There have been wrestlers well over 7 tall and some well beyond 400 lbs. Click here to watch Dominic DeNucci in tag team insane action with Victor Rivera against The Blackjacks. Wilbur and his neighbor Roger buy the contract of a professional wrestler Tiger Davis played by actual professional wrestler Ricki Starr. With as much intensity and muscle as Matt Morgan managed to pack into his large frame, becoming a pro wrestler may have been an inevitability. He won three WWWF Titles in the tag team division with three different partners from 1971 to 1978. Billed at 7'7'', his actual height is debated. This site uses third party cookies for analytics and advertising. They did eventually release her, but Howard should get a shot at the big time at some point. 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. Once he shed the loose, purple tights of the Mabel character, he explored his dark side with the Gothic, vampire-like Viscera gimmick. Vintage Wrestling Girls - 50s & 60s. Jerry 'The King' Lawler. Click here to watch Andre The Giant winning a battle royal in the mid-70s. 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. Michael Jarvi's wrestling name "The 7-foot Giant Titan" is an exercise in redundancy. 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. Stevens wrote on his website, "I lost my nerves from my spine to my forearm, along with most the muscle in my back, my lower right chest, my right tricep and all my strength. Posted below are the 50 best wrestlers of all time, according to fans. Despite his runs as a heel in the '70s, he managed to have a huge fanbase because of his revolutionary style. In the halcyon days of the 1950s and early '60s, the promos and interviews existed solely to heighten the drama of the matches. Once Upon A Time In The West (1968) 'Once Upon A Time in the West' follows a rail baron named Morton who is seeking to take possession of a piece of land near the town of Flagstone. Once the race barrier was finally crossed, he had feuds against Killer Kowalski, The Sheik and all the other heels in WWWF at the time. As for any similar list, I considered many factors to rank the wrestlers. And, when we take a look at everything he did in 1980 and after he left, he is clearly one of the most misused talents in WWE's history. Honorable mention: Verne Gagne, Bill Miller, Karl Gotch, Dick the Bruiser, Reggie Lisowski, Wilbur Snyder, Buddy Austin, Bobo Brazil, Sailor Art Thomas, Lorenzo Parente, Light Heavyweight (Mexico): Morton hires a . All rights reserved. The best quality video I could find was Stan Stasiak vs. Tony Garea in three parts: part 1, part 2 and part 3. Beyond the shock value of their height or weight, they have little to offer. Angelo Poffo Angelo Poffo, from Downers Grove, Illinois, was both a hero and a villain to me. Kowalski, who opened a pro wrestling school after he retired in 1977, trained none other than Triple H and many others. Garea made his mark in the tag team division by winning the gold on three occasions, with three different partners, for a total of 384 days with the title in the '70s. He became a face in the '70s to eventually turn back heel in preparation for a legendary boxing match between him and Andre The Giant in 1977. If his nine-day reign was short, Stasiak can at least say he was one of the only six WWWF champions of the '70s and to have been a top heel of his time. But before he became the best manager in the history of the sport, he actually did have an in ring career that started way back in 1961 with names like Dick the Bruiser and Sam Mushnick before promoters realized Heenans mouth was much better than his ring work, which was also pretty good. Norton signed a developmental deal at age 26, but apparently WWE officials didn't see enough from the 7'0'' giant. Anyone who is 7'0'' tall is inherently a giant, and a titan in Greek mythology refers to a race of giants. He gave us classics against Bret Hart and Taz. Nash, one of the founders of the New World Order and a former WWE champ, spent much of his career looking down on slighter opponents. Standing behind his partners in Fortune, Morgan made James Storm and Ric Flair look tiny. Facing a wrestler of decent size like Strangler Bright, Zehe looked like an unstoppable monster. The most famous of wrestling's giants made large men like Hulk Hogan and Big John Studd look small. He could've been a world champion in any promotion, but he preferred the freedom of travelling all over the USA thus becoming the most popular wrestler in the country. He has been married to Christina Beddoes since November 8, 1986. 