The Complete History of the WWE Championship - Part 1

Stan Stasiak (December 1, 1973 - December 10, 1973)

Stan Stasiak: Ended Pedro Morales's long reign as champion

Stan Stasiak was the most surprising of the early WWE Champions.

Unheralded as a major star, Stasiak nonetheless was a reliable and solid worker who had been a contender to Pedro Morales's WWWF Championship in 1971.

He was again promoted as a contender to the strap in late 1973, specifically to transition the belt from Morales to Bruno Sammartino.

Stasiak's title winning effort occurred on December 1, 1973 in Philadelphia. He lifted his shoulder just before the count of three following a back suplex spot while Morales's shoulder stayed down for the three.

However, fearing a backlash from the sellout crowd, Stasiak was not announced as the winner or awarded the belt on the night. Instead he was hurried from the ring backstage. The fans in the arena had no clue Morales had lost the title.

The public were made aware of the title change several days later when Stasiak was announced on television as champion.

On December 10, 1973, the transition was complete when Sammartino dethroned Stasiak to become champion once again.