Benny then opened a pawn shop and worked as an auctioneer in Hendersonville. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'sportlister_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_25',106,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-sportlister_com-medrectangle-4-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'sportlister_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_26',106,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-sportlister_com-medrectangle-4-0_1');.medrectangle-4-multi-106{border:none!important;display:block!important;float:none!important;line-height:0;margin-bottom:7px!important;margin-left:auto!important;margin-right:auto!important;margin-top:7px!important;max-width:100%!important;min-height:50px;padding:0;text-align:center!important}. But the thing about nostalgia is that it tends to whitewash some of the darker parts of history in favor of a rose-tinted rearview. By the end of his illustrious wrestling career, The Macho Man had accumulated an impressive 11 titles. An early example of the queer coded villain in the wrestling world, Adrian Adonis was a grotesque caricature of gay culture but a compelling personality nonetheless. Flair had nothing but praise for Race upon his death in 2019: Without Harley Race, there was no Ric Flair. The legendary Lord Littlebrook (aka Eric Tovey), in Milwaukee July 7, 1968. 35 Greatest Women's wrestlers in WWE history - IMDb Twin brothers Jimmy and Jey Uso are the sons of former wrestler Rikishi and members of the Anoa'i wrestling family. While Olsen is best known for his time in Chikara, Delaney is a familiar face to WWE fans, competing in the revamped ECW against the likes of Matt Hardy, Tommy Dreamer, and Mark Henry, to name a few. She also likes to stay away from the public eye. 5 years down the line he would join NWA briefly, before returning to the WWE one more time. 10 Things You Should Know About Kevin Nash's Life Outside WWE, 10 Great Women's Wrestlers Who Never Got Their Big Break, 5 Wrestling Valets & Managers That Were Helpful (& 5 That Were Just Eye Candy). The world of sports has seen its fair share of successful twin tandems, including NHLs Sedin brothers, MMAs Nogueira brothers, footballs Pouncey brothers, and the Lopez brothers competing in the NBA, to name a few. DiBiase ran rampant in NWA, NJPW, and WWF throughout the 80s and proved himself to be a paragon of in-ring excellence in each federation. Many old-school wrestling fans remember the House of Funk for their Wrestlemania 2 appearance. Hooks are illegal in conventional amateur wrestling but have high rates of success against even the most athletic and experienced of competitors, essentially removing rules from professional wrestling. Jaguar Yokota for a time was considered the best wrestler in the world period. The 10 Greatest 80's Wrestlers - Sportlister Their popularity in Japan can be compared to Hulk Hogans popularity in the United States. Meanwhile, The Tonga Kid lost his final match at an independent event when he teamed up with Angel Blanco Jr. to face Solar and Solar Jr. Earl Hebner joined WWE in 1988 and spent over a decade and a half in the company, during which he became well-known to the WWE Universe. He continued to dominate in the '80s, winning the AWA World Championship once. Rikishi and his twin brother shared the ring a few times in WWE and other promotions throughout their careers. Sammartino would then go ahead and beat Inoki bloody. Dean has a twin brother, Don Bucci, who has also worked in the wrestling business. During her early years, Moolah would move from one promotion to another while trying to get a foothold. Despite that, Andre was someone that territories brought in to beat their biggest heels, and he sold out every appearance. Wrestling journalist In the book WCW: The Ultimate Guide, Dave Scherer described Hennig as "one of the best all-round competitors this business has ever produced.. Noriyo Tateno and Itsuki Yamazaki were key figures in the Japanese womens tag scene during the 80s and even had success as a duo in the WWF. The World's Most Entertaining Car Website. Three years later, a young Mascaras would make his international debut in Los Angeles where he faced various wrestlers including Goliath, John Tolos and Ernie Lad. Superstar spawned a number of imitators that include Hulk Hogan, Jesse the