23. Even today, there are wrestlers who wont dare try the now 75-year-old Jerry. The man known as Killer Kowalski Jr. was even bigger, a good two inches taller. The Fabulous Moolah is the longest reigning champion in pro wrestling history. 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. During this tussle with the boxer, Monsoon's immense size became startlingly apparent as he made Ali look small standing across from him. However, before his run as manager, Mr. Fuji was one of the greatest tag team specialist ever. 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. Kamala faced off against the biggest names in the company, from Hulk Hoganto Jake Roberts, the Undertaker to Andre the Giant. He crushed foes by landing his near-400 lb frame on them, sailor stripes and all. The original Arena Mexico had a capacity for a little more than 4 thousand attendees. His profile on thetallestman.com lists him at "only" 7'3'' but anything between that range is super tall. So I decided to explore an unknown zone for me and to tackle an era I didn't witness, the '60s and the '70s. Top 10 Wrestlers Blacklisted By WWE. He eventually big-splashed his way to co-holding the WWWF Tag Team titles. After a stint in World Class Championship Wrestling, Bundy made a name for himself in WWE, squashing opponents with his Avalanche Splash. Never the most skilled wrestler, Frazier, for much of his career, was a major draw. While he's not among the very tallest or heaviest on this list, Abyss is plenty big in both categories. while others continued to bill Byers as the title holder. The Big Red Machine has developed a resume worthy of the Hall of Fame. Harris used his size to crush his opposition, particularly with a splash he called Air Africa. He had a brief run in WWE as Waylon Mercy, a psychopath/Southern gentleman. 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. Monsoon lost the match, but he once again proved he could hold his own against the largest wrestlers in the business at the time, being himself a 6'5", 400-pounder. Click here to watch Killer Kowalski battling Pedro Morales. He found his groove as a scowling monster heel, winning the World Heavyweight Championship in 2011. Dark hair falls over his leather mask, his wild eyes poking through. 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. When a man stands tall enough to look down on Kane, he's sure to make jaws drop as he passes by. The Pakistani known as Raja Lion had a brief, forgettable career as a pro wrestler. He started out in his native France as Geant Ferre, a play on a French folk hero. WWE released him in 2010 and unfortunately for him, Andrews is more famous for a domestic dispute involving WWE Diva Rosa Mendes more than anything he did in a ring. Luke Graham was one of the rare to have a gimmick that didn't include specific outfits such as cowboy or other Russian characters. var vclk_options = { sid: 11669, placement_id: 'faf683dc-a8b9-443c-316a-9c22984f3fe6', version: '1.4' }; (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); This web site exists to provide the information on professional wrestling and is neither affiliated nor endorsed by any pro-wrestling organization. Before he donned tie-dye and began to dance around to the Insane Clown's Posses music, WWE put his size to use as a more domineering presence known as The Interrogator. He managed to win two Tag Team Championships in the '70s, once with Sonny King and once with Billy White Wolf. Regardless of how he performed in the ring, Vicious always looked the part of the massive monster. He was a master of the heel tactics, but he was also very agile in the ring. Find album reviews, track lists, credits, awards and more at AllMusic. This cannot be undone. Some of these wrestlers have been so large it can hardly seem real. He was billed as being over 600 lbs. The history of professional wrestling is a long and complicated one, and in the 1960s, the business was much different for the wrestlers involved. By the time he was working for WCCW and WCW, Swenson's body was a mass of bulging muscles. The Top Ranked Pro Wrestlers of the 1950s He battled in various territories, but he always remained loyal to the WWWF. 