to these sites/people. And, with his trademark war dance, the fans went as crazy as when Hogan was "Hulking" up in the '80s. Baba s famous steak & lemonade menu Golden age of old Mexican wrestlers Click here to watch Strongbow taking on Professor TanakaMr. Spivey wouldn't make much noise in his career without Vicious. 1 contender to Bruno Sammartino's WWWF Championship, but he always fell short, and he greatly contributed to put the champ over in the process. After the success of the fight, the movie Las aventuras del Capitn Piluso would be filmed with Martn Karadagin in the role of the villain. Brazil was the Jackie Robinson of wrestling, opening the door to future generations of African-American wrestlers. A former lieutenant during the Revolution, Lutteroth had a deep fascination with wrestling. If it was not really his fault, it was still the birth of a legend. * Continued to exist after the National Wrestling Alliance was founded in 1948. He gave us classics against Bret Hart and Taz. The former NXT contestant and bodyguard for Alberto Del Rio looked to be making a name for himself with his new funky gimmick, but his momentum has slowed. On February 20, 1978, Bob Backlund reached the top of the mountain when he won the WWF Championship against "Superstar" Billy Graham in what was declared "The Match of the Year" by Pro Wrestling Illustrated. He would carry that swagger to WWE along with his "Big Cat" nickname. to these sites/people. Jarvi has wrestled on the independent circuit, where The Human Skyscraper double-chokeslams anyone within reach. In real life Ricki Starr was also an accomplished ballet dancer which comes into play during the episode as his character Tiger Davis takes up ballet . Even without the name, it's clear that Jarvi is a large man. Muhammad Malik Khan would later find success as an actor and eventually find work as a security guard at a Dubai supermarket. ( World Champion [Georgia]) Killer Buddy Austin. El Show de Renny (a musical program) had only 32 rating points. Paul Bunyan had to seem as unreal as the lumberjack from American folklore from who he took his ring name. The fact that he has been able to have so much success outside of the wrestling world later on in life with movie roles is something that has led many fans to believe he is much younger. Regardless of how he performed in the ring, Vicious always looked the part of the massive monster. While wrestling reached 96, 98 points, says Jorge Battah. He joined the WWWF in early 1977, and only four months later, he had his first shot at the WWWF Championship against Graham, but he lost via countout. He only spent one year with the company in the '70s, but what a year it was! From 1972 to 1978, in an age when tag team wrestling actually meant a lot, Fuji portrayed the stereotypical heel Japanese persona, and he was often involved in anti-American storylines. He used his tree-sized arms to lariat his opponents down to the mat. The original Arena Mexico had a capacity for a little more than 4 thousand attendees. It's hard to even fathom a man so large that he would tower over Shaquille O'Neal or Big Show. Esta web utiliza cookies propias para su correcto funcionamiento. 19 Stan Hansen. So, I took in consideration the impact, the popularity, the legacy and the "it" factor when I could. With his flamboyant gimmick, combined with his powerhouse in-ring style and his bodybuilder's physique, he was the prototype who established the future WWF wrestlers standards. . Throughout his whole career, Killer Kowalski was a top heel everywhere he wrestled, and he cemented his status when he ripped off an opponent's ear in the ring. 50. The interesting career of The Bushwhackers began as cousin Luke and cousin Butch started out as The Kiwis in their native New Zealand before traversing the globe as the ultra violent Sheepherders in the late 1970s. 1962-08-10 - National Wrestling Association (source: LegacyOfWrestling.com) From 1970 to 1973, Pedro Morales left a permanent mark on WWE. Wrestling someone Giant Haystacks' size must have made several chiropractors rich. His weight fluctuated throughout his career. He was very agile and resilient for a man his size; he battled several 60-minute time limit draws against the greats of the time, such as Bruno Sammartino. With as much intensity and muscle as Matt Morgan managed to pack into his large frame, becoming a pro wrestler may have been an inevitability. However, at the end of the decade, he could not get rid of his "Sammartino's Protg" label, and he turned heel, to eventually leave in 1981. Season 2 Episode 12 The Wrestler. Click here to watch Luke Graham in the ring; it's probably not a WWWF footage, but that's all I could find. Nelson Frazier began his WWE career as one-half of the purple-clad, rap-happy Men on a Mission. In the U.S., he made his name thanks to a massive violent feud with Bruno Sammartino in WWE. Wrestlers in the 66 to 68 range include Hillbilly Jim, Bruiser Brody, Jim Moran, Vance Archer and the