The Unbreakable WWE Title Record
By babostwick
@babostwick (2036)
United States
July 8, 2007 4:11pm CST
There is a record of over 7 years held by the 2nd ever WWE Champion, it was known as the WWWF Title at the time, Bruno Sammartino. That was during a time where they weren't national and didn't have the PPVs or for that matter a weekly show on National TV like Raw, Smackdown, or even ECW for that matter. During that time, it was probably very easy to keep the title on someone for a very long period of time and interest was kept. He was the #1 face for a long time before Hulk Hogan came along.
Why it would be considered unbreakable by todays stanards is because in my own opinion, I don't think anyone could hold a title that long with all the TV and PPVs around today. There probably wouldn't be a lot of interest at all and could bore people. It won't be because of the wrestler, it'll be due to the length of the title reign.
I also bring this up because right now John Cena is currently on pace to get close to making a year long reign getting closer to Diesel aka Kevin Nash's record in 1994 for having the longest run in the past 13 years I should say. I don't see him ever doing something like that, not because there's anything against him, more so the fact that I don't think anyone would sit through that.
I mean sure Hulk Hogan had it over 4 years but keep in mind that it was a different era as it was just getting up to the National Level. When Hulk was the champ, there wasn't that much TV for them and they didn't even have close to that many PPVs a year like today has about 14 or 15. Talk about a huge difference.
I don't think Cena or for that matter anyone is going to be able to touch something like that by a long shot.
I should also state that Backlund recognized only in WWE Title history has the 2nd longest reign in history with 6 years though it could be disputed with some other sites like Online World of Wrestling or Wrestling Information Archive stating other wise.
Here's a question. Say they try to do the impossible and try to get that record broken of 7.5 years, will anyone continue to keep watching or will it be too boring to watch since you know the champion will retain every time no matter who holds the WWE Title?
4 responses
@anaknitatay (1335)
• Philippines
9 Jul 07
you're right, even at htis length of time I'm beginning to get bored that it's Cena all the time. Cena, Cena... but I think it may be possible provided the wrestler is popular enough and that there are enough storylines going along.
However, I think this would also be unfair to other wrestlers who also deserve the title.
@babostwick (2036)
• United States
9 Jul 07
That's true. I never thought it could be but I suppose if there are enough storylines to keep people interested then it can happen.
I know, there are some guys who can have a title run but it makes it look like they are in the wrong era so to speak.
@babostwick (2036)
• United States
10 Jul 07
Looks like we're agreeing on that. There are other wrestlers that could have a title run but I guess it just depends on the mindset at the time. I can say someone like Kane, who held it 1 day and to be honest was in the Wrong Era to have a run with Austin, Rock later being HHH being red hot so to speak.
I can go back further and some talk about The Million Dollar Man. If you count the run he had by having it handed to him by Andre, then he was a champion but no history book has it in there. He was the wrong era so to speak since the company was about Hogan.
@Divzs18 (441)
• India
10 Jul 07
Indeed it is difficult to break such records. Infact it is much more difficult to keep the title belt intact with so many quality wrestlers backstage. I didn't know of such kind of record but now feels really amazed by knowing this. I just hope John Cena will be able to make his record.
@babostwick (2036)
• United States
10 Jul 07
I'm sure by the time his career winds down, he could very well have a record nobody else. Right now, he has been in 4 consecutive title bouts, 2 as the challenger and 2 as the champion. I think that's a record and Cena's career is just basically going.
@babostwick (2036)
• United States
10 Jul 07
He is. I think he now has the record of being successful in title bouts at Wrestlemania. His 1st 4 Manias he competed in, he's won the US Title, WWE Title, and retained it in back to back 'Manias. I think that is a record but I am not 100% positive on that.
@lhytzky (43)
• Philippines
9 Jul 07
7 years of reign as a champion is really hard to beat. These days, its really hard to keep the championship belt that long, because there are lots of good wrestlers and a cheaters like edge. Probably the longest for today would be 1 or 2 years maybe. Like in the case of gregory healms, he has the belt for almost a year until he was defeated.
Its really not boring to see the same champion every time as long as he deserve the belt without having any form of cheating. I can say that he is really a good wrestler. I really hate cheaters like edge, he really don't deserve the championship belt.
@babostwick (2036)
• United States
9 Jul 07
Pretty sure Helms held it for over a year but not by much. Most of the time in his case, no one would know since he wasn't really on TV that much. If I recall correctly, he was injured for at least a couple months while being champion and no mention of the belt was made during that frame.
With someone like Cena on just about every week, it would be hard to keep it on him without anyone wanting him to drop it.
Same with Trish with the Woman's Title. She was gone injured while the champ and it was forgotten about. Then she returns as the champ.
