Simon Dean made a few appearances for McMahon in the early 1990s. Unknown wrestler getting flipped by Little Bruiser. This secret weapon made Mr. Fuji one of the most dangerous wrestlers in the WWE. Cheerfulness kept creeping in." In the '70s, he was part of the WWE and was still on top of the world until his retirement in 1977. Billy and Benny werent exactly the most talented superstars in wrestling history, yet the business was different in their days, which ultimately led them to matches in NJPW and Canadas very own Stampede Wrestling. The twins are former CMLL World Tag Team Championship, but wrestling fans will most likely remember them for appearing in the 1996 Royal Rumble Match as The Squat Team. Three years later, a young Mascaras would make his international debut in Los Angeles where he faced various wrestlers including Goliath, John Tolos and Ernie Lad. They were both born in October 1965. 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. Ive played a lot of evil, ball-breaking women. Their gravestone displays images of two Honda motorcycles and is inscribed "Worlds Largest Twins". Graham would then go ahead and hold the championship for about 10 months making it one of the longest reigns by a villain. There have often been times where female twins are signed by wrestling companies not because of their in-ring skills, but more so their ability to make the sleazy male demographic drool. Often seen brandishing a castrating pair of garden shears, Beefcakes libidinous persona was displayed in his eccentric outfits. Although he was often relegated to WWFs midcard, he garnered immense popularity as a working mans hero. Of course, this shaved, corpulent, and effeminate fighter in a nude diaper was a villain, but his bizarre characterizations made him quite unique in a sea of hyper-machismo. Best known as a top showjumper who occasionally flicked a V-sign, Yorkshire's finest, 78, also grappled in the 1970s. A warrior and fighter inside the squared circle, Terry Funk managed to win a title with almost every promotion that he worked with. Although she did not make the final eight, WWE signed her. Known for his signature evil laugh, The Million Dollar Man bragged about you guessed it his extraordinary wealth while trouncing opponents around the world. Feuding with teams such as The Road Warriors and The Nasty Boys, Mike and Todd caught a big break winning the NWA World Tag Team Championship, which lead to a stint in TNA Wrestling, where they appeared on the very first pay-per-view (PPV) event. The Funker won the NWA World Heavyweight title in 1975 from Jack Brisco and held it for more than a year defending it against the likes of Harley Race, Dusty Rhodes and Jumbo Tsuruta. Although they are famous wrestlers, some WWE Superstars have twin siblings that fans may not know of. The American Dream Dusty Rhodes rose to the top of the professional wrestling world in the 1980s. Just two months after arriving in WWE, he was fighting for the world title. As for championships, Nikki is the reigning Divas champ, currently enjoying her second stint with the title. The Russian Bear beat Bruno Sammartino for the WWE Championship in 1971, a win that almost caused a riot. As you will notice, this list features some of the biggest wrestlers in the history of wrestling, a trend that the WWF adopted back in its early years. Both brothers were released from WWE in midst of a merchandise scandal, as they were accused of selling WWE products without permission. He spent his later childhood years growing up in Brooklyn and became a fan favorite for New York Citys large Puerto Rican population, the home base of the WWE. Ron and Don have been wrestling since the late-1980s, competing against The Rock n Roll Express, Shane Douglas, and The British Bulldog in their early days. During his debut at Madison Square, Santana did not take any chance in establishing himself as an upcoming wrestler with so much promise. They both left TNA in 2014 and havent competed since. The Usos joined the WWE in 2010 and have been managed by their cousin Tamina Snuka as well as Jimmy's wife Naomi. Little Bruiser and Billy the Kid, September 23, 1972. You can also support us by signing up to our Mailing List. Widely known as the inventor of the DDT, Jake Roberts often arrived to fights toting his signature reptilian friend. After leaving WWE, Adams joined IMPACT Wrestling, where she became one of the top female wrestlers, winning three Knockouts Championships and one Knockouts Tag Team Championship. Despite that, Andre was someone that territories brought in to beat their biggest heels, and he sold out every appearance. Born in England, Robinson is one of the godfathers of strong style and is considered