Bruno Sammartino (Picture: WWE)

Bruno Sammartino, one of the most popular wrestlers in the history of WWE, has died aged 82.

Born in Italy, Sammartino and his family moved to America after World War 2, and the young Sammartino was a victim of bullying.

After discovering a passion for weightlifting, Sammartino began to gain both weight and confidence, and broke world records in the process.

Sammartino began his wrestling career in 1959, and soon became a popular attraction, making his debut at Madison Square Garden a year later.


That iconic New York venue would become Sammartino’s spiritual home over the next 25 years, as he sold out the arena over 180 times.



Although Sammartino wrestled all over America, and grew in popularity in Japan, it was the New York territory of WWWF where he truly made his name, engaging in iconic feuds with the likes of Pedro Morales and Buddy Rogers.

Sammartino’s legacy grew in the 1970s, and after a series of mini-retirements, Sammartino’s final WWF match saw him teaming up with Hulk Hogan in 1988.

Hulk Hogan (Picture: Rex)

A fractured relationship with WWE in the 1990s and early 2000s threatened to derail what both had done for the other, but tensions thawed as the years progressed, and Sammartino was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2013.

Without Sammartino, it’s hard to imagine a wrestling world with as much success as it enjoys today.

The strongman introduced authentic realism into the sport, while his power-move and interview style continues to be replicated to his this day.

His legacy within mainstream culture is also strong, with pop star Bruno Mars earning the Bruno part of his name following his father’s admiration of Sammartino.

Sammartino was lifting weights and enjoying a healthy lifestyle into his 80s despite a history of back and neck injuries, and will be missed by all who knew him.

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