Bruno Sammartino shoots on being the "Italian Superstar"

Summary

In this engaging transcript, former professional wrestler Bruno Sammartino recounts his journey in the wrestling world, detailing his rise to fame in Toronto, overcoming initial skepticism to become a beloved figure among Italian fans. He shares anecdotes about self-promotion, including an impressive feat of strength that earned him the nickname 'Italian Samson.' The narrative unfolds with his eventual return to New York, where he faced Buddy Rogers in a pivotal match, securing the title in a mere 48 seconds, debunking rumors of Rogers' alleged heart attack and revealing the behind-the-scenes negotiations that led to this iconic moment in wrestling history.

Takeaways

• 🤼 The speaker began as a wrestler in Toronto, initially not being highly recognized but eventually gaining popularity through self-promotion and strength demonstrations.
• 🏋️‍♂️ The speaker's strength was highlighted, including benching 500 pounds for five reps and squatting over 700 pounds, which caught the attention of the Italian press.
• 📰 The Italian press dubbed the speaker 'Italiano Samson' after witnessing his strength feats, which helped to increase his popularity among Italian fans.
• 🎉 The speaker's self-promotion tactics, such as having a large man sit on his back while doing pushups, were successful in drawing crowds and pleasing his promoter, Frank T.
• 🍽️ Frank T. expressed his satisfaction with the speaker's work and offered him a 'home' in Toronto, disregarding negative phone calls about the speaker's character.
• 📞 Vince McMahon reached out to the speaker to bring him back to New York, promising a minimum guarantee of $500 a week, which the speaker initially declined due to his success in Canada.
• 🤝 After negotiations, Vince McMahon agreed to a $750 per week guarantee and the promise of a match with Buddy Rogers, which was the speaker's condition for returning to New York.
• 🤫 A secret deal was made to convince Buddy Rogers to wrestle the speaker by telling him that the speaker was paid $3,500 to lose the match, a detail kept confidential at the time.
• 🏆 The match with Buddy Rogers took place, and the speaker won the title in just 48 seconds, which was a significant moment in wrestling history.
• 💔 There were rumors that Buddy Rogers had a heart attack, which he used as an excuse for the quick loss, but the speaker disputes this, stating they had wrestled just two weeks prior without issue.
• 🎙️ The speaker emphasizes that the story of his return to New York and the title win is not widely known, and he shares it to set the record straight.

Q & A

Who was Bruno Sammartino working for initially when he started wrestling?

Bruno Sammartino was initially working for Frank Tunney in Toronto.

How did Bruno Sammartino promote himself to the Italian press?

Bruno Sammartino self-promoted by inviting the Italian press to the Y and demonstrating his strength with 500 pounds bench press and over 700 pound squat.

What was the nickname given to Bruno Sammartino by the Italian press?

The Italian press nicknamed him 'Italiano Samson'.

Why did Bruno Sammartino draw more attention and crowds to the wrestling events?

Bruno Sammartino drew more attention due to his self-promotion, strength demonstrations, and the Italian community's love for strength.

What did Frank Tunney tell Bruno Sammartino during their dinner at a Chinese restaurant?

Frank Tunney told Bruno Sammartino that he could consider Toronto his home and that he was pleased with Bruno's conduct and performance.

What was the initial offer Vince McMahon made to Bruno Sammartino to return to New York?

Vince McMahon initially offered Bruno Sammartino a minimum guarantee of $500 per week to return to New York.

Why did Bruno Sammartino refuse Vince McMahon's initial offer?

Bruno Sammartino refused the initial offer because he was already making close to that amount in Canada and was happy with his situation there.

What was the final agreement made between Bruno Sammartino and Vince McMahon for his return to New York?

The final agreement was that Bruno Sammartino would be guaranteed a match with Buddy Rogers, which was his condition for returning to New York.

What was the secret plan involving Buddy Rogers and Bruno Sammartino's match?

The secret plan was to tell Buddy Rogers that Bruno Sammartino was bought for a figure of $3,500 to lose to him, ensuring that Buddy would agree to the match.

How long did the match between Bruno Sammartino and Buddy Rogers last for the title change?

The match between Bruno Sammartino and Buddy Rogers for the title change lasted only 48 seconds.

What rumor circulated about Buddy Rogers after the match with Bruno Sammartino?

A rumor circulated that Buddy Rogers had a heart attack two weeks before the match and was carried from the hospital to the ring.