[Mr. Nerfect]

Originally Posted by Gohan3k errr they treat the Raw title, as the WCW title, don't you remember when Austin as GM, said Triple H could choose a former "world title holder" to defend his belt against, and he picked flair? Flair never held that "raw" title (if it was only just a raw title) he held the wcw one though. Trips couldn't have picked flair if it wasn't the wcw title, and plus austin listed people trips could choose and they were all former wcw champs, and like coldwaver said, vince announced the wcw title to be called the world title, which is the name they use for the world title. So go argue with the WWE if you still think the smackdown title has both wwe and wcw titles combined in it, cuz they obviously are treating the raw championship as the wcw one... and one last thing, when bischoff gave trips the title he said "you were the last person to hold this title and so it belongs to you" yet another reason it's the old wcw title

Think of it this way, in wrestling the WWE is the ultimate company. For a long time they only had one heavyweight championship (the WWE Championship, held by Buddy Rogers, Shawn Michaels, Yokozuna, Steve Austin, The Undertaker, etc.). Then Shane McMahon went on to purchase WCW (storyline-wise) and invaded the WWE. The WCW Title was brought in with them (held by Booker T).

Shane & Vince agreed to dissolve the WWE and WCW into one wrestling company. The WWE won and WCW's titles became the property of the WWE. Vince McMahon then renamed the WCW Championship to the World Championship (not the World "Heavyweight" Championship), but he soon realised that he had one to many heavyweight titles.

Instead of just destroying one of the titles, he decided to have one champion represent both championships. Chris Jericho won this right, thus became "Undisputed Champion" since he held every heavyweight title sanctioned by the WWE (who practically control wrestling). This was passed to Triple H at WrestleMania X8, who became a 5-time WWE Champion and a one time WCW Champion (World Champion). Triple H was then offered a new belt to respresent both championships. The two championships were then passed along between Hulk Hogan, The Undertaker, The Rock and finally Brock Lesnar. Lesnar then officially signed an exclusive contract with Stephanie McMahon and SmackDown!, giving her the rights to both heavyweight championships.

Eric Bischoff had nothing. So he took the old belt to mark a new championship in the WWE. He called it the World Heavyweight Championship and handed it to the "last man to hold the belt", Triple H. This doesn't mean he was the last champion, because there was nothing to signify that the title was stripped away from Triple H. He was still the Undisputed Champion, meaning that he was the technical WWE and WCW Champion, even though they were now respresented by a new championship.

Steve Austin gave Triple H the oppourtunity to face a former heavyweight champion. I believe this to be any sanctioned WWE heavyweight champion. This means that if you have held the WWE Championship or WCW Championship (which are both recognized by the WWE as heavyweight titles), then you were able to be selected. Ric Flair has held both.

Now this brings up another point. We are reminded that Triple H is always a nine-time heavyweight champion, and in third place for most heavyweight title reigns behind Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair. Now Triple H hasn't held the WCW Title nine times. The most that could be argued is 5 (that is if you count the Undisputed Championdship as two titles, instead of one that represents two). And he hasn't held the WWE Championship nine times. The most that could be argued is 5 (again if you count the Undisputed Championship). Triple H has held the World Heavyweight Championship (4 times), the WWE Championship (4 times), and the Undisputed Championship (once). All of them sanctioned WWE heavyweight titles.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that there are three heavyweight titles in the WWE. The WWE Championship and the World Championship were brought together by Chris Jericho, and since there was no other championship, it was undisputed. However, when Brock Lesnar took both titles to SmackDown!, they became disputed. You can't call a disputed title "undisputed". That doesn't mean both championships have to be split up. If you want to be accurate, the WCW Title's and the WWE Championship's histories were "melted" into a new belt, while the original two became vacant of any history.

So in a way the World Heavyweight Championship has a story behind the belt, but the actual history cannot be claimed because it left for the Undisputed belt (which is now disputed).

I hope that made sense.