On the latest edition of Table for 3, Bruno Sammartino, Ric Flair, and Randy Orton discussed their experiences in the professional wrestling business. One of the topics the trio conversed about was how the wrestling schedule used to be so rigorous. Sammartino explained that his hectic schedule would include wrestling for six days a week for two weeks, and then the other two weeks of the month wrestling for seven days. He also added that he would wrestle multiple times a day frequently. He explained that this eventually wore his body out, and he had to give up his role as champion as a result of the strenuous duties attached with it.
“Close to [working that schedule] for eight years, I told Vince McMahon [Sr.], you better get somebody. My body is broke. Man, I was hurting from head to toe. And, eventually he did, and I felt bad because he got a guy that I respected very much as a performer. It was Ivan Koloff. I suggested to Vince, I thought Ivan Koloff would be great, because we had done great business all over. Vince said to me, ‘What do you think?’ I said, I think Ivan, I don’t know for how long, Koloff had done so well. I told Vince, I think this guy could carry it.”
Sammartino added that it was very easy for a heel to get over back then, because it was not difficult for the heel to get heat because the babyfaces were so over. He stated that it took longer for the faces to get over, because it took more time for the crowd to really get behind a babyface in order for a heel to get strong heat. However, he stated that he felt very bad that he suggested Koloff, because he was only champion for three weeks before losing it to Pedro Morales. He felt that Koloff should have kept the belt at least a year, and never really got a chance to prove himself.