Body Ventura, and Scott Steiner. Of course, this shaved, corpulent, and effeminate fighter in a nude diaper was a villain, but his bizarre characterizations made him quite unique in a sea of hyper-machismo. At the same time, the 1970s had some of the most technically proficient wrestlers in history, men who could work rings around many of todays top stars. Giant Baba and Antonio Inoki became two of the most popular Japanese wrestlers of all time. One of wrestlings premiere villainesses, Bull Nakanos striking punk rock-influenced look would enrapture audiences around the world, as did her absolute physical domination in the ring. In the latter half of the decade, the Sheik teamed with Abdullah the Butcher in a string of matches against the Funks in what can be described as complete insanity. In 2014, the New Age Outlaws would win the WWE World Tag Team titles from the Brotherhood. One year after their debut in the WWE, the Wild Samoans would win their first-ever tag team championship. Due to the lack of complete records, it is believed that Farmer Pete was World Champion for seven days in 1957, after beating Sonny Boy Cassidy, who won the title back in a rematch in October the same year. The Samoans were a staple of Vince McMahon, Sr. and his WWF company in the 1970s and early 1980s. The 25 Best Wrestlers of The 1980's, Ranked - ONE37pm A 3-time tag team champion, Mr. Fuji made a name for himself as one of the biggest rule breakers in sports entertainment. As the match got underway, it could have been anybodys win; until the grand finale. While he never beat Bruno for the world title, Kowalski teamed up with Gorilla Monsoon and Big John Studd to win tag team titles. In 1963, Bruno Sammartino defeated the WWE champion, Buddy Rodgers in just under 48 seconds, a feat that no wrestler managed to replicate. They held the WWWF tag titles twice, and held NWA titles in both Georgia and Florida. In fact, it was the Crush Gals that catalyzed All Japan Pro Wrestlings international following. PS. Born Wayne Coleman, the bodybuilder with the 22-inch biceps spoke as well as the Christian preacher whose name he used as his own. However, he was an enormous star in the 70s as well, working almost exclusively in the NWA and its territories. Giant Baba and Andre the Giant would walk out of the ring victorious after delivering a pulsating match. Just try not to cry while watching it! Her garish fashion statements have since inspired a new generation of sartorial outsiders. Professional wrestling in the 1970s was huge! Dave Hebner, the assigned referee, greeted his doppelganger mid-match and the two brothers began clawing at each other to prove who was the real referee. The 26 Greatest Tag Teams in Wrestling History | Den of Geek Pedro Morales was the perfect champion for Vince McMahon Sr.'s New York territory in the 70s. Its almost impossible to overstate the precision and crispness of Harts technical abilities and his resilience in the face of some very real tragedies is beyond admirable. Wrestlers such as Andre the Giant, Bruno Sammartino, Ivan Koloff, and Antonio Inoki helped lay the foundations that the WWE currently stands on. The Top 100 Wrestlers - IMDb During his time in the WWE, Calhoun became a force to reckon with in the tag team division teaming up with Tony Garea. Hogan began his professional wrestling career in . The 49-year-old spent nearly five years in the promotion, during which he failed to win any titles on the main roster. Now retired, Lord Littlebrook resides with his son in Saint Joseph, Missouri. They dropped out of high school and moved to Texas, where they had jobs livestock branding. Did a WWE legend just take a shot at Sami Zayn's physique right here? Brie held the belt once and wonthe Wrestling Observers Newsletters Worst Feud of The Year in 2014 (among having a number of terribly worked matches). Upon joining WWE, Bruno Sammartino would become an instant hit and the companys biggest star at the time. The Blossom Twins had high hopes in the wrestling industry as two twin girls growing up in the United Kingdom. Bret Hart Self | WWF Survivor Series Although they are famous wrestlers, some WWE Superstars have twin siblings that fans may not know of. They dont quite look alike, but to the Olsens credit, they often wore matching outfits, which facilitated the gimmick, also helping tag teams like