A closer look at Bruno Sammartino’s record and personal life details

A closer look at Bruno Sammartino’s record and personal life details

Kevin Omuya
May 8, 2024 at 5:42 AM

Bruno's commitment to the WWF (now WWE) is mainly responsible for his rise to popularity. Bruno Sammartino's record follows his many accomplishments as a professional wrestler; the 2,803-day reign he enjoyed as WWF World Heavyweight Champion is the longest ever.

Bruno Sammartino
Bruno Sammartino, a professional wrestler, has his hand raised in victory after a match in January 1, 1970. Photo: Focus on Sport
Source: UGC

Table of Сontents:

The "Longest Reigning WWE Champions of All Time" are the wrestlers that have held the WWE Championship for the most extended duration. There have been very few long-term holders of the title, and those who have become legendary throughout their reigns have solidified their place in history.

Profile summary

Title

Details

Full name

Bruno Leopoldo Francesco Sammartino

Gender

Male

Date of birth

October 6, 1935

Date of death

April 18, 2018

Place of birth

Pizzoferrato, Abruzzo, Kingdom of Italy

Age

82 years old at the time of death

Nationality

Italian American

Ethnicity

White

Height

1.78m (5'10")

Weight

120kg (265lbs)

Wife

Carol Sammartino

Profession

Professional wrestler

Debut

October 23, 1959

Retired

August 19, 1987

Reigning as

WWF World Heavyweight Champion

Bruno Sammartino's age

Bruno was born on October 6, 1935, and died on April 18, 2018. He was 82 years old when he passed on.

Bruno Sammartino's height and weight

The Wrestling champion stood at 1.78m(5'10") and weighed 120kg(265lbs). According to TheSportster, Bruno Sammartino's height was listed among the tallest wrestlers during his reign.

Bruno Sammartino's biography

The former wrestler was born into a low-income family of seven in Italy. After migrating to the US in 1950, he and his family eventually made Pittsburgh their permanent home. After bodybuilding training, he started his professional wrestling career in 1959.

Bruno Sammartino
World heavyweight Wrestling Champion Bruno Sammartino arrives to defend his title in Australia on March 29, 1978. Photo: Antony Matheus Linsen.
Source: Original

Bruno Sammartino's record

The WWE veteran held the championship for 4,040 days, or over 11 years, in two distinct reigns. From May 1963 to January 1971, his first reign lasted more than 2803 days; from December 1973 to April 1977, his second reign lasted more than 1237 days.

There was a rationale behind Bruno's repeated sold-out performances at Madison Square Garden. He is regarded as one of the greatest WWE champions ever.

Bruno Sammartino's career

On May 17, 1963, Bruno won the WWE Championship with a 48-second pinfall victory over Buddy Rogers. This triumph began an extraordinary reign, lasting nearly eight years or 2,803 days. While he was champion, he faced off against an impressive roster of opponents, including Stan Hansen, Killer Kowalski, and Gorilla Monsoon.

The wrestler's popularity skyrocketed, and he gained admirers from all walks of life; his influence reached well beyond professional wrestling. People related to his blue-collar work ethic and immigrant origins, so much so that he was dubbed "The Italian Superman."

Bruno Sammartino's title reign

In addition to being one of the all-time greats in professional wrestling, Sammartino holds the record for the longest reign of any WWWF World Heavyweight Champion at 2,803 days.

Bruno Sammartino's title defenses

His stint as a WWE world title holder is the longest. He defended his championship 353 times over the subsequent 1,172 days after earning it on May 17, 1963.

Bruno Sammartino
WWE Hall of Famer Bruno Sammartino at the podium during a ceremony at SAP Center on March 28, 2015. Photo: Jed Jacobsohn
Source: Getty Images

The WWE holder will be remembered for much more beyond his record-breaking reign as champion. His 2013 induction into the WWE Hall of Fame further solidified his position as a legendary wrestler. He was an active member of the wrestling community even after he retired from competition and was a mentor for wrestling until he died.

Bruno Sammartino's age at death

At 82 years of age, the WWE Hall of Famer passed on. In 2011, he had heart surgery. He was hospitalised for two months before his death on April 18, 2018, at the age of 82, from multiple organ failure caused by heart difficulties.

Bruno Sammartino's wife

Sammartino married Carol in 1959. They were married until he died in 2018. The couple had three kids: David, Danny, and Darryl. Danny and Darryl were fraternal twins.

Bruno Sammartino
Championship wrestler Bruno Sammartino with his wife in front of their home in Pittsburgh, US, in January 2006. Photo: John Olson
Source: Getty Images

Frequently asked questions

There is no estimating Bruno Sammartino's influence on the professional wrestling industry. Explore his outstanding record, personal life facts, and the often-asked questions about him.

From 1959 until his last match in October 1981, the wrestler left an indelible mark on the world as one of the all-time greats. He was champion of the world heavyweight division twice during this span, the first of which he reigned for over seven years.

What was Bruno Sammartino's finisher?

He wrestled for multiple NWA areas before entering the WWWF territory. He is famous for his bearhug finishing manoeuvre.

How many years did Bruno Sammartino hold the world title?

Bruno Sammartino
Bruno Sammartino. Photo: @SammartinoBruno (modified by author)
Source: UGC

For seven years. As far as wrestling championship reigns go, Bruno's seven-year reign stands head and shoulders above the others. Even so, contemporary superstars like CM Punk, Brock Lesnar, and Roman Reigns have all spent more than a year wearing wrestling's most coveted championship belt.

What was Bruno Sammartino's longest title reign?

In addition to being one of the all-time greats in professional wrestling, Bruno holds the record for the longest reign of any WWWF World Heavyweight Champion at 2,803 days.

Who ended Bruno Sammartino's reign?

Ivan Koloff ended Bruno's eight-year reign as world heavyweight champion at Madison Square Garden. Koloff won a centre-ring about against him in 1971 before a sold-out Garden crowd.

Final word

Domination and outstanding legacy define Bruno Sammartino's record in wrestling. As the longest-reigning WWE Champion, his story is an inspiration to both fans and fellow wrestlers.

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Authors
Kevin Omuya photo
Kevin Omuya
Kevin Omuya is a Content Writer with 4 years of experience who joined Sports Brief in 2022. In 2019 he held a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism & Digital Media from KCA University.