Bruno Sammartino is one of the defining legends from WWE history. On February 20 2012, Wagner beat Bruno Sammartino's record, and as of today, has kept the title for over 3195 days. So, that was the big break, if you will. 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. But the amount of defenses pales in comparison to the length of time Dunne held the gold. After his second reign ended, Sammartino leisurely toured the U.S. and the world. The very business model of television/pay per view that Vince McMahon's WWE now runs off of was non-existent. Let me tell you a little story that happened here in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. California honored the other state's suspension, leaving Sammartino out of work. WWF House Show - House Show @ Boutwell Auditorium in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. It was dead silence as the new champion left the ring with Albano behind him. Bruno was shattered but more because his body had finally exhausted all its strength after a rugged past decade from fighting for his spot to defending it around the world than at actually losing the title. 11. Sammartino would go on to hold the title for 2,803 days, nearly eight years(! The climax of their feud came was a victory for Sammartino and Santana in a steel cage match in Madison Square Garden. You can check out an almost unlimited array of WWE content, including these Sasha Banks matches on theWWE Network. 27.06.1987. Chants of Bruno! WWWF Heavyweight Champion (2x) 1237 days. They got away withthe 1963-1965 version of the WWWF Championship. 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. Though they appeared on-screen a fairly considerable amount during this time, the cocky heels were unwilling to perform with their belts on the line very regularly in the earlier days of NXT. Very bad feelings. During one title reign he held the belt for an astonishing 2,803 days, a period positively unheard of in today's wrestling climate. That match meant so much to me because that put me at the top. Sammartino instead that night had his first match against new number one contender, Gorilla Monsoon. Finn Balor looks set to add one more to this list as he has his gun-fingers set on the Austrian this upcomingWrestlemaniaweekend. [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. Sammartino, shocked and hurt by Zbyszko's betrayal, vowed to make Zbyszko pay dearly. It was in 1968, returning to Montreal to work for International Wrestling Association (IWA) Montreal that he became Ivan Koloff, winning the IWA Montreal World Heavyweight title from Johnny Rougeau that July. Bruno!from 20,000 fans at sold-out Madison Square Garden in New York City reverberated from the rafters a record-setting 187 timesduring hiswrestling career. 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 . An ever-increasing argument in today's wrestling world, in light of a continued use of part-time stars from yesteryear like Goldberg and Brock Lesnar, is how often should we realistically see the world champion defend their belt in televised appearances? On last night's episode of Table For 3. [4], Sammartino made his professional debut in Pittsburgh on December 17, 1959, pinning Dmitri Grabowski in 19 seconds. often gets attributed to other wrestling stories. His biggest moment was winning the WWWF heavyweight title from the legendary Bruno Sammartino. Buddy ROGERS vs. Bruno SAMMARTINO NWA WORLD TITLE. Bruno's belt was briefly worn by Ivan Kohloff, 3. [9], Bruno Leopoldo Francesco Sammartino was born in Pizzoferrato, Abruzzo, Italy, to Alfonso and Emilia Sammartino on October 6, 1935. Bruno's belt now appearsin an acclaimed film, 9. Despite this mammoth title reign length, Pete Dunne barely defended his belt in televised appearances. As for "Bruno Finally Wins Mat Title," the 260-pound, 27-year-old Pittsburgh matter scored a two-fall win over the long-time champion "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers, 42, 235-pounds of Camden, New Jersey. 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. Legend claims that promoters dragged Buddy Rogers out of his hospital bed just days before his May 17th, 1963 title bout against Bruno Sammartino, forcing him into the match after suffering a heart attack six weeks before. FILE - In this Nov. 30, 2000, file photo, former pro wrestler Bruno Sammartino, 65, poses with a painting of him in his pro wrestling prime weighing 275 pounds in 1965 at age 35, in his Pittsburgh . Sometimes, be they world champions, tag team champions, or otherwise, champions have commitments outside of their championship. Two weeks before the Madison Square Garden show, I wrestled him on TV in Washington, DC. [46] May 17, 2013 was declared "Bruno Sammartino Day" in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. But as the quiet began to work back into a rumble, the fear of fan outburst became real. Bruno Sammartino was the rock that WWE was built upon. 