WWE fans might remember Akebono Taro as Big Show's enormous sumo foe at WrestleMania 21. Man Mountain Mike and Haystacks Calhoun formed a tag team, testing the structural integrity of every wrestling ring they entered. * Championships in parentheses ( ) are mentioned according to the approximate date of the information, usually two or three months prior to the publishing date. Vintage Wrestling Girls - 50s & 60s. All rights reserved. He immediately became the No. Bigelow wrestled with WWE, ECW and WCW as well as in Japan. Top 10 Buddy Cops on TV. A man Fred Ottmans size isn't often going to be referred to as "the smaller one," but as Typhoon, that's exactly what he was. He was so popular that the fans wanted him to wrestle against opponents who were not exclusively African American in the racial segregation era in USA. The inaugural WWE Champion lost the title 21 days later against Bruno Sammartino, and he suddenly vanished for a while. However, the highlight of his career was the first ever babyface vs. babyface championship match, at the legendary main event of "Showdown at Shea 1972" against Bruno Sammartino. Steve Reeves was the first bodybuilder to put . If she were a stick figure at that height, pro wrestling might come calling anyway, using her as a visual curiosity. He made matches like his battle vs. Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania III an unforgettable experience. The former NXT contestant and bodyguard for Alberto Del Rio looked to be making a name for himself with his new funky gimmick, but his momentum has slowed. However, on many occasions, he was caught at his own game, and it ended in a bloodbath after his rival returned the illegal object against him. Click here to watch Strongbow taking on Professor TanakaMr. Top 10 Mr. Rogers Moments That'll Make You Nostalgic. After a brief time as "The Colossus of Boggo Road," Jones left WWE, and Hollywood soon found several uses for his massiveness. Yokozuna's weight was his greatest attraction, but it was also ultimately his downfall. He has been married to Christina Beddoes since November 8, 1986. Hailing from Germany, Zehe took his wrestling career to the United Kingdom where he fought former boxer Jack Doyle in 1952. When a man stands tall enough to look down on Kane, he's sure to make jaws drop as he passes by. Paul Bunyan had to seem as unreal as the lumberjack from American folklore from who he took his ring name. Top 10 Worst Buddy Cop Films. He especially made his mark in handicap bouts and in what would become his specialty, the battle royal matches. "The American Dream" has been one of the most popular and colorful professional wrestlers in history. The 1974 PWI Rookie of the year was trained and introduced to the WWWF by Bruno Sammartino. He is widely regarded as the most recognized wrestling star worldwide and the most popular wrestler of the 1980s. He was also a great brawler so he had everything to deliver many classic encounters, which he did with panache, especially in 1972 when he was named the PWI Wrestler of the Year. Jarvi has wrestled on the independent circuit, where The Human Skyscraper double-chokeslams anyone within reach. One built a reputation just meeting him in the ring. Wrestler Mick McManus ( Image: Mirrorpix) Mick McManus Former printer William Matthews' nickname, Rugged South London Tough Guy, was hardly catchy yet he was one of the sport's biggest draws. In the 1950s, specific talents armed with physical strength and larger-than-life personas began to emerge, including world-famous The Fabulous Moolah, and Mae Young, who also toured the wrestling circuits of Canada and Japan. Tyler Mane's wrestling career sputtered, but eventually he found a home in Hollywood, where his size garnered him roles like Sabretooth in X-Men and Michael Myers in the newest Halloween movies. Considering his height, it's not surprising that Cottonwood (real name: Kipp Christianson) played basketball at St. John's (Minn.) as well as for the Dallas Mavericks and Milwaukee Bucks during the summer league. Even when he was Paul Wight, he was taller than most everyone else. With two different partners (Professor Tanaka and Mr. Saito), he managed to have five reigns as Tag Team champion, for a total of 932 days. 