Some wear the actual belt around the waist and it's meant to be. Some carry it around and others go for the prestigious shoulder hold. It all depends on the character and situation. For instance it makes sense for Flair to have 8 lbs of gold over his shoulder when he's stylin' and profilin' but headed to the ring the waist suits him. Austin always carried his around at least later on, I'm pretty sure he wore the US title in wCw. Rock is a case where it felt like people felt he would disrespect the top belt by dragging it or flinging it around.

Bret ever the goat did both and even kissed it. Hell it meant so much to him he didn't want to lose it. Evidently Taker was wrong. Everything was indeed ABOOT him.

There's also been cases where wrestlers actively disliked the belts and either tossed them in the air (Naito) or dragged them purposely on the ground (Sami Callihan). And then you have people like Paige... which I'm sure NEVER happened with Space Mountain.

Anyways do you find any method of travel for a belt to be "lesser" than others. I always liked BOBCORE treating the hardcore belt like it was a real belt as we saw @ WM2000. In my backyard days I was always a shoulder strap guy because wearing it was hard since it was a kid's size... that and it wasn't COOL.

As you said, it really depends on the character. As a general rule, I like a shoulder carry while cutting a promo. Letting it be known who owns the gold. Talk your shit while keeping a hand on the gold draped around your shoulder. And when you want to get intense, you grab the belt, hold it front of you, and tell the people ain't nobody taking it.

During a title defense, you wear that belt around the waist. And you walk down that aisle with the greatest waist accessory there's ever been. The belt only comes off for two reasons:

1. You want to raise it to the crowd on the turnbuckles before settling down to start the match

2. The match is about to begin and you have to hand it to the referee. You fold the straps under the plate, give a long yearnful look at the gold, maybe a little kiss, and you hand it over (I love when wrestlers are still wearing the gold during the staredown, not giving it up to the last possible moment)

But, this can change based on the character. 

Another way to carry the gold that I'm a huge fan of is The Cradle:

Flair owns this gold play more than anyone, it's the classiest way to walk around. You can't wear the belt while wearing a suit. The shoulder carry is a good alternative, but a little too brutish, a little too blue collar. You cradle it near your waist, the waist it belongs, but not right this second, that's the move.

I've always preferred the around the waist look. I think in a way it bought importance to the title, especially when it was on guys like Hunter and Goldberg, who both looked a million dollars with the Big Gold.

And for the lesser experienced or those lacking a bit of confidence who haven't quite nailed their " champion " entrance, having the title around the waist stops the waving of it around.. it's on this shoulder, now it's over here, now I've got to find someone to put it as I climb in the ring, now it's on the floor, now I'm deciding on what to do next... sort this shit out.

I'm a traditionalist. It's a belt. You wear it. Only exception I'll allow is for guys like Yokozuna who are too fat for the belt to fit around. But even that's on the promotion. Stop being cheapskates. Build that man a bigger belt.

Jan 16, 2024 20:38:55 GMT Baker said:

I'm a traditionalist. It's a belt. You wear it. Only exception I'll allow is for guys like Yokozuna who are too fat for the belt to fit around. But even that's on the promotion. Stop being cheapskates. Build that man a bigger belt.

Do you like "custom" belts that are specific to a wrestler? Personally I hate them...

In theory, custom belts are awful. However, I hated the Attitude Era Championship strap so much that custom belts that came into vogue during that time seemed like upgrades. If someone was rocking a custom belt instead of the Eagle or the Big Gold, though, then they belong in prison. And what do you know? No one ever did that. That's what happens when you make the coolest belts of all time.

Jan 16, 2024 22:17:04 GMT Kilgore said:

In theory, custom belts are awful. However, I hated the Attitude Era Championship strap so much that custom belts that came into vogue during that time seemed like upgrades. If someone was rocking a custom belt instead of the Eagle or the Big Gold, though, then they belong in prison. And what do you know? No one ever did that. That's what happens when you make the coolest belts of all time.

