twin wrestlers from the '70s twin wrestlers from the '70s

Although in the year 2020 fans are more likely familiar with Machu Picchu, the GLOW character she inspired, Mountain Fiji was widely considered the heart and soul of the imminently campy Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling TV series that went on to garner a cult following. When he retired, Kowalski started a wrestling school and ended up training Triple H years later. He started the decade as a heel, but in 1974 he turned babyface and shot to the top. A key member of The Hart Foundation faction, Niedhart ran roughshod through the WWF with his pink-clad partners throughout the 1980s. One of the greatest mic Workers in WWE, Billy Graham knew how to captivate audiences using his mic exploits and in-ring abilities. Fans and pundits even began referring to him as the 8th Wonder of the World, thanks to his colossal size and ability to attract the masses. Poised as an everyman, Dusty managed to wrack up title wins across divisions and federations. Unfortunately, the promotion closed two years later. Known for his signature evil laugh, "The Million Dollar Man" bragged about you guessed it his extraordinary wealth while trouncing opponents around the world. As much a wrestler as a cultural ambassador, Mscaras starred in over 20 films. Ultimately, promoters in Canada would run out of acceptable opponents to face this giant. Two of the best tag team wrestlers ever. Cant you almost hear the raspy, strained shouts of Macho Man Randy Savage? 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. In the early-1990s, The Cole Twins became a tag team to keep an eye on in WCW, competing regularly on shows such as WCW Worldwide and WCW Saturday Night. Prior to The Model, Rick Martel was one half of Strike Force along with Tito Santana. After teaming up with his brother, Dorry Funk Sr., The House of Funk (Hoss of funk) was created. In the 70s, he also worked matches against boxer, Chuck Wepner. Jack and his brother Gerry were the original Brisco brothers, not to be confused with the ROH pair. They both left TNA in 2014 and havent competed since. Times have changed and its increasingly difficult to view grapplers like The Ultimate Warrior without thinking of his appalling and bigoted worldviews. These wrestlers of the 70s were violent and dangerous men who had no problem beating up the wrestler across the ring from them, and most had no problem stepping in the ring with other athletes. The Flashbak Shop Is Open & Selling All Good Things. Ephemeral, disposable, they served only one purposeto let someone know "I'm here. The world of sports has seen its fair share of successful twin tandems, including NHLs Sedin brothers, MMAs Nogueira brothers, footballs Pouncey brothers, and the Lopez brothers competing in the NBA, to name a few. 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. The 49-year-old spent nearly five years in the promotion, during which he failed to win any titles on the main roster. DONATE, Before the money moved in, Kings Cross was a place for born-and-bred locals, clubs and crime, See what really went on during that time in NYC's topless go-go bars, Chris Stein 's photographs of Debbie Harry and friends take us back to a great era of music. After working for AWA for a few years, Tito Santana eventually attracted the attention of Vince McMahon. 17.10.2020. He worked as a villain when he was given the title, with Lou Albano as his manager, but when he broke away, he became one of the most popular WWE wrestlers of his era. BELLA TWINS #wweshorts #shortsvideo #shorts Wrestling Summerthis topics covered videobella Twins ne mauj krdeebella twins togetherbella twins d. 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. In 2014, the New Age Outlaws would win the WWE World Tag Team titles from the Brotherhood. He later moved to Walkertown, North Carolina and worked for the Christian Golfers Ministry. These portrait photographs of Russia's ruling Romanovs were taken in 1903 at the Winter Palace in majestic. Perfect exemplified the widely reviled heel archetype throughout the decade. Their second reign would last approximately 6 months. 