Powerhouse Athlete Named the Best Wrestler of the '60s and '70s

The '60s and '70s were a great time to be a fan of professional wrestling. It was right when the sport was getting huge in America, and the best wrestlers who ruled those decades paved the way for the sport's future. My cousin was actually a professional wrestler in the 1960s and 1970s, and the stories of his time in wrestling during that period are amazing.

Now, one powerhouse athlete has been named the best wrestler of the '60s and '70s. This talent was an absolute record setter, and he deserves the top spot.

While Andre the Giant, Pedro Morales, Billy Graham and Bob Backlund came close, they didn't top this tally.

Wrestling Star Named the Best Wrestler of the '60s and '70s for His Record-Breaking Performances

Dan Power of Bleacher Report has a ranking out of the "25 greatest superstars of the '60s and '70s" that's resurfacing of socials. To craft the tally, he says that he relied on "reading and assumptions" in regard to what he could watch and also took into "consideration the impact, the popularity, the legacy and the 'it' factor." Also, he took into account each wrester's longevity with the WWWF.

For No. 1, he went with Bruno Sammartino. Are you surprised? I didn't think so.

"When you think about WWWF in the '60s and '70s, Bruno Sammartino must be the first name to come to mind," he states in the feature. "He was built to become a legend, and he was just that. It would take a whole book to cover his unique career, but to make it short, he was the face of the company for over 15 years."

Sammartino was the WWWF Champion from 1963 to 1971, holding the title for 2,803 days. That's almost eight years, and it's still the longest World Championship reign in pro wrestling history.

His second reign started in 1973 and ran 1,237 days. After his third reign ended in 1977, Sammartino clocked 11 years as the reigning WWWF Champion. They don't have reigns like that in the WWE anymore.

"He had the strength, the technical abilities, the charisma and that mythic 'it' factor," Power states, "to draw the audiences."

Perhaps I would have gone with Andre the Giant as the No. 1 pick on this tally for being such a beloved wrestler and, yes, his memorable role as Fezzik in the 1987 classic The Princess Bride. But, Sammartino at No. 1 makes sense for his sheer physicality and longtime reign.

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on May 14, 2026, where it first appeared in the Entertainment section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published May 14, 2026 at 5:01 AM.