Bruno Sammartino, WWWF Champion majority of 1960s and 1970s, dead at age 82

Bruno Sammartino, who was the top star in the WWWF (now WWE) during the majority of the 1960s and 1970s, died today at age 82. He held the WWWF Championship the majority of those years including titles reigns from 1963 to 1971 and 1973 to 1977. He was a top draw who earned his extended time as a main event babyface champion.

Bruno was an outspoken critic of Vincent K. McMahon’s national expansion and, more so, the big change in the tone of the product. He watched it happen from the broadcast booth as the color commentator of WWF Superstars of Wrestling where his disenchantment with the product led to withdrawing largely from commentary. Jesse Ventura was added to the booth, and he refereed to Sammartino as “Replay Bruno” because that’s the role he had in the show – sitting silently until recapping the finish move on replay.

Sammartino finally agreed, after turning down several invites, to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2014.

PWTorch VIP members can look forward to an in-depth overview of Bruno’s career and contributions to the industry on this weekend’s Bruce Mitchell Audio Show. VIP members can also listen to a 1992 interview with Bruno Sammartino on the Pro Wrestling Spotlight radio show at the peak of his criticism of the WWF HERE.

James Caldwell interviewed Bruno for PWTorch 12 years ago.

PART 1: VIP AUDIO 5/1 – 10 YRS AGO Interview with Bruno Sammartino (3-16-06): WWE Hall of Fame, why he never took steroids, Superstar Graham, documentary project (33 min)

PART 3: VIP AUDIO 5/28 – 10 YRS AGO Interview with Bruno Sammartino, pt. 3 of 4 (4-13-06): Being chosen as WWWF Champ, Shea Stadium matches with Pedro and Zbyszko, Inoki-Ali, Stan Hansen, pension (21 min)

PART 4: VIP AUDIO 7/29 – 10 YRS AGO Interview with Bruno Sammartino, pt. 4 of 4 (4-13-06): Why didn’t he drive with other wrestlers, various Hall of Fames, steroids, life after wrestling, Superstar Graham (17 min)