7 CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE SECRETS FINALLY REVEALED

At Night of Champions, the titles are the stars of the show. We contacted Joe Marshall, WWE's official belt creator, and unearthed the secret to fashioning Championship gold.  

1. IT STARTS WITH A PLAN     "WWE sends me a black-and-white and color drawing of the title, then it's my job to bring it to life. I follow the blueprints, but turning a drawing into a Championship is not easy. When they send me a picture, it looks like a cartoon."  

2. THE DIVAS CHAMPIONSHIP     "This title was the second hardest I've worked on because I had to place more than 2,000 tiny stones. The WWE Championship was the hardest. Each of the 4,000 stones had to be placed by hand!"  

3. HEAVY WEIGHT     "The titles weigh anywhere from 12 to 22 pounds. The WWE Championship is a thick, metallic monster and weighs the most. Superstars carry it around like it's paper, showing you how strong these guys really are."

4. WHAT'S IN A NAME     "We began bolting nameplates onto titles during the late '90s. Adding the nameplate is the final part of the entire title-making process. Personally, I like the plates because you don't see a lot of engraving in the world today.  

5. GOLDEN EXPERIENCE     "I started making titles for WWE circa 1996. The first belt I made was the European Championship. Before then, I made titles for WCW, ECW and nearly 50 smaller organizations. So I know titles!"  

6. BUT CAN IT SPIN     "The WWE title spins thanks to skateboard bearings placed beneath the WWE logo. But if you hit it the wrong way, the spinning function breaks. I've fixed it twice already. The spinner logo was never designed to stay centered. It goes wherever gravity takes it."  

7. THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY     ''After I finish a title, I overnight it to WWE. Once, a title was lost in the mail. It was a custom belt for the Rock, but it never appeared on TV. Someone claimed they saw it in a filing cabinet at WWE HQ. Who knows? Maybe the Rock has it."

WWE FACTS PART 2 

"MACHO MAN" RANDY SAVAGE WAS A PRO BASEBALL PLAYER BEFORE HE TURNED TO WRESTLING.     Wrestlers are nothing if not showmen, and have been known to exaggerate their credentials. But in this case, Savage was a catcher in the Minor Leagues for the St. Louis Cardinals, Cincinnati Reds and Chicago White Sox in the early '70s.  

WCW PREVENTED WWE FROM SHOWING RIC FLAIR'S WORLD TITLE BELT ON TELEVISION.     When the Nature Boy finally made his way to WWE in 1991,he brought with him the WCW World Championship which he had never lost in the ring. Ted Turner's attorneys immaculately cried foul and Flair was smacked with a lawsuit. While the case was pending, WWE President Jack Tunney ordered the belt to be digitally obscured on TV. Flair and WCW ultimately settled out of court, with the Atlanta-based company getting back the gold, and Slick Ric scoring a five-figure check for relinquishing it.  

ECW'S WEEKLY TV PROGRAM WAS PRODUCED IN SOMEONE'S BASEMENT.     Extreme it may have been, but there was one other adjective that aptly described the original ECW: cheap. In all fairness, Paul Heyman needed to be budget-minded to compete with the big boys. That's why he oversaw the editing of his show in the finished basement belonging to the parent of his lead photographer, Ron Buffone, and saved mucho dinero in the process. The other major benefit? Milk and cookies all around.  

WILLIAM REGAL PURPOSELY EMBARRESSED GOLDBERG BY OUT-WRESTLING HIM ON WCW TV.     What's the quickest way to get fired from WCW? Make their number 1 draw look like a dizzy mongoloid by wrestling circles around him and completely nullifying his juggernaut offense. That worked for William Regal when, on the 2/9/1998 Nitro, he went 1 on 1 with the undefeated Goldberg. Instead of giving into Goldberg's monstrous power, Regal used his technical skills to embarrass the rookie before ultimately being defeated. For this effort, Regal was fired immediately after the match. And people wonder why WCW isn't around anymore.  

KOKO B. WARE'S PET BIRD, FRANKIE WAS KILLED IN A FIRE?     Perhaps no WWE mascot of the '80s was as beloved as Koko's spunky blue macaw, which is probably why fans everywhere were saddened when, in 2001, the Birdman returned from church to discover that his home had been destroyed in a blazing inferno that also fricassee Frankie.  

