Don Muraco
Encyclopedia
Donald Muraco better known by his ring name "The Rock" Don Muraco, is a retired American
professional wrestler
. Wrestling from the 1970s to the 1990s, Muraco is a former two time WWF Intercontinental Champion
, a former two time ECW Heavyweight Champion, one Stampede North American Heavyweight Championship
, and was the 1985 King of the Ring
, the first-ever in WWE history.
and spent the first year of his career learning the ropes in Vancouver
, Portland
, Florida
and Los Angeles
before he got his first break, accepting an offer from Verne Gagne
to work in the American Wrestling Association
(AWA). A fan favorite
at this early stage of his career, Muraco formed a tag team
with Jimmy Snuka
and squared off many times with the likes of Larry Hennig
, Ivan Koloff and Dusty Rhodes
. In 1973 Muraco left the AWA for the San Francisco territory, having become tired of life in Minneapolis.
In 1974 Muraco moved to Championship Wrestling from Florida (CWF), where he continued to build a name for himself. He was frequently compared to the NWA World Champion Jack Brisco
, due to the strong physical resemblance between both men. In a match between the two on May 28, 1974, Muraco famously reversed Brisco's deadly figure four leglock. Though Muraco lost the match by disqualification, the feat nevertheless made him a star. After brief stops in Texas
and Georgia
, Muraco returned to California in 1975 where he would claim his first gold, holding the NWA Americas Heavyweight Championship
and then co-holding the San Francisco version of the NWA World Tag Team Championship
. It was during this stint in San Francisco working for promoter Roy Shire that Muraco learned to work as a villain
.
From 1977 through 1981, Muraco shuttled several more times between Florida, San Francisco, and his native Hawaii. He was involved in two well-known angles, both in Florida, during this era. In 1979 a masked villain known as "The Magnificent M" first appeared in the territory. Though it came as little surprise when he was eventually unmasked as Muraco, his totally bald head completely shocked the audience. Then in 1980 he had a famous feud
with Barry Windham
, with the bigger and more experienced Muraco unforgettably piledriving
the rookie on the concrete floor. Windham would eventually get his revenge, however, and in the process become a credible wrestler and legitimate star in the eyes of the fans. This feud is now remembered as among the promotion's greatest.
(WWF), where he would have his greatest success. Managed by The Grand Wizard
, Muraco captured the Intercontinental Championship
on June 20, 1981 from Pedro Morales
, though he lost it back to Morales five months later on November 23 in a Texas Death match, capping a bloody feud. During this year, Muraco battled WWF World Champion Bob Backlund
to several 60-minute draws, including two in one day and in two different cities. Muraco spent part of 1982 in Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling
, where he partnered with Roddy Piper
for a time, before returning to the WWF that fall.
Now managed by Captain Lou Albano
, Muraco recaptured the Intercontinental belt from Pedro Morales on January 22, 1983. That year Muraco had a feud against Albano's former protégé "Superfly" Jimmy Snuka. The feud culminated on October 17, 1983 in a steel cage match at Madison Square Garden
. The match ended in a loss for the Superfly, but he managed to drag Muraco back into the ring and connect with the most famous Superfly Splash of his career, off the top of the 15-foot high steel cage.
Over the span of his two Intercontinental reigns, Muraco also had bloody feuds with Bob Backlund
, Tony Atlas
and Rocky Johnson
. Muraco's character was based on being an arrogant villain who angrily demanded respect while engaging in low-class behaviour himself; in one match, he brought a submarine sandwich
to the ring and ate it during the match as a show of disrespect to his opponent. Later, he would preface his matches by dedicating his impending piledriver (his finisher at the time) to either the heel commentator or the person with whom he was feuding with at that time. Wrestling fans, for their part, regularly mocked Muraco and his Hawaiian origins with derisive chants of "beach bum".
