10 Times WWE Heroes Failed
6. The End Of A Historic Reign
Bruno Sammartino was not only the longest reigning WWE champion of all-time, he was also a cultural hero and iconic figure in New York sports history. Fans would jam pack the historic Madison Square Garden to watch his title defenses, cheering the Italian star to victory. They did this for eight years.
You read that correctly.
Eight years.
Sammartino was essentially unbeatable, a god among men. He was the very personification of a superhero, someone able to overcome anyone put before him. That is, until one fateful title defense against Ivan Koloff. While a skilled wrestler, no one expected the Russian to be able to knock off the WWWF champion and win the titles. Especially when Sammartino had defeated so many other big names to successfully retain the most coveted title in the northeast.
But then it happened.
Koloff defeated Sammartino and captured the championship, bringing an end to eight years of dominance. Fans in the Big Apple were distraught, tears flowing freely down their cheeks as their hero dejectedly made his way to the locker room. Luckily, he would rebound and win the title once more, holding it for four more years and establishing himself as one of the most beloved and cherished champions of all time.