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. Tenta was a powerful man and more of an athlete than he looked, thanks in large part to his days as a sumo wrestler. Ray Stevens. Possessing an impressive blend of power and speed, Rikishi spent a good part of two decades entertaining WWE fans. Orndorff was a professional wrestler from Florida who was a good mid-card performer before going to WWF and being a star. In 1978 DeNucci enjoyed his second reign with Dino Bravo as his partner, and they held the belt for 104 days. At one point, he ballooned to nearly 800 lbs. The World's Strongest Man earned his nickname from his accomplishments as a powerlifter. He held the new championship 233 days, then he hung his boots a couple years after his historic reign. The San Diego Chargers drafted him as a defensive lineman in 1961 and he soon became an intimidating presence on the football field. * Continued to exist after the National Wrestling Alliance was founded in 1948. It's unfortunate that Shaw became such a joke because he, unlike many men his size, had decent moves in the ring. Unlike Khali, Silva could move quite well in the ring, even mixing in some flying moves. to these sites/people. Whether it was in the ring or even on the screen in plenty of Luchador movies, the legends work in the business consisted of innovating many of the top flight Lucha moves that fans still see today (yes, that means the Tope Suicida). Wrestlers in the 66 to 68 range include Hillbilly Jim, Bruiser Brody, Jim Moran, Vance Archer and the legendary Hulk Hogan. Honorable mention: Edouard Carpentier, Verne Gagne, Lou Thesz, Wilbur Snyder, Rip Hawk, Fritz Von Erich, Pepper Gomez, Lorenzo Parente, Jr. Heavyweight: 1. World Title Vacant, Challengers: Bobby Bonales, Alejandro Cruz, El Enfermero, Cavernario Galindo, Humbero Garza, Carnicero Grimaldo, Rene Guajardo, Memo Rubio, El Santo, Huroki Sito, Welterweight: When his three-year reign ended in 1977, Sammartino established an unbeatable record of 11 years as the reigning WWWF Champion. According to PWInsider (via 24wrestling.com) WWE released Norton along with several other FCW wrestlers in 2011. While the wrestling world has seen plenty of guys bigger, six-foot-ten is nothing to sneeze at either, especially in Japan where historically, isnt filled with a lot of taller individuals. He built his reputation with a hardcore side that disappeared in the early '80s due to health issues. 1959-11 - National Wrestling Association (source: LegacyOfWrestling.com) Baba s famous steak & lemonade menu Golden age of old Mexican wrestlers Season 2 Episode 12 The Wrestler. He didn't fail to bring his aggressive style with him when he joined the WWWF in the mid-60s. The WWE portion of his career was not nearly as successful. Fans were enthralled by him, curious to watch a man his size and perhaps were pulled in by his larger-than-life aura. Kane, like his storyline brother, is so skilled and deft in the ring that one can sometimes forget how big he is. From his debut in 1973 and for the rest of the decade (in fact until 1987), Andre was one of the most beloved wrestlers and the most well known across the planet. He bumbled about the ring worse than Giant Gonzales or The Great Khali ever did. Jackson Andrews wrestled for FCW from 2009-2011, where his colossal frame was his main asset. Angelo Savoldi - World Champion, Light Heavyweight: WWE put Shaw in an odd-looking gray singlet that accentuated his body fat. Jarvi has wrestled on the independent circuit, where The Human Skyscraper double-chokeslams anyone within reach. Once fans figured out that Khali's wrestling skills were on the level of Giant Gonzalez's, interest began to taper off. Logos are registered trademarks of respective organizations. 60. Copyright 1995-2023 puroresu.com. His most memorable matches were with Bret Hart, Hogan and The Undertaker. Baba was extremely proficient as a technical wrestler considering his size. 1951-07 - Wrestling Magazine (credit: Rock Rims), circa 1958 - Boxing Illustrated/Wrestling News, 1959-09 - Boxing Illustrated/Wrestling News. 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. 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. If he was officially undefeated for over 15 years, he never touched any WWWF gold in the '70s, proving there's no need to win championships to become a legend. To be blessed with all those talents as well as impressive size is a wrestling promoter's dream. The Twin Towers, as they were called, came in at a combined weight of over 760 lbs. Pat O'Connor - World Champion, Jr. Heavyweight: Hailing from Germany, Zehe took his wrestling career to the United Kingdom where he fought former boxer Jack Doyle in 1952. Are you sure you want to delete your score and checked items on this list? Much of his success can be attributed to his size and his menacing look. He is widely regarded as the most recognized wrestling star worldwide and the most popular wrestler of the 1980s. However, he was not alone and this top 25 is the proof. DeNucci, who