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. [15] With Whipper Billy Watson, Sammartino won his first professional wrestling championship in September 1962, the local version of the International Tag Team Championship. . 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 . May 20 - USA Event: Bruno . Some of the nearly 20,000 Madison Square Garden fans watched as Sammartino defeated his . We took a picture, but we never spoke a word to each other" (Laughs). The IIconics hold the claim to being the second ever WWE Women's Tag Team Champions, beating the team of Sasha Banks and Bayley atWrestlemania. "One of the finest men I knew, in life and in business," WWE chairman Vince McMahon said . . Imagine doing something all those years and loving it all of a sudden, you never do it again. Author: Matt Pender Jan. 10, 2023. 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 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. They competed in four defenses during their reign, but its worth noting that one of these was against enhancement talent in a squash match, which can barely be considered as a legitimate defense. Just about. When McMahon Sr. gestured for them to shake hands, both wordlessly turned and walked away. His most notable title defense was a time limit draw with Bruno Sammartino at a Shea Stadium show in 1972. RELATED: 10 Failed WWE Champions That Should Have Worked. After regaining the title in December 1973 . [50][51] WWE honored his life with a ten-bell salute before a house show in Cape Town later that day, and again on the April 23 episode of Raw in St. With John Atkins, Angela Capri, Primo Carnera, John Cena. Preview: MLW FUSION Jacob Fatu vs. ACH (01/20/21), Preview: IMPACT! He lives in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, with his wife and son. HISTORY: : Sugar Ray Leonard was the winner of a gold medal at the 1976 Summer Olympics. Ivan was awarded Bruno's owntitle belt and carried itfor several weeks during his championship reign. 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. 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. On April 3, 2014, Paul Triple H Levesque revealed an official WWE statue to recognize The Living Legend Bruno Sammartino. Tickets to the screening are $15 for adults, $10 for members and $5 for children. Sammartino actually . On April 30, 1977, he was defeated by Superstar Billy Graham for the title. 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. ~~~Bruno Sammartino would hold the WWWF World title for an incredible EIGHT years straight! SOURCES: 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.". [29], Sammartino's final match was at a WWF house show in Baltimore on August 29, 1987, where he teamed up with Hulk Hogan to defeat King Kong Bundy and One Man Gang in the main event. Lesnar now holds the WWE title which has been in his grasp for over 150 days, meaning we could see yet another long title reign with minimal defenses from the beast in the ensuing months, depending on whether or not he retains against Drew McIntyre. Fortunately for Bruno Sammartino, his time had now arrived. Eager to recapture the support of the immigrant wave that had carried Bruno Sammartino for nearly eight years, McMahon hoped that Morales would appeal to the growing Hispanic audience as Bruno had for Europeans. He also wrestled and defeated Blackjack Mulligan, Lord Alfred Hayes, Dick Murdoch, Kenji Shibuya, and "Crippler" Ray Stevens. 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. Sold-out Madison Square Garden 189 times! He also acted as special guest referee in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) for a series of matches between Flair and Randy Savage in June 1996. PWSTees.com Your favorite Pro Wrestling Stories, on a tee! 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. Head on over to theLWOS Boardsto engage in conversation with fellow fans! After leaving the WWF, Sammartino became an outspoken critic of the path on which Vincent K. McMahon had taken professional wrestling. When the doctor heard that, he called Paul Sullivan, who was the head of the state athletic commission. In many ways, it was a full circle. He can be reached by e-mail at matthew.pender@hotmail.co.nz. A sold-out Garden. Buddy Rogers was wrestling every day and he was NOT in a hospital. Sammartino won the title on May 17, 1963, defeating Rogers in 48 seconds. WWE continues to be unsure of how exactly to present Shinsuke, and it may now be a case of them not knowing just how good they've got it until its gone. 78 days. The quotes made from Bruno Sammartino and Buddy Rogers were originally compiled by Matt Pender and shared here with thanks to our friends over at Wrestlings Glory Days Facebook page. Buddy Rogers made these claims in a couple of appearances that he made after losing the belt. His decision to loan the artifact to the IPWHF will not only benefit this organization but allows us to preserve and share thelegacy of the greatest wrestling champion of all time, Bruno Sammartino. (Hornby had 12,989) Rogers retired prior to their scheduled title rematch on October 4, 1963, in Jersey City, New Jersey's Roosevelt Stadium. 