one of the best ever by Japanese fans. In an homage to Dusty on the WWE Network, Vince McMahon claimed that no wrestler "personified the essence of charisma quite like Dusty Rhodes., As one half of the Crush Gals, Chigusa Nagayo was a key player in the rising popularity of Japanese womens wrestling in the 1980s and quickly became an international icon. Brie held the belt once and wonthe Wrestling Observers Newsletters Worst Feud of The Year in 2014 (among having a number of terribly worked matches). During his time in the WWE, Calhoun became a force to reckon with in the tag team division teaming up with Tony Garea. While Terry Funk had many classic singles matches, it is his tag team matches that stood out. The main rival of the Crush Gals, Matsumotos ghastly look complimented her domineering in-ring presence. Bobo Johnson also wrestled under the name the Brown Panther. Best known for his tag performances with Louie Louie and later Rocky Johnson, Bobo was one of the earliest Black midget wrestlers alongside Haiti Kid. Noriyo Tateno and Itsuki Yamazaki were key figures in the Japanese womens tag scene during the 80s and even had success as a duo in the WWF. All-Star Wrestling footage (and AWA footage as a whole) is now owned by World Wrestling Entertainment . A key member of The Hart Foundation faction, Niedhart ran roughshod through the WWF with his pink-clad partners throughout the 1980s. [5], From 1974 to 1978, they participated in several matches in Japan, organized by New Japan Pro-Wrestling, defeating other notable wrestling tag teams including Kantaro Hoshino and Seiji Sakaguchi as well as Osamu Kido and Riki Choshu. It doesnt matter if its Throwback Thursday or Flashback Friday, every day of the week, people are taking the opportunity to look back and reminisce about the glory days. Make no mistake, though, that didnt mean the action wasnt good. Syndicated series featuring wrestling matches as promoted by the American Wrestling Association (AWA). He later briefly returned to WWE to compete in a few matches between 1992 and 1994. Ed Farhat, uncle and trainer of Sabu and trainer of Rob Van Dam, held a number of regional titles across the Midwest in the 70s. Luke & Butch continued brawling across America throughout the '70s and '80s, capturing championships in various National Wrestling Alliance territories and Bill Watts' Universal Wrestling Federation. Why have one when you could have two?The world of sports has seen its fair share of successful twin tandems, including NHLs Sedin brothers, MMAs Nogueira brothers, footballs Pouncey brothers, a. They were victims of some of the worst gimmicks in the history of the business. Legendary British wrestlers and promoters tell you what. A gimmick that kind of worked out but was really cheesy. However, like many of his colleagues, his career and achievements have been sadly overlooked. Hebner's twin brother Dave is also a wrestling referee. However, some fans may not know that Hebner has a twin brother. Neither of the brothers has competed since 2019. During his early years as a professional wrestler, Killer Kowalski managed to land a knee on an opponents head. In 1972, Moolah made history by becoming the first-ever female star to wrestle at Madison Square. Updated on February 1, 2022, by Shawn S. Lealos: The 1970s didn't feature the flashiest wrestlers in professional wrestling history, but its wrestlers were some of the toughest. With Frank Valois, Andre managed to make a name for himself in the United Kingdom, Africa, New Zealand, and Germany. The Golden Era and the Attitude Era gave wrestling fans some of the most electrifying matches in WWEs history. He died aged 75 on June 24, 2010 in Amarillo, Texas. He moved to the US in the early 1960s, where he became NWA World Midget Championwinning a record three times (tied with Little Tokyo). He sadly died at the age of 56 in January 2007. When it comes to the division, Jimmy and Jey have shared rings with WWEs best, and even though the Samoans havent rejuvenated since losing to Kidd and Cesaro back in February at Fast Lane, they should be resuming where they left off once Jey is cleared to compete again from shoulder surgery. Wrestling began featuring enhanced, hyped character traits and storylines. Terry Eugene Bollea, better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American retired professional wrestler and television personality. Prior to The Model, Rick Martel was one half of Strike Force along with Tito Santana. The 72-year-old joined Vince McMahon's company in the early 1980s and has refereed some historic matches, including Randy Savage vs. Hulk . In 1965, Mascaras made his professional debut in Guadalajara, Mexico. DiBiase ran rampant in NWA, NJPW, and