Superbowl of Wrestling
Encyclopedia
The Superbowl of Wrestling was an event held in the 1970s. It was one of the first professional wrestling "Supercards".
at Municipal Stadium on August 12, 1972. Three rings were set up, side by side, and often more than one match would be going on at a time. Attendance figures have been estimated as high as 20,000 and as low as 5,000. No reliable sources seem to agree on a number.
Here are partial results of the show:
in Miami, Florida
, drawing over 12,000 fans for a unification match between the WWWF
and NWA World Championships
. Here are the results:
1972
The first Superbowl of Wrestling was held in Cleveland, OhioCleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
at Municipal Stadium on August 12, 1972. Three rings were set up, side by side, and often more than one match would be going on at a time. Attendance figures have been estimated as high as 20,000 and as low as 5,000. No reliable sources seem to agree on a number.
Here are partial results of the show:
- Tony MarinoTony MarinoTony Silipini is a former American born Italian professional wrestler who is best known as Tony Marino.-Early career:Tony Silipini was born in 1945. He started wrestling in the 1950s near his hometown of Rochester, NY. He wrestled under a number of names over the years in different areas of the...
& Tony ParisiAntonio PuglieseAntonio Pugliese , born in Cosenza, Italy, was a professional wrestler. He is better known by his ring name Tony Parisi. Pugliese was primarily a tag team wrestler, and he won tag team titles in several organizations, including the National Wrestling Alliance , World Wide Wrestling Federation , and...
defeated Motoji Okuma & Mashio Koma to win the tag team tournament- Tag team tournament opening round matches: Manuel Soto & Victor RiveraVictor RiveraVíctor Rivera is a volleyball player from Puerto Rico, who was a member of the Men's National Team that ended up in sixth place at the 2007 FIVB Men's World Cup in Japan. In the same year the wing-spiker was named Best Spiker at the NORCECA Championship in Anaheim...
went to a double-DQ with Waldo Von ErichWaldo Von ErichWalter Paul Sieber was a Canadian professional wrestler under the ring name Waldo Von Erich. He was billed as the brother of Fritz Von Erich, but was not actually related to Fritz or the rest of the Von Erich family....
& Karl Von Stroheim, Tony Marino & Toni Parisi won by default. Luis Martinez & Sal Dominguez d. Tex McKenzie & Lil Abner. - Semifinals: Koma & Okuma d. Luis Martinez & Sal Dominguez.
- Finals: Tony & Toni d. Koma & Okuma).
- Tag team tournament opening round matches: Manuel Soto & Victor Rivera
- Sue GreenSue GreenSusan Tex Green is an American professional wrestler. She began wrestling at the age of 15 and was trained by The Fabulous Moolah. She was the frequent tag team partner of Sandy Parker, with whom she won the National Wrestling Alliance 's NWA Women's World Tag Team Championship. The title reign,...
& Lily Thomas defeated Tippy Wells & Peggy Patterson to win the women's tag team tournament - Sky Low Low & Little Brutus defeated Haiti KidRaymond KesslerRaymond Kessler was an American professional wrestler, who had dwarfism, wrestled under the name Haiti Kid in the World Wrestling Federation. He appeared in Mr. T's corner at WrestleMania 2 in his match against Rowdy Roddy Piper...
& Frenchy Lamont to win the midget tag team tournament - NWF World Tag Team Champions the Fargo Brothers (Don & Johnny FargoGreg ValentineJohn Wisniski, Jr. is an American professional wrestler, better known as Greg "The Hammer" Valentine. He is the son of wrestler Johnny Valentine.-Training:...
) defeated Wahoo McDanielWahoo McDanielEdward "Wahoo" McDaniel was a Choctaw-Chickasaw Native American who achieved fame as a professional American football player and later as a professional wrestler.-Early life:...
& Chief White Owl - NWA Women's World Tag Team ChampionsNWA Women's World Tag Team ChampionshipThe NWA Women's World Tag Team Championship was a women's professional wrestling tag team title sanctioned by the National Wrestling Alliance from the early 1950s through 1983...
Toni RoseToni Rose-Professional wrestling career:Rose grew up in Indianapolis, Indiana. She decided to become a professional wrestler at the age of seven, but first attended high school and college. She trained under The Fabulous Moolah in 1965...
& Donna ChristanelloDonna ChristanelloMary Alfonsi , better known by her ring name Donna Christanello , was a professional wrestler trained by The Fabulous Moolah...
defeated Sandy ParkerSandy ParkerSandy Parker is a retired Black Canadian female professional wrestler. She debuted in 1969, wrestling in Canada, the United States, and Japan. In Japan, she worked for All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling, holding numerous titles...
