New FACT City: A Metropolis of Useless Wrestling Facts, Stats and Trivia

Brian Damage

Welcome to another entry of useless facts pertaining to professional wrestling. We are once again filled to capacity with little nuggets of knowledge. As always, some of these facts you may be well aware of and others maybe had no clue. Whatever the case, please enjoy these facts and stats. They are all just meant for fun.

Kevin Owens did not start speaking English until he was 11 years old. He learned the language in part to listening to Jim Ross’ commentary on Monday Night Raw and mimicking what he heard.

With her victory in the Elimination Chamber, Asuka has become the first woman to win the Chamber, a Royal Rumble, and a Money in the Bank ladder match joining men that accomplished the feat including Brock Lesnar, John Cena, Randy Orton and Edge.

After Harley Race left the WWF in 1989, he briefly appeared in Stampede Wrestling under the “King” gimmick.

Yuji Nagata became the oldest wrestler to ever hold All Japan’s Triple Crown championship winning it at 54 years of age.

Professional wrestler Karol Krauser was used as the model for the Superman cartoon shorts in 1939.

Len Denton aka ‘The Grappler’ was the first wrestler to take Jake Roberts signature move…the DDT.

Andre the Giant’s masked Giant Machine gimmick was first introduced in Japan in 1985. He was managed by KY Wakamatsu.

WWE wrestler ‘Madcap’ Moss is the older brother of former Philadelphia Eagles Linebackers coach and current Arizona Cardinals Defensive Coordinator Nick Rallis

In the 1960’s, WWWF Heavyweight Champion Bruno Sammartino was the highest paid man in sports tied with New York Yankee superstar Mickey Mantle.

Bret ‘the Hitman’ Hart’s two sons Blade and Dallas started their own wrestling promotion called ‘Dungeon Wrestling’ based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Current AEW World champion MJF has wrestled more matches than Brock Lesnar has his entire career. Currently, MJF has wrestled 485 matches beginning his career in 2015. Brock Lesnar has wrestled 430 matches and began his career in 2000.

The Powerbomb maneuver was created accidentally during a match in the 1950’s between Lou Thesz and Antonino Rocca. Thesz attempted a piledriver on Rocca and slipped slamming Rocca back first on the mat. The crowd in New York City cheered for the unusual move and the rest is history.

Roman Reigns current WWE Undisputed Universal title run is longer than all eight of The Rock’s WWE title runs combined.

Nick Bockwinkel was a second generation wrestler with his father Warren a pro wrestler as well. Nick also had a brother Bob who was involved in wrestling as a referee. Bob Bockwinkel used the name ‘Bob Warren.’

Cody Rhodes was the first wrestler to pin Roman Reigns to win a WWE championship. Rhodes did it by teaming with his brother Goldust to win the WWE world tag team titles on October 14, 2013.

Before he wrestled for WWE, Snitsky competed on the indie circuit and overseas as ‘The Patriot.’

On May 25, 1979 in Dothan, Alabama…Terry ‘Hulk’ Boulder pinned Harley Race to win the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship. The title victory would be voided after the referee declared that Terry Boulder threw Race over the top rope during the match.

Larry Zbyszko turned down a starring role in director Wes Craven’s debut feature film ‘The Hills Have Eyes’ in 1977.

The main event of New Japan Pro Wrestling’s first ever show was Karl Gotch defeating Antonio Inoki at Ota Ward Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan on March 6, 1972.

Charles Wright was given face paint for his Papa Shango gimmick due to the fact that Vince McMahon felt he had a babyface look to him. The face paint was used to cover up his real life looks.

Ray ‘Thunder’ Stern was a pro wrestler from the 1950’s and 60’s, who became a businessman, real estate developer and entrepreneur. Stern is credited with opening up the first coed fitness center in the United States in 1957.

Bianca Belair is the longest reigning black champion (male or female) in all of WWE history.

Stone Cold Steve Austin’s final match on Raw was against Eric Bischoff on March 17, 2003

In 1991, when Ric Flair joined the WWF as “The Real World’s Champion,” he brought with him the Big Gold Belt from WCW. When Ted Turner filed a lawsuit against the WWF for using his title on WWF television, Vince McMahon made Flair use a modified version of the WWF tag team title and had it pixelated. It was only temporary until McMahon could have a championship belt made similar to look like the Big Gold belt. Vince’s title was referred to as ‘The Vegas Big Gold” and unfortunately never made it on WWF TV because that belt according to Turner lawyers, was too similar to the WCW title.