WWF throughout the 80s and proved himself to be a paragon of in-ring excellence in each federation. RELATED: 10 Greatest WWE Golden Era Wrestlers, RankedLadd won a number of regional titles and was a master heel during the 70s wrestling WWWF champions Bruno Sammartino, Pedro Morales and Bob Backlund, NWA champion Harley Race and the AWAs top titleholder Nick Bockwinkel. The Dynamite Kid was one of the most innovative wrestlers of the 1980s. Jack and his brother Gerry were the original Brisco brothers, not to be confused with the ROH pair. Pedro Morales was the perfect champion for Vince McMahon Sr.'s New York territory in the 70s. 10 Best WWE Wrestlers Of All-Time, According To Cagematch.net, 10 Things Fans Should Know About Curt Hennig, The Russian Bear beat Bruno Sammartino for the WWE Championship in 1971, a win that almost caused a riot, 10 Best Pat Patterson Moments In WWE History, first Triple Crown Champion in company history, The 10 Best Wrestlers In The World Outside WWE, 10 Greatest WWE Golden Era Wrestlers, Ranked. When you think of pro-wrestling in the 1980s who comes to mind? For great art and culture delivered to your door, visit our shop. They now hold the SmackDown Tag Team Championships in their fifth reign. Fans who started watching professional wrestling in the 1980s never got to see how great the Valiant Brothers really were. As a pioneer . He became good friends with fellow wrestler Andre the Giant and has a career as a movie actor. Verne was as old-school as they come, a grappler who was all about mat wrestling, and someone who could tie up any opponent and win a match with just about any move. He died aged 76 in January 2013. In the '70s, he had a chance to work title matches in the WWWF against Bruno Sammartino and Pedro Morales before returning to the AWA, where he finally became a babyface.He ended up feuding with former allies Nick Bockwinkel and Ray Stevens. A pioneer of womens wrestling, Fabulous Moolah had an illustrious wrestling career that saw her become one of the biggest female superstars of all time. The Blossom Twins had high hopes in the wrestling industry as two twin girls growing up in the United Kingdom. However, in 1985 she was forced to vacate her championship due to an injury, which prompted an early retirement in 1986 at the age of 24. The legendary Lord Littlebrook (aka Eric Tovey), in Milwaukee July 7, 1968. Meanwhile, The Tonga Kid lost his final match at an independent event when he teamed up with Angel Blanco Jr. to face Solar and Solar Jr. Earl Hebner joined WWE in 1988 and spent over a decade and a half in the company, during which he became well-known to the WWE Universe. Dave Hebner, the assigned referee, greeted his doppelganger mid-match and the two brothers began clawing at each other to prove who was the real referee. Apart from Tito Sammartino, Ivan Koloff also holds several other memorable wins against renowned wrestlers such as Bob Buckland, Gorilla Monsoon and Bruno. Kayfabe is, however, occasionally broken during shows, usually when dealing with genuine injuries during a match or paying tribute to wrestlers.. They often provided an excellent foil to the overpowered Crush Gals throughout their influential run. For a time, Hart was considered the most famous person in Canada and is quite often regarded as the greatest wrestler of all time. Though he never won a title, he was a firm favorite with fans. Respected and influential wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer went as far as calling him "one of the key figures in the growth of WWF., Named one of the top five WWF Intercontinental Champions of all time, Curt Hennig AKA Mr. Although she was often teaming with her mentor, Dump Matsumoto, she also held the All Japan Pro Wrestling womens title for three years starting in 1985 she was only 16 years old at the time. He also became famous in America on 'Monday Night Raw' when he fought WWE Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar in an MMA style match that ended brutally. First-run syndication. Bob Backlund was as different from Bruno as anyone. Upon joining WWE, Bruno Sammartino would become an instant hit and the companys biggest star at the time. They held the WWWF tag titles twice, and held NWA titles in both Georgia and Florida. Studds most memorable opponents include Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant. One of wrestlings premiere villainesses, Bull Nakanos striking punk rock-influenced look would enrapture audiences around the world, as did her absolute physical domination in the ring. After a ban on masks in the WWF was lifted, Mil Mascaras would join WWE where he began his long-running feud with Superstar Billy Graham for the World Heavyweight