10 Worst Endings To Awesome Wrestling Title Reigns
2. Ric Flair Jumps Ship With The Big Gold Belt
When Ric Flair jumped ship from WCW to WWE in 1991, he did so with his old employers' World Heavyweight Championship in tow.
Though WWE recognise this reign as an NWA Title run, 'The Nature Boy' was declared the first WCW Champion after defeating Sting at a January 1991 house show. He held the title all the way through to his departure, defending it against the likes of Scott Steiner and Brian Pillman, and overcame Bobby Eaton in what would be his final defence at Clash Of The Champions #15.
Flair entered a pay dispute with the company that spring, and tension continued to simmer between him and WCW president Jim Herd, who wanted to reduce Ric's role within the promotion. This ultimately led to Herd firing him two weeks before The Great American Bash, and Flair signed for Vince McMahon in September, taking the big gold belt with him.
Calling himself "the real world champion," Ric refused to return the title to Herd, claiming that he was its rightful owner after WCW had failed to refund the $25,000 deposit he'd paid to become champion in the first place. WCW filed a lawsuit, and WWE were forced to replace the big gold belt with a pixelated Tag Team Title strap.