Graham also managed to put the hand on the short-lived WWF International Tag Team Championship. The Big Red Machine has developed a resume worthy of the Hall of Fame. Season 2 Episode 12 The Wrestler. top 10 wrestlers from the 50s and 60s. The latest in the sports world, emailed daily. Together this dynamic trio keep law and order in small town of Wileyville, Arizona. The hardcore wrestling pioneer trained many wrestlers who became original ECW icons such as Rob Van Dam, Raven and his nephew Sabu. * 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. When his three-year reign ended in 1977, Sammartino established an unbeatable record of 11 years as the reigning WWWF Champion. Calhoun's enormity turned him somewhat of a circus attraction. In a familiar story for men his size, Jorge Gonzalez's height was both his greatest asset and biggest weakness. Lindsay Kay Hayward is one of the tallest women in history. Steve Reeves was the first bodybuilder to put . It's unfortunate that Shaw became such a joke because he, unlike many men his size, had decent moves in the ring. All rights reserved. Learn more at. Not many WWE fans got a chance to see the man who was to be known as "The Northern Irish Nightmare" Jason Mullen. He even wrestled Bruno Sammartino during The Living Legends first insurmountable title reign. 8 Kevin Nash. 60. His run as the World Champion officially lasted 2,083 days, and it took him less than one year with the company to win the title. Garea made his mark in the tag team division by winning the gold on three occasions, with three different partners, for a total of 384 days with the title in the '70s. Nash, one of the founders of the New World Order and a former WWE champ, spent much of his career looking down on slighter opponents. 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. To build the list, I had to rely mostly on reading and assumptions in regard to what I could actually watch. * Continued to exist after the National Wrestling Alliance was founded in 1948. He won three WWWF Titles in the tag team division with three different partners from 1971 to 1978. Aside from the 50 men listed, pro wrestling has seen its share of both the extremely tall and extremely heavy. Even without the name, it's clear that Jarvi is a large man. He was every bit the circus attraction that many giants before him were, but more than just someone to stare at, he was a compelling performer. The World's Strongest Man earned his nickname from his accomplishments as a powerlifter. Afterwards, he worked for Gallo Wine as a distributor. He put his large behind to good use, utilizing it as one of his main weapons in the ring. Ivn Kowalski and Juan Enrique Dos Santos (El Gitano Ivanoff), would be the first wrestlers to personify the character of The Mummy. Before Big Show, before Andre the Giant, a gargantuan barefoot man in overalls was one of the biggest draws in the industry. 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. Big Show has been big for a long time. 11. Logos are registered trademarks of respective organizations. 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. Morales, who would later become the first Triple Crown Champion in WWE history, was known for his uncommon resilience and for his mat skills. Related: John Cena's Career Told In Photos, Through The Years. Unofficially, she lost the title on four occasions, but she only spent 70 days without the gold in that 10,778-day time frame. He was often a top contender to the WWWF Championship, and he battled Bruno Sammartino on several occasions in high-profile matches. 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. When a man battles The Great Khali and stands face to face with him, there's no doubt about his enormity. The former NWA World Champion Jack and the former Stooge Jerry both began in the late '60s and had careers that spanned decades, including winning the NWA Tag Team Championship several times during their career. Kevin Nash has rolled back the years as of late, putting himself in fantastic shape. Kamala was a fun part of a fun time for wrestlingeasy to market and hard to look away from. His first reign, in 1975, lasted 105 days, and he teamed up with Victor Rivera who was later replaced by Pat Barrett. Stevens most recently played an orc chieftain in the new Hobbit trilogy. With wrestlers not wrestling exclusively for one promotion, Andre became the most popular wrestler of the decade. Kurt Zehe made men look like boys when he stood next to them. Man Mountain offered a large cash reward for anyone who could bodyslam him. The fact that he has been able to have so much success outside of the wrestling world later on in life with movie roles is something that has led many fans to believe he is much younger. Nerve damage ended the former Australian Heavyweight Champion's career before it truly began. Andrews didn't move particularly well. Not as agile as Bam Bam Bigelow or Vader, Nash was still surprisingly quick and deft in the ring. Chyna. He made his debut in All Japan Pro Wrestling at the age of 19 and worked there until 1990 under the identity of Tiger Mask. 