title. The Shane Twins will forever be subject to ridicule in the wrestling world and some of that criticism is unfair. Verne Gagne started out the 1970s as the AWA World Champion and he was a top contender to the title even after the rise of Nick Bockwinkel. If you look up the word wrestler in the dictionary, you might come upon Robinsons name. Entering the ring to Queens infectious anthem, Another One Bites The Dust, Junkyard Dog was a paradigm of pure power. Knowing what was to follow, the venue was apposite. While the WWE continues to evolve and incorporate new ideas and aspects into its production, we can attribute the success that the company currently to the foundations laid by these wrestlers during its formation years. Billy the Kid with Cowboy Bob Bradley (aka Robert Bradley). He was born Roland Barriault in Sudbury, Ontario on July 22, 1946. Their penchant for ruthless battles made their sudden change in demeanor very surprising to longtime fans when they debuted in WWE in 1988. Pro Wrestling fans may remember some of the most prominent wrestling twins, Today we are presenting you with " Top 10 Twins In Wrestling History That You Pro. Having made appearances in Japan, Mexico and North America, The Headhunters (consisting of twins Manuel and Victor Santiago) are best known for their stints in WWE and ECW. NEXT: The 10 Greatest 80s Wrestlers of All Time, The 25 Greatest WWE Wrestlers of All Time, WWE Salary: Highest Paid Wrestlers, Richest Wrestlers, Lowest Paid Wrestlers, Referee Earnings. In 1974, Killer Kowalski would have his last match against Bruno Sammartino for the WWF World heavyweight championship. With that in mind, weve created an alternate pantheon of both iconic wrestling legends and lesser-known heroes who many would consider underappreciated compared to the more ubiquitous and deeply obvious wrestling celebrities of that decade. While both men were great wrestlers in their own right, there was not a tag team in the 1970s that was more dominating that the Wild Samoans. was a promoter and wrestling manager. In 2014, the New Age Outlaws would win the WWE World Tag Team titles from the Brotherhood. A wrestler, politician and founder of the 800-pound gorilla of New Japan Pro Wrestling, Antonio Inoki was best known for his use of heavy strikes mixed with shoot wrestling. Your login session has expired. Over the past few years, the former Diva Search contestant has posted a few photos on Instagram of herself and her sister together. Over the next few years, Rikishi's twin competed in a few other promotions, including WCW. While he never beat Bruno for the world title, Kowalski teamed up with Gorilla Monsoon and Big John Studd to win tag team titles. WWE billed Andre as an undefeated wrestler until his loss to Hulk Hogan, but that was not entirely true. Some twins rose to prominence by being glamour models inside and out of the squared circle, while other duos shared a common goal of calling matches down the middle. She also likes to stay away from the public eye. And you can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Gorgeous George gained epic mainstream popularity, followed in the Second Golden Age in the 1980's and 1990's by the likes of Ric Flair, Andre the Giant, Hulk Hogan, Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart, Sting, The Undertaker, Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, Kurt Angle, and Triple H. Ric Flair Saturday Night was all about the WWF Main Event! Meanwhile, his brother continued refereeing in several companies, including IMPACT Wrestling and AEW. Flair had nothing but praise for Race upon his death in 2019: Without Harley Race, there was no Ric Flair. Perfect exemplified the widely reviled heel archetype throughout the decade. A wrestling promoter saw them in El Paso, Texas and convinced them to begin a wrestling training program in Ciudad Jurez, Mexico, lifting weights and running often. RELATED: 10 Best WWE Wrestlers Of All-Time, According To Cagematch.netMost wrestlers didnt have the physiques or follow the diet and workout regimen that many athletes follow today, but make no mistake, that didnt mean the action wasnt good. Surely, Jimmy and Jey are set aside by some in favor of Tyson Kidd & Cesaro or The Prime Time Players, yet theyve been holding down the fort for a while and excel in entertaining matches. Honored as the best tag team of 2014 by Pro Wrestling Illustrated, the brothers had a lengthy feud with Luke Harper & Erick Rowan and its safe to say both teams delivered in some incredible matches. Since leaving Vince McMahon's company, Dave Hebner has become a wrestling manager and has appeared in a few other promotions. Kayfabe is often seen as the suspension of disbelief