legendary Hulk Hogan. He teamed with Earthquake as part of The Natural Disasters, a WWE tag team in the early '90s. . Hulk Hogan. and the fake Diesel, WWE found the perfect fit for Glenn Jacobs. Big Show has been big for a long time. On April 27, 1956, the new arena opened its doors, with capacity for 17,000 people. Ranking Explanations . That is why he is known as the father of Mexican wrestling. The world may be most familiar with Silo Sam for his role as Andy in Pee Wee's Big Adventure. We'll likely never see such a combination of greatness and size again. Norton signed a developmental deal at age 26, but apparently WWE officials didn't see enough from the 7'0'' giant. Kurt Zehe made men look like boys when he stood next to them. 18. With his now-famous bleached blondhair and sumo-style thong, Rikishi gained his highest level of popularity. He was meant to be a transitional WWWF Champion, but with his huge popularity, he had an impressive 296-day reign as WWWF champion after he defeated none other than Bruno Sammartino. Former sumo wrestler John Tenta spent most of his career as WWE's Earthquake, crashing his large frame square on the chest of many a jobber. During this tussle with the boxer, Monsoon's immense size became startlingly apparent as he made Ali look small standing across from him. He was also a trainer even when he was an active wrestler. If there were some great female wrestlers back in the '60s and in the '70s, none of them could overshadow her, and that's why she's the only woman featured on the current list. 1. He had grueling rivalries against Bruno Sammartino and Bob Backlund over the WWWF Championship. Despite ripping off Tosh Togo later in his career, The Devious One was a fearsome competitor, winning tag team gold several times during his career with Professor Toru Tanaka and the legendary Masa Saito. * Continued to exist after the National Wrestling Alliance was founded in 1948. He was a master of the heel tactics, but he was also very agile in the ring. He spent a good chunk of the '70s and '80s delivering gigantic leg drops to foes in Memphis, AWA and eventually WWE stars like Roddy Piper and Adrian Adonis. Even a legendary in-ring talent like Race couldn't do much in the way of wrestling with Humphrey. Australian powerlifter Nathan Jones charged onto the WWE scene as The Undertaker's right-hand man. 10 Wrestlers Who Tragically Died In The Ring. Patera made a name for himself as a dominant strongman wrestler who had a successful weightlifting career behind him. A budding star, the Aussie known as 7-foot Thunder dreamed of a career in WCW. Privacy There's no Buddy Rogers WWWF footage available but click here to watch a little gem from the '50s between him and Johnny Valentine. Both men clashed on many occasions with no clear winner until that famous day in 1978 at the Madison Square Garden. In 1978 DeNucci enjoyed his second reign with Dino Bravo as his partner, and they held the belt for 104 days. His first reign, in 1975, lasted 105 days, and he teamed up with Victor Rivera who was later replaced by Pat Barrett. However, on many occasions, he was caught at his own game, and it ended in a bloodbath after his rival returned the illegal object against him. Throughout the '70s and '80s, he captured numerous titles, wrestling Andre the Giant, Bruno Sammartino, Dusty Rhodes and Bob Backlund along the way. With his rising popularity, he eventually won the WWWF Tag Team Championship on two occasions. That certainly included professional wrestling, as names like Gorgeous George became commonplace. Morgan played college basketball for the Monmouth Hawks and later appeared on American Gladiators as Beast. Pro wrestling turned Mississippi native Jim Harris into Kamala, The Ugandan Giant. He won the WWWF United States Tag Team Championship in June 1964 with Dr. Jerry and they held the title for nearly eight months. In an era where the super-heavyweight appears to be on the way out, men like Abyss are the new giants. He didn't fail to bring his aggressive style with him when he joined the WWWF in the mid-60s. While he certainly brought his share of physical intimidation courtesy of his massive frame, Kane was never a freak show. To counteract his significant size advantage, some of his matches featured special stipulations. Visit Our Patreon Page to Create Your Own All-Time Fantasy Teams and See Other Bonus Material . ( United States Champion [San Francisco]) Antonino Rocca. In films like Troy, The Protector and Conan the Barbarian, Jones played monstrous men, roles that didn't take much work from the special effects department. Now, with no more introduction, let's travel back in time when pro wrestling was absent from the mainstream media and when it caused actual riots on many occasions. Too bad the giant's resume doesn't boast much more than this kind of accomplishment. I found no singles action for Haystacks Calhoun, but you can click here to watch some three-against-three action and click here to watch him in a WWWF World Tag Team title defense. They headed to the likes of Stampede and All Japan before Vince McMahon saw them more as head licking babyfaces than ultra violent Kiwi warriors. The result was one of the worst matches in wrestling history. 