Who was the WWE Champion when you started watcing?

[Vince Mcmahon]

I wanted to put this topic into the history section, but I figured that there may be quite a few who started viewing in the PG ERA. I ask this because I want to see how much effect the actual champion of World Wrestling Entertainment plays in people becoming fans or if at all. Also what you thought of the champion as well.

[L.T.D]

Nobody, I started watching in October 1998 and the title had been vacant for a month. I started watching after Judgement Day 1998 and of course The Rock was crowned champion at Survivor Series.

That's something I would love for them to do at some point, the World Champion faces the WWE Champion in a unification match which ends in a no contest. Rather than continue the match or re-start it the title ends up vacated. The next PPV is a one night tournament to decide the Undisputed WWE Champion with a new face winning the title who has never been champion before.

[Stefan]

When I first started watching wrestling shows, was back in 1995 with SummerSlam 1995, so Diesel/Kevin Nash was WWE Champion. However I wasn't a regular fan like I am now. I only watched a handful of events a year, sometimes even none.

It wasn't until 2004 that I started watching regularly and really became a fan. It was just after WMXX, and eddie Guerrero was WWE Champion - he and his feud with JBL got me hooked. After JBL became Champion I just wanted to see him get destroyed by Taker. But eventually I became a JBL fan and couldn't wait to watch each week.

I only watched SmackDown until just before SummerSlam 2004 when I started watching RAW too. Couldn't stand Orton at all when he mysteriously became World Champion, but I was just awe struck by Triple H, I thought he was just SO COOL.

[Djm]

It may have been Ric Flair. My memories of watching wrestling go as far back as 1992, and I know Naitch was champion during that year.

It would've been the very end of Flair's reign or the very beginning of Bret's reign.

[ToXiCiTy]

Brock Lesnar.Without him i think i wouldnt be watching WWE right now.

[WMS]

Kurt Angle, although he dropped it to The Rock at the first event I watched - No Way Out 2001.

[RT]

Macho Man Randy Savage. I started watching the summer after Wrestlemania 8 when he beat Ric Flair for the title.

[merle]

It was either the Bob Backlund, Iron Sheik or Hulk Hogan. I started watching sometime in the early eighties (around 83 or 84. One of those three had it when I started watching. I'm just not sure when exactly I started watching). It's difficult to remember for sure. I don't think I even really cared about who was the champion at the time. I was little and just cared about who was wrestling in whatever match was currently on tv. Back then, the WWF champion didn't seem to wrestle on tv nearly as often as they do now.

[Cenamark2.0]

There are 2 phases of my wrestling live. WCW and Post. I started watching WCW in 95 when Hulk Hogan was WCW Champion. After WCW was bought out in 2001 I stopped watching wrestling until 2005 when John Cena was WWE Champ.

[Big Pete]

Steve Austin, on the road to SummerSlam '99!

I was a bigger WCW fan and the dasterdly Macho Man was champion after winning it in a tag team match (even I was a bit like...woah?)

[ShinobiMusashi]

Whole Kogan was the fucking man when I started watching wrestling. Super Cena ain't got shit on Whole Kogan's post WM VII reign.

[BATISTA_CenA]

1987 = Hulk Hogan

[BestInThe205]

2001 - Steve Austin
I had always been a WCW guy, so when WWE bought them, I kinda had no other choice of programs.lol

[Dose]

I started watching regularly in 02 while Brock was champion but I was aware of wrestling and watched it from time to time before that around the time Sable did playboy... who was champion when she showed off her chesticles?

[PB]

Probably explains why I love him so much. My first event to watch was Royal Rumble 2000. Never looked back.

[CheeseToastie]

Ultimate Warrior in 1990 I think. Didn't really give a shit about the championship until the Savage reign of 1992, I always prefered the matches/feuds around the intercontinental title in my youth, or, when that title actually meant something.

[godAM]

It was either Warrior, Slaughter, or Hogan. It was right around that time. I really cannot remember.

[The_Boss]

Superstar Billy Graham. My grandfather took me to my first match. I remember how he stood out amongst all the wrestlers and while I didn't know why at the time, I could tell there was a reason he was the champ.

[Soulblazed]

1986. Hulk Hogan. I never was a Hulkamaniac as a kid..Hogan's ultra face personality never interested me, I hated his Legdrop, wondering how/why wrestlers with better finishers(Savage's Diving Elbow Drop, Roberts' DDT, etc) always lost to the damn Legdrop..After Hogan turned heel in 1996, I finally started to like him..Ironically, I was hoping Hogan would beat The Rock at Wrestlemania 18

[Codebreaker]

I've watched wrestling my whole life, but only can really remember as far back as 1989 as far as watching full time. My parents tell me they had it on though even when I was a baby. I remember Savage being champ so it had to be before Mania 5.

[Ed]

Hogan when the mega powers exploed!

[merle]

Superstar Billy Graham. My grandfather took me to my first match. I remember how he stood out amongst all the wrestlers and while I didn't know why at the time, I could tell there was a reason he was the champ.

WHAT????????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The first match you saw was Superstar and you recognized at the time that he was special, yet you are the biggest mark for the biggest rip off artist in the history of the business?! The guy who stole everything from Graham!

Oh my God! My head.. it feels like.... has anybody here seen Scanners?

[Codebreaker]

I've seen Scanners. It was not pretty.

[JoMo]

Bret Hart. I started watching the week before Survior Series 1997.

[Crippler]

That must've been awkward.