Tenta was a powerful man and more of an athlete than he looked, thanks in large part to his days as a sumo wrestler. He only spent one year with the company in the '70s, but what a year it was! He is an actor, known for WWE: OMG! Happy Humphrey was the size of several men. 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. Back in the days, most wrestlers moved from one territory to another, or in other words, there was no promotion exclusivity. His first reign, in 1975, lasted 105 days, and he teamed up with Victor Rivera who was later replaced by Pat Barrett. Danny Hodge - World Champion, Challengers (listed alphabetically): Heavyweight: He began his movie career with roles like "Big Security Guard" in The Bodyguard 2 and as the titular character in Man-Thing. When the former baseball player met the Rising Suns first legend, Rikidozan, that was it for Baba, and he began training to become a pro wrestler. Goldust. The Valiant Brothers The curious thing was that none of the so-called wrestlers were true athletes. Known as Colossus the Gladiator or Giant Warrior, Bearden had hisfirst match in 1987 and wrestled for decades. Brought into the business by the real life original Zybysko brothers, "Handsome" Harley Race certainly didnt start out being one of the most feared men to walk on "Gods Green Earth." Steve Reeves was the first bodybuilder to put . Top 10 Buddy Cops on TV. Aired January 7, 1962. Are you sure you want to delete your score and checked items on this list? Despite his size, Silva compiled a less-than-stellar record of 2-6. Baba s famous steak & lemonade menu Golden age of old Mexican wrestlers Backlund will always be remembered as one of the greatest technicians in pro wrestling history who built his legacy by battling other promotional World Champions several times and any comer, often very bigger than him. My 4 Favorite 1950s Wrestlers Looking back on all these years, these four pro wrestlers were my favorite stars. He wrestled as Big Ron Studd as tribute to Big John Studd, as the aforementioned Yeti and as simply, Reese. He certainly had the size to make it. With the Tag Team Championship around his waist for two-and-a-half yers, he holds the record for the most combined days. Despite he never broke out of the tag team division, he was very over with the fans, and he was one of the best technical wrestlers of his time. A mid-carder for much of his career, Mark Henry experienced a renaissance in the last few years. His profile on thetallestman.com lists him at "only" 7'3'' but anything between that range is super tall. Born in Montreal, WWE Hall of Famer Maurice "Mad Dog" Vachon was one of the top heels in the AWA in the 1960s and 1970s, capturing that promotion's World Heavyweight Championship five times. And, in those years, he often fought in 60-minute time limit draws. His monikers included Big John Harris, Silo Sam and Trapper John. Following that, he made sporadic appearances in various territories to eventually retire for good in the late '70s. No, not dem Boys. But as far as wrestlers wrestlers and old school tough guys go, theres are no better men than Jack and Jerry Brisco. Killer Kowalski must have stunned many a crowd at 6'7'' and nearly 300 lbs in the '50s and '60s. After a stint in World Class Championship Wrestling, Bundy made a name for himself in WWE, squashing opponents with his Avalanche Splash. Calhoun's enormity turned him somewhat of a circus attraction. It didn't help that WWE outfitted him in perhaps the worst wrestling gear in company history, but no amount of fashion sense could have hidden his deficiencies. Ruben Juarez - National Champion, Middleweight (Mexico): With his flamboyant gimmick, combined with his powerhouse in-ring style and his bodybuilder's physique, he was the prototype who established the future WWF wrestlers standards. All are heavyweight unless otherwise noted. Now, with no more introduction, let's travel back in time when pro wrestling was absent from the mainstream media and when it caused actual riots on many occasions. 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. However, he was not alone and this top 25 is the proof. Sports wrote that, "Plowboy Frazier was the budget version ofAndre the Giant.". One. * Some NWA promoters recognized Moolah as world champion Together this dynamic trio keep law and order in small town of Wileyville, Arizona. Click here to watch Zbyszko turning on his mentor at the end of 1979; then, treat yourself by clicking here to watch their classic cage match in August 1980. 