Don Muraco is an unique specimen in Stampede. While
most of the stars in Stampede left for bigger and better things, mostly
the WWF, Muraco took the reverse route. When the British Bulldogs returned
to the Stampede area from the WWF in the late 80s, they brought back a
few friends, Muraco was one of them.
Muraco's heyday was in the WWF in the early 80s,
where he held the Intercontinental Title twice. After that, Muraco hit
the weights, put on some bulk and started challenging for the Heavyweight
Title. He started as a villain but became a fan favourite in the late 80s,
going by the name of The Rock 10 years before Rocky Miavia.
After his stint in Stampede, where he won the Heavyweight
title, Muraco kicked around the indy scene for a while before joining the
new Eastern Championship Wrestling, or as it came to be known later, Extreme
Championship Wrestling.
Muraco is currently semi-retired and lives in Hawai'i.
Vital Statistics:
Real Name: Don Muraco
Height: 6' 1"
Weight: 285 lbs.
Hometown: Honolulu, Hawai'i
AKA: Magnificent Muraco, Don "The Rock" Muraco
Titles Held:
Stampede North American Heavyweight Champion
2 Time WWF Intercontinental Champion
2 Time ECW Heavyweight Champion
Florida Television Champion.
PWI Ranks:
Best PWI Ranking: 102 (1993)
All-Time PWI Ranking: 50
Chronology:
1980:
August: Muraco loses to Bob Backlund at the Last
Tangle in Tampa supercard.
1981:
May: Muraco beats Manny Fernandez for the Florida
TV Title.
June: Muraco beats Pedro Morales for the WWF Intercontinental
Title.
August: Muraco loses the Florida TV Title to El
Gran Apollo.
November: Muraco loses the IC Title back to Morales.
1983:
January: Muraco beats Morales for his second WWF
IC Title.
1984:
February: Muraco loses the IC Title to Tito Santana.
1985:
November: Muraco loses to Tito Santana at the Wrestling
Classic, the first wrestling PPV event.
1986:
April: Muraco wrestles Paul Orndorff to a double
count out at Wrestlemania 2.
1987:
March: Muraco teams with "Cowboy" Bob Orton to lose
to Rick Martel and Tom Zenk at Wrestlemania 3.
November: Muraco appears at the first Survivor Series
as a member of Hulk Hogan's team.
1988:
March: Muraco beats Dino Bravo at Wrestlemania 4.
August: Muraco loses to Bravo at the first Summerslam.
Fall: Muraco comes to the Stampede area with the
British Bulldogs
December: Muraco beats Makhan Singh for the Stampede
Heavyweight Title.
1989:
March: Muraco loses the Stampede Title to Davey
Boy Smith.
1992:
October: Muraco beats Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka for
the ECW Heavyweight Title
November: Muraco loses the ECW Title to Tito Santana
1993:
April: Muraco beats the Sandman for the ECW Title.
August: Muraco loses the ECW Title to Tito Santana.
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