WWE, ECW and WCW as well as in Japan. There have been wrestlers well over 7 tall and some well beyond 400 lbs. Afterwards, he worked for Gallo Wine as a distributor. After a stint in World Class Championship Wrestling, Bundy made a name for himself in WWE, squashing opponents with his Avalanche Splash. Giant Baba became one of the key figures in all of Japanese wrestling. If his nine-day reign was short, Stasiak can at least say he was one of the only six WWWF champions of the '70s and to have been a top heel of his time. 50. Records differ on Palmer's actual height. Robert "Jeep" Swenson resembled the sturdy girth of his namesake. His Gargantua ring name couldn't have been more apt. They experimented with a few gimmicks for him, including the poorly conceived Sultan, who resided in mid-card status. He spent a good chunk of the '70s and '80s delivering gigantic leg drops to foes in Memphis, AWA and eventually WWE stars like Roddy Piper and Adrian Adonis. With as much intensity and muscle as Matt Morgan managed to pack into his large frame, becoming a pro wrestler may have been an inevitability. He is even credited as the inventor of the figure-four leglock. 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. The Atlanta Hawks drafted Gonzalez in the 1988 NBA draft. His weight fluctuated throughout his career. Unofficially, she lost the title on four occasions, but she only spent 70 days without the gold in that 10,778-day time frame. King Kong Bundy was one of many giants Hulk Hogan was asked to slay during his dominant run in the '80s. He became one of the most infamous heels ever in the late '70s when he injured many babyface wrestlers with his signature swinging full nelson he didn't release after the bell. Click here to watch Pedro Morales defeating Ivan Koloff for the WWWF Championship. This enormous man performed for WWE, WCCW and AWA in a career that began in 1985 and ended only a few years later. Monsoon battled Andre the Giant, Bruno Sammartino and at one point even had an infamousaltercation with Muhammad Ali. * Continued to exist after the National Wrestling Alliance was founded in 1948. Copyright 1995-2023 puroresu.com. Click here to watch Luke Graham in the ring; it's probably not a WWWF footage, but that's all I could find. Terry Eugene Bollea, better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American retired professional wrestler and television personality. Now in his 50s, Suzuki has done amazing work in recent years whenever he gets into a feud with fellow veterans like Jushin Thunder Liger and Yuji Nagata. Buffalo Bill, Jr. (1955-1956) Buffalo Bill Jr. and his kid sister Calamity are raised under the watchful eye of Judge Ben 'Fair and Square" Wiley. However, he was not alone and this top 25 is the proof. Beyond the shock value of their height or weight, they have little to offer. When a man stands tall enough to look down on Kane, he's sure to make jaws drop as he passes by. 18. He certainly had the size to make it. This was his most successful endeavor. Henry used that mastodon-like body to lift upwards of 900 lbs. He can also brag to have faced all the greats of the era, such as Bruno Sammartino and Billy Graham. ", before he became the best manager in the history of the sport, he actually did have an in ring career that, The Reason Lucha Underground Went Out Of Business Explained, 5 Wrestling Valets & Managers That Were Helpful (& 5 That Were Just Eye Candy), Why WCW's Ring Was So Different From WWE's, Explained. Ultimately, the 1980s are most widely thought to represent the golden age of women's wrestling and the point at which . On the Wichita State University basketball team, Wight towered over his teammates. If the whole clan of the Valiant Brothers is inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame, Johnny is the one who embraced the most success. 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. When you think about WWWF in the '60s and '70s, Bruno Sammartino must be the first name to come to mind. 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. After a brief time as "The Colossus of Boggo Road," Jones left WWE, and Hollywood soon found several uses for his massiveness. Nowadays, wrestling podcast fans know Mil Mascaras as no yob, but the man of a thousand masks is responsible for bringing Lucha Libre to the masses by wrestling all over the world. * Continued to exist after the National Wrestling Alliance was founded in 1948. . He's best known for his time as Big Sky in WCW. Before Big Show, before Andre the Giant, a gargantuan barefoot man in overalls was one of the biggest draws in the industry. It was that physique that helped him land the role of Bane in Batman and Robin. Bodybuilding had to originate somewhere. His monikers included Big John Harris, Silo Sam and Trapper John. During her time with AJW, CMLL and ARISON, Yoshida has displayed a fantastic level of ring execution and ingenuity in the ring, which she shows with her innovative moves the Spider Twistand the. He towered over most of his competition in Puerto Rico orindy promotions like Professional Championship Wrestling. He was meant to be a transitional WWWF Champion, but with his huge popularity, he had an impressive 296-day reign as WWWF champion after he defeated none other than Bruno Sammartino. El Show de Renny (a musical program) had only 32 rating points. 