Toots Mondt

A wrestler himself from the carnival days, Joseph “Toots” Mondt joined the camp of the legendary Ed “Strangler” Lewis and became a jack of all trades in the business. He would help develop a new style, stars of the business and would become an active promoter; especially in the Northeast. In time, he would become the first major wrestling promoter to gain access to Madison Square Garden and he would eventually join forces with Vince McMahon Sr. and form Capital Sports, which would be the NWA Territory in the New York area.

Toots and McMahon Sr. would break away from the NWA and form the World Wide Wrestling Federation, with “Nature Boy” Buddy Rogers (who Mondt did the booking for) as their champion. It was Mondt who brought in Bruno Sammartino to the organization and pushed him to be their champion. However, like most good pairings it would come to an end, primarily due to Mndt’s own financial instability and his selling of the shares to McMahon.

Toots Mondt could very well be the most important man in the history of the WWE that you never heard of!

Should Toots Mondt be in the Hall of Fame?

Definitely put him in! - 88.9%

Maybe, but others deserve it first. - 1.9%

Probably not, but it wouldn't be the end of the world. - 5.6%

No opinion. - 1.9%

No way! - 1.9%

The Bullet Points

Other Aliases: Joseph Mondt (Real Name)
Billed From: Iowa, U.S.A.
Key Championships Held: None
Why they will get in: He was the co-creator of the World Wide Wrestling Federation; that should be worth something right?
Why they won't get in: He may have been there at the beginning, but NOBODY in the WWE ever mentions it.
Five Greatest Matches/Moments: 1.   Along with Ed Lewis and Billy Sandow, formed their own promotion company (1920’s)
2.   Promoted his first card at Madison Square Garden (1948)
3.   Formed NWA Capital with Vince McMahon Sr. (1958)
4.   Broke away from the NWA and began the WWWF with McMahon (1963)
5.   Brought in Bruno Sammartino and positioned him to be a star in the company (1963)