Dominic DeNucci Wrestlings Shining Light. After my heart attack, I told myself to forget [wrestling]. 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. And it was 50-years ago this week that that legendary run came to a shocking end in Madison Square Garden. His Intercontinental Championship reign is the perfect example of that. [17], In 2006, he signed an independent deal with Jakks Pacific to produce an action figure, which is part of the WWE Classic Superstars line, Series 10. The toll of a near eight year run as the top star in the WWWF a company that was still very much trying to expand its influence nationally beyond the realm of the NWA was beginning to grind The Living Legend down, both mentally and physically. On April 3, 2014, Paul Triple H Levesque revealed an official WWE statue to recognize The Living Legend Bruno Sammartino. Buddy Rogers was examined and re-examined, and they couldnt find a thing wrong with him, and then after that, his license was reinstated. Bruno Sammartino: Directed by Patrea Patrick. Cody Rhodes held the WWE Intercontinental Championship for approximately eight months across 2011 and 2012, though in that time he only defended the belt a total of 4 times on pay per view. He also wrestled and defeated Blackjack Mulligan, Lord Alfred Hayes, Dick Murdoch, Kenji Shibuya, and "Crippler" Ray Stevens. 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. George Steele: WWWF Baltimore Show (Apr '77) Apr 30th 1977: Billy Graham: His biggest moment was winning the WWWF heavyweight title from the legendary Bruno Sammartino. 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. Peers revered him, Hollywood celebrities courted him, Italian Americans adored him, and Arnold Schwarzenegger called him "The Star of all stars."Young Bruno and his family fled the Nazi's and were nearly executed. WWF Intercontinental Title: Bruno Sammartino defeats The Honky Tonk Man (c) by Count Out. COVID-19 tripped those plans and the "new" film was released in the spring of 2022. When their eyes cleared, they kept fighting each other. WWE Hall of Famer Bruno Sammartino, who held the championship belt for nearly eight consecutive years from 1963 to 1971, has died at age 82. . PWSTees.com Your favorite Pro Wrestling Stories, on a tee! 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 . The Northeast would soon break away from the NWA to form the World Wide Wrestling Federation (later known as the WWF and WWE today). That record will never be broken. 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. 18.06.1987. This film comprehensively covers the life and career of Bruno Sammartino, and his struggles to become wrestlings greatest champion. But I kept my word. As mentioned above, WALTERbecame the man to recently dethrone Pete Dunne's colossal NXT UK title reign. 11. [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. Let me tell you a little story that happened here in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Sammartino actually . (According to Wrestledata.com, the two were on opposing ends of a tag team contest in 1960. 5 Bruno Sammartino WWE Champion, 2803 Days. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Bruno Sammartino and Buddy Rogers open up about this critical moment in professional wrestling history that all but marked the end of one legendary career and launched another, and the hatred that forever remained between the two. BREAKING NEWS: IPWHF ACQUIRES BRUNO SAMMARTINO TITLE BELT, Chants of Bruno! It was there that he was spotted by local professional wrestling promoter Rudy Miller, who recruited the young man into the ring. FULL DESCRIPTION: This photo measures 8 inches by 10 inches.The photo is clean with no staining. [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. Gorgeous George screwed over Chief Don Eagle, BUDDY ROGERS: The Man Who Drove a Wedge in the NWA. Number of successful title defenses (and average gap between two defenses) for all the WWE championship reigns Youve got the most known one that took place in Montreal in 1997, a screwy finish involving a spider and Wendi Richter in 85, and, of course, the time Gorgeous George screwed over Chief Don Eagle with a Chicago Short Count, which is often considered the very first screwjob in wrestling. RELATED: 10 Failed WWE Champions That Should Have Worked. "Did I really say to him, We can do this the easy way or the hard way? title(s) WWWF MSG Show (Dec '63) Dec 16th 1963: Bruno Sammartino (c) def. 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. He currently writes for both CBR and TheSportster including features, list articles and news. [11] In 1998, he said he had been estranged from David since retiring from wrestling against David's wishes for a tag team.[45]. Sammartino instead that night had his first match against new number one contender, Gorilla Monsoon. In addition, Ivelisse has her first title defense against Mercedes Martinez. On May 17, 1963, after only 22 days as WWWF World Champion, Rogers lost his title to 27-year old Bruno Sammartino in Madison Square Garden. Bruno owned his title belt for over 52 years, 10. WWWF Heavyweight Champion (2x) 1237 days. 