10 Major WWE World Title Changes That Took Place On Free TV

Believe it or not, wrestling used to be mainstream enough to air on network television. That's the power of Hulkamania, brother.

When Andre the Giant used the twin magic power of the Hebners to screw arch rival Hulk Hogan out of the WWE title, he performed an unprecedented task. Airing on NBC's The Main Event, Andre's victory was the first time the biggest prize in the company had changed hands on national television. Before this happened, world title changes were the exclusive domain of untelevised house shows in their biggest regional markets (New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore). With this major angle airing on NBC, WWE sent a powerful message that they were a national sensation.

And the numbers backed up that statement. With a 15.2 ratings share translating to 33 million viewers nationwide, The Main Event set the record for the most watched wrestling TV program in history. Millions witnessed the end of Hogan's four-year title reign, and Andre's surrendering of the title belt to Ted DiBiase. That, of course, set up the WWE title tournament that culminated at WrestleMania IV, resulting in Randy Savage's first world title, and a key moment in the famous Megapowers storyline.

So, what I'm trying to say is: this match was kinda-sorta important in a lot of ways.