Only Keith would be given PPV time, competing in the Lethal Lottery alongside Ron Simmons at Battlebowl 1993. Tito Santana began his wrestling career as a jobber for other well-established wrestlers and heels. Jimmy and Jey Uso, for example, joined WWE in 2009 and have achieved a lot throughout their 13 years with the company. St Petersburg is the city Christopher Hitchens called "an apparent temple of civilization: the polished window between Russia and Europe the, "I never saw Eric Ravilious depressed. Here are the top 15 twins in wrestling, with the majority of the selections guaranteed to pick your brain: The Phoenix Twins were regulars on the independent circuit, feuding with The House of Truth approximately half a decade ago, which means theyve shared rings with Jimmy Jacobs and current WWE World Heavyweight Champion, Seth Rollins. There have also been twins who haven't worked together on camera. In the '70s, he was part of the WWE and was still on top of the world until his retirement in 1977. He is widely regarded as the most recognized wrestling star worldwide and the most popular wrestler of the 1980s. For most, there were no high spots; the German suplex and a bodyslam were finishers, and nobody knew what a hurricanrana, five-star frog splash, Swanton bomb, and outside dive were. [5] They used the stage name McGuire, which is the French version of their last name, since it was easier for Japanese ring announcers to pronounce. However, like many of his colleagues, his career and achievements have been sadly overlooked. Please consider making a donation to our site. Richter attempted to bring legitimacy to womens wrestling and was actually rather successful, but the world (or, actually, maybe just Vince) simply wasnt ready for what she had to offer. They contracted rubella (German measles) when they were 4 years old, which caused problems for their pituitary glands and they started gaining weight. The company then released her from her contract in November 2007. Mercedes Kaestner-Varnado is an American professional wrestler and actress who also known as her ring names Sasha Banks (in WWE) and Mercedes Mon (in other promotions). They were tough, savage-like and had some of the hardest. [4] Benny believed in evangelicalism and enjoyed golf, playing until he was bedridden. We could always count on a suplex, a body slam or a chair over the head. One of the greatest Japanese wrestlers of all time, Antonio Inokis contribution to the world of wrestling cannot be ignored. 18. After working for AWA for a few years, Tito Santana eventually attracted the attention of Vince McMahon. WWE's Greatest Superstars of the 21st Century 2 Roddy Piper 3,754 votes #5 of 48 Professional Wrestlers with the Best Stage Names #4 of 32 The Best Brawlers In Wrestling History #14 of 49 The Best Wrestling Announcers Of All Time 3 Randy Savage 4,962 votes #138 of 183 The All-Time Greatest Action Stars #206 of 248 The Best Marvel Movie Actors Ever One of the first true giants in professional wrestling, Haystacks Calhoun weighed more than 600 pounds making him one of the biggest wrestlers of all time. ( 1960) -. Several pairs of twins have worked in Vince McMahon's company over the years, including The Bellas and The Usos. The Hardcore Legend Terry Funk had memorable matches in the 1980s and 90s, but the 70s might have been his golden age. Referee George Gadaski talks to the legendary Little Beaver (back to camera) with tag partner Jamaica Kid to his left, and rivals Billy the Kid and Cowboy Bradley to his right. Apart from Tito Sammartino, Ivan Koloff also holds several other memorable wins against renowned wrestlers such as Bob Buckland, Gorilla Monsoon and Bruno. Now retired, Lord Littlebrook resides with his son in Saint Joseph, Missouri. Thanks to his massive size, Haystacks Calhoun became an instant hit during the golden era. The legendary Lord Littlebrook (aka Eric Tovey), in Milwaukee July 7, 1968. While both men were great wrestlers in their own right, there was not a tag team in the 1970s that was more dominating that the Wild Samoans. While Mascaras received several shots at the title, he always came shot and thus never won any title with the WWE. Respected and influential wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer went as far as calling him "one of the key figures in the growth of WWF., Named one of the top five WWF Intercontinental Champions of all time, Curt Hennig AKA Mr. Verne, who also owned the AWA, held the title 10 times in his career, starting in 1960, with his last reign starting in 1980. Nonetheless, Richter won championships around the globe before her retirement in 2005. His later years were spent training the up-and-coming legendary children of NXT and his own biological children, Cody and Goldust, remain in the top tier of wrestlings biggest stars to this day. In 1955, she began working for Vince McMahon Sr. as Fabulous Moolah. Just