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. He toured across America with fellow wrestlers and held several championship titles. In the 1960s and 1970s, Kowalski became a great tag team wrestler, while also becoming a top rival for world champion Bruno Sammartino. They'd be 74 today", "Benny Loyd McCrary, World's Heaviest Twin", "McCrary Twins Awe Wrestling Fans Across Country", "Services for Billy McCrary to be Held Here Tomorrow", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_McGuire_Twins&oldid=1141937960, 666kg (1,468lb) (Billy and Benny McGuire), This page was last edited on 27 February 2023, at 17:23. RCW Tag Team Title: The Wrecking Crew ( Dean Richtor & Shaun Martens) defeat The Voros Twins ( Chris Voros & Patrick Voros) (c) - TITLE CHANGE !!! [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. Rhodes ended up as a multi-time NWA World Champion and is a WWE Hall of Fame superstar. In the '70s, he was part of the WWE and was still on top of the world until his retirement in 1977. During that span, he notched victories over Lou Thesz, Dory Funk Jr., Gene Kiniski, Terry Funk, Dusty Rhodes, Harley Race, all of whom held the same title at least once during their careers. They contracted rubella (German measles) when they were 4 years old, which caused problems for their pituitary glands and they started gaining weight. As for championships, Nikki is the reigning Divas champ, currently enjoying her second stint with the title. In it there are many variations of the species, each peculiar to its own terrain and indigenous populous. At six feet, nine inches tall, he was one of the few men who could almost measure up to Andre the Giant. This was Afa and Sika, the men who were the patriarchs of the Samoan Dynasty. Professional wrestling in the 1970s was huge! 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. When they returned to WWE, they adopted the names 8-Ball and Skull, joining their real-life cousin Brian Lee (as Chainz) and Crush in The Disciples of Apocalypse. Quick! Competing in Ohio Valley Wrestling for five years with a combined four title reigns, Hannah and Holly made a name for themselves wrestling under TNA, first appearing on TNA Wrestling: British Bootcamp, where Rockstar Spud and Mary Scurll were also discovered. A 3-time tag team champion, Mr. Fuji made a name for himself as one of the biggest rule breakers in sports entertainment. Hooks are illegal in conventional amateur wrestling but have high rates of success against even the most athletic and experienced of competitors, essentially removing rules from professional wrestling. Dynamite Kid. In 1955, she began working for Vince McMahon Sr. as Fabulous Moolah. 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. 6 6. Their in-ring attires truly made them memorable, even if you only saw them a few times. During the 70s, he spent time in the AWA, All-Japan Pro Wrestling, Stampede Wrestling and New Japan Pro Wrestling where catch wrestling was emphasized. There have also been twins who haven't worked together on camera. Dean has a twin brother, Don Bucci, who has also worked in the wrestling business. 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. Although she was far more active in All Japan Womens Wrestling, she made brief appearances in the WWF in 1986. Rikishi and his twin brother shared the ring a few times in WWE and other promotions throughout their careers. Flair had nothing but praise for Race upon his death in 2019: Without Harley Race, there was no Ric Flair. The curious thing was that none of the so-called wrestlers were true athletes. Carnies, who traveled and wrestled at these events, used tricks to protect their money and reputations during competitions, devising little-known and often dangerous wrestling moves, called "hooks." Only Keith would be given PPV time, competing in the Lethal Lottery alongside Ron Simmons at Battlebowl 1993. The Hart . He was one of Vince McMahon's most trusted confidants and is the man who created the Royal Rumble match. As a pioneer . 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. Eventually, the character morphed into a deranged barber who cut the hair of his opponents following his decisive victories. Your login session has expired. 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. Hansen went on to become a major star in Japan as well, starting in 1977 and winning several titles overseas, including the PWF World Championship four times. 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. Wrestlers such as Andre the Giant, Bruno Sammartino, Ivan Koloff, and Antonio Inoki helped lay the foundations that the WWE currently stands on. Rikishi spent over a decade in Vince McMahon's company, during which he won the Intercontinental Championship twice and the tag titles three times. Both Hebners served as referees, with Dave taking on more of the backend stuff like promoting and working as a road agent. Although Rikishi is more famous, his twin brother was the one who first made it to Vince McMahon's company. As the match got underway, it could have been anybodys win; until the grand finale. 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. Superstar spawned a number of imitators that include Hulk Hogan, Jesse the Body Ventura, and Scott Steiner. Many of the guys on this list were legit tough guys and gave the sport the credibility lacking in a sense today. They now hold the SmackDown Tag Team Championships in their fifth reign. In relative terms, a wrestler breaking kayfabe during a show would be likened to an actor breaking character on-camera. Many old-school wrestling fans remember the House of Funk for their Wrestlemania 2 appearance. Billy started his career in the 1950s, where he established himself as a wrestling bad guy. 