The World's Most Entertaining Car Website. Its unbelievable how time flies, and its still a thrill for me. Wrestling Documentaries That Hit The Mark, 7 Wrestling Upsets That Left Fans Shocked and Confused. WWE Legend Bruno Sammartino claimed that Hulk Hogan was "never a draw" and that he was "never a fan of Hogan".. Ive never asked to be handed anything., My whole life Ive been fed by the WWE. Bruno Sammartino. 155. The result was quite graphic and stunning, to say the least. McMahon knew that a poor showing at the box office could very well bankrupt his Capitol Wrestling Corporation. Still, this feud vaulted Zbyszko into the main event position with several promotions, including a two-time run as American Wrestling Association (AWA) World Heavyweight Champion. 10. Bruno Sammartino Says Hulk Hogan Wasn't A Great Draw, Reveals Why He Returned To WWF In The 80s, Bruno Sammartino Talks WWE Under Triple H. Although by this time an adult and wise to the ways of the wrestling world, I vividly remember standing up in my living room and uttering holy s*** over and over. Hulk Hogan defeated Angelo Gomez Bruno Sammartino defeated Larry Zbyszko via disqualification at 9:34 when Zbyszko threw the referee to the floor and hit Sammartino in the head with a wooden chair three times, . WWE Legend Bruno Sammartino claimed that Hulk Hogan was never a draw and that he was never a fan of Hogan. If you use any of the quotes from this article, please credit Legends With JBL with an H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription. Hogan would make several returns thereafter, in no small part to the drawing power, like Sammartino before him. The finale of this epic Showdown at Shea trilogy featured thirteen matches in front of the then third-largest crowd in American wrestling history: 36,295. He and I were doing the color commentating. I was like, 'you gotta be kidding me.'" While he rarely shows up in conversations about the greatest legends to never win a world title, Gorilla Monsoons work as a wrestler, broadcaster, and authority figure probably should place him in that conversation, and indeed he was Sammartinos first marquee challenger. Moreover, 'The Living Legend' said that Hogan did not have the ability to draw in the same markets every month because he could not vary his in-ring work. When in the McMahon's good graces, the list of best wrestlers ever begins with Shawn Michaels and ends with The Undertaker (depending on what Hulk Hogan's been doing on Twitter). Before there was Roman Reigns, John Cena, The Rock, Stone Cold, Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart, Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair, there was Bruno Sammartino. He held the title for 9 and a half months, although many argued that it should have been longer. Sammartino also told RFVideo(per Sportskeeda)that Hogan no-showed matches against him in the mid-late '80s and had to be replaced by Sgt. Indeed, Sammartino seven-and-a-half-year reign cemented him as the first true face of WWE. We share awesome content covering all interesting parts of the Pre-Golden Era, Golden Era, New Generation Era, Attitude Era & the early Ruthless Aggression Era. Sid would ultimately stick around through WrestleMania that year, when a drug suspension caused him to leave the company seemingly to pursue a professional softball career. Though Sammartino passed away in 2018 with his Hogan sentiments intact, the feeling doesn't seem to be mutual, with Hogan praising Sammartino shortly after his passing. To his credit, Hogan has gone out of his way in recent memory to make amends for any mistakes he made in his career. He was not a guy that if you had to keep up like in our era, where you had to depend on the arena, for your payday every month, every month, to where you were dependent on going to the same arena month after month, year after year. At the second WrestleMania, Sammartino competed in the 20-man battle royal at the Rosemont Horizon in Chicago. From there, he played a key role in making WWE credible. "I came back as a color commentator with Vince. "In my mind, I presented it to [Hulk] as just good guy versus good guy and the thing where HBK was just like 'Man, I gotta know, I gotta know if I can beat the immortal Hulk Hogan,'" Michael said. ", told Sean "X-Pac" Waltman on the "1,2,360" podcast, During an episode of "The Wrestling Shoot Interview" (via EssentiallySports), to let the world know that Hogan was a "phony piece of s***,", nary let a day go by without cursing Hogan's name on Twitter, Greg denied the story in an interview with Sportskeeda, during an interview with "Boston Wrestling. Unique lists featuring pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts. The