What happened to the likes of Georg Hackenschmidt and Frank Gotch?

Karelin?
Doesn't seem very strong at all.

 

lol he was known as the experiment you know, probably the best athlete ever to step onto a wrestling mat wondered when he would be brought up

 

He was a strong guy who knew a few pins. he was NOT a shooter/hooker in teh conventional sense because he had limited knowledge of the submission aspect of CACC

His strength was clearly his greatest asset, and saw him well in his career, but his amongst the technicians he was not that impressive. That is not to detract from his skill as a wrestler, but when you say "shooter" or "hooker" the criteria is that they can make you tap like a typewriter - Hack was a pwerhouse and a pinning machine not a sub guy

 

Limited knowledge or simply didnt need to use them since he wrecked so many people with throws and pins?

calling him untechnical is wrong, throws and pins are very technical and served him well, as for the shooter side, well seeing as he lost once I believe he skill level in at least avoiding and beating shooters was better than their ability to sub him, )

 

Again, not to take away from him as a competitor or athlete, but when compared to guys like Burns, Lewis, Riley and Istaz (Gotch) he was one dimensional.

A comparison would be saying Rulon Gardner is technically equal to Marcel Garcia

 

Here is Harry Smith and Dave Batista showing us catch and "big boys" still exists!

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cCAj0dTzFY&feature=related"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cCAj0dTzFY&feature=related[/ame]

 

tough guys

Hi Guys,
I am surprised no one has mentioned Bruno Sammartino.He was a big guy and pretty powerful.I think he lifted Giant Haystacks above his head in a bout.
Cheers, Joe

 

Sammartino was a terible wrestler! He was a great strongman, holding a record bench press at 565 at one point, but again could barely wrestle a lick. He was - like HAck - immensely powerful though. Reputedly he powered out of a hold Inoki tried to "shoot" on him

And it was not Giant Haystacks, but Haystacks Calhoun he lifted

 

Arnold and Franco may not have done 'strongman' like today but I recall them doing amazing feats like blowing up the hot water balloons, moving cars, bending girders and (with Arnold) stones,

Lou also competed in WSM and allegedly deadlifted 850 lbs.

Regarding Lou and Mike Mentzer, they both competed in 'All Stars' to show their strength and endurance. I read Mike could partial press 1000lbs overhead!

Also I was reading Fighters Only today- I read that Japanese Pro Wrestling WAS real in that they hit each other and slammed full power-just the outcome was fixed. What were feuds or storylines like in that?

 

Hi Hannibal, I was not too sure about the Haystacks bit., Could not remember the right guy.Had a feeling Giant Haystacks was not the guy.Thanks for correcting my error. Cheers, Joe.

 

back in the 1970's the 125kg seniors mens world record was 873 pounds, do you really think lou was deadlifting 850?

and if you are looking down on Pudzianowski 's MA career because he was not world class, then Arnold taking part in a state stone lifting event is hardly world class either

the fact is very few then or now had a complete package you are after, and theres a good reason for that

 

Ken Patera
Mike Arcidi
Bill Kazmier
Mark Henry

Legit strength athletes......horrible wrestlers

 

Dara Singh made a successful career in bollywood and had no need to wrestle after he found such an easy gig. he also made so on the worst fight scenes in bollywood which as he was wrestler i had hoped he'd bring more to the table.
Gama died in pakistan after the partition and was succeeded by his nephew but his nephew never went far.

 

Read some incredible stuff about this guy in the past, although its always hard to tell how much truth can be attached to such things. I don't doubt that he's an awesome fighter and seriously tough from the many tales of him one shot KO'ing people even with open handed slaps, or alternatively taking out multiple opponents alone. I get a little sceptical at the story of him being bit by a shark, then beating it to death

 

Back when there was all the hype leading up to the Inoki/Ali non-bout we got to see some of Japan's pro wrestling-it was as bogus as anything in the US,it even included the bouncing off the ropes hysteria.

The actual fistfights in J. Seltzer's old Roller Derby were at least real,if not very good.

 

Maeda and Sakiyama and Inoki and Gotch- those 4 men pioneered the transition.
I assume that it's basically pro wrestling WITH hitting. So as it's pro wrestling I assume that's why they jumped off ropes

 

850<873

Arnold won competitions and was the best at the time (I think)
Pudzianowski won competitions but wasn't the best at the time

 

the best at what, stone lifting ? both were champions in their chosen sports and not world champs in other sports (it seems only franco managed that feat)

apart from franco no one else you have listed has been a recognised national let alone international champion in two different arenas

as for 873 being higher than 850, thanks for pointing that out.... are you really that silly or are you just being a pain in the neck? the current IPF world record in the deadlift after they re did the weight categories is 887 in the 242 pound division by ed coen, probably the greatest lifter of all time. SO you really think lou was deadlifting within 40 pounds of the greatest lifter the world has ever known, and within 25 pounds of a world record that stood for over a decade?

 

Firstly, Arnold won natinoal powerlifting and stone lifting titles-perhaps for his weight category. The 705lb Deadlift comes to mind in his pre bodybuilder days. The stone lifting too.

Secondly, Ronnie did 850lbs (not the famous youtube clip but another) and he won various powerlifting titles-i'm sure at least 1 was national.

You've also got Johnnie Jackson and Stan Efferding (#2 and #1 for bodybuilder strength respectively). Ben White and Branch Warren come a distant third to both. Still think Franco would best them as he lifted RAW.

As for Mike Mentzer some people say he was tougher than Arnold/stronger too. 1000lb partial presses are no laughing matter.

 

Don't mean to bump this

But Dara Singh has passed away after cardiac arrest ,his kidneys failing and going brain dead-he was sufferning for several days. His son said he had a rare brain disease and several years ago had been paralysed.

Not sure if he won commonwealth titles in amateur or pro wrestling but he did pehlwani when he was young to get to that point.









84 years-gone too soon