The Fabulous Ones, The Dicks, and The Basham Brothers to look like similar siblings in the past. Rikishi spent over a decade in Vince McMahon's company, during which he won the Intercontinental Championship twice and the tag titles three times. He moved to the US in the early 1960s, where he became NWA World Midget Championwinning a record three times (tied with Little Tokyo). [7], After the death of Billy, Benny tried to continue wrestling, partnering with Andre the Giant, but was not successful without his brother. These wrestlers of the 70s were violent and dangerous men who had no problem beating up the wrestler across the ring from them, and most had no problem stepping in the ring with other athletes. 7. was a promoter and wrestling manager. His first run lasted more than 1,700 days from 1975-1980. A warrior and fighter inside the squared circle, Terry Funk managed to win a title with almost every promotion that he worked with. He was born Roland Barriault in Sudbury, Ontario on July 22, 1946. Sky Low Low (outside ring) in a tag team with Little Beaver (nearside) versus Mighty Atom, May 5, 1967. During her wrestling career in the WWE, Fabulous Moolah won various Womens World Championship titles. Over the past few years, the former Diva Search contestant has posted a few photos on Instagram of herself and her sister together. Funk was the PWI Wrestler of the Year in 1976 and won the inaugural AJPW Real World Tag League tournament in 1977 and won it again in 79. Richter attempted to bring legitimacy to womens wrestling and was actually rather successful, but the world (or, actually, maybe just Vince) simply wasnt ready for what she had to offer. Although the conceit might seem silly, Sayama had the skill to back up the story: his match at NJPW Sumo Hall Show in 1983 (against Dynamite Kid Thomas Billington) was the first fight Meltzer ever granted a 5 Star rating. These guys could keep their fans crowds on the edge of their seats for 30, 45 or 60 minutes with no effort at all. Brooke Adams tried out for the 2006 Diva Search competition. St. Petersburg. In the early-1990s, The Cole Twins became a tag team to keep an eye on in WCW, competing regularly on shows such as WCW Worldwide and WCW Saturday Night. Both Hebners served as referees, with Dave taking on more of the backend stuff like promoting and working as a road agent. Since then,both Bellas have worked hard and improved drastically in the ring. Hansen went on to become a major star in Japan as well, starting in 1977 and winning several titles overseas, including the PWF World Championship four times. They made their WWE debuts in 1995 as The Blu Brothers, participating in the Royal Rumble Match and eventually losing to Davey Boy Smith and Lex Luger in the opening bout of WrestleMania 11. The twins are former CMLL World Tag Team Championship, but wrestling fans will most likely remember them for appearing in the 1996 Royal Rumble Match as The Squat Team. He spent his later childhood years growing up in Brooklyn and became a fan favorite for New York Citys large Puerto Rican population, the home base of the WWE. Surely, Jimmy and Jey are set aside by some in favor of Tyson Kidd & Cesaro or The Prime Time Players, yet theyve been holding down the fort for a while and excel in entertaining matches. Simon Dean made a few appearances for McMahon in the early 1990s. Having made appearances in Japan, Mexico and North America, The Headhunters (consisting of twins Manuel and Victor Santiago) are best known for their stints in WWE and ECW. Wrestling matches consisted of hairy, bare chested men in tight Speedo style trunks climbing in the ring to take each other down. They are the main cast members of reality show Total Divas, and if thats not enough, both sisters are dating WWEs top stars, John Cena (dating Nikki) and Daniel Bryan (married to Brie). A Montreal native, The Wild Bear was a dominant force in the WWF. Koloff went on to the NWA where he became a top villain as the leader of the Russians, with his kayfabe nephew Nikita Koloff and Krusher Kruschev. He was one of Vince McMahon's most trusted confidants and is the man who created the Royal Rumble match. While both men were great wrestlers in their own right, there was not a tag team in the 1970s that was more dominating that the Wild Samoans. Used primarily for their looks, these two glamour