Author: Today in Pro Wrestling History: On April 11th, 1963, a monumental day in pro wrestling history, as Buddy Rogers is awarded the first-ever World Championship of the World Wide Wrestling Federation. This event took place at a Capitol Sports TV taping, following a fictional tournament in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where Rogers supposedly emerged victorious.
The real story, however, involved Northeast promoters Vince McMahon Sr. and Toots Mondt breaking away from the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) due to disagreements, particularly concerning Lou Thesz holding the NWA World Championship.
Today in Pro Wrestling History: (April 11) – The Birth of the WWE World Title
This strategic move led to the creation of a new title, which would undergo several transformations over the years. Under Vince McMahon Jr.’s leadership, the name was shortened to ‘WWF’ in the 1980s and later became ‘World Wrestling Entertainment’ (WWE) in 2002 following a lawsuit from the World Wildlife Fund.
The current WWE World title, featured prominently on the SmackDown brand, traces its lineage directly back to the championship awarded to Buddy Rogers on this historic day. This pivotal moment not only marked the inception of a new wrestling empire but also set the stage for the rise of WWE as a global powerhouse in sports entertainment.
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