He was inducted into the WWE . He was quickly recruited by Capitol Sports Wrestling (the precursor to WWWF, founded by Jess McMahon and Toots Mondt in 1948, and now under control by Jesss son, Vince McMahon Sr.), but in 1962 he left the promotion. Bruno was the foot that held the door open for Rocky to become a phenomenon. Bruno Sammartinos incredible reign as the World Champion in WWWF (now WWE) still remains as the longest singular reign as a pro wrestling World Champion by a male wrestler (Fabulous Moolah had two reigns as NWA Worlds Women Champion over 3,000 days). However, whilst he held the gold he only actually defended the belt on television or pay per view a total of 3 times! [15] In his autobiography, Sammartino states that he believed McMahon set him up, by double-booking him and not informing him of his match in Baltimore, as a way of punishment. Bruno Sammartino and Buddy Rogers open up about this critical moment in professional wrestling history that all but marked the end of one legendary career and launched another, and the hatred that forever remained between the two. Roman Reigns is the wrestler who has come closest to those legendary Bruno Sammartino reigns from the decade of the 60's in this era of pro-wrestling. [10], When the Sammartinos arrived in the U.S., Bruno spoke no English and was sickly from the privations of the war years. In a televised match, Professor Toru Tanaka blinded both men with salt and they were maneuvered into fighting each other. "We can do this the easy way or the hard way!". [10][11] During World War II, Pizzoferrato was invaded by troops of the Waffen SS, leading Emilia to hide Sammartino and his siblings in a remote hideout at the top of a nearby mountain called Valla Rocca. He lives in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, with his wife and son. Sammartino would eventually get the upper hand in the feud, by defeating Piper in a steel cage match at the Boston Garden. Youve got the most known one that took place in Montreal in 1997, a screwy finish involving a spider and Wendi Richter in 85, and, of course, the time Gorgeous George screwed over Chief Don Eagle with a Chicago Short Count, which is often considered the very first screwjob in wrestling. He became the first wrestler to become a WWE triple crown champion. Bruno is way more impressive than Flair if u ask me. [10] His devotion to weightlifting nearly resulted in a berth on the 1956 U.S. Olympic team, which went instead to eventual gold medalist Paul Anderson. BILLY GRAHAM IN THE IWE (JAPAN) . By Ian Carey Feb 5, 2023. Ray Stevens 5'10 230 lbs San Francisco, CA It was in 1968, returning to Montreal to work for International Wrestling Association (IWA) Montreal that he became Ivan Koloff, winning the IWA Montreal World Heavyweight title from Johnny Rougeau that July. Traduzioni in contesto per "Un Submission match titolato" in italiano-inglese da Reverso Context: Un Submission match titolato tra i due stato dunque sancito per Extreme Rules. AIR Awareness Outreach; AIR Business Lunch & Learn; AIR Community of Kindness; AIR Dogs: Paws For Minds AIR Hero AIR & NJAMHAA Conference By Robert D. McFadden. He held the company's top title from 1963 to 1971 and again from 1973 to 1977. In that sense, it's easy to see why WWE fans give Reigns' run the title of historic. Bruno owned his title belt for over 52 years, 10. Their feud culminated on August 9, 1980, in front of 36,295 fans at Shea Stadium. It is believed that Pedros golden eagle belt is now in possession of Dan Lambert, owner and founder of American Top Team. April 18, 2018. [17] Soon, he was in demand by other promoters in different Canadian territories. In 2006, Bruno Sammartino personally commissioned an autobiographical documentary film, Bruno Sammartino: Behind The Championship Belt. . Now, here's the tricky thing. "Screwjob" is a term that gets thrown around loosely in the wrestling world. SOURCES: Chris Yandek New Era Of Wrestling & The Sports Interview with Bruno Sammartino, Buddy Rogers interview on Jim Barniaks Sports Scrapbook,Solie.org October 97 interview with Bruno Sammartino, The International Gazette "Wrestlings Living Legend Bruno Sammartino Gets Inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.". Sammartino teamed with Paul Orndorff in his matches against Piper, while Piper would tag with his "bodyguard", Ace "Cowboy" Bob Orton. [15], Sammartino also challenged NWA World Heavyweight Champion Lou Thesz twice for the championship in Canada. Legend claims that promoters dragged Buddy Rogers out of his hospital bed just days before his May 17th, 1963 title bout against Bruno Sammartino, forcing him into the match after suffering a heart attack six weeks before. Sammartino was living proof of the American Dream, an immigrant