only tie that binds the two together is the WWF/E Championship, a belt Backlund held twice to Hogan's six times (though Backlund has the longer individual reign). In WWE history, two of the biggest names are Hulk Hogan and Bruno Sammartino. XenForo Add-ons by Brivium 2012-2013 Brivium LLC. Before "Nature Boy Rick Flair" and "Stone Cold Steve Austin," before Hulk Hogan and the "Executioner," one man dominated championship wrestling like no other. ", From the 1991 trial onward, Ventura went cold turkey on Hulkamania, with Eric Bischoff explaining on his podcast, "83 Weeks," that Ventura did not care for Hogan on any kind of level. $14.43. In an interview with Pro Wrestling Radio (via the book The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: The Heels), Bruno said he lost respect for Zbyszko after the initial exhibition match."I got mad because what a lot of people don't know is, he really clobbered me with that chair," Bruno said. The National Wrestling Federation (NWF) Championship was a prestigious title while it was the domain of Buffalo-based promoter Pedro Martinez. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. The longest reigning WWE world champion of all time claimed that they did incredible business during that twilight period of his storied professional wrestling career. Continue Reading. Zbyszko enjoyed a modicum of success in his early career, wrestling in British Columbia, Japan, and the Mid-Atlantic territory, before returning to his East Coast roots with the WWWF in early 1977. Obviously you dont like hogan so why keep making posts about him? In the days before WrestleMania, they were the first super cards put out by WWE. There wasn't much competition back in Sammartino's day. He will put you out of business.'" Sid told "Title Match Wrestling" he was not a fan of "Hogan Knows Best," the Hulkster's VH1 reality show, commenting that it exposed him as an "old man." Giant for his heelish exploits under the watchful eye of manager Bobby "The Brain" Heenan and his bitter rivalry with Hulk Hogan, the "Eighth Wonder of . 6/7/80 - included a reairing of the Hulk Hogan / Frankie Williams match from the 4/12/80 Championship Wrestling: Terry Gene Bollea (August 11, 1953), known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American professional wrestler, actor, television personality, and musician best known for his time working for World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). The Italian immigrant carried the WWWF on his back for more than 11 years and is a product of the McMahon family's championship-centric approach. Below are a few highlights: There is a large wrestling audience that doesnt want to say goodbye to my generation. Bruno Sammartino & Hulk Hogan defeat King Kong Bundy & The One Man Gang. And that's saying something. This inconclusive result enabled the two to take their feud around the proverbial horn, including the hallowed Madison Square Garden. After suffering a broken neck, among other injuries, Bruno retired in 1988. While Hogan has refuted the claim, he can never seem to give a straight answer to how the situation played out from his end, stating in his memoir that his head had, in fact, made contact with the chair. WWE Hall of Famer Bruno Sammartino Dies at 82 as Hulk Hogan and Other Stars Pay Tribute The world is wrestling is saying goodbye to one of their biggest stars, WWE Hall of Famer Bruno Sammartino And I said, 'Vince, I could never do people justice at this stage in my life and the way I'm still banged up.' However, on three separate occasions (1972, 1976, and 1980), Shea Stadium came to life, as thousands upon thousands of screaming wrestling fans witnessed what would become known as the Showdown At Shea. Featuring icons like Muhammad Ali, Pedro Morales, Bruno Sammartino, Hulk Hogan, and Andre the Giant, in a time before WrestleMania, these epic spectacles were unmissable! SD Jones defeated Barry Horowitz Larry Zbyszko had long been considered the protg of the living legend, Bruno Sammartino. Larrys WWE Hall of Fame induction speech is by far my all-time favorite; the reverence, gratitude, and love he has for Bruno are clearly evident. Check out this clip of now WWE Hall of Famer Bill Goldberg capturing the You can watch the complete episode of WCW Pro from January 20, 1996 below: Copyright 2022. Hogan wasn't a good champion at all. These days, Michaels' resentment of Hogan seems to have waned, as he commented during a Q&A in the UK a few years ago he appreciated the honor of having worked with Hogan. Bruno Sammartino and Stan Hansen | The Botch That Broke Bruno, Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant The Truth