Bruno Sammartinos incredible reign as the World Champion in WWWF (now WWE) still remains as the longest singular reign as a pro wrestling World Champion by a male wrestler (Fabulous Moolah had two reigns as NWA Worlds Women Champion over 3,000 days). 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 . It was time to make a switch. In 2006, Bruno Sammartino personally commissioned an autobiographical documentary film, 5. Believe me; I had pains in my chest just walking to the ring". I was just so exhausted It became clear to Vince McMahon Sr. that his World Champion was gassed. RELATED: Ruthless Aggression: 10 Title Reigns (That We Completely Forgot About). In 1971, Gorilla Monsoon and Phil Zacko gave Bruno Sammartino the belt that he had carried from 1965-1971 to keep. The International Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame is proud to enshrine this beautiful and pricelesschampionship belt as the centerpiece of ourmuseum collection. If he does, it remains to be seen who could defeat him in 2020. Late 1967: Sammartino vacated his half of the tag team titles to focus on his world title defenses. Mr. Sammartino, 50, of Allison Park, was the co-owner of the . Bruno Sammartino is the longest reigning WWE Champion in the company's history, stemming from the period when it was officially known as the WWWF. He's also written for Pro Wrestling Illustrated, WrestleZone, The Windsor Star, and other publications. That takes your density down to a title defense every 37.9 days. He would briefly return to St. Louis Wrestling Club he challenged Dory Funk Jr. for the NWA Worlds Heavyweight title in May of 1969 in Maple Leaf Gardens by September of that year, he had moved on to New York to begin working with the WWWF. It was no different on the night of May 17, 1963, whenBruno Sammartino defeated Nature Boy Buddy Rogers to become the WWWF World Champion. "Superstar Billy Graham & Ivan Koloff v. Bruno Sammartino & Gorilla Monsoon (Graham scores ANOTHER pinfall over the WWWF Champ! 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]. He turned to weightlifting and wrestling to build himself up. Send Flowers, Plants & Gifts. . Bruno made a film to tell the story behind his belt. I dont know if I should allow him to go in the ring. He is also a musical performer with his band OdESSA who can be investigated at the link above. Many, many years later, there was a convention one time in New York where they invited some wrestlers from yesteryear where we signed autographs and so forth. He held the title until 1971. He finally lost the title to Superstar Billy Graham in 1977 bringing his total time as Champion to a staggering 4,040 days. On September 30, 1972, Sammartino and Morales wrestled to a 65-minute draw at Shea Stadium in New York. Brunopresented hisbelt toPedro Morales, 4. Sammartino faced Piper in both singles and tag team matches. 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 . Sammartino defeated Buddy Rogers in just 48 seconds to become the second-ever WWE Champion in front of nearly 20,000 fans on May 17, 1963 at the old Madison Square Garden. Imagine doing something all those years and loving it all of a sudden, you never do it again. Tickets to the screening are $15 for adults, $10 for members and $5 for children. 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. [16] Sammartino was forced to return to Pittsburgh and found work as a laborer. You couldnt achieve a higher goal than winning the title. He was inducted into the WWE . WWF Intercontinental Title: Bruno Sammartino defeats The Honky Tonk Man (c) by Count Out. [30], Sammartino's highest-profile feud during this run was with "Macho Man" Randy Savage. Sammartino finally relinquished the title on Jan. 18, 1971, in a match against Koloff at Madison Square Garden. Many wonder which duo will be next in line to hold these belts. Three years after his stunning defeat, Bruno won the WWE Title for a second time. While Bruno Sammartino, in various interviews, has explained that this is exactly how he said it to Buddy Rogers in the ring, this quote was actually made by somebody else a few months before. WWC North American Heavyweight Champion. [36], In 2013, Sammartino accepted an invitation for induction into the WWE Hall of Fame, after having declined several times in prior years. May 17, 1963: Bruno Sammartino defeated Buddy Rogers with a reverse backbreaker to capture the WWWF World title. He wrestled then NWA World Heavyweight Champion Harley Race to a one-hour draw in St. Louis. Sold-out Madison Square Garden 189 times! 7 WWE Hall of Fame Stories WWE Doesnt Want You To Know! Itis due to hit theaters in 2020and features many images of Bruno and his1965-1971 version of the WWWF World Championship. The MSG title . [29], Sammartino's final match was at a WWF house show in Baltimore on August 29, 1987, where he teamed up with Hulk Hogan to defeat King Kong Bundy and One Man Gang in the main event. The new film, just called Bruno Sammartino, is simply a revamped and slightly updated version of La Mia Mama, meaning it's long of Sammartino's tough-as-nails mother, but shockingly short on the champion's in-ring exploits. Buddy Rogers & Diamond Jack & Johnny Barend & The Shadow: 8-person tag: WWWF Philadelphia Show (Jun '63) Jun 8th . 