Who was the first wrestler to hold the WWE Championship for more than 2,800 days?

Bruno Sammartino was the first wrestler to hold the WWE Championship for more than 2,800 days.

Sammartino’s first reign lasted 2,803 days, from May 17, 1963, until January 18, 1971. He won the title by defeating Buddy Rogers at Madison Square Garden and lost it to Ivan Koloff at the same venue nearly eight years later.

His reign remains the longest recognized single reign of the championship, which was then known as the WWWF World Heavyweight Championship. Sammartino later held the title again for 1,237 days, giving him more than 4,000 combined days as champion.

The record is often confused with Bob Backlund’s lengthy 1978–1983 reign, which lasted more than five years. Sammartino’s combined championship time and his single-reign record are separate statistics, but both explain why he is regarded as one of the most important champions of wrestling’s territory era.