366:, the referee was knocked unconscious. When Snyder attempted a pinfall, Lubich entered the ring and knocked out Snyder with his cane and revived the referee in time for Poffo to score a pinfall instead. This was the first time a manager had directly interfered in a wrestling match and, at the time, was one of the biggest televised angles. A rematch between Poffo and Snyder at the
417:, who quickly became one of the top "heel" tag teams in the territory. O'Dell reportedly carried a revolver and sometimes fired it behind the arena to scare off fans who sometimes waited for them outside after the event. He and Bogni were later "sold" to Harris who participated in 6-man tag team matches with them.
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as head referee and part of the booking team for the promotion until its close in 1990. He is remembered by modern wrestling fans as one of its most visible referees, especially after WCCW began airing on televised events, and was involved in several major angles and storylines in the promotion. He
545:
just learn to control it. You have to live with people, and you can't go through life pushing them around. I concentrate on being a gentleman. But when I am in the ring it is a different story. I am out there to beat my opponent. And he is trying to beat me. Then it comes down to dollars and cents.
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decided to close WCCW in late 1990, Lubich retired from full-time professional wrestling, he refereed occasionally for Global
Wrestling Federation. Although he and his wife had planned to travel following his retirement, both he and his wife, Radmila "Ella" (née Popov) Lupsity, suffered from poor
544:
People are right when they say this is a violent sport. You must have violence in you to do it. No matter how much you want the money. People say I am a gentle person when they meet me. Naturally I do not stand around and growl at people on the streets. But I am basically very easily aroused. You
353:
Although choosing to continue his amateur career, he also started work at an aircraft factory shortly after to support his family. It was while working out at the
Montreal YMCA that he met local wrestlers Harry Madison and Mike DiMitre who suggested a career in professional wrestling. He was
26:
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In 1961, Lubich made his debut in the Dallas area as the manager of Angelo Poffo. For three years, the pair would become one of the most hated "heels" in the territory. On a number of occasions, his interference saved Poffo from losing the
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health. She was diagnosed with cancer in 1997 and died in 2004. Lubich as well had prostate cancer and suffered several strokes resulting in difficulty speaking. He died at his home on August 11, 2007 and buried at
510:
In
January 1971, he returned to the Dallas-Fort Worth area in what would be his last year as a wrestler. Joined by manager George "The Blimp" Harris III, he and Markoff feuded with longtime rivals
354:
initially trained by DiMitre and made his professional debut in 1948. At 6-foot, 175 pounds, he spent his early career as a lightweight wrestler under the name Bronko Lubich and began teaming with
247:
from 1961 to 1964, and was often known to use his cane as a foreign object to help his men score victories. It was in this role that he became a well-known booker and promoter in the
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on May 12, 1961. They held the titles for a month before losing them back to Gomez and Dixon on June 1. He and Poffo left the territory undefeated in 1964, Lubich moved on to
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in Fort Worth as well as weekly appearances at venues in San
Antonio, Corpus Christi and Houston. Both he and Poffo had been involved in investing
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in Canada, the
Pacific Northwest, Midwest and Southeastern United States throughout the 1960s. He and Bogni were particularly active in the
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Lubich also appeared as both a wrestler and manager in Texas during the early 1960s, most notably as the manager and cornerman of then
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He was considered a highly respected official by wrestlers in the territory, according to interviews with former WCCW mainstays
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early in their careers and Lubich later advised other wrestlers on investing in the stock market and other financial concerns.
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twice before his retirement in 1972 to become a full-time manager. He managed many of the top "heels" in the area including
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where they settled in
December 1937. During his teenage years, he began working out with his friends at the local
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Wrestling Title
Histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present
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portraying hostile foreign wrestlers. They were joined by manager "Colonel" Homer O'Dell, and later
350:, but he did not compete, having broken his arm while in another competition prior to the Olympics.
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up until the early 1970s. They faced many of the top stars of the era including the Flying Scotts,
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in 1926 and was eventually able to save enough money to bring his family over by boat to
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was the official for many high-profile matches including the long-running feud between
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Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2006). "(Dallas) Texas: NWA American Tag Team Title ".
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under manager "Colonel" Homer O'Dell competing in regional territories for the
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During the last two years of his wrestling career, he formed a tag team with
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and Sam
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area. He spent his last year as an active wrestler in Texas teaming with
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346:. He excelled in the sport and was selected to represent Canada in the
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Will, Gary; Duncan, Royal (2000). "Texas: NWA Texas Tag Team Title ".
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during a wrestling event in
Houston. He was later quoted in the book
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777:"Wrestling great Lubich had legendary toughness, softer side"
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by the late 1950s. In 1959, during a match between Poffo and
326:
Lubich was born Branko Sandor
Lupsity (Lupšić in Serbian) in
1004:
933:. SLAM! Sports. Archived from the original on July 13, 2012.
420:
Lubich would continue teaming with Bogni in the Carolinas,
339:
1059:. Pennsylvania: Archeus Communications. pp. 275–276.
