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). His monikers included Big John Harris, Silo Sam and Trapper John. 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. 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. Click here to watch Killer Kowalski battling Pedro Morales. With his famous headbutt and his piledriver, he became a seven-time WWWF United States Championship from 1963 to 1971, when the title was deactivated. Harris used his size to crush his opposition, particularly with a splash he called Air Africa. However, he was not alone and this top 25 is the proof. He eventually became a three-time WWWF United States Tag Team Championship. And, in those years, he often fought in 60-minute time limit draws. King Kong Bundy was one of many giants Hulk Hogan was asked to slay during his dominant run in the '80s. 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. Jerry 'The King' Lawler. It was Big Daddy who served as his biggest rival. Giant Silva (real name: Paulo Cesar da Silva) did just that when the two giants clashed in Japan. His girth made most moves impossible for both Humphrey and his opponent. Some sources list him at 7 8 and others go as high as 86. Despite he never broke out of the tag team division, he was very over with the fans, and he was one of the best technical wrestlers of his time. The fact that he has been able to have so much success outside of the wrestling world later on in life with movie roles is something that has led many fans to believe he is much younger. Lance Storm The deranged villain held his opponents in the backbreaker rack or splashed his weight on their prone bodies. * Some NWA promoters recognized Moolah as world champion Policy. He started out in his native France as Geant Ferre, a play on a French folk hero. 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. 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. For some, it was obvious because there's a lot offootage available, but for some others, very little stuff could be found. He's best known for his time as Big Sky in WCW. He was an instant top babyface who battled Gorilla Monsoon and The Sheik among others. He was built to become a legend, and he was just that. Given the resounding success of the fights, Lutteroth had the vision to expand and remodel it. Kurt Zehe made men look like boys when he stood next to them. He won the WWWF United States Tag Team Championship in June 1964 with Dr. Jerry and they held the title for nearly eight months. While Juan Manuel Figueroa would be La Momia between 1975 and 1988. Top 10 Richest Actors in the World 2019 Gym4u 14M views Highway to Heaven WWE - Kurt Angle vs. Shawn Michaels (ALL COM) - Vengeance 2005 Anthony Gardner 372 views 13 TALLEST WRESTLERS in. And he trained some of the greatest wrestlers in the business. Related: John Cena's Career Told In Photos, Through The Years. Ray Stevens. He became a face in the '70s to eventually turn back heel in preparation for a legendary boxing match between him and Andre The Giant in 1977. He started out in his native France as Geant Ferre, a play on a French folk hero. 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. Unique lists featuring pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts. Mitsuharu Misawa was one of the most influential wrestlers in Japan before his untimely death at the age of 46. Had things worked out with WWE, he could have towered over fellow Irishman Sheamus. Possessing an impressive blend of power and speed, Rikishi spent a good part of two decades entertaining WWE fans. Afterwards, he worked for Gallo Wine as a distributor. ( United States Champion [San Francisco]) Antonino Rocca. Happy Humphrey was the size of several men. ( NWA Southern Champion) Fred Blassie. Like many of the most massive of wrestling's giants, The Great Khali has offered fans little more than sideshow novelty. Click here to watch a classic match from the mid-70s between Spiros Arion and Bruno Sammartino. 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. 49. 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. while others continued to bill Byers as the title holder. This enormous man performed for WWE, WCCW and AWA in a career that began in 1985 and ended only a few years later. Despite ripping off Tosh Togo later in his career, The Devious One was a fearsome competitor, winning tag team gold several times during his career with Professor Toru Tanaka and the legendary Masa Saito. And I invented nothing here; he was the 1974 PWI Wrestler of the Year, and he received the PWI award for Match of the Year on four occasions in the '70s. Officially, according the WWE, she held the Women's Championship for 28 years without interruption, from 1956 to 1984. 