Nicknamed "Polish Power" because of the strength, Putski became one of the most popular stars in WWE during the 1970s and early '80s. His feuds with the great Bruiser Brody, Stan "the Lariat" Hansen and the Valiant Brothers helped him gain notoriety on a national scale and enjoy a Hall of Fame career. He never won the heavyweight championship but he did partner with Tito Santana, himself a wildly popular star, to defeat the aforementioned Valiants for the tag titles. A legitimate strong man, he entered the 1978 World's Strongest Man competition and also methodically built his body through power lifting. When the Rock and Wrestling Era of WWE took over in the mid-'80s, Putski became somewhat irrelevant. Not a cartoon character or a highly marketable one either, Putski became a jobber to the stars. He still competed in the occasional high profile feud with the likes of "Rowdy" Roddy Piper but he was largely used to put over the new generation of stars. Regardless of whether he was winning or losing, Putski's power was always on display as he threw his opponents around the ring with very little effort at all. In 1995, he was inducted in to WWE's Hall of Fame, where his legacy will live on forever.
Erik Beaston is a freelance pro wrestling writer who likes long walks in the park, dandelions and has not quite figured out that this introduction is not for Match.com. He resides in Parts Unknown, where he hosts weekly cookouts with Kane, The Ultimate Warrior, Papa Shango and The Boogeyman. Be jealous.