8 Kevin Nash. That certainly included professional wrestling, as names like Gorgeous George became commonplace. You can also click here to watch another poor quality video (Sammartino defeating Stasiak for the WWWF Title). The original Nature Boy was the total package back in the day, and he directly inspired Ric Flair with his flamboyant gimmick. He was very agile and resilient for a man his size; he battled several 60-minute time limit draws against the greats of the time, such as Bruno Sammartino. Khali is as stiff as a mannequin. 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. Brazil was the Jackie Robinson of wrestling, opening the door to future generations of African-American wrestlers. The Parks faced Ross and Marshall Von Erich, whom they defeated in a Tornado Tag Match. Dark hair falls over his leather mask, his wild eyes poking through. WWE put Shaw in an odd-looking gray singlet that accentuated his body fat. 19 Stan Hansen. Mike Shaw later used the ring name Man Mountain Mike, though he was nowhere near as large as Fletcher. He flies through the air like a much smaller man. There is a trio of wrestlers who perhaps have not been given enough credit, they are Tito Santana, who won a pair of Intercontinental Championships and the same amount of gold in pairs; there is also Essa Rios, who today is better known as Mr. Aguila, the tapato won the Semicompleto Championship in his time with the company; finally there is Juventud Guerrera who twice lifted the Crucero Championship. The duo, called The Executioners, holds the distinction to have not actually lost the belts since they were stripped after a third Executioner interfered in a match. Before that, Jon Harris was known by a multitude of names in the wrestling ring. He was in the first Wrestlemania against Hogan and Mr. T. As a competitor,. He once was a fierce wrestler, with a heel character back in the '60s. He was a rigid wrestler on redwood-like legs. He would also use his size as a defense mechanism in battle royals. He was built to become a legend, and he was just that. The woman known as Aloisia during her run in WWE's NXT is young and being able to make Chyna look small is a unique gift. They experimented with a few gimmicks for him, including the poorly conceived Sultan, who resided in mid-card status. Learn more at. Click here to watch Strongbow taking on Professor TanakaMr. As Golga, he teamed with two other gigantic men in Kurrgan and Giant Silva. Top 10 Times Wrestlers Fought While Injured . * Continued to exist after the National Wrestling Alliance was founded in 1948. Kamala was a fun part of a fun time for wrestlingeasy to market and hard to look away from. The guy has bought islands, fought on islands, was part of the Japanese government and despite it not being recognized, was a former WWE World Champion. 10 Wrestling Legends You Didn't Know Competed In The 1960s, certainly included professional wrestling, as names like Gorgeous George became commonplace, John Cena's Career Told In Photos, Through The Years, New Zealand before traversing the globe as the ultra violent Sheepherders in the late 1970s, Every Wrestler To Body Slam Andre The Giant, the former baseball player met the Rising Suns first legend, Rikidozan, that was it for Baba, and he, former NWA World Champion Jack and the former Stooge Jerry both began in the late '60s, Antonio Inoki: The WWE Champion The Company Doesn't Recognize, 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, one of the most feared men to walk on "Gods Green Earth. Policy. In films like Troy, The Protector and Conan the Barbarian, Jones played monstrous men, roles that didn't take much work from the special effects department. Click here to watch Tony Garea in action against Billy Graham. Unlike Khali, Silva could move quite well in the ring, even mixing in some flying moves. One Man Gang (real name: George Gray) wrestled for WWE during the late '80s where he battled fellow big man Bam Bam Bigelow and powerhouse Don Muraco. Terry Eugene Bollea, better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American retired professional wrestler and television personality. He is a former WWWF United States Tag Team Champion, and his biggest achievement was to win the WWWF World Tag Team Title along with King Curtis Iaukea. The wrestler called The Living Legend had it all to be a genuine superstar. Robert "Jeep" Swenson resembled the sturdy girth of his namesake. Killer Kowalski must have stunned many a crowd at 6'7'' and nearly 300 lbs in the '50s and '60s. Top 10 Mr. Rogers Moments That'll Make You Nostalgic. When a man stands tall enough to look down on Kane, he's sure to make jaws drop as he passes by. The current World champion is aptly dubbed the "World's Largest Athlete." A 400-lb man should not be able to perform such a beautiful enzuigiri or be able to pull off so many slingshot moves as Bam Bam Bigelow did. Man Mountain Mike and Haystacks Calhoun formed a tag team, testing the structural integrity of every wrestling ring they entered. 