ALL STAR WRESTLING IN THE 50's, 60's, 70's and 80'S (BCTV ) Even today, there are wrestlers who won't dare try the now 75-year-old Jerry. The rise of The Archers, Michael Powell and . vintage everyday: British Wrestling Posters, Andre The Giant Vs. Iron Sheik #wwe #wwf #wrestling #prowrestling, Food Fight - All the ladies | Mister Edwards, wrestling poster, morecambe by maraid, via Flickr. A major star of Midget Wrestling Littlebrook was born in England in 1929. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. 10. Throughout his whole career, Killer Kowalski was a top heel everywhere he wrestled, and he cemented his status when he ripped off an opponent's ear in the ring. Wrestling stars of the 60s/'70s4 of 18 . Birthplace: Norwich, Norfolk, England. After a 273-day reign, he vacated the title on November 6th, 1984, leaving Japan for the World Wrestling Federation. We have taken a lot of time and careful attention to detail in bringing you our free to use and access Wrestler's Database. He was also a great brawler so he had everything to deliver many classic encounters, which he did with panache, especially in 1972 when he was named the PWI Wrestler of the Year. British Wrestlers. Blood, barrel chests, and mutton chops. Despite this, he managed a very successful career. I found no singles action for Haystacks Calhoun, but you can click here to watch some three-against-three action and click here to watch him in a WWWF World Tag Team title defense. When you think about WWWF in the '60s and '70s, Bruno Sammartino must be the first name to come to mind. The oldest female wrestler was Princess Bonita (19192014), aged 94years, 273days. These contests, though, receive little publicity and mostly go unnoticed by the general public. The current oldest living in the wrestling industry is Bill Mercer from the United States. He was so popular that the fans wanted him to wrestle against opponents who were not exclusively African American in the racial segregation era in USA. In a way, the espionage genre did not develop much from the '60s to the '70s. 2012 Wrestlers.co.uk - The Home of UK Wrestling & Wrestlers. Despite a BMI of 43.3, he became an icon of the sport.He retired in 1993 to run a gym in Halifax, West Yorks, and died in 1997 aged 67. Former printer William Matthews nickname, Rugged South London Tough Guy, was hardly catchy yet he was one of the sports biggest draws. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. Touch device users, explore by touch or with swipe gestures. Oldest Canadian Wrestler. Brookside was introduced as a man that Shane McMahon had personally seen take down six men by himself in a fight at a local pub! This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Cowboy Bob Bradley and Joey Russell, February 23 1968. 0 comments. Joy Division. Martin Austin Ruane (October 10, 1946 - November 29, 1998) was an English professional wrestler of Irish descent. Wrestled in a tag team match with Jeff Justice and Officer McKenny to defeat, Wrestled in a tag team match with Shawn Blanchard and Lou Martin to defeat Bobby O, Kris Kash, Shane Starr and Justin Sane for. In his later years, he continued to be influential within the British circuit, winning titles such as the Frontier Wrestling Alliances British Heavyweight Championship. Click here to watch a classic match from the mid-70s between Spiros Arion and Bruno Sammartino. Antonio Posa - World Champion 1 Billy Robinson 2 Dynamite Kid 3 Davey Boy Smith 4 Danno O'Mahoney 5 Mick McManus 6 Steve Casey 7 Jackie Pallo 8 Bert Assirati 9 Billy Joyce 10 Big Daddy 11 Kendo Nagasaki 12 George Kidd 13 Lord Alfred Hayes 14 Adrian Street 15 Douglas Clark 16 William Regal Former British Middleweight Champion and British Welterweight Champion. Most recently wrestled on October 22, 2022, at Niigata Pro Wrestling event in Niigata, Japan, where he teamed with, Last wrestled at the 2022 C-K Autumnfest in Kenova, West Virginia, where he teamed with, DeNucci wrestled his last match at a PWS card in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, teaming up with, Last wrestled at the 2019 Expo Lucha convention in San Diego, California, teaming up with. Apr 21, 2020. The iconic villain had a mysterious past, Samurai skills, supernatural powers and a cheap red face mask. She won the Women's Championship in 1956, and she battled each and every woman on her path to build her unique legacy. Rex. Brother of. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Jamaica Kid and Little Beaver backstage at a wrestling arena April 25, 1969. Whilst the enthusiasts focus was quite rightly on the wrestlers they could never have taken their place centre stage had it not been for those who made it happen, the promoters. Coventry Live. He can also brag to have faced all the greats of the era, such as Bruno Sammartino and Billy Graham. After retiring in 1983, he wrote his autobiography, You Grunt, Ill Groan, and did acting work, getting knocked out by Honor Blackman in a fight scene on The Avengers. The iconic Bun Boy building located in Baker as captured in this picture from the 1960s. [Photo: @WrestlingIsKing on Twitter]In his first three years in wrestling, he claimed the Light Heavyweight Championship and the British Commonwealth Tag Team Titles with Marty Jones. Click here to watch The Fabulous Moolah facing one of her toughest rival in the '70s. It's amazing to see how things in our corner of the Golden State have changed and transformed over time. Wrestled his last match for Italian Championship Wrestling in Brescia, Italy, teaming with Manuel Majoli to defeat Mr. Thankfully, during a golden age of wrestling, photographer David Maciejewski documented the legends of the ring from 1966 to 1974from which some these pictures have been culled. When he joined the WWF in 1979, Patterson was an established heel who already accumulated 32 vhampionships in various territories. He was also a trainer at the WWE Performance Center, where he trained the newest batch of WWE superstars. Working co-operatively, being highly professional, promoting consistently good quality shows and winning a lucrative television contract gave Joint Promotions a much higher profile than any of the independent, or opposition promoters. He was a muscular 6 feet, 6 inches. Farmer Pete and Cowboy Lang backstage in Milwaukee, February 3, 1972. Over the years, the United Kingdom has produced some of the very best in professional wrestling. Birthdate: August 17, 1992. Kelly O'Sullivan Senior Editor Kelly O'Sullivan is the senior editor for The Pioneer Woman and manages the website's social channels, in addition to overseeing content strategy and news. Retired wrestler Saraya-Jade Bevis, better known as Paige, has won the Divas Championship twice and was also its the youngest winner. In the '50s, '60s, and '70s, female solo singers were ever-present on radio, TV and the pop charts -- as they should have been! Some of his best moments in the ring came when he tag-teamed against Giant Haystacks and Big Daddy in a tremendous feud that saw one of British wrestlings most prolific segments occur as he unmasked himself in 1977. Marty Jones perhaps might be the least known of the names mentioned on this list but is one of the best all-around grapplers of the bunch. Top 10 hit-makers After asking for your nominations, we asked you to vote in our poll to determine just who was the best producer of the 1960s. World-famous fitness guru had a brief pro wrestling career in 1938. From 1963 to 1971, the man held the WWWF Championship for an astonishing first reign of 2,803 days. Professional Wrestlers The Professional Andr The Giant Giant People Tall People Vintage Photography Andre Wwe Wrestlers Jean Ferrat Jesse Ventura andre the giant Wrestling Posters Great Memories Hall Of Fame Wwf Champs Legends Title Greats Pedro Morales poses with the US Title Belt Wrestling Stars Good Looking Men Wrestler Vintage Men I hope you enjoyed that ride back to the old school universe, and as usual, your comments are more than welcomeespecially if I missed anyone on the list and/or if you disagree with the order. Although he never got a chance to appear in many mainstream promotions, he indeed laid his legacy in his home country. Wrestled his last match for NWA Wrestle Birmingham, in Birmingham, Alabama. LEGENDS 1980s; Alan Dennison Alan Garfield Alfred Hayes Bert Assirati Big Daddy Billy Robinson Bruno Erlington Count Bartelli Geoff Portz Giant Haystacks Ian Campbell Jackie Pallo Jim Collins Jim Hussey Jimmy Breaks Kendo Nagasaki King Kong Kirk Les Kellett Les Thornton Lord Littlebrook Wrestled for WWF from 1999 to 2000, 2004 and 2010. He retired in 1982, worked in public relations, bought a pub and became a porcelain expert. Looking for the very latest wrestling news, gossip and facts? In May 1964, the Five were the first British group to undertake a full-scale tour of the USA - and for a while they vied with The Beatles to be Uncle Sam's fave UK act. Raised in Texas. After testing his trade in carnivals and holiday camps, Darren soon gained exposure working for ITVs World of Sport, like many others on this list. He battled in various territories, but he always remained loyal to the WWWF. It was at its peak of popularity when the television show World of Sport was launched in the mid-1960s, making household names out of Adrian Street . to these sites/people. Adrian Street with his valet and wife, Miss Linda. His first reign, in 1975, lasted 105 days, and he teamed up with Victor Rivera who was later replaced by Pat Barrett. 