On February 11, 1984, Muraco's second Intercontinental reign came to an end when he was defeated by Tito Santana
. After unsuccessfully challenging Santana in a series of rematches, Muraco faded from the WWF spotlight before coming back in 1985 with yet another colorful manager, Mr. Fuji
. In the aftermath of the first WrestleMania
, Muraco co-headlined three consecutive cards at Madison Square Garden
against World Champion Hulk Hogan
, climaxing in a bloody steel cage match on June 21 in which Hogan was victorious. On July 8, Muraco won the promotion's first King of the Ring
tournament, and spent much of the remainder of the year feuding with Ricky Steamboat
. Also that year, Fuji and Muraco debuted Fuji Vice, a soap opera
starring them (and parodying Miami Vice
) on Tuesday Night Titans
(Fuji General, a parody of the ABC
soap General Hospital
, followed soon after).
In 1986, Muraco became aligned with "Adorable" Adrian Adonis
and "Cowboy" Bob Orton
in their feud with Roddy Piper. This led Orton and Muraco to become a regular tag team, until a falling out between the two brought about Muraco's turning face in July 1987 and feuding with Orton. In a TV taping aired that November, Muraco would come to the rescue of "Superstar" Billy Graham, who would soon become his new manager. Muraco would adopt his new mentor's tie-dye
attire and change his name from Magnificent Muraco to "The Rock" Don Muraco. Muraco would replace Graham on the team led by his former rival Hulk Hogan
at the 1987 Survivor Series
and would reach the quarterfinals of the WWF World Title tournament at WrestleMania IV
. Muraco later said that he did not enjoy his WWF face run, believing he was more effective as a heel. His final months with the company were decidedly lackluster, feuding with Greg Valentine
and losing to Dino Bravo
at the inaugural SummerSlam
.
Muraco was fired in late 1988. After that, he split his time between Stampede Wrestling
(where he defeated Makhan Singh
to win the North American Heavyweight title), the AWA, and Herb Abrams' UWF, where he feuded with Cactus Jack
.
Muraco often wrestled as a villain in New York
and Philadelphia during his career. Along with Ric Flair
, Jake Roberts
, Roddy Piper
, and Randy Savage
, Muraco was a precursor to the 1990s Attitude Era, when lines were blurred between villains and fan favorite. He was the first wrestler to be known as "The Rock", simply as a play on his last name. His finishing maneuver, a reverse piledriver, is now commonly called the Tombstone Piledriver due to its familiar use as the finisher of The Undertaker.
which ran from 2003-2008 along with local Hawaii TV producer Linda Bade. He served as on screen commissioner of Hawaii Championship Wrestling until 2006. He also worked as a longshoreman
. In 2004, he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame
by Mick Foley
, who, like others such as Tommy Dreamer
, Bubba Ray Dudley, and D-Von Dudley, credits the 1983 Intercontinental Championship
steel cage match between Muraco and Snuka he attended at Madison Square Garden
as his inspiration for breaking into professional wrestling. He also appeared in WXW
managing his son Joe.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional wrestler
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
. Wrestling from the 1970s to the 1990s, Muraco is a former two time WWF Intercontinental Champion
WWE Intercontinental Championship
The WWE Intercontinental Championship is a professional wrestling championship in WWE. It is the original secondary title of the promotion. Currently, it is the secondary championship exclusive to the SmackDown brand...
, a former two time ECW Heavyweight Champion, one Stampede North American Heavyweight Championship
Stampede North American Heavyweight Championship
The Stampede North American Heavyweight Championship is the major title in the Canadian professional wrestling promotion Stampede Wrestling. From its establishment in 1968 until 1972, it was Stampede's secondary singles championship, becoming the top title in 1972 after the previous top...
, and was the 1985 King of the Ring
King of the Ring
King of the Ring is a professional wrestling single-elimination tournament held by WWE. The tournament was held annually from 1985 to 2002, with the exception of 1990 and 1992, and from 1993 to 2002 the tournament was produced as a pay-per-view event....
, the first-ever in WWE history.
Wrestling in the U.S. and Canada (1970-1981)
A former state champion in amateur wrestling in Hawaii in 1967, Muraco chose professional wrestling over footballAmerican football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
and spent the first year of his career learning the ropes in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
and Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
before he got his first break, accepting an offer from Verne Gagne
Verne Gagne
Laverne Clarence "Verne" Gagne , is a retired American professional wrestler, football player, and professional wrestling trainer and promoter. He was the former owner/promoter of the American Wrestling Association , based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, which was the predominant promotion throughout...
to work in the American Wrestling Association
American Wrestling Association
The American Wrestling Association was an American professional wrestling promotion based in Minneapolis, Minnesota that ran from 1960 to 1991. It was owned and founded by Verne Gagne and Wally Karbo...
