Don Muraco

Last updated: January 17, 2025

Don-Muraco-Showing-Body

Title History

  • NWA Macon Tag Team titles w/ Robert Fuller defeating Roger Kirby and Ron Garvin (February 18, 1975);
  • NWA (Los Angeles) Americas Heavyweight title won a Tournament (May 2, 1975);
  • NWA (San Francisco) World Tag Team titles w/ Invader I defeating Pedro Morales and Pat Patterson (March 24, 1976);
  • NWA (New Zealand) British Empire/Commonwealth Heavyweight title defeating John DaSilva (1977);
  • NWA (Hawaii) Pacific International Heavyweight title defeating John Studd (1978);
  • NWA (San Francisco) United States Heavyweight title defeating Dean Ho (April 1, 1978);
  • NWA Hawaii Heavyweight title defeating Buddy Rose (July 1978);
  • NWA Hawaii Heavyweight title defeating Tor Kamata (September 1978);
  • NWA Hawaii Tag Team titles w/ Rick Martel defeating Karl Von Steiger and Mr. Fuji (November 1978);
  • NWA Hawaii Heavyweight title (March 1979);
  • NWA (Florida) United States Tag Team titles w/ Jos LeDuc defeating Steve Keirn and Mike Graham (June 6, 1979);
  • Polynesican Pacific Heavyweight title (1980);
  • NWA Florida Heavyweight title defeating Manny Fernandez (March 26, 1980);
  • NWA Florida Television title defeating Manny Fernandez (May 1, 1981);
  • WWF Intercontinental Heavyweight title defeating Pedro Morales (June 20, 1981);
  • WWF Intercontinental Heavyweight title defeating Pedro Morales (January 22, 1983);
  • Stampede North American Heavyweight title defeating Makhan Singh (December 9, 1988);
  • ECW Heavyweight title defeating Jimmy Snuka (September 30, 1992);
  • ECW Heavyweight title defeating Sandman (April 3, 1993);

Career History

In The Beginning:

  • Don Muraco first gained recognition while in the Florida territory of the National Wrestling Alliance.
  • March 1980: Don Muraco captured the Florida title by defeating “The Raging Bull” Manny Fernandez.
  • ~~~Don Muraco would lose the Florida title to Bugsy McGraw five months later.

World Wrestling Federation:

  • 1980: Don Muraco signed a contract with the World Wrestling Federation and debuted with heel manager Lou Albano.
  • June 20, 1981: Don Muraco defeated Pedro Morales to capture the intercontinental title in Philadelphia, PA.
  • Don Muraco held the IC belt for five months before Morales regained it in New York at the famed Madison Square Garden.
  • Don Muraco took time off from the WWF a short time after dropping the IC championship.

World Wrestling Federation:

  • January 22, 1983: Don Muraco defeated Pedro Morales to become a 2-time Intercontinental champion.
  • Don Muraco had a classic steel cage match with Jimmy Snuka that was one of the most historic matches in history.
  • ~~~Muraco miraculously retained his Intercontinental title after Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka accidentally knocked him out.
  • ~~~Snuka would drag Muraco back in, and delivered his “Superfly Leap” finisher from the top of the cage onto Muraco!
  • February 1984: Tito Santana defeated Don Muraco to end Muraco’s 1-year title reign and win the IC championship.

World Wrestling Federation – “Magnificent” Don Muraco:

  • Don Muraco fired Lou Albano and took Mr. Fuji as his manager and began a feud with Ricky Steamboat.
  • 1985: Don Muraco started subbing for Jesse Ventura regularly on his “Body Shop” talk segment.
  • April 7, 1986 – WrestleMania 2: Paul Orndorff vs. Magnificent Don Muraco w/ Mr Fuji ended in a Double Countout.
  • 1986: Adrian Adonis began his “Flower Shop” segment, and Don Muraco began teaming with Adonis’ bodyguard Bob Orton.
  • March 1, 1986 – SNME: Hulk Hogan defeated “Magnificent” Don Muraco by DQ to retain the WWF title.
  • ~~~King Kong Bundy interfered, causing the DQ, and revealing a setup orchestrated by Muraco, Bundy and Bobby Heenan.
  • ~~~Muraco held Hogan chest first into the corner while King Kong Bundy delivered an Avalanche and broke his ribs!
  • August 28, 1986 – WWF Big Event: King Tonga fought the Magnificent Muraco to a time limit draw.
  • March 29, 1987 – Wrestlemania 3: The Can-Am Connection (Rick Martel and Tom Zenk) defeated Don Muraco and Bob Orton.
  • ~~~The Muraco/Orton team broke up on WWF Superstars TV and had a match with Muraco (face) pinning Orton (heel).