JOHN CENA, SR'S SECRET CONNECTION TO THE BIZ.     Maybe John Cena's dad shouldn't have been so shocked when Edge came to his house and laced into him. After all, he's been a part of his wacky business for years as a ring announcer for the New England-based Chaotic Wrestling. He is also the commissioner of East Coast Championship Wrestling (ECCW).  

TRIBUTE TO THE TROOPS IS A JBL ORIGINAL.     For the past 6 years, WWE has entertained soldiers during the holiday season, but it may come as a surprise that the idea originated from the obnoxious voice of SmackDown, JBL, who first pitched it to Vince McMahon. To date, it stands as the only time Bradshaw ever did anything with which we agreed.  

BRET HART AND SHAWN MICHAELS IN WWE'S FIRST LADDER MATCH?     Shawn Michaels vs Razor Ramon for the Intercontinental title at WrestleMania 10 is undoubtedly the ladder match benchmark, but did you know it wasn't the first? That distinction goes to an I-C title encounter between the Hitman and the Heartbreak Kid on 7/21/1992. In fact, Hart has credited himself as having introduced the innovative idea to WWE. He takes no credit, however, for Giant Gonzalez and Kerwin White.  

BARRY DARSOW, THE MASTER OF DISGUISE.     The name Barry Darsow may not strike a familiar cord with some sports-entertainment fans. Nevertheless, he has had a lengthy career competing under different aliases. Darsow spent time as the Russian Krusher Kruschev in the NWA, donned the mask in WWE as the Repo Man and even found some success in WCW as the Blacktop Bully. However, most fans may know Darsow for his most successful run as Smash-one half of Demolition. But no matter what you think, he's not underneath Rey Mysterio's mask.  

TOMMY DREAMER: MADE MAN?     Tommy Dreamer may be the "Innovator of Violence," but his daughters are in with the mob. Dreamer's twin baby girls appeared on the 6th season of The Sopranos as Domenica Soprano, Tony's niece. Although most Sopranos characters are known for their ultra-violent ways, the only hit the Dreamer girls made during filming was in their Huggies.  

THE SHORTEST MATCH EVER.     It has been debated for years what televised match was the shortest. That distinction goes to The Rock vs Big Boss Man at Survivor Series 1998-clocking in at 4 seconds.  

BANNED MANEUVERS IN THE WWE?     There are only two moves officially banned due to their extreme severity: The Shooting Star Press (Even Bourne is allowed to do this because he does it so good) and the Piledriver (but not the Undertaker's Tombstone). These career-threatening maneuvers have knocked a number of Superstars for a loop.  

RANDY SAVAGE'S WORLD TITLE MYSTERY.     Throughout his illustrious career, Randy Savage lost all 6 of his World titles to 2 people: Ric Flair and Hulk Hogan. Losing the WCW strap to both legends twice and the WWE title once to each man, it seems Macho Man couldn't snap into a win.  

SHAWN MICHAELS FORFEITER OF CHAMPIONSHIPS.     Despite Shawn Michaels being the Showstopper, he's relinquished titles more than anyone on the WWE roster. HBK vacated the WWE title in 1997 due to injuries and the I-C title in 1993 and 1995. Michaels also gave up the World Tag titles 3 separate times.  

HARDCORE ACTION.     The now defunct WWE Hardcore title was the neighborhood bicycle, as many Superstars have had a ride. In it's 4 year life, the Hardcore title changed hands 219 times! [Though there were 220 champions.] No other title has changed hands more since, which for hygienic purposes, is probably a good thing.  

THE ORIGINS OF THE KING OF THE RING.     WWE debuted the King Of The Ring on ppv in June 1993. However, prior to its TV debut, the elimination-style tournament was a New England tradition. From 1985 to 1989 and 1991, the King of the Ring was a live event held in Foxboro, MA, and at times in Providence, RI, with such luminaries as Randy Savage, Ted DiBiase, and Bret Hart winning the crown.  

