Despite being a well-known name in the wrestling industry, many fans may not know that Adams has a twin sister, Brittaney. Tipping the scales at approximately 1,470 pounds, The McGuire Twins were once the worlds heaviest twins in the Guinness Book of World Records. Their popularity in Japan can be compared to Hulk Hogans popularity in the United States. Referee George Gadaski talks to the legendary Little Beaver (back to camera) with tag partner Jamaica Kid to his left, and rivals Billy the Kid and Cowboy Bradley to his right. Most matches started the same, being preceded by a plethora of trash talking. 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. Studds most memorable opponents include Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant. Even an alternative canon of pro-wrestling would have to include Andre The Giant. Many fans may not know that Rikishi has a twin brother, The Tonga Kid (AKA Sam Fatu). Eventually, the character morphed into a deranged barber who cut the hair of his opponents following his decisive victories. Weve compiled a list of 15 wrestlers whom we believe stood out during the 70s and helped propel the company to greater heights. He even found time to release the single True Love in 1975 and still has. The Samoans were a staple of Vince McMahon, Sr. and his WWF company in the 1970s and early 1980s. Times have changed and its increasingly difficult to view grapplers like The Ultimate Warrior without thinking of his appalling and bigoted worldviews. And, if youre honest, youll just drag up from the depths all the times youve hated or felt passionately about something and play it. She also likes to stay away from the public eye. Their gravestone displays images of two Honda motorcycles and is inscribed "Worlds Largest Twins". While Mascaras received several shots at the title, he always came shot and thus never won any title with the WWE. He continued to dominate in the '80s, winning the AWA World Championship once. Thanks to his massive size, Haystacks Calhoun became an instant hit during the golden era. Twin brothers Jimmy and Jey Uso are the sons of former wrestler Rikishi and members of the Anoa'i wrestling family. This was Afa and Sika, the men who were the patriarchs of the Samoan Dynasty. He later moved to Walkertown, North Carolina and worked for the Christian Golfers Ministry. Poised as an everyman, Dusty managed to wrack up title wins across divisions and federations. One of the few men to have been inducted into five separate wrestling Hall of Fames, Harley Race is studied to this day as a technical master so much so that he was often announced as the "The Greatest Wrestler on God's Green Earth." The brothers worked together in the 1970s in Stampede Wrestling They also moved on in that decade to various territories in the NWA as well as in Puerto Rico and the World Wrestling Council, where the won several tag team titles before finally making their way to WWE in the 1980s. A major star of Midget Wrestling Littlebrook was born in England in 1929. They were tough, savage-like and had some of the hardest. Benny then opened a pawn shop and worked as an auctioneer in Hendersonville. [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. ( 1990) AWA All-Star Wrestling was a syndicated television series featuring wrestling matches as promoted by the American Wrestling Association (AWA). Wrestling matches consisted of hairy, bare chested men in tight Speedo style trunks climbing in the ring to take each other down. The barnstormers competed as traveling wrestlers did and often cooperated with the carnies to stage the matches, providing enormous profits for both sides in betting. Thanks to size and height, Andre the Giant popularity in the United States grew tremendously. Cowboy Bob Bradley and Joey Russell, February 23 1968. 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. And you can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. 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. Many of the guys on this list were legit tough guys and gave the sport credibility that it is lacking in a sense today. Competing since the mid-1980s, The Batten Twins have tussled against some of the best in the world, but they never quite got the recognition they wanted. 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. 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. Many wrestling fans will remember him for his feud with WWEs golden boy, Tito Sammartino. Legendary British wrestlers and promoters tell you what. The Hardcore Legend Terry Funk had memorable matches in the 1980s and 90s, but the 70s might have been his golden age. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'sportlister_com-small-rectangle-1','ezslot_28',122,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-sportlister_com-small-rectangle-1-0'); Apart from losing his brother and sister, Bruno also watched helplessly as Hitlers troops wreaked havoc in his small home town. Sika and Afa Anoai enjoyed lengthy stays in multiple territories and often championship success followed. While the 1970s may seem like a bit of a forgotten time for wrestling, some of the best wrestlers ever performed in this decade. We need to confirm your email address. Superstar Billy Graham dropped it nearly a year later to Bob Backlund, PWIs 1978 Match of the Year. Since leaving Vince McMahon's company, Dave Hebner has become a wrestling manager and has appeared in a few other promotions. According to Wikipedia, kayfabe, /kefeb/ is the portrayal of staged events within the industry as "real" or "true", specifically the portrayal of competition, rivalries, and relationships between participants as being genuine and not of a staged or predetermined nature of any kind. 12K views 6 years ago Led by the NWA in Detroit this territory was highlighted as the first renegade promotion in the USA, their battles were bloody their feuds were intense with such stars as The. [1][2], The twins were born in Hendersonville, North Carolina. For most, there were no high spots; the German suplex and a bodyslam were finishers, and nobody knew what a hurricanrana, five-star frog splash, Swanton bomb, and outside dive were. He started his career as a circus acrobat before taking up wrestling in the 1950s. The Blossom Twins had high hopes in the wrestling industry as two twin girls growing up in the United Kingdom. Now retired, Lord Littlebrook resides with his son in Saint Joseph, Missouri. He continued wrestling until the late 1980s, when he was enshrined into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame. 