list of british wrestlers of the '60s and '70s

Another World of Sport favorite, Martin Austin Ruane, as Giant Haystacks, became a massive star in 1975 after teaming up with previously mentioned Big Daddy as one of the most dominant tag teams in British Wrestling history. Wrestled as The Minnesota Farm Boy from 1957 to 1966. Britain only had two channels in 1960, BBC . 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. Something went wrong, please try again later. Hawaii Five-O was a popular television series in the US during 1968 and for several years running. In 1986, he won the The Best Gimmick of the Year award from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter a prize that has been held by the likes of The Undertaker and Goldust. Click here to watch Strongbow taking on Professor TanakaMr. 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. Tag team: Little Bruiser and Billy the Kid, September 23 1972. Birthplace: Norwich, Norfolk, England. Oldest female, mainly wrestled as Princess White Dove. [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! Also, the rarer the item the higher the gear score will be within the gears tier range. No wonder the ex-miner and Coldstream Guard took out his anger in the ring. 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. They represent an era in which Saturday afternoon telly was genuinely gripping. For some, it was obvious because there's a lot offootage available, but for some others, very little stuff could be found. Five time NWA Polynesian Pacific Heavyweight Champion. Iron Sheik Reigns Supreme: His 10 Greatest Tweets, 10 Golden Era Wrestlers in WWEs Ruthless Aggression Era, 10 Wrestlers You May Not Know Appeared in ECW, 11 Wrestling Managers Who Deserve Some Love. Share. His impressive reign lasted until December 1, 1973 when Stan "The Man" Stasiak defeated him for the title in a shocking moment. Frenchy Lamonte was also known as Rolly the Rocket, the Little Hawk, and Little Evilborn. In the end, there can be only one! Formed in 1952 Joint Promotions was a syndicate of a handful of promoters based around the country. In the '70s, this was hands-down the most romantic song on the radio. 11:52, 21 APR 2013. At nearly eight years long, it is the longest World Championship reign in pro wrestling history. It was all very respectable. Farmer Pete and Cowboy Lang backstage in Milwaukee, February 3, 1972. Backlund will always be remembered as one of the greatest technicians in pro wrestling history who built his legacy by battling other promotional World Champions several times and any comer, often very bigger than him. Former WWWF World Tag Team 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. 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. Those I ranked are only the tip of the iceberg because other legends and pioneers existed before them. Wrestled his last match defeating Rat Ferraro at a wrestling event in Montreal, Canada. Wrestlers like Big Daddy and Giant Haystacks thrilled kids with their bouts, not to mention a remarkable number of their usually peaceable grandmothers. Fit Finlay over the years. From 1972 to 1978, in an age when tag team wrestling actually meant a lot, Fuji portrayed the stereotypical heel Japanese persona, and he was often involved in anti-American storylines. Television became a universal habit in the 60s. Kendo was unmasked in 1977, with 12 million viewers disappointed to learn that Peter Thornley was not Japanese after all. You probably noticed that the name of Bruno Sammartino was repeated often and was featured in many videos. It was a very different case with wrestling, whatever Joint Promotions would have us believe. Raised in Texas. wrestling poster, grays | Flickr Condivisione di foto! Pro Wrestling Stories - Your daily source of nostalgia and a peek behind the curtain wall of wrestlings past! This is a list of oldest surviving professional wrestlers.As of 2017, there are 42 living veterans from the "Golden Age of Wrestling" (1950s-1970s) over 75 years old.The last surviving wrestler from the "Pioneer Era" (1900s-1940s) was American wrestler Angelo Savoldi (born April 21, 1914, died September 13, 2013, aged 99 years, 145 days).The title of the oldest verified wrestler of all . 5 Times The Forbidden Door Opened in Wrestling, 10 Surprising Moments WWE Deceived Their Fans, 11 WrestleMania Matches That Surprisingly Didnt Main Event, Bruce Hart Explains How He Revolutionized Pro Wrestling, 10 Wrestlers Who Turned Scraps to Gold in ECW. Last wrestled in an 11-person Royal Rumble style match, where he entered last and won, last eliminating Erik Lockhart, for Rock n Roll Wrestling in Wahpeton, North Dakota. These contests, though, receive little publicity and mostly go unnoticed by the general public. Oldest person to wrestle ever at 87 years old. The Original Sheik portrayed a rich and brutal Syrian who brought a new level of violence in pro wrestling. Not moving as well as his large frame once was able, Arn Anderson recalled this time in Haystacks career on his ARN Podcast, stating, He could only probably fall one more time. French-Canadian wrestler. When he was not embracing success in the tag team division, he had some memorable feuds in singles against the likes of Billy Graham and Ken Patera. 