(AWA). A fan favorite
Face (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a babyface or face or in simple words, a fan favorite is a character who is portrayed as a heroic relative to the heel wrestlers, who are analogous to villains...
at this early stage of his career, Muraco formed a tag team
Tag team
Tag team professional wrestling is a variation in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. A tag team may comprise two wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of established teams who wrestle regularly as a unit and have a team name...
with Jimmy Snuka
Jimmy Snuka
James William "Jimmy" Reiher is a semi-retired Fijian professional wrestler and actor, better known by his ring name Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka. Originally from the Fiji Islands, Snuka wrestled for several promotions in the 1970s and 1980s. Snuka is a two-time world heavyweight champion, having been a...
and squared off many times with the likes of Larry Hennig
Larry Hennig
Larry "The Axe" Hennig is an American retired professional wrestler. He is the father of the late "Mr. Perfect" Curt Hennig, the grandfather of Joe Hennig, and is best known for his work in the American Wrestling Association, National Wrestling Alliance and World Wide Wrestling Federation...
, Ivan Koloff and Dusty Rhodes
Dusty 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...
. In 1973 Muraco left the AWA for the San Francisco territory, having become tired of life in Minneapolis.
In 1974 Muraco moved to Championship Wrestling from Florida (CWF), where he continued to build a name for himself. He was frequently compared to the NWA World Champion Jack Brisco
Jack Brisco
Freddie 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...
, due to the strong physical resemblance between both men. In a match between the two on May 28, 1974, Muraco famously reversed Brisco's deadly figure four leglock. Though Muraco lost the match by disqualification, the feat nevertheless made him a star. After brief stops in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
and Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, Muraco returned to California in 1975 where he would claim his first gold, holding the NWA Americas Heavyweight Championship
NWA Americas Heavyweight Championship
The NWA Americas Heavyweight Championship was the top singles championship in the National Wrestling Alliance's Los Angeles territory, known officially as NWA Hollywood Wrestling, from 1968 until the promotion closed in 1982. The title was first established in 1967 as a secondary championship in...
and then co-holding the San Francisco version of the NWA World Tag Team Championship
NWA World Tag Team Championship (San Francisco version)
The San Francisco, California version of the NWA World Tag Team Championship existed from 1950 until 1961, and then from 1968 until 1979.-Title history:...
. It was during this stint in San Francisco working for promoter Roy Shire that Muraco learned to work as a villain
Heel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
.
From 1977 through 1981, Muraco shuttled several more times between Florida, San Francisco, and his native Hawaii. He was involved in two well-known angles, both in Florida, during this era. In 1979 a masked villain known as "The Magnificent M" first appeared in the territory. Though it came as little surprise when he was eventually unmasked as Muraco, his totally bald head completely shocked the audience. Then in 1980 he had a famous feud
Feud (professional wrestling)
A professional wrestling feud is a staged rivalry between multiple wrestlers or alliances of wrestlers. They are integrated into ongoing storylines, particularly in events which are televised...
with Barry Windham
Barry Windham
Barry Clinton Windham is an American semi-retired professional wrestler and the son of wrestler Blackjack Mulligan. He is best known for his appearances with the National Wrestling Alliance and World Championship Wrestling ....
, with the bigger and more experienced Muraco unforgettably piledriving
Piledriver (professional wrestling)
A piledriver is a professional wrestling driver move in which the wrestler grabs his opponent, turns him upside-down, and drops into a sitting or kneeling position, driving the opponent head-first into the mat. The most common piledrivers are the basic belly-to-back, or Texas piledriver, and the...
the rookie on the concrete floor. Windham would eventually get his revenge, however, and in the process become a credible wrestler and legitimate star in the eyes of the fans. This feud is now remembered as among the promotion's greatest.
