3. Ivan Koloff Ends Bruno Sammartino's Eight Year Championship Reign - 1971
WWE.comThis was before a lot of us were watching wrestling or even alive in most people's cases. However, to ignore it would be wrong because it's a huge part of history. Bruno Sammartino won the WWE Championship on May 17, 1963 and held it until January 18, 1971 when he lost it to Ivan Koloff. The match ended when Koloff hit a knee drop off the top rope that nailed Sammartino in the ribs. The story was that Sammartino had a rib injury, so the heel challenger Koloff attacked him where he was vulnerable. In a
WWE.com story about the match, Bill Apter said Madison Square Garden went silent when it happened. Everybody was shocked. Sound familiar? Eight years. Think about it. The man headlined so many shows for so long and didn't lose in eight years. Koloff's win really was a big deal. Whether we were alive to see it or not, that's irrelevant. Just put it in perspective and it's one of the biggest upsets ever.