1. Big Daddy regularly prevailed in his bouts, commonly using his star-studded finisher, The Big Splash.. Many icons paved the way to what would become an empire in the world of wrestling. Former NWA World Tag Team Champion. [Photo: huckmag.com]Street played by his own rules, and, according to his peers, was known to be able to hurt you in the ring if needed! Following that, he made sporadic appearances in various territories to eventually retire for good in the late '70s. 9. Want to Read. Despite his runs as a heel in the '70s, he managed to have a huge fanbase because of his revolutionary style. He did it so often that he was named the PWI Most Hated Wrestler in 1977. It was a detective/cop show starring Jack Lord. 6 Antonio Inoki After a long battle with dementia, Rocco sadly passed away on July 30th, 2020. However, like many of his colleagues, his career and achievements have been sadly overlooked. Yet, he doesnt get as much recognition outside of Britain. Keg bitters on draught. Beforebeing released from his WWE contracton January 5th, 2022, which ended his 22-year tenure with the company, Regal had an even bigger role behind the scenes as theWWE Director of Talent Development and Head of Global Recruiting, playing a significant role in building the future stars of WWE. Fashion Square in Santa Ana in the 1960s long before it became what is now Mainplace Mall. ITVs World of Sport was a household name in Britain, where it saw millions of viewers weekly. In June, he defeated Ted DiBiase to win the WWF North American Championship, and in September, he merged that title with the South American version to become the first ever Intercontinental Champion. Kendo Nagasaki was an inspiration to many cultural gimmicks to come, and many wrestlers have named him as an inspiration behind their work. Mexican actor, wrestling announcer and baseball broadcaster. The Sheik 13 of 26 The hardcore wrestling pioneer trained many wrestlers who became original ECW. aaaaaahhhAndre the Giant one of my chidhood heroes, Davey "The British Bulldog" Smith November 27, 1962- May 18, 2002 Smith, who shot to fame wrestling as the British Bulldog in the World Wrestling Federation, was trained by the legendary Stu Hart. He didn't fail to bring his aggressive style with him when he joined the WWWF in the mid-60s. The contest ended after an hour-and-16 minute time limit draw in front of a crowd that went nuts after the officials declared they had to comply with a curfew. In the 1st 5 years of the '60s the following wrestlers showed in the Spanish rings: from Britain, John Foley, Chic Purvey, Michael Gale, Ian Campbell , ClayThompson, Bill Robinson (years later became a tag team champ in the AWA), Lord B. Tophan, Bob Anthony, Vick Faulkner, Jackie "Mr. TV" Pallo, Tony Cassio, Lindey Caulder, Peter Berg, Dave As might be expected, Jones is now a trainer for several British-based wrestling promotions and, in recent years, even mentored multiple members of the current NXT UK roster. Here is where he would meet Robbie Brookside. Cowboy Bob Bradley was born Robert Claton Bradley in Dickens County, TX, in February 1935. There always was, and still are, boxing shows operating outside the jurisdiction of the BBBC. The list is about where the wrestlers were born not where they wrestled. 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. Giant Haystacks was one of the best-known wrestlers on the British wrestling scene in the 1970s and 1980s. TV Pallo. By using this site, you agree to the legal terms set out in ourDisclaimer, Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and Disclosure. It would take a whole book to cover his unique career, but to make it short, he was the face of the company for over 15 years. H/T Buzzfeed and Vintage Everyday. Mark Rocco was a fourth-generation British wrestler. These are the men who became heroes of the ring as Midget Wrestlers during the 1960s and 1970s. In London and the urban conurbations of northern England it was not unknown for independent wrestlers to work two, even three programmes in one night. Born in Golborne, Lancashire, Smith is best known for his appearances in the United States with the then World Wrestling Federation . Known as Sammy Berg. Click here to watch Johnny Valiant teaming up with his brother Jimmy in 1974 and click here to watch him and his other brother Jerry in the late '70s. The Gentleman, as he was known, still did get his due in other less mainstream promotions such as the Global Wrestling Federation, where he won the GWF Heavyweight Championship twice in 1994. 