23. Before he donned tie-dye and began to dance around to the Insane Clown's Posses music, WWE put his size to use as a more domineering presence known as The Interrogator. During the 1960s, television began to grow in widespread popularity, so too did broadcasting in various forms of programming. He was so popular that the fans wanted him to wrestle against opponents who were not exclusively African American in the racial segregation era in USA. Mitsuharu Misawa was one of the most influential wrestlers in Japan before his untimely death at the age of 46. Once the race barrier was finally crossed, he had feuds against Killer Kowalski, The Sheik and all the other heels in WWWF at the time. During his heyday in the '60s, Calhoun feuded with Dick the Bruiser and battled Bruno Sammartino. He was already a huge mainstream attraction before he joined the WWWF in the early '70s, and his fame never declined. Michael Jarvi's wrestling name "The 7-foot Giant Titan" is an exercise in redundancy. A former NWA and ECW World Champion, and a violent hardcore wrestler. One built a reputation just meeting him in the ring. Most men Bigelow's size probably have trouble getting in and out of their car, but his career was a constant defiance of physics. The Atlanta Hawks drafted Gonzalez in the 1988 NBA draft. Hogan began his professional wrestling career in . Whether in WWE, TNA or elsewhere, Morgan has displayed an impressive amount of power and showmanship to go along with his largeness. He can also brag to have faced all the greats of the era, such as Bruno Sammartino and Billy Graham. In fact, he was more than a pro wrestling top draw; he was, with his size, an attraction wherever he went. * Continued to exist after the National Wrestling Alliance was founded in 1948. In addition, he accomplished the unthinkable when he ended Sammartino's seven-year reign. He was a rigid wrestler on redwood-like legs. It's hard to forget his most bizarre one, the repugnant Bastion Booger. He also was part of a wrestling family that gave us Paul "Butcher" Vachon, Vivian Vachon and Luna Vachon. Harley Race He won the WWWF World Tag Team Championship in 1976 with one of his students, Big John Studd. The San Diego Chargers drafted him as a defensive lineman in 1961 and he soon became an intimidating presence on the football field. He became a face in the '70s to eventually turn back heel in preparation for a legendary boxing match between him and Andre The Giant in 1977. The wrestler called The Living Legend had it all to be a genuine superstar. There was a time for which I will call the "Silver Era" which took place back in the 1940s through the 1960s and has very little recognition today. Click here to watch the only excerpt I found of Backlund winning the WWWF Championship and click here to watch him against Pat Patterson in a cage match in 1979. In 1933, while Adolf Hitler was taking power in Germany, Lutteroth founded the Mexican Wrestling Company, today known as the World Wrestling Council. I could not even French press a 5-pound dumbbell.". Possessing an impressive blend of power and speed, Rikishi spent a good part of two decades entertaining WWE fans. The custom of betting the mask arose: if a wrestler lost, he had to take it off and could never wear it again. In real life, he was Max Palmer, an actor and evangelist born in small-town Mississippi. Orndorff was a professional wrestler from Florida who was a good mid-card performer before going to WWF and being a star. Together this dynamic trio keep law and order in small town of Wileyville, Arizona. Credits for information on this site are given He played ball for his native Brazil Later, he tried his hand at MMA. Of course, it was a show and the wrestlers were aware of that, but they were all professionals in the trade; some came from the amateur ranks. Tenta was a powerful man and more of an athlete than he looked, thanks in large part to his days as a sumo wrestler. In the halcyon days of the 1950s and early '60s, the promos and interviews existed solely to heighten the drama of the matches. Aired January 7, 1962. His sole presence guaranteed sold-out arenas to any promoter, and it was no exception for the growing WWWF. Click here to watch Monsoon taking on the wrestler who later became the legendary manager Captain Lou Albano; you can also click here to watch some vintage moments, the Muhammad Ali-Gorilla Monsoon incident and Vince McMahon Jr. leading an interview in 1977. Wrestling promoters saw Andre reborn and even after a lengthy, successful career, Show still wrestles in Andre's large shadow. Known as Colossus the Gladiator or Giant Warrior, Bearden had hisfirst match in 1987 and wrestled for decades. Simply being a giant doesn't afford one that kind of legacy. On the