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. Lou Thesz, a 2x NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion and one of NWAs most historic champions, defeated Rogers for the Ten Pounds of Gold ironically in Maple Leaf Wrestling at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto ending Rogers World title reign at 573-days. Many wonder which duo will be next in line to hold these belts. This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. You couldnt achieve a higher goal than winning the title. In the summer of 1960 James M. 21.07.1973 - 05.01.1974. Sammartino was living proof of the American Dream, an immigrant who left a wartorn time to become an accomplished athlete. Now four years later, he was taking the World Champion to the limit in a title defence. [10][11] During World War II, Pizzoferrato was invaded by troops of the Waffen SS, leading Emilia to hide Sammartino and his siblings in a remote hideout at the top of a nearby mountain called Valla Rocca. [52][53] Mayor Bill Peduto remembered him as "one of the greatest ambassadors the city of Pittsburgh ever had."[54]. Matches. [41][bettersourceneeded] Both were only released in Pittsburgh. Three years after his stunning defeat, Bruno won the WWE Title for a second time. Bruno Sammartino. Dubbed "The Italian Strongman"[3] and "The Strongest Man in the World"[6] early in his career, Sammartino later earned the title "The Living Legend". 10. From that point, Bruno Sammartino held the title for seven years, eight . 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. 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. Brunopresented hisbelt toPedro Morales, 4. Ivan Koloff backstage with manager Captain Lou Albano after defeating Bruno Sammartino (Photo: PWI) Sadly, Koloff's reign was short-lived. 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. In addition, Ivelisse has her first title defense against Mercedes Martinez. Remarkably, Pedro Morales original golden eagle belt was procured from a pawn shop in Manhattan in late 1974/early 1975 for $75 by renowned wrestling historian, Tom Burke. Sammartino finally lost the WWE Championship in January 1971 . Although this promotion was big in its hay-day, I can't find some reliable sources that Wagner keeps defending the title. [23], Eventually, on December 10, 1973, Sammartino regained the WWWF Heavyweight Championship by defeating Stan Stasiak. AIR Awareness Outreach; AIR Business Lunch & Learn; AIR Community of Kindness; AIR Dogs: Paws For Minds AIR Hero AIR & NJAMHAA Conference There are paper champions, there are fighting champions, and there are champions who scarcely put their gold up for grabs. Bruno Leopoldo Francesco Sammartino (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). Sammartino is honored on the Madison Square Garden Walk of Fame. His ability to speak Italian also ingratiated him with that immigrant population. On AXS (1/19/21) Eric Young versus Rhino. 'The Living Legend' held the world title for over 11 . Twitter: @JustSKendall ", Disclaimer, Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and Disclosure. [14], Feeling like he was being held back in the New York territory in favor of National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) star Buddy Rogers, Sammartino gave his notice to Capitol Wrestling Corporation (CWC) owner Vince McMahon Sr. and planned to go to San Francisco to work for Roy Shire. It took 14 minutes and 55 seconds for Ivan Koloff to defeat Bruno Sammartino that night in New York City. They therefore defended the titles only just once every month, in their 120 day title reign, though looking back its hard to even remember these matches as their reign in the memories of many lasted a long time with minimal matches or moments of note. Soon after, Sammartino and then champion Pedro Morales teamed up for a series of tag team matches. 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. "Did I really say to him, We can do this the easy way or the hard way? That victory in 48 seconds began a 2,803-day reign that stands today as the longest in history, by far. Bruno only gave up his championship when he wanted to, and there was one championship belt he . Bruno had the belt polished andthen maintained personal ownership of his prized possession until he passed away on April 18, 2018. 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. They were grandparents of four grandchildren. 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. [30], Sammartino's highest-profile feud during this run was with "Macho Man" Randy Savage. If he does, it remains to be seen who could defeat him in 2020. 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 . 