'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The WWE Championship represents the pinnacle of sports entertainment. Stone Cold once said, 'nobody enters the business without one day wanting to be WWE Champion', and he is right when he says that. Superstars have marked personal and professional importance to the title and winners are an elite bunch that have reached the top.
In modern times, winning it may not be a big deal, as the title is hot potato-ed a lot. However, there are certain wrestlers which make history with the strap around their waist, by holding it for ungodly amounts of days, truly showing how legendary they are. The names on the list are just those legendary people and we will be taking a loom at the 10 longest WWE Championship reigns ever.
Honourable Mentions:
AJ Styles: 335* days
Billy Graham: 296 days
Ultimate Warrior: 293 days
Yokozuna, JBL and John Cena: 280 days
#10 Diesel: 358 days
The 10th longest reign on this list, which will most likely be eclipsed by AJ Styles soon enough, was by Big Daddy Cool Diesel in what is considered to be one of the most disappointing reigns in the title's history. Diesel defeated Bob Backlund at a house show in 8 seconds to win the belt and continued until November 19, when he was defeated by Bret Hart at Survivor Series 1995. The reign went from November 26, 1994 to November 19, 1995.
Even though Diesel was a week short of the one year mark, it was one of the worst financial years for the WWE, and much of the blame is placed on Diesel's inability to have been a main event draw. Diesel's reign started out hot, as he feuded with Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels for it, but ended in a whimper as his final feuds were against the likes of Mabel. Regardless of all of that, Diesel's reign is the 10th longest reign, but will soon move to the honorable mentions list.
#9 Hulk Hogan: 364 days
The 9th longest reign ever just came a day short of completing a full calendar year. The champion for this year was probably one of the biggest stars in wrestling history, Hulk Hogan. The reign started at WrestleMania V, when Hogan defeated Randy Savage for the belt on April 2, 1989, and ended with 'The Ultimate Challenge' at WrestleMania VI on April 1, 1990. The winner in that match was Intercontinental Champion, Ultimate Warrior.
This reign saw him defend his title against Randy Savage on multiple occasions, Big Boss Man and the Honky Tonk Man. He won the 1990 Royal Rumble as champion (before the stipulation led to the winner facing a champion at WrestleMania). This may not be an eventful run, but is also only the first of two entries for Hulk Hogan on the list. This entry also may be removed from this list as AJ Styles is only 30 days away from eclipsing Hogan's 364 day reign.
#8 Randy Savage: 371 days
The man Hogan beat for his 364 day reign was Randy Savage, who himself had created history for one of the longest reigns with the strap. Like Hogan went from WrestleMania V to WrestleMania VI as champion, Savage went from WrestleMania IV to WrestleMania 5 as champion. The reign started on March 27, 1998 after winning a tournament for the belt and ended on April 2, 1989 at the hands of tag team partner Hulk Hogan.
Savage's run as champion is overshadowed by Hogan's presence throughout the year. Hogan had helped Savage win the belt, and helped him through the year in the historic 'Mega Powers' tag team. The entire year only saw tag team rivalries against the likes of Ted DiBiase and Andre the Giant or Big Boss Man and Akeem. The title reign came to an end after the Mega Powers split, causing Savage to turn heel and be bested by the hero Hogan.
#7 John Cena: 380 days
John Cena is one of two men on the list who are associated with the modern era of wrestling. Big Match John had two extremely long reigns with the belt right at the start of his tenure as a main eventer. This was the second of those reigns, with his first ever title reign being 280 days long. He won the belt at Unforgiven 2006, defeating Edge in a TLC match, but would lose the belt after being stripped of it due to injury. This reign went from September 17, 2006 to October 2, 2007.
This reign exists in the time when champions make regular championship defenses, at least once a month. During this run, Cena defeated the likes of Umaga, Shawn Michaels, The Great Khali and Randy Orton. The reign ended while feuding with Orton, after a botched hip-toss leading Cena to tear his pectoral muscle against Mr. Kennedy. Orton was awarded the vacant belt, and Cena would feud for it on his return in early 2008, but fail to win it.
#6 CM Punk: 434 days
What is billed as the longest reign of the modern era, CM Punk may be the living example of someone who grabbed the brass ring when no one wanted him to. Punk's iconic 434 day reign as champion began on November 20, 2011 when he defeated champion Alberto Del Rio for the title. He would lose the championship to The Rock at Royal Rumble 2013, which happened on the 27th of January.
Punk may be one of the most fondly remembered superstars in wrestling history, and his 434 day reign as champion is a testament to his popularity. He was a pioneer that showed the world that independent wrestling stars can succeed in the WWE too.
His run led to the floodgates opening up for eventual champions like Daniel Bryan, Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose and current champion, AJ Styles. He feuded with the likes of John Cena, Chris Jericho, Ryback, Daniel Bryan etc. He also gave The Shield their debut during his reign. This will be a title reign that no one will ever forget, despite the way Punk and WWE ended their relationship.
