Even in one of WWEIn the heightened eras of the 1980s and early 1990s, the iconic Golden Age, there are countless stars that seem to have been forgotten. A great example of this is Ivan Putski, nicknamed “The Polish Hammer”, the same name as his finishing move. With a bodybuilder’s physique and strongman persona, Putski embodied “Polish Power” and proved to be a popular act in the 1970s and 1980s.
However, Putski’s prominence in professional wrestling began to wane in the 1980s, so fans may not remember him. Let’s take a look at Ivan Putski’s career, covering all the major moments of his time in the ring, including his origins.
10/10 Brought to wrestling by Joe Blanchard
Born in Poland but growing up in Texas, Jozef Bednarski originally started out playing soccer and caught the eye of wrestler-turned-promoter Joe Blanchard, father of Four Horsemen member and multiple-time NWA Champion Tully Blanchard. The older Blanchard encouraged the physically impressive Putski to take up wrestling, promising better paydays than in football, but it was only after a knee injury derailed his career that the future Ivan Putski he accepted Blanchard’s offer, underwent training, and eventually entered the square. circle.
9/10 Started out on the Texas wrestling scene
Debuting in Texas in 1969, Ivan Putski worked in a babyface act initially popularized by a fellow Polish wrestler on the Michigan wrestling scene named Mighty Igor. With an emphasis on their nationalities, the stunt involved both men as friendly immigrants and impressive strongmen. Putski proved popular in the role and captured his share of titles on the Texas scene, including an NWA Texas Tag Team Championship alongside José Lothario, who would later train (and manage) Shawn Michaels.
8/10 Wrestled Billy Graham in AWA and WWE
As the 1970s progressed, Ivan Putski took his act out of Texas and began wrestling for the Minneapolis-based American Wrestling Association. Throughout 1974, Putski feuded with superstar Billy Graham, facing Graham in both singles and tag team matches.
However, these AWA matches would merely be a prelude to their WWE matches, which would have even higher stakes. In 1977, Billy Graham was WWE Champion, and Putski challenged him for the belt countless times throughout the year.
7/10 WWE Tag Team Champion with Tito Santana
It was in 1973 that Ivan Putski captured his only gold in WWE, thanks to the arrival of Tito Santana to the territory. Reportedly, McMahon Sr. saw a lot of potential in the young Santana, but wanted to pair him up with a more experienced wrestler as a team first. Putski was the one who volunteered for the job and together he and Santana defeated Johnny and Jerry Valiant for the World Tag Team Championship, beginning a reign that lasted 173 days.
6/10 He fought with Roddy Piper and Sgt. Sacrifice
When Ivan Putski’s WWE career reached the 1980s, The Polish Hammer had a couple of major feuds with some future legends. A fight was with Sgt. Slaughter in the future days of GI Joe as a heel, with many of his matches involving double disqualifications and double countouts. Putski also had a rivalry with Roddy Piper, sparked by a controversial appearance on piper pit in 1984. The two spent several months facing off at house shows afterwards, though Piper won most of their matches.
5/10 fought a bear
In the era of the territory, fans who attended their local wrestling show could enjoy a special attraction match in which the wrestlers faced real bears, the most famous of which was Terrible Ted, who appeared often. for Stampede Wrestling. Ivan Putski was one of many performers to fight the bear, facing Terrible Ted in a handicap match.
Putski’s encounter with Terrible Ted ended up serving as an opportunity for a prank played by Killer Kowalski. Before Putski approached the bear in the ring, Kowalski put a handful of honey on the Polish Hammer’s rear end, causing the hungry bear to become a little too friendly in the process.
4/10 He became a WWE worker in the ’80s
Once the Wild Samoans dethroned Ivan Putski and Tito Santana for the World Tag Team Title, that was basically the end of Putski’s kayfabe WWE run.
As the 1980s progressed, Putski’s position on WWE cards was basically that of a high-profile jobber, losing out to bigger names such as Bret Hart, Greg Valentine, and Ted DiBiase, though he was able to weed out lesser jobbers. Like Steve Lombardi. and Iron Mike Sharpe. Putski finally left WWE in 1987.
3/10 Scott, Putski’s son, went into the business
However, Ivan Putski was not the end of the Putski name in the wrestling business. Putski’s son, who also started playing football, also became a professional wrestler, training with his father and debuting in Texas in the mid-1980s as Scott Putski. After a few trial appearances for WWE in the early ’90s, the young Putski made his official debut for the promotion in 1997, wrestling in the light heavyweight division. Scott Putski then moved to WCW for a brief stint.
2/10 He associated with his son
Ivan Putski retired for good in 1999, fighting his last match against King Kong Bundy. However, since he and Scott Putski were active artists at the same time, it was natural for father and son to get together. While they teamed up several times on the independent scene, they also wrestled together in WWE. It was in a July 1997 episode of Monday night raw that Ivan and Scott Putski teamed up to defeat Jerry Lawler and his son Brian Christopher.
1/10 trained harlem heat
In 1990, Ivan Putski started his own short-lived promotion in Houston called the Western Wrestling Alliance, which had its own associated school. Among Putski’s trainees are real-life brothers Booker T and Stevie Ray, who first rose to fame in WCW as the Harlem Heat team. Learning the ropes with Ivan Putski, as well as fellow WWE co-worker Scott Casey, both brothers performed at WWA’s first ever show, with Stevie wrestling as Super Collider while Booker T wrestled as GI Bro.