10 Wrestlers Who Lost Gold In Their Hometown

The United States Championship has become nothing more than a fashion accessory on Roman Reigns’ shoulder, but it wasn’t always this way. The belt’s lineage stretches all the way back to 1975, and was rightly considered among the sport’s most prestigious prizes in its heyday. From Harley Race to Greg Valentine, some of the all-time greats have called themselves United States Champion, and Ric Flair’s name is synonymous with the belt’s glory days.

Flair held the US Title for a combined 785 days across six individual title reigns, and his presence was vital in establishing its early reputation. He’d regularly battle guys like Ricky Steamboat and Jimmy Snuka with the gold on the line, and one of his biggest losses coming in his native Charlotte, NC.

Flair’s inability to win in Charlotte became a running joke later in his career, but one of his first notable losses there came in July 1980. Greg Valentine ended his fourth United States Title reign at a house show, and while the change isn’t listed in WWE.com’s title history, it’s acknowledged everywhere else. Flair would win the gold back that November, but his time in the US Championship division was coming to a close, and bigger things were on the horizon.