20 Days That Changed WWE Forever
19. 30 April 1977 - Superstar Billy Graham Conquers Sammartino
In the 14 years that followed Sammartino's first title win, he remained the company's top star. Only Pedro Morales racked up any significant time with the WWWF Championship beside him, and while Bruno lost the title in 1971, he was champion again by 1973.
By early 1977, though, Sammartino was in a very different position than he had been when he first became a world champion. At 41 years of age, he was still a draw, but his body was weakening as a result of a neck injury incurred from a botched bodyslam. He requested to drop the title, and Vince McMahon chose a different kind of star to be his next champion.
Prior to 'Superstar' Billy Graham, most of the WWWF's heels had been evil foreigners or vicious maniacs, but like Gorgeous George twenty years earlier, Graham rewrote the paradigm for what made a successful villain. In 'The Superstar's' case, it was enormous muscles, flashy gear, and an incredible promo style.
On 30 April 1977, Graham defeated Sammartino for the WWWF Championship and would go on to hold the belt for 296 days - still the longest reign ever for a heel wrestler. Graham's win and subsequent run with the title showed that the old rules were starting to change.