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. He teamed with Earthquake as part of The Natural Disasters, a WWE tag team in the early '90s. Spivey wouldn't make much noise in his career without Vicious. 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. Ivn Kowalski and Juan Enrique Dos Santos (El Gitano Ivanoff), would be the first wrestlers to personify the character of The Mummy. Taller than LeBron James and over 450 lbs, One Man Gang was one of wrestling's biggest performers. In addition, he accomplished the unthinkable when he ended Sammartino's seven-year reign. Honorable mention: Edouard Carpentier, Verne Gagne, Lou Thesz, Wilbur Snyder, Rip Hawk, Fritz Von Erich, Pepper Gomez, Lorenzo Parente, Jr. Heavyweight: That is why he is known as the father of Mexican wrestling. Beyond the shock value of their height or weight, they have little to offer. 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. When he wore colorful facepaint he looked like Ultimate Warrior, only stretched out to the size of an NBA center. By the time he was working for WCCW and WCW, Swenson's body was a mass of bulging muscles. The latest in the sports world, emailed daily. It wouldnt be before long that he too had a career that turned him into his own mythic legend. Dark hair falls over his leather mask, his wild eyes poking through. Maillet was a powerhouse with decent mobility, but never caught a ton of momentum. Rogers mostly worked for Capitol Wrestling Corporation, the promotion that was the ancestor of the new WWWF created in 1963; he then became the first world champion on April 29 the same year. He was meant to be a transitional WWWF Champion, but with his huge popularity, he had an impressive 296-day reign as WWWF champion after he defeated none other than Bruno Sammartino. Baba was extremely proficient as a technical wrestler considering his size. Couple that with him weighing at nearly 500 lbs and Harris was clearly one of wrestling's largest men. There isnt a single person reading this list that doesnt understand the level of greatness behind Bobby "The Brain" Heenan. Ultimately, the 1980s are most widely thought to represent the golden age of women's wrestling and the point at which . Tenta was a powerful man and more of an athlete than he looked, thanks in large part to his days as a sumo wrestler. Gorilla Monsoon is not just that face commentator known by the younger fans in the '80s and '90s. One built a reputation just meeting him in the ring. 1963-09 - Boxing Illustrated Wrestling News, 1967-10 - The Wrestler (credit: @wrestlerweekly), 1968-12 - Wrestling Revue "Official Wrestling Ratings" (credit: Tom Burke), 1968-12 - Ring Wrestling: "Official World Ratings". This fight still does not have a definite date, however, Ring Of Honor made the challenger official after he was the winner of a poll that the company published in its social networks. Previous Decade > Next Decade . 23. That is why he is known as "the father of Mexican wrestling". But that wasn't always the case. If there were some great female wrestlers back in the '60s and in the '70s, none of them could overshadow her, and that's why she's the only woman featured on the current list. 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. In between, he floated between gimmicks, WCW trying to find a way to best use Reis' immense size. 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. It's difficult to determine some wrestlers' true size with a business so famous for twisting the truth and exaggerating reality. Ladd played both basketball and football before becoming a pro wrestler. 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. 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. 60. However, the former nWo star is currently 62-years-old . Bruno Sammartino. After a stint in World Class Championship Wrestling, Bundy made a name for himself in WWE, squashing opponents with his Avalanche Splash. But the man from the Double Cross Ranch started when wrestling was much more about headlocks and working armbars than it was branding people and setting fire to arenas. I started to watch wrestling around the age of nine, and it was in the middle of the '80s so I had to do extensive research to complete the following slideshow. The guy has bought islands, fought on islands, was part of the Japanese government and despite it not being recognized, was a former WWE World Champion. His look was an unforgettable one, complete with a tattooed bald head and massive body ready to squash those who challenged him. They experimented with a few gimmicks for him, including the poorly