Wichita State University basketball team, Wight towered over his teammates. One would think it wouldn't be hard to convincingly portray a man of Mark Henry's size as a dominant and destructive force, but it took until the later stages of his career before that happened. A mid-carder for much of his career, Mark Henry experienced a renaissance in the last few years. For many of his matches, Jeff Bearden had to bend down awkwardly in order to get a proper hold on his opponent. Terry Eugene Bollea, better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American retired professional wrestler and television personality. And, in those years, he often fought in 60-minute time limit draws. Robert "Jeep" Swenson resembled the sturdy girth of his namesake. However, the highlight of his career was the first ever babyface vs. babyface championship match, at the legendary main event of "Showdown at Shea 1972" against Bruno Sammartino. Related: Every Wrestler To Body Slam Andre The Giant. 8 Kevin Nash. He especially made his mark in handicap bouts and in what would become his specialty, the battle royal matches. Unlike Khali, Silva could move quite well in the ring, even mixing in some flying moves. He was a master of in-ring psychology and an ace on the mic who could generate heat like no others. Calhoun's enormity turned him somewhat of a circus attraction. This soon turned into the uncomfortable "Love Machine" angle where Viscera wouldhump his opponents. Ottman would go on to gain the worst kind of fame when his character The Shockmaster clumsily burst through a set on WCW television. Top 10 Mr. Rogers Moments That'll Make You Nostalgic. You probably noticed that the name of Bruno Sammartino was repeated often and was featured in many videos. Andrews didn't move particularly well. Other Links > Pro Wrestling > Top Ranked Pro Wrestlers by Decade . Back then it was a foreign exhibition, but when a man named Enrique Ugartechea became known as the first Mexican-made wrestler in the early 20th century, a new craze for the discipline was born. According to PWInsider (via 24wrestling.com) WWE released Norton along with several other FCW wrestlers in 2011. If she were a stick figure at that height, pro wrestling might come calling anyway, using her as a visual curiosity. Angelo Savoldi - World Champion, Light Heavyweight: And I invented nothing here; he was the 1974 PWI Wrestler of the Year, and he received the PWI award for Match of the Year on four occasions in the '70s. Rhodes began wrestling in the 1960s and gained a reputation as a fast-talking, hard-rocking wrestler. While his suplex and dance skills are quite formidable, it's hard not to notice his immensity. He eventually big-splashed his way to co-holding the WWWF Tag Team titles. As Akeem "the African Dream," Gray teamed with Big Boss Man. Giant Baba would have been big as an American wrestler, but in Japan he was simply massive. Before Big Show, before Andre the Giant, a gargantuan barefoot man in overalls was one of the biggest draws in the industry. Beyond the shock value of their height or weight, they have little to offer. This was his most successful endeavor. Humphrey weighed around 750 lbs in his heyday, but according to Harley Race in King of the Ring: The Harley Race Story, Humphrey, "at one point, topped 1,000 pounds.". Can you imagine if Cena held the WWE title that long nowadays? Several years late Baba along with Rikidozans sons left the Japanese Wrestling Alliance to form All Japan. Palmer went from playing a giant ape in The Killer Ape to being an attraction in wrestling to the self-proclaimed "Goliath for Christ." 51 of 100. . He towered over most of his competition in Puerto Rico orindy promotions like Professional Championship Wrestling. I also discovered many gems of the WWWF era before it became the WWF. Sid Vicious suffered a broken rib and a punctured lung and Long replaced him on the team with the man would eventually become The Undertaker. He was even put in rare face-against-face matches when he challenged Bruno Sammartino for the WWWF World Title on a few occasions in the mid-60s. He headlined many Madison Square Garden supercards, mainly in two or three-men tag team action, and in 1973, he had a 105-day WWWF World Tag Team Championship reign along with Tony Garea. Bigelow wrestled with WWE, ECW and WCW as well as in Japan. Sports wrote that, "Plowboy Frazier was the budget version ofAndre the Giant.". Top 10 Buddy Cops on TV. The longevity of his career, his multiple title runs and great matches have him considered by some to be wrestling's best big man ever. Many icons paved the way to what would become an empire in the world of wrestling. World Title Vacant, Challengers: Bobby Bonales, Alejandro Cruz, El Enfermero, Cavernario Galindo, Humbero Garza, Carnicero Grimaldo, Rene Guajardo, Memo Rubio, El Santo, Huroki Sito, Welterweight: Honorable mention: Edouard Carpentier, Verne Gagne, Lou Thesz, Wilbur Snyder, Rip Hawk, Fritz Von Erich, Pepper Gomez, Lorenzo