He wrestled then NWA World Heavyweight Champion Harley Race to a one-hour draw in St. Louis. On January 22, 1980, his former student Larry Zbyszko turned on him at the World Wrestling Federation's Championship Wrestling show. B. Brian Blair, Big John Studd, Bill Fralic, Bret Hart, Bruno Sammartino, Danny Spivey, Ernie Holmes, . 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. But as the quiet began to work back into a rumble, the fear of fan outburst became real. [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). George "The Animal" Steele would wrestle Sammartino for the WWWF title every summer in arenas throughout the northeast. Just 48 seconds later, Bruno Sammartino was the new champ, and a hero was born. 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. [11] In 1950,[13] she and the children joined her husband in Pittsburgh. 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. Sammartino continued doing commentary on Superstars of Wrestling until March 1988.[17]. It was the hardest thing in my life to go out of wrestling. Bruno Leopoldo Francesco Sammartino was an Italian-born American professional wrestler, best known for his work with the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF, now WWE). His ability to speak Italian also ingratiated him with that immigrant population. Bruno! If he does, it remains to be seen who could defeat him in 2020. I was so beat in so many ways; I was never one to even take an aspirin. Sammartino would go on to hold the title for 2,803 days, nearly eight years(! Indianpolis, Indiana: . 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. In 2006, Bruno Sammartino personally commissioned an autobiographical documentary film, 5. It was no different on the night of May 17, 1963, whenBruno Sammartino defeated Nature Boy Buddy Rogers to become the WWWF World Champion. By Ian Carey Feb 5, 2023. As mentioned above, WALTERbecame the man to recently dethrone Pete Dunne's colossal NXT UK title reign. Sammartino teamed with Paul Orndorff in his matches against Piper, while Piper would tag with his "bodyguard", Ace "Cowboy" Bob Orton. Jamie Greer joined LWOPW in 2015 and was the site's Managing Editor from 2016 through 2020. 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. 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. He began working in the NWA territories, such as Georgia Championship Wrestling, St. Louis Wrestling Club, NWA Mid America, and others. "[Its been] said that when I wrestled Rogers for the title, the reason was Rogers had had a heart attack and had to be helped to the ring, and thats how he lost the belt. Bruno! Interestingly, Thesz beat Rogers in a three falls rematch on February 7th, 1963, in Toronto, a result often forgotten. Louis. 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. 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. Rogers dropped the title. In 2006, Bruno Sammartino personally commissioned an autobiographical documentary film, Bruno Sammartino: Behind The Championship Belt. That victory in 48 seconds began a 2,803-day reign that stands today as the longest in history, by far. Can you imagine it? 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". On September 27, 1965, Bruno wrestled Tarzan Tyler in Madison Square Garden. WWWF World Championship. ~~~Bruno Sammartino would hold the WWWF World title for an incredible EIGHT years straight! Sammartino successfully retained his title 653 times, including 62 defenses in MSG alone, before . There are paper champions, there are fighting champions, and there are champions who scarcely put their gold up for grabs. Sammartino retired from North American wrestling full-time in 1981,[10] in a match that opened the Meadowlands Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey. 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. 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). 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. That record will never be broken. 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. [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. Samuel Kendall is a freelance writer predominantly covering film, video games and professional wrestling. On May 8, 2017, a statue of Bruno Sammartino was unveiled in his hometown of Pizzoferrato, Italy. 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]. 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.". Of all the statues created byWWE, including AndrThe Giant, Ultimate Warrior, Dusty Rhodes, Ric Flair, and Rowdy Roddy Piper, only the Bruno statue wearsa championship belt. Flair had denigrated Sammartino's wrestling ability in his book To Be the Man. COVID-19 tripped those plans and the "new" film was released in the spring of 2022. On April 6, 2013, Sammartino received the Key to the City in Jersey City, New Jersey. (Use code PWS for a nice surprise). Despite this, the reign lasted for alengthy 161 days. In 2013, Sammartino appeared as one of the Board of Governors in the nationally televised 69th Annual Columbus Day Parade. Related. 