ECW Dallas, Round 3, Match 2: #8 Booker T vs. #9 Bruno Sammartino

[Shocky]

The following match takes place in the ECW Regin, under Extreme Rules, from Dallas, TX.

#8. Booker T.

vs.

#9. Bruno Sammartino

 

[Jack-Hammer]

Not really overly wild about Booker T, though I admit the guy makes me laugh and is pretty decent in the ring. In terms of ability, Booker's a more well rounded wrestler than Sammartino and was a better all around athlete. Sammartino definitely has the edge in strength, he's the only man known to have body slammed Haystacks Calhoun in a match, and mostly relied on that strength and was a pretty good brawler.

Both guys have accomplished a lot and I think it could really go to either guy, particularly in an Extreme Rules environment. For me, it's hard not to be impressed a little more with Sammartino. Collectively, he held the WWWF Championship for 11 years and turned actually turned down being the NWA World Champion because of the schedule. Many of the guys he beat over the course of his career reads like a who's who of wrestling during the 60s and 70s. Guys like Killer Kowalski, Giant Baba, Gene Kiniski, Dr. Bill Miller, Dr. Jerry Graham, Bull Ramos, Hans Mortier, Waldo Von Erich, "Crusher" Reginald Lisowski, Johnny Valentine, The Sheik, Freddie Blassie, Curtis Iaukea, Tarzan Tyler, Bill Watts, Gorilla Monsoon, Stan Stasiak, John Tolos, Bruiser Brody, Spiros Arion, Ken Patera, Bugsy McGraw, Freddie Blassie, Baron Von Raschke, Waldo Von Erich, Ivan Koloff, "Superstar" Billy Graham, Don Leo Jonathan, Angelo Mosca, Ernie Ladd, etc.

I'm gonna give my vote to Sammartino, but I won't be surprised to see Booker move on.

 

[Checkmate]

First of all, I agree with the poster above.

I'm a big fan of Sammartino, and I think it is a shame that he ended up in the ECW bracket, as this takes him out of his element. I'll touch on this a bit later though.

Booker never really impressed me in the WWE, but was top notch in WCW. He would be much faster than Sammartino, and could easily execute most, if not all of the moves in his arsenal on Bruno. However, I don't know that this would keep Sammartino down for a 3 count. Sammartino was THE face of the WWWF for a decade. He beat just about everyone there was to beat in the entire company, and defended his title well. He would easily beat Booker in terms of power, as he faced many bigger guys and threw them around as well.

Now, I'd get to the ECW setting. Unfortunately, this has to factor in Booker T's favor. Bruno isn't known for being 'hardcore' and came from a time where matches took place IN the ring, not on the outside. For Sammartino to win here, that is what I believe he must do. However, Booker isn't stupid, and would likely use his environment to his advantage. I'd be interested to actually watch this match, if it had taken place, but I believe that Booker would be the favorite.

Despite all that, I'd go with my gut and vote for Sammartino here. He is well known and respected as a legend that had a career beating the best that were thrown his way. Booker was a '5 Time' WCW champion, but even if you combine these reigns together, you don't equal Bruno's shorter title reign. While Bruno may be out of his element, he is a crafty veteran that deserves to go over here. He likely won't win the gimmick match later, and that is a shame, but I think he deserves to go down fighting.

 

[Big Sexy]

Sammartino is definitely a legend. He was the longest reigning WWWF champion and he has beaten a lot of legends. However, I still have to go with Booker T here. Sammartino was used to going against guys like Ivan Koloff, Billy Graham, Ernie Ladd, and Bruiser Body who were all more power wrestlers. Booker T is a rare combination of power, speed, and athleticism and Sammartino never faced anyone like him during his career. Booker T is also one of the most decorated champions in wrestling history. He is a 5 time WCW champion, 1 time WWE World Champion, 7 time US champion, 1 time IC champion, 6 time WCW TV champion, 11 time WCW tag champion, 3 time WWE tag champion, 2006 King of the Ring, 16th triple crown champion, and the 8th grand slam champion. He was really the only guy who survived the Invasion angle and was able to have a main event career in the WWE. The ECW environment isn't that big of deal, but it does probably favor Booker T more then Sammartino. This would be a good close match, but Booker T would be too much for Sammartino.