two months after arriving in WWE, he was fighting for the world title. Pedro Morales was the perfect champion for Vince McMahon Sr.'s New York territory in the 70s. Trained by the legendary Killer Kowalski, Big John Studds debut in the WWE would be alongside his trainer and partner. Graham would then go ahead and hold the championship for about 10 months making it one of the longest reigns by a villain. In the 1960s and 1970s, Kowalski became a great tag team wrestler, while also becoming a top rival for world champion Bruno Sammartino. They even challenged The Steiner Brothers for the NWA Tag Team Titles in 1990 but came up short. While Inoki never accepted nor denied these claims, however, this is just but one of the many incidences that took place back in 70s that fans were never aware of. Dean has a twin brother, Don Bucci, who has also worked in the wrestling business. Brie held the belt once and wonthe Wrestling Observers Newsletters Worst Feud of The Year in 2014 (among having a number of terribly worked matches). Boris Spremo/Toronto Star via Getty Images. Wrestlers such as Andre the Giant, Bruno Sammartino, Ivan Koloff, and Antonio Inoki helped lay the foundations that the WWE currently stands on. Competing since the mid-1980s, The Batten Twins have tussled against some of the best in the world, but they never quite got the recognition they wanted. Used primarily for their looks, these two glamour models -- Brie and Nikki -- often competed as a tag team and even had an onscreen breakup not long ago. During that span, he notched victories over Lou Thesz, Dory Funk Jr., Gene Kiniski, Terry Funk, Dusty Rhodes, Harley Race, all of whom held the same title at least once during their careers. The prototypical arrogant pretty boy, Rude was known for insulting the mostly-male crowds before enticing women with promises of sexual promiscuity. They lived the twin gimmick to. Upon joining WWE, Bruno Sammartino would become an instant hit and the companys biggest star at the time. When he retired, Kowalski started a wrestling school and ended up training Triple H years later. After his stint as a wrestler, Mr Fuji would embark on a new journey as a manager with Yokozuna, Demolitions and Powers of Pain being his clients. Earl is notorious for ringing the bell at Survivor Series 1997, costing Bret Hart the WWE Championship against Shawn Michaels in an episode titled the Montreal Screwjob.. Although she did not make the final eight, WWE signed her. Known for his unexpected grace in the ring, Steamboat was also a proficient tag team wrestler alongside his partner Jay Youngblood. These guys could keep crowds engaged for 30, 45, or 60 minutes with ease, as that was the length of their matches on a regular basis. Now, they host a podcast called " Normal Not Normal ," in which they interview child stars, including former costars Alfred Enoch, Evanna Lynch, Katie Leung, and more. Whod be a Midget Wrestler during the 1960s and 1970s? Kayfabe is often seen as the suspension of disbelief that is used to create the non-wrestling aspects of promotions, such as feuds, angles, and gimmicks, in a manner similar to other forms of fictional entertainment. He started his career as a circus acrobat before taking up wrestling in the 1950s. Unlike his brother, Dash, Tweek still competes to this day and both twins have wrestled indie vets like Austin Aries, The Briscoe Brothers, Chris Sabin, and The Young Bucks. Superstar Billy Graham dropped it nearly a year later to Bob Backlund, PWIs 1978 Match of the Year. Do check the Promotions tab if you cannot find it in the Primary Inbox. While he never beat Bruno for the world title, Kowalski teamed up with Gorilla Monsoon and Big John Studd to win tag team titles. Their in-ring attires truly made them memorable, even if you only saw them a few times. 14. Bruno Sammartino is the greatest 70's wrestler of all time. Luke & Butch continued brawling across America throughout the '70s and '80s, capturing championships in various National Wrestling Alliance territories and Bill Watts' Universal Wrestling Federation. Along with Ronnie himself and his, "It is time for art to flow into the organisation of life." 5 years down the line he would join NWA briefly, before returning to the WWE one more time. Hooks are illegal in conventional amateur wrestling but have high rates of success against even the most athletic and experienced of competitors, essentially removing rules from professional wrestling. Hes a member of the WWE and Professional Wrestling Halls of Fame, has been honored multiple times by the Cauliflower Alley Club and was the 1973 PWI Wrestler of the Year. Introducing acrobatic aerial attacks to Japanese audiences, Mscaras is considered an innovator of high-risk antics like the ever-popular tope suicida. Wrestle: A compilation of old school images of 80s wrestlers has been published by nostalgia website These Americans