10 Legendary Wrestlers Who Grappled Bears

A gigantic Alaskan brown bear standing on his hind legs while guzzling down a pint of Wild Turkey bourbon whiskey is an odd sight in virtually any context. However, it is particularly unsettling when one realizes that in a few short moments they will be in a wrestling ring, grappling with the potentially inebriated animal.

Imagine looking into the bloodshot eyes of a 600-pound bear with foul breath and an even worse disposition, right before the creature comes charging in your direction.

Furthermore, let’s say the bear’s handler decided to rub a bit of honey on your tights, just to make things a bit more interesting.

One legendary wrestler encountered this very scenario.

In fact, there were several wrestlers who risked potentially career shortening or life-altering injuries by deciding to step inside the squared circle to take on these often unpredictable creatures.

Several wrestlers enshrined in the WWE Hall of Fame shared the ring with grappling bears like Terrible Ted and Victor the Wrestling Bear. Their stories offer a fascinating (and at times terrifying) look into the bizarre world of professional bear wrestling.

When you have a career that spans 35 years, like German heel Baron Von Raschke (who was actually born in the US), one can expect to face a wide variety of competitors. Raschke was even willing to step into the ring with opponents who weren't exactly... human.

In 1972, Raschke found himself face to face with the 600-pound black bear known as Terrible Ted.

Alongside legendary manager Bobby Heenan, von Raschke squared off with the bear in a two-on-one handicap match in Detroit, MI. When the dust settled, it was Terrible Ted who emerged the victor. Heenan was particularly impressed with Ted and claimed the bear could perform a flying mare and even a monkey flip. However, theirs was an exception; most wrestlers did not enjoy the time they spent in the ring with the famous bear.