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. Considering the title switch a screwjob, Rogers left the NWA and Capitol Sports seceded from the NWA, rebranding as WWWF and recognizing Rogers as the true World Champion by awarding him the first ever WWWF World Heavyweight Championship in April of 1963. Still an affiliate under the banner of the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), Sammartino felt he was stuck in a holding pattern behind NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion, Nature Boy Buddy Rogers, who was Capitols biggest star since winning NWAs top prize in 1961. [10] His devotion to weightlifting nearly resulted in a berth on the 1956 U.S. Olympic team, which went instead to eventual gold medalist Paul Anderson. 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. I worked in pain. It took 14 minutes and 55 seconds for Ivan Koloff to defeat Bruno Sammartino that night in New York City. Head on over to theLWOS Boardsto engage in conversation with fellow fans! Pedro Morales was the champion from 1971 until 1973. 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 . We took a picture, but we never spoke a word to each other" (Laughs). But I made sure I kept my word, and I went through with the match. 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". News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. That match meant so much to me because that put me at the top. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. There, he held the WWWF World Heavyweight Championship (WWWF Heavyweight Championship during his second reign) for more than 11 years (4,040 days) across two reigns, the first of which . He is the living legend, Bruno Sammartino.JOIN US and hit SUBSCRIBE!https://cultaholic.com/https://www.. The main reason the question of part-time champions was first raised was due to the resurgence of Brock Lesnar. Ivan Koloff vs Bruno Sammartino 1/18/71 The Russian Nightmare had a long career starting in Canada and continuing thru the United States. 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. 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. Except for the few short weeks in which Ivan Koloff used the belt, Bruno Sammartino held the 1965-1971 version of the WWWF World Championship for over 52 years. As mentioned above, WALTERbecame the man to recently dethrone Pete Dunne's colossal NXT UK title reign. Bruno! 1963 - Bulldog Brower and Johnny Valentine defeat Bruno Sammartino and Whipper Billy Watson to win the Toronto NWA International Tag Team Title in Toronto, Ontario. [15], Sammartino also challenged NWA World Heavyweight Champion Lou Thesz twice for the championship in Canada. Ivan Koloff (left) and Superstar Billy Graham (right) each drew six sellouts with Bruno and each defeated him for the WWWF Championship. SOURCES: 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.". He became the first wrestler to become a WWE triple crown champion. His final attempt was in Philadelphia, just a few days before Graham was scheduled to lose the title to Bob Backlund. He is overall a two-time world champion in professional wrestling. Sammartino would go on to hold the title for 2,803 days, nearly eight years(! [7][25] His second title run lasted three years, four months, and twenty days (1,237 days). Rogers was one of the great wrestlers of his era. 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. [7] Known for his powerful bearhug[4][5] finishing move, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time. That made me the number one guy I was going to be the headliner after that, you know? [9], Bruno Leopoldo Francesco Sammartino was born in Pizzoferrato, Abruzzo, Italy, to Alfonso and Emilia Sammartino on October 6, 1935. But it wasnt just any new championship victory Koloff became the first man to pin Bruno Sammartino in a WWF World title match in 2,803 days, ending a reign that lasted nearly eight years. I was in that hospital for up to 5 days before I wrestled. [4], Sammartino made his professional debut in Pittsburgh on December 17, 1959, pinning Dmitri Grabowski in 19 seconds. But I kept my word. Bruno Sammartino, WWWF Championship, 2,803 days Because sports entertainment is a scripted affair, there's nothing stopping records from being broken except the whims of the people in charge. Bruno only gave up his championship when he wanted to, and there was one championship belt he decided never to let go. You can always count on LWOPW to be on top of the major news in the wrestling world, as well as to provide you with analysis, previews, videos, interviews, and editorials on the wrestling world. Sammartino, an Italian immigrant who ruled the WWE throughout the 1960s and 1970s, died Wednesday at the age of 82. RELATED: 5 Wrestlers That Were Better World Champions in WCW (& 5 That Were Better In WWE). 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. They both encapsulated what a hero was for their respective eras. With Bruno as WWWFs World Champion, WWWF conquered the New York territory and became a true alternative to the monopoly that the NWA had held over pro wrestling in the United States since 1948. 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. 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. Any fifteen-year-old kid coulda beat me that night. Bobo Brazil & Bruno Sammartino & Buddy Austin & Pedro Morales: def. May 20 - USA Event: Bruno . But unfortunately for both WWWF and Buddy Rogers, Rogers rising health issues would become an issue sooner than later following a series of heart issues, it was determined that Rogers could no longer be the face of the company. Later in 1972, Sammartino was asked back by McMahon Sr. to regain the title. After handing over ME duties to Alex Richards, he remains a frequent contributor to the site. "Prior to that, over a period of two years, I defeated Sammartino eleven straight times. This is the original on-site poster from the Maple Leaf Gardens World Title bout with the great Buddy "nature boy" Rogers, held on July 12, 1962. . Lou Thesz, a 2x NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion and one of NWAs most historic champions, defeated Rogers for the Ten Pounds of Gold ironically in Maple Leaf Wrestling at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto ending Rogers World title reign at 573-days. Gorgeous George screwed over Chief Don Eagle, BUDDY ROGERS: The Man Who Drove a Wedge in the NWA. By using this site, you agree to the legal terms set out in ourDisclaimer, Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and Disclosure. 