WWE History Vol. 2: The magnificent career of Bruno Sammartino

Shock and silence greets a lost title

Ivan Koloff flies from the turnbuckle toward a dazed Sammartino.

Seven years of globe-trotting and defending his title had taken a toll on Sammartino. With nagging injuries piling up, as well as general fatigue, Sammartino actually pitched the idea of him losing the title belt to a worthy contender.

That contender would take the form of faux-Russian Canadian athlete Ivan Koloff. With the Cold War in full swing, a plethora of Russian heels invaded the world of pro wrestling. Koloff was a long time wrestling fan before he joined the profession. At just under six feet, he tipped the scales at two hundred seventy pounds, all of it muscle.

Due to his heelish popularity at the time, Koloff was chosen to succeed Sammartino as champion. Their match was held at Madison Square Garden, and when Koloff did the unthinkable and actually defeated Sammartino, the New York crowd reacted with stunned silence. It was hard to believe that the nigh-invincible Sammartino had fallen, and to a man that the fans despised.

But soon enough Sammartino would become champion again.