Home

WWE

Paul Heyman Shares an Incredible Insight About the Bruno Sammartino Era That Paved the Way for The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin: “They Were Riding the Wave”

Published 05/12/2023, 10:00 AM EDT

Follow Us

Bruno Sammartino was one of a kind. He was the longest World Heavyweight Champion of all time. His reign lasted for around 2,803 days (7+ years). In the world of wrestling, he was larger than life and someone whose legacy endures to this day Sadly, in 2018, he passed away at the age of 82. He may have left the world, but his memory lives inside everyone’s mind. Even Paul Heyman, to this date, acknowledges him and his magnanimous character.

He shared a few comments about him and his impact on the pro wrestling world during his latest podcast interview.

Paul Heyman explains the impact of Bruno Sammartino on WWE

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

The Special Counselman for ‘The Tribal Chief’, Roman Reigns appeared on The Moment with Brian Koppelman. During the interview, he mentioned how ‘The Italian Strongman’ revolutionized the wrestling business before Steve Austin and The Rock stepped foot inside WWE. It was his star power that drew the fans’ attention to WWE.

Trending

Get instantly notified of the hottest WWE stories via Google! Click on Follow Us and Tap the Blue Star.

Follow Us

He said, “Steve Austin, The Rock, DX, and that whole Attitude Era crew were enormous pop culture provocateurs. And they were riding the wave of what had started with the – we are acknowledging the fact that this is scripted, that the outcomes are predetermined. That this is a morality play with Hulk Hogan.”

“This Is So Awesome”: Fans Left Impressed After Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson Shows off Result of His Donation to University of Miami

In yesteryears, people were not much interested in wrestling as a sport, as the kayfabe aspect of it made it look fake. ‘The Italian Strongman’ stepped inside the square circle and gave life to his matches. He was the primary attraction of the business. People all across the country would come to see him successfully defend his title in front of a jam-packed crowd.

“Because in the Sammartino era, if you went to people inside Madison Square Garden, they’d say, ‘Yes, I understand that all the winners and losers are picked, but not Bruno’s match. That’s right. That’s where the title and you know, the champion makes the most money. And Bruno’s fights are for real,” Heyman added.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

Watch this story – 50 Years of The Rock: Dwayne Johnson’s Greatest Achievements in WWE

It wouldn’t be wrong to say if it weren’t for Sammartino WWE wouldn’t have been where it is now. Everyone in the pro wrestling business acknowledges the impact of Sammartino and how he shaped the industry. His contributions to the sport will stand the test of time. Given how much success WWE has had in the last few decades, some people may miss out on the contribution Bruno Sammartino made to make it all grand success.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

Even Bodybuilding Legend Arnold Schwarzenegger is a big fan of the late icon. In 2015, at the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony, he confessed how much importance the late megastar had in his life.

What is your take on Paul Heyman’s statement? Share your opinion in the comment box below.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE :

Written by:

Monika Thapa

1,066Articles

One take at a time

Monika Thapa is a WWE writer at EssentiallySports, who brings a unique blend of fluency in language and passion for the sport to her writing. Having been a fan of WWE since her childhood, Monika writes thought-provoking articles that offer readers deeper insights into the lives of their favorite superstars. She believes that WWE superstars present valuable life lessons that readers can learn from, as seen in her recent piece on Ronda Rousey's workout video.
Show More>

Edited by:

Sherjeel Malik