Championship Belts Question

[honiti]

Hey everyone,

quick question about championship belts in combat sports. I’ve always been curious: How do organizations like the UFC, WWE, or boxing federations handle belt ownership after a title changes hands?

Does the former champion get to keep a replica, or is it always the original belt that’s passed along?

Also, for long-reigning champions, do they get multiple belts for their defenses, or is it one belt they keep defending?

I’m sure each sport might have different rules, so I'd love to hear what you guys know.

 

[honiti]

Hey everyone,

quick question about championship belts in combat sports. I’ve always been curious: How do organizations like the UFC, WWE, or boxing federations handle belt ownership after a title changes hands?

Does the former champion get to keep a replica, or is it always the original belt that’s passed along?

Also, for long-reigning champions, do they get multiple belts for their defenses, or is it one belt they keep defending?

I’m sure each sport might have different rules, so I'd love to hear what you guys know about Championship belts.

thanks in advance for any help

 

[Chris]

It varies by promotion. Historically, the champion would put a deposit down and when they gave the belt back after losing, they'd get their deposit back. I doubt it's like that anymore, the wrestlers are probably just trusted with the belts.

For Indy companies that are ran out of the same arena, champions will actually just leave the belt there so they don't have to travel with them

 

[Chris]

The replicas are just that, replicas as far as I'm aware, it's never the actual belt the wrestlers held

 

[Deadd2009]

The deposit thing was definitely a 80s/way early 90s thing. I know they did it in WCW.

The replica thing in wrestling though, if I remember correctly, whenever someone won and lost a title, they were given a replica. It's why if you see a video from someone's house, they have the belts in cases or hanging up on the wall. I don't know if WWE still does it themselves, or if the belt makers are the ones who give them the belts.

As far as what belts they're actually carrying, there's been rumors that at times they've actually been replicas just based on how they look when they're handled.