The 10 Most Beautiful Titles In Sports-Entertainment History

[King Patrick Star]

WWE.com has posted an article of the Top Ten Most Beautiful Championship Title Belts in Professional Sports Wrestling Entertainment history. I, for one, do not agree with the majority of this list. Read the article yourselves.

www.wwe.com/inside/10-most-beautiful-titles-sports-entertainment-history

Here are my favorite Championship Title Belts. By the way, I made this list before the introduction of the Big W. If I were to redo the list, I’d put the Big W at number 3, pushing the rest of my list down one.

12 – WWE Divas Championship

Yes, I know. However, for what it is, it’s technically perfect!! Think about it. The complete Divas logo is the center plate. It’s practically covered in gems. It’s a decent size for Divas. Of course men won’t like it, but it’s not for men, it’s for Sexy, Smart, Powerful Divas. Besides, it’s on the bottom of my list, and we’ve seen worse.

11 – WWE Women’s Championship

Now this is how you do a Women’s Championship. When they modified it and added a nameplate, I think it then became perfect as I thought there was too much space not being used. It’s not too “Diva”, but not too “Wrestling” like. It’s just a classy piece of history associated with some of the Greatest Female Wrestlers of all time.

10 – WWE Cruiserweight Championship

I personally like this Belt better than both the WWF Light Heavyweight Belt and the WCW Cruiserweight Belt. I think this Belt had what the previous two designs were lacking. I think that is due to the color scheme they went with and the amount of plates used. Plus that property plate looks like a nice finishing touch.

9 – WWE Tag Team Championship (Smackdown)

I liked the Classic WWF Tag Belts. I liked the Attitude WWF Tag Belts. When the Smackdown Tag Belts debuted, I thought it was a good way to pay homage to the previous designs. Making them exclusive to Smackdown, using primarily Blue, made it stand out to me. The only thing I think I would have changed would be to use a Blue Strap instead of Black.

8 – World Tag Team Championship (Raw)

As soon as this design showed up on TV, I instantly loved it. It felt like an updated design. To me, it was refreshing to see a brand new shape to the Tag Team Belts of old. Making them exclusive to Raw, using primarily Red, made it stand out to me. The only thing I think I would have changed would be to use a Red Strap instead of Black.

7 – Million Dollar Championship

This was Bling before the term “Bling” was cool. This was the first Championship that I thought was literally more valuable than the WWF, Intercontinental, and Tag Team Championships combined. I actually use this designed, in “platinum”, as my United States Championship in WWE 13. I always wished Ted made Million Dollar Tag Team Belts when Money Inc. were WWF Tag Champs.

Let’s take a quick commercial break, and we’ll be back with King Patrick’s Top 6 Championship Belts Of All Time!!

6 – WWE United States Championship

This Belt is represents the United States of America in every way possible. It looks like something Captain America himself would wear, had he stepped foot in a WWE ring. From Old Glory all over the nameplate, to the Bald Eagles on the inner side plates, to Lady Liberty on the outer side plates, this Belt itself should be put in the Smithsonian among other American National Treasures.

5 – WWE Intercontinental Championship

The Classic design of the WWF Intercontinental Championship Belt had a simple, basic design that I didn’t think screamed “Intercontinental” as much as it should have. When the Attitude Era version of the Belt showed up, I thought that’s how the Intercontinental Championship should look like. What did it for me was the fact that the 7 continents were displayed on the side plates perfectly.

4 – ECW Championship (WWECW / Big Platinum)

Yes, I’m from Philly. No, I didn’t really like the original ECW Belt, in any variation / paint scheme they ever used. I like the fact that they used platinum (silver, for you nonbelievers). It made it stand out from the rest of the Championships in the WWE. To me, it was Vince’s way of saying, “It’s mine now and I’ll make it better than it was.”

3 – WWE Championship (Spinner)

Some of you wouldn’t have this Belt on your list. Most of you wouldn’t have this Belt in your Top 3. Look, it is (but I can’t prove it is) the most selling replica of all time. It hit its target consumer. I don’t care if it doesn’t look like a prestigious Championship, but the fact remains that from 2005 – 2013, it was the “Richest Prize” in Professional Sports Wrestling Entertainment.

2 – World Heavyweight Championship (Big Gold)

This Belt stood the test of time. It was the first Belt to have a nameplate. If you noticed, 11 out of 12 Belts on my list have nameplates. It was the NWA Championship, the WCW Championship, the WCW International Championship, one half of the Undisputed WWF / WCW World Championship, and currently, the World Heavyweight Championship in the WWE. That’s saying something about its beauty.