 

[It's...Baylariat!]

Where the hell did Bruno get a NINE seed? Anyway, Booker T's in some trouble in this environment. Bruno's hardcore without the weapons. And he's damn Italian. Eating spaghetti and shit.

I don't see a scenario where Booker T gets a win here. Bruno does one thing and that's win. He's beaten them all and was the WWE champion for SIX years! Booker T won a world title in a deflating organization, was champion in the WWE, too...AND King of the Ring, and his list of accomplishments still pales in comparison to Bruno's.

I put Bruno over here, and it's not that close to me.

 

[klunderbunker]

I'm split here. Booker is by far and away the better athlete and has a far more unique style. Bruno's style was a simple one: squeeze them until they scream for mercy. Booker's size is going to help him out here as he's too big and fast for most of Bruno's offense to work on. However, Bruno is an underrated wrestler in terms of intelligence. There's one big flaw in Booker's finishing move: the opponent has to stand bent over for almost ten seconds for him to hit the kick. You want to know how to avoid the axe kick? You stand up. There is the great counter to it. Bruno's strength and intelligence are too much here and the former WWF Champion moves on in a close one.

 

[Big Sexy]

and his list of accomplishments still pales in comparison to Bruno's.

Have you seen Booker T's list of accomplishments because it does anything but pale in comparison to Sammartinos

Bruno's hardcore without the weapons. And he's damn Italian.

That's a great reason to vote for someone.

I don't see a scenario where Booker T gets a win here.

Harlem side kick followed by a Bookend. That's just one of many scenarios.

Bruno does one thing and that's win. He's beaten them all and was the WWE
champion for SIX years!

Yes he did win a lot but it was always against guys with a very similar wrestling style. He really only fought power guys and has never been in the ring with someone like Booker T.

There's one big flaw in Booker's finishing move: the opponent has to stand bent over for almost ten seconds for him to hit the kick.

Booker T had a lot more then one way to finish of an opponent. The axe kick was one of many. You say that Sammartino is too intelligent to fall for the move, but Booker T was also very intelligent and whats to say he wouldn't just avoid the move altogether.

 

[Y 2 Jake]

He really only fought power guys and has never been in the ring with someone like Booker T.

Racist, you mean a black guy, right?

You say that Sammartino is too intelligent to fall for the move, but Booker T was also very intelligent and whats to say he wouldn't just avoid the move altogether.

Booker T, easily one of the dumbest wrestlers of all time. See him on The Weakest Link? Hear about how he ended up in jail?

Yet I'll still be voting for Booker, I prefer him. Simple, I've also seen about as many Sammartino matches as anybody else on this forum. A handfull at best.

 

[Tastycles]

Not really sure here, but I'm going to initially plump for Booker, unless someone gives me an argument not to. In Booker T, you have one of the best r wrestlers of the late 90s, early 2000s and a guy who has managed to have consistent performances over the past few years. Sammartino held the title for 11 years, but everyone had long title reigns back then.

Something that people don't really take into account when thinking about these old guys is ho much faster the pace of the sport is today. Booker T would come at Sammartino out of the traps, and Bruno would take a while to adjust. That's usually fine, but in an ECW environment, if Booker comes out all guns blazing, and then gets a weapon, it could be over before it has begun. So, I'm going with Booker, unless anyone wants to give an argument for Bruno that doesn't involve the way champions were booked in the 1960s.

 

[ZEUS]

I think Booker would have a hard time withstanding the power game of Sammartino. Yes, Booker has the edge in speed and athleticism, but Sammartino was a beast, and would crush people. Could go either way, but my vote is for Bruno.