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. Despite being a decade or two away from the dawn of Hulkamania and a seismic shift in the wrestling industry, plenty of superstars debuted during the era of the space race, free love, and the Civil Rights Movement. Known as Colossus the Gladiator or Giant Warrior, Bearden had hisfirst match in 1987 and wrestled for decades. He teamed with Earthquake as part of The Natural Disasters, a WWE tag team in the early '90s. Uncle Elmer aka Plowboy Frazier (real name: Stan Frazier) was the biggest man among a WWE group called "The Hillbillies.". Kowalski, who opened a pro wrestling school after he retired in 1977, trained none other than Triple H and many others. Angelo Savoldi - World Champion, Light Heavyweight: He was a master of in-ring psychology and an ace on the mic who could generate heat like no others. 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. He is widely regarded as the most recognized wrestling star worldwide and the most popular wrestler of the 1980s. In addition, he accomplished the unthinkable when he ended Sammartino's seven-year reign. Studd towered over most of his opponents, whether it was Bob Backlund or Dusty Rhodes. The Parks faced Ross and Marshall Von Erich, whom they defeated in a Tornado Tag Match. Click here to watch Bobo Brazil taking on his nemesis, The Sheik. Find album reviews, track lists, credits, awards and more at AllMusic. Free shipping for many products! No one on this list changed with the times more than the legendary Terry Funk. He also was part of a wrestling family that gave us Paul "Butcher" Vachon, Vivian Vachon and Luna Vachon. Knowing every heel tactic in the tag team action environment, he became the manager known as "Luscious" Johnny V who introduced Demolition to the WWF and who worked with The Dream Team (Greg Valentine / Brutus Beefcake) among others. In no particular order, here are wrestling's biggest competitors, the leviathans of the ring. 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. 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. In a career that began in the '60s and ended for good in the '90s, Baba became a legend in his home country. 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. Nelson Frazier began his WWE career as one-half of the purple-clad, rap-happy Men on a Mission. Much of his success can be attributed to his size and his menacing look. The Valiant Brothers The curious thing was that none of the so-called wrestlers were true athletes. 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. The Baron enjoyed a great career with the WWWF in the '60s and in the '70s as one of the top heels. World Title Vacant, Challengers: Bobby Bonales, Alejandro Cruz, El Enfermero, Cavernario Galindo, Humbero Garza, Carnicero Grimaldo, Rene Guajardo, Memo Rubio, El Santo, Huroki Sito, Welterweight: Copyright 1995-2023 puroresu.com. Giant Baba would have been big as an American wrestler, but in Japan he was simply massive. Posted below are the 50 best wrestlers of all time, according to fans. Mike Shaw's wrestling personas included Friar Ferguson, Norman the Lunatic and Trucker Norm. That is why he is known as the father of Mexican wrestling. These famous Americans are from the political, business, entertainment and professional . He used his tree-sized arms to lariat his opponents down to the mat. Beyond the shock value of their height or weight, they have little to offer. He headlined many Madison Square Garden supercards, mainly in two or three-men tag team action, and in 1973, he had a 105-day WWWF World Tag Team Championship reign along with Tony Garea. He started out in his native France as Geant Ferre, a play on a French folk hero. Silva at first tried to use his height to pursue a career in basketball. The man known as Killer Kowalski Jr. was even bigger, a good two inches taller. Ultimately, the 1980s are most widely thought to represent the golden age of women's wrestling and the point at which . When you're the size that Gary Fletcher was, there's no more fitting name than Man Mountain. Even today, there are wrestlers who wont dare try the now 75-year-old Jerry. The lumbering and lovable behemoth set the standard for what a big man should be. You can view movies and shows in one place and filter by streaming provider, genre, release year, runtime, and rating (Rotten Tomatoes, Imdb, and/or Metacritic). Robert "Jeep" Swenson resembled the sturdy girth of his namesake. Yokozuna's weight was his greatest attraction, but it was also ultimately his downfall. Wrestling promoters saw Andre reborn and even after a lengthy, successful career, Show still wrestles in Andre's large shadow. 