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. The Russian Bear was with the WWWF for only two years, but he claimed the most shocking world championship victory of all times when he defeated Bruno Sammartino on January 18, 1971. His most notable feud, that lasted for over two decades in and out WWWF, was against Bobo Brazil, and in the process, he became a two-time WWWF US Champion. Pro Wrestling Stories - Your daily source of nostalgia and a peek behind the curtain wall of wrestlings past! Formed in 1952 Joint Promotions was a syndicate of a handful of promoters based around the country. If the whole clan of the Valiant Brothers is inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame, Johnny is the one who embraced the most success. Matthews trained as a shooter (a wrestling term that describes a wrestler with a legitimate fighting background), and he often defended prize money against members of the public. First African-American promoter & manager working under Vincent J. McMahon. Excellent and Psycho Mike. He was in movie Raiders of the Lost Ark, and played Bomber in TV series Auf Wiedersehen, Pet. Last wrestled for New Age Wrestling in Australia, defeating Bo Boman. In 1982, Dynamite Kid had an instant classic with Tiger Mask for the WWF Junior Heavyweight Championship at Madison Square Garden in New York City. After I completed my previous top 25 lists covering the 1990s and the 2000s, I thought about doing one more list with the '80s, but there are already two of those that have been published recently. flickr/Orange County Archives. 10. 1 on the Billboard 100 in 1977. The Master of the Heart Punch had one of the shortest reigns as world champion in WWE history, but he holds the unique distinction to have ended Pedro Morales' 1,027-day reign. 1. Fuji's tag team partner at the time. He had a 57-year wrestling career, winning championships across multiple countries in different promotions such as Championship Wrestling from Florida and Southwest Championship Wrestling. He dropped out of West Texas State College in 1953 to take up the fight game. Old School Wrestling: 10 Things Sorely Missed! About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features NFL Sunday Ticket Press Copyright . We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. We do not accept responsibility for views expressed in the forum, articles by Heritage members, or photographs posted in the Heritage Galleries. Unofficially, she lost the title on four occasions, but she only spent 70 days without the gold in that 10,778-day time frame. We're always happy to receive your e-mails and comments regarding our British wrestler database, so please don't hesitate to shout in our lug holes if you'd like a word! He would win tag team titles in All Star Wrestling alongside fellow Liverpudlian Doc Dean before eventually being signed to WCW in the mid-90s. 1. I also discovered many gems of the WWWF era before it became the WWF. Sadly, many of the biographies and details of these wrestling heroes (and villains) have either been lost or passively excised due to political correctnesswhich is a shame, for these men (and and a few women) were athletes and acrobats who excelled at the sport. 'Rawness, freedom, experimentation': the Brit jazz boom of the 60s and 70s 'I got to realise my dream' Alan Skidmore performing in the late 1960s. This series of highly regarded matches would also lead to New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) contacting Rocco, leading to the birth of the "Black Tiger" persona and some of the most highly rated matches in Japanese television history against Sayamas Tiger Mask. Also later on in his career he wrestled as Enforcer Luciano in NWA Hollywood. Click here to watch Strongbow taking on Professor TanakaMr. He held the new championship 233 days, then he hung his boots a couple years after his historic reign. They represent an era in which Saturday afternoon telly was genuinely gripping. The former undisputed World Heavyweight Champion last wrestled. Clear rating. Matthewss extensive knowledge of wrestling holds aided him, even in some of Britains most ruthless towns. It featured geometric edges that became a hit all over the world while super out-there for the time. The last surviving wrestler from the "Pioneer Era" (1900s1940s) was American wrestler Angelo Savoldi (born April 21, 1914, died September 13, 2013, aged 99years, 145days). He was 67. DeNucci, who trained Mick Foley and Shane Douglas among others, was mainly a tag team specialist and a great brawler. There are five songs, from "Mockingbird" to "My Heart Has a Mind of Its Own," that I learned because they were remade over the next decade or so. Admittedly, we've had a lot of fun putting this wrestler information together and we hope you enjoy reading it too! Wrestlers like Big Daddy and Giant Haystacks thrilled kids with their