WCW International Heavyweight Championship Title History

WCW International Heavyweight Championship
(July 18, 1993 - June 23, 1994)

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In December of 1988, Ted Turner purchased Jim Crockett Promotions (formerly NWA Mid-Atlantic). JCP used "World Championship Wrestling" as the title to their TV broadcasts, so Turner adopted that name. The company was still considered part of the National Wrestling Alliance, although usage of the NWA name on television faded over time.

On January 11, 1991, Ric Flair defeated Sting to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, which was supposed to have been defended throughout the NWA territories. Turner's company, now officially World Championship Wrestling, recognized Flair as the first ever WCW World Champion and continued to use the NWA "big gold" belt.

On July 1, 1991, WCW Executive VP Jim Herd fired Ric Flair for creative differences. Under the NWA, the title holder put a $25,000 deposit on the belt, which they would receive (plus interest) on the belt's return at the end of their reign. Ric Flair and Dusty Rhodes never accepted the money back during their time in NWA because they knew they would get the belt again and therefore would rather keep the interest growing. Since Flair was fired and Herd refused to pay Flair his deposit back, Flair took the belt with him as he signed a deal to wrestle for Vince McMahon's World Wrestling Federation.

Since the belt was gone, WCW used an old NWA Western States Heritage Championship belt for its Great American Bash on July 14, 1991 when Lex Luger defeated Barry Windham in a steel cage match to fill the vacated title. Soon after, WCW introduced a brand new belt.

Ric Flair, still recognized by the NWA as World Champion, was in WWF wearing the "big gold" belt. WWF television billed him as "the REAL World Heavyweight Champion" for storyline purposes since WWF had long separated from NWA. In late 1991, WCW sued Ric Flair and WWF for using the "big gold" belt on WWF television. WWF President Jack Tunney ruled on WWF TV that the belt was not recognized by WWF and from then on, Flair actually wore a WWF Tag Team title belt that was pixelated/blurred out on television to put over that the belt was not recognized by WWF (and to avoid further lawsuits in reality). Eventually the suit was settled out of court by paying Flair his deposit back ($38,000) in return for the belt.

Upon receiving the belt back, WCW and NWA decided to run a joint tournament to crown a new NWA champion, and in August of 1992 Masahiro Chono was crowned the new champ. Chono defended the title throughout NWA territories including on WCW TV, even though WCW had their own champion.

In September of 1993, WCW withdrew its affiliation with NWA over disputes regarding to television tapings and wrestler appearances that overlapped in different territories ruining storylines since some tapings were months in advance. Ironically, Flair had returned to WCW in the Summer of 1993 and was currently holding the NWA World Heavyweight Championship again. WCW then ran with an "International Committee" story that informed fans that Ric Flair was the "International World Heavyweight Champion."

In June 1994, WCW decided to end the controversy once and for all with a unification match which saw the current WCW World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair defeat the WCW International Heavyweight Champion Sting. After the unification, WCW resumed using the "big gold" belt as its WCW World Heavyweight Championship.

Won By # Won From Date/Location Days Notes

Ric Flair - Barry Windham July 18, 1993
Biloxi, MS 63 Defeated Barry Windham to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship.

In September of 1993, WCW withdrew from the NWA (see above).

NWA later holds a tournament to crown a new champion in 1994.

Rick Rude - Ric Flair September 19, 1993
Houston, TX
Fall Brawl 178

Hiroshi Hase - Rick Rude March 16, 1994
Tokyo, Japan 8

Rick Rude [2] Hiroshi Hase March 24, 1994
Kyoto, Japan 24

Sting - Rick Rude April 17, 1994
Rosemont, IL
Spring Stampede 35 Rick Rude defeated Sting for the title on May 1, 1994 in Fukuoka, Japan but the decision is reversed because Rude hit Sting with the belt in order to win.

Sting refuses to be handed the title unless he can beat Vader on May 22, 1994 in Philadelphia at Slamboree.

Sting - Vader May 22, 1994
Philadelphia, PA
Slamboree 32

Ric Flair [2] Sting June 23, 1994
Charleston, SC - Unification match. (see above)

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Won By	#	Won From	Date/Location	Days	Notes
Ric Flair	-	Barry Windham	July 18, 1993 Biloxi, MS	63	Defeated Barry Windham to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. In September of 1993, WCW withdrew from the NWA (see above). NWA later holds a tournament to crown a new champion in 1994.
Rick Rude	-	Ric Flair	September 19, 1993 Houston, TX Fall Brawl	178
Hiroshi Hase	-	Rick Rude	March 16, 1994 Tokyo, Japan	8
Rick Rude	[2]	Hiroshi Hase	March 24, 1994 Kyoto, Japan	24
Sting	-	Rick Rude	April 17, 1994 Rosemont, IL Spring Stampede	35	Rick Rude defeated Sting for the title on May 1, 1994 in Fukuoka, Japan but the decision is reversed because Rude hit Sting with the belt in order to win. Sting refuses to be handed the title unless he can beat Vader on May 22, 1994 in Philadelphia at Slamboree.
Sting	-	Vader	May 22, 1994 Philadelphia, PA Slamboree	32
Ric Flair	[2]	Sting	June 23, 1994 Charleston, SC	-	Unification match. (see above)