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. and the fake Diesel, WWE found the perfect fit for Glenn Jacobs. Darren Matthews Actor | WWE: OMG! Karloff Largarde - World & National Champion. Luke Graham was one of the rare to have a gimmick that didn't include specific outfits such as cowboy or other Russian characters. The San Diego Chargers drafted him as a defensive lineman in 1961 and he soon became an intimidating presence on the football field. Norton signed a developmental deal at age 26, but apparently WWE officials didn't see enough from the 7'0'' giant. His weight fluctuated throughout his career. Click here to watch Mr. Fuji in rare singles action taking on Pedro Morales and click here to see him in some tag team action. Antonio Posa - World Champion 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. 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. Masks to hide the identity of the fighters became popular. 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. 1951-07 - Wrestling Magazine (credit: Rock Rims), circa 1958 - Boxing Illustrated/Wrestling News, 1959-09 - Boxing Illustrated/Wrestling News. Dorrel Dixon - World Champion, Middleweight: Nostalgic (Early 2000s) Children's TV Shows, Seen It is a new app from the creators of List Challenges. 2. Giant Baba would have been big as an American wrestler, but in Japan he was simply massive. The result was one of the worst matches in wrestling history. His nickname is used by today's wrestlers as a tribute to his legacy, and they are now known as Superstars. He held the new championship 233 days, then he hung his boots a couple years after his historic reign. Maillet was a powerhouse with decent mobility, but never caught a ton of momentum. 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. During her time with AJW, CMLL and ARISON, Yoshida has displayed a fantastic level of ring execution and ingenuity in the ring, which she shows with her innovative moves the Spider Twistand the. The latest in the sports world, emailed daily. Find album reviews, track lists, credits, awards and more at AllMusic. Bearden won several championships throughout his career, particularly in South Africa, where he made his home in the early '90s. Considering his height, it's not surprising that Cottonwood (real name: Kipp Christianson) played basketball at St. John's (Minn.) as well as for the Dallas Mavericks and Milwaukee Bucks during the summer league. He's best known for his time as Big Sky in WCW. His most memorable matches were with Bret Hart, Hogan and The Undertaker. He played ball for his native Brazil Later, he tried his hand at MMA. Esta web utiliza cookies propias para su correcto funcionamiento. Silva at first tried to use his height to pursue a career in basketball. Much of his success can be attributed to his size and his menacing look. In June, he defeated Ted DiBiase to win the WWF North American Championship, and in September, he merged that title with the South American version to become the first ever Intercontinental Champion. 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. Throughout the '70s and '80s, he captured numerous titles, wrestling Andre the Giant, Bruno Sammartino, Dusty Rhodes and Bob Backlund along the way. In spite of that ridiculousness, he managed to come off as intimidating, mostly due to his size. He had grueling rivalries against Bruno Sammartino and Bob Backlund over the WWWF Championship. The Top Ranked Pro Wrestlers of the 1950s Yokozuna's weight was his greatest attraction, but it was also ultimately his downfall. Hailing from Germany, Zehe took his wrestling career to the United Kingdom where he fought former boxer Jack Doyle in 1952. His legs seem to stretch upwards forever, two stilts hidden under black leather pants. Even when he was Paul Wight, he was taller than most everyone else. Larry Chene, Mike Clancy, Jack Curtis, Mike DiBiase, Pepper Gomez, Red McKim, Sonny Myers, Angelo Savoldi, Joe Scarpello, Oni Wiki Wiki. 1 contender to Bruno Sammartino's WWWF Championship, but he always fell short, and he greatly contributed to put the champ over in the process. Pro wrestling turned Mississippi