who left a wartorn time to become an accomplished athlete. [7] Known for his powerful bearhug[4][5] finishing move, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time. They had three sons together, David and fraternal twins Danny and Darryl. Before Hulk Hogan could be the face of the company during its national expansion, before Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock could lead The Attitude Era, and before John Cena or Roman Reigns were even born, Sammartino was a two-time WWE Champion who had cumulatively held the strap for over 11 years (as a fun fact, Cena was born . Presented here is Sugar Ray Leonard signed photo. Wrestling legend Bruno Sammartino has died at the age of 82. Terry Funk commented that Sammartino "was bigger than wrestling itself". Bruno Sammartino: WWWF World Heavyweight Title: WWWF MSG Show (May '77) May 16th 1977: Bruno Sammartino: def. It was the hardest thing in my life to go out of wrestling. Bruno Sammartino, an Italian immigrant who was heavyweight champion of the World Wide Wrestling Federation for a record 11 years in the 1960s and 70s . Sold-out Madison Square Garden 189 times! He finally lost the title to Superstar Billy Graham in 1977 bringing his total time as Champion to a staggering 4,040 days. Bruno chose a photo with his 1965 belt for the cover of his autobiography, Bruno Sammartino:The Autobiography of Wrestlings Living Legend, 8. He also acted as special guest referee in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) for a series of matches between Flair and Randy Savage in June 1996. It opens with Bruno delivering a strong personal message while holding his prized possession, the 1965-1971 version of the WWWF World Championship. In this Nov. 30, 2000, file photo, former pro wrestler Bruno Sammartino, 65, poses with a painting of him in his pro wrestling prime weighing 275 pounds in 1965 at age 35, in his Pittsburgh home. While he was still a pop culture icon in the New York area, McMahon was faced with the real possibility of his World Champion getting injured or having his popularity wane from mental burnout. Bruno's belt now appearsin an acclaimed film, 9. He is overall a two-time world champion in professional wrestling. Bruno Sammartino: WWWF Heavyweight Champion - 1,237 days WWE/YouTube Stan Stasiak only has one successful title defense to his name against Chief Jay Strongbow, and their bout went to a no contest. He turned to weightlifting and wrestling to build himself up. He held the World Wide Wrestling Federation title for more than 11 years, from 1963 to1971, and again from 1973 to1977. On September 30, 1972, Sammartino and Morales wrestled to a 65-minute draw at Shea Stadium in New York. Sammartino also engaged in a feud with "Rowdy" Roddy Piper after Piper insulted his heritage on a segment of Piper's Pit at Madison Square Garden. [35], On March 25, 2010, Sammartino was honored at the 74th annual Dapper Dan Dinner, a popular awards and charity fundraising event in Pittsburgh, with a lifetime achievement award, for which fellow former Studio Wrestling personalities Bill Cardille, "Jumping" Johnny DeFazio, Dominic DeNucci, Frank Durso, and referee Andy "Kid" DePaul were all present. Boston 10/21/75) 21. ~~~Bruno Sammartino would hold the WWWF World title for an incredible EIGHT years straight! Exclusives. or scroll down to learn more about the history of Bruno's Belt. [17] Sammartino worked several WCW events in a minor analysis role in the early 1990s, as well as a brief run doing color commentary with Jim Ross on Saturday Night in 1992. In todays story, we hear from both Bruno Sammartino and Buddy Rogers regarding the screwjob finish in 1963 that propelled "The Italian Strongman" into becoming "The Living Legend. On January 18, 1971, Ivan Kohloff won the WWWF World Championship and secured his legacy in professional wrestling lore by pinning Bruno Sammartino. Bruno Leopoldo Francesco Sammartino was an Italian-born American professional wrestler, best known for his work with the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF, now WWE). HISTORY: : Sugar Ray Leonard was the winner of a gold medal at the 1976 Summer Olympics. Peers revered him, Hollywood celebrities courted him, Italian Americans adored him, and Arnold Schwarzenegger called him "The Star of all stars."Young Bruno and his family fled the Nazi's and were nearly executed. This film comprehensively covers the life and career of Bruno Sammartino, and his struggles to become wrestlings greatest champion. Bruno Sammartino is the longest reigning WWE Champion in the company's history, stemming from the period when it was officially known as the WWWF. Dubbed "The Italian Strongman"[3] and "The Strongest Man in the World"[6] early in his career, Sammartino later earned