10 Things you didn't know about WWE history
World Wrestling Entertainment is quite the venerable institution. The company dates back to the 1950s when the Capitol Wrestling Corporation took flight under the ownership of Jess McMahon--Vince McMahon Jr.'s grandfather.
Capitol Wrestling Corporation would eventually transition into the World Wrestling Federation in the 1960s. One huge name brought the WWWF to prominence; Bruno Sammartino.
In latest WWE NEWS, based on the stardom of Bruno, the fledgling promotion soared. The WWWF managed to control the coveted North East territory, which included the lucrative New York market.
Over time, many other stars would be the face of the company, men like Hulk Hogan and John Cena. But none of them had the lengthy title reigns of Bruno Sammartino. His record of nine years combined total is a record that might never be broken.
In modern times, the WWWF is now known as the WWE. Here are ten things you might not know about the company's storied history.
#1 The original Nature Boy Buddy Rogers led to the company leaving the National Wrestling Alliance
The modern WWE may not have happened had it not been for the original Nature Boy and a twenty thousand dollar deposit.
Buddy Rogers was the NWA world champion, but due to McMahon's influence he rarely worked outside of the North East territory. Many of the southern promotions which were members of the National Wrestling Alliance were understandably upset with this arrangement.
Rogers, like all champions of his era, paid a twenty thousand dollar deposit on the world title, to prevent double crosses or other shenanigans by the champion. Rogers refused to relinquish the twenty grand, which led to the Nature Boy dropping the NWA title to Lou Thesz.
The then-WWWF left the NWA in protest, and forged ahead on their own.