Johnny Rodz Recalls Backstage Tension The Night Of Big Bruno Sammartino Win

Many wrestling fans know Bruno Sammartino holds the record for the longest WWE Championship reign, as he held the title (then known as the WWWF Championship), for 2,803 days from 1963 until 1971. Sammartino is the second WWE Champion in history, with the first being Buddy Rogers, who only held the title for 22 days before losing it to Sammartino in 48 seconds at Madison Square Garden. Sammartino's reign began in controversial fashion, as the match with Rogers may not have gone as planned. WWE Hall of Famer Johnny Rodz, who was backstage the night of Sammartino's win, recalled the tension that occurred before the match.

"I was in one room and they were in another room," Rodz said on "Stories With Brisco And Bradshaw." "I heard an argument, but there is no way I could tell you that I heard anything that I could explain what was going on. ... I hear some kind of a rumble ... I don't know if it was one of the workers, or Arnold] Skaaland], or the referee, or Vince [McMahon Sr.] himself. I know they walked out. There was tension that's all I know. ... No more than 60 seconds. A minute, a minute and a half and it was over. I cannot tell you I was smart enough to tell you what was going on."

Rodz originally said he didn't know if the match was a shoot, but later agreed that it was. Rodz was asked if there was any commotion following the match. "There was friction, but I stayed out in the hallway watching the rest of the matches," Rodz said. "I cannot [say] that I heard anything or know anything, because if I say it, I am a liar."

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "Stories With Brisco And Bradshaw" with a H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.