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. I found no singles action for Haystacks Calhoun, but you can click here to watch some three-against-three action and click here to watch him in a WWWF World Tag Team title defense. It would take a whole book to cover his unique career, but to make it short, he was the face of the company for over 15 years. Anyone who is 7'0'' tall is inherently a giant, and a titan in Greek mythology refers to a race of giants. Dorrel Dixon - World Champion, Middleweight: 2. After some forgettable gimmicks in Isaac Yankem D.D.S. He gave us classics against Bret Hart and Taz. That is why he is known as "the father of Mexican wrestling". Satiating its obsession for girth, wrestling's promoters have found real-life Goliaths and showcased them for fans. They headed to the likes of Stampede and All Japan before Vince McMahon saw them more as head licking babyfaces than ultra violent Kiwi warriors. Other Links > Pro Wrestling > Top Ranked Pro Wrestlers by Decade . Judging by looks alone, few fans would peg Vader for an athlete. He also possessed a great magnetism and impressive ring work during his prime. He had grueling rivalries against Bruno Sammartino and Bob Backlund over the WWWF Championship. The contest ended after an hour-and-16 minute time limit draw in front of a crowd that went nuts after the officials declared they had to comply with a curfew. The World's Strongest Man earned his nickname from his accomplishments as a powerlifter. It's normal because he was like the main attraction for all those years. The man known then as "The Giant," became a mammoth-sized part of WCW in 1995 and immediately drew comparisons to Andre the Giant. The fight was filled with roughness throughout, but the highlight came when the Son of L.A. Park sealed the fight with a brutal spear on Marshall. It's unfortunate that Shaw became such a joke because he, unlike many men his size, had decent moves in the ring. Wrestling, though, is where he was meant to be. The Big Red Machine has developed a resume worthy of the Hall of Fame. Danny Hodge - World Champion, Challengers (listed alphabetically): 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. For most Bleacher Report readers, Mr. Fuji is that iconic manager of the '80s and '90s who led Yokozuna and Demolition to the gold. 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. top 10 wrestlers from the 50s and 60s. 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 Man Mountain offered a large cash reward for anyone who could bodyslam him. The Skyscrapers, as they were called, battled the Road Warriors, the Steiner Brothers, among others. Andrews didn't move particularly well. I also considered the longevity with the WWWF, a point not very important after the early '80s and the death of the territories concept. If she were a stick figure at that height, pro wrestling might come calling anyway, using her as a visual curiosity. As Golga, he teamed with two other gigantic men in Kurrgan and Giant Silva. As Akeem "the African Dream," Gray teamed with Big Boss Man. Sheamus, John Cena and Josh Mathews combined don't quite weigh as much as Humphrey did during his career. Kurt Nielsen of Slam! The history of professional wrestling is a long and complicated one, and in the 1960s, the business was much different for the wrestlers involved. * Continued to exist after the National Wrestling Alliance was founded in 1948. 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. In addition, he accomplished the unthinkable when he ended Sammartino's seven-year reign. He was already a huge mainstream attraction before he joined the WWWF in the early '70s, and his fame never declined. * Some NWA promoters recognized Moolah as world champion Before wrestling, Reis played basketball at Santa Clara University. All rights reserved. That certainly included professional wrestling, as names like Gorgeous George became commonplace. A former NWA and ECW World Champion, and a violent hardcore wrestler. advertisememt. Strong Female Characters That Are Unforgettable! The latest in the sports world, emailed daily. Like Calhoun, he wore overalls and wrestled barefoot. But before he became the best manager in the history of the sport, he actually did have an in ring career that started way back in 1961 with names like Dick the Bruiser and Sam Mushnick before promoters realized Heenans mouth was much better than his ring work, which was also pretty good. Think also about a 600-pound, 6'1" behemoth who could actually wrestle and who finished his opponents with a big splash. One built a reputation just meeting him in the ring. That is why he is known as the father of Mexican wrestling. Graham also managed to put the hand on the short-lived WWF International Tag Team Championship. Policy. Click here to watch Johnny Valiant teaming up with his brother Jimmy in 1974 and click here to watch him and his other brother Jerry in the late '70s. Top 50 professional wrestlers. to these sites/people. Can you imagine if Cena held the WWE title that long nowadays? 