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). Sammartino is honored on the Madison Square Garden Walk of Fame. In 1971, Gorilla Monsoon and Phil Zacko gave Bruno Sammartino the belt that he had carried from 1965-1971 to keep. (According to Wrestledata.com, the two were on opposing ends of a tag team contest in 1960. WWE Hall of Famer Bruno Sammartino revealed why his record-setting WWWF title reign ended. Sammartino pinned George "The Animal" Steele in his match. It was my whole life. 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 . 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. 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. By Robert D. McFadden. May 20 - USA Event: Bruno . Head on over to theLWOS Boardsto engage in conversation with fellow fans! I looked around the arena. 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. [36], In 2013, Sammartino accepted an invitation for induction into the WWE Hall of Fame, after having declined several times in prior years. Sammartino actually . 2/19/68 Bruno won with the backbreaker on Bull Ramos before 13,059 fans in the first match at the new MSG. So, as far as I was concerned, Bruno never stood a chance with me. 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 . Boston 1/17/76) Disk 2 . Lengthy championships are a big aspect in wrestling, but it is definitely easier when the champion does not frequently have to defend his title. Brunopresented hisbelt toPedro Morales, 4. "Did I really say to him, We can do this the easy way or the hard way? He currently writes for both CBR and TheSportster including features, list articles and news. 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. Company policy meant that Sammartino could not hold two championships simultaneously, so he was replaced by Victor Rivera. [7] Later that year, he won the International Tag Team Championship for the second time by teaming with Dominic DeNucci. RELATED: 10 Failed WWE Champions That Should Have Worked. Shinsuke Nakamuraheld the WWE Intercontinental Championship for a total of 201 days throughout the latter half of 2019. Bruno's belt was briefly worn by Ivan Kohloff, 3. Stay tuned to theLast Word on Pro Wrestlingfor more on this and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. You can check out an almost unlimited array of WWE content, including these Sasha Banks matches on theWWE Network. - Bruno Sammartino and Dominic DeNucci defeated The Mongols (Geeto and Bepo) for the WWF International Tag Team Titles. The doctor who was at every show said to Paul Sullivan, I am checking Buddy Rogers blood pressure, and I am listening to his chest, and everything sounds okay, but he claims that he has a pain in his chest. Bruno's belt appears on a statue in his hometown, 7. Between 1963 and 1980, he main evented many times and many of those main events drew a full house. [26] As the main event of 1980's Showdown at Shea, Sammartino defeated Zbyszko inside a steel cage. He would later return for two brief comebacks, and much later as a manager. The Northeast would soon break away from the NWA to form the World Wide Wrestling Federation (later known as the WWF and WWE today). . 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. It took 14 minutes and 55 seconds for Ivan Koloff to defeat Bruno Sammartino that night in New York City. 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). 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. [14][21] Despite a very long series of rematches against Graham, Sammartino was unable to regain the title. After my heart attack, I told myself to forget [wrestling]. Ivan Koloff backstage with manager Captain Lou Albano after defeating Bruno Sammartino (Photo: PWI) Sadly, Koloff's reign was short-lived. I had seen wrestlers stopped from going to the ring because something wasnt right". While on his way to California, he missed two bookings in Baltimore and Chicago, and as a result was suspended in those territories. His final attempt was in Philadelphia, just a few days before Graham was scheduled to lose the title to Bob Backlund. California honored the other state's suspension, leaving Sammartino out of work. May 18 - USA Event: Bruno Sammartino (c) vs. Miguel Torres - Singles match Sammartino won. Any fifteen-year-old kid coulda beat me that night. If you've watched professional wrestling for any modicum of time, you've surely heard of the name of Bruno Sammartino at least once. 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. 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 . RELATED: 10 Superstars Who Were WWE ChampionFor One Day Or Less. On last night's episode of Table For 3. From that point, Bruno Sammartino held the title for seven years, eight . 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. Matches. [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. 