Ric Flair was the first WCW Champion, and rightfully so. The man most associated with the company, he was an honourable and respectable champion, the kind that every promoter would be overjoyed to have carrying their title. He lived the gimmick, treated the championship with the honour and dignity it deserved and lent credibility to it with his star power and stellar in-ring performances. On January 11, 1991, he defeated Sting to become the inaugural WCW champion. The first under the new banner raised by Ted Turner, Flair would thwart Sting's attempts to wrest the title away from him. After 171 days with the title, a contract dispute with World Championship Wrestling brought Flair's reign to an end. Disenfranchised with the running of the promotion, and new boss Jim Herd, Flair told the powers that be to "stick it" and left, taking the WCW Title with him. The big gold belt would appear on WWE television briefly as Flair referred to himself as the REAL world's champion. In the end, he was stripped of the title on July 1, 1991, opening the door for another star to rise to the occasion and carry the mantle for the re-branded company (we'll get to that in a moment).
Erik Beaston is a freelance pro wrestling writer who likes long walks in the park, dandelions and has not quite figured out that this introduction is not for Match.com. He resides in Parts Unknown, where he hosts weekly cookouts with Kane, The Ultimate Warrior, Papa Shango and The Boogeyman. Be jealous.