Was the belt that was around when I started so it always had a special place to me. Then again my backyard belt was winged eagle, so even at the height of the belt in 2001... local retailers knew the deal better than a mark like me.

On the custom belt thing, what's stopping someone today from just making a custom belt and declaring themselves World Champion? Tazz did.

What even makes a world championship. During my indie days any defense overseas counted for me. These days I'm not sure.

Jan 16, 2024 22:17:04 GMT Kilgore said:

If someone was rocking a custom belt instead of the Eagle or the Big Gold, though, then they belong in prison. 

This. Though I am amenable to vanity titles like Ted Dibiase's Million Dollar Championship. 

And I'd like to amend an earlier post. Every WWE Championship from 2005 on SHOULD be dragged for being an assault on the eyes. 0/10. Would not wear.
www.reddit.com/media?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.redd.it%2Fwwe-championship-title-official-design-in-last-45-years-v0-hpg8vjkjxm091.jpg%3Fs%3Deb8a8d4d7795a95f3a8db1a3be03665fda29b7ef

Hate the modern 2 simply because they're basically the same. Also hate how they used that design for all the main belts with both brands seemingly having the same ones with color swaps. Hating on the Spinner is goofy in 2024, but at least we got this...

RVD is just so fucking cool.

It's weird, because I hated the new IC title - but on GUNTHER, it looks perfect. Maybe he's bought a new level of prestige to the belt or his old-world look compliments the title or visa versa.

On a side rambling note; did the WWE Big Gold belt get smaller again towards the end of it's life in WWE?

The modern WWE Championship is just a giant Super Bowl ring for the waist, so clearly designed by corporate branding assholes so that every time it gets worn outside of wrestling it's a free WWE commercial with the logo so prominent.

I chose to read Kilgore 's last post in Sabu's voice. So I'm assuming it's a direct quote in whatever shoot interview that's from.

Like tell me "giant superbowl ring" isn't used in a trailer to sell the DVD which will mostly be 98% bullshit. All the good stuff was in that 2 minute youtube video...

Jan 16, 2024 23:10:32 GMT @ness said:

What even makes a world championship. During my indie days any defense overseas counted for me. These days I'm not sure.

I feel like the "World" concept of titles came linking it the original World Championship (held by George Hackenschmidt). Most did by linking their title through the NWA title (which, when looking through the history of the original World title, the NWA title linking to it feels a bit like a form of kayfabe being kept alive to this day), but I feel with others, it was probably done just to make it feel bigger. I guess I get WWE eventually making a "Universal Champion", because being a champion of the world isn't big enough.😂

In terms of how to wear a belt, it definitely depends on the character. In terms of Austin, "Stunning" wearing the belt made sense, even in the case "Ringmaster", but "Stone Cold" felt like the kind of guy that would just carry it around, since he wasn't a "corporate tool". It's why carrying the "Smokin' Skull" belt instead of the standard WWF title fit as well, which makes custom belts outfit the character as well.

Jan 17, 2024 0:50:28 GMT Leper Messiah said:

I guess I get WWE eventually making a "Universal Champion", because being a champion of the world isn't big enough.😂

To be fair, this was not a WWE original. Bill Watts' UWF had a "Universal Champion" way back in 86-87 and I'm fairly certain Watts used the very tagline in your post to promote his title. Rinky dink California indie APW, who held most of their shows in a literal garage, also had a Universal Champion. And I'm sure there were others predating WWE.

Jan 17, 2024 1:41:51 GMT Baker said:

Jan 17, 2024 0:50:28 GMT Leper Messiah said:

I guess I get WWE eventually making a "Universal Champion", because being a champion of the world isn't big enough.😂

To be fair, this was not a WWE original. Bill Watts' UWF had a "Universal Champion" way back in 86-87 and I'm fairly certain Watts used the very tagline in your post to promote his title. Rinky dink California indie APW, who held most of their shows in a literal garage, also had a Universal Champion. And I'm sure there were others predating WWE.