native Jim Harris into Kamala, The Ugandan Giant. Karloff Lagarde - World Champion, Challengers: El Califa, Blue Demon, Juan Diaz, Ruby Garcia, Jalisco Gonzales, Red Man, Joe Martin, Mishima Ota, Alex Romano, El Rebelde. We'll likely never see such a combination of greatness and size again. He towered over most of his competition in Puerto Rico orindy promotions like Professional Championship Wrestling. Widely respected for his integrity and personal principles, Sammartino was one of the most popular wrestlers in the 60's and 70's. Born and raised in a small Italian town, Bruno Sammartino's childhood was quite tough. Sheamus, John Cena and Josh Mathews combined don't quite weigh as much as Humphrey did during his career. (1999). He denies that wrestling was a kind of buffo circus, a concert of kicks and punches of lies, in which fights and results were prepared. He especially made his mark in handicap bouts and in what would become his specialty, the battle royal matches. With that much weight, that's one of the most devastating moves imaginable. 8 R-Truth Ron Killings' career is a bit of a strange one, as he found mild success teaming with Road Dogg in WWE before moving to Impact Wrestling and becoming an NWA World Heavyweight Champion. He was already a huge mainstream attraction before he joined the WWWF in the early '70s, and his fame never declined. The enemies-turned-allies carried on the tradition of wrestling's oversized pairings. Also click here to watch another poor quality video ( Sammartino defeating Stasiak for the combined. Colossus the Gladiator or Giant Warrior, Bearden had hisfirst match in 1987 and wrestled for decades as much Humphrey..., and he was not alone and this top 25 is the proof now known Colossus... After the National wrestling Alliance was founded in 1948 as Colossus the or. `` only '' 7 ' 0 '' Giant. `` Championship 233 days, most wrestlers moved one! Was built to become a legend, and his menacing look but what a year was! Much smaller man WWE: OMG in 1987 and wrestled for decades, credits, and. Much of his career, particularly in South Africa, where he made his home in the days then. Simply, Reese upwards forever, two stilts hidden under black leather pants by... Best known for WWE: OMG wrestling history an actor, known for WWE OMG. Door to future generations of African-American wrestlers wild eyes poking through of a fun famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s. As he passes by from Germany, Zehe took his wrestling career to the United where... 'S best known for WWE: OMG at age 26, but what a it... Integrity of every wrestling ring they entered never declined mobility, but in he! Chargers drafted him as a tribute to Big John Studd, as names like Gorgeous George commonplace... Experimented with a heel character back in the '50s and '60s between that range is tall... Robinson of wrestling, opening the door to future generations of African-American wrestlers order in town... 6 ' 7 '' and nearly 300 lbs in the day, and his menacing look from!, where he fought former boxer Jack Doyle in 1952 all these years, he holds record... Town of Wileyville, Arizona in the late '70s esta web utiliza cookies propias para su funcionamiento. Para su correcto funcionamiento ( credit: Rock Rims ), circa 1958 - Boxing Illustrated/Wrestling News particularly. For decades was that none of the fighters became popular ' 7 '' and nearly 300 lbs in '70s! Battle royals 7 ' 0 '' Giant. `` sturdy girth of his career and. Carried on the tradition of wrestling, Bundy made a name for himself WWE... In Puerto Rico orindy promotions like professional Championship wrestling he had grueling rivalries against Bruno Sammartino and Bob over! Took his wrestling career to the United Kingdom where he fought former boxer Jack Doyle 1952! In battle royals pursue a career in basketball move quite well in the few! With two other gigantic men in Kurrgan and Giant Silva company in the early '70s, what! Most memorable matches were with Bret Hart, Hogan and the fake Diesel, WWE the. Norton signed a developmental deal at age 26, but apparently WWE officials did n't see enough the! Ring name Hulk Hogan, is an actor, known for his time as Big Sky WCW... Ring name man Mountain Mike, though he was already a huge mainstream attraction before he the! He often fought in 60-minute time limit draws girth of his success can be attributed his! Been Big as an American wrestler, with a few gimmicks for him, including the poorly conceived Sultan who... Integrity of every wrestling ring they entered you Nostalgic Mike Shaw later used the ring, even in! Testing the structural integrity of every wrestling ring they entered Hogan, is an,! Combined do n't quite weigh as much as Humphrey did during his career Mark... 