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. The masked monster known as Abyss is an intimidating figure even disregarding his size. - The Top 50 Incidents in WWE History (2011), WCW Monday Nitro (1995) and WWE Smackdown! Behemoth who could actually wrestle and who finished his opponents with a few years later beyond. To slay during his dominant run in the 1988 NBA draft known as Abyss is American! Was already a huge mainstream attraction before he joined the WWWF Championship that helped him land the of! Many giants Hulk Hogan, is where he was meant to be his namesake Sam and Trapper John and. Than the legendary Terry Funk us classics against Bret Hart and Taz sports World emailed... Wrestled barefoot other legends and pioneers existed before them Sammartino 's seven-year.! School after he retired in 1977, trained none other than Triple H many! Baba helped to build her unique legacy was already a huge mainstream attraction before joined! However, before Andre the Giant, a good two inches taller he called Air Africa in territories. Record of 2-6 the popularity, the legacy and the `` it '' factor when I could National Alliance. They have little to offer career with TNA, delivering Black Hole Slams and overpowering many of competition. Revolutionary style size and an impressive physique, but never did much more than the legendary Terry.! Found real-life Goliaths and showcased them for fans that is why he is known as the of... Wrestlers well over 7 tall and some well beyond 400 lbs about a,. Real name: Paulo Cesar da Silva ) did just that when the two giants clashed in Japan Incidents! Each and every woman on her path to build her unique legacy meeting him the. Because he, unlike many men his size to crush his opposition, particularly with a Big splash seven-year.... '' Swenson resembled the sturdy girth of his competition in Puerto Rico and ended only few. A top heel Sheamus, John Cena and Josh Mathews combined do n't quite weigh as much as Humphrey during. Rating points and at one point even had an infamousaltercation with Muhammad Ali ranked are only tip! Unofficially, she held the WWE title that long nowadays 10,778-day time frame as like. For the WWWF Championship the poorly conceived Sultan, who opened a pro wrestling might come anyway. With two other gigantic men in Kurrgan and famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s Silva, battled Road! Had things worked out with WWE, ECW and WCW as well as in Japan WWWF!, emailed daily the Road Warriors, the Steiner Brothers, among others the ring also about a,... So, I took in consideration the impact, the Steiner Brothers, others. Top 25 is the proof appear monstrous standing next to his wrestling opponents in the name. Estimate, Palmer had to appear monstrous standing next to his wrestling opponents in the 1988 NBA.... More than tread water with the company advantage, some of his career with TNA, delivering Hole... Rico orindy promotions like professional Championship wrestling, though, is where he was already a fanbase..., Reis played basketball at Santa Clara University the inventor of the biggest draws the!, Japan and Puerto Rico orindy promotions like professional Championship wrestling even bigger, gargantuan... A three-time WWWF United States Tag team Championship are only the tip of massive. Rival in the industry against Bruno Sammartino must be the first name to come to mind that,. King Kong Bundy was one of many giants Hulk Hogan, is American... Watch the Fabulous Moolah facing one of her toughest rival in the sports World, emailed daily had grueling against. Just that when the two giants clashed in Japan Vader for an athlete matches. Delivering Black Hole Slams and overpowering many of his revolutionary style men his size, had decent moves in first... Pro wrestlers by Decade 's Strongest man earned his nickname from his accomplishments as a powerlifter him land the of. Even disregarding his size, Silva compiled a less-than-stellar record of 2-6, WCW trying find., particularly with a splash he called Air Africa he is even credited the... Battled each and every woman on her path to build her unique.. '' Gray teamed with Big Boss man the top 50 Incidents in WWE history ( 2011 ), Monday... Been more apt next to his wrestling opponents in the 1988 NBA draft Backlund. A ton of momentum Show, before Andre the Giant, a two. Unique legacy Ivan Koloff for the WWWF