Bruno Sammartino Bruno Leopoldo Francesco Sammartino ( October 6 , 1935 ) , is an Italian former professional wrestler , best known for being the longest - running champion of the World Wide Wrestling Federation ( WWWF ) , holding the title across two reigns for over 12 years in total , as well as the longest world championship reign in professional wrestling history . " 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 ) . Early life . Born in Pizzoferrato , Abruzzo on October 6 , 1935 , Sammartino ' s family hid , during his childhood , in Mountains from German soldiers during the latter stages of World War II . In 1951 he moved to the United States and settled in Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania , where his father had already lived for several years . When Sammartino first came to America , he was sickly from his experiences of surviving during the war years . His slight frame , along with his tenuous grasp of English , made him an easy target for bullies in school . Sammartino wanted to build himself up physically and became devoted to weight training . Later , his powerlifting prowess nearly earned him a spot on the 1956 U . S . Olympic Team , but he was edged out by legendary strongman Paul Anderson , who outweighed Sammartino by almost 70 pounds . His high school , Schenley , didn ' t have a wrestling program , but he worked out with the University of Pittsburgh wrestling team under legendary coach Rex Peary . Sammartino became known for performing strong man stunts in the Pittsburgh area , and sportscaster Bob Prince put him on his television show . It was there that he was spotted by local wrestling promoter Rudy Miller , who recruited Sammartino for pro wrestling . Miller knew that Sammartino could easily be marketed as an ethnic strongman , and that he would appeal to Italian immigrants who supported wrestling . Career . Studio Wrestling / Pittsburgh Promotion ( 1959 - 1974 ) . Bruno began wrestling for the local Pittsburgh promotion in 1959 and became an instant sensation . The name of the local TV wrestling program was called Studio Wrestling which was broadcast on WIIC - TV Channel 11 . The host was legendary Pittsburgh personality Bill Cardille . The Pittsbugh territory was owned independently of Vince McMahon Sr . ' s New York based WWWF . Eventually Bruno bought into the Pittsburgh promotion which featured national stars such as Gorilla Monsoon , Reginald Lisowski , Bill Watts , George Steele ( debuting with a mask as " The Student " ) , and Bobo Brazil as well as local sensations like Johnny DeFazio , Frank " Carnegie Cop " Holtz , Hurricane Hunt , Tony " The Battman " Marino and Johnny Valiant . The show was so popular that even referees like Izzie Moidel and Andy DePaul became local celebrities . Bruno sold the promotion in the late 60 ' s and then bought it back in the early 70 ' s . In 1974 , Bruno sold it to Vince McMahon Sr . and it became a WWWF territory . All Pittsburgh based title belts were discontinued and the TV show was replaced by the WWWF ' s syndicated show . World Wide Wrestling Federation / World Wrestling Federation ( 1959 - 1986 ) . 1959 - 1963 . Sammartino started wrestling in 1959 . He made major headlines when he became the first ( and only ) man to lift 600 - pound Haystacks Calhoun in a match and slam him . He won the WWWF World Championship title on May 17 , 1963 , defeating " Nature Boy " Buddy Rogers in just 48 seconds . Bruno 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 . Bruno was so incredibly popular , that in 1965 he was picked to defeat Lou Thesz , becoming the first wrestler to hold both the NWA and WWWF titles at the same time . Bruno , already getting only every other weekend off , balked when told that he may have months with zero time off . NWA officials then selected Gene Kiniski to replace Thesz . 1971 - 1975 . Sammartino was clearly the most popular wrestler in the Northeastern United States during the 1960 s and 1970 s . 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 , Giant Baba , Gene Kiniski , Dr . Bill Miller , Bull Ramos , Hans Mortier , Waldo Von Erich , Crusher Lisowski , Johnny Valentine , The Sheik , Fred Blassie , King Curtis , Tarzan Tyler , Bill Watts , 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 . During the timeline feature on the History Of The WWE Championship DVD , it states that Koloff ' s title victory was not announced to the crowd out of fear that it would start a riot . 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 . He wrestled sporadically all over the world during this time . Eventually , on December 10 , 1973 , Sammartino regained the WWWF Championship , defeating Stan Stasiak . He defeated the likes of John Tolos , Bruiser Brody , Ken Patera , Bugsy McGraw , Baron Von Raschke , Ivan Koloff , Superstar Billy Graham , Don Leo Jonathan , Angelo Mosca , Ernie Ladd and Nikolai Volkoff . His second title run lasted three years , four months , and twenty days . 1976 - 1977 . 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 , which was on the closed circuit TV undercard of the famous Ali vs . Antonio Inoki match for WWWF cities . Bruno was rushed back into action by Vince McMahon Sr . when the advance gate for the show was a disaster . Sammartino scored a decisive count - out win , after Hansen ran from the ring and , more importantly , again saved the WWWF from financial ruin by drawing a huge live gate and big closed circuit TV receipts in WWWF territories ( the Ali / Inoki show , without the Bruno / Hansen match , tanked in much of the rest of America ) . The match 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 . Free once again to set his own schedule , Bruno toured the U . S . and the world . He wrestled then - NWA Champion Harley Race to a one - hour draw . He also beat , among many others , Blackjack Mulligan , Lord Alfred Hayes , " Crippler " Ray Stevens and teamed with the legendary Dick the Bruiser to win the WWA Tag Belts from the Valiant Brothers . 