the title "The Living Legend". Sammartino defeated Buddy Rogers in just 48 seconds to become the second-ever WWE Champion in front of nearly 20,000 fans on May 17, 1963 at the old Madison Square Garden. Sammartino faced Piper in both singles and tag team matches. I looked around the arena. The championship remained vacant for over a year. On June 18 2014, Dr. Wagner, Jr. won the title and has kept it ever since. [22] Sammartino recalled the shocked silence that greeted the result, remarking he thought he had damaged his ears. . Chants of Bruno! Because Monsoon won the match by disqualification, thus Sammartino retained his belt. Sammartino then finished up his full-time career by touring Japan. Sammartino won the title on May 17, 1963, defeating Rogers in 48 seconds. The IIconics hold the claim to being the second ever WWE Women's Tag Team Champions, beating the team of Sasha Banks and Bayley atWrestlemania. Bruno Sammartinos Last Christmas Campo die Sogni, Chris Yandek New Era Of Wrestling & The Sports Interview with Bruno Sammartino, Buddy Rogers interview on Jim Barniaks Sports Scrapbook, Solie.org October 97 interview with Bruno Sammartino, The International Gazette "Wrestlings Living Legend Bruno Sammartino Gets Inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. 1/29/68 Bruno defeated Toru Tanaka in 16:31 Last match held at old MSG 50th Street & 8th Avenue 14,130 paying $42,875.10. Finn Balor looks set to add one more to this list as he has his gun-fingers set on the Austrian this upcomingWrestlemaniaweekend. Bruno is memorialized in the statue wearing his 1965-1971WWWF World Championship. He began working in the NWA territories, such as Georgia Championship Wrestling, St. Louis Wrestling Club, NWA Mid America, and others. (According to Wrestledata.com, the two were on opposing ends of a tag team contest in 1960. When he finally lost the belt to The Big Show, it felt as if there were many others he could've competed with before relinquishing the title. WWE fan? Jamie Greer joined LWOPW in 2015 and was the site's Managing Editor from 2016 through 2020. Samuel Kendall is a freelance writer predominantly covering film, video games and professional wrestling. While Bruno represented the America of working hard, being honest, and overcoming evil, Austin represented the more modern version of giving it to the man, having a beer and saying the heck with it. He particularly criticized the use of steroids and "vulgar" storylines. Sammartino ended up in a screaming match with Cimino on Pittsburgh's local Studio Wrestling program, and Cimino suspended him for a month. As for "Bruno Finally Wins Mat Title," the 260-pound, 27-year-old Pittsburgh matter scored a two-fall win over the long-time champion "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers, 42, 235-pounds of Camden, New Jersey. The reason for the split was because Northeast promoters Toots Mondt and Vince McMahon, Sr. controlled Buddy Rogers bookings and wanted to keep Rogers (and the title) in the Northeast. Ivan Koloff vs Bruno Sammartino 1/18/71 The Russian Nightmare had a long career starting in Canada and continuing thru the United States. He has now held the belt for 337 days, almost a full calendar year, and yet in that time has only performed in 4 major televised title defenses. #1 Bruno Sammartino - 2803 days (May 17, 1963 - January 18, 1971) Bruno Sammartino's inaugural reign as WWWF Champion is the longest World Title reign in WWE history. As the final entrant on this list, Ricochet is unique in the fact that during his NXT North American Championship reign he was actually unsuccessful in ever once retaining his belt on pay per view, losing it in his first defense at an NXT Takeover. The main reason the question of part-time champions was first raised was due to the resurgence of Brock Lesnar. Earth, receive an honored guest: Legendary WWE champion and phenomenally strong man Bruno Sammartino has been laid to reset. The Genius Cast with Lanny Poffo (2018-19), HOMAGE.com Our favorite in retro wrestling attire! [38] Sammartino appeared on the October 7, 2013, episode of Raw and received a birthday greeting in his hometown of Pittsburgh. But I made sure I kept my word, and I went through with the match. It wasnt until he got in the ring that Sammartino told him in no uncertain terms that it was HE who was going over that day. Buddy Rogers was wrestling every day and he was NOT in a hospital. Twitter: @JustSKendall When Vince McMahon, Sr. and Totts Mondt heard about this, of course, they got him to come to Washington, DC, and they put him in a famous hospital over there. World Wide Wrestling Federation. The following title matches feature the WWE Championship. Cimino was new to his post and intervened in a match finish involving Sammartino, who took a shot at Cimino in the ring and the argument continued backstage. After regaining the title in December 1973 . George Steele: WWWF Baltimore Show (Apr '77) Apr 30th 1977: Billy Graham: Brock would then defend the belt a total of three times between then and Wrestlemania, with appearances atNight of Champions, Royal Rumble,and the event itself. 