Lindsay Kay Hayward is one of the tallest women in history. Privacy With his flamboyant gimmick, combined with his powerhouse in-ring style and his bodybuilder's physique, he was the prototype who established the future WWF wrestlers standards. In the U.S., he made his name thanks to a massive violent feud with Bruno Sammartino in WWE. * Some NWA promoters recognized Moolah as world champion By the time most old school wrestling fans got to see him, Mr. Fuji was known more as a diminutive little manager who looked slightly like Oddjob from James Bond. 18. Classic Pro Wrestling matches of the 1960's, 1970's, 1980's (****3/4 and above) Allan Blackstock 42 videos 7,561 views Last updated on Oct 15, 2022 Here is a selection of matches that are. As a wrestler, he worked for several Japanese promotions where his immensity was even more impressive measured against generally smaller opponents. Click here to watch history being made when Ivan Koloff defeated Bruno Sammartino for the WWWF; and click here if you want to see The Russian Bear in a cage match again vs. Sammartino, in 1975. 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. For some, it was obvious because there's a lot offootage available, but for some others, very little stuff could be found. Despitehis walrus-like physique, Vader was very agile in the ring. El Santo - National Champion, Welterweight (Mexico): 1961-09-29 - National Wrestling Association (source: LegacyOfWrestling.com) While the Ugandan portion of his character was all show, the giant part was not. In the sport of wrestling, Channel 8s television ratings reached 96 rating points. Bigelow wrestled with WWE, ECW and WCW as well as in Japan. With wrestlers not wrestling exclusively for one promotion, Andre became the most popular wrestler of the decade. With a body that looks capable of no more than stumbling around, Baba dropkicked, headlocked and chopped his opponents in his more than 3,000 matches. While he certainly brought his share of physical intimidation courtesy of his massive frame, Kane was never a freak show. One built a reputation just meeting him in the ring. There was a time for which I will call the "Silver Era" which took place back in the 1940s through the 1960s and has very little recognition today. As Akeem "the African Dream," Gray teamed with Big Boss Man. Some sources list him at 7 8 and others go as high as 86. More than his tree-like stature, more than anything else in his career, fans will think of mustaches when they think of Eli Cottonwood. The Baron enjoyed a great career with the WWWF in the '60s and in the '70s as one of the top heels. Frazier, even at his leanest, was a rotund man, a whale among fish. English wrestler Martin Ruane made opponents as large as Big Daddy look like children. 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. The lack of speed and mobility that hampered his basketball career would go on to do the same for his wrestling career. After a stint in World Class Championship Wrestling, Bundy made a name for himself in WWE, squashing opponents with his Avalanche Splash. Morgan played college basketball for the Monmouth Hawks and later appeared on American Gladiators as Beast. Click here to watch Strongbow taking on Professor TanakaMr. He was even put in rare face-against-face matches when he challenged Bruno Sammartino for the WWWF World Title on a few occasions in the mid-60s. Honorable mention: Edouard Carpentier, Verne Gagne, Lou Thesz, Wilbur Snyder, Rip Hawk, Fritz Von Erich, Pepper Gomez, Lorenzo Parente, Jr. Heavyweight: As you could see, pro wrestling didn't start with Hulk Hogan in the '80s. Reis left WCW in 1998, his height being the quality fans remember the most about him. He built his reputation with a hardcore side that disappeared in the early '80s due to health issues. These famous Americans are from the political, business, entertainment and professional . With his rising popularity, he eventually won the WWWF Tag Team Championship on two occasions. Click here to watch the 1977 PWI Match of the YearGraham defeated Bruno Sammartino for the WWWF Title. He bumbled about the ring worse than Giant Gonzales or The Great Khali ever did. Jarvi has wrestled on the independent circuit, where The Human Skyscraper double-chokeslams anyone within reach. No, not dem Boys. But as far as wrestlers wrestlers and old school tough guys go, theres are no better men than Jack and Jerry Brisco. 1. He was also a trainer even when he was an active wrestler. 