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. Hes a member of the WWE and Professional Wrestling Halls of Fame, has been honored multiple times by the Cauliflower Alley Club and was the 1973 PWI Wrestler of the Year. Known for his unexpected grace in the ring, Steamboat was also a proficient tag team wrestler alongside his partner Jay Youngblood. His first job was a constructions worker and during the evenings, he worked out at a local gym in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Throughout the 1990s, professional wrestling achieved highs in both viewers and financial success during a time of fierce competition among competing promotions, such as WWF, World Championship Wrestling, and Extreme Championship Wrestling. He died aged 76 in January 2013. Little Bruiser in Chicago, September 1, 1972 Cowboy Bob Bradley and Joey Russell, February 23 1968. For great art and culture delivered to your door, visit our shop. Cowboy Bob Bradley and Joey Russell, February 23 1968. I'm thinking of you" - Pablo Iglesias Maurer, At the end of October 1959 in the basement of 39 Gerrard Street - an unexceptional and damp space that was once a sort of rest room for taxi drivers and an occasional tea bar - Ronnie Scott opened his first jazz club. 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. When it comes to pro-wrestling, weve seen twins trick their opponents, help one another out, and dish out the punishment on foes that take their adversaries for granted. Killer Kowalskis reputation went beyond the world of wrestling thanks to his fearsome and terrifying nature. [7], After the death of Billy, Benny tried to continue wrestling, partnering with Andre the Giant, but was not successful without his brother. Terry Eugene Bollea, better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American retired professional wrestler and television personality. Apart from doing all he could to win matches, Mr. Fuji always took it a step further and hid bags of salt within his pants. With adopted names like Little Bruise, Sky Low Low, Billy The Kid, Little Beaver, Lord Littlebrook and Little Tokyo, men (and a few women) who might have eked out a living in the circus started a spectatorport. They were both born in October 1965. Syndicated series featuring wrestling matches as promoted by the American Wrestling Association (AWA). 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. Hogan began his professional wrestling career in . Bruno Sammartino is one of the most famous and popular faces ever to wrestle for the McMahon machine. Be the first one to comment on this story. Little Bruiser in action against Bobo Johnson in Chicago, September 1972. The company then released her from her contract in November 2007. Along with Ronnie himself and his, "It is time for art to flow into the organisation of life." 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. 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. Syndicated series featuring wrestling matches as promoted by the American Wrestling Association (AWA). Although perhaps better known these days for his bombastic and foul-mouthed twitter rampages, Iron Sheik was a key heel throughout the 80s. Both Manuel and Victor were eliminated by fellow behemoths, Yokozuna and Vader. Audiences believed the violent action they were seeing and took it for gospel! By what name was AWA All-Star Wrestling (1972) officially released in Canada in English? Billy Leon McCrary (December 7, 1946 July 14, 1979) and Benny Loyd McCrary (December 7, 1946 March 26, 2001), known together as The McGuire Twins, were American professional wrestlers listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the "World's Heaviest Twins" (328 kilograms (723lb) and 338 kilograms (745lb), respectively). Twin brothers Jimmy and Jey Uso are the sons of former wrestler Rikishi and members of the Anoa'i wrestling family. In 1963, Bruno Sammartino defeated the WWE champion, Buddy Rodgers in just under 48 seconds, a feat that no wrestler managed to replicate. 1990. 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. Remember, this is before professional wrestling was called sports entertainment. was a promoter and wrestling manager. He dropped out of West Texas State College in 1953 to take up the fight game. [8] The brothers are buried side by side in a graveyard near Hendersonville. 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. 