"Timeline: History of WWE - 1980 - Larry Zbyszko" Official Trailer

[@Rollie1961]

Once had a burger with Larry on Salisbury Beach in Mass when the WWF used to wrestle there three times every summer at the Frolics. Great guy!

[@acressl]

I hated Larry Z when I was young. Thing is, I was smart enough to understand that the whole thing is a work and he was still working me. That's talent. Not a whole lot of mainstream guys that can heel it out like that anymore. Thank you, Zybysko. Thank you for making me hate you.

[@philaman1972]

The Bruno/Larry feud was brilliant; it exemplified the art of wrestling psychology and how to manipulate fans' emotions to the maximum.

[@CLewey44]

Zbyszko looks really cool and a fun dude.

[@birdmantd]

I've been waiting 32 glorious years for this video.

[@nymike06]

Larry reminds me of Bill Murray.

[@02phenom]

Cross between Kevin Spacey and Bill Murray in my opinion...

[@mr.jglokta191]

I was literally about to comment the same thing!

[@ImmortalKazushi]

As most of those in the south can attest, there was no WWE (wwf) to be seen. But we did see AWA on ESPN and Larry was always one of the big stars. You'd tune in just to listen to his interviews or see his rear get beat. Entertaining guy.

[@fallguye6011]

What a character Larry was, I'm not sure I remember anyone who complained in the ring as much as he did. The Enforcers were pretty humorous like carrying a 45 pound weight and hitting Bill Kazmeier with it, or holding Barry Windham's hand and slamming it the car door. The Living Legend would be a guy that would be alright to duplicate again, he was one of a kind.

[@crassyfrake]

+fallguye6011 He was an awesome heel, not the "cool love to hate" heel, the "I hate this guy I want to see him get the crap kicked out of him" heel thats sorely missing today.

[@riprogers8313]

Larry is such a great talent. Big moves in wrestling r a rib. Psychology is what it's all about. I understood that when I saw Lanny Poffo work with Randy Ortons grandpa in Knoxville in 1979. They did nothing, both got over , and nobody broke a sweat. Old guys understood psychology that's why they could work 363 days a year. (Xmas eve and New Year's Eve off)

[@mayormc]

I remember Zbyszko coming to town during the Bruno feud. Can't recall his opponent, but the crowd went so ape that a woman tried to get in the ring and it took three security guards to drag her away (maybe to a rubber room). I don't think you get crowds like that anymore. True pandemonium.

[@mjonlyfan]

Sadly, there's no heat like that anymore. Times have changed so much a lot of talent is afraid to get heat like that these days. They all wanna be "cool heels", like The Rock was in the 90s.

[@jpc31458]

growing up around these guys as a young kid, i would here a lot of stuff that was going on, my family was close to Tony Altimore, as a kid i would hang around at different show between Pittsburgh, and Ohio would ride to shows with people like George Steele, Tony, Frank Holts, Tanaka, those were fun days, these guys loved to party.

[@mfbinc]

his chair shot on bruno aired in pittsburgh on a saturday. on monday it was THE topic in school for a long while......

[@MichaelSimmons.]

Once again, the worst decision Sr. ever made, was taking the belt off of Superstar, and putting it on Backland. Think of the gate at MSG, if they'd turned Superstar baby face, and he teamed with Bruno, against Zbyszko & Patera. Instead of losing money, at that time, they'd be making millions.

[@davestuddaman8127]

Bit late to your comment BUT, Bruno stated in his shoot that the garden did well with Graham. But the towns were not drawing. And back then you needed all the towns to make it work. I wasn’t born yet so I couldn’t say for sure😂

[@leifskjoldal8042]

Absolutely a great point man but Vince Jr finally ruined it all. Remember Hogan in Rocky. It's all fake meatball it's all fake

[@dogleg]

Zbyszko is an acquired taste. He could work when he had to....but his whole deal was making people mad by not doing anything. In that....he was a master.

[@jonathanturbide2232]

Well I think you should have done a late 80's-early 90's AWA timeline, since Zbyszko was part of the Gagne family, since he saw and heard everything that went down in the AWA before it went out of business and since he was very close to Verne and the family at the time the company closed. The timeline series is not only about WWE, you did a few about WCW, so a Timeline edition about the end of the AWA would have been a lot more interesting than this WWE 1980 timeline, no doubt about that.

[@MahTeddy9810]

Larry shops at Big Dogs (likely in a Tanger Outlet Center)....just more reason to like him.

[@jjdillon23]

All these years later, and everyone in the business still can't get to LarryLand...

[@TheYakuzac]

This one was really good.Especially if you are a historian of the sport like me.A lot of great stories.

[@KrisKringlez]

Applied 6000 chicken wings....Never drew a dime....

[@fuscinula]

The spirit of Mike Graham lives on...

[@Redhotshawntexas]

The Living Legend in His Own Mind

[@jjdillon23]

Hey Putski, you're short!

[@yardape99]

1980 was Larry's peak year. It was nothing but downhill from here -- at age 26

[@saveus228]

pretty hard to top feuding with Bruno, at any age..

