Ric Flair: The WWF & The Big Gold Belt

Wrestling Bios Presents - Ric Flair: The WWF and The Big Gold Belt

When Vince McMahon managed to sign Ric Flair to a WWF contract in 1991, he must have felt like the luckiest man alive. Not only was Nature Boy Ric Flair the most succesful NWA champion in WCW at the time, but he was also one of the most popular wrestlers on the planet. When Ric Flair made his exciting debut in the WWE back in 1991, he didn't just bring the Nature Boy, but he also brought the WCW / NWA World Heavyweight Championship.

In the buildup to the arrival of this once in a lifetime superstar, the WWF teased on TV that the "Real World's Champion" was coming to the company to feud with the WWF Champion at the time, Hulk Hogan. Bobby Heenan displayed the NWA Championship belt on WWF television, something we thought we would never see. Ric Flair did indeed show up on WWF television, and he was claiming to be the Real World Champion.

The events leading up to Ric's WWF debut are really fascinating, and in today's Wrestling Bios video, we take a look at Ric's journey to the WWF. Included topics:

01:17 - Understanding the WCW / NWA Championship Title in the early 90s
03:12 - WCW hires Jim Herd as Executive Vice President
04:29 - Jim Herd tries to change Ric Flair into "Spartacus"
07:08 - Ric Flair leaves WCW and doesn't return the NWA Championship Belt
08:54 - The Big Gold Belt shows up on WWF TV in 1991
10:48 - Comparing the NWA title on WWF TV to Montreal and Alundra Blayze
12:33 - Roddy Piper throws down the WCW / NWA Championship on WWF TV
13:13 - The WWF Debut of Ric Flair in 91
13:47 - Plans change for Hulk Hogan vs Ric Flair
- Much More!

[WrestlingBios]

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Thank you!

[justafanofnerdculture]

I've been watching wrestling for 35 years now and seeing Bobby Heenan holding the big gold belt and talking about Ric Flair and finally seeing Flair appear on WWF tv, was and still is, one of the most surreal things that I've ever seen in wrestling. If you weren't a wrestling fan during that time, you will never, ever know what a big deal that was. Damn, I love this channel!

[Midge-xntp]

6 years later Vince was worrying that Bret would do the same thing with his belt in WCW

[BurritoKingdom]

The big gold belt is still the best looking belt.

[Bitbrain]

This video is so right. The significance of Flair leaving back then while holding the WCW belt can not be understated. It really was a huge deal.

[ironman]

The "real world champion" gimmick was perfect for Vince to capitalize on.

[unregierbar]

The Big Gold Belt will forever be my favourite.

[rafaelcolonhernandez]

I remember when Ric Flair shows the Big Gold Belt in 1991, and I was speechless at the time.👍😮

[georgesalgado]

Best looking belt ever made befitting of the greatest world champions.

[foxhound]

The best belt ever to grace a wrestling ring!

[TombstoneChris]

I remember when he gave the title back and used a tag team belts they blurred out. It was so cool to see the big gold belt on WWF for the short time it lasted.

[josephdobry]

Ric Flair was the reason I went to WWF, and then went back to WCW once he returned. Amazing how one heel can have a 9yr cheering for him.👍🤣🤣🤣🤣

[mil]

Ric Flair is one of the all time greats, a true classic and changing him to “Spartacus” is one of the worst ideas ever. I’m glad He stood his ground. I’m very grateful that I’ve been privileged enough to see The nature boy wrestle live a few times.

Thanks as always for the amazing content. This channel is amazing and you can tell you put an incredible amount of effort into each video.

[g-dub]

The literal definition of professional wrestler - Ric Flair

[harithhunter]

that was one of the biggest moment in wrestling and it revised an NWA feud too Piper/Flair .when we first seen Bobby Heenan with the NWA/ WCW title, the first thing said in my house hold thats Flair belt .

[Iam-ij]

Ric Flair's early 90s WWF run was how I was first introduced to Ric Flair. So during my childhood I always thought of Ric as a WWF guy first lol 😂😂

[ODANNEK]

Ric Flair’s 1st WWF rollout was one of the best rollouts ever just because of the belt controversy.

[MistahWoose]

I had just started watching wrestling when Flair took the big gold belt to the WWF!

[vermontmike]

The Big Gold Belt was seen before the invasion angle with WCW/New Japan events. It once again served as The NWA title with The Great Muta and Masahiro Chono.

[christiancarpenter]

that is still the best looking title belt ever