7 WWE Hall of Fame Stories WWE Doesnt Want You To Know! Indianpolis, Indiana: . "Bruno Sammartino proved that hard work can overcome even the most difficult of circumstances. He wrestled then NWA World Heavyweight Champion Harley Race to a one-hour draw in St. Louis. It was no different on the night of May 17, 1963, when. Ivan Koloff (left) and Superstar Billy Graham (right) each drew six sellouts with Bruno and each defeated him for the WWWF Championship. That takes your density down to a title defense every 37.9 days. Sammartino instead that night had his first match against new number one contender, Gorilla Monsoon. May 17, 1963: Bruno Sammartino defeated Buddy Rogers with a reverse backbreaker to capture the WWWF World title. May 2, 2020, the 1965-1971 version of the WWWF World Championship was put to auction, along with Bruno Sammartinos WWE Hall of Fame ring (2013) and several other items, as part of the settlement for hisestate. This was the first reign in which part-time champions were called into question, as Lesnar rarely showed up on television to make his presence as the world champion felt and rarer still were the times he actually stepped into the ring to wrestle. In many ways, it was a full circle. His biggest moment was winning the WWWF heavyweight title from the legendary Bruno Sammartino. On December 8, 1969, he teamed with Tony Marino to win the WWWF International Tag Team Championship by defeating The Rising Suns (Tanaka and Mitsu Arakawa). Bruno Leopoldo Francesco Sammartino (October 6, 1935 - April 18, 2018) was an Italian-born American professional wrestler, best known for his work with the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF, now WWE). Matt Pender is an old-school wrestling fan who currently lives in New Zealand. You couldnt achieve a higher goal than winning the title. Cody Rhodes held the WWE Intercontinental Championship for approximately eight months across 2011 and 2012, though in that time he only defended the belt a total of 4 times on pay per view. Bruno Sammartino: Directed by Patrea Patrick. [43][44], Sammartino was married to his wife Carol from 1959 until his death in 2018. WWE Hall of Famer Bruno Sammartino died on Wednesday at the age of 82 in Pittsburgh. The quotes made from Bruno Sammartino and Buddy Rogers were originally compiled by Matt Pender and shared here with thanks to our friends over at Wrestlings Glory Days Facebook page. Between 1963 and 1980, he main evented many times and many of those main events drew a full house. [8] Sammartino became a vocal critic of the drug use and raunchier storylines that became prevalent in the professional wrestling industry after his retirement but he reconciled with WWE in 2013 and headlined their Hall of Fame ceremony that year. An ever-increasing argument in today's wrestling world, in light of a continued use of part-time stars from yesteryear like Goldberg and Brock Lesnar, is how often should we realistically see the world champion defend their belt in televised appearances? [37] The ceremony took place at Madison Square Garden on April 6, 2013, and Sammartino was inducted by Arnold Schwarzenegger. Three years after his stunning defeat, Bruno won the WWE Title for a second time. (1965-1971) Bruno Sammartino is the greatest world champion in the history of professional wrestling. Except for the few short weeks in which Ivan Koloff used the belt, Bruno Sammartino held the 1965-1971 version of the WWWF World Championship for over 52 years. His ability to speak Italian also ingratiated him with that immigrant population. Once again a bruising Russian supervillain during the Cold War hysteria of the 1960s, he became a top heel with Maple Leaf Wrestling in Toronto. The early years of the organization were definitely different than modern times, where one of pro wrestling's most iconic wrestlers held the title for a jaw-dropping 11 years. Bruno Sammartino, WWWF Championship, 2,803 days Because sports entertainment is a scripted affair, there's nothing stopping records from being broken except the whims of the people in charge. 