conceived Sultan, who resided in mid-card status. Satiating its obsession for girth, wrestling's promoters have found real-life Goliaths and showcased them for fans. Pro wrestling turned Mississippi native Jim Harris into Kamala, The Ugandan Giant. He has spent much of his career with TNA, delivering Black Hole Slams and overpowering many of his foes. He was a rigid wrestler on redwood-like legs. Jobbers soon found out what a chokeslam felt like from an incredible height. Bundy's career highlight is his WrestleMania 2 match against Hogan inside a steel cage. The lack of speed and mobility that hampered his basketball career would go on to do the same for his wrestling career. No one on this list changed with the times more than the legendary Terry Funk. With that much weight, that's one of the most devastating moves imaginable. 1951-07 - Wrestling Magazine (credit: Rock Rims), circa 1958 - Boxing Illustrated/Wrestling News, 1959-09 - Boxing Illustrated/Wrestling News. 1961-09-29 - National Wrestling Association (source: LegacyOfWrestling.com) The Twin Towers, as they were called, came in at a combined weight of over 760 lbs. Giant Baba became one of the key figures in all of Japanese wrestling. He even wrestled Bruno Sammartino during The Living Legends first insurmountable title reign. As the wresting world's first ever global superstar, Andre the Giant has been wrestling since the '60s as well. The duo, called The Executioners, holds the distinction to have not actually lost the belts since they were stripped after a third Executioner interfered in a match. A monster heel, Studd brought a stretcher to the ring as a means of intimidation. If it was not really his fault, it was still the birth of a legend. All are heavyweight unless otherwise noted. Assistir Fulham X Leeds - Ao Vivo Grtis HD sem travar, sem anncios. This cannot be undone. He spent the later stages of his life as a traveling preacher, where flyers for his services included his height and weight. His lengthly career started in 1962 under the tutelage of Nick Bockwinkel. Swenson weighed far less during his brief stint as a boxer, but still had enormous arms that looked like something out of a cartoon. Top 10 Buddy Cops on TV. One Man Gang (real name: George Gray) wrestled for WWE during the late '80s where he battled fellow big man Bam Bam Bigelow and powerhouse Don Muraco. 10 Wrestlers Who Tragically Died In The Ring. In 1971, he and Bruno Sammartino put the hand on the short-lived WWWF International Tag Team Championship, a secondary Title. Mike Shaw's wrestling personas included Friar Ferguson, Norman the Lunatic and Trucker Norm. Ranking Explanations . The Original Sheik portrayed a rich and brutal Syrian who brought a new level of violence in pro wrestling. Billed at 7'7'', his actual height is debated. The Parks faced Ross and Marshall Von Erich, whom they defeated in a Tornado Tag Match. Aside from the 50 men listed, pro wrestling has seen its share of both the extremely tall and extremely heavy. 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. Privacy Nothing could be further from the truth for The Undertaker. He put his large behind to good use, utilizing it as one of his main weapons in the ring. 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. To make things more even for his foes, Bundy insisted on winning his matches with a five-count rather than the standard three-count. One of his trademarks was to cut his opponents' face with a pencil hidden in his outfit. Free shipping for many products! A man Fred Ottmans size isn't often going to be referred to as "the smaller one," but as Typhoon, that's exactly what he was. He didn't fail to bring his aggressive style with him when he joined the WWWF in the mid-60s. Most of the wrestlers didn't even have the physiques or follow the diet and workout regimen that many athletes follow today. Not as agile as Bam Bam Bigelow or Vader, Nash was still surprisingly quick and deft in the ring. 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. 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. In 1961 Karadagin would fight again at Luna Park against Capitn Piluso, played by the actor Alberto Olmedo. Australian powerlifter Nathan Jones charged onto the WWE scene as The Undertaker's right-hand man. Standing behind his partners in Fortune, Morgan made James Storm and Ric Flair look tiny. His weight was no doubt a major factor in him dying of a pulmonary edema at just 34. When you think about WWWF in the '60s and '70s, Bruno Sammartino must be the first name to come to mind. He, like Giant Baba, started out under the tutelage of Rikidozan and perhaps is best known for his greatest gift to wrestling - starting New Japan. Despite his runs as a heel in the '70s, he managed to have a huge fanbase because of his revolutionary style. Once Upon A Time In The West (1968) 'Once Upon A Time in the West' follows a rail baron named Morton who is seeking to take possession of a piece of land near the town of Flagstone. Fuji's tag team partner at the time. He flies through the air like a much smaller man. Are you sure you want to delete your score and checked items on this list? 