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. Trained by the legendary Killer Kowalski, Big John Studds debut in the WWE would be alongside his trainer and partner. A key member of The Hart Foundation faction, Niedhart ran roughshod through the WWF with his pink-clad partners throughout the 1980s. Their second reign would last approximately 6 months. RELATED: 10 Things Fans Should Know About Curt Hennig. In 1974, Pro Wrestling Illustrated named Robinson their Most Popular Wrestler of the Year. Bruno Sammartino is one of the most famous and popular faces ever to wrestle for the McMahon machine. 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. Gorgeous George gained epic mainstream popularity, followed in the Second Golden Age in the 1980s and 1990s 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. By way of the beginning of television in the 1950s and, subsequently cable television in the 1980s, professional wrestling began appearing in powerful, multiple media outlets. Rhodes made some appearances in the WWWF in the 70s, but it was the NWA where he had his biggest success. He was one of Vince McMahon's most trusted confidants and is the man who created the Royal Rumble match. His career finally came to an end in the '80s when he worked with his son. Apart from being charismatic, Billy Graham was also smart, creative, and engaging. Standing at 610 and weighing more than 360 pounds, Big John Studd is one of the greatest 70s wrestlers. They are the main cast members of reality show Total Divas, and if thats not enough, both sisters are dating WWEs top stars, John Cena (dating Nikki) and Daniel Bryan (married to Brie). In the world of pro-wrestling, no other set of twins are as well traveled as The Harris Brothers. After teaming up with his brother, Dorry Funk Sr., The House of Funk (Hoss of funk) was created. Cant you almost hear the raspy, strained shouts of Macho Man Randy Savage? Best known as a top showjumper who occasionally flicked a V-sign, Yorkshire's finest, 78, also grappled in the 1970s. 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. Quick! In his debut night, Tito Santana and Ivan Putski would win the World Tag Team Titles from Johnny and Jimmy Valliant. 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. 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. Just two months after arriving in WWE, he was fighting for the world title. While Olsen is best known for his time in Chikara, Delaney is a familiar face to WWE fans, competing in the revamped ECW against the likes of Matt Hardy, Tommy Dreamer, and Mark Henry, to name a few. Little Bruiser in action against Bobo Johnson in Chicago, September 1972. However, some fans may not know that Hebner has a twin brother. Moving forward into the 1930s, however, professional wrestling became identified with modern day theatrics and "admitted fakeness. The sport of wrestling had started becoming so scripted that critics began viewing it as somewhat of a joke; particularly in comparison to boxing, mixed martial arts, amateur wrestling, and the real sport itself, wrestling. Please logout and login again. In 1965, Mascaras made his professional debut in Guadalajara, Mexico. Dynamite Kid. During his first reign as WWE tag champion, Mr Fuji and Tanaka reigned supreme in WWEs tag team division for more than a year. 10 Things You Should Know About Kevin Nash's Life Outside WWE, 10 Great Women's Wrestlers Who Never Got Their Big Break, 5 Wrestling Valets & Managers That Were Helpful (& 5 That Were Just Eye Candy). The Hart . 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. He is widely regarded as the most recognized wrestling star worldwide and the most popular wrestler of the 1980s. Just two months after arriving in WWE, he was fighting for the world title. Unfortunately, the promotion closed two years later. All of this when the AWA sported one of the deepest rosters in territorial wrestling. Frenchy Lamonte was also known as Rolly the Rocket, the Little Hawk, and Little Evilborn. Last updated on May 8th, 2022 at 11:16 am. Welcome to professional wrestling in the 1970s, where anything goes and grapplers werent participating in sports entertainment. Earl still officiates TNA Wrestling matches alongside his son and former WWE employee, Brian Hebner. For great art and culture delivered to your door, visit our shop. But Ladd never won a major promotion's top belt. 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. Boris Spremo/Toronto Star via Getty Images. Obviously, the gimmick was an unsuccessful one. Giant Baba and Andre the Giant would walk out of the ring victorious after delivering a pulsating match. He lost it to Pedro Morales but cemented his place in history. Because of his ability to stand out and cut amazing promos, many WWE fans flocked to the ring to see the superstar in action. 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. The Dynamite Kid was one of the most innovative wrestlers of the 1980s. 10. 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. Professional wrestling in the 1970s was huge! WWF and AWA, and Japan was as important as it ever was. Cowboy Lang was born Harry Lang in Saskatchewan, Canada on August 28, 1950. A few years later, he retired as a referee due to injury and became a road agent. Aside from a week in December 1974, Brisco held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship from July 1973 to December 1975. Meltzer has previously described her as the most popular womens wrestler of all time.. In general, anything in a professional wrestling show is to some extent scripted, or "kayfabe", even though at times it is portrayed as legitimate. 