[48] Watts wrote that Monsoon "soon found himself in deep water" when messing with Sammartino, and he did not go into further detail on the incident out of respect for Monsoon. That works out at one defense every season, which is an astonishingly small number of matches to prove WALTER is still deserving of his championship. Sammartino also engaged in a feud with "Rowdy" Roddy Piper after Piper insulted his heritage on a segment of Piper's Pit at Madison Square Garden. Pedro Morales was the champion from 1971 until 1973. [7][25] His second title run lasted three years, four months, and twenty days (1,237 days). In that time they performed in only 3 major televised defenses, against the Lucha Dragons, Enzo & Cass, and The Vaudevillains who triumphed over them at NXT Takeover: Unstoppable. [14] Sammartino made his Toronto debut in March 1962 and very quickly, with the help of self-promotion in local newspapers and radio programs, became an attraction. On September 27, 1965, Bruno wrestled Tarzan Tyler in Madison Square Garden. Rogers was one of the great wrestlers of his era. You couldnt achieve a higher goal than winning the title. It was my whole life. It was no different on the night of May 17, 1963, when. After handing over ME duties to Alex Richards, he remains a frequent contributor to the site. On January 22, 1980, his former student Larry Zbyszko turned on him at the World Wrestling Federation's Championship Wrestling show. 10.12.1973 - 30.04.1977. WWE fan? I knew it was all done; I just knew I couldnt produce like I once did. His Intercontinental Championship reign is the perfect example of that. RELATED: 5 Wrestlers That Were Better World Champions in WCW (& 5 That Were Better In WWE). "One of the finest men I knew, in life and in business," WWE chairman Vince McMahon said . Soon after, Sammartino and then champion Pedro Morales teamed up for a series of tag team matches. Just about. 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. . Bruno, the Italian superhero from Pittsburgh, battled the 6'6" 315 "Mormon Giant" a number of times in 1973 and 1974 and Jonathan won at least twice. 2022. ", Disclaimer, Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and Disclosure. Rogers would then drop the title a month later to Bruno Sammartino in less than a minute. Buddy Rogers made these claims in a couple of appearances that he made after losing the belt. The MSG title . Bruno selected a classic photograph with his 1965-1971 version of the WWWF World Championship for the cover of his autobiography, which he wrote with Sal Anthony Corrente. Bruno Sammartino (Title defense by Bruno. Lonnie Mayne The Glass Eating, Raw Meat Chewing Original Moondog! - Bruno Sammartino and Dominic DeNucci defeated The Mongols (Geeto and Bepo) for the WWF International Tag Team Titles. Also during this time, Sammartino began serving as color commentator for the WWF's syndicated programs, WWF Championship Wrestling and WWF All-Star Wrestling. "Close to working that schedule for eight years, I told Vince McMahon Sr., you better get somebody. Sammartino then finished up his full-time career by touring Japan. There are paper champions, there are fighting champions, and there are champions who scarcely put their gold up for grabs. Bruno Sammartino: Directed by Patrea Patrick. Rhodes appeared in several multi-man matches during this time such as the Money in the Bank ladder match and the Elimination Chamber, where opportunities at a loftier prize outweighed defending the title he already held. Once again a bruising Russian supervillain during the Cold War hysteria of the 1960s, he became a top heel with Maple Leaf Wrestling in Toronto. They couldnt believe Bruno got defeated after seven years as champion. We took a picture, but we never spoke a word to each other" (Laughs). Stay tuned to theLast Word on Pro Wrestlingfor more on this and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. 'The Living Legend' held the world title for over 11 . Answer (1 of 3): George "The Animal" Steele Bruno Sammartino met James Myers in 1967 and immediately saw his potential as a main event performer. In 2014 The Beast Incarnate obliterated John Cena atSummerslam to become the WWE World Heavyweight Champion. Bruno Sammartino Saves Freddie Blassie From Being Killed By The Mob! 