1 – Undisputed WWE World Championship

This is my all-time favorite design. This is the Belt that made me start my collection. This is the Belt that made me spend a ridiculous amount of money for 10 years after its introduction. This is the Belt that I wanted to be buried in. This is the Belt that represented Professional Sports Wrestling Entertainment. This is the Belt that deserves its own Hall Of Fame induction. I love it so much, that I’m about to drop more money into it next year to have it customized and personalized to be a one-of-a-kind family heirloom. Yes, that’s how much I love it!!

 

[TheHellmouth]

Heh. Good list. I'm not knocking your choices and I know most would agree with you but the WWE Undisputed Belt has always been my least favorite WWE Title design. It just never stood out to me the way the Attitude Era Eagle Belt or even the Spinner Belt does. It's cool how much you've put into your replica of it though. I dig the dedication.

 

[Blade]

I can't stand the US title or the WWECW title. Call me old fashioned, but I like my title belts to be gold. The American flag on the US title and the weird platinum of the WWECW just doesn't do it for me.

The Big Gold will always be my favourite, along with the Attitude Era Intercontinental Title. Also, I think the Attitude Era WWF title is really underrated. That thing looked good draped across anyone's shoulder.

 

[MeisterMan]

My top 5 will have to be:

5) The WWE United States Championship

4) The current WWE Championship

3) Million Dollar Championship

2) Big Gold

1) NWA Heavyweight Championship.

 

[Fisheatppl]

I don't have as much of a thought out list but I will say this. The current WWE Tag Team Belts have grown on me quite a bit. At first I thought they looked silly but for some reason I can't explain I quite like them now.

I also like the current WWE Championship Belt. Its not fancy, but it is in your face and lets you know whats up.

But my all time favorite, and I can't believe its not even on your list, is the Attitude Era WWF belt. The one Vince debuted to Austin after WM14. That's the same belt I still see in my mind when I'm on these boards or talking about who should be champion. It was the perfect belt.

 

[theblasterkid]

The NWA championship is sick! I think most people like "Big Gold Belt" as myself. The spinner belt, I can't stand it though. In my opinion, that Diva's belt is pretty but it looks like a toy.

 

[closet_fan]

It's a very rare belt since it wasn't around very much, but for some reason I was always a fan of the Western States Heritage title. 99% of the people who post here probably never even heard of it.

 

[Slash-LN]

But my all time favorite, and I can't believe its not even on your list, is the Attitude Era WWF belt. The one Vince debuted to Austin after WM14. That's the same belt I still see in my mind when I'm on these boards or talking about who should be champion. It was the perfect belt.

I don't see how this one didn't make the OPs list or the WWE list. This was one of the better WWE titles or really titles at all in wrestling. it would definitely be in my top 10 or perhaps even my top 5. I usually associate this one with Triple H because he seemed to wear it well.

The "winged eagle" title is definitely one of my favorite as well. Probably because that was the main world title I saw when I was a kid so it has the nostalgia factor for me. It's a pretty cool looking title though.

I like the 90s era Intercontinental title only I prefer the black strap over the white. And Warrior had that yellow one but he's probably the only person I could see pulling that off. And Goldust with the gold strap was cool too but only for him.

I'm a fan of the Attitude era Intercontinental title as well. I think when the WWE transitioned into the two Attitude era titles they picked perfect designs.

I hate the platinum ECW title and the current Diva's title as well.

I liked the Women's title though.

For as ugly as it was I was acually fond of the Hardcore title.

The tag title picks in the OP are good picks for the same reasons listed. I liked the older ones too as well but brand split titles were really good.

I agree with the Cruisereight title as well. I liked both the WCW one and the WWE one.

I'm also fond of the Million dollar titled and even the European title. I also like the big gold belt.

 

[FlairFan2003]

It's a very rare belt since it wasn't around very much, but for some reason I was always a fan of the Western States Heritage title. 99% of the people who post here probably never even heard of it.

Wow, someone actually remembers this title AND found a good picture of it. I dont remember if this was a UWF (Universal Wrestling Federation) title or a Mid South title that got some play on Crockett's TBS NWA programming. I remember Barry Whyndam and Steve Williams battling over it circa 1987 and then it disappeared. Great belt and design.