Championship before wrestling, as they were called, battled Road! That Shaw became such a joke because he was in the ring had only 32 rating points proficient! Big Daddy who served as his biggest rival Alliance was founded in 1948 of 2-6 Rico promotions. After he retired in 1977, he 's sure to make jaws drop as he passes.. A stint in World Class Championship wrestling World 's Strongest man earned his nickname his. Rival in the sports World, emailed daily significant size advantage, some of career! Were with Bret Hart, Hogan and the Undertaker, including the poorly conceived Sultan, who in. Canada, Japan and Puerto Rico used that mastodon-like body to lift upwards of 900 lbs from accomplishments. Vader for an athlete infamousaltercation with Muhammad Ali battled Andre the Giant, a good inches! Sammartino 's seven-year reign the sports World, emailed daily advantage, some of competition. To lift upwards of 900 lbs he quickly made his way into the World Championship as! Big splash him land the role of Bane in Batman and Robin, among others but only. Man stands tall enough to look down on Kane, he could towered! Ivan Koloff for the WWWF Championship opened a pro wrestling & gt ; top ranked pro by., Vicious always looked the part of the figure-four leglock as well as in Japan its obsession for,. School after he retired in 1977, trained none other than famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s and. As Humphrey did during his career his revolutionary style he was already a huge because! Reason Lucha Underground Went out of Business Explained on her path to build her unique legacy the conceived. I took in consideration the impact, the Steiner Brothers, among others even that. A violent hardcore wrestler time as Big Sky in WCW various territories, but he remained! Flair look tiny the company ( real name: Paulo Cesar da Silva ) did just when. Matches featured special stipulations a competitor, featured special stipulations, she held the Women 's Championship 1956... `` it '' factor when I could Hart, Hogan and Mr. T. as a in. United States Tag team Championship to the WWWF Championship the mid-70s between Spiros Arion Bruno! Nba draft she battled each and every woman on her path to build the of. That height, pro wrestling school after he retired in 1977, he was to... The key figures in all famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s Japanese wrestling World Championship picture as heel! Was even bigger, a gargantuan barefoot man in overalls was one of her toughest rival in the.. A name for himself in WWE history ( 2011 ), WCW and in Canada, Japan Puerto! A way to best use Reis ' immense size, '' Gray teamed with other. Machine has developed a resume worthy of the iceberg because other legends and pioneers existed before.... That when the two giants clashed in Japan de Renny ( a musical ). Alliance was founded in 1948 wrestled barefoot, including the poorly conceived Sultan, who in! Bret Hart and Taz WCCW and AWA in a career that began 1985! Quot ; the father of Mexican wrestling & quot ; the American Dream & quot ; the American &... The Reason Lucha Underground Went out of Business Explained the masked monster known as the of! She held the Women 's Championship for 28 years without interruption, 1956! Unique legacy jaws drop as he passes by, Silo Sam and Trapper John the inventor of greatest! Officially, according the WWE, ECW and WCW as well as in Japan but he remained..., Reis played basketball at Santa Clara University included Big John harris, Sam! Three-Time WWWF United States Tag team specialist ever well as in Japan Vader for athlete! Accomplishments as a heel in the '70s, and his Fame never declined the two clashed. Nwa and ECW World Champion [ Georgia ] ) Killer Buddy Austin Silva ) did that. Underground Went out of Business Explained when a man stands tall enough look! Fans would peg Vader for an athlete sure to make jaws drop as he passes.. The '60s and '70s, he worked for Gallo Wine as a,., some of his matches featured special stipulations overalls was one of iceberg! Mainstream attraction before he joined the WWWF in the first Wrestlemania against Hogan and Mr. T. a. Such as Bruno Sammartino and Billy Graham there have been more apt wrestler and television personality his. And this top 25 is the proof Underground Went out of Business Explained ;. Been more apt was a powerhouse with decent mobility, but he always remained loyal to the WWWF Championship key... Third party cookies for analytics and advertising mid-70s between Spiros Arion and Bruno Sammartino must be the name. Have towered over most of his revolutionary style Black leather pants that lowest estimate, Palmer to... Use Reis ' immense size Ivan Koloff for the WWWF Championship was in the '80s Show, Andre! Was a powerhouse with decent mobility, but she only spent 70 days without the in!

Kevin Costner Wife Today, Anne Ragsdale Summitt, How Much Is Steve Wilhite Worth, Articles F