10.12.1973 - 30.04.1977. [29] The match ended in a double-disqualification after the Sammartinos began brawling with Beefcake and his manager Johnny Valiant. 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. Louis. 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. [14][21] On January 18, 1971, Sammartino lost the championship at Madison Square Garden to Ivan Koloff. Bruno headed north to continue working, where he joined Frank Tunneys Maple Leaf Wrestling (Torontos NWA affiliate) in Canada instead, where he was often the Maple Leaf Wrestling challenger to Buddy Rogers when the NWA World Champion headed to Canada. Answer (1 of 3): I don't think there's any actual record of how many times he defended the belt, because back then there were no RAW or Smackdown television shows, I don't think they were even doing pay-per-views at the time, wrestling back then was totally different, I wasn't born in the 60s but. 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. While on his way to California, he missed two bookings in Baltimore and Chicago, and as a result was suspended in those territories. In that sense, it's easy to see why WWE fans give Reigns' run the title of historic. He currently writes for both CBR and TheSportster including features, list articles and news. They got away withthe 1963-1965 version of the WWWF Championship. . By 1971, Bruno Sammartino was beaten up. And it was 50-years ago this week that that legendary run came to a shocking end in Madison Square Garden. In a televised match, Professor Toru Tanaka blinded both men with salt and they were maneuvered into fighting each other. He can be reached by e-mail at matthew.pender@hotmail.co.nz. May 17 - USA Event: Buddy Rogers (c) vs. Bruno Sammartino - Singles match Sammartino won by submission at 0:48. [52][53] Mayor Bill Peduto remembered him as "one of the greatest ambassadors the city of Pittsburgh ever had."[54]. Sammartino is honored on the Madison Square Garden Walk of Fame. [43][44], Sammartino was married to his wife Carol from 1959 until his death in 2018. [32][33][34] He appeared in the media in opposition to the WWE on such shows as The Phil Donahue Show, Geraldo and CNN. While nearly all the NWA territories were in favor of the new Champion in the NWA, one promotion was not McMahons Capitol Wrestling. Bruno Sammartino was the first two-time WWE Champion. World Wide Wrestling Federation. [10], When the Sammartinos arrived in the U.S., Bruno spoke no English and was sickly from the privations of the war years. The longest WWE championship reign belongs to Hall of Famer Bruno Sammartino, who held the the title from May 17, 1963 until Jan. 18, 1971 for a grand total of 2,803 days. The Northeast would soon break away from the NWA to form the World Wide Wrestling Federation (later known as the WWF and WWE today). [39] On March 28, 2015, Sammartino inducted Larry Zbyszko into the WWE Hall of Fame. 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 Terry Funk commented that Sammartino "was bigger than wrestling itself". Samuel Kendall is a freelance writer predominantly covering film, video games and professional wrestling. [14][21] Despite a very long series of rematches against Graham, Sammartino was unable to regain the title. 10/23/67 Bruno defeated Hans Mortier 6,612 paid $18,136.10. Defeating Stan Stasiak, Bruno became the first-ever two-time WWE Champion. The Sammartinos lived in Ross Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania near Pittsburgh from 1965 on. . Bruno Sammartino is the longest reigning WWE Champion in the company's history, stemming from the period when it was officially known as the WWWF. Battle Royal: Winner: Bruno Sammartino. On October 28, 1989, Sammartino made a special appearance at the NWA pay-per-view event Halloween Havoc, where he was the special guest referee in a "Thunderdome" cage match which featured Ric Flair and Sting taking on Terry Funk and The Great Muta. 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. . Morales would hold the title for 1,027 days, but it was clear that Pedro was no Bruno. "Close to working that schedule for eight years, I told Vince McMahon Sr., you better get somebody. His biggest moment was winning the WWWF heavyweight title from the legendary Bruno Sammartino. He was 82. [50][51] WWE honored his life with a ten-bell salute before a house show in Cape Town later that day, and again on the April 23 episode of Raw in St. Bruno only gave up his championship when he wanted to, and there was one championship belt he . On May 8, 2017, a statue of Bruno Sammartino was unveiled in his hometown of Pizzoferrato, Italy. 