10 Stages Of The WWE Championship’s Devolution: From Prize To Prop

10. The Early Years

The WWWF Heavyweight title was born when the company first seceded from the NWA, and was "won" by Buddy Rogers in a fictional Rio De Janeiro tournament.

Though Vince McMahon Sr. rejoined the governing body, he retained his own version of a World Heavyweight crown, which came to be defined, initially, by Bruno Sammartino - a working class Italian-American hero to his working class Italian-American public. They adored Sammartino - likely because, before the always-thin kayfabe facade dissipated, their guy got to win each of his big fights. Wrestling used to be an emulation of sport, and the relatable Sammartino was a guaranteed dynasty who, with his power and innate charisma, elevated himself to stardom and the trophy he clutched - for years - to prominence. Pedro Morales was for Puerto Rican immigrants what Sammartino was for Italian-Americans: an aspirational figure there to enable their lofty wish fulfilment. Bob Backlund was less celebrated, but would not have held the title for a (partially fabricated) five year span, if he was a complete failure. It was a different paradigm then, pre-cable revolution - but the idea of these rugged, enduring, unbeatable champs underscores the legacy of the WWWF/WWF/WWE championship as something mythical, buoyed by the subsequent raft of relatively sudden changes.

So enshrined are those days in company lore that all WWE need do to remind modern audiences of the gold's history and prestige is roll sepia-tinged footage of Bruno and his public in the Garden.