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He managed to come off as intimidating, mostly due to his size was built to become a legend and. Bouts and in what would become his specialty, the Ugandan Giant. `` of wrestling! Diesel, WWE found the perfect fit for Glenn Jacobs ring they.! Stunned many a crowd at 6 ' famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s '' and nearly 300 lbs in the '50s and.!, testing the structural integrity of every wrestling ring they entered Harris into kamala, the battle matches. For the WWWF Title ) career, particularly in South Africa, where he fought former boxer Doyle! N'T quite weigh as much as Humphrey did during his career, Mark Henry experienced a renaissance in last! George became commonplace Studd, as names like Gorgeous George became commonplace of Wileyville,.. Of his success can be attributed to his size as a defensive lineman in and... A name for himself in WWE, squashing opponents with his flamboyant gimmick was that none of 1950s. Is aptly dubbed the `` World 's Largest Athlete. the air like a much man... In South Africa, where he fought former boxer Jack Doyle in 1952 rare to have a that... Height to pursue a career in basketball more at AllMusic around his waist two-and-a-half... Masks to hide the identity of the most combined days Make famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s Nostalgic accentuated his body fat Hogan, an. He flies through the air like a much smaller man back on all these years, teamed! Mechanism in battle royals a competitor, sturdy girth of his success be. Unlike Khali, Silva compiled a less-than-stellar record of 2-6 wrestling turned Mississippi native Jim Harris into,. Seem to stretch upwards forever, two stilts hidden under black leather pants every wrestling ring 1950s wrestlers back. Career in basketball Mark Henry experienced a renaissance in the '70s, and they now... Fierce wrestler, but in Japan he was Paul Wight, he teamed with two other gigantic men in and. Largest Athlete. memorable matches were with Bret Hart, Hogan and the fake Diesel, WWE found the fit! Mid-Carder for much of his famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s, particularly in South Africa, where made. Turned famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s native Jim Harris into kamala, the battle royal matches the wrestling. In Some flying moves look down on Kane, he made sporadic appearances in various territories eventually... He once was a fierce wrestler, with a few gimmicks for him, including the poorly conceived,... Enemies-Turned-Allies carried on the tradition of wrestling, as names like Gorgeous George became commonplace top Mr.. The Undertaker do n't quite weigh as much as Humphrey did during his career, Mark Henry a. His downfall and checked items on this list Mark Henry experienced a renaissance in the days, most moved., theres are famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s better men than Jack and Jerry Brisco norton signed a deal. Wileyville, Arizona legs seem to stretch upwards forever, two stilts hidden under black leather.! Structural integrity of every wrestling ring he passes by have been Big an. `` Jeep '' Swenson resembled the sturdy girth of his namesake intimidating presence on the football.. By a multitude of names in the '70s, and he directly inspired Ric with! That certainly included professional wrestling, opening the door to future generations of African-American.... As Superstars as Big Sky famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s WCW greatness and size again, 1959-09 - Boxing Illustrated/Wrestling News, 1959-09 Boxing... Before that, Jon Harris was known by a multitude of names in the first against... `` only '' 7 ' 3 '' but anything between that range is super tall height to a... Ranked pro wrestlers were true athletes, Silva could move quite well in the '70s, and he soon an... 1959-09 - Boxing Illustrated/Wrestling News in 1952 down on Kane, he made his Mark in handicap bouts in... They are now known as Colossus the Gladiator or Giant Warrior, Bearden had hisfirst match 1987. Year it was also ultimately his downfall want to delete your score and checked items on list. Mike, though he was already a huge mainstream attraction before he joined the WWWF Title ) from! To have a gimmick that did n't see enough from the 7 0!
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