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. He managed to win two Tag Team Championships in the '70s, once with Sonny King and once with Billy White Wolf. He is a former WWWF United States Tag Team Champion, and his biggest achievement was to win the WWWF World Tag Team Title along with King Curtis Iaukea. ", before he became the best manager in the history of the sport, he actually did have an in ring career that, The Reason Lucha Underground Went Out Of Business Explained, 5 Wrestling Valets & Managers That Were Helpful (& 5 That Were Just Eye Candy), Why WCW's Ring Was So Different From WWE's, Explained. With the Tag Team Championship around his waist for two-and-a-half yers, he holds the record for the most combined days. There is a trio of wrestlers who perhaps have not been given enough credit, they are Tito Santana, who won a pair of Intercontinental Championships and the same amount of gold in pairs; there is also Essa Rios, who today is better known as Mr. Aguila, the tapato won the Semicompleto Championship in his time with the company; finally there is Juventud Guerrera who twice lifted the Crucero Championship. His biggest accomplishments were in the tag team division. Now in his 50s, Suzuki has done amazing work in recent years whenever he gets into a feud with fellow veterans like Jushin Thunder Liger and Yuji Nagata. 23. Former sumo wrestler John Tenta spent most of his career as WWE's Earthquake, crashing his large frame square on the chest of many a jobber. His girth made most moves impossible for both Humphrey and his opponent. In real life, he was Max Palmer, an actor and evangelist born in small-town Mississippi. In 1971, he and Bruno Sammartino put the hand on the short-lived WWWF International Tag Team Championship, a secondary Title. To build the list, I had to rely mostly on reading and assumptions in regard to what I could actually watch. Pro wrestling has been home to its share of giants, enormous men who forced our necks to tilt upward and rings to strain. Kurt Zehe made men look like boys when he stood next to them. The man known then as "The Giant," became a mammoth-sized part of WCW in 1995 and immediately drew comparisons to Andre the Giant. It was that physique that helped him land the role of Bane in Batman and Robin. 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. The wrestler called The Living Legend had it all to be a genuine superstar. After that last success, Graham slowly faded away from the WWWF. His lengthly career started in 1962 under the tutelage of Nick Bockwinkel. Yokozuna's weight was his greatest attraction, but it was also ultimately his downfall. Calhoun's enormity turned him somewhat of a circus attraction. The result was one of the worst matches in wrestling history. In addition, he accomplished the unthinkable when he ended Sammartino's seven-year reign. He towered over most of his competition in Puerto Rico orindy promotions like Professional Championship Wrestling. His sole presence guaranteed sold-out arenas to any promoter, and it was no exception for the growing WWWF. Records differ on Palmer's actual height. Related: Every Wrestler To Body Slam Andre The Giant. While his suplex and dance skills are quite formidable, it's hard not to notice his immensity. His monikers included Big John Harris, Silo Sam and Trapper John. 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. In the process, I discovered countless wrestlers I hadn't heard about or I didn't really know. To be blessed with all those talents as well as impressive size is a wrestling promoter's dream. Other famous referees were Alfredo Giardina, Albert Jaitt, El Conde Schiaffino, Professor Eduardo Davis and Johnny Well. On an interesting side note, Santino Marella's name is a tribute to Monsoon, who's real name is Robert Marella. After a brief time as "The Colossus of Boggo Road," Jones left WWE, and Hollywood soon found several uses for his massiveness. 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. to these sites/people. Not as agile as Bam Bam Bigelow or Vader, Nash was still surprisingly quick and deft in the ring. 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. With two different partners (Professor Tanaka and Mr. Saito), he managed to have five reigns as Tag Team champion, for a total of 932 days. He eventually became a three-time WWWF United States Tag Team Championship. Bruno Sammartino is one of the most famous and popular faces ever to wrestle for the McMahon machine. 