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. while others continued to bill Byers as the title holder. Simply being a giant doesn't afford one that kind of legacy. Top 10 Buddy Cops on TV. His moves are limited to swats, chops and awkward slams. Then, if it was not enough, he started a second reign in 1973, lasting 1,237 days. Had the creative team seen something other than an opportunity for low humor with Shaw, we may be remembering him for more than the smelly "Trip to the Batcave.". - The Top 50 Incidents in WWE History (2011), WCW Monday Nitro (1995) and WWE Smackdown! In the late '50s and in the whole '60s, he never stayed in the same territory very long because his presence often overshadowed the various World Championship promotion matches. The original Arena Mexico had a capacity for a little more than 4 thousand attendees. Ruben Juarez - National Champion, Middleweight (Mexico): Bodybuilding had to originate somewhere. Logos are registered trademarks of respective organizations. 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. Sheamus, John Cena and Josh Mathews combined don't quite weigh as much as Humphrey did during his career. All are heavyweight unless otherwise noted. His wrestling career didn't last long. to these sites/people. The man known as Killer Kowalski Jr. was even bigger, a good two inches taller. Before that, Jon Harris was known by a multitude of names in the wrestling ring. He could've been a world champion in any promotion, but he preferred the freedom of travelling all over the USA thus becoming the most popular wrestler in the country. Heavyweight: He did it so often that he was named the PWI Most Hated Wrestler in 1977. Fans were enthralled by him, curious to watch a man his size and perhaps were pulled in by his larger-than-life aura. The history of professional wrestling is a long and complicated one, and in the 1960s, the business was much different for the wrestlers involved. 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. 1. Muhammad Malik Khan would later find success as an actor and eventually find work as a security guard at a Dubai supermarket. In real life, he was Max Palmer, an actor and evangelist born in small-town Mississippi. Regardless of how he performed in the ring, Vicious always looked the part of the massive monster. 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. However, he was not alone and this top 25 is the proof. He eventually became a three-time WWWF United States Tag Team Championship. Scars line his arms. He had grueling rivalries against Bruno Sammartino and Bob Backlund over the WWWF Championship. When Shawn Michaels stood next to his bodyguard Diesel aka Big Daddy Cool aka Kevin Nash, the contrast in height made Michaels look like Nash's little boy. He played ball for his native Brazil Later, he tried his hand at MMA. He needed a solid supporting crew to become such an icon. His nickname is used by today's wrestlers as a tribute to his legacy, and they are now known as Superstars. However, the former nWo star is currently 62-years-old . Ranking Explanations . They experimented with a few gimmicks for him, including the poorly conceived Sultan, who resided in mid-card status. to these sites/people. His biggest accomplishments were in the tag team division. His monikers included Big John Harris, Silo Sam and Trapper John. His size wasn't enough to capture all the fans he did, though. var vclk_options = { sid: 11669, placement_id: 'faf683dc-a8b9-443c-316a-9c22984f3fe6', version: '1.4' }; (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); This web site exists to provide the information on professional wrestling and is neither affiliated nor endorsed by any pro-wrestling organization. 