that is used to create the non-wrestling aspects of promotions, such as feuds, angles, and gimmicks, in a manner similar to other forms of fictional entertainment. His career finally came to an end in the '80s when he worked with his son. A force to reckon with, Big John Studd dominated matches with much ease. In his final match, Rikishi teamed up with Danni Deeds and Todd Quality to defeat Adam Ryder, Marty Sugar, and Shreddz at a PPW event. Cowboy Bob Bradley was born Robert Claton Bradley in Dickens County, TX, in February 1935. While other '80s wrestlers are known as much for their bombastic personalities as for their actual fighting ability, its the latter quality that continues to endear industry insiders to Hart. Celebrating their birthday in 2015, Adams sent her twin a heartfelt message: Brittaney is not a professional wrestler. A few years later, he retired as a referee due to injury and became a road agent. ( 1990) AWA All-Star Wrestling was a syndicated television series featuring wrestling matches as promoted by the American Wrestling Association (AWA). This win meant that Bruno became the second-ever WWE champion. Unlike his brother, Dash, Tweek still competes to this day and both twins have wrestled indie vets like Austin Aries, The Briscoe Brothers, Chris Sabin, and The Young Bucks. Used primarily for their looks, these two glamour models -- Brie and Nikki -- often competed as a tag team and even had an onscreen breakup not long ago. When he retired, Kowalski started a wrestling school and ended up training Triple H years later. [1][2], The twins were born in Hendersonville, North Carolina. He worked mostly in the AWA and was a tag team specialist, winning titles in the 60s with Harley Race. He then spent several years competing on the independent circuit and in ECW before officially joining WWE in 2002. Kayfabe has also evolved to become a code word of sorts for maintaining this "reality" within the direct or indirect presence of the general public. Beefcake held nine titles throughout his career and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2019. Many old-school wrestling fans remember the House of Funk for their Wrestlemania 2 appearance. He lost it to Pedro Morales but cemented his place in history. Terrys wrestling career spanned for more than 50 years, enabling the wrestler to compete in all the well-established promotions. Killer Kowalskis reputation went beyond the world of wrestling thanks to his fearsome and terrifying nature. Wrestling journalist In the book WCW: The Ultimate Guide, Dave Scherer described Hennig as "one of the best all-round competitors this business has ever produced.. Good luck trying to get that out of some of todays professional wrestlers. Dean has a twin brother, Don Bucci, who has also worked in the wrestling business. During WWEs first ever Main Event broadcast in 1988, fans in attendance at Market Square Arena in Indianapolis witnessed devastation as Hulk Hogan, the WWE Champion at the time, was forced to surrender his title to Andre The Giant after beating him at WrestleMania 3 a year prior. I tried my hardest every day to live up to his standard in the ring, he said. Standing at 610 and weighing more than 360 pounds, Big John Studd is one of the greatest 70s wrestlers. During his stint with JWA, Antonio Inoki faced Bruno Sammartino in one of the most controversial matches of all time. RELATED: The 10 Best Wrestlers In The World Outside WWEHe later went to the WWE where he would become the first masked wrestler to appear at Madison Square Garden while working alongside legends like Superstar Billy Graham, Andre the Giant, and Dusty Rhodes. Unfortunately, the promotion closed two years later. Meltzer has previously described her as the most popular womens wrestler of all time.. His reputation for playing mind games with his opponents never superseded his actual in-ring acumen. While Mascaras received several shots at the title, he always came shot and thus never won any title with the WWE. These guys could keep crowds engaged for 30, 45, or 60 minutes with ease, as that was the length of their matches on a regular basis. However, the company released him and his brother from their contracts in mid-2005. Matches frequently went up to an hour on a regular basis. In 1974, Pro Wrestling Illustrated named Robinson their Most Popular Wrestler of the Year. Dynamite Kid. With a wrestling career that spanned more than three decades, Ivan Koloff managed to win various titles including the WWWF Heavyweight Championship and the NWA tag team titles. This made Koloff one of the only men to ever beat Sammartino in a WWE match. RCW Tag Team Title: The Wrecking Crew ( Dean Richtor & Shaun Martens) defeat The Voros Twins ( Chris Voros & Patrick Voros) (c) - TITLE CHANGE !!! A major star of 'Midget Wrestling' Littlebrook was born in England in 1929. News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. A symbol of the spirit of Lucha Libre, Mil Mscaras is one of the few masked fighters ever inducted into WWEs notorious Hall of Fame. Her matches with her aforementioned nemeses were attended by sold-out crowds in Japan and bolstered the reputation of Japanese womens wrestling worldwide. 