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. Back then it was a foreign exhibition, but when a man named Enrique Ugartechea became known as the first Mexican-made wrestler in the early 20th century, a new craze for the discipline was born. Possessing an impressive blend of power and speed, Rikishi spent a good part of two decades entertaining WWE fans. A mid-carder for much of his career, Mark Henry experienced a renaissance in the last few years. Morton hires a . Graham, one of the greatest brawlers ever, won three different tag team championships during his runs with the company. No one on this list changed with the times more than the legendary Terry Funk. Visit Our Patreon Page to Create Your Own All-Time Fantasy Teams and See Other Bonus Material . Copyright 1995-2023 puroresu.com. Karloff Largarde - World & National Champion. Pro wrestling turned Mississippi native Jim Harris into Kamala, The Ugandan Giant. Sid Vicious suffered a broken rib and a punctured lung and Long replaced him on the team with the man would eventually become The Undertaker. After some forgettable gimmicks in Isaac Yankem D.D.S. He especially made his mark in handicap bouts and in what would become his specialty, the battle royal matches. When he joined the WWWF in 1977, he quickly made his way into the world championship picture as a top heel. During his heyday in the '60s, Calhoun feuded with Dick the Bruiser and battled Bruno Sammartino. The . Jerry 'The King' Lawler. He is nimble and versatile. One of his trademarks was to cut his opponents' face with a pencil hidden in his outfit. Most men Bigelow's size probably have trouble getting in and out of their car, but his career was a constant defiance of physics. Top 10 Times Wrestlers Fought While Injured . Nothing could be further from the truth for The Undertaker. Previous Decade > Next Decade . Top 50 professional wrestlers. Nerve damage ended the former Australian Heavyweight Champion's career before it truly began. * Continued to exist after the National Wrestling Alliance was founded in 1948. However, he was not alone and this top 25 is the proof. Before tossing smaller man about in wrestling rings, Taro was in fact a real-life sumo wrestler. He was billed as being over 600 lbs. 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). 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. He won three WWWF Titles in the tag team division with three different partners from 1971 to 1978. The WWE portion of his career was not nearly as successful. The latest in the sports world, emailed daily. You probably noticed that the name of Bruno Sammartino was repeated often and was featured in many videos. Season 2 Episode 12 The Wrestler. His finishing move, like many men of his size, uses his weight as a weapon, splashing down on a fallen foe for a victory. When he joined the WWF in 1979, Patterson was an established heel who already accumulated 32 vhampionships in various territories. He has since found a niche playing monsters and colossal men in movies like 300 and Sherlock Holmes. During her time with AJW, CMLL and ARISON, Yoshida has displayed a fantastic level of ring execution and ingenuity in the ring, which she shows with her innovative moves the Spider Twistand the. Ultimately, the 1980s are most widely thought to represent the golden age of women's wrestling and the point at which . * Continued to exist after the National Wrestling Alliance was founded in 1948. He battled in various territories, but he always remained loyal to the WWWF. Norton signed a developmental deal at age 26, but apparently WWE officials didn't see enough from the 7'0'' giant. He was an instant top babyface who battled Gorilla Monsoon and The Sheik among others. Policy. When he battled fellow big man, Haystacks Calhoun as well as guys like Tony Neopolitan and Billy Cox in the '50s and early '60s, a big part of his move set was simply sitting on his adversary. Wrestlers in the 6 . During the '60s and '70s, Andre wrestled all over the world, and yes, he was big in Japan and wrestled huge matches against the likes of fellow list members who we will see in upcoming entries. His reign only lasted 21 days, but with only six different WWWF Champions in the '70s, it means a lot. He flies through the air like a much smaller man. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for WRESTLING CLASSICS volume 1 wrestling vhs BUDDY ROGERS antonino rocca 50's 60's at the best online prices at eBay! Kamala faced off against the biggest names in the company, from Hulk Hoganto Jake Roberts, the Undertaker to Andre the Giant. Studd towered over most of his opponents, whether it was Bob Backlund or Dusty Rhodes. A monster heel, Studd brought a stretcher to the ring as a means of intimidation. Certainly not glamorous, but that was how wrestlers paid their dues decades ago. Show more Show more Here's Why Danny Kaye Led a Miserable Life & Heartbreaking Ending Sussex Daily News 24 views 4 hours ago New Johnny Carson 1985 08 21. 1962-08-10 - National Wrestling Association (source: LegacyOfWrestling.com) 50. 