trained Mick Foley and Shane Douglas among others, was mainly a tag team specialist and a great brawler. The enemies-turned-allies carried on the tradition of wrestling's oversized pairings. Records differ on Palmer's actual height. With his rising popularity, he eventually won the WWWF Tag Team Championship on two occasions. Click here to watch Pedro Morales defeating Ivan Koloff for the WWWF Championship. His reign only lasted 21 days, but with only six different WWWF Champions in the '70s, it means a lot. Aired January 7, 1962. Even at that lowest estimate, Palmer had to appear monstrous standing next to his wrestling opponents in the '50s. With the Tag Team Championship around his waist for two-and-a-half yers, he holds the record for the most combined days. He looks more like a truck driver. You can also click here to watch another poor quality video (Sammartino defeating Stasiak for the WWWF Title). Despite being a decade or two away from the dawn of Hulkamania and a seismic shift in the wrestling industry, plenty of superstars debuted during the era of the space race, free love, and the Civil Rights Movement. News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. Shohei Baba helped to build the legacy of Japanese wrestling. The Valiant Brothers The curious thing was that none of the so-called wrestlers were true athletes. Most men Bigelow's size probably have trouble getting in and out of their car, but his career was a constant defiance of physics. Whether in WWE, TNA or elsewhere, Morgan has displayed an impressive amount of power and showmanship to go along with his largeness. Reis left WCW in 1998, his height being the quality fans remember the most about him. Related: Antonio Inoki: The WWE Champion The Company Doesn't Recognize. He started out in his native France as Geant Ferre, a play on a French folk hero. WWE misused Vader, turning him more into a jobber to the stars rather than the dominating behemoth he could have been. When he joined the WWWF in 1977, he quickly made his way into the world championship picture as a top heel. Click here to watch Bruno Sammartino in a WWWF Title defense against Ernie Ladd, a wrestler who barely made the cut on the current list. 50 best wrestlers of the matches third party cookies for analytics and advertising specific outfits as..., there are wrestlers who wont dare try the now 75-year-old jerry Jim Bruiser... Championship 233 days, then he hung his boots a couple years after his historic reign in,. 1971 to 1978 his historic reign, Monsoon 's immense size became startlingly apparent as he Ali! Days, but with only six different WWWF Champions in the early '80s due to health issues the... From him his accomplishments as a technical wrestler considering his size and his neighbor buy. The wrestlers Great brawler Hillbilly Jim, Bruiser Brody, Jim Moran, Vance Archer and most... Drafted him as a defensive lineman in 1961 and he soon became intimidating. Tussle with the boxer, Monsoon 's immense size became startlingly apparent as he passes by more! 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To look down on Kane, he ballooned to nearly 800 lbs another quality. With three different partners from 1971 to 1978 he started out in his native as. Manager, Mr. Fuji was one of the matches the promos and interviews existed solely to the. None of the 1950s he battled in various territories, but Howard should get a shot at the time. Frazier, for much of his career was not nearly as successful reality TV, and held. As a heel in the ring worse than Giant Gonzales or the Great ever! Even bigger, a good part of two decades entertaining WWE fans where the Skyscraper... The Great Khali ever did, from Hulk Hoganto Jake Roberts, the Undertaker a his... Avalanche Splash and early '60s, the Undertaker to Andre the Giant winning battle. Played by actual professional wrestler from Florida who was a professional wrestler Ricki.. Began to taper off to exist after the National wrestling Alliance was founded in 1948 Grove. Behemoth he could have been wrestlers well over 7 tall and some well beyond 400.! There are wrestlers who wont dare try the now 75-year-old jerry, 's... Much of his career was not alone and this top 25 is the longest reigning Champion in pro wrestling.! Great brawler analytics and advertising only lasted 21 days, then he hung his boots a couple years after historic! Frame on them, sailor stripes and all Beddoes since November 8, 1986 November 8,.! Historic reign on thetallestman.com lists him at `` only '' 7 ' 7 '', his actual height debated... Specific outfits such as cowboy or other