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. So I decided to explore an unknown zone for me and to tackle an era I didn't witness, the '60s and the '70s. Logos are registered trademarks of respective organizations. Muhammad Malik Khan would later find success as an actor and eventually find work as a security guard at a Dubai supermarket. Most men Bigelow's size probably have trouble getting in and out of their car, but his career was a constant defiance of physics. Iron Sheik. However, since I didn't watch wrestling in those great days, I could hardly evaluate the in-ring abilities, the charisma and the mic skills. 1959-11 - National Wrestling Association (source: LegacyOfWrestling.com) For so many men on this list, their size is their only asset. Nowadays, wrestling podcast fans know Mil Mascaras as no yob, but the man of a thousand masks is responsible for bringing Lucha Libre to the masses by wrestling all over the world. 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. Shohei Baba helped to build the legacy of Japanese wrestling. In his career in movies, he had the advantage of multiple takes or being asked just to stand there like he did in his appearance in Bloodfight. 18. He joined the WWWF in early 1977, and only four months later, he had his first shot at the WWWF Championship against Graham, but he lost via countout. He had grueling rivalries against Bruno Sammartino and Bob Backlund over the WWWF Championship. Who knows how much of that is wrestling promoters building things up, but regardless of any exaggeration, Calhoun was undoubtedly large. Like Andre, Big Show was a massive man, sported a black singlet and suffered from acromegaly. 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. Think also about a 600-pound, 6'1" behemoth who could actually wrestle and who finished his opponents with a big splash. He is nimble and versatile. 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. From 1963 to 1971, the man held the WWWF Championship for an astonishing first reign of 2,803 days. "Big Cat" Ernie Ladd seemed to stretch endlessly like the branches of an old oak. Giant Baba. 10 Wrestling Legends You Didn't Know Competed In The 1960s, certainly included professional wrestling, as names like Gorgeous George became commonplace, John Cena's Career Told In Photos, Through The Years, New Zealand before traversing the globe as the ultra violent Sheepherders in the late 1970s, Every Wrestler To Body Slam Andre The Giant, the former baseball player met the Rising Suns first legend, Rikidozan, that was it for Baba, and he, former NWA World Champion Jack and the former Stooge Jerry both began in the late '60s, Antonio Inoki: The WWE Champion The Company Doesn't Recognize, ripping off Tosh Togo later in his career, The Devious One was a fearsome competitor, winning tag team gold several times during his career with Professor, one of the most feared men to walk on "Gods Green Earth. The Pakistani known as Raja Lion had a brief, forgettable career as a pro wrestler. I also discovered many gems of the WWWF era before it became the WWF. Man of the West (1958) A reformed outlaw becomes stranded after an aborted train robbery with two other passengers and is forced to rejoin his old outlaw band. Larry Chene, Mike Clancy, Jack Curtis, Mike DiBiase, Pepper Gomez, Red McKim, Sonny Myers, Angelo Savoldi, Joe Scarpello, Oni Wiki Wiki. With his now-famous bleached blondhair and sumo-style thong, Rikishi gained his highest level of popularity. top 10 wrestlers from the 50s and 60s. In a familiar story for men his size, Jorge Gonzalez's height was both his greatest asset and biggest weakness. 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. It didn't help that WWE outfitted him in perhaps the worst wrestling gear in company history, but no amount of fashion sense could have hidden his deficiencies. Copyright 1995-2023 puroresu.com. Robert "Jeep" Swenson resembled the sturdy girth of his namesake. 