13 Wrestling Matches That Cost Wrestlers Their Custom Belts
10. Stone Cold Steve Austin’s Smoking Skull WWF Championship
On TV, Austin first introduced the Smoking Skull Championship during the opening segment of Raw (27 July 1998) to no fanfare. The now iconic championship was simply there, while Austin feuded with his rival and co-Tag Team Champion, The Undertaker.
After Austin successfully defended his championship against Undertaker at SummerSlam, Vince McMahon deployed his “Master Plan”, pitting Austin against “the single most destructive force in the history of the World Wrestling Federation” The Undertaker and Kane. The ingenious part was prohibiting the Brothers of Destruction from defeating each other. As Jim Ross aptly summed it up, “a glorified handicap match”.
Kane vs. The Undertaker vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin (c)
Breakdown: In Your House 1998
Austin took every opportunity to capitalise on infighting between the brothers, but ultimately fell victim to a double chokeslam and a double pin. In the confusion McMahon fled with the championship in a limousine. On the following Raw, McMahon declared the WWF Championship vacant. The new champion would be presented the official belt. Vince bragged the Smoking Skull was going to hang above his fireplace in one of his homes.
However, McMahon gave Austin the Smoking Skull championship back at Backlash 1999, after The Rock and Shane McMahon held it hostage following Austin’s WrestleMania XV win.