Bruno Mars meets source of nickname: Bruno Sammartino
PITTSBURGH: Bruno Mars has met the man he is nicknamed after: former pro wrestling champion Bruno Sammartino.
The two met Tuesday night when the pop singing sensation’s 24K Magic World Tour stopped in Pittsburgh.
Sammartino heard through friends that Mars, born Peter Gene Hernandez, was nicknamed “Bruno” by his father because he was a “chunky” baby. The wrestling legend — now 81 — was about 275 pounds in his prime and the favorite wrestler of Mars’ father.
Sammartino told The Associated Press on Wednesday that he did not know much about Mars before the meeting, but came away “extremely impressed.”
“I hope he is like that in everyday life. He was the most humble, nicest guy,” Sammartino said. “He could not have been more respectful.”
Sammartino jokingly gave Mars a picture of himself in his wrestling “prime” to prove he was more muscular than chunky, and a replica of his championship belt from what was then known as the World-Wide Wrestling Federation. The group is now known as World Wrestling Entertainment, or WWE.
Mars posted a picture of the meeting on Instagram saying, “I was nicknamed after this professional wrestler Bruno Sammartino. Tonight in Pittsburgh I had the honor of meeting him!“
Mars, 31, told the website RapUP in a May 2010 interview that his dad nicknamed him for the wrestler.