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. Bruno Sammartino,a 96-minute documentary written and directed by Patrea Patrick and presented by HM3Bruno, has received critical acclaim during the film's limited release in late 2019. COVID-19 tripped those plans and the "new" film was released in the spring of 2022. They had a show at the Civic Arena, but those were the days of the Buddy Rogers era, and Vince McMahon Sr. was trying to get me to come back because he saw my success in Canada. Man, everything went so quiet, Koloff remembered (again in quotes from Pro Wrestling Stories). Rogers dropped the title. In CM Punk's 434 day reign, he defended the title 141 times, or an average of just over once every three . Bruno's belt is enshrined in the IPWHF Collection, Watch IPWHF President Seth Turner unbox Bruno's historic belt, Bruno Sammartino: Behind The Championship Belt. Flair had denigrated Sammartino's wrestling ability in his book To Be the Man. Brock would then defend the belt a total of three times between then and Wrestlemania, with appearances atNight of Champions, Royal Rumble,and the event itself. With John Atkins, Angela Capri, Primo Carnera, John Cena. But the amount of defenses pales in comparison to the length of time Dunne held the gold. After regaining the title in December 1973 . Sammartino, shocked and hurt by Zbyszko's betrayal, vowed to make Zbyszko pay dearly. 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. But it would be Canadian-born Russian wrestler Ivan Koloff who would put an end to Sammartinos historic reign. 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. 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). But I made sure I kept my word, and I went through with the match. Bruno is way more impressive than Flair if u ask me. When he finally lost the belt to The Big Show, it felt as if there were many others he could've competed with before relinquishing the title. It had been eight long years as champion, and my schedule had been so hectic, you just couldnt believe it, Sammartino said of his first run (in quotes compiled by ProWrestlingStories.I traveled overseas a lot to Japan and Australia you name it, I went everywhere. When their eyes cleared, they kept fighting each other. I worked in pain. wrestling champion, was personally selected by Vincent J. McMahon to fill the void left when his longtime titleholder Bruno Sammartino made the decision that he no longer wanted to carry the WWWF championship. No creases or tear often gets attributed to other wrestling stories. Bruno's belt now appearsin an acclaimed film, 9. [26] As the main event of 1980's Showdown at Shea, Sammartino defeated Zbyszko inside a steel cage. From that point, Bruno Sammartino held the title for seven years, eight . Pittsburgh has a new arena, which was the Civic Arena that held 19,000 people, and Buddy Rogers came in with a big cigar strutting around, and by the time it was 8:00 pm, he went to look at the audience, and the place was empty. [7] During his second reign, on April 26, 1976, Sammartino suffered a legitimate neck fracture in a match against Stan Hansen at Madison Square Garden, when Hansen improperly executed a move and dropped Sammartino on his head. BILLY GRAHAM IN THE IWE (JAPAN) . After nearly fifteen years of promoting an "ethnic babyface" at the top of his cards, the . Twitter: @JustSKendall
On AXS (1/19/21) Eric Young versus Rhino. 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. Sammartino pinned George "The Animal" Steele in his match. But I kept my word. Bruno Sammartinos Last Christmas Campo die Sogni, 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. Sammartino was the longest-reigning champion in the history of what's now known as WWE. "Retiring you cant explain it; it really takes you down. 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 is . RELATED: 10 Failed WWE Champions That Should Have Worked. Bruno Sammartino: WWWF World Heavyweight Title: WWWF MSG Show (May '77) May 16th 1977: Bruno Sammartino: def. Sammartino, an Italian immigrant who ruled the WWE throughout the 1960s and 1970s, died Wednesday at the age of 82. Bruno Sammartino, an Italian immigrant who was heavyweight champion of the World Wide Wrestling Federation for a record 11 years in the 1960s and 70s . Use tab to navigate through the menu items. [10] When he was four, his father emigrated to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He was 82. or scroll down to learn more about the history of Bruno's Belt. On February 20 2012, Wagner beat Bruno Sammartino's record, and as of today, has kept the title for over 3195 days. 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. 