Ivan Putski

Josef Bednarski (born January 21, 1941), is a Polish former professional wrestler and bodybuilder. Throughout his wrestling career he was known by the ring name Ivan Putski and was given the nickname "Polish Power".

Putski is a former WWF World Tag Team Champion with Tito Santana. Ivan was known to have an ongoing feud with another professional at the time, "Superstar" Billy Graham over the WWWF World Heavyweight Championship, who also had an incredible physique and strength, which led to many pose-downs, arm wrestling bouts, and long, physical matches between the two. Other rivals included Iron Sheik, Ivan Koloff, and Jesse "The Body" Ventura.

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He was born in Poland and migrated to the United States at a young age. The family arrived in Texas, where Putski began his professional wrestling career.

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On February 9, 1970, Putski defeated Brute Bernard and Missouri Mauler for the NWA American Tag Team Championship. He also won the NWA Texas Tag Team Championship with Jose Lothario twice in 1973.

Putski was a fixture on the Dallas-Ft. Worth wrestling scene and was one of its most popular personalities. He was routinely the feature act at The Sportatorium, a run down wrestling-only arena in an industrial section near Downtown Dallas. Putski's act consisted of being a happy-go-lucky, often aloof buffoon, who would "miraculously" pin his opponent. Putski was often introduced as a former concentration camp survivor, only adding to his sympathetic appeal to audiences of all ages.

In mid-1974, Putski worked with the American Wrestling Association.

Prior to leaving the AWA, Putski had become severely overweight. He would address that problem, and prior to returning to the wrestling scene, he would shave well over 200 pounds from his frame, and regain his incredible physique.

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Putski debuted in the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) in 1976. While in the WWWF, Putski feuded with many wrestlers, such as Bruiser Brody, Stan Hansen, and Ivan Koloff. On June 25, 1976 at Showdown at Shea, Putski defeated Baron Mikel Scicluna. Four years later on August 9, Putski was once again victorious at the same event when he beat Johnny Rodz.

On October 22, 1979, Putski teamed with Tito Santana to defeat Johnny and Jerry Valiant to win the WWF World Tag Team Championship. They held the title for six months before they lost it to the Wild Samoans.

He began to slow down his career in the 1980s. He won his last tag team championship in May 1981, teaming with Wahoo McDaniel to defeat [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dory_Funk,_Jr. Dory Funk, Jr.] and Larry Lane for the SWCW World Tag Team Championship. In November 1985, Randy Savage defeated Ivan Putski in the opening round of the Wrestling Classic.

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He returned to the WWF in November 1987, but he was defeated in a WWF Legends Battle Royal by Dan Spivey.

In 1995, Ivan was inducted into the WWF Hall of Fame by his son, Scott. The father and son team returned in July 1997 to defeat Jerry Lawler and Brian Christopher in tag team action on Raw is War.

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Aside from wrestling, Ivan Putski also competed as a strongman. Putski participated in the 1978 World's Strongest Man competition, finishing eighth in a field of ten competitors. Putski gained his remarkable leg strength by running up and down the stands at a football stadium near his home in Austin, Texas.

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His son, Scott Putski, is also a professional wrestler. He had some success in both the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling.

He currently lives in Austin, Texas where he was a security guard at Jack C. Hays High School. He retired after the 2006-2007 school year.

His Granddaughter Rachel Summerlyn is also a professional wrestler. She works for the Shimmer: Women's Athletes promotion in the Chicago, Il area.

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 * Finishing moves
 * Polish hammer (Double axe handle)
 * Signature moves
 * Bearhug
 * Vertical suplex
 * Scoop powerslam
 * Headlock


 * Big Time Wrestling
 * NWA American Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Jose Lothario
 * NWA Texas Tag Team Championship (2 times) - with Jose Lothario


 * Pro Wrestling Illustrated
 * PWI Tag Team of the Year (1979)
 * PWI ranked him # 170 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the "PWI Years" in 2003.
 * PWI ranked him # 92 of the 100 best tag teams of the "PWI Years" with Tito Santana in 2003.


 * Southwest Championship Wrestling
 * SCW World Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Wahoo McDaniel


 * World Wrestling Federation
 * WWF Hall of Fame (Class of 1995)
 * WWF World Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Tito Santana


 * Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
 * Readers' Least Favorite Wrestler (1984)
 * Worst Wrestler (1984)