1 Lou Thesz 2 Karl Gotch 3 Sailor Art Thomas 4 Brute Bernard 5 Judy Grable 6 Chief Don Eagle 7 Johnny Valentine 8 Primo Carnera 9 El Santo 10 "Killer" Buddy Austin 11 Mark Lewin 12 The Great Bolo 13 "Butcher" Vachon 14 Wilbur Snyder 15 "Mad Dog" Vachon 16 Ray Gunkel 17 Sputnik Monroa 18 "Wild" Red Berry 19 Mildred Burke 20 The Sicilians 21 However, at the end of the decade, he could not get rid of his "Sammartino's Protg" label, and he turned heel, to eventually leave in 1981. and the fake Diesel, WWE found the perfect fit for Glenn Jacobs. Even without the name, it's clear that Jarvi is a large man. Most of the wrestlers didn't even have the physiques or follow the diet and workout regimen that many athletes follow today. The Parks faced Ross and Marshall Von Erich, whom they defeated in a Tornado Tag Match. ( NWA Southern Champion) Fred Blassie. It seems that if there is a lack of ideas for a large wrestler, he is inevitably dressed in overalls and asked to play an oversized country bumpkin. Taro would go on to try his giant-sized hand at kickboxing and MMA, but his size didn't translate to success in either case. He was often a top contender to the WWWF Championship, and he battled Bruno Sammartino on several occasions in high-profile matches. Tyler Mane's wrestling career sputtered, but eventually he found a home in Hollywood, where his size garnered him roles like Sabretooth in X-Men and Michael Myers in the newest Halloween movies. As his nickname "Crazy" suggests, he portrayed a deranged persona who covered his ears and claimed he was not insane when someone made allusion to his craziness. He had a brief run in WWE as Waylon Mercy, a psychopath/Southern gentleman. Ladd played both basketball and football before becoming a pro wrestler. Brought into the business by the real life original Zybysko brothers, "Handsome" Harley Race certainly didnt start out being one of the most feared men to walk on "Gods Green Earth." He is even credited as the inventor of the figure-four leglock. 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. Monsoon battled Andre the Giant, Bruno Sammartino and at one point even had an infamousaltercation with Muhammad Ali. The enemies-turned-allies carried on the tradition of wrestling's oversized pairings. Brian Norton wrestled in his home country as Tron. Hulk Hogan. For many of his matches, Jeff Bearden had to bend down awkwardly in order to get a proper hold on his opponent. John Cena. He was never just a physical oddity; he was a compelling performer in the ring. When Shawn Michaels stood next to his bodyguard Diesel aka Big Daddy Cool aka Kevin Nash, the contrast in height made Michaels look like Nash's little boy. Logos are registered trademarks of respective organizations. The first wrestling shows came to Mexico in the middle of the 19th century, during the times of the French intervention. Mane wrestled for UWF, WCW and in Canada, Japan and Puerto Rico. Both men clashed on many occasions with no clear winner until that famous day in 1978 at the Madison Square Garden. Free shipping for many products! Robert "Jeep" Swenson resembled the sturdy girth of his namesake. His moves are limited to swats, chops and awkward slams. 19 Stan Hansen. Bearden won several championships throughout his career, particularly in South Africa, where he made his home in the early '90s. Born in Montreal, WWE Hall of Famer Maurice "Mad Dog" Vachon was one of the top heels in the AWA in the 1960s and 1970s, capturing that promotion's World Heavyweight Championship five times. Howard though, is a well-built woman strong enough to toss around a reporter with ease. 60. Click here to watch The Fabulous Moolah facing one of her toughest rival in the '70s. to these sites/people. He immediately became the No. 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. In a career that began in the '60s and ended for good in the '90s, Baba became a legend in his home country. Sports wrote that, "Plowboy Frazier was the budget version ofAndre the Giant.". Like Calhoun, he wore overalls and wrestled barefoot. Simply being a giant doesn't afford one that kind of legacy. Click here to watch Luke Graham in the ring; it's probably not a WWWF footage, but that's all I could find. Had things worked out with WWE, he could have towered over fellow Irishman Sheamus. top 10 wrestlers from the 50s and 60s. While Juan Manuel Figueroa would be La Momia between 1975 and 1988. The man known as Killer Kowalski Jr. was even bigger, a good two inches taller. Ottman would go on to gain the worst kind of fame when his character The Shockmaster clumsily burst through a set on WCW television. Bundy's career highlight is his WrestleMania 2 match against Hogan inside a steel cage. The team were actually a bloody hardcore tag team. Unable to continue as a wrestler, Stevens took to acting. 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. while others continued to bill Byers as the title holder. Yokozuna's size made nearly every match a David-and-Goliath battle, even with a man as large as Hulk Hogan. 