10 Most Iconic Images In WWE History

We all have our most memorable wrestling images indelibly etched in our minds -- moments that were so surprising or shocking, or so important and satisfying, that we'll carry them with us for the rest of our days. WWE knows it, too -- they've put together dozens and dozens of clip packages over the years that have celebrated (and reinforced) these special moments. WrestleMania, unsurprisingly, is a hotbed for these images -- the huge crowds, the unbeatable atmosphere, and WWE's own personal narrative (every year, the announcers anxiously anticipate new "WrestleMania moments") have given the show of shows a place above all others. Still, there are many photos on the list that aren't from WrestleMania. "Iconic" can happen anytime, anywhere. Here are the ten most iconic images in WWE history -- some we never thought we'd see, others we'd anticipated for years, and still more that grew legendary as their subjects blazed a trail in the sport. Regardless, I'm sure they'll all be very familiar.

10. The Superstar Takes Manhattan

Don't ever make the mistake of thinking that it was Hulk Hogan -- or even Vincent Kennedy McMahon -- who turned WWE into a more theatrical wrestling promotion than its counterparts scattered around in the country. In 1976 -- before Hogan wrestled his first match and before McMahon was much more than an announcer in a powder-blue sports coat -- "Superstar" Billy Graham was the talk of the town and the toast of both coasts. During a photo shoot through New York City, the soon-to-be WWE Champion had a surprise for photographer (and future wrestling journalism legend) Bill Apter -- he climbed up on a mailbox in Times Square and posed for what became an iconic photo. The significance of the shot is two-fold -- firstly, it perfectly encapsulated the larger-than-life character of the "Superstar," a man who became the first long-term (and to date, longest-reigning) heel WWE Champion. Beyond that, though, it also provides photographic proof that, despite the location of the company's headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut, WWE has always been -- and will always be -- inextricably linked with New York City. This photo is an early example of how the city and the organization have been intertwined, and it's evidence of a precedent that continues to this day.