& Debbie Johnson - NWA World Women's ChampionNWA World Women's ChampionshipThe NWA World Women's Championship is the National Wrestling Alliance's women's singles professional wrestling title. It is descended from the original Women's World Championship won by Mildred Burke in 1935 from Clara Mortensen. June Byers was then recognized as the succeeding champion after her...
The Fabulous MoolahThe Fabulous MoolahMary Lillian Ellison , better known by her ring name The Fabulous Moolah, was an American female professional wrestler. She began her career working with promoter Billy Wolfe and his wife, wrestler and trainer Mildred Burke, as well as working alongside professional wrestler "Nature Boy" Buddy...
defeated Vicki WilliamsVicki WilliamsVicki Williams is a retired female professional wrestler. She held the NWA Women's World Tag Team Championship twice with Joyce Grable.-Professional wrestling career:... - NWA United States Champion Bobo BrazilBobo BrazilHouston Harris was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Bobo Brazil. He is credited with breaking down barriers of racial segregation in professional wrestling...
defeated Killer Tim BrooksKiller Tim BrooksTimothy Paul Brooks is a retired American professional wrestler, better-known by his ring name "Killer Tim Brooks". He competed in North American regional promotions including the National Wrestling Alliance, Pacific Northwest Wrestling and World Class Championship Wrestling during the 1970s and... - Ernie LaddErnie LaddErnest "Ernie" Ladd , nicknamed "The Big Cat" was an American collegiate and professional football player and a professional wrestler.-Pro Football career:...
vs. Abdullah the ButcherAbdullah the ButcherLawrence Robert "Larry" Shreve best known as Abdullah the Butcher, and also at times The Madman from the Sudan, is a semi-retired Canadian professional wrestler known as one of the most brutal or "hardcore" professional wrestlers of all-time...
ended in a double disqualification - NWF North American Champion Johnny PowersJohnny PowersJohnny Powers is a retired Canadian professional wrestler, known by his legally changed ring name Johnny Powers...
defeated Johnny ValentineJohnny ValentineJohnny Valentine was a professional wrestler with a career spanning almost three decades. He has been inducted into four halls of fame for his achievements in wrestling...
1978
Another Superbowl of Wrestling was held on January 25, 1978. This Superbowl of Wrestling was held at the Orange BowlMiami Orange Bowl
The Orange Bowl, formerly Burdine Stadium, was an outdoor athletic stadium in Miami, Florida, west of downtown in Little Havana. Considered a landmark, it was the home stadium for the Miami Hurricanes college football team...
in Miami, Florida
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
, drawing over 12,000 fans for a unification match between the WWWF
WWE Championship
The WWE Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the Raw brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the World Heavyweight Championship of the SmackDown brand. It was established under the then WWWF in 1963...
and NWA World Championships
NWA World Heavyweight Championship
The National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in the National Wrestling Alliance. Its lineage has been traced from the first World Heavyweight Championship, which traces its lineage to Georg Hackenschmidt's 1905 title and...
. Here are the results:
- Rocky JohnsonRocky JohnsonRocky Johnson is a retired Canadian professional wrestler. Quite popular in his own right in the 1970s and 1980s, he is also known for being the father of actor and professional wrestler Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson...
defeated Killer Karl KoxHerb GerwigHerb Gerwig was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name of Killer Karl Kox, who competed in the National Wrestling Alliance as well as international promotions such as All Japan Pro Wrestling, the International Wrestling Alliance and World Championship Wrestling during the...
via DQ - Ivan PutskiIvan PutskiJózef Bednarski , is a Polish former professional wrestler and bodybuilder. He is known by the ring name Ivan Putski and was given the nicknames "The Polish Hammer" and "Polish Power"....
defeated Ox BakerOx BakerDouglas A. Baker better known professionally as Ox Baker, is an American former professional wrestler and actor, and was feared for his dreaded finishing move, the Heart Punch, sometimes called the "Hurt Punch", after Baker's famous catchphrase "I love to hurt people!" He has appeared in several... - Joyce GrableJoyce GrableBetty Wade-Murphy is a American former professional wrestler better known by her ring name Joyce Grable. She was the long-term tag team partner of Wendi Richter...
won an eight woman battle royal that also included Suzette Ferriera, Leilani KaiLeilani KaiPatricia Schroeder , better known by her stage name Leilani Kai, is a semi-retired professional wrestler. She began training with The Fabulous Moolah right after finishing high school...
, Pepper LaBianca, Winona LittleheartWinona LittleheartWinona Barkley is a retired professional wrestler better known by the ring names Winona Littleheart and The Lock.-Career:...