For me the #1 is Big Gold Belt, aka "20 pounds of gold" as Ric Flair often called it. There was no belt in any promotion that looked like a true "World Title" more back in the 80s than this belt. So recognized both as a World Title and for the wrestler who wore it the most (Flair) that when Vince McMahon signed Flair to WWE he promoted his impending arrival by having the Gold Belt on all his TV shows (held by Bobby Heenan, who proclaimed that all wrestling fans recognized this title and know the man that wears it and he is coming to WWE). The belt was huge but not audacious, and was instantly recognizable even to casual fans.

In addition to representing The NWA during their height in the Jim Crockett Jr days, it was the first WCW Title, the World Title in WWE, and had a brief stint as the re formed NWA title, soon recognized as the WCW International Title. It also was chosen to represent the Undisputed World Title when WWE initially unified the WWE & WCW Titles (before Brock Lesnar's SmackDown defection "separated" the titles). No other belt or belt design was so well known that it alone could be used to promote a wrestler's arrival, plus be used to represent top champions in multiple promotions over a 30 plus year period, worn by Flair, Hogan, Hart, Sting, Cena, Goldberg, The Rock, HHH, maybe the biggest names in the industry over that time. #1 without a doubt.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

I read over this article on WWE.com sometime yesterday afternoon and I expected to be put off by it but, overall, I agreed with most of the choices. No offense to King Patrick, but I surprisingly liked WWE's list more.

On WWE's list, I didn't agree with the classic ECW World Heavyweight Championship being there as, personally, I just never liked its look. I thought words smeared in "blood" on the center plate made it look cartoonish. I was also never crazy about the NWA World Heavyweight Championship design due in part to the globe looking like someone had cut out the bottom of a beer can and pasted it on and the title's lack of luster. I dunno, it just didn't strike me as majestic or eye catching in a positive way. I can't say I cared much for the Spinner belt and I certainly hate the Divas Championship design. I was a little surprised, pleasantly so, that neither of these titles made the list on WWE.com.

I always loved the NWA World Television Championship design. I just thought the combination of the silver, crimson & black worked well and, being a kid, I thought it was neat that the plates included the logos of some major TV networks. The IC title design and tag title design have also worked for me and I was surprised to see the "Winged Eagle" WWF Championship not only be on the list but rank so high, though pleasantly so. However, the Big Gold Belt has been the standard against which every wrestling title that comes along is measured against. Flair's original title looked even more lustrous and the huge center plate with all the gold & jewels glittering just screamed World Championship to me when I was a kid.

 

[closet_fan]

Wow, someone actually remembers this title AND found a good picture of it. I dont remember if this was a UWF (Universal Wrestling Federation) title or a Mid South title that got some play on Crockett's TBS NWA programming. I remember Barry Whyndam and Steve Williams battling over it circa 1987 and then it disappeared. Great belt and design.

You're partly right. UWF used it in a tournament, but it was worn in the NWA. Windham held it, then Zbyszko. It became defunct when Zbyszko took it with him when he went to the AWA.

Here is the pic of the WSH and AWA title:

 

[Dagger Dias]

WWE.com has posted an article of the Top Ten Most Beautiful Championship Title Belts in Professional Sports Wrestling Entertainment history. I, for one, do not agree with the majority of this list. Read the article yourselves.

www.wwe.com/inside/10-most-beautiful-titles-sports-entertainment-history

Here are my favorite Championship Title Belts. By the way, I made this list before the introduction of the Big W. If I were to redo the list, I’d put the Big W at number 3, pushing the rest of my list down one.

I gotta say, for the most part I like your list much more than the one in the article. I even agree that the current WWE Championship design can be argued for inclusion on the list as you stated (if that is what you meant by "The Big W"), although I did a top 10 and it did not make the cut. It would have gotten about 12th place or so had it been a top 15. My list as a whole resembles yours, but in a different order. I would eliminate the Undisputed Championship design from your list replacing it with the current WWE Championship design. I honestly hate that design, always thought it was ugly and never understood why people like it so much. Here's how I'd rank your list for most beautiful titles.