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's belt was briefly worn by Ivan Kohloff, 3. He died in 1992 at the age of 71. I was just so exhausted It became clear to Vince McMahon Sr. that his World Champion was gassed. 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. He became the first wrestler to become a WWE triple crown champion. I was in that hospital for up to 5 days before I wrestled. Bruno! Sammartino ended up in a screaming match with Cimino on Pittsburgh's local Studio Wrestling program, and Cimino suspended him for a month. 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. 78 days. If he does, it remains to be seen who could defeat him in 2020. Sammartino actually . [19] Sammartino and Rogers faced each other two months later at Madison Square Garden in a tag team match, with Rogers and Johnny Barend defeating Sammartino and Bobo Brazil by 2 falls to 1. 7 WWE Hall of Fame Stories WWE Doesnt Want You To Know! It was time to make a switch. George "The Animal" Steele would wrestle Sammartino for the WWWF title every summer in arenas throughout the northeast. Bruno would againholdthe WWWFChampionship for another1,237 days, from 1973-1977. [5] He trained in wrestling with Rex Peery, the University of Pittsburgh team coach. Sammartino would go on to hold the title for 2,803 days, nearly eight years(! [49] Flair said Sammartino refused to shake his hand at the event, while Sammartino said Flair saw him coming down the hall, turned, and rushed away. 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]. Bruno Sammartino. Bruno Sammartino was a 90-pound weakling in high school. May 17, 1963: Bruno Sammartino defeated Buddy Rogers with a reverse backbreaker to capture the WWWF World title. Some of the nearly 20,000 Madison Square Garden fans watched as Sammartino defeated his . . Sammartino finally relinquished the title on Jan. 18, 1971, in a match against Koloff at Madison Square Garden. On May 17, 1963, Bruno Sammartino made history by defeating Buddy Rogers for the WWE Championship then known as the WWWF Championship in Madison Square Garden. In 1980, he won the tag team titles with Bob Backlund and was the Intercontinental Champion during the early '80s. [49], Sammartino underwent heart surgery in 2011. HISTORY: : Sugar Ray Leonard was the winner of a gold medal at the 1976 Summer Olympics. The city . Preview: MLW FUSION Jacob Fatu vs. ACH (01/20/21), Preview: IMPACT! May 18 - USA Event: Bruno Sammartino (c) vs. Miguel Torres - Singles match Sammartino won. It was no different on the night of May 17, 1963, whenBruno Sammartino defeated Nature Boy Buddy Rogers to become the WWWF World Champion. Bruno was the foot that held the door open for Rocky to become a phenomenon. Mr. Sammartino, 50, of Allison Park, was the co-owner of the . The Sammartinos also teamed against "Mr. [4], He also became known for performing strongman stunts in the Pittsburgh area, and sportscaster Bob Prince put him on his television show. Sammartino won the title on May 17, 1963, defeating Rogers in 48 seconds. Brunopresented hisbelt toPedro Morales, 4. 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 . Bruno Sammartino: WWWF Heavyweight Champion - 1,237 days WWE/YouTube Stan Stasiak only has one successful title defense to his name against Chief Jay Strongbow, and their bout went to a no contest. "Bruno Sammartino proved that hard work can overcome even the most difficult of circumstances. Very bad feelings. Between 1963 and 1980, he main evented many times and many of those main events drew a full house. 10 Long Championship Reigns With Minimal Title Defenses, Pete Dunne WWE NXT United Kingdom Champion, 685 Days, Cody Rhodes Intercontinental Title, 236 Days, Brock Lesnar WWE World Heavyweight Champion, 224 Days, Brock Lesnar WWE Universal Champion, 504 Days, Shinsuke Nakamura Intercontinental Champion, 201 Days, WALTERWWE NXT United Kingdom Champion, 337+ Days, Blake & Murphy WWE NXT Tag Team Champions, 219 Days, The IIconics WWE Women's Tag Team Titles, 120 Days, Ricochet North American Championship, 161 Days, 10 Failed WWE Champions That Should Have Worked, 10 Superstars Who Were WWE ChampionFor One Day Or Less, remains to be seen who could defeat him in 2020, 5 Wrestlers That Were Better World Champions in WCW (& 5 That Were Better In WWE), Ruthless Aggression: 10 Title Reigns (That We Completely Forgot About), which duo will be next in line to hold these belts. Later in 1972, Sammartino was asked back by McMahon Sr. to