10 Surprising Wrestlers Who've Done Deathmatches

1. Bruno Sammartino

Bruno Sammartino's name is synonymous with excellence. WWE historians speak of the great man like they're mentioning a God, and his babyface run as Vince McMahon Sr's top guy has littered countless 'Greatest World Champions' lists for decades. Oh yes, big Bruno was the star of his era.

He also loved him a piece of the deathmatch pie.

Confused? Don't be. Sammartino worked deathmatches as early as the 1960s, but they weren't quite as wild as bouts like Mick Foley vs. Terry Funk to come, or as gratuitous as anything CZW has presented since. They still count though - these matches were literally advertised as 'Texas Deathmatches'.

Bruno brawled with everyone from Hans Mortier to Spiros Arion in these ferocious fights; when he was opposite Athens-resident Arion, the seductive match type was tweaked to a 'Greek Deathmatch'. Promoters loved a bit of localisation back then.

What other wrestlers shockingly worked deathmatches? For more like this, check out 10 Things You Learn Binge Watching Every WWE Raw From 1998 and 15 Ways WWE Has Already Ruined Their Own 2020 Draft!