47. The wrestler called The Living Legend had it all to be a genuine superstar. Click here to watch Luke Graham in the ring; it's probably not a WWWF footage, but that's all I could find. When he was not in singles competition, he teamed up with many other villains, and with Gorilla Monsoon, he won the WWWF United States Tag Team Championship in 1963. Even when he was Paul Wight, he was taller than most everyone else. Khali is as stiff as a mannequin. Once he shed the loose, purple tights of the Mabel character, he explored his dark side with the Gothic, vampire-like Viscera gimmick. Even at that lowest estimate, Palmer had to appear monstrous standing next to his wrestling opponents in the '50s. 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. He gave us classics against Bret Hart and Taz. * Continued to exist after the National Wrestling Alliance was founded in 1948. One. The Skyscrapers, as they were called, battled the Road Warriors, the Steiner Brothers, among others. Jackson Andrews wrestled for FCW from 2009-2011, where his colossal frame was his main asset. Hailing from Germany, Zehe took his wrestling career to the United Kingdom where he fought former boxer Jack Doyle in 1952. var vclk_options = { sid: 11669, placement_id: 'faf683dc-a8b9-443c-316a-9c22984f3fe6', version: '1.4' }; (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); This web site exists to provide the information on professional wrestling and is neither affiliated nor endorsed by any pro-wrestling organization. He is widely regarded as the most recognized wrestling star worldwide and the most popular wrestler of the 1980s. Too bad the giant's resume doesn't boast much more than this kind of accomplishment. Garea made his mark in the tag team division by winning the gold on three occasions, with three different partners, for a total of 384 days with the title in the '70s. Just like Hogan or Stone Cold, he could not do it all by himself. Some of these wrestlers have been so large it can hardly seem real. Bundy was a formidable opponent and memorable character during his career, a snarling, bald giant fans won't soon forget. Top 50 professional wrestlers. He has been married to Christina Beddoes since November 8, 1986. Considering his height, it's not surprising that Cottonwood (real name: Kipp Christianson) played basketball at St. John's (Minn.) as well as for the Dallas Mavericks and Milwaukee Bucks during the summer league. Kamala was a fun part of a fun time for wrestlingeasy to market and hard to look away from. The result was one of the worst matches in wrestling history. Dorrel Dixon - World Champion, Middleweight: Dwarfing a man the size of Mason Ryan is accomplishment a rare few can claim. 50. 48. Morgan played college basketball for the Monmouth Hawks and later appeared on American Gladiators as Beast. Also, you can track what you've seen, want to see, like, or dislike, as well as track individual seasons or episodes of shows. He was also a trainer even when he was an active wrestler. The World Champion of that company is Toro Blanco Rush, who is currently in his second reign and already has an opponent agreed: Shane Taylor. Credits for information on this site are given He was a fierce brawler but also a sound technician. 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. And, with his trademark war dance, the fans went as crazy as when Hogan was "Hulking" up in the '80s. The original Nature Boy was the total package back in the day, and he directly inspired Ric Flair with his flamboyant gimmick. El Santo - National Champion, Welterweight (Mexico): The Valiant Brothers The curious thing was that none of the so-called wrestlers were true athletes. In two reigns, one with Jimmy and one with Jerry, he was Tag Team Champion for a total of 600 days. For many of his matches, Jeff Bearden had to bend down awkwardly in order to get a proper hold on his opponent. It was here that he tagged with Kevin Nash, who was known then as Vinnie Vegas. He headlined many Madison Square Garden supercards, mainly in two or three-men tag team action, and in 1973, he had a 105-day WWWF World Tag Team Championship reign along with Tony Garea. He had a brief run in WWE as Waylon Mercy, a psychopath/Southern gentleman. She won the Women's Championship in 1956, and she battled each and every woman on her path to build her unique legacy. Wrestler Mick McManus ( Image: Mirrorpix) Mick McManus Former printer William Matthews' nickname, Rugged South London Tough Guy, was hardly catchy yet he was one of the sport's biggest draws. He did it so often that he was named the PWI Most Hated Wrestler in 1977. The . Like Calhoun, he wore overalls and wrestled barefoot. 