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. In June, he defeated Ted DiBiase to win the WWF North American Championship, and in September, he merged that title with the South American version to become the first ever Intercontinental Champion. With that much weight, that's one of the most devastating moves imaginable. Had things worked out with WWE, he could have towered over fellow Irishman Sheamus. And, with his trademark war dance, the fans went as crazy as when Hogan was "Hulking" up in the '80s. DeNucci, who trained Mick Foley and Shane Douglas among others, was mainly a tag team specialist and a great brawler. The Atlanta Hawks drafted Gonzalez in the 1988 NBA draft. In the sport of wrestling, Channel 8s television ratings reached 96 rating points. After the success of the fight, the movie Las aventuras del Capitn Piluso would be filmed with Martn Karadagin in the role of the villain. As Akeem "the African Dream," Gray teamed with Big Boss Man. . The interesting career of The Bushwhackers began as cousin Luke and cousin Butch started out as The Kiwis in their native New Zealand before traversing the globe as the ultra violent Sheepherders in the late 1970s. 1. Ron Reis will always be remembered most for being the large man in the ridiculous costume as The Yeti, who attacked Hulk Hogan at Halloween Havoc 1995. In fact, he was more than a pro wrestling top draw; he was, with his size, an attraction wherever he went. Monsoon battled Andre the Giant, Bruno Sammartino and at one point even had an infamousaltercation with Muhammad Ali. After a stint in World Class Championship Wrestling, Bundy made a name for himself in WWE, squashing opponents with his Avalanche Splash. to these sites/people. Dwarfing a man the size of Mason Ryan is accomplishment a rare few can claim. His girth made most moves impossible for both Humphrey and his opponent. Learn more at. The latest in the sports world, emailed daily. He spent the later stages of his life as a traveling preacher, where flyers for his services included his height and weight. In 1994, Bundy returned from a long hiatus, only to become The Undertaker's fourth victim during his famed WrestleMania undefeated streak. For many, including myself, that name is totally unknown, but he left a big mark on the WWWF from 1966 to 1975. Given the resounding success of the fights, Lutteroth had the vision to expand and remodel it. As for any similar list, I considered many factors to rank the wrestlers. Whether he wrestled as G-Rilla, The Mastodon of Mayhem or the only living,breathing, rompin, stompinFunkasaurus in captivity, Brodus Clay's ring names and nicknames have all been references to his size. Simply being a giant doesn't afford one that kind of legacy. He has since found a niche playing monsters and colossal men in movies like 300 and Sherlock Holmes. On April 27, 1956, the new arena opened its doors, with capacity for 17,000 people. Most men Bigelow's size probably have trouble getting in and out of their car, but his career was a constant defiance of physics. A former NWA and ECW World Champion, and a violent hardcore wrestler. The result was one of the worst matches in wrestling history. Couple that with him weighing at nearly 500 lbs and Harris was clearly one of wrestling's largest men. This soon turned into the uncomfortable "Love Machine" angle where Viscera wouldhump his opponents. There have been wrestlers well over 7 tall and some well beyond 400 lbs. In spite of that ridiculousness, he managed to come off as intimidating, mostly due to his size. The Samoan wrestler played a Japanese sumo wrestler, complete with Japanese flag waving behind him. * Some NWA promoters recognized Moolah as world champion He is an actor, known for WWE: OMG! He looks more like a truck driver. Think about Yokozuna or Big Daddy V but wearing a farmer boy outfit and carrying a horseshoe necklace from 1955 to the late '70s. This fight still does not have a definite date, however, Ring Of Honor made the challenger official after he was the winner of a poll that the company published in its social networks. He would carry that swagger to WWE along with his "Big Cat" nickname. Fans were enthralled by him, curious to watch a man his size and perhaps were pulled in by his larger-than-life aura. 60. WWE released him in 2010 and unfortunately for him, Andrews is more famous for a domestic dispute involving WWE Diva Rosa Mendes more than anything he did in a ring. While wrestling reached 96, 98 points, says Jorge Battah. 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. 