 

[Shock]

Have you seen Booker T's list of accomplishments because it does anything but pale in comparison to Sammartinos

Wrong. The one thing you do not understand, Sexy, is that quantity does not top quality. Booker T has had a bunch of title reigns. Other than the world title, Bruno was a three time tag champ. He was also a two time world champ, the first for six years, the second (less recognized reign) for about three and a half years. At the end of the six year reign, it's reported that the crowd was so stunned with silence that Bruno thought his hearing was impaired. Then there's Booker T, who was a WWE champion and, as we all know, a 5 time, 5 time, 5 time WCW champion. But to have a bunch of moderate length world title reigns does not compare to Sammartino's two. To be able to hold the titles for as long as he did in the competition that was around in those days is incomparable to anything Booker T has ever done and probably will ever do.

Sammartino should win, but Booker will probably moved on. I'm voting Bruno.

 

[Big Sexy]

Wrong. The one thing you do not understand, Sexy, is that quantity does not top quality. Booker T has had a bunch of title reigns. Other than the world title, Bruno was a three time tag champ. He was also a two time world champ, the first for six years, the second (less recognized reign) for about three and a half years. At the end of the six year reign, it's reported that the crowd was so stunned with silence that Bruno thought his hearing was impaired. Then there's Booker T, who was a WWE champion and, as we all know, a 5 time, 5 time, 5 time WCW champion. But to have a bunch of moderate length world title reigns does not compare to Sammartino's two. To be able to hold the titles for as long as he did in the competition that was around in those days is incomparable to anything Booker T has ever done and probably will ever do.

The competition argument is shit because Booker T has faced much better competition then Sammartino has. Bruno was WWE champion during a time when the NWA was a superior promotion. WWE didn't start becoming really big until the late 70's or early 80's and that was after Sammartion lost the title. Yes he did beat guys like Ivan Koloff, Larry Zbyzsko, Bruiser Body, and Ken Patera but those guys aren't as good as guys like John Cena, Chris Benoit, Chris Jericho, Kurt Angle, and RVD.

The lengthy title reigns from Bruno are impressive but the main reason he held the title for so long was because there wasn't really anybody else good enough to hold onto the title for a long period of time.

I've watched some of Bruno's matches and after looking at them it's clear to me that he wasn't all that impressive. He won the majority of his matches because he would out brawl other brawlers. Booker T can brawl, but he can also use his speed and unorthodox offense to beat Bruno. It would be a good match, but Bruno has never seen someone like Booker T and Booker has fought plenty of guys like Bruno.

 

[NSL]

I like Sammartino, and in any region that isn't this one, he'd have my vote. He's stronger than Booker, and pisses me off a lot less. But, in an ECW Arena, Booker T would be a god. Even as a heel, he'd be over with the crowd, and the "spin-a-rooni" would be loved. Having the crowd on your side is huge in ECW, because once you're in the crowd, they control the action. Shane Douglas once went in the crowd, and was met with 2 chair shots, and a few punches from drunken fans.

Booker T wins with a scissor kick onto a chair.

 

[Shocky]

Sammartino is a legend, but he's simply out of his element in this match. Booker T isn't exactly Mr. Hardcore, but he is more adapted to this type of environment then Sammartino. I daresay that Booker T is better athletically then Sammartino. Bruno simply has ran into a guy that isn't neccessarily better then him, but is better then him in the environment in which they are wrestling.

 

[Shock]

The competition argument is shit because Booker T has faced much better competition then Sammartino has. Bruno was WWE champion during a time when the NWA was a superior promotion. WWE didn't start becoming really big until the late 70's or early 80's and that was after Sammartion lost the title. Yes he did beat guys like Ivan Koloff, Larry Zbyzsko, Bruiser Body, and Ken Patera but those guys aren't as good as guys like John Cena, Chris Benoit, Chris Jericho, Kurt Angle, and RVD.

Oh, no no no. You misunderstood me. One, they are as good as today's wrestlers, today's wrestlers are just different. Two, by competition, I meant the fact that back then, you defended your title every week or every other week or so. In the times Booker was champion, he defended at about every PPV, giving his reign lengths a bit less value.

Also, I asked a few people I know that were watching Sammartino back when he was on. They didn't even take a moment's hesitation to say that Sammartino would win. Just sayin'.