World Wrestling Federation (1981-1988)
In 1981, Muraco first appeared in the World Wrestling FederationWorld Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
(WWF), where he would have his greatest success. Managed by The Grand Wizard
Ernie Roth
Ernie Roth , best known as The Grand Wizard of Wrestling, also well known as Abdullah Farouk, was a professional wrestling manager of many infamous heels...
, Muraco captured the Intercontinental Championship
WWE Intercontinental Championship
The WWE Intercontinental Championship is a professional wrestling championship in WWE. It is the original secondary title of the promotion. Currently, it is the secondary championship exclusive to the SmackDown brand...
on June 20, 1981 from Pedro Morales
Pedro Morales
Pedro 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...
, though he lost it back to Morales five months later on November 23 in a Texas Death match, capping a bloody feud. During this year, Muraco battled WWF World Champion Bob Backlund
Bob Backlund
Robert Lee "Bob" Backlund is an American professional wrestler with an in ring career that spanned over 30 years. Over that time, he went on to become a two-time WWWF/WWF Champion...
to several 60-minute draws, including two in one day and in two different cities. Muraco spent part of 1982 in Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling
Jim Crockett Promotions
Jim Crockett Promotions was a professional wrestling promotion owned by Jim Crockett, Jr. until the late 1980s. It was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance and was the forerunner to World Championship Wrestling .-Early history:...
, where he partnered with Roddy Piper
Roddy Piper
Roderick George Toombs , better known by his ring name "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, is a Canadian semi-retired professional wrestler and film actor who is currently signed to WWE. In professional wrestling, he is best known for his work with WWE...
for a time, before returning to the WWF that fall.
Now managed by Captain Lou Albano
Lou Albano
Louis Vincent "Captain Lou" Albano was an Italian-American professional wrestler, manager and actor. He was active as a professional wrestler from 1953 until 1969, then he became a manager, until 1995....
, Muraco recaptured the Intercontinental belt from Pedro Morales on January 22, 1983. That year Muraco had a feud against Albano's former protégé "Superfly" Jimmy Snuka. The feud culminated on October 17, 1983 in a steel cage match at Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
. The match ended in a loss for the Superfly, but he managed to drag Muraco back into the ring and connect with the most famous Superfly Splash of his career, off the top of the 15-foot high steel cage.
Over the span of his two Intercontinental reigns, Muraco also had bloody feuds with Bob Backlund
Bob Backlund
Robert Lee "Bob" Backlund is an American professional wrestler with an in ring career that spanned over 30 years. Over that time, he went on to become a two-time WWWF/WWF Champion...
, Tony Atlas
Tony Atlas
Anthony White better known by his ring name "Tony Atlas" is an American bodybuilder, powerlifter, and professional wrestler who has held multiple titles and championships in each sport. He is also known by his bodybuilding title, "Mr...
and Rocky Johnson
Rocky Johnson
Rocky 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...
. Muraco's character was based on being an arrogant villain who angrily demanded respect while engaging in low-class behaviour himself; in one match, he brought a submarine sandwich
Submarine sandwich
A submarine sandwich, also known as a sub among other names, is a sandwich that consists of a long roll of Italian or French bread, split lengthwise either into two pieces or opened in a "V" on one side, and filled with various varieties of meat, cheese, vegetables, seasonings, and sauces. The...
to the ring and ate it during the match as a show of disrespect to his opponent. Later, he would preface his matches by dedicating his impending piledriver (his finisher at the time) to either the heel commentator or the person with whom he was feuding with at that time. Wrestling fans, for their part, regularly mocked Muraco and his Hawaiian origins with derisive chants of "beach bum".
On February 11, 1984, Muraco's second Intercontinental reign came to an end when he was defeated by Tito Santana
Tito Santana
Merced Solis better known by his ring name Tito Santana, is an American professional wrestler whose heyday spanned from the late 1970s to the early 1990s, though he continues to appear on the independent circuit. He is best known from his time in the World Wrestling Federation...
. After unsuccessfully challenging Santana in a series of rematches, Muraco faded from the WWF spotlight before coming back in 1985 with yet another colorful manager, Mr. Fuji
Harry Fujiwara
Harry Fujiwara is an American former professional wrestler and manager, best known by his ring name Mr. Fuji. He was infamous for often throwing salt in the eyes of face wrestlers...