models -- Brie and Nikki -- often competed as a tag team and even had an onscreen breakup not long ago. These guys could keep crowds engaged for 30, 45, or 60 minutes with ease, as that was the length of their matches on a regular basis. During his stint with JWA, Antonio Inoki faced Bruno Sammartino in one of the most controversial matches of all time. Meltzer has previously described her as the most popular womens wrestler of all time.. Updated on February 1, 2022, by Shawn S. Lealos: The 1970s didn't feature the flashiest wrestlers in professional wrestling history, but its wrestlers were some of the toughest. The twin brothers founded Phoenix Championship Wrestling together in 2001. 10 Best WWE Wrestlers Of All-Time, According To Cagematch.net, 10 Things Fans Should Know About Curt Hennig, The Russian Bear beat Bruno Sammartino for the WWE Championship in 1971, a win that almost caused a riot, 10 Best Pat Patterson Moments In WWE History, first Triple Crown Champion in company history, The 10 Best Wrestlers In The World Outside WWE, 10 Greatest WWE Golden Era Wrestlers, Ranked. Celebrating their birthday in 2015, Adams sent her twin a heartfelt message: Brittaney is not a professional wrestler. Sika and Afa Anoai enjoyed lengthy stays in multiple territories and often championship success followed. Played by Satoru Sayama, who Bret Hart once called the Bruce Lee of professional wrestling, Tiger Mask I was both a real-life wrestling character and the star of a popular Japanese cartoon. It turns out Earl was hired by The Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase, which introduced the Hebner twins to the world of pro-wrestling. Cowboy Bob Bradley was born Robert Claton Bradley in Dickens County, TX, in February 1935. Cant you almost hear the raspy, strained shouts of Macho Man Randy Savage? Moreover, there were instances when the Wild Samoans would eat raw fish during interviews or simply begin picking their noses. As a pioneer . Please logout and login again. The result, a ripped cauliflower ear and tons of bandages. 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. Her appearance as a heart-hardened sensei in the 2000 documentary Gaea Girls showed how she viewed wrestling not as an art form or a sport but as a kind of sacred pursuit. Despite his goofy yellow polka dots, theres something sort of poetic about Dusty The American Dream Rhodes rise to fame. 1971-10 - The Ring Wrestling (credit: Doug McLeer) Men: Pedro Morales Verne Gagne Bruno Sammartino Gene Kiniski Dick the Bruiser Ray Stevens Victor Rivera Bobo Brazil The Sheik The Claw Ernie Ladd Gorilla Monsoon Killer Kowalski Bill Watts Pat Patterson The Battman Nelson Royal George Steele Chief Jay Strongbow Ciclon Negro Women: As for championships, Nikki is the reigning Divas champ, currently enjoying her second stint with the title. Our rubric is based not only on cultural pervasiveness but on global influence and pure skill. In the 70s, kayfabe was alive and well! Aside from a week in December 1974, Brisco held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship from July 1973 to December 1975. As much a wrestler as a cultural ambassador, Mscaras starred in over 20 films. Andre the Giant won his only world title in 1988, but he was a man who never needed a title to be the biggest star in any company he wrestled in. Voros Twins - CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database [1] [2] 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. His over-the-top video packages established him as a kind of miraculous meta-human that, despite or because of their inherent campiness, catalyzed his global superstardom. After leaving WWE, Adams joined IMPACT Wrestling, where she became one of the top female wrestlers, winning three Knockouts Championships and one Knockouts Tag Team Championship. twin wrestlers from the '70s - americanuzbekistan.org Standing at 610, Giant Baba was one of the biggest wrestlers in the WWE. Bobo Johnson also wrestled under the name the Brown Panther. Best known for his tag performances with Louie Louie and later Rocky Johnson, Bobo was one of the earliest Black midget wrestlers alongside Haiti Kid. The 72-year-old joined Vince McMahon's company in the early 1980s and has refereed some historic matches, including Randy Savage vs. Hulk .
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