History of Wrestling Belts

Whichever the professional wrestling organization, the wrestling championship belt always holds significance. The belt is usually put on not just the best in-ring performer, but someone who can generate the best reactions from the crowds, positive or negative. Even though it can change appearance over time, many wrestlers and fans view the title belt with a sense of history and legacy.

  1. National Wrestling Alliance

    • When the National Wrestling Alliance became the first national wrestling organization, Lou Thesz was its first full-time champion in 1949. Thesz held the title belt three times for a combined total of 12 years.

    NWA Title Belt

    • The National Wrestling Alliance has kept the same style of belt over the years. One of the smaller world title belts, it maintains a rectangular face plate with a U.S. flag and side plates displaying other flags of the world.

    World Wrestling Federation

    • The World Wrestling Federation (now World Wrestling Entertainment) was founded in 1963 with Buddy Rogers as its champion. Bruno Sammartino then won the belt and held it for eight years.

    WWE Title Belts

    • World Wrestling Entertainment has had several different incarnations of its championship belt. The most well-known versions include the "smoking skull" belt of Steve Austin and John Cena's belt with the spinning logo.

    WCW: The Big Gold Belt

    • The most famous wrestling belt may be the "big gold belt," used by World Championship Wrestling for years after it broke from the NWA. Ric Flair, Sting and Hulk Hogan each held the belt six times. It is currently used by WWE, giving the organization the rarity of two world champions.