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Bert AssiratiProfessional English wrestler
Country:
 Great Britain |
Content:
- Bert Assirati: Professional English Wrestler
- Early Life and Career
- Athletic Achievements
- Fearsome Reputation
- Championships
- Later Life and Legacy
Bert Assirati: Professional English Wrestler
Bert Assirati was a professional English wrestler, a multi-time heavyweight champion of Britain, and a member of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame. Known for his incredible strength and power, Assirati set numerous powerlifting records throughout his career.
Early Life and Career
Assirati developed an interest in athletics at a young age and began weightlifting at the age of 12. By the time he was 17, he had become one half of the acrobatic duo 'Mello and Nello,' performing unique tricks and displays of strength around the world. However, Assirati's passion for wrestling led him to pursue a career in the sport at the age of 20, while still maintaining his dedication to weightlifting.
Athletic Achievements
At the peak of his career, Assirati was considered one of the strongest men in the world. In 1938, he achieved a remarkable feat by deadlifting 362 kilograms (800 pounds). He was known for executing difficult and impressive tricks, such as one-arm handstands and ring crosses, despite his heavyweight frame. After each victory, Assirati would perform a backflip.
Fearsome Reputation
Assirati gained a reputation for his ruthless and aggressive wrestling style. He took great pleasure in inflicting pain and injury on his opponents, which often made promoters hesitant to work with him. Many potential opponents were afraid to face Assirati, considering it a testament to bravery for those who did. According to Assirati, even the renowned Lou Thesz was reluctant to face him, although Thesz denies this in his autobiography.
Championships
Assirati won his first major championship as a member of the British Wrestling Association, earning the title of British Heavyweight Champion. However, he officially received the title on January 27, 1945. Two years later, he emerged victorious in the European World Heavyweight Championship, defeating Paul Yvar Martinsen in the finals. Although he eventually lost this title, Assirati retained his title as the British champion. In 1949, he was also crowned the Heavyweight Champion of Europe, defeating Felix Miquet, but Miquet later reclaimed the title in 1950.
Later Life and Legacy
After leaving the British Wrestling Association in 1950, Assirati traveled to India to compete. He returned to Europe in 1952, winning another European Heavyweight Championship before returning to India and relinquishing his title. His last major victory came in 1955. Assirati continued to work in a club in Epsom, Surrey, where he served as a doorman and occasionally performed strength demonstrations. He passed away on August 31, 1990, at the age of 82, after battling bladder cancer. Six years after his death, Assirati was posthumously inducted into the Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame.