47. To be blessed with all those talents as well as impressive size is a wrestling promoter's dream. Certainly not glamorous, but that was how wrestlers paid their dues decades ago. Silva at first tried to use his height to pursue a career in basketball. He managed to win two Tag Team Championships in the '70s, once with Sonny King and once with Billy White Wolf. Click here to watch Mr. Fuji in rare singles action taking on Pedro Morales and click here to see him in some tag team action. His weight fluctuated throughout his career. Even today, there are wrestlers who wont dare try the now 75-year-old Jerry. Muhammad Malik Khan would later find success as an actor and eventually find work as a security guard at a Dubai supermarket. Mike Shaw later used the ring name Man Mountain Mike, though he was nowhere near as large as Fletcher. During his heyday in the '60s, Calhoun feuded with Dick the Bruiser and battled Bruno Sammartino. Brian Norton wrestled in his home country as Tron. A monster heel, Studd brought a stretcher to the ring as a means of intimidation. It was one of the most turbulent decades in human history and some of the wrestlers who debuted during that time had careers that lasted practically into the next millennium. Wrestlers in the 66 to 68 range include Hillbilly Jim, Bruiser Brody, Jim Moran, Vance Archer and the legendary Hulk Hogan. Uncle Elmer aka Plowboy Frazier (real name: Stan Frazier) was the biggest man among a WWE group called "The Hillbillies.". 1962-08-10 - National Wrestling Association (source: LegacyOfWrestling.com) Lindsay Kay Hayward is one of the tallest women in history. 1 Lou Thesz 2 Karl Gotch 3 Sailor Art Thomas 4 Brute Bernard 5 Judy Grable 6 Chief Don Eagle 7 Johnny Valentine 8 Primo Carnera 9 El Santo 10 "Killer" Buddy Austin 11 Mark Lewin 12 The Great Bolo 13 "Butcher" Vachon 14 Wilbur Snyder 15 "Mad Dog" Vachon 16 Ray Gunkel 17 Sputnik Monroa 18 "Wild" Red Berry 19 Mildred Burke 20 The Sicilians 21 When he tag-teamed with The Sheik of Araby and took on the big, bad Lisowski brothers, he was my hero. He was a fierce brawler but also a sound technician. There is a trio of wrestlers who perhaps have not been given enough credit, they are Tito Santana, who won a pair of Intercontinental Championships and the same amount of gold in pairs; there is also Essa Rios, who today is better known as Mr. Aguila, the tapato won the Semicompleto Championship in his time with the company; finally there is Juventud Guerrera who twice lifted the Crucero Championship. In today's pro wrestling, there's more talking than in-ring action and when they finally do get in the squared circle, the matches don't last as long as the over-produced entrances. ( United States Champions) Mark Lewin & Don Curtis Antonino Rocca & Miguel Perez Fabulous Kangaroos ( International Champions) Ben Sharpe & Mike Sharpe ( World Champions [San Francisco]) Jackie Fargo & Don Fargo Reggie Lisowski & Stan Lisowski Bill Miller & Dan Miller Ivan Kalmikoff & Karol Kalmikoff ( World Champions [Minneapolis]) 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. Top 10 Times Wrestlers Fought While Injured . The lumbering and lovable behemoth set the standard for what a big man should be. His handler, Daivari, claimed that Khali could destroy the Undertaker, certainly an exciting prospect. 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. Most of the wrestlers didn't even have the physiques or follow the diet and workout regimen that many athletes follow today. He had grueling rivalries against Bruno Sammartino and Bob Backlund over the WWWF Championship. Norton signed a developmental deal at age 26, but apparently WWE officials didn't see enough from the 7'0'' giant. The World's Strongest Man earned his nickname from his accomplishments as a powerlifter. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for WRESTLING CLASSICS volume 1 wrestling vhs BUDDY ROGERS antonino rocca 50's 60's at the best online prices at eBay! The Top Ranked Pro Wrestlers of the 1950s He was already a huge mainstream attraction before he joined the WWWF in the early '70s, and his fame never declined. Free shipping for many products! He teamed early in his career with fellow Texan, the late Dick Murdoch, and, for more than 20 . 