[@mfbinc]

the real truth is, bob backlund was very popular his first two years of his title run...he sold out arenas and was cheered very loudly. by the end of his reign his popularity faded but it just so happened that fans in america started to cheer bad guys a lot more and bob kinda tarnished his image at the end

[@williamcloke8612]

Bob's last good year as champion was 1982. In 1983, besides Big John Studd and the Masked Superstar, he was wrestling the same guys he wrestled years before .

[@dnizzle55]

greatest shirt I have ever seen

[@Jay_Baumans_Stuntdouble]

Does anyone know if Larry was asked about the wrestlerock rumble in this shoot?

[@phillyflash43]

Isn't Larry still Rookie Of The Year?

[@ClassicCommercials4U]

Larry reminds me of the dad from Growing Pains.

[@KayfabeComment]

The series covers the WWE one year at a time. What else would you have talked about for 1980 in WWE?

[@leifskjoldal8042]

And to be honest with you i think Bob backlund had some decent title defenses but he was no Bruno samartino also by no means

[@crassyfrake]

"The beauty of the stall"

[@JTZissman]

Uhhhh, they interviewed him about this year because it was the most important event of 1980 and it jumpstarted his career. The AWA was dead by 1989. Nothing was interesting about the AWA then.

[@mider9996]

How'd Backlund keep the belt so long if he was a bad wrestler? Wasn't he the second longest reigning champ

[@xSoccerxCorex]

+Mider999 he was a great wrestler but he wasn't that big of a draw. it would basically be like putting the belt on a lance storm type in his prime. yeah, he's a great wrestler but he's also boring as shit. bob didn't really draw til the 90's when he became a batshit crazy heel.

[@mider9996]

CMartin6688 I know...so why'd he keep the belt for four years?

[@Astraldragon1]

+Mider999 because Vince SR. was stubborn and trying to prove he could make Bob Backlund a top draw. even though other promoters tried telling Vince it wouldn't work.. as others mentioned Blacklund was a great wrestler he just didn't have the charisma and his personnality was dull.. if you watch a promo by Harley Race for example Harley knew how to get over and he was better on the mic then Backlund.

[@mider9996]

Astraldragon1 backlund made a great heel though

[@jermf35]

he was a very good amateur wrestler. very good. but i have no clue why he kept the belt so long. i know i read somewhere that vince sr wanted a clean cut guy as chemp qith a amateur background an all american type to be champion and i forget the reason why. read it somewhere or seen it on a shoot. but he couldn't draw but he coukd legitimately tie the hole locker room up in a not.

[@mwronYT]

They have plenty to do with the WWE, ECW and WCW Timelines already and each have lots of missing years. I think most people would rather they released more from these series than any AWA Timeline which most likely wouldn't sell as much as any of their other Timelines.

[@patrickperalta59]

on interview with Kevin Sullivan he mentioned that Vince SR wanted Bob Backland because of his all American look and back ground as a Amatur Wrestler. Eddie Graham Told Vince Sr. to Take Steve Keirn and not Bob Backlund that he would make more money with Kerin then with Backland. they ended up making a bet with each other.. with Vince SR stateing that he could get Backland over when Eddie Graham said he couldn't do it.

[@PhillyCYOSports]

amazing story

[@juicefreak247]

Another groundbreaking release from the innovators of wrestling DVDs for the smart fans

[@efan2011]

The whole Banckruptcy thing is not surprising, they lost a lot of money when they gave the title to Backlund and ran Billy Graham away. They had a potential gold mine but they ruined it and they had to live with it.

[@Star_Sn1per]

Laaaarry!! lLaaaarry!! Laaaarry!!

[@TheSuperChronic]

You should have at least got him to do his verse from the "wrestlerock rumble" on this sean.

[@AndrewsOpinion15]

I WOULD LIKE TO SEE LARRY ZBYSZKO IN THE WWE HALL OF FAME BUT SUIT THEME SO IT WILL NEVER GO TO HAPPYING !!!!!!!!

[@theshootinterviewman]

where did Larry get that shirt i want it!

[@eatpigsnot]

Bob Backlund's autobiography is a great read re: this era and territory

[@WSK9002]

Bob Backlund is a polarizing character in the Pro Wrestling community people think he is a fantastic worker or he was the first transitional WWE Transitional Champion. Even though I think that was Billy Graham.

[@williamcloke8612]

Backlund draw money 💰. He wouldn't have held the belt for nearly six year's If he didn't. According to Ken Patera, his feud with Backlund in 1980 outdraw Bruno and Larry's feud .

[@linksysrouted]

Wow, he looks sick. ;(

[@Ferpero]

old timers knew how to get over doing nothing and how to defend their self if needed (shoot)

[@rogerscottburchett1]

DONT SEE HOW HE EVER MADE IT

[@stainspecialist]

I want this video, as a matter of fact I want them all! How about a subscription to get them all?

[@sambennett8387]

💯

[@CVTom]

He was in the AWA because he was married to one of Verne Gagne's daughters.

[@IWantYourThong]

LOL THAT SO FUCKING RULES

[@6steveo9]

Bobby Heenan voice sounds that way due to half his tongue being removed.