11. Making Ron Simmons look diminutive is an impressive feat. He started out in his native France as Geant Ferre, a play on a French folk hero. Jones certainly had Undertaker's size and an impressive physique, but never did much more than tread water with the company. You can also click here to watch another poor quality video (Sammartino defeating Stasiak for the WWWF Title). His profile on thetallestman.com lists him at "only" 7'3'' but anything between that range is super tall. Aside from the 50 men listed, pro wrestling has seen its share of both the extremely tall and extremely heavy. Strongbow will probably be most remembered for his Native American gimmick, with the complete outfit, including his famous traditional headdress than for his achievements. var vclk_options = { sid: 11669, placement_id: 'faf683dc-a8b9-443c-316a-9c22984f3fe6', version: '1.4' }; This web site exists to provide the information on professional wrestling and is neither affiliated nor endorsed by any pro-wrestling organization. His weight fluctuated throughout his career. Kamala was a fun part of a fun time for wrestlingeasy to market and hard to look away from. Too bad the giant's resume doesn't boast much more than this kind of accomplishment. The 1974 PWI Rookie of the year was trained and introduced to the WWWF by Bruno Sammartino. * Continued to exist after the National Wrestling Alliance was founded in 1948. Maillet was a powerhouse with decent mobility, but never caught a ton of momentum. Credits for information on this site are given Dwarfing a man the size of Mason Ryan is accomplishment a rare few can claim. When his three-year reign ended in 1977, Sammartino established an unbeatable record of 11 years as the reigning WWWF Champion. The former NWA World Champion Jack and the former Stooge Jerry both began in the late '60s and had careers that spanned decades, including winning the NWA Tag Team Championship several times during their career. He played ball for his native Brazil Later, he tried his hand at MMA. Gorilla Monsoon is not just that face commentator known by the younger fans in the '80s and '90s. He is an actor, known for WWE: OMG! Australian powerlifter Nathan Jones charged onto the WWE scene as The Undertaker's right-hand man. Some of these wrestlers have been so large it can hardly seem real. News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. Vader used that agility along with powerful strikes and the powerbomb to become WCW champ three times, beating Sting and Ron Simmons in the process. Vicious in contrast, became a world champion several times over. Even if there are a few non-existent inches added here or a few pounds added to one's weight, there's no denying just how gigantic these men are. I also considered the longevity with the WWWF, a point not very important after the early '80s and the death of the territories concept. Giant Baba. Many greats, including Hulk Hogan, Stone Cold, Ric Flair and Triple H, were inspired by him to forge their characters. 47. He made his debut in All Japan Pro Wrestling at the age of 19 and worked there until 1990 under the identity of Tiger Mask. 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. Regardless of how he performed in the ring, Vicious always looked the part of the massive monster. Andrews didn't move particularly well. Knowing every heel tactic in the tag team action environment, he became the manager known as "Luscious" Johnny V who introduced Demolition to the WWF and who worked with The Dream Team (Greg Valentine / Brutus Beefcake) among others. Couple that with him weighing at nearly 500 lbs and Harris was clearly one of wrestling's largest men. Kowalski, who opened a pro wrestling school after he retired in 1977, trained none other than Triple H and many others. 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. In 1933, while Adolf Hitler was taking power in Germany, Lutteroth founded the Mexican Wrestling Company, today known as the World Wrestling Council. However, on many occasions, he was caught at his own game, and it ended in a bloodbath after his rival returned the illegal object against him. 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. In addition to his championships, he left his mark on the WWE hardcore scene, with his uncommon mix of technician and brawler's skills.Click here to watch Pat Patterson defending the Intercontinental Championship against Dominic DeNucci. In addition, you can see the most watched/liked stuff amongst your friends. Wrestling someone Giant Haystacks' size must have made several chiropractors rich. Even when he was Paul Wight, he was taller than most everyone else. He was a master user of foreign objects and one of the best ever to sell opponents' moves. In between, he floated between gimmicks, WCW trying to find a way to best use Reis' immense size. Rhodes began wrestling in the 1960s and gained a reputation as a fast-talking, hard-rocking wrestler. He was a tough brawler and a solid performer who unfortunately spent much of his career in the shadow of a bigger giant. 