10 memorable moments from WrestleMania 2

#5 Bruno Sammartino competes at WrestleMania

The living legend.

As COO Triple H once said in a recent interview, the WWE is generational in nature, a product that can easily be passed down from father to son and mother to daughter. It is hard to imagine now, but back in the mid-80s, the likes of Hogan, Savage, Steamboat and Jake Roberts were the younger generation tasked with carrying the company forward.

It is often said that without a Hulk Hogan there might never have been a WrestleMania, but what many often forget is that without a Bruno Sammartino, there might never have been a Hulk Hogan.

Sadly for Sammartino's career, the heights of popularity enjoyed by the WWF in the 80s came a few years too late. Despite now being considered a true living legend, Bruno cannot claim the same levels of notoriety as a Hogan or Stone Cold Steve Austin even though, for a particular age group, he was very much 'the man' of sports entertainment.

Thankfully, however, Sammartino was able to make his presence known during the first two WrestleMania events. Being in the corner of his son David at WrestleMania 1, the former WWWF Champion was able to step inside the ropes once more as part of the 20 man Battle Royal.

His involvement may have been brief in itself, but any ring time for Bruno had to be seen as a huge deal back in 1986 and the sight of him battling against the younger generation of superstars is a truly heartwarming and deserved moment indeed.