10 Things You Didn't Know About The NWA World Heavyweight Championship
4. Ric Flair Donated The Original Title To WWE
There’s either a great irony or sad parable about Vince McMahon always getting the last laugh when considering the final resting place of the original ‘Domed Globe’ NWA Heavyweight Championship belt.
The strap Cody sported at the end of ALL IN was - like many aged belts - a replica of the original, because *that* piece of history resides in Stamford, Connecticut alongside every other part wrestling's past McMahon and Triple H have been recently collecting for display.
Flair spent much of his post-WWE return in 2002 waxing lyrical about how 'The Game' was the heir to his throne as the industry's diamond standard - his bejewelled gift was just the latest token of his adoration.
There are worse places for an old wrestling title to be stored of course, but their acquiring of it bizarrely mirrored how they first got their hands on the original ‘Big Gold’ variant too. Just like when Ric Flair brought his strap north in 1991, ‘The Nature Boy’ also gifted this one to the company from his treasured collection. At least this time, they won't have to blur it out when they want to show it off.