What Are The WWE Belts Made Of?
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The WWE has multiple championship titles that are defended by the top superstars on Raw and SmackDown. But what are those belts made of?
WWE World Heavyweight Championship
The WWE World Heavyweight Championship is a world heavyweight championship created and promoted by the American professional wrestling promotion WWE on the SmackDown brand. It is one of two world titles in the WWE, alongside the WWE Universal Championship that was created for the Raw brand as a result of the 2016 WWE draft. The current holder is Drew McIntyre, who is in his first reign.
The spinner belt
The original WWE Championship belt, debuted in 1963 and used until 2014, was nicknamed the “spinner belt” because its main front plate could spin around. This spinning effect was caused by a weight located in the back of the belt. When championship reigns changed hands frequently, this type of belt made it so that new champion’s nameplates could be added quickly and easily without having to remove or replace the entire strap.
The big gold belt
The WWE World Heavyweight Championship is the most prestigious title in all of professional wrestling. It is defended on all WWE programming, including Monday Night RAW, SmackDown Live, Main Event, NXT, and Pay-Per-View events. The current WWE World Heavyweight Champion is Brock Lesnar.
The WWE World Heavyweight Championship belt is made of solid gold, and it weighs approximately five pounds. The main plate of the belt is made of brass, and it is plated with 24-karat gold. The two side plates are also made of brass, and they are plated with 18-karat gold. The letters “WWE” on the main plate are also made of 18-karat gold. The strap of the belt is made of black leather, and it features the WWE logo in gold foil.
WWE United States Championship
The WWE United States Championship is a professional wrestling championship in WWE. It is on the Raw brand, and is defended on Raw, SmackDown, and live events. The current champion is Andrade, who is in his first reign. The title was first introduced as the WWE Championship in 1963, and was later renamed the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. The title was then renamed the WWE Universal Championship in 2017.
The red, white, and blue belt
WWE United States Championship is a professional wrestling championship contested in the American promotion WWE on the Raw brand. It was originally established as the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship by the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) on January 1, 1975, and was defended in NWA’s member promotions such as Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling and Jim Crockett Promotions. The belt has been defended in WWE since 2002 when then-SmackDown General Manager Stephanie McMahon introduced it as a counterpart title to the WWE Undisputed Championship, which was exclusive to Raw. WWE has deactivated the title twice throughout its history – from July 2006 to October 2007 due to the rebranding of its primary TV show and again from June 2016 to September 2019 following WWE’s brand extension.
The United States Championship is made of red, white, and blue leather. The centerplate is gold with a red star in the middle, surrounded by a white ring with “UNITED STATES CHAMPIONSHIP” written in blue lettering. There are five different variants of the current design: one for Raw/SmackDown Live/NXT (introduced in September 2017), one for Live events (introduced in March 2018), one for NXT UK (introduced in October 2018), one for Main Event tapings (introduced in November 2019) and one exclusively used by former champion Andrade (introduced in February 2020).
The eagle belt
The current WWE United States Championship belt is made of solid brass and leather. It features two side plates, each measuring 10 inches by 12 inches. The center plate is made of a thicker, solid piece of brass and measures 11 inches by 13 inches. The words “United States Champion” are embossed across the top of the center plate in raised letters. An image of an eagle with its wings spread is in the center of the plate.
WWE Intercontinental Championship
The WWE Intercontinental Championship is a professional wrestling championship created and promoted by the American professional wrestling promotion WWE on the SmackDown brand.
The white leather strap
The white leather strap was introduced in the late 1980s and was used until the late 1990s. It was then replaced by a black leather strap. The white leather strap was used again from 2002 to 2005. In 2006, the white leather strap was replaced by a red leather strap.
The metal plate
The championship is a metal plate that is plated with gold. The front of the plate has the WWE logo in the center, while the words “INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPION” are arched above it and “WWE” is arched below. There are two small plates on each side of the main plate that reads “EST.” (for “established”) and the year 1979, which is when the title was created.
WWE Tag Team Championship
The WWE Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling world tag team championship contested in WWE. It is one of three currently active world tag team championships in WWE, along with the Raw Tag Team Championship on Raw and the SmackDown Tag Team Championship on SmackDown.
The red and white strap
The WWE Tag Team Championship belt is made of red and white leather. It has the WWE logo in the center, with two stars on either side. The words “World Tag Team Champions” are written on the top and bottom of the strap.
The black strap
The original design for the WWE Tag Team Championship was a black strap with five golden plates on it, similar to the design used for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship at the time. The three center plates had a large “W” in the middle and two smaller “+” symbols on either side, while the two end plates bore a right-facing eagle. When The Rockers won the titles, they removed the center plate from their half of the belt, giving it a “half title” look.
WWE Women’s Championship
The WWE Women’s Championship is a professional wrestling championship in WWE. It is the women’s premier championship of WWE, and is currently defended on the Raw brand. The current champion is Ronda Rousey, who is in her first reign. The title was introduced in the summer of 1998, and was originally won by Sable.
The butterfly belt
The butterfly belt is the current championship belt for WWE’s women’s division. It is also the primary championship for the Raw brand. The inaugural champion was crowned at WrestleMania 32 on April 3, 2016, when Charlotte Flair defeated Becky Lynch and Sasha Banks in a triple threat match. The title is considered one of WWE’s “big four” championships, along with the WWE Championship, Universal Championship, and World Heavyweight Championship.
The butterfly belt was introduced as a new championship for WWE’s women’s division on the March 7, 2016 episode of Raw. It replaced the previous Divas Championship, which had been active since 2008. The Divas Championship was retired due to its negative connotations with the term “Diva”, which is seen as outdated and demeaning to women. The butterfly belt is a more feminine and empowering symbol for the women’s division.
The championship is named after its iconic butterfly shape, which is meant to represent the strength and beauty of women. The centerplate of the title features a large diamond-encrusted butterfly with the word “Champion” written across it in gold lettering. The side plates feature smaller butterflies surrounded by more diamonds. The strap of the title is also diamond-encrusted and features a floral design.
The butterfly belt has been criticized by some fans for its over-the-top and gaudy design. However, it has been generally well-received by fans and critics alike. Many have praised WWE for finally giving the women’s division a championship that befits their status as one of WWE’s top divisions.
The butterfly clutch
The butterfly clutch, also known as a figure-8, is a variation of the standard clutch used to pin an opponent. The attacker traps the opponent’s arms crossed in front of their body, then grasps their wrists, twists them around, and finally crosses their arms again behind the opponent’s back and locks their hands together (thus creating the figure-8).