World Wrestling Federation – Don “The Rock” Muraco:

  • Don Muraco proclaimed that he was finished with tag team partners, and managers, thus dumping Mr. Fuji.
  • Fall 1987: Don Muraco formed a friendship with returning WWF legend “Superstar” Billy Graham.
  • ~~~Billy Graham suffered a career-ending assault at the hands of Butch Reed and One Man Gang.
  • ~~~Don Muraco came to Superstar Billy Graham’s aid.
  • 1988 – Wrestlemania IV: Don Muraco defeated Dino Bravo in the first round of the 16-Man WWF Title Tournament.
  • ~~~SECOND ROUND: “Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase (eventual finalist) defeated Don Muraco.
  • August 1988: Don Muraco left the World Wrestling Federation.

Stampede Wrestling – Don “The Rock” Muraco:

  • Don Muraco went to work for Stu Hart in Calgary for the Stampede Wrestling promotion.
  • December 1988: Don Muraco defeated Makhan Singh to win the Stampede North American title.
  • April 1989: Davey Boy Smith defeated Don Muraco to win the Stampede North American title.

Universal Wrestling Federation – Don “The Rock” Muraco:

  • Don Muraco signed with Herb Abram’s Universal Wrestling Federation promotion.
  • The Rock had matches with Cactus Jack, Brian Blair and Steve Williams while with this promotion until it folded.

Eastern Championship Wrestling – Don “The Rock” Muraco:

  • Don Muraco signed with Eastern Championship Wrestling later known as Extreme Championship Wrestling.
  • October 12, 1992: Don Muraco defeated Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka for the ECW Heavyweight title.
  • November 16, 1992: Sandman defeated Don Muraco to capture the ECW Heavyweight title.
  • April 3, 1993: Don Muraco defeated Sandman to reclaim the ECW Heavyweight title.
  • August 8, 1993: Tito Santana defeated Don Muraco to win the ECW Heavyweight title.

Independent Wrestling – Don Muraco:

  • Don Muraco left ECW and continued to work the independent circuit.
  • May 23, 1993 – WCW Slamboree: Legends Reunion: Don Muraco participated in a Legends Six-Man Match.
  • ~~~Jimmy Snuka and Don Muraco and Dick Murdoch vs Blackjack Mulligan and Wahoo McDaniel and Jim Brunzel (NO CONTEST).
  • 1996: Don Muraco presented a WWF Hall of Fame award to former enemy Jimmy Snuka as part of WWF Hall of Fame ceremony.
  • June 2003: Don Muraco lauched his very own promotion called Hawaiian Championship Wrestling (HCW).
  • March 13, 2004 – WWE: Don “The Rock” Muraco is inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame during a ceremony in New York City!
  • March 14, 2004 – Wrestlemania XX: Don Muraco is honored with all the other Hall of Fame inductees during the Pay Per View.
  • July 9 and 10, 2004 – Afa’s wXw Show: Don Muraco appeared on a pair of wXw shows managed his son – Joe Muraco.
  • February 1, 2005 – WWE Super Show in Hawaii: The Coach did a special interviewed Don Muraco.
  • August 27, 2005 – WrestleReunion: Don and Joe Muraco defeated Bob and Brad Armstrong.
  • March 31, 2007 – Hall of Fame: Mr. Fuji was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame by his protege Don Muraco in Detroit, Michigan.
nickname: "Magnificent"
birthday: September 10, 1949
hometown: Sunset Beach, Hawaii
height: 6'3"
weight: 270 lbs
previous names: Don Morrow (Vancouver)
Magnificent M -masked-
Don "The Rock" Muraco
finishing move(s): Inverted Piledriver
The Asian Spike
favorite move(s): The Clothesline
notable feuds: Bob Backlund
Pedro Morales
Rocky Johnson
Jimmy Snuka
Tito Santana
Ricky Steamboat
One Man Gang
Dino Bravo
Ted DiBiase
Cactus Jack
Brian Blair
Steve Williams
The Sandman
images: http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/gallery/donmuraco.html
gender: Male
status: Retired
type: Single
current promotion: Inactive

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