10 Things You Didn't Know About Bruno Sammartino

2. His Forename Inspired Bruno Mars

Bruno Mars poses backstage with the award for Best Male Video for
Evan Agostini/AP

The idea that a rough, rugged pro wrestler like Bruno Sammartino would have anything in common with a Michael Jackson-style pop star is baffling. It's true though.

Bruno Mars (real name: Peter Gene Hernandez) has admitted to the press more than once that his stage name was inspired by Sammartino. No, Mars wasn't a fan of old-school wrestling growing up in Honolulu, Hawaii, but his father was, and it was he who gave Mars the 'Bruno' moniker.

Hilariously, Mars claimed during one interview that he had been a fairly fat baby, also saying that's why he had been given the nickname. He obviously didn't know what Sammartino looked like in his prime or had been given some bad information by friends.

It's just as well his dad didn't prefer heels too, otherwise the world may have been exposed to the singing talents of Ivan Mars-Koloff or Billy "Superstar" Mars.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.