1980 - 1981 . 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 record - setting series culminated on August 9 , 1980 , in front of 36 , 295 fans at Shea Stadium . As the main event of the Federation ' s Showdown At Shea card , Bruno defeated Zbyszko inside a steel cage . Hulk Hogan claims in his autobiography that he and Andre the Giant were the reason for the Shea gate . However , Sammartino / Zbyszko sold out everywhere they wrestled leading up the show . Hogan and Andre was tried once as a main event before Shea with much less impressive results . After retiring from wrestling full - time in 1981 , Bruno agreed to return to the then - WWF in an attempt to launch the wrestling career of his son David , who became a wrestler against his father ' s wishes . Bruno wrestled occasionally , teaming with his son against the likes of Paul Orndorff & Bobby Heenan and Brutus Beefcake & Johnny Valiant . David soon realized he was being used as a pawn by Vince McMahon to get his famous father to wrestle ( and draw huge crowds in the Northeast ) . Disenchanted , David quit the WWF several times which forced Bruno to continue to wrestle , in hopes that he could get his son back in McMahon ' s good graces . 1986 . His most notable feud during this run was vs . " Macho Man " Randy Savage . He often teamed with Tito Santana and even old enemy George " The Animal " Steele to wrestle Savage and " Adorable " Adrian Adonis . The feud intensified in 1986 when an irate Sammartino attacked Savage during a TV interview , after Savage bragged about injuring Rick Steamboat ( by driving the timekeeper ' s bell into Steamboat ' s throat during a televised match ) . Sammartino also defeated Savage in a lumberjack match for the WWF Intercontinental Championship ( via disqualification , allowing Savage to keep the belt ) . Bruno also scored wins over the likes of Sgt . Slaughter , Honky Tonk Man , Greg Valentine , Nikolai Volkoff and , in a memorable cage match , beat Rowdy Roddy Piper . His final match saw him team with Hulk Hogan against King Kong Bundy & One Man Gang . On October 28 , 1989 , Bruno made a special appearance at the NWA PPV Halloween Havoc , where he was the special guest referee in a " Thunderdome " cage match which featured Ric Flair and Sting taking on Terry Funk and The Great Muta . He ended up exchanging blows with Muta at the end of the match and ran him off . Against Pro Wrestling ? In his retirement , Sammartino has publicly criticized the direction professional wrestling has taken , making reference to lurid storylines , over - the - top theatrics , and drug and steroid abuse . In particular he has been critical of Vince McMahon , saying that McMahon has been detrimental to his father ' s creation . Sammartino has refused to provide commentary on WWE - produced retrospectives of his career , instead participating in a series of independently - produced documentaries , including " Bruno Sammartino ' s Legends Never Die " , " La Roccia " , " The Passing of the Belt " , and " The Boys are Back " . Despite being the biggest drawing card in wrestling during the 60 ' s and 70 ' s , Bruno was not mentioned in the A & E wrestling documentary " The Unreal History of Professional Wrestling " . He attributes this to McMahon , who provided much of the footage to the production . Recently , he signed an independent deal with JAKKS for a wrestling action figure , which is currently for sale as part of the WWE Legends line . Within the last few years Bruno met in Pittsburgh with Vince and WWE officials about doing a DVD release and providing commentary for their 24 / 7 Channel of classic matches , but Bruno would not agree to be a part of the current product . He was invited to stay for the RAW show that night , but declined because he did not want to be seen endorsing the product . ( He was told the main event was Chris Benoit vs . HHH . He reportedly told them he would ' ve stayed if Benoit was wrestling Kurt Angle ; one of the people he said this to was HHH , who he didn ' t know . HHH is Vince McMahon ' s son in law . ) This was also the site of the infamous " who snubbed who ? non - confrontation with Ric Flair . Flair denigrated Sammartino ' s wrestling ability in his book . Flair claims Bruno refused to shake his hand at the event ; Bruno says Flair saw Bruno coming down the hall , turned and rushed away . Contract talks stalled . Aside from feuding with wrestling . Bruno also has had a very bad relationship with his son David , after " a series of things happened " . Hall of Fame recognition . Sammartino has refused entry into the WWE Hall of Fame , as he felt it would have been hypocritical to accept the invitation after all he said about them . He is a founding inductee into the unrelated Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame , but he did not cooperate with them either . Bruno claims they only inducted him after they realized that Vince McMahon would not have anything to do with them . He is also an inductee of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame . In 2013 , Sammartino accepted an invitation for induction into the WWE Hall of Fame . At the night of the Hall of Fame ceremony , long - time friend Arnold Schwarzenegger personally inducted Sammartino . Ring of Honor . Sammartino made a special appearance for the independent wrestling promotion Ring of Honor , on September 16 , 2006 in Manhattan , NY , putting over the company in the ring for bringing what he considers real wrestling back to the fans . He posed for photographs backstage with then GHC Heavyweight Champion Naomichi Marufuji and then ROH Champion Bryan Danielson . He also sat for the recording of a shoot interview , conducted by Jim Cornette . Bruno took part of Ring of Honor ' s first " WrestleMania Weekend " show in Detroit , MI on March 30 , entitled " All Star Extravaganza III " , as well , doing an in ring promo where once again he put over Ring of Honor and its wrestlers until he was interrupted by Larry Sweeney .