Ranking All 50 WWE World Heavyweight Champions - From Worst To Best

3. Bruno Sammartino

'The Living Legend' was only truly lionised by WWE after he died, with a 2013 Hall of Fame induction coming mostly as a result of then-new exec Triple H rightfully looking to mend as many fences as possible between Vince McMahon and scorned ex-performers.

Few that saw him in his pomp remain vocal, but the facts, figures and forefathers tell the stories that cement his legend. Two four-figure runs (2,803 and 1,237) between 1963 and 1977 tell the story. For two decades, Sammartino was a ticket-selling triumph when big gates were all that really mattered for companies and territories to truly prosper.

Before all the rest, there was only Bruno.