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. Fuji's tag team partner at the time. The lack of speed and mobility that hampered his basketball career would go on to do the same for his wrestling career. His reign only lasted 21 days, but with only six different WWWF Champions in the '70s, it means a lot. If it was not really his fault, it was still the birth of a legend. As you could see, pro wrestling didn't start with Hulk Hogan in the '80s. Wrestling promoters saw Andre reborn and even after a lengthy, successful career, Show still wrestles in Andre's large shadow. Those I ranked are only the tip of the iceberg because other legends and pioneers existed before them. The guy has bought islands, fought on islands, was part of the Japanese government and despite it not being recognized, was a former WWE World Champion. Strongbow will probably be most remembered for his Native American gimmick, with the complete outfit, including his famous traditional headdress than for his achievements. Giant Baba became one of the key figures in all of Japanese wrestling. It was Big Daddy who served as his biggest rival. He found his groove as a scowling monster heel, winning the World Heavyweight Championship in 2011. He certainly is a large man, coming in at just an inch shorter than Big Show, but Undertaker is so skilled that it's easy to forget you're watching a giant at work. Graham also managed to put the hand on the short-lived WWF International Tag Team Championship. The Valiant Brothers The curious thing was that none of the so-called wrestlers were true athletes. Larry Chene, Mike Clancy, Jack Curtis, Mike DiBiase, Pepper Gomez, Red McKim, Sonny Myers, Angelo Savoldi, Joe Scarpello, Oni Wiki Wiki. However, before his run as manager, Mr. Fuji was one of the greatest tag team specialist ever. Before tossing smaller man about in wrestling rings, Taro was in fact a real-life sumo wrestler. He had a brief run in WWE as Waylon Mercy, a psychopath/Southern gentleman. Who knows how much of that is wrestling promoters building things up, but regardless of any exaggeration, Calhoun was undoubtedly large. He was a master of in-ring psychology and an ace on the mic who could generate heat like no others. Back then it was a foreign exhibition, but when a man named Enrique Ugartechea became known as the first Mexican-made wrestler in the early 20th century, a new craze for the discipline was born. His size wasn't enough to capture all the fans he did, though. The deranged villain held his opponents in the backbreaker rack or splashed his weight on their prone bodies. Logos are registered trademarks of respective organizations. 49. He denies that wrestling was a kind of buffo circus, a concert of kicks and punches of lies, in which fights and results were prepared. Morton hires a . 48. Ultimately, the 1980s are most widely thought to represent the golden age of women's wrestling and the point at which . Before he donned tie-dye and began to dance around to the Insane Clown's Posses music, WWE put his size to use as a more domineering presence known as The Interrogator. A former lieutenant during the Revolution, Lutteroth had a deep fascination with wrestling. News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. He can also brag to. 19 Stan Hansen. The history of professional wrestling is a long and complicated one, and in the 1960s, the business was much different for the wrestlers involved. He was a tough brawler and a solid performer who unfortunately spent much of his career in the shadow of a bigger giant. A 400-lb man should not be able to perform such a beautiful enzuigiri or be able to pull off so many slingshot moves as Bam Bam Bigelow did. 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Since November 8, 1986 vs. Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania 21 circuit, where the Human Skyscraper anyone... And carrying a horseshoe necklace from 1955 to the United Kingdom where he fought former boxer Doyle. Mic who could generate heat like no others his larger-than-life aura all the fans he did, though in! Mr. Fuji was one of the so-called wrestlers were true athletes most devastating moves imaginable 400. From 1955 to the United Kingdom where he fought former boxer Jack Doyle in 1952 watch Strongbow taking Professor! Wwf International tag team specialist ever large shadow on the short-lived WWF International tag team Championships in famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s... With wrestling the Revolution, Lutteroth had the vision to expand and remodel it should be Texan, the royal. Building things up, but with only six different WWWF Champions in the '70s, was! The wrestlers earned his nickname from his accomplishments as a scowling monster heel, brought...