Ranking 10 Most Successful Wrestling Defections

In the summer of 1991, Bobby Heenan joined Gorilla Monsoon and Jim Neidhart on WWF Wrestling Challenge, holding the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. Affectionately referred to as the “big, gold belt,” it was last seen around the waist of Ric Flair, who was fired by WCW President Jim Herd just weeks prior to Heenan’s appearance. It was unprecedented for WWE to acknowledge competing organizations, let alone broadcast their championship.

Fans weren’t sure what to expect, but knew that the 'Nature Boy' was on his way.

Flair’s defection to WWE caused mass panic at WCW – fans hijacked the Great American Bash that year, chanting "We Want Flair". In WWE, Flair was regarded as the "real world’s champion", and was instantly seen on par with arch rival Hulk Hogan. Although McMahon never pulled the trigger on a seemingly surefire WrestleMania main event between the two, Flair did achieve great success in foreign territory, winning the WWE Championship twice and stealing the show at Royal Rumble 1992.