WWE
Matt Willis, ESPN Staff Writer 7y

WWE's longest title reigns

WWE

On the Dec. 12 edition of "Monday Night Raw," the three-man tag team of Big E, Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods -- The New Day -- won not one, but two triple-threat tag-team title matches to become the longest reigning tag-team champions in WWE history. Their title reign, which started at the 2015 edition of SummerSlam, surpassed Demolition's 478-day reign, but would end less than a week later during the opening match at "Roadblock: End of the Line" in a loss to to Cesaro and Sheamus.

Here's where their feat ranks among the greatest championship runs.

10. Honky Tonk Man -- 454 days (Intercontinental Champion)

Before The Miz's "Never-Ending Intercontinental Championship Reunion Tour," the Honky Tonk Man was the "Greatest Intercontinental Champion of All Time." The HTM combined shaking, rattling, rolling, Jimmy Hart megaphoning and superior coiffing to take the IC title from Ricky Steamboat in 1987. After a reign lasting well over a year, it only took 10 seconds for the Ultimate Warrior to take it away at SummerSlam in 1988.

9. Demolition -- 478 days (Tag-Team Champions)

This was the first of three tag-team reigns for Ax and Smash (Crush would come along for the group's third reign). These um, interestingly clad grapplers would take the titles away from Strike Force (Tito Santana and Rick Martel) at WrestleMania IV. With Mr. Fuji, himself a former long-reigning tag-team champion, at the helm, they held off teams like the Hart Foundation and British Bulldogs before losing them to the Brian Busters (Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard).

8. The New Day -- 483 days (Tag-Team Champions)

How long was New Day's title reign? By the end of their 483-day run, the three teams they beat in a Fatal Four-Way match for the title had either broken up (Prime Time Players), been rebranded (Los Matadores) or had just faded away (The Lucha Dragons). The New Day looked to be heading in that direction prior to their first championship, saddled with a poor gimmick that the crowd turned on, but the trio found themselves, reinvented their team, won the crowd over as heels and became one of the premier tag teams in recent memory.

7. Rockin' Robin -- 502 days (Women's Champion)

The women's division, especially in its earlier days, was prone to long reigns. Rockin' Robin ended Sherri Martel's 441-day run, which followed Fabulous Moolah's 380-day run in Paris. The title faded away during Robin's run. She only defended the title once in a pay-per-view during the 502-day reign before it was deemed inactive in 1993.

6. Pedro Morales -- 1,027 days (Heavyweight Champion)

Now we move into a totally different era of title reigns, as Morales held the title for nearly three years. After Ivan Koloff, the Russian Bear, held the title for three weeks as a transitional champion from Bruno Sammartino (remember that name) Morales earned his victory at Madison Square Garden in 1971. Morales is also statistically notable for being the first "Triple Crown" champion, with two Intercontinental title reigns totaling 619 days, and a tag team title win (with Bob Backlund).

5. Bruno Sammartino -- 1,237 days (Heavyweight Champion)

What's more amazing: holding the title for more than three years or the fact that a three-year reign isn't your longest reign by a longshot? Or maybe it's suffering a broken neck during your run and still defending the championship? Sammartino was the first two-time heavyweight champion, winning it from Stan Stasiak, who had ended the Morales run. This run, Sammartino's second as champion, was ended by Superstar Billy Graham.

4. Hulk Hogan -- 1,474 days (Heavyweight Champion)

When Hulk Hogan substituted for an injured Bob Backlund in Backlund's rematch for the title, he took advantage, defeating the Iron Sheik for his first of 12 world title reigns (six in WWE). This four-year run as champion spurred Hulkamania and led us into the first WrestleMania, and even into the Andre the Giant feud that headlined WrestleMania III. Andre eventually ended Hogan's reign in 1988.

3. Bob Backlund -- 2,135 days (Heavyweight Champion)

Mr. Backlund held the title for well over five years during his run, starting with a victory over Superstar Billy Graham. Over the reign, Backlund held off challengers ranging from Ken Patera to "Cowboy" Bob Orton to Jimmy Snuka. Finally, the reign ended controversially, as manager Arnold Skaaland threw in the towel, as the Iron Sheik had Backlund locked in the Camel Clutch. Backlund won the title again nearly 11 years later, but he only held it for three days.

2. Bruno Sammartino -- 2,803 days (Heavyweight Champion)

For more than seven years, Sammartino was heavyweight champion, after winning it from Nature Boy Buddy Rogers. That match took less than a minute as, according to WWE.com, it was over after a dropkick, a backbreaker and a bearhug. All in all, Bruno's two title reigns last 4,040 days -- more than 11 years.

1. Fabulous Moolah -- 10,170 days (Women's Champion)

Officially, Moolah's title run lasted more than 10,000 days, beginning in September 1956 and ending in July 1984. Unofficially, Moolah lost the title several times when she held the title in the NWA. Still, Moolah was the face of the women's division throughout the Rock n' Wrestling Era, and her breaks during her NWA runs were brief.

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