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. He started wrestling at the age of fifteen and went on to become one the worlds top midget wrestler over a 30 year period, during which time he won the NWA World Midget Championship twice. Arguably the most popular set of twins in wrestling today, The Bellas arent everyones forte, but theyve been at the forefront of WWEs Divas division for quite some time. It would be beyond cliche to call Andre larger than life but its an appropriate descriptor considering his largesse both in and out of the ring. But Ladd never won a major promotion's top belt. Unique lists featuring pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts. Prior to his professional wrestling debut, Giant Baba was a professional pitcher for one of the biggest baseball teams in Japan. In the 70s, kayfabe was alive and well! Widely known as the inventor of the DDT, Jake Roberts often arrived to fights toting his signature reptilian friend. Rick Martel is perhaps best known as The Model - an arrogant heel who sprayed cologne and acted as though he was one step above the rest of the WWE Superstars. Sika and Afa Anoai enjoyed lengthy stays in multiple territories and often championship success followed. Aside from a week in December 1974, Brisco held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship from July 1973 to December 1975. He died aged 75 on June 24, 2010 in Amarillo, Texas. Cole WWE.com Kent and Keith Cole were WCW regulars during the mid-1990s, a mid-card act who would beat other jobbers but usually lost to more established teams. Former WWE wrestlers Brie and Nikki Bella may not tag team in the ring anymore but the twin sisters are on another journey together they're both pregnant with due dates a week and a half. Played by Satoru Sayama, who Bret Hart once called the Bruce Lee of professional wrestling, Tiger Mask I was both a real-life wrestling character and the star of a popular Japanese cartoon. You can also support us by signing up to our Mailing List. By the end of his illustrious wrestling career, The Macho Man had accumulated an impressive 11 titles. This made Koloff one of the only men to ever beat Sammartino in a WWE match. Frenchy Lamonte was also known as Rolly the Rocket, the Little Hawk, and Little Evilborn. Rhodes made some appearances in the WWWF in the 70s, but it was the NWA where he had his biggest success. A warrior and fighter inside the squared circle, Terry Funk managed to win a title with almost every promotion that he worked with. 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. Bruno Sammartino is the greatest 70's wrestler of all time. - Alexander Rodchenko, 1921, The Shop Prints, Sustainable Fashion, Cards & More, Get The Newsletter For Discounts & Exclusives, Photographs of Londons Kings Cross Before the Change c.1990, Photos of Topless Dancers and Bottomless Drinks At New York Citys Raciest Clubs c. 1977, Debbie Harry And Me Shooting The Blondie Singer in 1970s New York City, Jack Londons Extraordinary Photos of Londons East End in 1902, Photographs of The Romanovs Final Ball In Color, St Petersburg, Russia 1903, Eric Ravilious Visionary Views of England, Photographs of the Wonderful Diana Rigg (20 July 1938 10 September 2020), Photographer Updates Postcards Of 1960s Resorts Into Their Abandoned Ruins, Sex, Drugs, Jazz and Gangsters The Disreputable History of Gerrard Street in Londons Chinatown, The Brilliant Avant-Garde Movie Posters of the Soviet Union, Wrestling In 1980s England Big Daddy, Handbags And Tons of Fun, This Sporting Life : Gerry Cranhams Fantastic Photographs Capture The Beauty And Drama of Sport, Fabulous Kodachrome Snapshots from a Day Trip to London in 1962, The Communist Party of Great Britain And The Red Menace 1920-1991, Newsletter Subscribers Get Shop Discounts. They each weighed 200 pounds by age 10 and 600 pounds by age 16. He later briefly returned to WWE to compete in a few matches between 1992 and 1994. Inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2009, Ricky Steamboats fights against Macho Man Randy Savage (1987) and Ric Flair (1989) were both awarded Match of the Year by Pro-Wrestling Illustrated and the Wrestling Observer. Billy the Kid born John William Guillot in Waco, Texas in 1936. In the U.S., he made his name thanks to a massive violent feud with Bruno Sammartino in WWE. Koloff is one of the only former WWE Champions who is still not in the WWE Hall of Fame. In 1971 he became a dual titleholder when he won the WWWF World Heavyweight Title from Ivan Koloff while holding the United States Heavyweight Title. Many of the guys on this list were legit tough guys and gave the sport credibility that it is lacking in a sense today. museum. He went on to win a clutch of wrestling awards including the NWA Midget Wrestling Championship twice and was a firm favorite with fans. This, and a ton of hard work, became the blueprint to win championships for specific sets of twins in WWE. They often provided an excellent foil to the overpowered Crush Gals throughout their influential run. Wrestling began featuring enhanced, hyped character traits and storylines. Funk was the PWI Wrestler of the Year in 1976 and won the inaugural AJPW Real World Tag League tournament in 1977 and won it again in 79. Boris Spremo/Toronto Star via Getty Images. Fans who started watching professional wrestling in the 1980s never got to see how great the Valiant Brothers really were. He started his career as a circus acrobat before taking up wrestling in the 1950s. Hebner's twin brother Dave is also a wrestling referee. 