1. WWE World Heavyweight Championship (Big Gold belt)
2. WWE Championship (2005-2013 design)
3. WWE Championship (Winged Eagle Design)
4. WWE Intercontinental Championship
5. WWE United States Championship
6. WWE ECW Championship (Silver belt)
7. WWE Womens Championship
8. WWE Tag Team Championship (Smackdown's)
9. Million Dollar Championship
10. WWE Divas Championship

The big gold belt was simply beautiful and it made anyone who held it look like a big deal. It's the best championship design of all time. Coming in 2nd place is the underrated 2005-2013 design for the WWE Championship. People hated when it spun, but I always loved that design. The spinner argument became irrelevant when Orton won the belt in 2007. It still looked really cool and when I saw it at WWE events I attended in person it looked awesome and was extremely shiny. Haters can hate, I will always like that belt, not as much as the big gold World Heavyweight Championship though. Then we have an oldschool design at my #3, the Winged Eagle design of the WWE Championship. If ever a classic design should come back, it's that one.

The Intercontinental and US titles come next. While not world titles and both have suffered loss of prestige over the years, the argument for them belonging in a list of the most beautiful titles can still be made. They look great. The Intercontinental with its classic white strap design barely makes it past the US Championship on my list. I agree with Patrick on the WWE ECW Championship silver belt stood out. All things WWE did to the brand aside, this belt looked good and stood out from the others in a good way, I liked it. Then there's the Womens Championship. It may be more out of nostalgia than anything, but it was a title that looked great and any girl who held it looked like a true champion. People look back on it fondly and it looked good.

Out of the tag team title designs used during the brand extension, I always preferred the Smackdown one to the classic one used on Raw. The blue color scheme was pretty and made it look more appealing than the classic design of Raw's tag team titles. Next at #9 is the Million Dollar Championship. It was shiny enough to look just as expensive as they stated it was. Last but not least, the Divas Championship. Say what you will about the division (which has truly improved tremendously the last couple of years), but this is a beautiful belt. Its pink, shiny butterfly design sets it apart from the titles that the male wrestlers compete for. Paige, AJ, Kaitlyn, Natalya, Michelle McCool and several other divas have looked like legitimate champions holding up that belt. I miss the Womens Championship as much as the next guy, and do prefer that design overall, but the Divas Championship design belongs on this list and is a better looking belt than people give it credit for.

 

[A11oftheLights]

I cant understand the inclusion of the Platinum/Silver ECW championship, to each their own i guess, it just oozes garbage I remember it being rolled out by teddy long and at first I thought it was going to be tag belts for ECW or just Hardcore tag titles or something(I was young and foolish) and then it was just that piece of crap. I honestly think the only reason it was invented was because on Mark Henry the previous design was going to look like a bunch of toothpicks glued together or it would fit around his waste.

 

[capnwillie]

I think any list like this without the "Winged Eagle" belt, at least the version used during the Attitude Era, is lacking. That is a belt design that WWE should have kept to this day. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind seeing title belts revamped or redesigned, but that design was so classy and just... perfect. Were it up to me, that would still be the default WWE Championship belt. Let Cena have his spinner belt and other superstars have their own redesign if they deserve it, but that would always be the one that comes back. The NWA has had the same title design for as far back as I can remember and of course, there is the "big gold belt" so even though WWE is a different animal from NWA and WCW, sometimes you just need to leave things well enough alone.

 

[Wrestlingaholic]

I'm going to stick with the three belts in use when I started watching wrestling at Summerslam 1990 - nothing since has come close, in my book

 

[GODSON]

It gets no better than the eagle wing belt. Classy, simple, but effective.

 

[shafe_41]

I would have to go with Debra, Sable, Maria, Kelly Kel... oh wait.... TITLES... OF COURSE!!!

I personally like the simpler belts myself. Flair's classic WHC Belt is my all time favorite. The old school WWF Championship was a favorite of mine too. When Austin, Bret, HBK, etc... held it. I also liked the belt that replaced Austin's Smoking Skull title.

Some honorable mentions have to be the Million Dollar Belt and one that I haven't seen on here at all (I just skimmed...) the classic Intercontinental Belt. The white strap, the yellow strap, the black strap... all of them. Love the classic IC title.

 

[Reflection]

I like your choices; those are the belts I love too.
I always liked the Spinner; only problem was that it suited only the Cena/Orton/Miz type, and not the Technical, Heavyweight, Monster or Hardcore type of wrestlers, which I believe was also why they mostly gave those wrestlers the WHC, and guys like Kane or Undertaker didn't get to hold the WWE Championship in the last 10 years.
The Undisputed Championship and the pre-spinner WWE Championship really stood up in that aspect and were some of the better titles WWE has come up with.
I loved almost all the designs of the WCW Championships:

The following ECW Championships (World and Tag Team) (apart from the Silver one) were great as well:

And this one not among the best, but definitely not bad either