Ivan Putski
| Ivan Putski | |
|---|---|
 Putski, c. 1982 | |
| Birth name | Józef Bednarski[1] |
| Born | January 21, 1941[1] Kraków, Poland |
| Children | 2, including Scott Putski |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Ivan Putski[1] Jim Bednarski[2] |
| Billed height | 5 ft 10 in (178 cm)[3] |
| Billed weight | 245 lb (111 kg)[3] |
| Billed from | Kraków, Poland[1] |
| Debut | 1968[2] |
| Retired | 1999[4] |
Józef Bednarski (born January 21, 1941) is a Polish/American former
He was given the nicknames "the Polish Hammer" and "Polish Power".Putski is a former
Early life
Putski was born in Kraków in Poland and immigrated to the United States at a young age.[2][3] He and his family arrived in Texas, where Putski began his professional wrestling career. He stood 5 ft 10 in and weighed around 225 lbs. In his earlier days, he was weighed in at the 250 lb mark.[3]
Professional wrestling
Early career (1968–1974)
Putski won the NWA Texas Tag Team Championship with José Lothario twice in 1973.[1]
Putski was a fixture on the Dallas-Ft. Worth wrestling scene and was one of its most popular personalities. He was routinely the feature act at the Sportatorium, a wrestling-only arena in an industrial section near Downtown Dallas. Putski's act consisted of being a happy-go-lucky, often aloof buffoon, who would "miraculously" pin his opponent. Putski was often introduced as a former concentration camp survivor, only adding to his sympathetic appeal to audiences of all ages.
In mid-1974, Putski worked for the American Wrestling Association.[1] It was during this time in the AWA that Putski also first clashed with Superstar Billy Graham.
Prior to leaving the AWA, Ivan dropped most of his weight by getting into bodybuilding. Ivan kept himself fairly trim at the 215–220 pound mark.
World (Wide) Wrestling Federation (1974–1987)
Putski debuted in the
Other promotions (1981–1986)
He began to slow down his career in the 1980s.
Return to Wrestling (1991–1992)
After his run in the WWF, several promotions, and his semi-retirement, Putski returned to the ring in 1991. Putski made an appearance for International World Class Championship Wrestling teaming with his son, Scott to defeat the Masked Iraqis. Also made an appearance for Global Wrestling Federation in 1992 teaming with Gary Young against Tom and Mike Davis in a no contest.
Return to WWF (1995, 1997)
In 1995, Putski was inducted into the
International Championship Wrestling (1996)
In 1996, he joined International Championship Wrestling, as a face. He won several matches in the company, and he was billed as a tough guy.
NWA New Jersey (1999)
Putski wrestled his last match for NWA New Jersey as he defeated King Kong Bundy by disqualification on February 27, 1999.
Retirement
After working for several wrestling promotions, mostly, from the
In 2010, Putski appeared in a reunion event called "LegendsMania" and he was interviewed.
Strongman career
Aside from wrestling, Ivan Putski also competed as a
Personal life
Putski's son,
From 2000 to 2007, Putski worked as head security guard at Jack C. Hays High School in Buda, Texas.
On January 8, 2012, Ivan Putski was inducted into the Cloverleaf Radio Hall of Fame, Class of 2012.
Championships and accomplishments
- Big Time Wrestling
- NWA Texas Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Jose Lothario[9][10]
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- PWI Tag Team of the Year (1979) with Tito Santana
- PWI ranked him #170 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the "PWI Years" in 2003
- PWI ranked him #92 of the 100 best tag teams of the "PWI Years" with Tito Santana in 2003
- Southwest Championship Wrestling/ Texas All-Star Wrestling
- SCW World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Wahoo McDaniel[1]
- SCW Heavyweight Championship
- Texas 6 - Man Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Big Bubba and Scott Casey
- World Wrestling Federation
- WWF Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Tito Santana[1]
- Class of 1995)
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter
- Readers' Least Favorite Wrestler(1984)
- Worst Wrestler(1984)
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "Ivan Putski's profile". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved December 17, 2007.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-7434-9033-7.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Hall of Fame profile". WWE.com. Retrieved December 17, 2007.
- ^ "Ivan Putski Profile & Match Listing". IW Database. Retrieved October 29, 2011.
- ISBN 978-1-4516-0450-4.
- ^ "The World's Strongest Man". Theworldsstrongestman.com. Archived from the original on August 25, 2008. Retrieved August 20, 2008.
- ISBN 978-0-9698161-5-7.
- ^ "N.W.A. American Tag Team Title". Wrestling-Titles.com. Retrieved January 19, 2020.
- ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
- ^ "NWA Texas Tag Team Title [E. Texas]". wrestling-titles.com. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
External links
- Ivan Putski on WWE.com
- Ivan Putski's profile at Cagematch.net , Wrestlingdata.com , Internet Wrestling Database
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