Acknowledged as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, Sammartino's legacy began in 1959 and lasted until his final match in October of 1981. . I knew it was all done; I just knew I couldnt produce like I once did. 2/19/68 Bruno won with the backbreaker on Bull Ramos before 13,059 fans in the first match at the new MSG. [20] Sammartino held the WWWF World Heavyweight Championship for seven years, eight months, and one day (2,803 days). 27.06.1987. 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. WWF House Show - House Show @ Boutwell Auditorium in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. George Steele: WWWF Baltimore Show (Apr '77) Apr 30th 1977: Billy Graham: There are paper champions, there are fighting champions, and there are champions who scarcely put their gold up for grabs. Georgiann Makropoulos she used to write a lot of wrestling stuff and had been the president of Rogers fan club and then sometime later became the president of my fan club went to him, and she then went to me, and she said, Please, its been all these years. [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. After handing over ME duties to Alex Richards, he remains a frequent contributor to the site. Between Antonino Rocca and Bruno Sammartino they went with the younger Sammartino who was 28 years old at the time. Sammartino, professional wrestling's "Living Legend" and one of its longest-reigning champions, has died. He will be remembered as one of the greatest champions in wrestling history, with a combined title reign of over 11 years and more than . title(s) WWWF MSG Show (Dec '63) Dec 16th 1963: Bruno Sammartino (c) def. WWWF Heavyweight Champion (2x) 1237 days. I didnt get as great as I did in wrestling by not loving it. Wrestlers Who Shouldnt Have Followed Fathers Footsteps, Vince McMahon, Fabulous Moolah, and the Wendi Richter Screwjob, With Bruno Sammartino on His Final-Ever Christmas, WWE Greatest Royal Rumble Fluke Finish A Throwback to a Classic, Larry Hennig: Much More Than Mr. Perfects Dad, Nikolai Volkoff: A Hero, a Legend, and My Friend, Mark Madden His Controversial Career in Pro Wrestling, Bruno Sammartino and Vince McMahons Venomous 25-Year Feud, Buddy Rogers The Man Who Drove a Wedge in the NWA. Sammartino then finished up his full-time career by touring Japan. You can check out an almost unlimited array of WWE content, including these Sasha Banks matches on theWWE Network. Page 12, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, May 18, 1963. In 1986, Sammartino competed in a 20-man battle royal at WrestleMania 2 at the Rosemont Horizon in Chicago. News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. I worked in pain. [5] He trained in wrestling with Rex Peery, the University of Pittsburgh team coach. Sammartino won the title on May 17, 1963, defeating Rogers in 48 seconds. He is the living legend, Bruno Sammartino.JOIN US and hit SUBSCRIBE!https://cultaholic.com/https://www.. By Robert D. McFadden. Bruno Sammartino's legendary title reign was so long, that if CM Punk had kept the title since winning it at Money in the Bank 2011, he would only be matching it today. The World's Most Entertaining Car Website. Now four years later, he was taking the World Champion to the limit in a title defence. [28] The suit was eventually settled out of court by McMahon Sr's son, Vince McMahon after his father had died, and included an agreement for Sammartino to return to the company as a commentator. In the late 1960s, Sammartino was involved in a fight with former Pennsylvania Athletic Commissioner Joe Cimino. Indianpolis, Indiana: . Preview: MLW FUSION Jacob Fatu vs. ACH (01/20/21), Preview: IMPACT! On May 8, 2017, a statue of Bruno Sammartino was unveiled in his hometown of Pizzoferrato, Italy. [26] As the main event of 1980's Showdown at Shea, Sammartino defeated Zbyszko inside a steel cage. I cant explain it". A sold-out Garden. 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 successfully defended the belt against both Ali and The Miz before being recently dethroned by Braun Strowman on the lastWWE Smackdownepisode in January. Bruno's belt was briefly worn by Ivan Kohloff, 3. Bruno Sammartino holds a legendary wrestling career spanning nearly a quarter century from 1959 to 1982. B. Brian Blair, Big John Studd, Bill Fralic, Bret Hart, Bruno Sammartino, Danny Spivey, Ernie Holmes, . Ivan was awarded Bruno's owntitle belt and carried itfor several weeks during his championship reign. Bruno Sammartinos incredible reign as the World Champion in WWWF (now WWE) still remains as the longest singular reign as a pro wrestling World Champion by a male wrestler (Fabulous Moolah had two reigns as NWA Worlds Women Champion over 3,000 days). Flair had denigrated Sammartino's wrestling ability in his book To Be the Man. [41][bettersourceneeded] Both were only released in Pittsburgh. "Did I really say to him, We can do this the easy way or the hard way? Rogers retired prior to their scheduled title rematch on October 4, 1963, in Jersey City, New Jersey's Roosevelt Stadium. In the many years that have since passed, the phrase, "We can do this the easy way or the hard way!" [11] This made him an easy target for bullies at Schenley High School. 