I was not aware of that. Honestly, I feel like a lot of guys in Mid-South/UWF could have taken on any aliens from a different galaxy, and won.😁

Jan 17, 2024 2:12:12 GMT Leper Messiah said:

I was not aware of that. Honestly, I feel like a lot of guys in Mid-South/UWF could have taken on any aliens from a different galaxy, and won.😁

Won't vouch for every Mid South guy, but I absolutely believed Dr. Death would have whipped any alien in the universe from like May 87-April 97, and then from April 97 to July 98 I believed Williams would whoop any being in the universe aside from Taz. Dr. Death vs. Predator? Please. Doc would Oklahoma Stampede it to death in under 5. 

Jan 19, 2024 23:27:07 GMT Baker said:

Jan 17, 2024 2:12:12 GMT Leper Messiah said:

I was not aware of that. Honestly, I feel like a lot of guys in Mid-South/UWF could have taken on any aliens from a different galaxy, and won.😁

Won't vouch for every Mid South guy, but I absolutely believed Dr. Death would have whipped any alien in the universe from like May 87-April 97, and then from April 97 to July 98 I believed Williams would whoop any being in the universe aside from Taz. Dr. Death vs. Predator? Please. Doc would Oklahoma Stampede it to death in under 5. 

Dr. Death, Terry Gordy, Jim Duggan, JYD, possibly even Bill Watts in his prime, I think could have all handled an alien.

What are we defining as an alien or did you mean Sin Cara? <_<

I think we're defining alien as an extra-terrestrial being, possibly outside of the Milky Way Galaxy.

Sin Cara, for this discussion, might just fall under the "Cornette" category of "jumpy flippy bitch".😂

I don't like this. Not the shoulder carry but the fact that the belt is, what's the term for it... clipped? That's fine if you're gonna carry it like Flair below...

We can all agree this is probably as good as it gets. You cradle it like a precious infant, but never just draped over the shoulder UNLESS it's unbuckled.

This is correct. You let that thang DROP. As far as wearing it properly like an actual belt are we all in agreement not everyone looks good doing it but if you do... it generally can only happen in your ring gear usually for your entrance in a match. Never over street clothes as that's just goofy. You need to be shirtless or in your undies basically.

If you're gonna do it, do it right. Let's talk about belt presentation...

Bret & Flair's titles are so much classier than that hideous piece of junk AJ is holding. I get irrationally angry whenever I see that ugly trinket.

Being an Attitude Era Fan Boy, I used to hate the old Winged Eagle belt. But the more I see it these days, the more I wish they'd bring it back exactly how it was.

Is it just me or are the side plates too bulky on the winged eagle? That's always bugged me. Otherwise it's an awesome strap.

As far as presentation goes, that really depends on the belt and which performer is holding it. For example the toothpick IC looked great strapped on Edge, but hardly on anyone else (honestly hated that belt). Yet RVD looked just as cool with it around his shoulder somehow.

But, in theory, I do prefer the Flair method. Cradled/armstrapped during promos, around the waist during your entrance.

An aside here but I've always thought the Big Eagle should have been debuted years earlier for Yoko as a custom. The Rock and Trips were really the only ones who looked good with it to me.

Anyone else hate those really old school belts that are just so tiny?

Jun 28, 2024 23:48:40 GMT @ness said:

Anyone else hate those really old school belts that are just so tiny?

Tiny belts look awesome when someone has it draped around a shoulder or is holding it out showing you who the fucking man is. Maybe the greatest at these two things. But definitely feels lacking around the waist. Harley Race is the perfect example for the tiny belt going 2 for 3 on aesthetics, I think.

This really illustrates where the tiny belt falls short. The Handsome One's strap just can't compete with Nick's. Their faces show that they both know it. 

Jun 28, 2024 23:48:40 GMT @ness said:

Anyone else hate those really old school belts that are just so tiny?

NWA Title is classy, albeit a little odd with that beveled silver but it still holds up.

But if we're talking Gorgeous George era dinosaur territorial days, then 100%.