and the best (or worst) of the bunch can be seen here The Point: The fashion. Owner/booker Verne Gagne may have been the face of the AWA, but Nick Bockwinkel wasnt far behind, holding the promotions heavyweight strap four times over his career. Yes I have a dark side, doesnt everyone? Brie Bella and Daniel Bryan are big stars both in the WWE world and reality TV world. Honored as the best tag team of 2014 by Pro Wrestling Illustrated, the brothers had a lengthy feud with Luke Harper & Erick Rowan and its safe to say both teams delivered in some incredible matches. Remembered for his hardcore style of wrestling, Terry Funk became an inspiration to many up and coming wrestlers at the time like Mick Foley. Professional wrestling in the 1970s was huge! The Shane Twins will forever be subject to ridicule in the wrestling world and some of that criticism is unfair. Jaguar Yokota for a time was considered the best wrestler in the world period. [3], They spent three years working at the Circus Circus Las Vegas, then performed their minbike routine for a few months in Los Angeles. Stan Hansen was one of the toughest wrestlers in the '70s, running through everyone and making his name in both the United States and Japan. Antonio Inoki. He sadly died at the age of 56 in January 2007. As a professional wrestler, Terry Funk worked with various promotions including WCW, USWA, ECW TNA, and WWF. 28. However, when picking out the best wrestlers of the decade, a fan will always find more names to add to the list of the best of the best. Its no surprise that The Crush Gals are often considered the greatest womens tag team of all time considering the duos perfectly honed and incredibly powerful movesets. [1][2], The twins were born in Hendersonville, North Carolina. Verne was as old-school as they come, a grappler who was all about mat wrestling, and someone who could tie up any opponent and win a match with just about any move. He was one of Vince McMahon's most trusted confidants and is the man who created the Royal Rumble match. The twins are former CMLL World Tag Team Championship, but wrestling fans will most likely remember them for appearing in the 1996 Royal Rumble Match as The Squat Team. The Niedhart legacy these days is carried on through current WWE superstar Natalya, but her father frequently known as The Anvil had cemented his heroic status long before she began fighting. Bruno Sammartino is one of the most famous and popular faces ever to wrestle for the McMahon machine. Although wrestling matches in the 60s, 70s, and 80s were not as smooth and immersive as the matches of later years especially The New Era, these matches still lived up to the expectations of the fans at that point in time. He was also, at the time, one of the best pure wrestlers in the company. [3], Benny died at age 54 on March 26, 2001 of heart failure. I believe this was broadcast on 26 August 1997. Many wrestling fans will remember him for his feud with WWEs golden boy, Tito Sammartino. All-Star Wrestling footage (and AWA footage as a whole) is now owned by World Wrestling Entertainment . Superstar held the WWWF Heavyweight Championship one time after beating the legendary Bruno Sammartino in 1977, hailed as Pro Wrestling Illustrated Magazine's Match of the Year. Men of few words, the Wild Samoans would resort to weird antics and gimmicks including plucking feathers off a live chicken to grunting in primitive languages. Varnado made her acting debut in season 2 of the acclaimed show The Mandalorian (2019) in the role of Koska Reeves. During his first reign as WWE tag champion, Mr Fuji and Tanaka reigned supreme in WWEs tag team division for more than a year. A gimmick that kind of worked out but was really cheesy. The main rival of the Crush Gals, Matsumotos ghastly look complimented her domineering in-ring presence. Technically, these two were Rockstars in Japan. Although wrestling back then was strictly segregated by gender, Yokotas unquestioned skill level was often thought of as far surpassing that of her male counterparts. The sport reached an outrageous and never before seen numbers of viewers. Blood, barrel chests, and mutton chops. During WWEs first ever Main Event broadcast in 1988, fans in attendance at Market Square Arena in Indianapolis witnessed devastation as Hulk Hogan, the WWE Champion at the time, was forced to surrender his title to Andre The Giant after beating him at WrestleMania 3 a year prior. 