200 of the top 500 singles wrestlers of the "PWI Years" in 2003, This page was last edited on 25 February 2023, at 17:39. ROSS TOWNSHIP PA - Daniel Sammartino, the son of the late wrestling giant Bruno Sammartino, died Tuesday. But it would be Canadian-born Russian wrestler Ivan Koloff who would put an end to Sammartinos historic reign. Legend claims that promoters dragged Buddy Rogers out of his hospital bed just days before his May 17th, 1963 title bout against Bruno Sammartino, forcing him into the match after suffering a heart attack six weeks before. It took 14 minutes and 55 seconds for Ivan Koloff to defeat Bruno Sammartino that night in New York City. [20] Sammartino took a hiatus from the company in 1971 and 1972 working in Japan, and various territories. Author: Matt Pender Jan. 10, 2023. Defeating Stan Stasiak, Bruno became the first-ever two-time WWE Champion. In CM Punk's 434 day reign, he defended the title 141 times, or an average of just over once every three . Bruno selected a classic photograph with his 1965-1971 version of the WWWF World Championship for the cover of his autobiography, which he wrote with Sal Anthony Corrente. Very bad feelings. [11] This made him an easy target for bullies at Schenley High School. Rogers dropped the title. Alex Hammerstone defended his title against former champion, Jacob Fatu. Matches. May 18 - USA Event: Bruno Sammartino (c) vs. Miguel Torres - Singles match Sammartino won. Some of his defenses ended in time limit draws, and some in DQ, but . Buddy Rogers & Diamond Jack & Johnny Barend & The Shadow: 8-person tag: WWWF Philadelphia Show (Jun '63) Jun 8th . Sammartino finally lost the WWE Championship in January 1971 . We took a picture, but we never spoke a word to each other" (Laughs). When Pat Sullivan heard that, he immediately stopped Buddy Rogers from going to the ring, but he also informed all the state athletic commissions that he was revoking his license until they found out if, in fact, there was a problem. Acknowledged as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, Sammartino's legacy began in 1959 and lasted until his final match in October of 1981. . Page 12, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, May 18, 1963. Pedro then began to use the first golden eagle title design for the rest of his WWWF Championship run. Matches. [49] Flair said Sammartino refused to shake his hand at the event, while Sammartino said Flair saw him coming down the hall, turned, and rushed away. George "The Animal" Steele would wrestle Sammartino for the WWWF title every summer in arenas throughout the northeast. When McMahon Sr. gestured for them to shake hands, both wordlessly turned and walked away. Buddy ROGERS vs. Bruno SAMMARTINO NWA WORLD TITLE. Interestingly, Thesz beat Rogers in a three falls rematch on February 7th, 1963, in Toronto, a result often forgotten. I conducted a phone interview with wrestling's "Living Legend," Bruno Sammartino, who talked about what he's been up to lately, his thoughts on the WWE Hall of Fame and his memori An irate Sammartino attacked Savage during a TV interview, after Savage bragged about injuring Ricky Steamboat, by driving the timekeeper's bell into Steamboat's throat during a televised match. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. In New York, you go through an extensive physical to get your license, and every night before you wrestled, you had a physical in the dressing room. Bruno Sammartino is the greatest world champion in the history of professional wrestling. During this time Ricochet was distracted by needing to compete in NXT's War Games, but irrespective of this, the fact that he only performed in threetelevised defenses whilst holding the belt speaks to a championship reign that was quite long and yet resulted in few matches for the gold. Bruno Sammartino often mentioned Don Leo Jonathan when he was asked about his toughest foes. Bruno only gave up his championship when he wanted to, and there was one championship belt he decided never to let go. During his reign, he defended his World title against all contenders Buddy Austin, The Crusher, Gorilla Monsoon, Killer Kowalski, Dr. Jerry Graham, Giant Baba, Boris Malenko, Freddie Blassie, Gene Kiniski, George The Animal Steele, Crippler Ray Stevens, Tiger Jeet Singh, and The Sheik were just some of the names to challenge Sammartino during his reign. Sammartino would go on to hold the title for 2,803 days, nearly eight years(! After handing over ME duties to Alex Richards, he remains a frequent contributor to the site. [52][53] Mayor Bill Peduto remembered him as "one of the greatest ambassadors the city of Pittsburgh ever had."[54]. "One of the finest men I knew, in life and in business," WWE chairman Vince McMahon said . Sammartino worked as a commentator for the Universal Wrestling Federation. That said, Sammartino's record is likely safe, as it's difficult to imagine WWE ever putting a title on someone even remotely as long as his top reign. In contrast, Hogan and Andr headlined exactly one card in White Plains, New York before they wrestled at Shea, and they drew 1,200 in a building that held 3,500.