The Complete History of the WWE Championship - Part 1

Nature Boy Buddy Rogers (April 11, 1963 - May 17, 1963)

Buddy Rogers: WWE's first ever World Champion

The Nature Boy Buddy Rogers would inspire generations of wrestlers, most notably Ric Flair. With his bleached hair, flashy looks and impassioned promos, Rogers was a box office sensation in the 1950s and early 1960s.

As one of the biggest draws of the era, Rogers was an obvious choice for NWA World Champion; a title he held from 1961 to 1963.

A sensation in the North East, he was also the only choice to lead McMahon Sr's WWWF promotion when they split from the NWA in April 1963.

Rogers was credited with having defeated Antonino Rocco in a fictional tournament final to become the first ever WWE Champion. His reign would be short lived, however, due to his advancing age and developing heath issues - predominantly heart problems. However, Rogers's influence would be far reaching.

The 16 time World Champion, Flair would pay tribute to Rogers by utilizing his Nature Boy nickname, bleaching his hair and performing his signature strut and Figure 4 leglock finisher.