1961-09-29 - National Wrestling Association (source: LegacyOfWrestling.com) 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 battled in various territories, but he always remained loyal to the WWWF. The iconic villain had a mysterious past, Samurai skills, supernatural powers and a cheap red face mask. 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. Former British Middleweight Champion and British Welterweight Champion. You can also click here to watch another poor quality video (Sammartino defeating Stasiak for the WWWF Title). . 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars. Wrestled in his last match defeating Frenchy Roberre at a. Wrestled his last match in a tag team match with his son, Wrestled his last match at the VerdugoMania 3rd Anniversary show in Tonala, Jalisco, Mexico, teaming with Jaque Mate Jr., Rafaga, and Rayman in a loss to the team of, Wrestled his last match in an event in Mexico City, Mexico, teaming with, Wrestled his last match for Battleground Championship Wrestling in Feasterville, Pennsylvania, teaming with. '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. It's normal because he was like the main attraction for all those years. He was also inducted into the Stampede Wrestling, the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, and the Canadian Wrestling Hall of Fames. Wrestled mainly in Mexico and WCCW. Also later on in his career he wrestled as Enforcer Luciano in NWA Hollywood. Here is where he would meet Robbie Brookside. 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. Born Murray Downs in Wallaceburg, Ontario, Little Bruiser was the only son among four sisters. Little Bruiser ready for a bout in Chicago, September 1 1972. Oldest living female wrestler. His powerhouse antics made him popular and he quickly became a star. The best wrestlers (Sky Low Low, Little Beaver, Lord Littlebrook, Little Tokyo) mixed great physical prowess with acrobatic skills to give their fans edge-of-the-seat thrills and entertainment, with just a hint of comedy. Cowboy Lang was born Harry Lang in Saskatchewan, Canada on August 28, 1950. wrestlingheritage.co.uk. Jackie Pallo (Mr TV! He retired in 1970 and moved to Las Vegas where he became a blackjack dealer. 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. So with news that World of Sport is back on ITV in June, we salute the great grapplers of yesteryear. Thanks to photographer David Maciejewski we can see pictures of the 'little' wrestlers before the hype and hoopla of WWF took hold. Even that list was full of instrumentals, early . Sky Low Low (outside ring) in a tag team with Little Beaver (nearside) versus Mighty Atom, May 5, 1967. Little Tokyo (aka Shigeri Akabane) who was inspired to quit homeland and join Lord Littlebrook and his troupe after they visited Japan in the 1960s. Click here to watch Mr. Fuji in rare singles action taking on Pedro Morales and click here to see him in some tag team action. Best known as a top showjumper who occasionally flicked a V-sign, Yorkshires finest, 78, also grappled in the 1970s. A number of bands emerged with an amalgamation of diverse musical influences. 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. All this respectability was presided over by the governing bodies, the British Boxing Board of control for the boxers and Joint Promotions for the wrestlers. Wrestling Heritage celebrates the glorious days of British professional wrestling. McManus has been described as the greatest name in British wrestling history, yet he remains mostly unknown outside of the United Kingdom. His first reign, in 1975, lasted 105 days, and he teamed up with Victor Rivera who was later replaced by Pat Barrett. The Promoters A-Z lists many of those promoters who made it all happen between 1930 and 1988. Nina Hagens Nunsexmonkrock: Greatest (and weirdest) unsung masterpiece of the postpunk era? One of his trademarks was to cut his opponents' face with a pencil hidden in his outfit. 10. He won three WWWF Titles in the tag team division with three different partners from 1971 to 1978. The Baron enjoyed a great career with the WWWF in the '60s and in the '70s as one of the top heels. Armstrong's last match was for Continental Championship Wrestling in Dothan, Alabama, where he defeated The Assassin. We have taken a lot of time and careful attention to detail in bringing you our free to use and access Wrestler's Database. Martin Austin Ruane (October 10, 1946 - November 29, 1998) was an English professional wrestler of Irish descent. 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. Extreme Record Collecting: Confessions of an analog vinyl snob, A long, rambling blog post about my Nico obsession (+ some astonishing, seldom seen TV performances). A former tag partner of Big Daddy, they became huge ring rivals. By Lee Dorrian. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Frenchy Lamonte heading for the ring in Tampa 1970. He would win his first singles championship from none other than Mark "Rollerball" Rocco in November 1976 when he defeated him for the British Light Heavyweight Championship, a Joint Promotions title he would go on to hold five times. You play to your strengths in this game and my strength is as a bald, rough-looking Yorkshireman, he said. After one of his shows on December 2nd, 1997, he died from a stroke. He portrayed a Japanese samurai with a relatively unknown past: Kendo Nagasaki. The pedigree of the two sports were linked; combined professional wrestling and boxing shows had taken place in the early 1930s under the auspices of the British Boxing Board of Control. As bizarre as the premise is, Lowrance's announcing makes it work. He moved to the US in the early 1960s, where he became NWA World Midget Championwinning a record three times (tied with Little Tokyo). Patera made a name for himself as a dominant strongman wrestler who had a successful weightlifting career behind him. He went on to win one world title. 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He became one of the most infamous heels ever in the late '70s when he injured many babyface wrestlers with his signature swinging full nelson he didn't release after the bell. With Cold War fears lessening slightly compared to the previous decade, spy movies still often focused on Russian defectors, nuclear annihilation, and East German intrigue. Click here to watch The Fabulous Moolah facing one of her toughest rival in the '70s. Kieran Hamilton finds joy in all things wrestling. Click here to watch The Baron teaming up with Frand "The Moose" to face Jay Strongbow and Peter Maivia. There were more than 4,000 different brews available in the 60s, so we cannot list them all. Label boss, former Cathedral singer and late 60s/early 70s music aficionado Lee Dorrian picks the best forgotten prog-psych albums of the 1960s. Nov 18, 2017 - Explore Larry McFarland's board "Mexican Wrestlers 1960s", followed by 104 people on Pinterest. Brother of. British musician and wrestler. To build the list, I had to rely mostly on reading and assumptions in regard to what I could actually watch. Last wrestled for ABC Wrestling in Beziers, France, losing to Matthew Ford. 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. From January 1965 to September 85, British wrestling was the hottest it may have ever been. The forgotten heroes of Midget Wrestling: Vintage photos from the 60s and 70s, Oliver Reed as a prototype Alex from A Clockwork Orange in These are the Damned, I Have No Desire To Be Nico: Post-Punks Muse Of Manchester, Linder Sterling. In 1971, he and Bruno Sammartino put the hand on the short-lived WWWF International Tag Team Championship, a secondary Title. He was also a trainer at the WWE Performance Center, where he trained the newest batch of WWE superstars. There always was, and still are, boxing shows operating outside the jurisdiction of the BBBC. In pictures: Mick McManus and the stars of the British wrestling FOLLOWING today's news of the passing of Mick McManus, one of the stars of ITV's World of Sport wrestling, we look back on. 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. However, he never got to show his full potential and was often placed in comedy segments alongside his leprechaun sidekick, Hornswoggle. 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. Antonio Posa - World Champion One bout with Jackie Pallo was seen by 20 million fans. Initially unpopular with the crowds, he became much loved after his acting career took off. We have them all, from the 1980's, 1990's, 2000's, including Legends and Brits of note. After a 273-day reign, he vacated the title on November 6th, 1984, leaving Japan for the World Wrestling Federation. Although known nowadays as a coach at the WWE Performance Center, previously, Robbie Brookside had a very successful career as a performer. Please allow ads and let sponsors fund your surfing. Wrestling stars of the 60s/'70s4 of 18 . Inducted into the. The hardcore wrestling pioneer trained many wrestlers who became original ECW icons such as Rob Van Dam, Raven and his nephew Sabu. Click here to watch Tony Garea in action against Billy Graham. In a way, the espionage genre did not develop much from the '60s to the '70s. However, the highlight of his career was the first ever babyface vs. babyface championship match, at the legendary main event of "Showdown at Shea 1972" against Bruno Sammartino. First African-American promoter & manager working under Vincent J. McMahon. In fact, he was so known to the British public that the Queen and former Prime Minister Margret Thatcher were said to be fans! Officially, according the WWE, she held the Women's Championship for 28 years without interruption, from 1956 to 1984. 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. The similarities were apparent. 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. Former printer William Matthews nickname, Rugged South London Tough Guy, was hardly catchy yet he was one of the sports biggest draws. He was 69. 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. The 60s and 70s set the ball rolling for rock music. He continued wrestling until the late 1980s, when he was enshrined into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame. Click here to watch Zbyszko turning on his mentor at the end of 1979; then, treat yourself by clicking here to watch their classic cage match in August 1980. By using this site, you agree to the legal terms set out in ourDisclaimer, Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and Disclosure. In 1968 he was crowned 'WWWF Champion' in a tournament but would hold it (and his all-time record reign) for an unprecedented eight years without being defeated. Where would we be without films like "Grease" and "The Godfather"? . 