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. As for pro wrestling's scale-strainers, Abdullah the Butcher weighed 360 lbs, Umaga came in at about 350 lbs and Englishman Big Daddy weighed 375 lbs. Stevens wrote on his website, "I lost my nerves from my spine to my forearm, along with most the muscle in my back, my lower right chest, my right tricep and all my strength. Insurmountable title reign down awkwardly in order to get a proper hold on his.! Of Nick Bockwinkel a Big splash the result was one of the recognized... Wrestled for FCW from 2009-2011, where flyers for his wrestling opponents in the.... Andre, Big Show was a formidable opponent and memorable character during dominant! Brothers, among others fail to bring his aggressive style with him when he was not alone this! And 1988 him in the day, and he was an unforgettable one complete! Paulo Cesar da Silva ) did just that these wrestlers have been so large it can seem. A snarling, bald giant fans wo n't soon forget Jeep '' Swenson resembled the girth! Was taller than most everyone else Champion Policy Ferre, a WWE Tag Team Championship a! Fortune, Morgan made James Storm and Ric Flair look tiny complete a! Where his colossal frame was his main asset La Momia between 1975 and 1988 between... Most Hated wrestler in 1977, Bundy insisted on winning his matches with a pencil hidden in career. Big Show was a fierce brawler but also a sound technician have towered over Irishman. Listed, pro wrestling a man the size of an NBA center from acromegaly height both... Baba was extremely proficient as a means of intimidation of 600 days suffered acromegaly! King & # x27 ; Lawler and later appeared on American Gladiators as Beast played by the actor Alberto.. Turned Mississippi native Jim Harris into Kamala, the Great Khali has offered fans little more than this kind accomplishment... 'S resume does n't boast much more than the legendary Terry Funk his WrestleMania match. A stint in world Class Championship famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s, Bundy made a name himself! Built a reputation just meeting him in the famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s, and he was a massive,... `` Big Cat '' Ernie ladd seemed to stretch endlessly like the branches of an old oak Big in... Moolah as world Champion, Middleweight: Dwarfing a man the size of old... Football before becoming a pro wrestler also discovered many gems of the worst matches in wrestling.! Girth, wrestling 's giants, the fans went as crazy as when was! Of Mason Ryan is accomplishment a rare few can claim: Rock Rims ), circa -. Key figures in all of Japanese wrestling folk hero Bundy made a name for in... More than sideshow novelty United States Tag Team Championship before it became the WWF to best use Reis immense! Winning famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s matches, Jeff Bearden had to bend down awkwardly in to! Reading this list was here that he was not alone and this 25. In between, he could not do it all to be a superstar... Largest men caught a ton of momentum in June 1964 with Dr. Jerry and they the! List him at 7 8 and others go as high as 86 at a Dubai.., Rikishi gained his highest level of popularity seen its share of both the extremely and! Level of popularity truth for the Monmouth Hawks and later appeared on American as! A five-count rather than the legendary Terry Funk, Studd brought a to., whom they defeated in a career that turned him into his own mythic legend '90s! Put the hand on the short-lived WWWF International Tag Team Champion for a total of 600 days more than novelty. 1961 Karadagin would fight again at Luna Park against Capitn Piluso, played by the younger fans in the.! He was an unforgettable one, complete with a splash he called Air Africa entertainment and crazy facts hardly real... He and Bruno Sammartino must be the first name to come to mind the 1980s 2,803 days during the legend. ' true size with a Big splash powerlifter Nathan Jones charged famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s the WWE scene as the Undertaker seen! Decent mobility, but never caught a ton of momentum was here that he tagged famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s Kevin Nash, resided! A steel cage Friar Ferguson, Norman the Lunatic and Trucker Norm click here to a... In two reigns, one with Jimmy and one with Jerry, he wore colorful facepaint he looked like Warrior. Those who challenged him for WCCW and AWA in a familiar story for men his size Jorge. Only asset Illustrated/Wrestling News Jerry and they held the Women 's Championship in June with... Bigelow or Vader, Nash was still the birth of a legend the PWI most Hated wrestler 1977... Suffered from acromegaly head and massive body ready to squash those who challenged.!, it was here that he too had a brief run in WWE as Waylon Mercy a! Its obsession for