5 Bruno Sammartino WWE Champion, 2803 Days. On April 6, 2013, Sammartino received the Key to the City in Jersey City, New Jersey. In 2019, Bruno Sammartino:The Autobiography of Wrestlings Living Legendwas released. 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. From that point, Bruno Sammartino held the title for seven years, eight . Considering the title switch a screwjob, Rogers left the NWA and Capitol Sports seceded from the NWA, rebranding as WWWF and recognizing Rogers as the true World Champion by awarding him the first ever WWWF World Heavyweight Championship in April of 1963. Many wonder which duo will be next in line to hold these belts. Sammartino continued doing commentary on Superstars of Wrestling until March 1988.[17]. According to PWInsider, Northeast promoters refuse to recognize the title change since it was a one-fall match (title matches back then were two out of three falls). He wrestled then NWA World Heavyweight Champion Harley Race to a one-hour draw in St. Louis. Bruno Sammartino: Directed by Patrea Patrick. While Sammartino remained a popular champion in his second run, before losing to Superstar Billy Graham in April of 1977, it failed to capture the magic of the first run. Dr. Jerry Graham: WWWF World Heavyweight Title: WWWF MSG Show (Nov '63) Nov 18th 1963: . 1 Hour 35 Minutes. No creases or tear After my heart attack, I told myself to forget [wrestling]. Also on the card, the newest member of Valkyrie, Serena Deeb faces Angelina Love. That said, Sammartino's record is likely safe, as it's difficult to imagine WWE ever putting a title on someone even remotely as long as his top reign. WWE fan? 21.07.1973 - 05.01.1974. [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. Bruno Sammartino was the rock that WWE was built upon. [10] His devotion to weightlifting nearly resulted in a berth on the 1956 U.S. Olympic team, which went instead to eventual gold medalist Paul Anderson. 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. . Answer (1 of 3): I don't think there's any actual record of how many times he defended the belt, because back then there were no RAW or Smackdown television shows, I don't think they were even doing pay-per-views at the time, wrestling back then was totally different, I wasn't born in the 60s but. Still an affiliate under the banner of the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), Sammartino felt he was stuck in a holding pattern behind NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion, Nature Boy Buddy Rogers, who was Capitols biggest star since winning NWAs top prize in 1961. 10. "Superstar Billy Graham & Ivan Koloff v. Bruno Sammartino & Gorilla Monsoon (Graham scores ANOTHER pinfall over the WWWF Champ! It is now impossible due to records to appropriately assess just how many times Bruno defended the belt in this period, but by today's standards it would be seen as him participating in a minimal number of defenses. Bruno had the belt polished andthen maintained personal ownership of his prized possession until he passed away on April 18, 2018. Even though his popularity is attributed heavily to his Italian roots, I think he was just the hard-working European immigrant that hit a chord with everyone, Prof. Ouch of Professor Ouchs Bizarre Bazaar & Odditorium in Philadelphia told The Wrestling Estate in 2018 following Sammartinos death in 2018. 78 days. 18.06.1987. Rogers dropped the title. 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. I went in that ring". Bruno Sammartino defeated Nature Boy Buddy Rogers to become the WWWF World Champion. As the final entrant on this list, Ricochet is unique in the fact that during his NXT North American Championship reign he was actually unsuccessful in ever once retaining his belt on pay per view, losing it in his first defense at an NXT Takeover. They had three sons together, David and fraternal twins Danny and Darryl. 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. 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. But the amount of defenses pales in comparison to the length of time Dunne held the gold. But I made sure I kept my word, and I went through with the match. It's especially telling when you compare Sammartino's 2nd reign that was 1237 days long (or about 4 years) and he had 195 title defenses during all that. The program will feature commentary by Richert and by Darryl Sammartino, Bruno's son, per the release. Looking to talk wrestling, pro football, or any number of sports? Interestingly, Thesz beat Rogers in a three falls rematch on February 7th, 1963, in Toronto, a result often forgotten. 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. Of time Dunne held the WWWF World Heavyweight title: WWWF World Champion the limit in a three rematch... The WWWF World Heavyweight title: WWWF World Champion to the length of time Dunne held the for. 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