WWE: Who are the longest reigning world champions in history?
Watch Kevin Owens defend WWE Universal Title on Sunday night
Friday 23 September 2016 19:44, UK
Kevin Owens' Universal Championship reign is still in its infancy, so the Canadian has a long way to go to match or better some of the lengthiest stints with a WWE World Title.
But which wrestlers have held WWE's top prize the longest, and which man has been world champion for a cumulative time of 4,040 days?
Find out below - then catch Owens defend his title against Seth Rollins at Clash of Champions, live on Sky Sports Box Office from 1am on Monday.
BRUNO SAMMARTINO - 2,803 days
Won title: May 17, 1963 - beat Buddy Rogers
Lost title: January 18, 1971 - beaten by Ivan Koloff
The lowdown: It took Sammartino just 48 seconds to prise the World Wide Wrestling Federation Title, as it was known back then, from inaugural champion Buddy Rogers at a house show in New York but he would go on to hold the hardware for a whopping seven years, eight months and a day. Fans would flock into Madison Square Garden to see Sammartino wrestle, with the Italian-born powerhouse engaging in rivalries with the likes of Waldo von Erich, Johnny Valentine, Ernie 'The Big Cat' Ladd, Gorilla Monsoon and George 'The Animal' Steele. His biggest rival, though, was Killer Kowalski, whom he defeated in a Stretcher Match at Boston Red Sox's Fenway Park after hitting his foe with a wooden chair. How old school! Sammartino appeared unbeatable - until he was stunned by Koloff at MSG. The Italian Stallion was not done when it came to the world title, however…
BOB BACKLUND - 2,135 days
Won title: February 20, 1978 - beat "Superstar" Billy Graham
Lost title: December 26, 1983 - beaten by The Iron Sheik
The lowdown: Backlund, now serving as Darren Young's life coach on WWE Raw, also enjoyed a whopping stint as the company's kingpin, although there is some controversy over the length of his reign. The Minnesotan actually lost his title to Antonio Inoki in Japan in November 1979 and although he won the rematch a week later the vast amount of outside interference saw that victory rendered void. Inoki subsequently refused to have the title handed to him and when Backlund beat Bobby Duncum to win the vacated championship back on American soil, WWE chose not to acknowledge Inoki's reign. During his time with the title, Backlund battled Harley Race to a 60-minute time-limit draw, while he also fought Ric Flair, Sgt Slaughter and Nick Bockwinkel, before shipping the strap to The Iron Sheik when his manager, Arnold Skaaland, threw in his towel.
HULK HOGAN - 1,474 days
Won title: January 23, 1984 - beat The Iron Sheik
Lost title: February 5, 1988 - beaten by Andre The Giant
The lowdown: The Sheik would remain champion for only 28 days, with Hogan scooping WWE's top prize around a month after he had returned to the company from American Wrestling Association (AWA), becoming the first man to wriggle free of the Sheik's cobra clutch in the process. Andre The Giant would feature prominently during the Hulkster's reign - Hogan stunned the world at WrestleMania III in 1987 by scoop-slamming the Frenchman and retaining his title but would lose the gold just over four years after winning it when he lost to Andre on an episode of The Main Event. Over the course of his career, Hogan would win the WWE World Title six times, most recently when he bested Triple H at Backlash in 2002, and hold the strap for a total of 2,185 days. Only Sammartino, with a staggering 4,040 days as WWE's top man, can beat that…
BRUNO SAMMARTINO - 1,237 days
Won title: December 10, 1973 - beat Stan Stasiak
Lost title: April 30, 1977 - beaten by "Superstar" Billy Graham
The lowdown: Sammartino's second reign was not as long as his first but 1,237 days is hardly a bad achievement! Almost three years after his defeat to Koloff, the Living Legend outmuscled Stasiak, who had downed Pedro Morales (more on him in a minute) to claim the title on December 1. Sammartino fended off a list of luminaries second time around, including old foes Kowalski and Steel as well as Nikolai Volkoff, but his most memorable achievement was wrestling Stan Hansen with a broken neck before the match was called off due to excessive blood loss. Sammartino won his rivalry against Hansen with a triumph inside a steel cage but with injuries mounting, he was finally beaten by Billy Graham in 1977, albeit that the challenger had his feet on the ropes as the referee counted the pinfall.
PEDRO MORALES - 1,027 days
Won title: February 8, 1971 - beat Ivan Koloff
Lost title: December 1, 1973 - beaten by Stan Stasiak
The lowdown: Primo and Epico may beg to differ but Morales is perhaps Puerto Rico's greatest wrestling export. Not only did he hold the WWE World Title for over 1,000 days but he has also worn the Intercontinental Title more than any other competitor, with his 619 days in total surpassing Don Muraco (541), The Honky Tonk Man (454), and Tito Santana (443). Sammartino was one of the first men to congratulate Morales after he downed Koloff but the two were soon rivals - admittedly friendly ones - as, after over an hour of action, they fought to a time-limit draw at Shea Stadium in New York, the former home of baseball's Mets and NFL's Jets. Morales - the first man to win the WWE, Intercontinental and World Tag Team Titles, claiming the latter with Backlund - frequently got the better of Stasiak in their bouts but lost his championship to him in Philadelphia.
CM PUNK - 434 days
Won title: November 20, 2011 - beat Alberto Del Rio
Lost title: January 27, 2013 - beaten by The Rock
The lowdown: One of the finest title reigns in recent memory would never have taken place had Punk gone through with his threat to leave WWE at the expiration of his contract in the summer of 2011. Something convinced The Second City Saint to stay - then at least - but WWE fans were not aware at the time, so were dumbfounded when he beat John Cena at Money in the Bank in front of his adoring Chicago fans and hightailed it out of the Allstate Arena. A newly re-signed Punk lost the world title to Alberto Del Rio at SummerSlam after being assaulted by Kevin Nash but regained it at Survivor Series before experiencing the longest title reign this century so far. Cena, Daniel Bryan and Chris Jericho were among the Superstars Punk conquered along the way, and it wasn't until The Rock came calling at the Royal Rumble that "The Best in the World" was beaten.
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