David Sammartino
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| David Sammartino | |
|---|---|
| Statistics | |
| Ring name(s) | Bruno Sammartino, Jr. David Lugogo David Sammartino |
| Billed height | 5 ft 8 in (173 cm) |
| Billed weight | 245 lb (111 kg) |
| Born | September 29, 1960 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
| Trained by | Bruno Sammartino |
| Debut | 1980 |
David Lugogo Sammartino (born September 29, 1960 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for being the son of former World Wide Wrestling Federation Heavyweight Champion Bruno Sammartino.
Contents |
[edit] Career
Sammartino was trained by his father and debuted in 1980. Throughout 1981, Sammartino feuded with Larry Zbyszko (who had engaged in a bitter feud with Bruno Sammartino throughout 1980) on the independent circuit.
Sammartino joined the World Wrestling Federation in September 1984, with his father as his manager. His most notable appearance with the WWF was at the inaugural WrestleMania event in Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York on March 31, 1985. Accompanied by Bruno, Sammartino wrestled Brutus Beefcake in the fourth match of the night. The match ended in a double disqualification after Sammartino was thrown out of the ring by Beefcake and slammed by Beefcake's manager Johnny Valiant, prompting Bruno Sammartino to assault Valiant. Sammartino was later fired from the WWF after he was arrested for punching a fan who spat at him in New York. Bruno Sammartino later speculated that the fan was a plant hired by WWF owner Vince McMahon to provoke Sammartino in order to give the WWF an excuse to terminate his contract.
In one of his final WWF appearances, Sammartino was involved in a confusing and controversial finish at the Philadelphia Spectrum on November 22, 1985, quickly submitting to a bear hug by preliminary wrestler Ron Shaw in a match Sammartino is believed to have been booked to win. The alleged changing of the finish by Sammartino (Shaw and the referee apparently were caught by surprise) has caused this to be known as the "Phantom Submission Match."
In 1986, Sammartino joined the American Wrestling Association. On February 4, 1986 in Salt Lake City, Utah, Sammartino unsuccessfully challenged Stan Hansen for the AWA World Heavyweight Championship.
In 1990, Sammartino began wrestling for Herb Abrams Universal Wrestling Federation in California.
Sammartino re-emerged in the mid-1990s in World Championship Wrestling, competing in the promotion's cruiserweight division. On the December 16, 1996 episode of WCW Monday Night Nitro, Sammartino challenged Dean Malenko for the WCW Cruiserweight Championship, but was defeated.
In 2000, Sammartino defeated Jimmy Cicero to win the New York State Wrestling Federation Heavyweight Championship in New Rochelle, New York.
Sammartino became estranged from his father after confessing that he had taken steroids and smoked marijuana. He is currently semi-retired, and has worked as a personal trainer since 1996.
[edit] Finishing and signature moves
[edit] Championships and accomplishments
- New York State Wrestling Federation
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- NYSWF Heavyweight Champion (1 time)
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- PWI Rookie of the Year (1981)
- PWI ranked him # 480 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the PWI Years in 2003.
[edit] References
- American Wrestling Association results (1986)
- David Sammartino at Bodyslamming.com
- David Sammartino at Cagematch.net
- David Sammartino lets it all out in shoot
- Interview with Bruno Sammartino
- World Wrestling Federation Championship Wrestling results (1984)
[edit] Notes
1. History of WWE, 1985 ring results. Retrieved Sept. 21, 2007.