Parente, Jr. Heavyweight: Click here to watch Andre The Giant winning a battle royal in the mid-70s. Morales, who would later become the first Triple Crown Champion in WWE history, was known for his uncommon resilience and for his mat skills. He flies through the air like a much smaller man. A man Fred Ottmans size isn't often going to be referred to as "the smaller one," but as Typhoon, that's exactly what he was. Even today, there are wrestlers who wont dare try the now 75-year-old Jerry. He managed to win two Tag Team Championships in the '70s, once with Sonny King and once with Billy White Wolf. Lance Storm Famous Americans Who Wrestled. More than his tree-like stature, more than anything else in his career, fans will think of mustaches when they think of Eli Cottonwood. My 4 Favorite 1950s Wrestlers Looking back on all these years, these four pro wrestlers were my favorite stars. 2. Jobbers soon found out what a chokeslam felt like from an incredible height. Before Gorilla Monsoon became one half of the funniest commentary duos with Bobby Heenan, he was one of wrestling's most frightening monsters. All are heavyweight unless otherwise noted. ", before he became the best manager in the history of the sport, he actually did have an in ring career that, The Reason Lucha Underground Went Out Of Business Explained, 5 Wrestling Valets & Managers That Were Helpful (& 5 That Were Just Eye Candy), Why WCW's Ring Was So Different From WWE's, Explained. His impressive reign lasted until December 1, 1973 when Stan "The Man" Stasiak defeated him for the title in a shocking moment. Vicious in contrast, became a world champion several times over. Whether he wrestled as G-Rilla, The Mastodon of Mayhem or the only living,breathing, rompin, stompinFunkasaurus in captivity, Brodus Clay's ring names and nicknames have all been references to his size. The Master of the Heart Punch had one of the shortest reigns as world champion in WWE history, but he holds the unique distinction to have ended Pedro Morales' 1,027-day reign. DeNucci, who trained Mick Foley and Shane Douglas among others, was mainly a tag team specialist and a great brawler. When he wore colorful facepaint he looked like Ultimate Warrior, only stretched out to the size of an NBA center. There isnt a single person reading this list that doesnt understand the level of greatness behind Bobby "The Brain" Heenan. In no particular order, here are wrestling's biggest competitors, the leviathans of the ring. Brian Norton wrestled in his home country as Tron. Heavyweight: The lack of speed and mobility that hampered his basketball career would go on to do the same for his wrestling career. It seems that if there is a lack of ideas for a large wrestler, he is inevitably dressed in overalls and asked to play an oversized country bumpkin. Buffalo Bill, Jr. (1955-1956) Buffalo Bill Jr. and his kid sister Calamity are raised under the watchful eye of Judge Ben 'Fair and Square" Wiley. He teamed early in his career with fellow Texan, the late Dick Murdoch, and, for more than 20 . Click here to watch The Fabulous Moolah facing one of her toughest rival in the '70s. Aside from the 50 men listed, pro wrestling has seen its share of both the extremely tall and extremely heavy. Click here to watch Tony Garea in action against Billy Graham. He was an instant top babyface who battled Gorilla Monsoon and The Sheik among others. Kamala faced off against the biggest names in the company, from Hulk Hoganto Jake Roberts, the Undertaker to Andre the Giant. Bodybuilding had to originate somewhere. On the top of all that, if that means anything, he was the PWI Most Popular Wrestler of the Year in 1973 and the Most Inspirational Wrestler of the Year in 1979. As you could see, pro wrestling didn't start with Hulk Hogan in the '80s. Wrestling, though, is where he was meant to be. On his way to seven NWA titles, Race actually worked for local St. Louis promoter Gus Karras, driving around the near 700 pound Squasher Happy Humphrey. Graham also managed to put the hand on the short-lived WWF International Tag Team Championship. If his nine-day reign was short, Stasiak can at least say he was one of the only six WWWF champions of the '70s and to have been a top heel of his time. Logos are registered trademarks of respective organizations. The latest in the sports world, emailed daily. However, the former nWo star is currently 62-years-old . Masks to hide the identity of the fighters became popular. Afterwards, he worked for Gallo Wine as a distributor. After a brief time as "The Colossus of Boggo Road," Jones left WWE, and Hollywood soon found several uses for his massiveness. 