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 (723 lb) and 338 kilograms (745 lb), respectively). WWWF Wrestling TV 70's # 3 4WrestlingFans 83.6K subscribers Subscribe 645 Share 89K views 4 years ago WWWF Wrestling TV 70's # 3 Show more Show more Classic AWA Wrestling 1985 #1. Until the 1920s, professional wrestling in the United States was viewed as a serious and legitimate sport showcasing true athletic competition. Little Tokyo went on to win the NWA World Midget Champion three times equaling Lord Littlebrooks achievement. The Big Cat was an AFL All-Pro before he had a Hall of Fame career as a professional wrestler. They first competed in Florida Championship Wrestling where they held the FCW Florida Tag Team Championship. In 1972, Moolah made history by becoming the first-ever female star to wrestle at Madison Square. Their in-ring attires truly made them memorable, even if you only saw them a few times. A movie star, a pop hero, and a gentle soul Andres kindness is often remembered as fondly as his physical domination. His over-the-top video packages established him as a kind of miraculous meta-human that, despite or because of their inherent campiness, catalyzed his global superstardom. He died aged 75 on June 24, 2010 in Amarillo, Texas. The Sheik was PWIs Most Hated Wrestler of 1972, the first year of the award, and has been inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. 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. 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). For a time, Hart was considered the most famous person in Canada and is quite often regarded as the greatest wrestler of all time. 5 years down the line he would join NWA briefly, before returning to the WWE one more time. twin wrestlers from the '70s. The Niedhart legacy these days is carried on through current WWE superstar Natalya, but her father frequently known as The Anvil had cemented his heroic status long before she began fighting. Ultimately, promoters in Canada would run out of acceptable opponents to face this giant. His later years were spent training the up-and-coming legendary children of NXT and his own biological children, Cody and Goldust, remain in the top tier of wrestlings biggest stars to this day. 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. Do check the Promotions tab if you cannot find it in the Primary Inbox. A wrestler called Jack Cassidy ready to rumble in 1968. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'sportlister_com-narrow-sky-2','ezslot_18',121,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-sportlister_com-narrow-sky-2-0'); However, accolades alone cannot describe Inokis contributions and accomplishments in sports entertainment. 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. Killer Kowalski began his wrestling career in 1947 and went on to have a long and successful run in professional wrestling. 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. Although wrestling matches in the 60s, 70s, and 80s were not as smooth and immersive as the matches of later years especially The New Era, these matches still lived up to the expectations of the fans at that point in time. Remembered for his hardcore style of wrestling, Terry Funk became an inspiration to many up and coming wrestlers at the time like Mick Foley. Please consider making a donation to our site. Theyve also shared rings with two promising Scottish standouts, Carmel Jacob and Nikki Storm, as well as Japans Tsukasa Fujimoto. A 3-time tag team champion, Mr. Fuji made a name for himself as one of the biggest rule breakers in sports entertainment. Prior to his professional wrestling debut, Giant Baba was a professional pitcher for one of the biggest baseball teams in Japan. Knowing what was to follow, the venue was apposite. He went on to win a clutch of wrestling awards including the NWA Midget Wrestling Championship twice and was a firm favorite with fans. Starting her career at the age of 15, it wouldnt take her too long to start snatching titles. Due to the lack of complete records, it is believed that Farmer Pete was World Champion for seven days in 1957, after beating Sonny Boy Cassidy, who won the title back in a rematch in October the same year. In 1974, Killer Kowalski would have his last match against Bruno Sammartino for the WWF World heavyweight championship. Just try not to cry while watching it! He started the decade as a heel, but in 1974 he turned babyface and shot to the top. St. Petersburg. 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. Television also helped many wrestlers break into mainstream media, becoming influential celebrities and icons of popular culture. Koloff is one of the only former WWE Champions who is still not in the WWE Hall of Fame. Though he never won a title, he was a firm favorite with fans. In the U.S., he made his name thanks to a massive violent feud with Bruno Sammartino in WWE. He then spent several years competing on the independent circuit and in ECW before officially joining WWE in 2002. Bret Hart Self | WWF Survivor Series Several pairs of twins have worked in Vince McMahon's company over the years, including The Bellas and The Usos. Here are the top 15 twins in wrestling, with the majority of the selections guaranteed to pick your brain: The Phoenix Twins were regulars on the independent circuit, feuding with The House of Truth approximately half a decade ago, which means theyve shared rings with Jimmy Jacobs and current WWE World Heavyweight Champion, Seth Rollins. The 49-year-old spent nearly five years in the promotion, during which he failed to win any titles on the main roster. These guys could keep their fans crowds on the edge of their seats for 30, 45 or 60 minutes with no effort at all. RCW Saturday Night Fights - Event @ Royal Canadian Legion Norwood Branch 178 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
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