10 Longest Times Between First And Last WWE Title Victories
40 years is, remarkably, not a record.
This past week's superspecial albeit entirely Network mandated 'reunion' episode of Raw saw a number of records tumble, and, unusually for a company so obsessed with such bleatings, mostly in secret.
For one, the show ultimately proved fruitful, pulling Raw's best television rating since last year's post-WrestleMania edition. This statistic is one WWE definitely will mention - to the faces of investors, anyway.
The actual content of the show didn't necessarily warrant such attention, but the 24/7 Championship scramble, the one chunk of ongoing entertainment, arguably did. And it was here where some actual records were broken.
In 'beating' Drake Maverick courtesy of a Boogeyman assist, Pat Patterson became the oldest title holder in the company's history, rather conveniently edging out the now troublesome Fabulous Moolah. But the forty years between his first WWE title of any kind and what is probably his last, is remarkably not the longest stint between initial and ultimate championship glory.
In fact, it's not even the second longest; Patterson, though he ranks highly in such stakes, was pushed out that very same night. Two others also managed to make the top ten, replacing Hulk Hogan and Bob Backlund. That said, if Backlund's to be believed, he never really lost his WWE title in the first place...
10. Billy Gunn - 23 January 1995 - 26 January 2014 (19 Years, 3 Days)
Given his association with 'that other company' these days, WWE might just be a little bit miffed that Billy Gunn sneaks into this list ahead of partner Road Dogg. So long as 'The Roadie' remains an intrinsic part of WWE's backstage staff - and as long as Triple H's around, he will - that could yet change.
The young 'One' Billy Gunn - from Orlando, FL, keep in mind - began his life in Stamford as one of the rooting, tootin' cowboys making up The Smoking Gunns. What Billy and Bart lacked in practical ring gear they made up for in being tall and blonde, and it was only a matter of time before they had a set of shiny gold belts to keep their jeans up.
WWE tried repeatedly to make Billy Gunn into a viable singles superstar, but despite predilections for posteriors or King of the Ring victories, it simply couldn't stick - no thanks to barbed dismissals by The Rock. Tag wrestling was Gunn's bread and butter, and it was his partnership with Road Dogg which ultimately defined his career.
When he returned to WWE in 2012, it wasn't as an 'Ass Man', but an Outlaw. For the sake of old times, he claimed his tenth tag team title at Royal Rumble 2014, almost twenty years since the first.