5 Bruno Sammartino WWE Champion, 2803 Days. The match was scheduled to be concluded quickly so as not to risk Buddy's health any further. The superstitious blamed New York's descent into hell in the 1970s as punishment for Bruno losing the title. [49], Sammartino underwent heart surgery in 2011. The Sammartinos also teamed against "Mr. [15], Sammartino also challenged NWA World Heavyweight Champion Lou Thesz twice for the championship in Canada. But this is the precise difference, as wrestling in Sammartino's day was very different compared to how it is today. "Screwjob" is a term that gets thrown around loosely in the wrestling world. 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. 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 home. 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. Fortunately for Bruno Sammartino, his time had now arrived. Bruno Sammartino. 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. Buddy Rogers continued to wrestle after this match, though he worked mainly in short tag matches until his first retirement one year later. 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. [15] With Whipper Billy Watson, Sammartino won his first professional wrestling championship in September 1962, the local version of the International Tag Team Championship. Never Forget That Donald Trump Once Shaved Vince McMahon's Head and Is a Member of the WWE Hall of Fame Page 12, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, May 18, 1963. 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. He actually made his WWWF debut on Spectator Sports TV out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, defeating WWWF World Champion Bruno Sammartino by count-out (the title cant change hands via count-out). If hes willing, then fine., It was funny because Georgiann went and got him, got me, and she stood in the middle. 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. [12][11] During this time, his mother would sneak into their German-occupied town for food and supplies. [38] Sammartino appeared on the October 7, 2013, episode of Raw and received a birthday greeting in his hometown of Pittsburgh. WWE Hall of Famer Bruno Sammartino died on Wednesday at the age of 82 in Pittsburgh. 10. To clear up a common misconception, Rogers was not immediately named WWWF World Heavyweight Champion. That takes your density down to a title defense every 37.9 days. Yet few people know all the history behind Brunos belt and why some have called it the 'holy grail' of professional wrestling artifacts. [17] Sammartino worked several WCW events in a minor analysis role in the early 1990s, as well as a brief run doing color commentary with Jim Ross on Saturday Night in 1992. 27.06.1987. When their eyes cleared, they kept fighting each other. [48], On July 26, 2004, Sammartino and Ric Flair were involved in the "Who snubbed who?" Seth Turner, President of the International Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame, successfully procured the belt. Sammartino finally relinquished the title on Jan. 18, 1971, in a match against Koloff at Madison Square Garden. I cant explain it". He finally lost the title to Superstar Billy Graham in 1977 bringing his total time as Champion to a staggering 4,040 days. On September 30, 1972, Sammartino and Morales wrestled to a 65-minute draw at Shea Stadium in New York. . [10], When the Sammartinos arrived in the U.S., Bruno spoke no English and was sickly from the privations of the war years. In many ways, it was a full circle. Number of successful title defenses (and average gap between two defenses) for all the WWE championship reigns [23], Eventually, on December 10, 1973, Sammartino regained the WWWF Heavyweight Championship by defeating Stan Stasiak. PWSTees.com Your favorite Pro Wrestling Stories, on a tee! Three years after his stunning defeat, Bruno won the WWE Title for a second time. 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. Dumpster match, multiple title defenses. 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. On February 20 2012, Wagner beat Bruno Sammartino's record, and as of today, has kept the title for over 3195 days. I conducted a phone interview with wrestling's "Living Legend," Bruno Sammartino, who talked about what he's been up to lately, his thoughts on the WWE Hall of Fame and his memori The toughest job in my life was climbing in that ring [after] coming out of intensive care and knowing that I could never wrestle again after that. He held the World Wide Wrestling Federation titlefor more than 11 years, from1963to1971, and again from 1973 to1977. ), and remains one of the most popular pro wrestlers of all time based on their ability to connect to fans worldwide during their respective eras. He returned to in-ring action soon after with his son, as they wrestled against Beefcake and Valiant at Madison Square Garden. Buddy Rogers made these claims in a couple of appearances that he made after losing the belt. Boston 10/21/75) 21. He became the first wrestler to become a WWE triple crown champion. He died in 1992 at the age of 71. 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