. In the aftermath of the first WrestleMania
WrestleMania (1985)
WrestleMania was the first annual WrestleMania professional wrestling event produced by the World Wrestling Federation. It took place on March 31, 1985, at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The attendance for the event was 19,121 fans...
, Muraco co-headlined three consecutive cards at Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
against World Champion Hulk Hogan
Hulk Hogan
Terrance Gene "Terry" Bollea , better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American Semi-retired professional wrestler, actor, television personality, and musician currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
, climaxing in a bloody steel cage match on June 21 in which Hogan was victorious. On July 8, Muraco won the promotion's first King of the Ring
King of the Ring
King of the Ring is a professional wrestling single-elimination tournament held by WWE. The tournament was held annually from 1985 to 2002, with the exception of 1990 and 1992, and from 1993 to 2002 the tournament was produced as a pay-per-view event....
tournament, and spent much of the remainder of the year feuding with Ricky Steamboat
Ricky Steamboat
Richard Henry Blood , better known by his ring name Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat, is a retired American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE working as a road agent. He was one of the few wrestlers who stayed a babyface throughout his career...
. Also that year, Fuji and Muraco debuted Fuji Vice, a soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
starring them (and parodying Miami Vice
Miami Vice
Miami Vice is an American television series produced by Michael Mann for NBC. The series starred Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas as two Metro-Dade Police Department detectives working undercover in Miami. It ran for five seasons on NBC from 1984–1989...
) on Tuesday Night Titans
Tuesday Night Titans
Tuesday Night Titans is a professional wrestling television program produced by the World Wrestling Federation...
(Fuji General, a parody of the ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
soap General Hospital
General Hospital
General Hospital is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running American soap opera currently in production and the third longest running drama in television in American history after Guiding Light and As the World Turns....
, followed soon after).
In 1986, Muraco became aligned with "Adorable" Adrian Adonis
Adrian Adonis
Keith 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...
and "Cowboy" Bob Orton
Bob Orton, Jr.
Robert Keith Orton is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, "Cowboy" Bob Orton. He is the father of wrestler Randy Orton, who is signed to World Wrestling Entertainment...
in their feud with Roddy Piper. This led Orton and Muraco to become a regular tag team, until a falling out between the two brought about Muraco's turning face in July 1987 and feuding with Orton. In a TV taping aired that November, Muraco would come to the rescue of "Superstar" Billy Graham, who would soon become his new manager. Muraco would adopt his new mentor's tie-dye
Tie-dye
Tie-dye is a process of resist dyeing textiles or clothing which is made from knit or woven fabric, usually cotton; typically using bright colors. It is a modern version of traditional dyeing methods used in many cultures throughout the world. "Tie-dye" can also describe the resulting pattern or an...
attire and change his name from Magnificent Muraco to "The Rock" Don Muraco. Muraco would replace Graham on the team led by his former rival Hulk Hogan
Hulk Hogan
Terrance Gene "Terry" Bollea , better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American Semi-retired professional wrestler, actor, television personality, and musician currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
at the 1987 Survivor Series
Survivor Series (1987)
Survivor Series was the first Survivor Series pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on Thanksgiving Day, November 26, 1987 and was held at the Richfield Coliseum in Richfield, Ohio....
and would reach the quarterfinals of the WWF World Title tournament at WrestleMania IV
WrestleMania IV
WrestleMania IV was the fourth annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on March 27, 1988 at the Trump Plaza in Atlantic City, New Jersey....
. Muraco later said that he did not enjoy his WWF face run, believing he was more effective as a heel. His final months with the company were decidedly lackluster, feuding with Greg Valentine
Greg Valentine
John Wisniski, Jr. is an American professional wrestler, better known as Greg "The Hammer" Valentine. He is the son of wrestler Johnny Valentine.-Training:...
and losing to Dino Bravo
Dino Bravo
Adolfo Bresciano was an Italian-born Canadian professional wrestler, best known for his work as Dino Bravo, self-proclaimed as "Canada's Strongest Man".-Territories:...
at the inaugural SummerSlam
SummerSlam (1988)
SummerSlam was the first annual SummerSlam professional wrestling pay-per-view event. It was produced by the World Wrestling Federation and took place on August 29, 1988 in Madison Square Garden, located in New York, New York. The pay-per-view was created to help the company compete against rival...