Behind Their Feud, Muhammad Ali, Antonio Inoki, and the Controversial Birth of MMA. Hulk Hogan (1,474 days) Sitting at No. Would you have booked Bundy to beat Bruno if they had been born the same year etc.? And probably more of an impact than what Hulk Hogan accomplished because Bruno Sammartino at the time was that example of the true and only pro wrestling hero. . He spoke to "Ring Rust Radio" about Hogan's recent controversies, speculating that people were beginning to see "the real Hulk Hogan" in light of racist comments caught on film. Hogan alleged on"The Steve Austin Show"(h/t 411Mania) that Backlund seemingly attempted to change the booking of Hogan's title win over the Iron Sheik in January 1984. Speaking candidly, he revealed his true feelings toward Hogan. To quote the immortal Eddie Cochems, There you have it sports fans. Epic events at a not-so-epic venue. Shocking Photos of Long-Haired Wrestlers with Short Hair! He replaced Bruno as the top man in the company, which could explain the curt comments from the Italian superstar. An old guy like me came in, we went in there, and we sold the place out. The Wrestler 1990 magazine HULK HOGAN Rick & Scott Steiner RIC Flair LEX Luger. Bob Backlund and Hulk Hogan have virtually nothing in common, physically or philosophically. Ventura's beef with Hogan stems from a perception of inauthenticity, shared by the likes of Borne and Backlund. Youre asking me, youre being very sincere. Hulkamania ran wild from January 23, 1984, when he pinned the Iron Sheik to lift the gold for the first time, through to 1993. Hogan's star power was bound to ruffle some feathers, as it is difficult to achieve that status without some occasional politicking. In an interview with Inquisitr, hedenigrated Hogan for his use of steroids. When Hogan offered to shake Hart's hand, "The Hitman" declined and was whisked away by Steve Austin before he could say anything else. Speaking with JBL, Bruno said; Hulk Hogan, look, Im not going to lie. Download 100+ Free Hulk Hogan Background Photos & 500,000+ Backgrounds for Free. More than Bruno Sammartino making himself a star, the man and how he was booked established a recurring pattern for how WWE would book for decades to follow. A SubReddit to discuss WWE, NXT, ECW, and WCW. Steiner's opinion of the Hulkster may remain the same, but Hogan did take the time to wish Steiner well during his recovery from a collapse suffered at an Impact Wrestling taping in 2020. Benny J. Scala is a senior writer at Pro Wrestling Stories and co-host of the Dan and Benny In the Ring podcast. Borne believes Hogan's refusal had to do with Borne's closeness to Buzz Sawyer, a man Hogan was not on the best of terms with. The two legends teamed together on August 29th, 1987 for a tag team match against King Kong Bundy and One Man Gang. Brunos PPV appearances were limited, he would be in the corner of his son at the inaugural WrestleMania as the younger Sammartino fought to a double DQ with Brutus Beefcake. When asked if he could ever see himself burying the hatchet with Hogan, Ventura told Graham Bensinger, "Never. As I am sitting here writing this, I wonder why the match would have been billed as a championship match when the championship could not change hands? After Nick was charged with recklessness driving involving serious body injury,the elder Hogan downplayed the injuries suffered by the passenger. "When Jesse would come in to do TV, we'd go out to dinner and have cocktails. Bruno wasn't actually the main guy in WWWF by the time Hogan landed there. Answer: In storyline/scripted fight the promoter would decide who should win the match between the two heroes of pro wrestling that is Bruno Sammartino and Hulk Hogan. Ive always enjoyed the process of earning peoples respect and earning my place. Regardless, many more have made up with Hogan over the years as time heals most wounds, though some still can't stand the sight of him. Father, and My self. Its interesting, there have been a lot of people the company believed in right away that didnt pan out to be anything. Starring: Hulk Hogan, Bruno Sammartino, Bob Backlund, et al. I said, 'Vince, what am I making a comeback?' Matt Borne, the originator of the "Doink the Clown" character, may be gone, but his vitriolic thoughts about Hogan live on. We had a lot in common - his relationship with AWA, we knew a lot of the same people and had a lot of mutual friends. If she felt her life was threatened, why didn't she talk to the cops?". He held the title from December 10, 1973 to April 30, 1977 in that instance, the fourth longest reign behind Bob Backlund and Hulk Hogans first title reigns.
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