, Tandy Rich, Terry Shane, and Vicki WilliamsVicki WilliamsVicki Williams is a retired female professional wrestler. She held the NWA Women's World Tag Team Championship twice with Joyce Grable.-Professional wrestling career:... - Chavo Guerrero defeated Tank Patton
- Bobby Duncum defeated Don Serrano
- Keith FranksAdrian AdonisKeith A. Franke was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, "Adorable" Adrian Adonis.-Career:Franke trained under Fred Atkins and debuted in 1974, wrestling under his own name...
defeated John Ruffin - Mike Graham & Steve KeirnSteve KeirnStephen "Steve" Paul Keirn is an American retired professional wrestler. He is best known for being part of the tag team The Fabulous Ones, with Stan Lane, and later for a run in the World Wrestling Federation as Skinner, a gimmick that portrayed him as a tobacco spitting alligator hunter from...
defeated The Valiant BrothersThe Valiant BrothersThe Valiant Brothers were a professional wrestling tag team of storyline brothers "Handsome" Jimmy Valiant, "Luscious" Johnny Valiant, and "Gentleman" Jerry Valiant...
(JimmyJimmy ValiantJames Harold Fanning is a former professional wrestler and author better known as Jimmy Valiant.-Personal life:...
& Johnny ValiantJohn L. Sullivan (wrestler)John L. Sullivan is a retired professional wrestler better known as Johnny Valiant. He competed in the World Wide Wrestling Federation , which became the World Wrestling Federation during his time with the promotion. He won the World Tag Team Championship two times...
) to win the NWA Florida United States Tag Team ChampionshipNWA Florida United States Tag Team ChampionshipThe Florida version of the United States Tag Team Championship was a major professional wrestling tag team championship. The title was defended sporadically in the National Wrestling Alliance affiliated Championship Wrestling from Florida from 1961 to 1962, 1978 to 1980, and then 1983 until 1986... - Pedro MoralesPedro MoralesPedro Morales is a retired Puerto Rican professional wrestler. He began his wrestling career as a teenager in 1959 and continued through to the late 1980s...
defeated Lars AndersonLawrence HeinemiLarry Heinemi is a retired professional wrestler better known by the name of Lars Anderson. His career spans over a decade of performing in National Wrestling Alliance territories as well as American Wrestling Association .-Career:... - JackJack BriscoFreddie Joe Brisco was an American professional wrestler, better known as Jack Brisco or Uvalde Slim. He performed for various territories of the National Wrestling Alliance , becoming a two-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion, and multi-time NWA Tag Team Champion with his brother Gerald Brisco...
& Jerry BriscoGerald BriscoFloyd Gerald "Jerry" Brisco is a former American professional wrestler, and prior to June, 2009, worked as a road agent for WWE on its Raw brand....
defeated Ivan Koloff & Mr. SaitoMasa Saitois a former Japanese professional wrestler better known as Mr. Saito or . He wrestled for several years in various promotions operated by the National Wrestling Alliance . He later joined the World Wrestling Federation , where he teamed with Mr. Fuji to hold the World Tag Team Championship twice... - Dusty RhodesDusty Rhodes (wrestler)Virgil Riley Runnels, Jr. , better known as "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes, is a semi-retired American professional wrestler currently working for WWE...
defeated Ken PateraKen PateraKen Patera is a former professional wrestler, Olympic weightlifter, and Strongman competitor.-Weightlifting/Strongman career:Patera is a former Olympic weightlifter and American powerlifter... - WWWF World ChampionWWE ChampionshipThe WWE Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the Raw brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the World Heavyweight Championship of the SmackDown brand. It was established under the then WWWF in 1963...
Superstar Billy Graham vs. NWA World Heavyweight ChampionNWA World Heavyweight ChampionshipThe National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in the National Wrestling Alliance. Its lineage has been traced from the first World Heavyweight Championship, which traces its lineage to Georg Hackenschmidt's 1905 title and...
Harley RaceHarley RaceHarley Leland Race is a retired American professional wrestler and current promoter and trainer. During his career as a wrestler, he held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship 7 times...
ended in a 60-minute time limit draw during a three fall match- Gorilla MonsoonGorilla MonsoonRobert James "Gino" Marella , better known by his ring name of Gorilla Monsoon, was an American professional wrestler, play-by-play announcer, and booker...
and Don Curtis were the special referees for the match, which saw Graham defeat Race via submission in the first fall, before losing the second fall via countout with less than 15 minutes remaining in the time limit. When the time limit expired with the match tied at a fall each, it was declared a draw.
- Gorilla Monsoon