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Bruno Leopoldo Francesco Sammartino (born October 6, 1935 in Pizzoferrato, Abruzzo, Italy), is a former professional wrestler, known most for being the longest-running champion of the Worldwide Wrestling Federation, holding the title across two reigns for over 12 years in total.

"The Italian Strongman" has often been called "The Living Legend" of professional wrestling and is considered one of the greatest performers professional wrestling has ever known. Sammartino's actual wrestling ability was somewhat limited compared to "real" pro wrestlers like Lou Thesz, but his brawling style, power moves, and personal charisma, plus the fact that he came across as a genuinely nice guy, won him many fans, especially on the East Coast. During his career, Bruno was also known as "The Original Italian Stallion." Bruno weighed in at 245 - 285 pounds (he took off some weight in his later years) and he stood 5'10".

Early life

As a child Bruno and his family hid in caves from German soldiers during the latter stages of World War II; around 1951 he came to the United States, settling in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Career

Sammartino started wrestling in 1959. He won the WWWF World Championship title on May 17, 1963, defeating "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers in just 48 seconds. He kept this title for an incredible seven years, eight months, and one day; it still stands as the longest continuous world title reign in wrestling history.

Sammartino was undoubtedly the most popular wrestler in the Northeastern United States during the 1960s and 1970s. He headlined cards that filled Madison Square Garden on a monthly basis, and over 200 times overall, the most of any individual. He battled the top heels of his time, including Killer Kowalski, Gorilla Monsoon, and George "The Animal" Steele. Finally, on January 18, 1971, Sammartino lost the title at Madison Square Garden to Ivan Koloff. The crowd was so stunned into silence that Sammartino thought his hearing had been damaged.

In between his two title runs, on September 30, 1972, Sammartino battled then-titleholder Pedro Morales to an over one-hour draw in a scientific title match at Shea Stadium in New York. Eventually, on December 10, 1973, Sammartino regained the WWWF Championship, defeating Stan Stasiak. His second title run lasted over three years.

During this time, on April 26, 1976, Sammartino suffered a neck fracture in a match against Stan Hansen at Madison Square Garden, when Hansen improperly executed a body slam. After two months of recovery, Sammartino returned, and faced Hansen in a rematch on June 25, 1976 at Shea Stadium. Sammartino scored a decisive count-out win, after Hansen ran from the ring. This was rated 1976 Match of the Year by a number of wrestling magazines.

His second WWWF Championship reign ended on April 30, 1977 when he was defeated by Superstar Billy Graham in a controversial ending when Graham had both feet on the ropes while successfully pinning Sammartino.

One of the most emotionally-charged feuds of Bruno's career started on January 22, 1980, when his former student Larry Zbyszko violently turned against him during a scientific exhibition, broadcast on the World Wrestling Federation's Championship Wrestling show. Bruno, shocked and hurt by Zbyszko's betrayal, vowed to make Zbyszko (whom Bruno described as a "Judas") pay dearly. Their series culminated on August 9, 1980, in front of 36,295 fans at Shea Stadium. As part of the Federation's Showdown At Shea card, Bruno defeated Zbyszko inside a steel cage.

After retiring from wrestling full-time in 1981, he spent the greater part of his time managing his son David, and wrestled only occasionally. His most notable feud during the mid-1980s was vs. "Macho Man" Randy Savage, which began when Sammartino attacked Savage during a TV interview after Savage bragged about injuring Rick Steamboat by driving the timekeeper's bell into Steamboat's throat from off the top rope during a televised 1986 match. Sammartino often teamed with Tito Santana and even old enemy George "The Animal" Steele to wrestle Savage and "Adorable" Adrian Adonis; Sammartino also defeated Savage (via disqualification) in a lumberjack match for the WWF Intercontinental Championship.

In recent years Sammartino has publicly criticized the direction professional wrestling has taken, making reference to lurid storylines, over-the-top theatrics, steroid abuse, and the like. He disowned his son David along with the other side of his family, his brother Paul Sammartino and sister Maria Di Matteo and has not spoken to them in well over 17 years. In particular he has been on bad terms with Vince McMahon, saying that McMahon has despoiled the organization that McMahon's father started. As such Sammartino has refused to provide commentary on WWE-produced retrospectives of his career, instead participating in a series of independently-produced documentaries on his career, including Bruno Sammartino's Legends Never Die, La Roccia, The Passing of the Belt, and The Boys are Back.

Sammartino has also refused entry into the WWE Hall of Fame; however he is a founding inductee into the unrelated Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame, and is an inductee of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame.

Championships/Accomplishments

World Wrestling Federation

National Wrestling Alliance

Other titles

  • 1-Time WWA Tag Team Champion (with Dick the Bruiser)

Pro Wrestling Illustrated

  • Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) ranked him # 200 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the "PWI Years" in 2003.

Wrestling Magazine Awards

  • Bruno won several Awards from Wrestling Magazines in his career. He won Wrestler of the Year in 1974, Most Inspirational Wrestler in 1976 and the Editor's Award in 1981. He was part of 5 Match of the Year Awards: 1972 (won Battle Royal), 1975 (vs. Spiros Arion), 1976 (vs. Stan Hansen), 1977 (vs. Superstar Billy Graham) and 1980 (vs. Larry Zbyszko).

Wrestling Observer Newsletter

Championship succession

WWE Championship Preceded by:
"Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers First Succeeded by:
Ivan Koloff Preceded by:
Stan Stasiak Second Succeeded by:
Superstar Billy Graham WWE International Tag Team Championship Preceded by:
Gito Mongol and Bepo Mongol First, with Dominic DeNucci Succeeded by:
Gito Mongol and Bepo Mongol WWE United States Tag Team Championship Preceded by:
Lou Albano and Tony Altimore First, with Spiros Arion Succeeded by:
None, titles abandoned NWA U.S. Championship (Toronto version) Preceded by:
Johnny Valentine First Succeeded by:
Johnny Valentine

External links

1935 births | Italian professional wrestlers | Italian-Americans | Living people | People from Pittsburgh | Professional wrestling announcers

Bruno Sammartino | ブルーノ・サンマルチノ

 

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "Bruno Sammartino".

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