Big Gold Belt
On July 1, 1991, a creative disagreement with WCW Executive Vice President Jim Herd led to Flair leaving WCW for Vince McMahon's World Wrestling Federation. When Herd refused to return Flair's $25,000 deposit (that was left with the NWA), Flair kept the "Big Gold Belt" that had represented the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. WCW was forced to create its own title belt (a belt owned by Dusty Rhodes from the then-defunct Florida Championship Wrestling used as the PWF Heavyweight Championship with a gold plate tacked on its faceplate with the words "WCW World Heavyweight Champion"), which was awarded to Lex Luger after he defeated Barry Windham in a cage match for the vacant championship at 1991's Great American Bash. Shortly after the Bash, an original WCW World Heavyweight Championship belt was created.
In late 1991, The Big Gold Belt was used for the revived NWA World Heavyweight Championship, a co-promotional gimmick between WCW and New Japan Pro Wrestling. However, the original remained with Flair through the remainder of WCW's time in operation. In the 2008 WWE Nature Boy Ric Flair - The Definitive Collection video release, Flair noted that his $25,000 deposit was never returned and that he ended up giving the belt to Triple H as a gift.
In September 1993, WCW left the NWA over a dispute regarding the other NWA members demanding that NWA world champion be available for booking, and due to the use of the NWA World Heavyweight Championship on syndicated programming recorded months in advance. By fall 1993, Rick Rude was appearing at the "Disney Tapings" as the NWA World Heavyweight Champion, despite the fact that in regards to the storyline, Flair was still champion. After leaving the NWA, WCW kept the Big Gold Belt, and it was renamed the WCW International World Heavyweight Championship.
Read more about this topic: WCW World Heavyweight Championship, History
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