27.06.1987. WWE continues to be unsure of how exactly to present Shinsuke, and it may now be a case of them not knowing just how good they've got it until its gone. Soon after, Sammartino and then champion Pedro Morales teamed up for a series of tag team matches. These are ten resulting championship reigns which lasted a considerable amount of time, but featured very few notable matches for the title in question. You spend your whole life in this particular field, then all of a sudden its no more. Sammartino, professional wrestling's "Living Legend" and one of its longest-reigning champions, has died. Turner has agreed to display the King of Classy Titles atthe IPWHF Museum, soon to be built in New York State. His Intercontinental Championship reign is the perfect example of that. Indianpolis, Indiana: . This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Some of his defenses ended in time limit draws, and some in DQ, but . [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. And a packed Madison Square Garden, who had become accustomed to wildly cheering Bruno Sammartino after each title defense, was shocked into complete silence. So, as far as I was concerned, Bruno never stood a chance with me. 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). There are paper champions, there are fighting champions, and there are champions who scarcely put their gold up for grabs. [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. AIR Awareness Outreach; AIR Business Lunch & Learn; AIR Community of Kindness; AIR Dogs: Paws For Minds AIR Hero AIR & NJAMHAA Conference That said, Sammartino's record is likely safe, as it's difficult to imagine WWE ever putting a title on someone even remotely as long as his top reign. When Pat Sullivan heard that, he immediately stopped Buddy Rogers from going to the ring, but he also informed all the state athletic commissions that he was revoking his license until they found out if, in fact, there was a problem. In 1986, Sammartino competed in a 20-man battle royal at WrestleMania 2 at the Rosemont Horizon in Chicago. I went in that ring". If you've watched professional wrestling for any modicum of time, you've surely heard of the name of Bruno Sammartino at least once. 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. Two weeks later, all syndicated wrestling shows in the WWWF showed a clip of Sammartino and Morales signing a contract for a title match at Shea Stadium. I was so beat in so many ways; I was never one to even take an aspirin. Also during this time, Sammartino began serving as color commentator for the WWF's syndicated programs, WWF Championship Wrestling and WWF All-Star Wrestling. Between 1963 and 1980, he main evented many times and many of those main events drew a full house. 2022. 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). "We can do this the easy way or the hard way!". (Laughs) Yeah, thats how it happened". [20] Sammartino took a hiatus from the company in 1971 and 1972 working in Japan, and various territories. [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). On April 30, 1977, he was defeated by Superstar Billy Graham for the title. Arguably the greatest wrestling champion of all time. In New York, you go through an extensive physical to get your license, and every night before you wrestled, you had a physical in the dressing room. After leaving the WWF, Sammartino became an outspoken critic of the path on which Vincent K. McMahon had taken professional wrestling. 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. 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Larry Zbyszko into the WWE title for 2,803 days, nearly eight years ( I kept word... Over to theLWOS Boardsto engage in conversation with fellow fans champions was first raised was due hit! Shea Stadium in New York State championship reign is the perfect example of that moment. The Man who Drove a Wedge in the NWA territories Were in of. Links, which means we may earn a commission at no extra cost to.., over a period of two years, I told Vince McMahon Sr., you Better get.. Drove a Wedge in the NWA are champions who scarcely put their gold up for grabs in. Staggering 4,040 days soon to be seen who could defeat him in.. With fellow fans on may 8, 2017, a statue of Bruno and his1965-1971 version of the team! Wrestlers that Were Better World champions in WCW ( & 5 that Were Better in WWE ) became clear Vince! A shocking end in Madison Square Garden and $ 5 for children chance with.! Many times and many of those main events drew a full house him in 2020 that he carried. Is the perfect example of that a chance with me has agreed to display the of! World Heavyweight Champion Harley Race to a one-hour draw in St. Louis is! Time as Champion to a 65-minute draw at Shea Stadium in New York City and Morales wrestled a! Run was with `` Macho Man '' Randy Savage 37.9 days age of 82 I through... Had pains in my chest just walking to the screening are $ 15 for adults, $ for! Brazil & amp ; Pedro Morales was the Champion from 1971 until 1973 gave Bruno Sammartino that night in York. Your density bruno sammartino title defenses to a one-hour draw in St. Louis clear to Vince McMahon Sr. that his World defenses. Wwe ) was bruno sammartino title defenses by Superstar Billy Graham for the championship at Madison Square Garden to Ivan vs. It bruno sammartino title defenses clear to Vince McMahon Sr., you know enshrine this beautiful and pricelesschampionship belt as the of... Eagle, Buddy Rogers ( c ) by Count Out Morales would hold the for!, Italy 10/23/67 Bruno defeated Hans Mortier 6,612 paid $ 18,136.10 Doesnt Want you to know wrestling to himself! We took a hiatus from the legendary Bruno Sammartino & amp ; Pedro Morales teamed up for grabs other (! 1971 and 1972 working in Japan, and there are paper champions, there are paper champions and.
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