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). I cant explain it". He went on to win the World Welterweight and Middleweight Titles. "Superstar Billy Graham v. Bruno Sammartino (MSG 1/12/76) 22. [35], On March 25, 2010, Sammartino was honored at the 74th annual Dapper Dan Dinner, a popular awards and charity fundraising event in Pittsburgh, with a lifetime achievement award, for which fellow former Studio Wrestling personalities Bill Cardille, "Jumping" Johnny DeFazio, Dominic DeNucci, Frank Durso, and referee Andy "Kid" DePaul were all present. We never spoke again. He held the company's top title from 1963 to 1971 and again from 1973 to 1977. [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. The superstitious blamed New York's descent into hell in the 1970s as punishment for Bruno losing the title. [12][11] During this time, his mother would sneak into their German-occupied town for food and supplies. [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. Matt Pender is an old-school wrestling fan who currently lives in New Zealand. title(s) WWWF MSG Show (Dec '63) Dec 16th 1963: Bruno Sammartino (c) def. 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. [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. 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. [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. Bruno's belt appears on a statue in his hometown, 7. 2022. 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. In 2019, Bruno Sammartino:The Autobiography of Wrestlings Living Legendwas released. May 17 - USA Event: Buddy Rogers (c) vs. Bruno Sammartino - Singles match Sammartino won by submission at 0:48. Any working guy could relate to Bruno the way they related to Steve Austin many years later. Bruno Sammartino often mentioned Don Leo Jonathan when he was asked about his toughest foes. In a televised match, Professor Toru Tanaka blinded both men with salt and they were maneuvered into fighting each other. The International Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame is proud to enshrine this beautiful and pricelesschampionship belt as the centerpiece of ourmuseum collection. [4][10] He was the youngest of seven children, four of whom died during his early childhood. [43][44], Sammartino was married to his wife Carol from 1959 until his death in 2018. [20] Sammartino took a hiatus from the company in 1971 and 1972 working in Japan, and various territories. Cimino was new to his post and intervened in a match finish involving Sammartino, who took a shot at Cimino in the ring and the argument continued backstage. So, as far as I was concerned, Bruno never stood a chance with me. Any fifteen-year-old kid coulda beat me that night. [31] This allowed Savage to keep the championship, as titles cannot change hands via countout or disqualification. Matches. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Sammartino was the longest-reigning champion in the history of what's now known as WWE. While on his way to California, he missed two bookings in Baltimore and Chicago, and as a result was suspended in those territories. In CM Punk's 434 day reign, he defended the title 141 times, or an average of just over once every three . This was the first reign in which part-time champions were called into question, as Lesnar rarely showed up on television to make his presence as the world champion felt and rarer still were the times he actually stepped into the ring to wrestle. Sammartino worked as a commentator for the Universal Wrestling Federation. Tributes from the world of wrestling began flocking in shortly after news of Sammartino's passing, with WWE . It will be interesting to see what will happens with Reigns going forward, and if WWE plans to give . Following the match, thieves smashed a window and broke into Brunos car while he was having dinner. When Pat Sullivan heard that, he immediately stopped Buddy Rogers from going to the ring, but he also informed all the state athletic commissions that he was revoking his license until they found out if, in fact, there was a problem. He would not be declared champion until April 29th, 1963, having won a fictional tournament in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. After Bruno defeated Rogers, just one month later, the first official WWWF (WWE) World Championship was designed. . [26] In his autobiography, Hulk Hogan claimed that his match with Andr the Giant was the real reason for the huge draw at Shea Stadium; however, the feud between Sammartino and Zbyszko sold out everywhere in the build-up to the show. The early years of the organization were definitely different than modern times, where one of pro wrestling's most iconic wrestlers held the title for a jaw-dropping 11 years. [49], Sammartino underwent heart surgery in 2011. Sammartino faced Piper in both singles and tag team matches. But I made sure I kept my word, and I went through with the match. During one title reign he held the belt for an astonishing 2,803 days, a period positively unheard of in today's wrestling climate. As mentioned above, WALTERbecame the man to recently dethrone Pete Dunne's colossal NXT UK title reign. Pedro then began to use the first golden eagle title design for the rest of his WWWF Championship run. 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. "Bruno Sammartino proved that hard work can overcome even the most difficult of circumstances. 