Why WWE Is Changing All Its Title Belts

Backstage update on WWE's ongoing revamp of its championship designs.

Roman Reigns WWE Undisputed Title 2023
WWE.com

WWE is currently going through the process of updating its title belt designs, with several top stars receiving new-look championship straps over the past few weeks - all at the behest of Paul 'Triple H' Levesque.

Sports Illustrated reports that WWE's Chief Content Officer is behind the changes. Levesque "wanted to freshen up all the titles and present a new look", as indicated by sources, hence why Rhea Ripley, Asuka, and Roman Reigns are all carrying new hardware around.

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Asuka's Raw Women's Championship has been rechristened the WWE Women's Championship as part of the process, with Ripley's SmackDown strap becoming the Women's World Championship. Reigns, meanwhile, is still being billed as an "Undisputed" champion, despite no longer standing as WWE's only "top" men's singles champion.

Seth Rollins has been installed as World Heavyweight Champion on Raw, theoretically balancing Roman's presence on SmackDown. SI notes, however, that Roman is still WWE's "undisputed top act", with his new belt superseding the World Heavyweight Title, given its history. The new championship is effectively a consolidation of the old WWE Championship and Universal Title lineages.

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There is currently no word on whether or not other WWE belt revamps are on the way.

Channel Manager
Channel Manager

Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.