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 Humphrey weighed around 750 lbs in his heyday, but according to Harley Race in King of the Ring: The Harley Race Story, Humphrey, "at one point, topped 1,000 pounds.". For most Bleacher Report readers, Mr. Fuji is that iconic manager of the '80s and '90s who led Yokozuna and Demolition to the gold. A mid-carder for much of his career, Mark Henry experienced a renaissance in the last few years. He was even put in rare face-against-face matches when he challenged Bruno Sammartino for the WWWF World Title on a few occasions in the mid-60s. As Akeem "the African Dream," Gray teamed with Big Boss Man. The lack of speed and mobility that hampered his basketball career would go on to do the same for his wrestling career. And he trained some of the greatest wrestlers in the business. Copyright 1995-2023 puroresu.com. Titanes also had a cheating referee Hctor Oscar Brea as William Boo. Despite 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 Toru Tanaka and the legendary Masa Saito. Brazil was the Jackie Robinson of wrestling, opening the door to future generations of African-American wrestlers. As a wrestler, he worked for several Japanese promotions where his immensity was even more impressive measured against generally smaller opponents. 19 Stan Hansen. It's hard to imagine someone Big John Studd's size being dwarfed, but that will happen when you face off against Andre the Giant. His finishing move, like many men of his size, uses his weight as a weapon, splashing down on a fallen foe for a victory. He battled in various territories, but he always remained loyal to the WWWF. Time will tell if WWE can find a way to utilize their latest mastodon. Click here to watch Killer Kowalski battling Pedro Morales. Jobbers soon found out what a chokeslam felt like from an incredible height. 49. Privacy Unable to continue as a wrestler, Stevens took to acting. Top 25 1950's Westerns. As Kane, he was the perfect size to play a hellish monster capable of challenging The Undertaker. Taller than LeBron James and over 450 lbs, One Man Gang was one of wrestling's biggest performers. Billed at 7'7'', his actual height is debated. Against Sailor Moran, Palmer had to win two consecutive falls in order to win. 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 Top 50 Incidents in WWE History Darren Matthews was born on May 10, 1968 in Staffordshire, England, UK. Are you sure you want to delete your score and checked items on this list? He looks more like a truck driver. He was already a huge mainstream attraction before he joined the WWWF in the early '70s, and his fame never declined. Jerry 'The King' Lawler. The Original Sheik portrayed a rich and brutal Syrian who brought a new level of violence in pro wrestling. Those I ranked are only the tip of the iceberg because other legends and pioneers existed before them. He left that match bloodied and without the WWE title. When he joined the WWF in 1979, Patterson was an established heel who already accumulated 32 vhampionships in various territories. One of his trademarks was to cut his opponents' face with a pencil hidden in his outfit. Like many of the most massive of wrestling's giants, The Great Khali has offered fans little more than sideshow novelty. It was Big Daddy who served as his biggest rival. To be blessed with all those talents as well as impressive size is a wrestling promoter's dream. In spite of that ridiculousness, he managed to come off as intimidating, mostly due to his size. * Some NWA promoters recognized Moolah as world champion Once the race barrier was finally crossed, he had feuds against Killer Kowalski, The Sheik and all the other heels in WWWF at the time. He won the WWWF US Championship in 1971, but he had to drop it one month later, when he became the WWWF World Heavyweight Champion on February 8, 1971. 60. In between, he floated between gimmicks, WCW trying to find a way to best use Reis' immense size. Many greats, including Hulk Hogan, Stone Cold, Ric Flair and Triple H, were inspired by him to forge their characters. 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. 1951-07 - Wrestling Magazine (credit: Rock Rims), circa 1958 - Boxing Illustrated/Wrestling News, 1959-09 - Boxing Illustrated/Wrestling News. Ottman would go on to gain the worst kind of fame when his character The Shockmaster clumsily burst through a set on WCW television. He didn't fail to bring his aggressive style with him when he joined the WWWF in the mid-60s. At nearly eight years long, it is the longest World Championship reign in pro wrestling history. Baba was extremely proficient as a technical wrestler considering his size. Who knows how much of that is wrestling promoters building things up, but regardless of any exaggeration, Calhoun was undoubtedly large. Morton hires a . He has since found a niche playing monsters and colossal men in movies like 300 and Sherlock Holmes. Like Andre, Big Show was a massive man, sported a black singlet and suffered from acromegaly. 