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. In the '70s, he had a chance to work title matches in the WWWF against Bruno Sammartino and Pedro Morales before returning to the AWA, where he finally became a babyface.He ended up feuding with former allies Nick Bockwinkel and Ray Stevens. He started his career as a circus acrobat before taking up wrestling in the 1950s. But Ladd never won a major promotion's top belt. Both flashy and furious, Mil Mscaras is considered one of Mexican wrestlings first international stars. - Alexander Rodchenko, 1921, The Shop Prints, Sustainable Fashion, Cards & More, Get The Newsletter For Discounts & Exclusives, Photographs of Londons Kings Cross Before the Change c.1990, Photos of Topless Dancers and Bottomless Drinks At New York Citys Raciest Clubs c. 1977, Debbie Harry And Me Shooting The Blondie Singer in 1970s New York City, Jack Londons Extraordinary Photos of Londons East End in 1902, Photographs of The Romanovs Final Ball In Color, St Petersburg, Russia 1903, Eric Ravilious Visionary Views of England, Photographs of the Wonderful Diana Rigg (20 July 1938 10 September 2020), Photographer Updates Postcards Of 1960s Resorts Into Their Abandoned Ruins, Sex, Drugs, Jazz and Gangsters The Disreputable History of Gerrard Street in Londons Chinatown, The Brilliant Avant-Garde Movie Posters of the Soviet Union, Wrestling In 1980s England Big Daddy, Handbags And Tons of Fun, This Sporting Life : Gerry Cranhams Fantastic Photographs Capture The Beauty And Drama of Sport, Fabulous Kodachrome Snapshots from a Day Trip to London in 1962, The Communist Party of Great Britain And The Red Menace 1920-1991, Newsletter Subscribers Get Shop Discounts. Cheerfulness kept creeping in." They are the main cast members of reality show Total Divas, and if thats not enough, both sisters are dating WWEs top stars, John Cena (dating Nikki) and Daniel Bryan (married to Brie). Because of his in-ring skills, Big John Studd had some amazing matches with some considered to be the greatest at the time. Their gravestone displays images of two Honda motorcycles and is inscribed "Worlds Largest Twins". All of this when the AWA sported one of the deepest rosters in territorial wrestling. Inspired by the legendary Muhamad Ali, Billy Graham would step in front of a microphone and deliver a promo that is full of rhyming words. Although he was often relegated to WWFs midcard, he garnered immense popularity as a working mans hero. Legendary British wrestlers and promoters tell you what. The 72-year-old joined Vince McMahon's company in the early 1980s and has refereed some historic matches, including Randy Savage vs. Hulk . Wrestling journalist In the book WCW: The Ultimate Guide, Dave Scherer described Hennig as "one of the best all-round competitors this business has ever produced.. Because of his immense popularity back in the 60s and 70s, Haystacks Calhoun got the opportunity to go head to head with some of the biggest names in wrestling at the time. His IRL truculent personality and tendency towards bridge-burning made him an unlikely favorite in the industry and although he was likely portrayed as a villain (along with his partner Nikolai Volkoff) due to xenophobia within the USA, he certainly lived up to his dastardly, devil-may-care reputation out of the ring. A movie star, a pop hero, and a gentle soul Andres kindness is often remembered as fondly as his physical domination. The 49-year-old spent nearly five years in the promotion, during which he failed to win any titles on the main roster. This, and a ton of hard work, became the blueprint to win championships for specific sets of twins in WWE. Just two months after arriving in WWE, he was fighting for the world title. Widely known as the inventor of the DDT, Jake Roberts often arrived to fights toting his signature reptilian friend. Wrestling began featuring enhanced, hyped character traits and storylines. The Sheik was PWIs Most Hated Wrestler of 1972, the first year of the award, and has been inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. [4] In July 1972, at age 26, they made their in-ring debuts in Montreal, defeating John Anson and Kurt Von Hess. Handsome Jimmy, Luscious Johnny, and Gentleman Jerry dominated the tag team scene in the NWA and WWWF. Superstar spawned a number of imitators that include Hulk Hogan, Jesse the Body Ventura, and Scott Steiner. The two fought in New Japan Pro Wrestling and in the WWE, and changed wrestling in the process. The Usos joined the WWE in 2010 and have been managed by their cousin Tamina Snuka as well as Jimmy's wife Naomi. The history of womens wrestling may have taken an entirely different direction had Wendi not been bamboozled by Vince McMahon and The Fabulous Moolah during the infamous Rock N Wrestling connection moment. RELATED: The 10 Best Wrestlers In The World Outside WWEHe later went to the WWE where he would become the first masked wrestler to appear at Madison Square Garden while working alongside legends like Superstar Billy Graham, Andre the Giant, and Dusty Rhodes. Apart from being charismatic, Billy Graham was also smart, creative, and engaging. In the year 1971, Ivan Koloff managed to end Sammartinos 7-year streak as world champion. This ones a little cheeky, but with reason; the Olsen Twins (not to be confused with the starlets of Full House), were branded as twin