Did Someone Poke Mario Galento Eye? Wrestler Net Worth 2022

Mario Galento, a cunning veteran wrestler from th southern territories, lost his eye during a live TV match in the 70s.

Author and former wrestler Jerry W. Jarrett poked his eye with a nightstick, which resulted in Galento losing his left eye completely.

Following the incident, he spent the rest of his career fighting with a mask on his left eye. It was a live TV wrestling match between Jerry Lawler and Jerry Jarrett. Even though everything happened on live TV, there have been many different narrations regarding the incident and how Galento ended up losing his eye.

Jerry W. Jarrett offers his perspective in a 2021 interview for the program Stories with Brisco and Bradshaw. Lawler and Jarrett planned for a 30-minute encounter as the main wrestling event one night. Galento was recruited by Nashville promoter Roy Welsh to threaten Jarrett on his behalf because he thought Jarrett would take his area.

Galento suddenly attacked the ring, pursued Jarrett, and hit him from behind. Lawler pulls Mario away, and a little while later, he returns to the ring brandishing a nightstick. However, this time, Lawler holds his arm, and Jarrett takes the nightstick and strikes him in the eye. Galento then had his eye poked by Jarrett, who immediately lost one of his eyes. Also seriously injured was his other eye.

Additionally, he had split open his eye while attacking with some stick. Blood was also splattered all over the place. Galento eventually required 200 stitches in his skull in the end. His gravely wounded face is shown in several photographs that may be found online.

Before Galento departed the television studio, it appears that this occurred twice. On television, Lawler justified his assistance of Jarrett by claiming that Galento was insane, that Lawler desired Jarrett for himself, and that he wouldn’t want Galento to harm Jarrett because Jerry wanted to hurt Jerry Jarrett himself.

Galento eventually did wind up in the hospital for some time following the incident, and the bruise of it remained forever on his eye. It was the price he paid for a match that had nothing to do with him. He ended up interfering with a live game between Lawler and Jarrett, ultimately costing him his eye.

According to Biography Net Worth, the late wrestler Mario Galento had a net worth of around $500,000 during his demise.

He was a famous combat wrestler in the 50s and could maintain his charisma in the ring up to the mid-80s. During that era, wrestlers did not get paid well enough like they do today. Thus it is the main reason why his net worth was less than one million, some might argue.

Galento passed away in 1989, way before the considerable monetization of wrestling and all other sports. Half a million at that time was a big deal. Moreover, adjusted for inflation over the years, $500K would be around $1.1 million in 2022. According to multiple sources, Galento also owned a restaurant in Georgia. It was believed to be an Italian flavor restaurant. 

On the other hand, talking about wages, wrestlers were paid far less than other employees. In the 60s and the 70s, an average wrestler would make $50 to $100 a week; compared to the present day, and an average WWE wrestler would bag a minimum of $500,000 a year, which is Galento’s overall net worth. Brock Lesner, the current highest-paid WWE athlete, earns more than $12 million yearly as a salary from WWE.

Mario Galento is an American professional wrestler born on June 17, 1915. His real name was Bonnie Lee Boyette.

Unfortunately, the legend is not featured on the Wikipedia page. As a result, much of his personal information is still hidden and in mystery. The native of Alamo, Tennessee, began fighting at an early age. When he was a teen, Galento decided to leave his home to roam around the country.

In the late 1940s, Galento started wrestling when he was around 30. In 1953, going by Butch Boyette, he made his debut appearance on the Gulf Coast. In 1954, he made a comeback as The Masked Flash. When he was revealed to be Mario Galento, he continued to go by that identity for the rest of his professional life.

Furtermore, Al Galento gave him the moniker, and although they worked together occasionally, their relationship wasn’t solid. In addition to the Gulf Coast, he was a well-known figure in Texas, Tennessee, and Georgia, with sporadic appearances in Florida and the Northeast. He held both singles and tag team titles across the South.

Although he was not a shooter, his technique might best be described as that of a brawler, and he was known for being rather harsh. He had long hair and jewelry, making him distinctive for his day. He was a braggart who spoke harshly both as a babyface and heel, according to his mic style.

Smokey, his second wife and servant, was the most dangerous aspect of him. She was known to draw a pistol on Mario’s adversaries if they outwitted him for a prolonged period and was not very savvy regarding business. Besides, Galento has also tried acting and had appeared in some movies like Natchez Trace and the Daughters of Davey Crocket.

Born in 1915 to his mother Emma and father Cecil Galento, Mario was raised in Tennessee, USA.

He grew up in a family of six. Emma and Cecil nurtured him with their three other kids. Galento had three siblings, two brothers, Billy & Wayne, and a sister named Jewel Galento. They call Mario Big Bud because of his enormous size. 

Five times NWA Gulf Coast Heavyweight champion Mario Galento married twice in his life. He first wedded his love Marie in 1936, and a year later, she gave birth to a son Robert. But tragedy blew over Galento’s family as his newborn son passed away. Later in 1940, the pair welcomed their second baby, a daughter named Barbara, followed by the third one named Terry in 1958.

Nearly five years after Galento’s tragic passing, his eldest daughter Barbara Galento Reeves passed away on May 2, 1994, due to pancreatic cancer. Meanwhile, his younger daughter Terry, born way later, Barbara, is still alive and remembers her father.

“He always took a hand towel to the ring and tied it in his corner. At a time when it looked like he was losing his match, he would grab that towel, wrap it around his fist and pummel his opponent.” Terry recalls one of his father’s gimmicks.