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. Being a Luchador, Mascaras has never stepped into the squared circle without a mask.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'sportlister_com-sky-3','ezslot_23',116,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-sportlister_com-sky-3-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'sportlister_com-sky-3','ezslot_24',116,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-sportlister_com-sky-3-0_1');.sky-3-multi-116{border:none!important;display:block!important;float:none!important;line-height:0;margin-bottom:7px!important;margin-left:auto!important;margin-right:auto!important;margin-top:7px!important;max-width:100%!important;min-height:50px;padding:0;text-align:center!important}. He is widely regarded as the most recognized wrestling star worldwide and the most popular wrestler of the 1980s. 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. Verne, who also owned the AWA, held the title 10 times in his career, starting in 1960, with his last reign starting in 1980. 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. With the sex appeal of a Chippendales performer, this Ravishing fighter was a WCW legend before career-ending injuries forced him to stop performing in 1997. He started his career as a circus acrobat before taking up wrestling in the 1950s. However, long before these emerging stars ever eyed a career between the ropes, there was a rugged brother tag team travelling the territories in the 1970's as "The Islanders". Just two months after arriving in WWE, he was fighting for the world title. Cheerfulness kept creeping in." And although his identity is now known worldwide, hes one of the few masked wrestlers to have never revealed his face to the public. 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. His reputation for playing mind games with his opponents never superseded his actual in-ring acumen. Their popularity in Japan can be compared to Hulk Hogans popularity in the United States. Billy the Kid with Cowboy Bob Bradley (aka Robert Bradley). Weve compiled a list of 15 wrestlers whom we believe stood out during the 70s and helped propel the company to greater heights. [6][4], Billy McCrary died on July 14, 1979, at the age of 32, following a motorcycle accident in Niagara Falls en route to a Ripley's Believe It or Not! Upon joining WWE, Bruno Sammartino would become an instant hit and the companys biggest star at the time. The 72-year-old joined Vince McMahon's company in the early 1980s and has refereed some historic matches, including Randy Savage vs. Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania V. Dave was also involved in a storyline with his twin brother in the late 1980s. Men of few words, the Wild Samoans would resort to weird antics and gimmicks including plucking feathers off a live chicken to grunting in primitive languages. Active since 2011, the Owens are still trying to catch their big break in the business, wrestling for smaller promotions across the United Kingdom and Japan. From an early age, Lamonte had a great interest in wrestling deciding at eight to become a wrestler, telling his mother Im gonna be a dirty one. Trained by Lord Littlebrook, Lamonte made his debut in 1963. In a book that became to be known as 'The People of the Abyss' London described the time when he lived in the Whitechapel district sleeping in workhouses, so-called doss-houses and even on the streets. The Blossom Twins had high hopes in the wrestling industry as two twin girls growing up in the United Kingdom. St Petersburg is the city Christopher Hitchens called "an apparent temple of civilization: the polished window between Russia and Europe the, "I never saw Eric Ravilious depressed. To show dominance over the American, Inoki applied a real submission move that Sammartino somehow managed to overpower. Their parents bought a farm to increase their physical activity and they ate only 1,000 calories per day but could not stop gaining weight. Nikki Bella. Over the past few years, the former Diva Search contestant has posted a few photos on Instagram of herself and her sister together. She also likes to stay away from the public eye. The Hardcore Legend Terry Funk had memorable matches in the 1980s and 90s, but the 70s might have been his golden age. The Tonga Kid joined the company in 1983 and spent nearly five years there before leaving in 1988. In 1957 after spending most of his early wrestling years in Canada, Kowalski began working for Vince McMahon.