8 WWE World Title Changes That Were Going To Happen (But Didn't)

5. Antonino Rocca Defeating Buddy Rogers - WWWF MSG Live Event

Batista 2014
WWE

If you read the history books, it will say that 'Nature Boy' Buddy Rogers became the first ever WWWF World Heavyweight Champion by defeating Antonino Rocca in April 1963. That match was the culmination of a tournament that took place in Rio De Janiero, Brazil.

Only most of that isn't strictly true.

Sure, Buddy Rogers was announced as the WWWF Champ in April '63, but no such tournament or even match took place. But for Antonino Rocca, he so nearly took that title belt from Rogers just the very next month.

Shortly after being crowned WWWF Champion, Rogers suffered a heart attack that threw his wrestling career into doubt. As such, the call was made to switch the championship to somebody else at the May 17, 1963 Madison Square Garden live event.

At that time, two names were considered to dethrone Buddy Rogers. One was Antonino Rocca. One was Bruno Sammartino. And if reports are to be believed, the initial call was made to have Rocca be the one to take Rogers' title.

Instead, those plans were scrapped in favour of having Bruno defeat Rogers. The Italian Superman was 14 years younger that Rocca, and shortly after this Antonino would depart the WWWF - while Sammartino embarked on a record-setting championship reign that clocked in at a ludicrous seven years, eight months, and one day.

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Once described as the Swiss Army Knife of WhatCulture, Andrew can usually be found writing, editing, or presenting on a wide range of topics. As a lifelong wrestling fan, horror obsessive, and comic book nerd, he's been covering those topics professionally as far back as 2010. In addition to his current WhatCulture role of Senior Content Producer, Andrew previously spent nearly a decade as Online Editor and Lead Writer for the world's longest-running genre publication, Starburst Magazine, and his work has also been featured on BBC, TechRadar, Tom's Guide, WhatToWatch, Sportkskeeda, and various other outlets, in addition to being a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic. Between his main day job, his role as the lead panel host of Wales Comic Con, and his gig as a pre-match host for Wrexham AFC games, Andrew has also carried out a hugely varied amount of interviews, from the likes of Robert Englund, Kane Hodder, Adrienne Barbeau, Rob Zombie, Katharine Isabelle, Leigh Whannell, Bruce Campbell, and Tony Todd, to Kevin Smith, Ron Perlman, Elijah Wood, Giancarlo Esposito, Simon Pegg, Charlie Cox, the Russo Brothers, and Brian Blessed, to Kevin Conroy, Paul Dini, Tara Strong, Will Friedle, Burt Ward, Andrea Romano, Frank Miller, and Rob Liefeld, to Bret Hart, Sting, Mick Foley, Ricky Starks, Jamie Hayer, Britt Baker, Eric Bischoff, and William Regal, to Mickey Thomas, Joey Jones, Phil Parkinson, Brian Flynn, Denis Smith, Gary Bennett, Karl Connolly, and Bryan Robson - and that's just the tip of an ever-expanding iceberg. Where his beloved Wrexham AFC is concerned, Andrew is co-host of the Fearless in Devotion podcast, which won the Club Podcast of the Year gong at the 2024 FSA Awards.