.
Muraco was fired in late 1988. After that, he split his time between Stampede Wrestling
Stampede Wrestling
Stampede Wrestling is a Canadian professional wrestling promotion based in Calgary, Alberta and was for nearly 50 years one of the main promotions in western Canada and the Canadian Prairies...
(where he defeated Makhan Singh
Mike Shaw
Mike Shaw was a professional wrestler who was best known for his stint in World Championship Wrestling as Norman The Lunatic, and as Bastion Booger in the World Wrestling Federation...
to win the North American Heavyweight title), the AWA, and Herb Abrams' UWF, where he feuded with Cactus Jack
Mick Foley
Michael Francis "Mick" Foley, Sr. is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, author, comedian, actor, voice actor and former color commentator. He has worked for many wrestling promotions, including WWE, WCW, ECW and TNA. He is often referred to as "The Hardcore Legend", a nickname he...
.
Eastern Championship Wrestling (1992-1993)
In the early 1990s, Muraco was one of the first to hold the ECW Championship, before it became Extreme Championship Wrestling. During his time there, Muraco rekindled some old wars with Jimmy Snuka and Tito Santana.Muraco often wrestled as a villain in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and Philadelphia during his career. Along with Ric Flair
Ric Flair
Richard Morgan Fliehr is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Ric Flair. Also known as "The Nature Boy", Flair is one of the most well-known professional wrestlers in the world....
, Jake Roberts
Jake Roberts
Aurelian Jake Smith, Jr. is a second-generation American professional wrestler, the son of former wrestler Aurelian "Grizzly" Smith...
, Roddy Piper
Roddy Piper
Roderick George Toombs , better known by his ring name "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, is a Canadian semi-retired professional wrestler and film actor who is currently signed to WWE. In professional wrestling, he is best known for his work with WWE...
, and Randy Savage
Randy Savage
Randall Mario Poffo , better known by his ring name "Macho Man" Randy Savage, was an American professional wrestler, best known for his time with the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling .Savage held twenty championships during his professional wrestling career and was a...
, Muraco was a precursor to the 1990s Attitude Era, when lines were blurred between villains and fan favorite. He was the first wrestler to be known as "The Rock", simply as a play on his last name. His finishing maneuver, a reverse piledriver, is now commonly called the Tombstone Piledriver due to its familiar use as the finisher of The Undertaker.
Retirement
After retiring from the ring, Muraco returned to Hawaii. In 2003 he was named co-founder of Hawai'i Championship WrestlingHawai'i Championship Wrestling
Hawai'i Championship Wrestling , was an American professional wrestling promotion founded in 2003. It had been associated with both AWA Superstars, and also, the NWA. The company folded in July 2008.-History:...
which ran from 2003-2008 along with local Hawaii TV producer Linda Bade. He served as on screen commissioner of Hawaii Championship Wrestling until 2006. He also worked as a longshoreman
Stevedore
Stevedore, dockworker, docker, dock labourer, wharfie and longshoreman can have various waterfront-related meanings concerning loading and unloading ships, according to place and country....
. In 2004, he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame
WWE Hall of Fame
The WWE Hall of Fame is a hall of fame for professional wrestlers maintained by WWE. It was officially created on the February 1, 1993 episode of the World Wrestling Federation's Monday Night Raw television program...
by Mick Foley
Mick Foley
Michael Francis "Mick" Foley, Sr. is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, author, comedian, actor, voice actor and former color commentator. He has worked for many wrestling promotions, including WWE, WCW, ECW and TNA. He is often referred to as "The Hardcore Legend", a nickname he...
, who, like others such as Tommy Dreamer
Tommy Dreamer
Thomas James "Tom" Laughlin is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Tommy Dreamer. He is currently working for various promotions on the independent circuit. He is best known for his time spent with Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment...