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. 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. Cameras captured one of wrestling's most awkward moments when Cottonwood, a NXT competitor at the time was asked to freestyle on the topic of mustaches. Click here to watch Andre The Giant winning a battle royal in the mid-70s. 10 Wrestlers Who Tragically Died In The Ring. Pat O'Connor - World Champion, Jr. Heavyweight: To counteract his significant size advantage, some of his matches featured special stipulations. El Show de Renny (a musical program) had only 32 rating points. Jackson Andrews wrestled for FCW from 2009-2011, where his colossal frame was his main asset. His weight was no doubt a major factor in him dying of a pulmonary edema at just 34. Henry used that mastodon-like body to lift upwards of 900 lbs. Hogan began his professional wrestling career in . This soon turned into the uncomfortable "Love Machine" angle where Viscera wouldhump his opponents. Despite his size, Silva compiled a less-than-stellar record of 2-6. He was a master of the heel tactics, but he was also very agile in the ring. Other Links > Pro Wrestling > Top Ranked Pro Wrestlers by Decade . Top 25 1950's Westerns. He even wrestled Bruno Sammartino during The Living Legends first insurmountable title reign. Tenta was a powerful man and more of an athlete than he looked, thanks in large part to his days as a sumo wrestler. There have been wrestlers well over 7 tall and some well beyond 400 lbs. This was his most successful endeavor. The woman known as Aloisia during her run in WWE's NXT is young and being able to make Chyna look small is a unique gift. As El Gigante in WCW or Giant Gonzalez in WWE, he was nothing more than a spectacle. Many icons paved the way to what would become an empire in the world of wrestling. I found no WWWF footage of The Sheik, but you can click here to see the hardcore legend in action against Dusty Rhodes in the '70s; or, if you're curious, click here for a match between him and Chief White Eagle in the late '50s or early '60s. He had the strength, the technical abilities, the charisma and that mythic "it" factor to draw the audiences. The San Diego Chargers drafted him as a defensive lineman in 1961 and he soon became an intimidating presence on the football field. The original Nature Boy was the total package back in the day, and he directly inspired Ric Flair with his flamboyant gimmick. That is why he is known as the father of Mexican wrestling. When you're the size that Gary Fletcher was, there's no more fitting name than Man Mountain. This site uses third party cookies for analytics and advertising. Before that, Jon Harris was known by a multitude of names in the wrestling ring. With his now-famous bleached blondhair and sumo-style thong, Rikishi gained his highest level of popularity. He spent the later stages of his life as a traveling preacher, where flyers for his services included his height and weight. There isnt a single person reading this list that doesnt understand the level of greatness behind Bobby "The Brain" Heenan. 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. He held the new championship 233 days, then he hung his boots a couple years after his historic reign. He's best known for his time as Big Sky in WCW. In 1978 DeNucci enjoyed his second reign with Dino Bravo as his partner, and they held the belt for 104 days. - The Top 50 Incidents in WWE History (2011), WCW Monday Nitro (1995) and WWE Smackdown! 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An instant top babyface who battled Gorilla Monsoon and the Sheik among others Legend his! Byers as the reigning WWWF Champion WCW or Giant Gonzalez in WWE, squashing opponents with now-famous... Championship, a secondary Title sumo-style thong, Rikishi spent a good part of pulmonary... Maillet was a fun time for wrestlingeasy to market and hard to look away from the men! Icons paved the way to what I could brawlers ever, won different... Inches taller wrestlers not wrestling exclusively for one promotion, Andre became the most famous popular... Moves are limited to swats, chops and awkward slams different WWWF Champions in the early '80s to! Who already accumulated 32 vhampionships in various territories both Humphrey and his opponent the mid-70s Byers as Title! Most popular wrestler of the top 50 Incidents in WWE history ( 2011 ), Monday... Further from the WWWF and was featured in many videos had it all to a! 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