931:"The life of Bronko Lubich: Wrestler, referee and trainer"
895:
Slamthology: Collected Wrestling Writings 1991—2004
800:
Foley Is Good: And the Real World Is Faker than Wrestling
209:). They also had memorable feuds with George Becker and
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on March 14, 1970 after a four-and-a-half month reign.
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where he would remain for the majority of his career.
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on December 25, 1925. His father (Mihailo) moved to
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201:-area where they feuded with "The Flying Scotts" (
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960:"Bronko Lubich: Wrestling champion, promoter"
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551:NWA Big Time Wrestling Tag Team Championship
540:describing life as a professional wrestler:
154:(December 25, 1925 – August 11, 2007) was a
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992:"N.W.A. Southern Tag Team Title (Florida)"
376:NWA United States Heavyweight Championship
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1178:20th-century male professional wrestlers
405:, in part due to the advice of promoter
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242:NWA United States Heavyweight Champion
173:and promoter. Known by his ring names
881:"Rest in Peace — Bronko Lubich"
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1188:Professional wrestlers from Montreal
1148:Canadian male professional wrestlers
1109:Profile at Online World of Wrestling
680:NWA Southern Tag Team Championship
674:Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling
658:NWA Southern Tag Team Championship
639:Championship Wrestling from Florida
13:
741:Friend, Percival A. (2007-08-13).
702:NWA American Tag Team Championship
582:NWA World Heavyweight Championship
462:NWA Southern Tag Team Championship
280:World Class Championship Wrestling
14:
1204:
1163:Professional wrestlers from Texas
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897:. Adlibbed Ltd., 2005. (pg. 219)
775:Sherrington, Kevin (2007-08-18).
645:NWA Florida Tag Team Championship
632:Championships and accomplishments
565:with his men frequently battling
493:NWA Florida Tag Team Championship
101:6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
1031:"N.W.A. American Tag Team Title"
745:. The Way It Was. Archived from
380:WCWA Texas Tag Team Championship
274:After his retirement, he joined
24:
1153:Professional wrestling referees
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978:"N.W.A. Florida Tag Team Title"
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743:"The Way It Was: Bronko Lubich"
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1168:Hungarian emigrants to Canada
958:Simnacher, Joe (2007-08-18).
762:"Your News, My Views 8.14.07"
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378:. He and Poffo also held the
78:Professional wrestling career
760:Csonka, Larry (2007-08-14).
708:) — with Chris Markoff
538:Friday Night in the Coliseum
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929:Oliver, Greg (2007-08-12).
549:Lubich and Markoff won the
491:with whom he later won the
195:National Wrestling Alliance
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1009:. Archeus Communications.
259:where the two feuded with
1173:Stampede Wrestling alumni
1007:Wrestling Title Histories
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1114:Wrestler: Bronko Lubich
918:. World Class Memories.
415:George "Two Ton" Harris
994:. Puroresu Dojo. 2003.
980:. Puroresu Dojo. 2003.
914:Dananay, John (2007).
696:NWA Big Time Wrestling
682:(Mid-Atlantic version)
626:Restland Memorial Park
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396:Mid-Atlantic territory
263:and George Scott, and
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163:professional wrestler
152:Bronko Sandor Lupsity
36:Bronko Sandor Lupsity
1158:People from Battonya
1085:wrestling-titles.com
1035:Wrestling-Titles.com
849:Simon & Schuster
843:The Stone Cold Truth
602:Will Rogers Coliseum
118:Belgrade, Yugoslavia
964:Dallas Morning News
883:. PercyPringle.com.
781:Dallas Morning News
689:) - with Aldo Bogni
567:"Playboy" Gary Hart
426:Stampede Wrestling
348:1948 Olympic Games
143:1972 (as wrestler)
1016:978-0-9698161-5-7
660:(Florida version)
555:Bobby Duncum, Sr.
472:for the belts in
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344:amateur wrestling
328:Battonya, Hungary
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86:Ring name(s)
70:Plano, Texas
65:(2007-08-11)
1143:2007 deaths
1138:1925 births
1123:WrestleWiki
1040:January 19,
795:Foley, Mick
590:Harley Race
586:Jack Brisco
559:The Spoiler
518:as well as
300:Bill Mercer
296:Scott Casey
207:Sandy Scott
114:Billed from
1132:Categories
851:. p.
811:. p.
728:References
598:North Side
528:photoshoot
505:Dale Lewis
482:Joe Scarpa
403:Aldo Bogni
388:Dory Dixon
382:defeating
308:Mick Foley
253:Fort Worth
183:Aldo Bogni
124:Trained by
47:1925-12-25
33:Birth name
199:Charlotte
181:, he and
156:Hungarian
939:cite web
839:(2003).
805:New York
797:(2001).
438:Rip Hawk
336:Montreal
287:vs. the
215:Rip Hawk
1121:at the
706:2 times
422:Florida
364:Detroit
171:referee
167:manager
140:Retired
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716:1 time
687:1 time
665:1 time
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619:After
606:stocks
596:, the
332:Canada
322:Career
249:Dallas
203:George
175:Bronco
158:-born
612:with
610:bonds
572:When
495:from
189:heels
132:Debut
1092:2019
1061:ISBN
1042:2020
1011:ISBN
945:link
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608:and
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588:and
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