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 ended up in a screaming match with Cimino on Pittsburgh's local Studio Wrestling program, and Cimino suspended him for a month. Bruno Sammartino (Title defense by Bruno. Indianpolis, Indiana: . It was the hardest thing in my life to go out of wrestling. I was in that hospital for up to 5 days before I wrestled. [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. Also on the card, the newest member of Valkyrie, Serena Deeb faces Angelina Love. [11] In 1998, he said he had been estranged from David since retiring from wrestling against David's wishes for a tag team.[45]. (1965-1971) Bruno Sammartino is the greatest world champion in the history of professional wrestling. In New York, you go through an extensive physical to get your license, and every night before you wrestled, you had a physical in the dressing room. Sammartino successfully retained his title 653 times, including 62 defenses in MSG alone, before . In 1980, he won the tag team titles with Bob Backlund and was the Intercontinental Champion during the early '80s. Sammartino, an Italian immigrant who ruled the WWE throughout the 1960s and 1970s, died Wednesday at the age of 82. Now, here's the tricky thing. After refusing McMahon Sr.'s initial offer, Sammartino was offered a percentage of all the gates when he wrestled and a decreased work schedule that only included major arenas. [7] Known for his powerful bearhug[4][5] finishing move, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time. Bobo Brazil & Bruno Sammartino & Buddy Austin & Pedro Morales: def. Gorgeous George screwed over Chief Don Eagle, BUDDY ROGERS: The Man Who Drove a Wedge in the NWA. (Use code PWS for a nice surprise). He was quickly recruited by Capitol Sports Wrestling (the precursor to WWWF, founded by Jess McMahon and Toots Mondt in 1948, and now under control by Jesss son, Vince McMahon Sr.), but in 1962 he left the promotion. Italian-born American professional wrestler (19352018), World Wide Wrestling Federation/World Wrestling Federation (19631981), First World Heavyweight Championship reign (19631971), Second World Heavyweight Championship reign (19721977), Later career and initial retirement (19781981), Non-wrestling roles and WWE Hall of Fame (19882018), During Sammartino's second reign the title was known as WWWF Heavyweight Championship, due to the WWWF rejoining the, the longest single reign in the promotion's history, WWF Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship, Ross Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum, George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame, International Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame, NWA United States Heavyweight Championship, World Wrestling Association (Indianapolis), WWC North American Heavyweight Championship, Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame, "Bruno Sammartino, Durable Champ in WWE Hall of Fame, Dies at 82", "APRIL 30, 2018 WRESTLING OBSERVER NEWSLETTER: THE STORY OF BRUNO SAMMARTINO CONTINUED". Promoters Mondt and McMahon Sr. cleared up Sammartino's suspension by paying his $500 fine, allowing him to return to wrestling in the United States. He began working in the NWA territories, such as Georgia Championship Wrestling, St. Louis Wrestling Club, NWA Mid America, and others. That made me the number one guy I was going to be the headliner after that, you know? Sammartino would eventually get the upper hand in the feud, by defeating Piper in a steel cage match at the Boston Garden. RELATED: Ruthless Aggression: 10 Title Reigns (That We Completely Forgot About). To clear up a common misconception, Rogers was not immediately named WWWF World Heavyweight Champion. It was no different on the night of May 17, 1963, when. Sammartino retired from North American wrestling full-time in 1981,[10] in a match that opened the Meadowlands Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Their feud culminated on August 9, 1980, in front of 36,295 fans at Shea Stadium. Dr. Jerry Graham: WWWF World Heavyweight Title: WWWF MSG Show (Nov '63) Nov 18th 1963: . The main reason the question of part-time champions was first raised was due to the resurgence of Brock Lesnar. Bruno Sammartino: Directed by Patrea Patrick. He would later return for two brief comebacks, and much later as a manager. 1959, pinning Dmitri Grabowski in 19 seconds 44 ], Sammartino underwent surgery... 1/19/21 ) Eric Young versus Rhino children, four of whom died during Championship... Matt Pender is an old-school wrestling fan who currently lives in New Zealand Ray... Bruno only gave up his Championship reign ourmuseum collection Grabowski in 19 seconds Man Drove! World of wrestling Washington, DC was the rock that WWE was built upon died Wednesday at Boston! The big break, if you will greatest World champion to the resurgence of Lesnar! Medal at the top of the American Dream, an Italian immigrant who ruled the WWE throughout the and... 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