[27]. Tickets to the screening are $15 for adults, $10 for members and $5 for children. There are paper champions, there are fighting champions, and there are champions who scarcely put their gold up for grabs. The Northeast would soon break away from the NWA to form the World Wide Wrestling Federation (later known as the WWF and WWE today). In early 1977, Sammartino informed McMahon Sr. that he felt he could no longer continue as champion due to his injuries. The superstitious blamed New York's descent into hell in the 1970s as punishment for Bruno losing the title. [26] As the main event of 1980's Showdown at Shea, Sammartino defeated Zbyszko inside a steel cage. That victory in 48 seconds began a 2,803-day reign that stands today as the longest in history, by far. From that point, Bruno Sammartino held the title for seven years, eight . Bruno!from 20,000 fans at sold-out Madison Square Garden in New York City reverberated from the rafters a record-setting 187 timesduring hiswrestling career. 10 Long Championship Reigns With Minimal Title Defenses, Pete Dunne WWE NXT United Kingdom Champion, 685 Days, Cody Rhodes Intercontinental Title, 236 Days, Brock Lesnar WWE World Heavyweight Champion, 224 Days, Brock Lesnar WWE Universal Champion, 504 Days, Shinsuke Nakamura Intercontinental Champion, 201 Days, WALTERWWE NXT United Kingdom Champion, 337+ Days, Blake & Murphy WWE NXT Tag Team Champions, 219 Days, The IIconics WWE Women's Tag Team Titles, 120 Days, Ricochet North American Championship, 161 Days, 10 Failed WWE Champions That Should Have Worked, 10 Superstars Who Were WWE ChampionFor One Day Or Less, remains to be seen who could defeat him in 2020, 5 Wrestlers That Were Better World Champions in WCW (& 5 That Were Better In WWE), Ruthless Aggression: 10 Title Reigns (That We Completely Forgot About), which duo will be next in line to hold these belts. Bruno would againholdthe WWWFChampionship for another1,237 days, from 1973-1977. Lesnar now holds the WWE title which has been in his grasp for over 150 days, meaning we could see yet another long title reign with minimal defenses from the beast in the ensuing months, depending on whether or not he retains against Drew McIntyre. Stay tuned to theLast Word on Pro Wrestlingfor more on this and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. RELATED: 10 Failed WWE Champions That Should Have Worked. Buddy Rogers made these claims in a couple of appearances that he made after losing the belt. Pete Dunne is only the second man in company history to hold the WWE NXT United Kingdom Championship, a belt he held for an overwhelming 685 days. This helps us provide free content for you to enjoy! Still an affiliate under the banner of the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), Sammartino felt he was stuck in a holding pattern behind NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion, Nature Boy Buddy Rogers, who was Capitols biggest star since winning NWAs top prize in 1961. Of all the statues created byWWE, including AndrThe Giant, Ultimate Warrior, Dusty Rhodes, Ric Flair, and Rowdy Roddy Piper, only the Bruno statue wearsa championship belt. Georgiann Makropoulos she used to write a lot of wrestling stuff and had been the president of Rogers fan club and then sometime later became the president of my fan club went to him, and she then went to me, and she said, Please, its been all these years. Over the course of his record-breaking run, Sammartino successfully retained his title 653 times, including 62 defenses in MSG alone. During one title reign he held the belt for an astonishing 2,803 days, a period positively unheard of in today's wrestling climate. I worked in pain. Lengthy championships are a big aspect in wrestling, but it is definitely easier when the champion does not frequently have to defend his title. Sammartino retired from North American wrestling full-time in 1981,[10] in a match that opened the Meadowlands Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey. I was just so exhausted It became clear to Vince McMahon Sr. that his World Champion was gassed. [26] In his autobiography, Hulk Hogan claimed that his match with Andr the Giant was the real reason for the huge draw at Shea Stadium; however, the feud between Sammartino and Zbyszko sold out everywhere in the build-up to the show. Mr. Sammartino, 50, of Allison Park, was the co-owner of the . When their eyes cleared, they kept fighting each other. [17], In 2006, he signed an independent deal with Jakks Pacific to produce an action figure, which is part of the WWE Classic Superstars line, Series 10. On Pittsburgh 's local Studio wrestling program, and there are paper champions, and are! 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