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WWF Hall of Famer Ivan Putski was one of the most popular wrestlers in the late 1970s and early 1980s. His chiseled physique and great charisma made him a fan favorite for years. His Polish heritage made him especially popular with the immigrant population of the northeast pasrt of the country, where he wrestled for the WW(W)F for many years. Putski was born in Kraków, Poland, in 1941. His family moved to the United States when he was 9 years old. He originally aspired to be a football player, but an injury forced him out of that sport and helped open the door to his wrestling career. He started out in the wrestling business in the early 1970s, sporting a beard and a less impressive physique. While still extremely powerful, being mostly a power-lifter during these years, he did not sport the ripped body that he was known for later in his career. His strength gained him the moniker "Polish Power". He won several titles throughout the country earlier in his career, many of which were won by using his patented finishing move, the Polish Hammer.

He joined the ranks of the then WWWF in the late 1970s, winning the Tag Team Titles with a young Tito Santana on 22 November 1979. They held the titles for several months before losing them to the Moondogs in 1980. Putski then concentrated on his singles career, feuding with the likes of Ivan Koloff, Iron Sheik, and Jesse "The Body" Ventura during the next couple of years. He remained one of the WWF's most popular stars throughout the early 1980s. Though he never wrestled at any of the early Wrestlemanias, Putski did participate in the Wrestling Classic in the fall of 1985. This was the WWF's first Pay Per View, which was built around a 16 man tournament. Putski lost in the first round to newcomer "Macho Man" Randy Savage, who pinned Putski by illegally using the ropes for leverage.

Putski wrestled off and on during the years after his WWF career. He was inducted into their Hall of Fame in 1995. He was also recently included in a special magazine released by the WWE profiling the top 50 WWWF/WWF/WWE superstars of all time. His son, Scott Putski, also became a wrestler, wrestling for WCW in the late 1990s.

Along with wrestling Ivan Putski also studied Karate with Aaron Banks which he did rank a 2nd degree black belt. Ivan also has a black belt in Judo.

Security guard at Jack C. Hays High School in Buda,
Texas. (January 2007)

Although vertically challenged at 5&#39;6&quot; (sometimes billed as 5&#39;8&quot;) in a world of six foot plus behemoths, he, along with Bruno Sammartino, Ken Patera and George &quot;The Animal&quot; Steele, was regarded as one of the strongest men in the professional wrestling business.

In the later part of his career, with the change in image of professional wrestlers, he would shave his beard and change from strength training to bodybuilding with extraordinary success.

Father of <a class="ipc-md-link ipc-md-link--entity" href="/name/nm0701271/?ref_=nmtrv_trv">Scott Putski</a>.

Former WWF Tag-Team Champion with Tito Santana

Listed as one of the top 50 WWE(F) superstars of all time in a recent
magazine released by the WWE

Always referred to by wrestling commentator Jesse &quot;The Body&quot; Ventura as
&quot;Ivan Pudooski&quot; during his wrestling matches

Runs wrestling school in Texas (December 2000)

As of 2025 is the final surviving member of the WWE Hall of Fame class of 1995.

Trivia

Ivan Putski

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