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. Bruno only gave up his championship when he wanted to, and there was one championship belt he . So, that was the big break, if you will. Seth Turner, President of the International Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame, successfully procured the belt. Bruno Sammartino holds a legendary wrestling career spanning nearly a quarter century from 1959 to 1982. However, he is currently on a similar run of holding the belt for an exceptional amount of time with minimal defenses. He died in 1992 at the age of 71. Fifty years ago, on January 18, 1971, Ivan Koloff delivered a Russian Leg Drop to World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) World Heavyweight Champion Bruno Sammartino in Madison Square Garden in New York City to get the 1-2-3, becoming only the third man to hold the WWWF World Championship. [21], At the inaugural WrestleMania on March 31, 1985, Sammartino was in his son David's corner for his match against Brutus Beefcake. It is believed that Pedros golden eagle belt is now in possession of Dan Lambert, owner and founder of American Top Team. If you've watched professional wrestling for any modicum of time, you've surely heard of the name of Bruno Sammartino at least once. [22] Sammartino recalled the shocked silence that greeted the result, remarking he thought he had damaged his ears. The following title matches feature the WWE Championship. . His most notable title defense was a time limit draw with Bruno Sammartino at a Shea Stadium show in 1972. 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. Sammartino ended up in a screaming match with Cimino on Pittsburgh's local Studio Wrestling program, and Cimino suspended him for a month. Many other belts would come his way in his long storied career as well. BILLY GRAHAM IN THE IWE (JAPAN) . Presented here is Sugar Ray Leonard signed photo. I had seen wrestlers stopped from going to the ring because something wasnt right". Despite this mammoth title reign length, Pete Dunne barely defended his belt in televised appearances. [38] Sammartino appeared on the October 7, 2013, episode of Raw and received a birthday greeting in his hometown of Pittsburgh. Exclusives. [41][bettersourceneeded] Both were only released in Pittsburgh. Sammartino is the longest-reigning WWE Champion in history. Sold-out Madison Square Garden 189 times! They couldnt believe Bruno got defeated after seven years as champion. 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 continued to wrestle after this match, though he worked mainly in short tag matches until his first retirement one year later. In winning the title, Sammartino became the second WWE Champion in the company's history and did so in just 48 seconds. It was my whole life. Dr. Jerry Graham: WWWF World Heavyweight Title: WWWF MSG Show (Nov '63) Nov 18th 1963: . Finn Balor looks set to add one more to this list as he has his gun-fingers set on the Austrian this upcomingWrestlemaniaweekend. His second reign began in 1973 and it lasted until he was pinned by "Superstar" Billy Graham in 1977. 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. I was in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in that territory, and Vince McMahon, Sr. was near bankruptcy because that was how poorly this place was doing. Sammartino, an Italian immigrant who ruled the WWE throughout the 1960s and 1970s, died Wednesday at the age of 82. After handing over ME duties to Alex Richards, he remains a frequent contributor to the site. Buddy Rogers was wrestling every day and he was NOT in a hospital. In 2013, Sammartino appeared as one of the Board of Governors in the nationally televised 69th Annual Columbus Day Parade. That made me the number one guy I was going to be the headliner after that, you know? By 1971, Bruno Sammartino was beaten up. . It was no different on the night of May 17, 1963, whenBruno Sammartino defeated Nature Boy Buddy Rogers to become the WWWF World Champion. On September 30, 1972, Sammartino and Morales wrestled to a 65-minute draw at Shea Stadium in New York. Irvin Muchnick mentioned the incident in his book, Wrestling Babylon. Dumpster match, multiple title defenses. Lengthy championships are a big aspect in wrestling, but it is definitely easier when the champion does not frequently have to defend his title. He was often teamed with Tito Santana and his old enemy George "The Animal" Steele (who was a fan favorite at this point in his career) to wrestle Savage and "Adorable" Adrian Adonis. [36], In 2013, Sammartino accepted an invitation for induction into the WWE Hall of Fame, after having declined several times in prior years. [9], Bruno Leopoldo Francesco Sammartino was born in Pizzoferrato, Abruzzo, Italy, to Alfonso and Emilia Sammartino on October 6, 1935. 200 of the top 500 singles wrestlers of the "PWI Years" in 2003, This page was last edited on 25 February 2023, at 17:39. He particularly criticized the use of steroids and "vulgar" storylines. May 17, 1963: Bruno Sammartino defeated Buddy Rogers with a reverse backbreaker to capture the WWWF World title. The MSG title . 