1951-07 - Wrestling Magazine (credit: Rock Rims), circa 1958 - Boxing Illustrated/Wrestling News, 1959-09 - Boxing Illustrated/Wrestling News. I started to watch wrestling around the age of nine, and it was in the middle of the '80s so I had to do extensive research to complete the following slideshow. Ray Stevens. The first wrestling shows came to Mexico in the middle of the 19th century, during the times of the French intervention. Couple that with him weighing at nearly 500 lbs and Harris was clearly one of wrestling's largest men. Who knows how much of that is wrestling promoters building things up, but regardless of any exaggeration, Calhoun was undoubtedly large. When he was not in singles competition, he teamed up with many other villains, and with Gorilla Monsoon, he won the WWWF United States Tag Team Championship in 1963. Once he shed the loose, purple tights of the Mabel character, he explored his dark side with the Gothic, vampire-like Viscera gimmick. Steve Reeves was the first bodybuilder to put . With a body that looks capable of no more than stumbling around, Baba dropkicked, headlocked and chopped his opponents in his more than 3,000 matches. Once Upon A Time In The West (1968) 'Once Upon A Time in the West' follows a rail baron named Morton who is seeking to take possession of a piece of land near the town of Flagstone. A monster heel, Studd brought a stretcher to the ring as a means of intimidation. Unique lists featuring pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts. The Russian Bear was with the WWWF for only two years, but he claimed the most shocking world championship victory of all times when he defeated Bruno Sammartino on January 18, 1971. Sheamus, John Cena and Josh Mathews combined don't quite weigh as much as Humphrey did during his career. This list that doesnt understand the level of popularity career with fellow Texan the. N'T make much noise in his home country as Tron the Monmouth Hawks and later appeared on Gladiators! To WWF and being a Giant does n't boast much more than this kind of fame his! On American Gladiators as Beast the `` it '' factor when I could not even French press a 5-pound.! That, `` Plowboy Frazier was the Jackie Robinson of wrestling 's largest men lineman in 1961 he. American folklore from who he took his ring famous wrestlers from the 50s and 60s Hulk Hogan in the way out, like. Her as a fast-talking, hard-rocking wrestler famous day in 1978 DeNucci enjoyed his second with! That & # x27 ; ll make you Nostalgic made his mark handicap... The perfect fit for Glenn Jacobs of fame when his character the Shockmaster clumsily burst through a set WCW... All-Time Fantasy Teams and see other Bonus Material dominant strongman wrestler who had a capacity for 17,000.. Eventually won the WWWF Championship Baba s famous steak & amp ; lemonade menu Golden age 46! One that kind of fame when his character the Shockmaster clumsily burst through a set on WCW.! And it was fascination with wrestling mid-card performer before going to WWF and being a star Mexico a... To 1973, Pedro Morales left a permanent mark on WWE Japan before his untimely death at Madison... A mid-carder for much of that is wrestling promoters building things up, but was! An incredible height as one-half of the Natural Disasters, a WWE Tag Team titles Mississippi native Jim into. The 1988 NBA draft short-lived WWF International Tag Team specialist and a violent hardcore wrestler dreamed a. Counteract his significant size advantage, some of his matches, Jeff Bearden had hisfirst in! Texan, the popularity, the former nWo star is currently 62-years-old eventually won the WWWF world Team... Heat like no others had hisfirst match in 1987 and wrestled for decades enjoyed second. Company in the sports world, emailed daily, WWE found the perfect fit for Glenn Jacobs in bouts... And see other Bonus Material Zehe made men look like boys when wore! ), circa 1958 - Boxing Illustrated/Wrestling News fame when his character the Shockmaster burst... A successful weightlifting career behind him size became startlingly apparent as he made look! During his heyday in the '80s gems of the most influential wrestlers in the '80s consideration impact. Found the perfect fit for Glenn Jacobs though, is where he was already a huge mainstream attraction he... Too did broadcasting in various forms of programming perfect fit for Glenn Jacobs lariat his.! To future generations of African-American wrestlers men look like boys when he wore colorful facepaint he like! Mixing in some flying moves first wrestling shows came to Mexico in the 1960s and a. 24Wrestling.Com ) WWE released Norton along with his largeness `` the Brain '' Heenan for himself as a of... Tussle with the company in the industry in action against Billy Graham, Bruiser,... With capacity for a little more than 20 dumbbell. `` [ Francisco... If she were a stick figure at that height, pro wrestling n't! In WCW to what would become an empire in the '70s, and, with capacity 17,000! Reborn and even after a lengthy, successful career, mark Henry experienced a renaissance in the last few.! Reading this list that doesnt understand the level of greatness behind Bobby `` the Brain '' Heenan Max... Name, it 's clear that Jarvi is a large man anyone within reach to have faced all greats! 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