brothers in Chikara, yet Jimmy Olsen and Colin Delaney are not real-life brothers. Bret Hart Self | WWF Survivor Series He dropped out of West Texas State College in 1953 to take up the fight game. Fans who started watching professional wrestling in the 1980s never got to see how great the Valiant Brothers really were. Many of the guys on this list were legit tough guys and gave the sport the credibility lacking in a sense today. During his debut at Madison Square, Santana did not take any chance in establishing himself as an upcoming wrestler with so much promise. Little Bruiser in Chicago, September 1, 1972 Cowboy Bob Bradley and Joey Russell, February 23 1968. Her garish fashion statements have since inspired a new generation of sartorial outsiders. Standing at 610, Giant Baba was one of the biggest wrestlers in the WWE. While other '80s wrestlers are known as much for their bombastic personalities as for their actual fighting ability, its the latter quality that continues to endear industry insiders to Hart. Many of the guys on this list were legit tough guys and gave the sport credibility that it is lacking in a sense today. RCW Tag Team Title: The Wrecking Crew ( Dean Richtor & Shaun Martens) defeat The Voros Twins ( Chris Voros & Patrick Voros) (c) - TITLE CHANGE !!! In retrospect, its actually shocking that he only had one heavyweight title run during his stint in WWF. And although his identity is now known worldwide, hes one of the few masked wrestlers to have never revealed his face to the public. Giant Babas most memorable match would be a tag team match with Andre the Giant against Demolition at the Wrestling Summit. Because of his ability to stand out and cut amazing promos, many WWE fans flocked to the ring to see the superstar in action. Ted Dibiase. Gorgeous George gained epic mainstream popularity, followed in the Second Golden Age in the 1980's and 1990's by the likes of Ric Flair, Andre the Giant, Hulk Hogan, Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart, Sting, The Undertaker, Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, Kurt Angle, and Triple H. Ric Flair Saturday Night was all about the WWF Main Event! He eventually big-splashed his way to co-holding the WWWF Tag Team titles. Little Tokyo went on to win the NWA World Midget Champion three times equaling Lord Littlebrooks achievement. He even found time to release the single True Love in 1975 and still has. She also likes to stay away from the public eye. Bubby Rodgers and Bruno Sammartino were just among the few renowned wrestlers that faced Calhoun. He moved to the US in the early 1960s, where he became NWA World Midget Championwinning a record three times (tied with Little Tokyo). They first competed in Florida Championship Wrestling where they held the FCW Florida Tag Team Championship. In 1965, Mascaras made his professional debut in Guadalajara, Mexico. Twin brothers Jimmy and Jey Uso are the sons of former wrestler Rikishi and members of the Anoa'i wrestling family. Wrestling became an international phenomenon with the expansion of the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). Unlike a twosome formed by strangers-turned-best friends, twins possess an extra edge because they are mirror images of each other -- not only do most look identical, they know what their sibling is thinking more often than not. Having made appearances in Japan, Mexico and North America, The Headhunters (consisting of twins Manuel and Victor Santiago) are best known for their stints in WWE and ECW. See production, box office & company info, WWE Legends: Greatest Wrestling Stars of the '80s. Born Wayne Coleman, the bodybuilder with the 22-inch biceps spoke as well as the Christian preacher whose name he used as his own. They dont quite look alike, but to the Olsens credit, they often wore matching outfits, which facilitated the gimmick, also helping tag teams like The Fabulous Ones, The Dicks, and The Basham Brothers to look like similar siblings in the past. Gorgeous George gained epic mainstream popularity, followed in the Second Golden Age in the 1980s and 1990s by the likes of Ric Flair, Andre the Giant, Hulk Hogan, Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart, Sting, The Undertaker, Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, Kurt Angle, and Triple H. By way of the beginning of television in the 1950s and, subsequently cable television in the 1980s, professional wrestling began appearing in powerful, multiple media outlets. However, the company released him and his brother from their contracts in mid-2005. Billy Leon McCrary (December 7, 1946 - July 14, 1979) and Benny Loyd McCrary (December 7, 1946 - March 26, 2001), known together as The McGuire Twins, were American professional wrestlers listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the "World's Heaviest Twins" (328 kilograms (723 lb) and 338 kilograms (745 lb), respectively).