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. Which brings us to 2017, when Brock Lesnar held the WWE Universal Championship for a phenomenal 504 days after defeating fellow part-timer Bill Goldberg at Wrestlemania 33. World Tag Team Title (Indianapolis)", "WWC North American Heavyweight Title (Puerto Rico)", "Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) 500 for 2007", "Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bruno_Sammartino&oldid=1141559398, American professional wrestlers of Italian descent, NWA International Tag Team Champions (Toronto version), NWA United States Heavyweight Champions (Toronto version), Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles lacking reliable references from August 2019, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Ranked No. May 18 - USA Event: Bruno Sammartino (c) vs. Miguel Torres - Singles match Sammartino won. Sammartino won the title on May 17, 1963, defeating Rogers in 48 seconds. Bruno Sammartino depicts the exciting story of the championship wrestler and his family's narrow escape from the Nazis in World War II Italy. Bruno is way more impressive than Flair if u ask me. When Lou Thesz came out of semi-retirement on January 24th, 1963, in Toronto to fight Buddy Rogers for the World Heavyweight Championship, Rogers was supposedly having second thoughts about dropping the title to Thesz. He would later return for two brief comebacks, and much later as a manager. Jamie Greer joined LWOPW in 2015 and was the site's Managing Editor from 2016 through 2020. Sometimes, be they world champions, tag team champions, or otherwise, champions have commitments outside of their championship. 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. You could hear a pin drop, remembered veteran wrestling journalist Bill Apter in an article for WWE.com recounting his memory at ringside. [14][21] Despite a very long series of rematches against Graham, Sammartino was unable to regain the title. 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. Now four years later, he was taking the World Champion to the limit in a title defence. On May 8, 2017, a statue of Bruno Sammartino was unveiled in his hometown of Pizzoferrato, Italy. Technically, this means three of the first four World Champions of the WWWF wore the same belt; however, Brunos belt was retired and replaced by a significantly lesser-quality belt for Pedro Morales, which did not last long. 2/19/68 Bruno won with the backbreaker on Bull Ramos before 13,059 fans in the first match at the new MSG. "Superstar Billy Graham v. Bruno Sammartino (MSG 1/12/76) 22. He finally accepted the offer to join because he was satisfied with the way the company had addressed his concerns about rampant drug use as well as vulgarity. Rogers was one of the great wrestlers of his era. [23], Eventually, on December 10, 1973, Sammartino regained the WWWF Heavyweight Championship by defeating Stan Stasiak. Terry Funk commented that Sammartino "was bigger than wrestling itself". Matt Pender is an old-school wrestling fan who currently lives in New Zealand. Boston 10/21/75) 21. Ivan Koloff was actually a pro wrestler from Montreal, Quebec in Canada, and after starting out in the Canadian indies in 1961, soon adopted a Russian gimmick, under the name Ivan Zukoff. After nearly fifteen years of promoting an "ethnic babyface" at the top of his cards, the . The championship remained vacant for over a year. Battle Royal: Winner: Bruno Sammartino. Yet few people know all the history behind Brunos belt and why some have called it the 'holy grail' of professional wrestling artifacts. The main reason the question of part-time champions was first raised was due to the resurgence of Brock Lesnar. [42], Sammartino has appeared as a playable character in five WWE video games, including: WWE 2K14 (DLC), WWE SuperCard, WWE Champions, WWE Universe, and WWE 2K23. 2022. 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. To clear up a common misconception, Rogers was not immediately named WWWF World Heavyweight Champion. 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. When Vince McMahon, Sr. and Totts Mondt heard about this, of course, they got him to come to Washington, DC, and they put him in a famous hospital over there. Turner has agreed to display the King of Classy Titles atthe IPWHF Museum, soon to be built in New York State. Bruno Sammartino. [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). Morales would hold the title for 1,027 days, but it was clear that Pedro was no Bruno. A sold-out Garden. Bruno Sammartino earned his fame. 10/23/67 Bruno defeated Hans Mortier 6,612 paid $18,136.10. He is also a musical performer with his band OdESSA who can be investigated at the link above. Per tradition, the NWA World title could only be contested in 2-out-of-3 falls matches, yet Thesz had been crowned champion following a one fall match. Just 48 seconds later, Bruno Sammartino was the new champ, and a hero was born. Of professional wrestling Hall of Fame, successfully procured the belt for over 52 years, 10 was due the!, on December 10, 1973, Sammartino and Morales wrestled to a 65-minute draw at Stadium. 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