[1992-09-26-WCW-Saturday Night] Interview: Bruno Sammartino

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

[Loss]

Bruno talks about how wrestling has taken such a hit in the last few years, but WCW seems to be bringing wrestling back to what it was at one point, and he's excited again. He talks about coming to the U.S. during World War II, which is fascinating, and talks about how the victory over Rogers in '63 was the highlight of his career. They announce that Bruno and Tony will be co-hosting Halloween Havoc.

[Tim Evans]

I like how Bruno talks about how he wants wrestling back to like it used to be but they show a clip of him with Missy Hyatt. I don't remember anyone in the WWWF looking like Missy?

[shoe]

Bruno still shows a ton of charisma that just sparks.

[PeteF3]

Bruno's gravitas is so evident every time you see him. He was surprisingly good calling Dustin/Jake, too.

[WingedEagle]

Bruno talks about disappointment with what's happened in WWF and how he's pleased about the change in direction at WCW.

[PhilTLL]

Also on this episode, Watts rescinds the top rope rule based on fan acclamation, but prohibits using your knee or elbow to drive into the head, neck, or throat. He's packing a half dozen video examples to illustrate. Actually pretty neat given the examples, which include two Liger dives (legal, for the record). The illegal knee is illustrated by Eaton and Rude killing Rick Steiner and Kensuke Sasaki. Also, in a fascinating tidbit, the ever-dangerous "riding-from-the-top knee to the neck" is explicitly legal.

[garretta]

Not much more than a shorter version of your typical Bruno interview, but it's nice to see him back in a wrestling environment. Unfortunately, it wouldn't last long.

 

I've said this before, but people who laugh at Bruno being around gimmicks and people like Missy just don't get it. He's said that even when he was WWWF champion, there were things he didn't like about the direction of the business, but as long as they didn't affect him directly, he let them slide. Standing next to Missy Hyatt for a two-minute interview in which Missy says nothing like he did at the Clash doesn't make him a hypocrite. Agreeing to do Main Event with Missy as a co-host would have been a different story.

 

I find it interesting that although he talks about beating Buddy Rogers, he doesn't mention Madison Square Garden. I guess he figured that doing so would amount to a plug for Vince and the WWF, since everyone watching knew that MSG was still the WWF's number one building.

[dawho5]

Bruno definitely has an axe to grind with the WWF.  It's also the same axe I would grind with them, but maybe dial it back a bit and talk about more of what you like about WCW.  Bruno putting over Simmons makes a ton of sense.