Bruno Sammartino dead: WWE Hall of Fame legend passes away, aged 82

Bruno Samartino. [Photo: Courtesy]

One of the greatest wrestlers of all time WWE Hall of Famer Bruno Sammartino has died at 82.

Dubbed 'The Living Legend', Sammartino become the most popular wrestler in America in the 1960s and 1970s.

The powerful brawler, born in Pizzoferrato, Italy, twice won the then WWWF's top title, the WWWF (World) Heavyweight Championship.

In total he held the belt for more than 11 years and his first reign with the strap - 2,803 days - is the longest in the promotion's history.

In latter years, 'The Italian Strongman' was an outspoken critic of the direction the then WWF took, especially during the Attitude Era.

But he stunned the world by reconciling with WWE chairman Vince McMahon in 2013, in a deal brokered by Triple H, aka Paul Levesque.

Sammartino finally accepted an invitation for induction into the WWE Hall of Fame, which he entered on the eve of WrestleMania 29.

The Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania resident was inducted at Madison Square Garden by iconic Hollywood star Arnold Schwarzenegger.

And on March 28, 2015, ahead of WrestleMania 31, Sammartino inducted Larry Zbyszko into the WWE Hall of Fame.

Bruno Samartino with Steven McMahon. [Photo: Courtesy]

Sammartino is said to have died peacefully with his wife and two children by his side, after battling health issues for several months.

In a statement published on WWE.com, the American company today said it was saddened to learn of his passing.

WWE said: "The story of Bruno Sammartino is the story of the American dream.

"During his childhood in the small Italian mountain town of Abruzzi, Italy, Bruno Sammartino heard stories about how the streets in the United States were paved with gold.

"Though he believed it literally at the time, Sammartino would experience fortune and fame first-hand as the longest-reigning WWE Champion and the most beloved competitor in the history of the squared circle.

"Life wasn’t always so glorious for The Italian Superman. Bruno’s brother and sister both passed away at young ages, and Adolf Hitler’s Nazi forces seized their town, but Bruno persevered.

"He and his mother hid in a mountain called Valla Rocca during the German occupation and eventually joined his immigrant father in Pittsburgh in 1950.

"Sammartino began lifting weights as a young man and grew to become one of the strongest men on the planet.

"After setting a world record in 1959 by bench-pressing 565 pounds, Sammartino caught the eye of Vincent J. McMahon, and became a sports-entertainer.

"Bruno became an overnight sensation, connecting with not only fellow Italians, but also Latinos, Greeks and Jews, successfully bridging the gap in America’s melting pot of wrestling fans.

"His legend continued to grow on May 17, 1963, when Sammartino defeated Buddy Rogers in just 48 seconds to become the second-ever WWE Champion in front of nearly 20,000 fans at the old Madison Square Garden.

"Bruno held the WWE Championship for nearly eight years — by far the longest reign of all time, and a record for all professional wrestling champions, no matter the organisation.

"A household name all over the country, the beloved hero defended his title in legendary rivalries against WWE Hall of Famers Killer Kowalski, Gorilla Monsoon and George 'The Animal' Steele.

"In early 1968, Sammartino headlined the first wrestling event at the brand-new Madison Square Garden, just eight days after it opened.

"The Garden truly was the house that Bruno built, as he sold it out an astounding 187 times.

"Now known as The Living Legend, Bruno also engaged in several rivalries with a generation of WWE’s greatest villains, including 'Rowdy' Roddy Piper, 'Macho Man' Randy Savage and The Honky Tonk Man.

"The star power and influence of Sammartino was exemplified by the fact that he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2013 by none other than Arnold Schwarzenegger. It was the 188th and final time that Sammartino headlined and sold out Madison Square Garden.

"WWE extends its condolences to Sammartino’s family, friends and fans."