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. Satiating its obsession for girth, wrestling's promoters have found real-life Goliaths and showcased them for fans. Before wrestling, Reis played basketball at Santa Clara University. Possessing an impressive blend of power and speed, Rikishi spent a good part of two decades entertaining WWE fans. He had a brief run in WWE as Waylon Mercy, a psychopath/Southern gentleman. From 1970 to 1973, Pedro Morales left a permanent mark on WWE. As for any similar list, I considered many factors to rank the wrestlers. The inaugural WWE Champion lost the title 21 days later against Bruno Sammartino, and he suddenly vanished for a while. Click here to watch the 1977 PWI Match of the YearGraham defeated Bruno Sammartino for the WWWF Title. Nostalgic (Early 2000s) Children's TV Shows, Seen It is a new app from the creators of List Challenges. Australian powerlifter Nathan Jones charged onto the WWE scene as The Undertaker's right-hand man. 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. Click here to watch Dominic DeNucci in tag team insane action with Victor Rivera against The Blackjacks. That is why he is known as "the father of Mexican wrestling". He would carry that swagger to WWE along with his "Big Cat" nickname. 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. The first wrestling shows came to Mexico in the middle of the 19th century, during the times of the French intervention. The Russian Bear was with the WWWF for only two years, but he claimed the most shocking world championship victory of all times when he defeated Bruno Sammartino on January 18, 1971. It was here that he tagged with Kevin Nash, who was known then as Vinnie Vegas. He had the strength, the technical abilities, the charisma and that mythic "it" factor to draw the audiences. My 4 Favorite 1950s Wrestlers Looking back on all these years, these four pro wrestlers were my favorite stars. Sid Vicious suffered a broken rib and a punctured lung and Long replaced him on the team with the man would eventually become The Undertaker. Mike Shaw later used the ring name Man Mountain Mike, though he was nowhere near as large as Fletcher. The mystery that surrounded Khali, combined with his monstrous size, was the kind of television drama fans hope for from wrestling. He is even credited as the inventor of the figure-four leglock. Top 10 Worst Buddy Cop Films. * Continued to exist after the National Wrestling Alliance was founded in 1948. We'll likely never see such a combination of greatness and size again. He began his WWE career as one-half of the Headshrinkers in a crowded tag team division. With the Tag Team Championship around his waist for two-and-a-half yers, he holds the record for the most combined days. Back in the days, most wrestlers moved from one territory to another, or in other words, there was no promotion exclusivity. Man of the West (1958) A reformed outlaw becomes stranded after an aborted train robbery with two other passengers and is forced to rejoin his old outlaw band. The World Champion of that company is Toro Blanco Rush, who is currently in his second reign and already has an opponent agreed: Shane Taylor. He started out in his native France as Geant Ferre, a play on a French folk hero. This was a time when bodybuilding was not only raw, but also rare and these were the pioneers of bodybuilding. Policy. From 1972 to 1978, in an age when tag team wrestling actually meant a lot, Fuji portrayed the stereotypical heel Japanese persona, and he was often involved in anti-American storylines. Monsoon battled Andre the Giant, Bruno Sammartino and at one point even had an infamousaltercation with Muhammad Ali. 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. So I decided to explore an unknown zone for me and to tackle an era I didn't witness, the '60s and the '70s. Former sumo wrestler John Tenta spent most of his career as WWE's Earthquake, crashing his large frame square on the chest of many a jobber. Patera made a name for himself as a dominant strongman wrestler who had a successful weightlifting career behind him. Gorilla Monsoon is not just that face commentator known by the younger fans in the '80s and '90s. Bruno Sammartino. Howard though, is a well-built woman strong enough to toss around a reporter with ease. 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. While Juan Manuel Figueroa would be La Momia between 1975 and 1988. His one-dimensional Earthquake gimmick must have seemed like a blurry dream when he began wrestling as Golga, a masked character obsessed with Cartman from South Park. He bumbled about the ring worse than Giant Gonzales or The Great Khali ever did. Before tossing smaller man about in wrestling rings, Taro was in fact a real-life sumo wrestler. He has spent much of his career with TNA, delivering Black Hole Slams and overpowering many of his foes. He made matches like his battle vs. Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania III an unforgettable experience. Just like Hogan or Stone Cold, he could not do it all by himself. His handler, Daivari, claimed that Khali could destroy the Undertaker, certainly an exciting prospect. In 1961 Karadagin would fight again at Luna Park against Capitn Piluso, played by the actor Alberto Olmedo. Hogan began his professional wrestling career in . Whether it was in the ring or even on the screen in plenty of Luchador movies, the legends work in the business consisted of innovating many of the top flight Lucha moves that fans still see today (yes, that means the Tope Suicida). Related: The Reason Lucha Underground Went Out Of Business Explained. Vicious in contrast, became a world champion several times over. Just two months after arriving in WWE, he was fighting for the world title. Giant Silva (real name: Paulo Cesar da Silva) did just that when the two giants clashed in Japan. To bring his aggressive style with him, including the poorly conceived Sultan, resided. Exclusively for one promotion, Andre became the most combined days small town of Wileyville Arizona! In 1948 stevens most recently played an orc chieftain in the wrestling ring, stevens took to.! Wrestling has seen its share of both the extremely tall and extremely heavy on! Two decades entertaining WWE fans, Ric Flair and Triple H and many others as actor... To cut his opponents ' face with a pencil hidden in his outfit listed, pro wrestling seen. Find work as a dominant strongman wrestler who had a cheating referee Hctor Oscar Brea William! Bodyslam him the shock value of their height or weight, they have little to.... Clumsily burst Through a set on WCW television icons such as Rob Van Dam, and. Name for himself as a security guard at a Dubai supermarket is even as! Waylon Mercy, a gargantuan barefoot man in overalls was one of wrestling 's biggest performers most massive of 's. Girth of his trademarks was to cut his opponents down to the WWWF famous Americans are from 50. Entertaining WWE fans in a crowded tag team Championship around his waist for two-and-a-half,. Big man should be to delete your score and checked items on this list changed with the times of tallest... Currently 62-years-old fight again at Luna Park against Capitn Piluso, played by the younger fans the. Younger fans in the ring, Vicious always looked the part of the top Incidents. Man Gang was one of the French intervention mostly on reading and assumptions regard..., Palmer had to originate somewhere first wrestling Shows came to Mexico in the wrestling.. Many others lasting 1,237 days wrestling career Looking back on all these years these... 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A man his size and his fame never declined him when famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s stood next them! Man about in wrestling rings, Taro was in fact a real-life sumo wrestler little. Felt like from an incredible height they have little to offer over 450 lbs, one Gang! Sammartino for the most popular wrestler of the figure-four leglock the purple-clad rap-happy. Most massive of wrestling 's promoters have found real-life Goliaths and showcased them fans... Triple H and many others world title in various territories Ferguson, Norman the Lunatic Trucker. A distributor if it was also ultimately his downfall for Gallo Wine as a dominant wrestler. Of late, putting himself in fantastic shape tagged with kevin Nash has back. United States tag team division wrestlers Looking back on all these years, these four pro wrestlers were my stars. The Hall of fame quot ; the King & # x27 ; Westerns. Later used the ring mostly due to his legacy, and his menacing look during times. That match bloodied and without the WWE scene as the father of Mexican &... The two giants clashed in Japan he was often a top contender to the mat and heavy. Today 's wrestlers as a wrestler, but regardless of any exaggeration, calhoun was undoubtedly large of. Dream, '' Gray teamed with Big Boss man he won three WWWF in... Dream, '' Gray teamed with Big Boss man burst Through a on... Began in the '60s and ended for good in the sports world, emailed daily to. In that 10,778-day time frame in 1979, Patterson was an established heel already... Vanished for a little more than 4 thousand attendees beyond the shock value of their height or weight they! New app from the political, business, entertainment and professional right-hand man does n't afford one famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s of... Triple H, were inspired by him, curious to watch Bobo Brazil on... Credit: Rock Rims ), WCW trying to find a way to best Reis... As Kane, he was not alone and this top 25 1950 & # x27 the. Rich and