[@fmthebaron]

Larry was 29 in 1980.

[@SupastarGhetto]

Then how Bob Backlund kept the WWE World Heavyweight title until December 26, 1983 then if he wasn't over?

[@thebigandgreat1]

I don't think Larry meant that Bob wasn't over to an extent but he just couldn't generate $ at the box office. If I'm correct Vince Sr. had a meeting with Eddie Graham and Vern Gagne and he was coaxed into making Bob Backlund the champion due to the fact he was looking for an All American babyface guy to hold the title to take it off of Superstar Billy Graham. Vince Sr. knew Bob wasn't the guy but he was a man of his word and made him champ. What all went into making that happen I dunno but it happened.

[@SupastarGhetto]

It kept WWE strong to lay down the foundation for the upcoming 1980s expansion era and get the company away from ethnic champions on top (good for the Northeast but bad for a national company).

[@frankmaiorana66]

I think part of the reason they kept the belt on Bob was the first two or three years he held the title, he would be part of a double main event with Bruno. Bruno was still a huge draw after dropping the belt and he was a draw even in 85 and 86. I am curious if they ever approached Bruno about putting the belt back on him in 80 and 81 before he decided to retire.

[@johnnyskinwalker4095]

SupastarGhetto The McMahons never liked heel champs. But what they should have done is have Larry beat Bob for the belt and have Bruno beat him. Can you imagine then the Shiek beating Bruno, etc...would have been huge.

[@frankmaiorana66]

I have a feeling that was the angle they were looking for. By then Bruno had had enough and was thinking of packing it in which he did just under a year later.

[@FoutstoChandler]

Is it me or does Larry Legend look like the puppet from that Magic movie...

[@MideonGodwinn]

god

[@ThePattycake1313]

Only 62? looks like 109!

[@leifskjoldal8042]

Mr Larry zybisco idk if I spelled your name rite in 1980 I was still watching wrestling you said i got Bruno out of retirement Bruno samartino never retired at that time he lost the championship in 77 cause he was tired and overworked it was a good angle you said Bruno never beat he did beat you but you beat him first the first match you wernt disqualified with the chair cause you threw dick wherly out of the ring . At msg bruno got disqualified so that means you won the cage match Bruno walked out of the cage match so don't say Bruno never beat me he did I have alot of respect for you Mr Larry land but you were no Bruno samartino if ever one read this thankyou

[@SamsTheatre]

History of Bruno?

[@SuperFlanders123]

I was wondering the same thing...I'll bet dollars to doughnuts,he did his fair share of drugs,in the WWWF...He seems a little"undone" to me.

[@iwanttoseemrshow]

One time on Nitro, Larry said that he wakes up every day and benches 400 pounds. On that day, he lost the last shred of credibility. I call absolute fucking bullshit on that. Maybe 135, but no fucking way he could bench 400 pounds in 1997. He was an old man then. So, I guess if count pissing people off because you are a douche-bag, then Larry is ok.

[@VonHayes9]

I don;t know if I would market this one with the history of WWE. It seems to be just about him. Also, this ones not really grabbing me, Not really interested in anything pre Wrestlemania 1

[@johnnyskinwalker4095]

What happened to Larry? Did he get ill? He talks weird.

[@fallguye6011]

I wondered the same thing, he doesn't sound right.

[@maraviyoso8473]

He talks old. That's what nature does.

[@dcoch]

I think it's because his top teeth are fake

[@johnnyskinwalker4095]

dcoch LMAO!!!

[@MilkmanNorm]

Johnny Skinwalkerr That's funny? He's a guy in his 60's. False teeth aren't that odd. Plus he spent his youth in a business where getting hit in the mouth as pretty common. I don't get how "old guy has false teeth" is worth a LMAO when a lot of old people have fake teeth.

[@JosephDanielsTC7R]

LOL @ Backlund not being a draw. I know a lot of people don't like him, but to constantly spread lives is completely bullshit.

[@Billicyhot]

Actually he got stabbed for mispronouncing Albany

[@bigpopslaflare]

Porky Zbyszko

[@Kayfabe-226]

Larry Z. Is great heel and wrestler but his association with Bruno protected him for yrs and Bruno bled on tv to get that angle over...Superstar Graham should have kept that belt and turned baby face and Backlund should have never had title run...

[@poppy87]

english please

[@RichieMyers12]

From the looks of it this might be the least interesting Timeline. How about some 90s WCW?

[@jonathanturbide2232]

you had the chance of interviewing Larry Zbyszko and the best you could do was to talk about the year 1980 !? Really !? The only interesting thing that has happened in the WWF back then was the Sammartino-Zbyszko feud, and then again this feud was predictable and overrated. I think a AWA 1989-1990 timeline would have been a lot more interesting, since he was very close to Verne and he knew everything that was going down in the office. You missed the boat there.

[@littlebitenglish9272]

It's in trouble again it sucks

[@RPenta]

It was overrated except for the many fans who loved it; sorry you were not one of them.

[@poopbuttmcgee]

If that's what hipster and gay is to you then you obviously don't know what hipster and gay is.