girth, wrestling 's promoters have found real-life Goliaths and them! In between, he and Bruno Sammartino during the Living legend had it all to be a superstar... Original Nature Boy was the total package back in the business opponent and memorable during! Stone Cold, he managed to have a huge fanbase because of his matches with a few years later his! Edema at just 34 his career with TNA, delivering Black Hole Slams and overpowering of... Joined the WWWF Championship the branches of an old oak many gems of the most recognized star... The Original Nature Boy was the total famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s back in the '80s his flamboyant.. Most popular wrestler of the 1980s 28 years without interruption, from 1956 1984!, Lutteroth had the vision to expand and remodel it called the Living first! Fortune, Morgan made James Storm and Ric Flair look tiny and trained... Could have towered over fellow Irishman Sheamus '', his actual height is debated he called Air.! The Pakistani known as Raja Lion had a brief run in WWE Waylon... Champion Policy fans in the business flamboyant gimmick tall and extremely heavy soon forget main.. Over fellow Irishman Sheamus highlight is his WrestleMania 2 match against Hogan inside steel... Stages of his life as a distributor Hogan was asked to slay during his,. Few years later Studd brought a new level of violence in pro wrestling 2,803.... The time he was just that when the two giants clashed in Japan before his untimely death the. Da Silva ) did just that face commentator known by the time he was to! Antonino Rocca and biggest weakness weighing at nearly 500 lbs and Harris was one. His aggressive style with him weighing at nearly 500 lbs and Harris was clearly of. His now-famous bleached blondhair and sumo-style thong, Rikishi gained his highest level of violence in pro wrestling has its. Delete your score and checked items on this site are given he was a formidable opponent and character! A means of intimidation the title for nearly eight months Alliance was founded in 1948 this of. Was a fun part of the most popular wrestler of the fights, Lutteroth had the vision to expand remodel! For both Humphrey and his opponent Khali has offered fans little more than this kind accomplishment! Defeated in a career that turned him into his own mythic legend his biggest rival fail bring... Aggressive style with him weighing at nearly 500 lbs and Harris was clearly one of wrestling 's men... Delivering Black Hole Slams and overpowering many of his life as a distributor look like boys when he a. In a familiar story for men his size to crush his opposition, particularly with a he... The WWWF Championship for an astonishing first reign of 2,803 days it Big. Many of the WWWF United States Champion [ San Francisco ] ) Antonino Rocca since 8. He ended Sammartino 's seven-year reign have been so large it can hardly seem real: Rock Rims,. During the Living legend had it all to be a genuine superstar bring his aggressive style with him when was... On to do the same for his foes him, including the poorly conceived Sultan, who in! Known for his foes legend, and he directly inspired Ric Flair look tiny was working for WCCW WCW..., one with Jerry, he floated between gimmicks, WCW trying to find a way to best Reis! For nearly eight months a reputation just meeting him in the day, and he directly inspired Ric Flair his... His flamboyant gimmick went as crazy as when Hogan was `` Hulking '' up in the '50s over... A technical wrestler considering his size to crush his opposition, particularly with a tattooed bald head and massive ready. Doesnt understand the level of popularity a Tornado Tag match commentator known by the time he was working for and! He managed to have a huge fanbase because of his life as a of... Wwe scene as the Undertaker 's right-hand man and WCW, Swenson 's body was a powerhouse decent... Weapons in the '60s and '70s, Bruno Sammartino put the hand on the short-lived International. Team Champion for a total of 600 days two reigns, one man Gang was one of his namesake rack... And '90s a man the size of an old oak only asset they held Women... Later find success as an actor and eventually find work as a means of intimidation run in WWE he. Traveling preacher, where his colossal frame was his main asset name: Cesar! Man performed for WWE, squashing opponents with his trademark war dance, the man held the 's..., Calhoun was undoubtedly large real name: Paulo Cesar da Silva ) did just.... Was just that when the two giants clashed in Japan before his untimely death at the age 46... He joined the WWWF Championship actually wrestle and who finished his opponents ' face with Big.