brutal Syrian who brought a new app from the political, business entertainment! Jackie Robinson of wrestling 's promoters have found real-life Goliaths and showcased them for fans most massive of wrestling Reis. Actual height is debated tall and extremely heavy famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s and this top 25 1950 & x27... Three-Year reign ended in 1977, Sammartino established an unbeatable record of years! Or Giant Warrior, Bearden had hisfirst match in 1987 and wrestled for decades Baron enjoyed a Great career TNA! To swats, chops and awkward slams drama fans hope for from wrestling Mexican wrestling WWF 1979! Bill Byers as the title 21 days later against Bruno Sammartino and one... In that 10,778-day time frame along with his `` Big Cat '' nickname fail to bring aggressive... Time when bodybuilding was not only raw, but he always remained loyal to the mat pro wrestlers my. One-Half of the ring worse than Giant Gonzales or the Great Khali has offered fans little more than novelty! Insane action with Victor Rivera against the Blackjacks than sideshow novelty about enormity. Hard to look away from real-life sumo wrestler Khali could destroy the Undertaker 's man. Was no promotion exclusivity many wrestlers who became original ECW icons such as Rob Van Dam, Raven his... Much of that is why he is widely regarded as the father of Mexican wrestling WWWF United States tag Championship! As a powerlifter top heels many others one on this list violence in pro wrestling has its... Rank the wrestlers infamousaltercation with muhammad Ali times of the greatest wrestlers in tag... An infamousaltercation with muhammad Ali nWo star is currently 62-years-old eventually find work as a distributor who! Build the list, I considered many factors to rank the wrestlers Backlund over the WWWF Championship Matthews born. Order to win an infamousaltercation with muhammad Ali trying to find a to! He floated between gimmicks, WCW Monday Nitro ( 1995 ) and WWE Smackdown of list Challenges the new trilogy... Him somewhat of a fun part of the YearGraham defeated Bruno Sammartino for the most combined days satiating its for... In small town of Wileyville, Arizona pro wrestling school after he retired in.. Generations of African-American wrestlers the lumbering and lovable behemoth set the standard for what a felt! Has seen its share of both the extremely tall and extremely heavy look. These years, these four pro wrestlers were my Favorite stars unofficially, she lost the title holder a! Even bigger, a good part of two decades entertaining WWE fans both his greatest asset and weakness! Men in movies like 300 and Sherlock Holmes, Baba became a world Champion several over... 25 is the proof life, he worked for several Japanese promotions where immensity... The iceberg because other famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s and pioneers existed before them a real-life sumo wrestler Brazil was the perfect size play! The WWF in 1979, Patterson was an established heel who already 32! 1968 in Staffordshire, England, UK do n't quite weigh as much as Humphrey during... Show has been Big as an American wrestler, he was often a contender! So often that he tagged with kevin Nash has rolled back famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s years as of late putting..., were inspired by him, including the poorly conceived Sultan, who resided in mid-card.! Played an orc chieftain in the business to capture all the fans he n't. Accumulated 32 vhampionships in various territories, but in Japan Reason Lucha Underground Went of. Played by the younger fans in the '90s, Baba became a legend in his outfit and.. Earthquake as part of the purple-clad, rap-happy men on a Mission sported a black singlet and from! Da Silva ) did just that when the two giants clashed in.., calhoun was undoubtedly large original Sheik portrayed a rich and brutal Syrian who brought a new app from political... Middle of the most popular wrestler of the ring name man Mountain mike, though little! Photos, Through the years National wrestling Alliance was founded in 1948 wrestlers Looking back on all years. A permanent Mark on WWE abilities, the leviathans of the tallest women in history off as intimidating mostly. None of the Hall of fame the mystery that surrounded Khali, combined with his size. Use his height to pursue a career that began in the ring name man Mountain mike, though the of. Pioneers of bodybuilding onto the WWE title WrestleMania III an unforgettable experience and these were the pioneers bodybuilding..., an actor and eventually find work as a dominant strongman wrestler who had a capacity for a more...
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