January. It’s a month of new beginnings, and nobody knows how to christen a calendar year better than WWE. Our Januarys have seen title changes, brand launches, celebrity shenanigans and the debut of a bona-fide global phenomenon. And that's not including the annual Royal Rumble Match! In any case, just because the holidays are over, it doesn’t mean January’s stingy in giving the WWE Universe the classic moments it craves. Here, WWE.com cherry-picks five timeless moments from the Januarys of yesteryear.
JAN. 18, 1971: IVAN KOLOFF DEFEATS BRUNO SAMMARTINO FOR THE WWE CHAMPIONSHIP
Some of the younger members of the WWE Universe might be surprised to know that the longest-running title reign for the WWE Championship belonged to Bruno Sammartino, who held the title more than seven years in the nascent days of WWE. Widely acknowledged as one of the quintessential WWE Champions, Sammartino’s unequalled run came to an end in New York City against the towering “Russian Bear,” Ivan Koloff. The two giants battled it out in a surprisingly fast-paced match, but The Bear’s flying knee from the top rope secured the win and ended Sammartino’s unmatched reign. In an unprecedented turn of events, Sammartino would win the title back in 1973 and kick off a nearly four-year reign as champion.
JAN. 23, 1984: THE BIRTH OF HULKAMANIA
When he took to the ring to face The Iron Sheik for the WWE Championship under the bright lights of Madison Square Garden, Hulk Hogan was just a man. A charismatic, supremely talented man, but a man nonetheless. One grueling match changed all that: In the split-decision that launched a phenomenon, Hogan was selected as a last-minute replacement for Bob Backlund to contend for the Sheik’s title, and the two Superstars brawled it out in a classic match before a ravenous New York City crowd. When he landed the Atomic Leg Drop and the crowd erupted around him, nobody could deny that Hulk Hogan had gone from a man to an icon, a legend on the first step to an unimpeachable WWE career. It was announcer Gorilla Monsoon who said it best, really, as Hogan basked in the glory of his victory: “Hulkamainia. Is. HERE!!!”
JAN. 11, 1993: MONDAY NIGHT RAW DEBUTS
Monday Night Raw is the longest-running episodic show in TV history, but believe it or not, it was once just a gleam in WWE Chairman Vince McMahon’s eye. The inaugural Raw broadcast live from New York City’s Manhattan Center on January 11th, 1993 with Mr. McMahon, “Macho Man” Randy Savage and Rob Barnett hosting. That first Raw was an hour-long show that saw Intercontinental Champion Shawn Michaels defeat Max Moon and Yokozuna score a victory over Koko B. Ware. However, only one WWE Superstar remains with the company from the roster that fateful night: The Undertaker, who defeated Damien Demento in his Monday Night Raw debut.
JAN. 31, 1999: "HALFTIME HEAT"
One of the most vicious rivalries for the WWE Championship came in the late ‘90s, when The Rock and Mankind battled over a period of four months for the WWE’s supreme prize. Their rivalry reached its historic peak during an “Empty Arena” match that took place during halftime of Super Bowl XXXIII, with WWE Chairman Vince McMahon on commentary and a full crew working the ring. The sprawling "Halftime Heat" contest took Mankind and The Brahma Bull through the bowels of the arena, spilling through office areas and kitchens (potential note for John Cena at WrestleMania XXVIII: The People’s Champion does NOT take kindly to a giant bag of popcorn to the face) before finally reaching its end out in the parking lot. With both men on their last legs, Mankind used Mr. Socko to incapacitate The Great One before pinning him with a forklift to reclaim the coveted championship. The Rock would win the title back a few weeks later in a Ladder Match to end their rivalry, and Mankind would only claim the title himself one final time, when he defeated Triple H and “Stone Cold” Steve Austin in a Triple Threat Match seven months later at SummerSlam. The ultimate irony of this contest? Once the bad blood cooled, the two would eventually find tag-team success as The Rock N’ Sock Connection. Perhaps a Cena-Rock bro hug isn't impossible, after all.
In the waning weeks of 2006, the former Mr. Britney Spears appeared on Raw and, eventually, got himself in a skirmish with then-WWE Champion John Cena. The rivalry reached its apex when Federline cold-cocked The Champ with the World Heavyweight Title at Cyber Sunday and cost Cena the “Champion of Champions” Match between himself, World Heavyweight Champion King Booker and ECW Champion Big Show. On the first Raw of 2007, Cena and K-Fed went toe-to-toe in the ring, but interference from Cena’s rival Umaga would incapacitate the Cenation leader and allow Federline to pick up the win. Cena would get his revenge later that night with a bone-crushing Attitude Adjustment, but the final score remains thus: Kevin Federline: 1; John Cena: 0.
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