10 Best WWE Stars To Compete In A Wrestling World Cup

5. Italy €“ Bruno Sammartino

When Bruno Sammartino was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2013, it put an end to one of the greatest historical injustices of modern times. In the 1960s and 1970s, Bruno Sammartino was the face of the WWWF. His two title reigns, at a total combined length of 4040 days, over 11 years, will likely never be matched. Born in Pizzoferrato, Italy, his family emigrated to the US in 1950 and settled in Pittsburgh. He took up weight training to strengthen himself against bullies at school, and after leaving school found his way into wrestling via strongman exhibitions. In his first year as a professional wrestler, he was astonishingly headlining events in Madison Square Garden. He had a natural connection with the large Italian-American population in New York City. Bruno was their boy. They felt every blow and celebrated every victory. When Bruno retired, he had sold out the famous MSG more times than any other wrestler, another record that may not be broken. His unexpected defeat at the hands of Ivan Koloff, where he lost his title after a near eight year long reign, remains one of the most shocking moments of all time in wrestling. However, he left the promotion under a cloud after disagreements with Vince McMahon following the dismissal of his son David from the company. For decades, his name was not mentioned in the WWE. History just did not exist for that period of time and it appeared that a stubborn grudge would linger on. But in 2013, Triple H, a student of wrestling history, reached out to Bruno and eventually came to an agreement to recognise his unparalleled achievements in the company. During WrestleMania week this year, a lifesize statue of him was unveiled. Bruno really is immortal now.