Don Muraco
Don Muraco, AKA The Magnificent Muraco, later known as "The Rock", was a Hawaiian professional wrestler in the 70's, 80's, and 90's.
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Career
Born on September 10, 1949, Muraco wrestled in the old AWA, and several National Wrestling Alliance territories. His greatest success was in the early 80's in the WWE where he held the Intercontinental Championship twice for a combined period of almost 18 months. The hugely muscular and genuinely intimidating Don Muraco had bloody fueds with Pedro Morales, Bob Backlund, Rocky Johnson, Jimmy Snuka and Tito Santana. During his tenure in the WWE, Muraco had several colorful managers (The Grand Wizard, Captain Lou Albano, and Mr. Fuji). Fuji and Muraco famously debuted Fuji Vice, a soap opera starring them (and parodying Miami Vice) on Tuesday Night Titans in 1985. It is rumored that Muraco was fired from the then-WWF in late 1988 after supposedly "disrespecting" booker Nick Bockwinkel.
In the early 90's Muraco was the first to hold the ECW Championship, before it became Extreme Championship Wrestling.
Although Muraco wrestled mostly as a heel, his intensity, charisma and cockiness won him many fans, especially in New York and Philadelphia. Along with Jake The Snake Roberts, Roddy Piper, and Randy Savage, Muraco was a precursor to the 90's attitude era when lines were blurred between heels and babyface. He was the first wrestler to be known as "the Rock", originally simply as a play on his name, and his finishing maneuvre, which The Undertaker would later call the "tombstone", was the infamous reverse piledriver.
After retiring from the ring, Muraco returned to Hawaii. In 2003 he founded Hawai'i Championship Wrestling, and acted as the onscreen commissioner and Director of Operations.
Profile
- Height: 6'3"
- Weight: 286lbs
- Birthday: September 10, 1949
- Hometown: Sunset Beach, Hawaii
- Trained By: Ray Stevens, Ivan Koloff
- Professional Debut: 1970
- Previous Identities: Aka Oni, Magnificent Muraco, The Rock
- Previous Manager(s): Mr. Fuji, "Superstar" Billy Graham
- Finishing/Signature Move(s): Reverse Piledriver, Asian Spike
Championships/Accomplishments
- 2-Time WWF Intercontinental Champion
- Member of WWE Hall of Fame (inducted 2004)
- 1-Time NWA United States Heavyweight Champion (San Francisco version)
- 1-Time NWA World Tag Team Champion (San Francisco version) (with The Invader)
- 1-Time NWA America's Heavyweight Champion
Eastern Championship Wrestling
Florida Championship Wrestling
- 1-Time Florida Heavyweight Champion
- 1-Time Florida Television Champion
- 1-Time Florida United States Tag Team Champion (with Jos LeDuc)
Other Titles
- 1-Time New Zealand British Commonwealth Champion
- 1-Time Hawaiian Tag Team Champion (with Rick Martel)
- 1-Time Polynesian Pacific Wrestling Heavyweight Champion
- 1-Time ACCW Heavyweight Champion
- 1-Time Stampede Wrestling North American Heavyweight Champion
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) ranked him # 50 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the "PWI Years" in 2003.
External Link
| ECW World Heavyweight Champions (inactive title) | |
|---|---|
| Snuka | Hotbody | Snuka | Muraco | Sandman | Muraco | Santana | Douglas | Sabu | Funk | Douglas | Sandman | Whipwreck | Sandman | Raven | Sandman | Raven | Funk | Sabu | Douglas | Bigelow | Douglas | Taz | Awesome | Tanaka | Awesome | Taz | Dreamer | Credible | Lynn | Corino | Sandman | Rhino | |