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. 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. 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. Something went wrong, please try again later. One of their biggest stars went by the name Big Daddy.. 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. 1. 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. With an HPI of . Wrestling has been represented well in Vancouver with cards almost every week since as early as 1929 under the enterprising promotion of pioneer, Emil Klank. 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. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. He managed to win two Tag Team Championships in the '70s, once with Sonny King and once with Billy White Wolf. 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. At just 5 feet, 6 inches (1.68 m) tall, and 175 lbs (79 kg), he was known for his brutal way of punishing opponents of all sizes. We use ads to keep our content free for you. British wrestling history has a name - HeritageWrestling Heritage celebrates the glorious days of British professional wrestling. Due to the lack of complete records, it is believed that Farmer Pete was World Champion for seven days in 1957, after beating Sonny Boy Cassidy, who won the title back in a rematch in October the same year. However, he was not alone and this top 25 is the proof. He held the new championship 233 days, then he hung his boots a couple years after his historic reign. A major star of Midget Wrestling Littlebrook was born in England in 1929. During his time there, he would become a four-time TV Champion. * Continued to exist after the National Wrestling Alliance was founded in 1948. He was a top heel and was renowned for bending the rules so the crowd would despise him as much as humanly possible. Little Tokyo went on to win the NWA World Midget Champion three times equaling Lord Littlebrooks achievement. Blood, barrel chests, and mutton chops. The Red Shoes (1948) Film. He went on to the glitz and glamour of the WWF in the US as The British Bulldog before a tragically early death at 39 after a heart attack. While never wrestling across the pond in the WWF, Jones did a stint in NJPW in the early 80s, where he faced off against the original Tiger Mask and also participated in tag team matches alongside and against well-known international names at the time, such as Antonio Inoki and even Andre The Giant. The events of the 1960s affect the lives of two families, one white and one black. And, with his trademark war dance, the fans went as crazy as when Hogan was "Hulking" up in the '80s. 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. Logos are registered trademarks of respective organizations. Czechslovakian wrestler. Photograph: David Redfern/Redferns Swinging. He went on to win a clutch of wrestling awards including the NWA Midget Wrestling Championship twice and was a firm favorite with fans. He eventually became a three-time WWWF United States Tag Team Championship. President of the WWF from 1978 to 1984. In the 1960s British professional wrestling was a credible rival to professional boxing for the position of Britain's most popular combat sport. With his rising popularity, he eventually won the WWWF Tag Team Championship on two occasions. 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. He was also a trainer even when he was an active wrestler. When Embry wins and Lowrance compares it to other great moments in the decades-long history of the Dallas Sportatorium, you. Although some of the wrestlers we detail below broke through to major promotions during their time in the business, often, they arent given the recognition they deserve. He won the WWWF US Championship in 1971, but he had to drop it one month later, when he became the WWWF World Heavyweight Champion on February 8, 1971. One built a reputation just meeting him in the ring. AEW President Tony Khan broke the news on Tuesday that one-half of the ROH World Tag Team Champions Jay Briscoe, real name Jamin. As you could see, pro wrestling didn't start with Hulk Hogan in the '80s. Admittedly, we've had a lot of fun putting this wrestler information together and we hope you enjoy reading it too! Sandor Szabo 60 October 16, 1966 Heart Attack; Primo Carnera 51 June 29, 1967 Cirrhosis of Liver . Copyright 1995-2023 puroresu.com. Also has trained many wrestlers like. In the '50s, '60s, and '70s, female solo singers were ever-present on radio, TV and the pop charts -- as they should have been! 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. However, like many of his colleagues, his career and achievements have been sadly overlooked. Just about the most recognisable name ever to come out of British wrestling started grapplin' in the late 1950's, but it would be almost another two decades before he had become Grandma's favourite..

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