regain the title. Bruno only gave up his championship when he wanted to, and there was one championship belt he . April 18, 2018. Sammartino instead that night had his first match against new number one contender, Gorilla Monsoon. Wrestling legend Bruno Sammartino has died at the age of 82. Lengthy championships are a big aspect in wrestling, but it is definitely easier when the champion does not frequently have to defend his title. [10], In 1959, Sammartino set a world record in the bench press with a lift of 256 kilograms (565lb), done without elbow or wrist wraps. [14] He died on April 18, 2018, at the age of 82 from multiple organ failure due to heart problems[12] following a two-month hospitalization. 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. BREAKING NEWS: IPWHF ACQUIRES BRUNO SAMMARTINO TITLE BELT, Chants of Bruno! Ivan was awarded Bruno's owntitle belt and carried itfor several weeks during his championship reign. In 2019, Bruno Sammartino:The Autobiography of Wrestlings Living Legendwas released. [15] In his autobiography, Sammartino states that he believed McMahon set him up, by double-booking him and not informing him of his match in Baltimore, as a way of punishment. [16] Sammartino was forced to return to Pittsburgh and found work as a laborer. "Prior to that, over a period of two years, I defeated Sammartino eleven straight times. [31] This allowed Savage to keep the championship, as titles cannot change hands via countout or disqualification. Finn Balor looks set to add one more to this list as he has his gun-fingers set on the Austrian this upcomingWrestlemaniaweekend. NEXT: 5 Longest & 5 Shortest WCW Title Reigns. Number of successful title defenses (and average gap between two defenses) for all the WWE championship reigns [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. non-confrontation at the Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh. When he brought the bar down, he did not bounce it off his chest, but set it there for two seconds before attempting the press. Jamie Greer joined LWOPW in 2015 and was the site's Managing Editor from 2016 through 2020. Ivan Koloff backstage with manager Captain Lou Albano after defeating Bruno Sammartino (Photo: PWI) Sadly, Koloff's reign was short-lived. Bruno Sammartino had been wrestling professionally since 1959, and the Italian immigrant who had left to the US with his family from Italy in 1950 after hiding from the Nazis during World War II captivated a rising influx of immigrants into the US during and post-war. After leaving the WWF, Sammartino became an outspoken critic of the path on which Vincent K. McMahon had taken professional wrestling. Unique lists featuring pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts. ROSS TOWNSHIP PA - Daniel Sammartino, the son of the late wrestling giant Bruno Sammartino, died Tuesday. Rogers pinned Sammartino for the third and deciding fall. [10], When the Sammartinos arrived in the U.S., Bruno spoke no English and was sickly from the privations of the war years. 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. 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He said that the grueling schedule was taking its toll on him and he couldn't keep up the pace of it. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Bruno! The Northeast would soon break away from the NWA to form the World Wide Wrestling Federation (later known as the WWF and WWE today). During his second reign, Bruno Sammartino held the title for 1237 days. While Bruno represented the America of working hard, being honest, and overcoming evil, Austin represented the more modern version of giving it to the man, having a beer and saying the heck with it. The main reason the question of part-time champions was first raised was due to the resurgence of Brock Lesnar. Bruno Sammartino earned his fame. In 1986, Sammartino competed in a 20-man battle royal at WrestleMania 2 at the Rosemont Horizon in Chicago. So, as far as I was concerned, Bruno never stood a chance with me. Some of his defenses ended in time limit draws, and some in DQ, but . The Genius Cast with Lanny Poffo (2018-19), HOMAGE.com Our favorite in retro wrestling attire! He held the World Wide Wrestling Federation title for more than 11 years, from 1963 to1971, and again from 1973 to1977. "The incredible first reign of Bruno Sammartino itself qualifies the 1965-1971WWWF World Championship belt as one of the most significant objects in the history of professional wrestling.