#5 Pedro Morales: 1027 days
Taking a huge jump from Punk's 434 day reign, we see Pedro Morales as the fifth entry in the list with a massive, almost three year reign with the top title. Morales was only the fourth champion in the title's history, as he defeated Ivan Koloff to win the belt. He did this on February 8, 1971. He held the belt until December 1, 1973 where Stan Stasiak dethroned him.
There were many rivals for Morales in his three year reign as champion, nut the two that truly characterize this reign are the man who defeated him, Stan Stasiak and Freddy Blassie. This title was won in the days of the World Wide Wrestling Federation, or the WWWF. This was under the Capitol Wrestling Corporation, run by Vincent James McMahon and Toots Mondt. Morales also faced the likes of Tatanka, Lou Albano, Ernie Ladd, and most memorable, Bruno Sammartino, who faced Morales at the 1972 Showdown at the Shea to a 75 minute curfew draw.
#4 Bruno Sammartino: 1237 days
The sixth ever reign with the illustrious championship is also the fourth longest reign. What is further testament to this is that this is one of two entries for Bruno Sammartino. Bruno defeated Stan Stasiak for the WWWF Championship on December 10, 1973 and held the belt for over three years, until he was defeated by Superstar Billy Graham on the 30th of April, 1977.
Sammartino goes down in history as possibly the greatest champion of all time. He comfortable holds the record for the longest combined days as champion, and there is good reason for that. Sammartino could be argued as the first superstar to be born in wrestling.
This reign was his second reign with the belt and saw him best competitors like Stan Hansen. This reign was marred by injuries, so isn't as memorable as his first one but is historic nonetheless, especially because of his feud with Stan Hansen.
#3 Hulk Hogan: 1474 days
The Real American, Hulk Hogan makes his second appearance on the list for his 4 year reign as champion. This is during Hogan's initial run in the company, making this only the 10th reign in the history of the title. Hogan defeated The Iron Sheik for the belt on January 3rd, 1984 at Madison Sqaure Garden. He would lose the belt to Andre the Giant on February 5, 1988 at an edition of The Main Event.
Hogan's persona of a larger than life character developed here, as he exploded into super-stardom with the Rock n Wrestling Connection with MTV. This period saw him have epic rivalries which put pro wrestling into the mainstream. These rivalries were primarily against the liked of 'Rowdy' Roddy Piper and Andre the Giant.
This reign saw the iconic WrestleMania III match against the undefeated Andre the Giant. Hogan's reign was iconic and probably the one that catapulted sports entertainment to the stratosphere.
#2 Bob Backlund: 2135 days
The eighth reign in the history of the title became the second longest reign ever, as Bob Backlund held the belt for over 6 years. This title reign is considered to be controversial, as Backlund lost the belt in the middle, meaning he has two different reigns, one which lasted for 648 days and 1470 days respectively, as Backlund had lost the belt to Antonio Inoki in a reign the WWE doesn't recognize, as a result WWE recognizes these two reigns as one continuous reign, lasting from February 20, 1978 to December 26, 1983. He beat Billy Graham for the belt, and lost to The Iron Sheik.
Backlund's 6 years as champion saw him go on a tear over the professional wrestling landscape in general. His reign saw him defendant he belt against the champions of other promotions such as Harley Race, Ric Flair, Nick Bockwinkel etc. This habit of Backlund saw him lose the belt to Inoki, but Inoki refused to be the champion, so WWE don't recognition his 6 days as champion.
Backlund re-won the belt and defended against the likes of Ken Patera and an iconic feud with a young rising star known as Hulk Hogan. He feuded with Greg Valentine and Jimmy Snuka (which led to the iconic Snuka Splash from the top of the steel cage) and eventually lost the belt to The Iron Sheik, allegedly because he didn't want to lose to Hogan due to his lack of an amateur wrestling background.
#1 Bruno Sammartino: 2803 days
8 years is what it took for Bruno Sammartino to be defeated. EIGHT YEARS. The single most iconic reign as champion in the history of professional wrestling. This iconic reign started after Sammartino defeated inaugural champion buddy Rodgers for the title on May 17, 1963 in New York, and ended in one of the most infamous losses in professional wrestling, as Ivan Koloff stunned Madison Square Garden on January 19, 1971.
To put this reign in perspective, there were 31 champions in the same time between 2002 and 2010, starting with The Undertaker in May 2002 (reign number 66) to John Cena in February 2010 (reign number 97).
To further shed light on this, The Undertaker's reign happened before John Cena had even made his WWE debut, and Cena's reign was his sixth, with his record setting 380 day reign also in this time frame. Sammartino's title loss to Ivan Koloff led Madison Sqaure Garden into stunned silence, as no one expected the reign to end. Sammartino's cumulative 11 years as champion will never be matched, and his 8 year reign as champion in on it's own will not see a competitor even come close to it ever again.
