10 Most Insane Wrestling Magazine Covers Ever

8. Wrestling World, April 1966

Kamala Hulk Hogan
Wrestling World

Cover Star(s): Crusher Lisowski

Headline(s): 'I DON'T MIND THE BLOOD AND SWEAT, BY CRUSHER LISOWSKI', 'TARZAN TYLER: I'LL GET SAMMARTINO', 'I'LL BURY U.S WRESTLERS, BY NIKITA MULKOVICH', MILLIE ZEC: SHE'S CAUSING QUITE A SEXSATION', 'WRESTLING IS BETTER THAN EVER, BY EDDIE GRAHAM'

Notes: Sporting a wincing grin beneath a face that appears to have been run over by a car before posing for that photograph, Crusher Lisowski's bloody gurning mug lives up to his masochistic pull-quote.

Known more commonly as 'The Crusher', Reg Lisowski was a prolific success throughout the 1960s thanks to his hard-hitting work in the AWA. Alongside partner Dick The Bruiser, the two were hugely popular babyfaces for the way they bludgeoned heels or even each other, if the beating the villains got wasn't sufficient for the rabid crowds.

A multiple time tag champion, Lisowski also went on to win the AWA World Title three times, including a gory-trade off of the championship with Mad Dog Vachon in November 1965. His star power lasted right through to the late 1980s, where he retired shortly before his 58th birthday.

It would be unfair not to comment on the salacious Millie Zec tease, with a feature on the relatively unknown female wrestler wholly reliant on her supposed sex appeal. It was a sign of things to come.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation over 7 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back almost 35 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 60,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, GRAPPL and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett