Best And Worst Wrestling Belts

I'm going to be posting random wrestling belts I really like and really hate, in no particular order. I start with the WWE US Championship, formerly the WCW US Championship, formerly the NWA US Championship, introduced in 1975. I never liked the look of the belt until the 2003 version, but it's definitely one, if not THE most meaningful title in WWE right now, as far as scripted sports featuring dead men and vampires go.

THE BEST:

WWE US Championship - 2003 - current

This version of the belt is my fave, I'm not 100% on when this version started being used, but I'm pretty sure it was 2003, i like how all the bottom plates line up to make a point at the bottom. It's the only colored belt, it's sleek, looks nice.



THE WORST:

WWE US Championship - 2005

Back in the day, when Steve Austin held the WWF Championship, he'd have a special belt with a big skull on it, looked dumb as hell. For some reason, after WWE realized that John Cena was going to be the next generation face of the company, they did the same. The US belt was his first victim, and when he held it in 2005, we were treated to this stupid ass thing:

Holy shit that Cena belt is ugly

Yup, and I'm just getting started...

Ok, round 2:


THE BEST

SMASH Heavyweight Championship - 2010 - 2012

Ex-WWE wrestler Tajiri went back to Japan and eventually started his own company, SMASH. It was awesome, it ran monthly cards, held press conferences instead of silly storylines, and was all-around presented like a MMA group. It worked surprisingly well, and had it not been for disputes with investors, it'd be around today. The belt was awesome too, it looked like a legitimate sports belt, and I love it. Probably my second favorite belt of all time.



THE WORST

TNA Heavyweight Championship - 2010

John Cena and Steve Austin aren't the only wrestlers to get customized belts during their reigns. Add 2010 Jeff Hardy to the list. Hulk Hogan started a bad guy group called Immortal, with a coked out Jeff Hardy as the centerpiece, and since Hardy can do pretty much whatever he wants in TNA for some reason, he introduced this abomination. It didn't last, thankfully, and after Hardy showed up for a Pay-Per-View main event match against Sting while stoned out of his gourd, the match was cut short and ended after 30 seconds (yup, for real), Hardy was suspended and a normal belt was introduced. Look at this and cringe:

Whether you like these or not, the posts will continue, I'm enjoying it.

Another note, although I know it wouldn't be a big deal to y'all (or any interest, period), but everytime a belt is in use, over the years it gets tweeks, like altered side plates, new paints, changed logos, or slight size changes. BUT the belt is essentially the same. So unless I point it out as an importance, I'm ignoring multiple versions, because who cares.

Example:

WWE US Belt - 2005



WWE US Belt - 2014



This is what I mean, the new version features the brand new WWE logo, has added black paint on the main plate and blue on the side plates, but it's the same damn belt.

THE BEST

WWF World Heavyweight Championship - 1988 - 1998

Easily the most revered version of the WWF/E championship belt versions, this is the one held by Randy Savage, Hulk Hogan, Bret Hart, Undertaker, Yokozuna, Diesel, Shawn Micheals, and a whackload of other iconic wrasslers. But just because of that it doesnt mean it's pretty. In the world of wrestling fans, this and the classic WWF Intercontinental belt are the greatest looking in history. I disagree, but in my opinion this belt is one of the top designs. Overrated, but still really nice, it looks like an actual sports belt, like a boxing championship.




THE WORST

WWE Championship - 2005 - 2013

The polar opposite of an authentic sport looking belt.

By 2005 The WWF World Heavyweight Championship was renamed the WWE Championship, and was exclusive to either the Raw or Smackdown tv shows (It was the Raw belt at one point, and the Smackdown belt later on due to a yearly roster draft, don't ask), and the opposite show had the World Heavyweight Championship (which I'll get into later).

Remember the John Cena US belt? Well he got a special made, bling-blingin' title belt for his WWE Championship reign too. Word Life and such. Even worse, is the WWE logo. It spun. It was a f'n SPINNER BELT. So fans generally thought that it was retarded, but having been through the personal belt thing before, rightfully believed that once Cena lost the belt, it would be reverted back to it's old design. Instead, regardless of whoever held the belt (except Edge, whos belt was even worse), the design inexplicably stuck around FOR 8 YEARS.

Here, in the first 20 seconds he spins the stupid thing so you can see for yourself.

THE BEST

ECW Championship- 2008 - 2010

This is the WWE version of the ECW belt. After buying ECW in 2001, it was eventually decided to bring back ECW as a brand like the then-separate brands of Raw and Smackdown. Given that WWE started it`s `PG Era` during this time, fans were pissed to see ECW go from barb-wire exploding ring bloodbath matches to matches that were literally stopped mid-match to stitch up wrestlers and clean them so blood wouldn`t be seen on camera. BUT what the WWE did do right was give ECW a decent looking championship. There was not doubt to anyone that the WWECW was just a training ground for young talent and that the championship was a mid-card belt. So embracing that, the new ECW belt was silver instead of gold, which in my opinion gave it a classy and industial look to it, different than any other belt at the time:


Most fans hated this belt and wanted the old belt back. This is where I'm double-unpopular because-


THE WORST

ECW World Heavyweight Championship - 1998 - 2001, 2006 - 2008

Before WWE bought ECW, it was owned by Paul Heyman, and he was dedicated to showing how hardcore baddass they all were. From naming Rob Van Dam 'The Whole Fucking Show', to having a 'Fuck The World' championship, to having strippers and porn stars, ECW dripped 'X-TREME' and such. The belt looks like a fan who swallowed all that shit puked it up on a belt.


Speeewwwwwwww...

THE BEST

NWA World Heavyweight Championship/ WCW World Heavyweight Championship/ WCW International World Heavyweight Championship/ World Heavyweight Championship - 1986-2001, 2002-2014

Remember when I said the SMASH belt was my second favorite? Well that was a total lie, as it occurred to me later that there is a bunch of belts I prefer. I blame being tired. Anyway, THIS is my real 2nd favorite, it was actually my number 1 for years and years and years until I started watching the AWA last year. It was created in 1986 as a new design for the NWA world belt until 1988 when Ted Turner bought a big NWA territory, Jim Crockett Promotions, and renamed it WCW. at that point, it became both the NWA AND WCW belt (???) until NWA/WCW champ Ric Flair left WCW for WWF later in '91. Long story, but Flair actually brought the belt onto WWF TV touting himself as the 'Real' world champ, while WCW was forced to make another belt on the fly (See below). Eventually, Flair legally had to send the belt back to WCW, where, since they already had a new belt, became a new title, the WCW International World Heavyweight Championship. Eventually the titles merged and it became the WCW world title again.

*Deep breath*

THEN in 2001, WWF bought WCW, and after using it on WWF tv for a while, it was merged with the WWF title and stopped being used. Until 2002 when it was brought back as the Raw exclusive World Heavyweight Championship, used until the title merged again in 2013 and stopped being used in 2014.

This thing is beautiful, and f'n HUGE. It's a man's man belt. When the WWE brought it back it 2002, it was shrunk and the WWE logo was added to it in 2003. It was still nice, but not as awesome as the original:


As for that belt made on the fly?


THE WORST

WCW World Heavyweight Championship - July 14, 1991

Used only once, after Ric Flair took the 'Big Gold' belt to WWF, WCW got a new belt made. It wasn't ready in time for The Great American Bash event though, and WCW had to improvise. It was hilariously sad. They took an existing Championship Wrestling From Florida title and slapped on some plates that said WCW and World Championship Wrestling. F'n awful!

Y'know, the more I think about it, the more I think the WCW world belt is still my fave. Still-

THE BEST

AWA World Heavyweight Championship - 1974 -1986



-Created in a Denver prison, built by the inmates

-Obviously the inspiration for the WCW belt

-Stopped being used when the champion, Stan Hanson, ran over it with his truck after a dispute with the AWA


THE WORST

NXT Championship - 2012 - Current


-NXT started out as a reality show, with the winner getting on Raw or something

-Is now the minor league to the WWE, where they can learn before being brought up to main roster

-Looks goddamn stupid