14. Widely respected for his integrity and personal principles, Sammartino was one of the most popular wrestlers in the 60's and 70's. Born and raised in a small Italian town, Bruno Sammartino's childhood was quite tough. This win at Madison Square would mark the beginning of a 170 days reign before dropping the titles to another promising duo, the Wild Samoans. Technically, these two were Rockstars in Japan. Bockwinkel was also an AWA World Tag Team champ three times with Ray Stevens from 1972-75 with the pair being named the PWI Tag Team of the Year in 1973. Through the interest in money-making among the three groups, wrestling became a business-oriented entertainment venue, distinguishing itself further and further from its authentic amateur wrestling background.. Known for his unexpected grace in the ring, Steamboat was also a proficient tag team wrestler alongside his partner Jay Youngblood. They never won WWE gold, but the brothers did win the WCW Tag Team titles three times as Creative Control, as well as the USWA World Tag Team Championship five times. Ted Dibiase. He retired in 1970 and moved to Las Vegas where he became a blackjack dealer. Amassing 34 total championship wins in his career, Pipers legacy now lives on in Ronda Rousey, whom he gifted the Rowdy moniker. Syndicated series featuring wrestling matches as promoted by the American Wrestling Association (AWA). Please consider making a donation to our site. AWA All-Star Wrestling: With Scott Hall, Reginald Lisowski, Curt Hennig, Gene Okerlund. One year after their debut in the WWE, the Wild Samoans would win their first-ever tag team championship. The Klimaszewski girls are popular for being The Coors Light Twins, yet they also appeared on WCW Nitro frequently as members of The Nitro Girls. Jimmy and Jey Uso, for example, joined WWE in 2009 and have achieved a lot throughout their 13 years with the company. Television also helped many wrestlers break into mainstream media, becoming influential celebrities and icons of popular culture. The Samoans were a staple of Vince McMahon, Sr. and his WWF company in the 1970s and early 1980s. Both flashy and furious, Mil Mscaras is considered one of Mexican wrestlings first international stars. IN THAT WORLD where the world of Sports & Athleticism collides with the universe of the Melodrama, the Morality Play and Mythological Heroes & Monsters, we find the American phenomenon of Professional Wrestling. But Ladd never won a major promotion's top belt. Impresarios were the managers who chose how a wrestler could gain fame and interest among the fans, creating personas and improvising matches to make them more interesting. In WWE, he beat Superstar Billy Graham for the WWE Championship in 1978 and held the title for five years before dropping it to Iron Sheik. After being rebranded as The Arabian Butchers (a team managed by Jim Cornette), the Santiago brothers wrestled against teams such The Dudley Boyz, The Gangstas, and The Bruise Brothers (who come up shortly on this listing) in ECW. As a professional wrestler, Terry Funk worked with various promotions including WCW, USWA, ECW TNA, and WWF. 1990. His IRL truculent personality and tendency towards bridge-burning made him an unlikely favorite in the industry and although he was likely portrayed as a villain (along with his partner Nikolai Volkoff) due to xenophobia within the USA, he certainly lived up to his dastardly, devil-may-care reputation out of the ring. ( 1960) -. Quick! Little Bruiser in Chicago, September 1, 1972 Cowboy Bob Bradley and Joey Russell, February 23 1968. In 1957 after spending most of his early wrestling years in Canada, Kowalski began working for Vince McMahon. Mercedes Kaestner-Varnado is an American professional wrestler and actress who also known as her ring names Sasha Banks (in WWE) and Mercedes Mon (in other promotions). Be the first one to comment on this story. [4][3], The twins often used a finishing move called the "Tupelo Splash", which involved one of the twins diving belly-first onto a prone opponent; they would follow this with "The Steamroller", where the twin would roll back and forward over the opponent. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features NFL Sunday Ticket Press Copyright .