, Bubba Ray Dudley, and D-Von Dudley, credits the 1983 Intercontinental Championship
WWE Intercontinental Championship
The WWE Intercontinental Championship is a professional wrestling championship in WWE. It is the original secondary title of the promotion. Currently, it is the secondary championship exclusive to the SmackDown brand...
steel cage match between Muraco and Snuka he attended at Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
as his inspiration for breaking into professional wrestling. He also appeared in WXW
World Xtreme Wrestling
World Xtreme Wrestling is a Northeastern-based independent professional wrestling promotion which has held events across the United States and have toured in Japan, the Middle East and South Pacific region including American Samoa and Guam....
managing his son Joe.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Muraco Hammer (Kneeling belly to belly piledriver)
- Shoulderbreaker
- Signature moves
- Asiatic Spike (Thumb choke hold)
- DDTDDT (professional wrestling)In professional wrestling a DDT is any move in which the wrestler has the opponent in a front facelock, and falls down or backwards to drive the opponent's head into the mat...
- Diving headbutt to the opponent's abdomen
- Diving splash
- Knee lift
- Military press slam
- Piledriver
- Samoan drop
- Scoop powerslam
- ManagersManager (professional wrestling)In professional wrestling, a manager is a secondary character paired with a wrestler for a variety of reasons. The manager is often either a non-wrestler, an occasional wrestler, an older wrestler who has retired or is nearing retirement or, in some cases, a new wrestler who is breaking into the...
- Sir Oliver HumperdinkOliver HumperdinkJohn Sutton , better known by his ring name Oliver Humperdink, was a professional wrestling manager who worked for Jim Crockett Promotions, Florida Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation.-Career:...
- The Grand WizardErnie RothErnie Roth , best known as The Grand Wizard of Wrestling, also well known as Abdullah Farouk, was a professional wrestling manager of many infamous heels...
- Lou AlbanoLou AlbanoLouis Vincent "Captain Lou" Albano was an Italian-American professional wrestler, manager and actor. He was active as a professional wrestler from 1953 until 1969, then he became a manager, until 1995....
- Mr. FujiHarry FujiwaraHarry Fujiwara is an American former professional wrestler and manager, best known by his ring name Mr. Fuji. He was infamous for often throwing salt in the eyes of face wrestlers...
- "Superstar" Billy Graham
- Entrance themesMusic in professional wrestlingMusic in professional wrestling serves a variety of purposes. The most common uses of music in professional wrestling is that of the entrance theme, a song or piece of instrumental music which plays as a performer approaches the ring...
- During his time as a protégé of "Superstar" Billy Graham, Muraco used an instrumental version of Andrew Lloyd WebberAndrew Lloyd WebberAndrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber is an English composer of musical theatre.Lloyd Webber has achieved great popular success in musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 13 musicals, a song cycle, a set of...
's "SuperstarSuperstar (Jesus Christ Superstar song)"Superstar" is the title song from the 1970 rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice. It was released as a single in 1969, before the album was completed. Sung by Murray Head with the Trinidad Singers, it reached number 78 on first release. Murray Head reached...
".
Championships and accomplishments
- All-California Championship Wrestling
- ACCW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- Championship Wrestling from Florida
- NWA Florida Heavyweight ChampionshipNWA Florida Heavyweight ChampionshipThe NWA Florida Heavyweight Championship was a major title in Championship Wrestling from Florida, USA and is now the major title in NWA Florida. It started in 1937 and was abandoned in 1949. It was picked back up in 1966 by CWF and lasted until 1987 when the company was purchased by Jim Crockett...
(1 time) - NWA Florida Television ChampionshipNWA Florida Television ChampionshipThe NWA Florida Television Championship was a secondary title in Championship Wrestling from Florida. It existed from 1970 until 1987.-Title history:The NWA Florida Television Championship was a secondary title in Championship Wrestling from Florida...
(1 time) - NWA United States Tag Team Championship (Florida version) (1 time) - with Jos LeDuc
- Eastern Championship WrestlingExtreme Championship WrestlingExtreme Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1992 by Tod Gordon and closed when his successor, Paul Heyman, declared bankruptcy in April 2001...