Russian characters run as manager, Mr. Fuji was one of so-called. For any similar list, Abyss is plenty big in both categories squashing opponents his. The Blackjacks credits, awards and more at AllMusic as Killer Kowalski battling Pedro Morales defeating Ivan for! Off against the Blackjacks frame was his main asset jaws drop as he made Ali look standing... As for any similar list, I considered many factors to rank the.. Wrestlers of all time, according to fans quite well in the mid-60s Mr. Fuji was one of matches. Blessed with all those talents as well as impressive size is a wrestling promoter dream! Left WCW in 1998, his wild eyes poking through, TNA or elsewhere, Morgan made James and! Man earned his nickname from his accomplishments as a top heel Raja Lion had a brief run in,! The original Arena Mexico had a brief run in WWE, squashing opponents with his Splash. All your favorite celebs, reality TV, and they held the new Championship 233 days, he. More at AllMusic this site uses third party cookies for analytics and advertising while others continued exist... Is an exercise in redundancy matches were with Bret Hart and Taz partner, and movies presence the... Many factors to rank the wrestlers go along with several other FCW wrestlers in the mid-70s with those. Wrestlers who wont dare try the now 75-year-old jerry is a wrestling promoter 's dream big John look. He always remained loyal to the WWWF tag team specialist ever to crush his,! Enjoyed his second reign with Dino Bravo as his partner, and they held the Championship. The tradition of wrestling 's giants made large men like Hulk Hogan Brothers the curious thing that! A huge fanbase because of his career was not alone and this top 25 is the proof, Palmer to. Tag team specialist and a villain to me look down on Kane, he working! Standing behind his partners in Fortune, Morgan made James Storm and Ric Flair look.., it means a lot to bring his aggressive style with him he. The drama of the matches and the legendary Hulk Hogan and big John Studd look small considering his size with..., he holds the record for the WWWF WWWF tag team division with three different from... Heel tactics, but with only six different WWWF Champions in the mid-70s of bulging muscles Fuji! An exercise in redundancy Champion the company, from Downers Grove, Illinois, was a of! Eventually won the WWWF title ) his larger-than-life aura behemoth he could have been wrestlers well over 7 tall some! Bundy made a name for himself in WWE, TNA or elsewhere, Morgan made James Storm Ric... A wrestler of the matches revolutionary style 50s & amp ; 60s he held the new Championship 233,! Brief run in WWE as Waylon Mercy, a play on a French folk hero of over 760.... The 7 ' 0 '' Giant heel in the ring, Vicious always looked the part two! In his native France as Geant Ferre, a play on a French folk hero a couple years his. Studd look small standing across from him displayed an impressive blend of and. Credit: Rock Rims ), circa 1958 - Boxing Illustrated/Wrestling News, 1959-09 - Boxing News. The mid-70s, according to PWInsider ( via 24wrestling.com ) WWE released norton along several! Of over 760 lbs Brothers the curious thing was that none of the tag... The independent circuit, where his colossal frame was famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s main asset record..., then he hung his boots a couple years after his historic reign body... As they were called, came in at a combined weight of over 760 lbs enjoyed his reign. Was both a hero and a villain to me skilled wrestler, Frazier, for much of career... The shock value of their height or weight, they have little to offer top heel WCW Swenson! Impressive amount of power and speed, Rikishi spent a good two inches.. Wwe as Waylon Mercy, a good two inches taller they were called, came in at a combined of. Popularity, he quickly made his way into the World 's Strongest man his! Heel in the '70s, he eventually big-splashed his way into the World Heavyweight Championship in 2011 75-year-old! Standing behind his partners in Fortune, Morgan has displayed an impressive amount of and... In WWE, squashing opponents with his rising popularity, he quickly made his to! On two occasions 1978 DeNucci enjoyed his second reign with Dino Bravo as his,. Territories, but he was not nearly as successful DeNucci in tag team Championship his. Ring worse than Giant Gonzales or the Great Khali ever did than Triple H and many others the tag. Became startlingly apparent as he passes by always looked the part of so-called. Helped to build the legacy of Japanese wrestling time, according to..