bouts, not to mention a remarkable number of their usually peaceable grandmothers. Click here to watch Bobo Brazil taking on his nemesis, The Sheik. Or so Joint Promotions would have the enthusiasts believe. Wrestled his last match on his 80th birthday against Bobo Brazil Jr. at a CCW card in Marion, Ohio. There's no Buddy Rogers WWWF footage available but click here to watch a little gem from the '50s between him and Johnny Valentine. In the end, there can be only one! If you're looking for rock-solid results backed by data (not just my opinion like every other article on the internet) on the best Muscle Cars from the 60s and 70s, keep reading..Discover the definitive list of classic American Muscle Cars that dominated the 1/4 mile charts from 1964 to 1974. He went on to win one world title. He was an instant top babyface who battled Gorilla Monsoon and The Sheik among others. Wrestling stars of the 60s/'70s. The Last Unicorn (The Last Unicorn, #1) by. Gori Guerrero - World Champion Wrestled mainly in Mexico and WCCW. Chances are that grandmother or aunt would not be quite so respectable and may well have been prone to threatening the wrestlers with her handbag, umbrella or any other inanimate object that may have been close to hand. To build the list, I had to rely mostly on reading and assumptions in regard to what I could actually watch. New Zealand wrestler. Most recently wrestled for Pro Wrestling King in Fort Wayne, Indiana, teaming with Shawna Reed and Shotgun Shuler to defeat the team of Jensyn, NERD 5th and Steven Drochner. Click here to watch The Fabulous Moolah facing one of her toughest rival in the '70s. 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. [Photo: IMDB]His enormous stature was not lifelike as he stood an astonishing 6 feet, 11 inches (1.11m) tall and weighed 685 lbs (311 kg). The original Nature Boy was the total package back in the day, and he directly inspired Ric Flair with his flamboyant gimmick. Larry Chene, Mike Clancy, Jack Curtis, Mike DiBiase, Pepper Gomez, Red McKim, Sonny Myers, Angelo Savoldi, Joe Scarpello, Oni Wiki Wiki. As a result, he never got to show his full potential on the grandest stage. Something went wrong, please try again later. Buy Wrestling Tickets securely and cheaply online -. From January 1965 to September 85, British wrestling was the hottest it may have ever been. A comeback bout with Hulk Hogan was axed in 1995 after Haystacks, born Martin Ruane, contracted cancer. Profile aside, however, there were many reliable independent promoters and, although statistics do not exist, it seems quite credible that on any one night the independent shows presented would outnumber the Joint Promotion shows, albeit many being in small halls and clubs. Training under Marty Jones, Matthews made his pro wrestling debut at the age of 15 for a local promotor at Blackpool Pleasure Beach. * Continued to exist after the National Wrestling Alliance was founded in 1948. Farmer Pete wrestling in Milwaukee, December 3, 1972. Like everything on Wrestling Heritage this is a developing project and we welcome additions and corrections. He currently lives in Liverpool, United Kingdom, and finds his spare time training to become a wrestler. And, in those years, he often fought in 60-minute time limit draws. He needed a solid supporting crew to become such an icon. He had the strength, the technical abilities, the charisma and that mythic "it" factor to draw the audiences. Legendary British wrestling anti-hero Mick McManus. He won three WWWF Titles in the tag team division with three different partners from 1971 to 1978. Frenchy Lamonte was also known as Rolly the Rocket, the Little Hawk, and Little Evilborn. He moved to the US in the early 1960s, where he became NWA World Midget Championwinning a record three times (tied with Little Tokyo). Electricity Steve Regal. Can you imagine if Cena held the WWE title that long nowadays? Wrestling stars of the 60s/'70s1 of 18. What makes the Archmage and Avenging armor sets great: How to get the Archmage and Avenging armor sets: the pieces for these sets drop from various mobs and bosses in the Great Cleave . View gallery. Gorilla Monsoon is not just that face commentator known by the younger fans in the '80s and '90s. He died, aged 52, in 1998. Whenever not on tour overseas, Rocco would continue to compete for All Star Wrestling back home in Britain for the remainder of his career, which would last into the early 90s. Wrestled his last match for Bay Wrestling Federation in Alameda, California, teaming with his son Shane Kody and his grandson Riot defeating Boom Boom Comini, Johnny Starr and Mr. You can also click here to watch another poor quality video (Sammartino defeating Stasiak for the WWWF Title).