- ECW Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
- Georgia Championship WrestlingGeorgia Championship WrestlingGeorgia Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion whose self-titled TV program aired in the 1970s and 1980s on Atlanta, U.S., superstation WTBS. Though based in Atlanta, the company also ran live wrestling shows throughout its geographic "territory" of Georgia Georgia...
- NWA Macon Tag Team ChampionshipNWA Macon Tag Team ChampionshipThe NWA Macon Tag Team Championship was a tag team professional wrestling championship in Georgia Championship Wrestling, defended exclusively on events held at the Macon City Auditorium and Macon Coliseum in Macon, Georgia. The title lasted from 1969 to 1975....
(1 time) - with Robert FullerRobert FullerRobert Welch is a professional wrestler and manager better known by his ring names Robert Fuller and Col. Robert Parker. Robert and his brother Ron co-owned Continental Championship Wrestling for a time.-Career:...
- NWA Hollywood WrestlingNational Wrestling AllianceThe National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
- NWA Americas Heavyweight ChampionshipNWA Americas Heavyweight ChampionshipThe NWA Americas Heavyweight Championship was the top singles championship in the National Wrestling Alliance's Los Angeles territory, known officially as NWA Hollywood Wrestling, from 1968 until the promotion closed in 1982. The title was first established in 1967 as a secondary championship in...
(1 time)
- NWA Mid-Pacific PromotionsNational Wrestling AllianceThe National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
- NWA Pacific International ChampionshipNWA Hawaii United States ChampionshipThe NWA Pacific International Heavyweight Championship was the primary singles championship of Mid-Pacific Promotions, the NWA territory based in Hawaii. The title was originally the Hawaiian version of the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship that was defended in Hawaii. It existed from 1962...
(1 time)
- NWA New ZealandNational Wrestling AllianceThe National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
- NWA British Empire/Commonwealth Heavyweight ChampionshipNWA British Empire/Commonwealth Championship (New Zealand version)The New Zealand version of the NWA British Empire/Commonwealth Championship was a professional wrestling heavyweight championship defended in the National Wrestling Alliance-affiliated Dominion Wrestling Union from 1929 to 1953 and in All Star Pro Wrestling from 1968 to 1990...
(1 time)
- NWA San FranciscoNational Wrestling AllianceThe National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
- NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (San Francisco version) (1 time)
- NWA World Tag Team Championship (San Francisco version)NWA World Tag Team Championship (San Francisco version)The San Francisco, California version of the NWA World Tag Team Championship existed from 1950 until 1961, and then from 1968 until 1979.-Title history:...
(1 time) - with Invader #1
- Pacific Coast Championship Wrestling
- PCCW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- Stampede WrestlingStampede WrestlingStampede Wrestling is a Canadian professional wrestling promotion based in Calgary, Alberta and was for nearly 50 years one of the main promotions in western Canada and the Canadian Prairies...
- Stampede North American Heavyweight ChampionshipStampede North American Heavyweight ChampionshipThe Stampede North American Heavyweight Championship is the major title in the Canadian professional wrestling promotion Stampede Wrestling. From its establishment in 1968 until 1972, it was Stampede's secondary singles championship, becoming the top title in 1972 after the previous top...
(1 time)
- World Wrestling Federation / World Wrestling EntertainmentWorld Wrestling EntertainmentWorld Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
- WWE Hall of FameWWE Hall of FameThe WWE Hall of Fame is a hall of fame for professional wrestlers maintained by WWE. It was officially created on the February 1, 1993 episode of the World Wrestling Federation's Monday Night Raw television program...
(Class of 2004) - WWF Intercontinental ChampionshipWWE Intercontinental ChampionshipThe WWE Intercontinental Championship is a professional wrestling championship in WWE. It is the original secondary title of the promotion. Currently, it is the secondary championship exclusive to the SmackDown brand...
(2 times) - WWF King of the RingKing of the RingKing of the Ring is a professional wrestling single-elimination tournament held by WWE. The tournament was held annually from 1985 to 2002, with the exception of 1990 and 1992, and from 1993 to 2002 the tournament was produced as a pay-per-view event....
(1985)
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
- Best Heel (1981)