PERFECT CLASSMATES.     Before they tied up in the ring, they raised hell in the hallways. Attending Minnesota's Robbinsdale High School, Ravishing Rick Rude was classmates with Hall of Famer Mr. Perfect, Curt Hennig. The institution also names Nikita Koloff and Barry Darsow (aka Demolition Smash) as alumni. Just imagine how many kids got stuffed into lockers in that school.  

MR. KENNEDY'S K-9 NAMED AFTER A LEGEND!     Mr. Kennedy grew up a wrestling fan, but it was only after seeing Stone Cold Steve Austin on Raw that he aspired to enter the business. In homage to the former 6 time WWE Champion, Mr. Kennedy has named his dog Austin.  

TRIPLE H'S ORIGINAL FINISHER NOT THE PEDIGREE...     When Triple H made is WWE debut, his match ending finisher was called the Pedigree, but it was not the same maneuver that subsequently helped him win 11 World Championships. The then-rookie first used a modified RKO to conquer his opponents before changing his finisher to the move so feared by Superstars today.  

SHAD...ONCE DIDDY'S BODYGUARD?     Before he teamed with JTG, Cryme Tyme's Shad worked as a bodyguard. The 285-pound Brooklyn native watched the backs of big shots like Diddy, Cuba Gooding, Jr. and Mike Tyson. We can't even imagine how much pilfered celebrity swag is stashed away at Shad's crib.  

HBK IS THE KING OF FIRSTS.     Shawn Michaels is a true pioneer, as evidenced by his appearances in WWE's first Hell In A Cell, Ladder, Elimination Chamber and Iron Man Matches. And if that doesn't impress you, the fact that Michaels was victorious in 3 of the 4 bouts should! They call him the Showstopper for a reason.  

WRESTLEMANIA'S AMAZING DEFEATED STREAK REVEALED.     Everyone knows about the Undertaker's 17-0 record at the Show of Shows, but there's little attention paid to other less-than-honorable 'Mania streaks. With a dismal 1-8 win/loss record, Big Show has the most losses in WrestleMania history. Come on, big man! It's time to pull in some wins!  

ANDRE'S MOBILE HOME.     Before everyone pimped their rides, Andre the Giant had his own personalized Winnebago. While other Superstars traveled in cramped rental cars, the Giant and his peeps rocked the highway in style. Former WWE referee and Andre's close friend, Tim White, explains: "He loved that thing. He had Gorilla Monsoon, Pedro Morales and other guys in there playing cards while I drove. It has 2 TVs, a phone, a captain's chair and plenty of room to relax."  

WWE'S RADIO DAYS.     Back in the early '90s, as Raw was asserting its TV dominance, WWE was also conquering a slightly older medium, radio. From 1993 to 1994, WWE produced a weekly Saturday night radio show. Hosted by Jim Ross and Gorilla Monsoon, the program featured live event, including ppv's such as SummerSlam and King of the Ring.  

WWE REFEREE...AND DONUT KING!     John Cone makes the rules in the ring but when he's off the road, it's time to make the donuts. Owner and operator of Donut King in Kansas City, MO, for the past 10 years, Cone, with the help of his wife, serves up the crispy treats for $.70 cents a pop. Hey Cone, how about a discount for your pals at WWE mag?  

THE UGANDIAN IDOL.     Kamala dominated WWE in the early '80s and '90s with strength, power and constant stomach slapping. But now the WWE great will be remembered for something else: singing! The Ugandian Giant is putting together an album and has already debuted his first single, "Have a Little Drink of Wine." No, we can't believe it either. Visit his official website at www.thegiantkamala.com.  

THE FRESH QUEEN OF EXTREME.     Teddy Long's one-time assistant Tiffany is perhaps the hottest aide in history, so it's no surprise that she's drawn the attention of Hollywood players. Word has it that the foxy Diva was once linked to The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air star Alfonso Ribeiro. Hey, if Carlton Banks had a shot, then there's gotta be hope for us.  

THE ANIMAL & THE HAMMER.     WWE Hall of Famers Greg "The Hammer" Valenting and George "The Animal" Steele are keeping busy during their retirement by filming their own sitcom. Somethin' Fishy is a Web-only series that follows the greats as they run their own fish camp in Florida. Currently, somethin-fishy.org is "under construction," but we hear episodes can be found via Google Video.

14 THINGS YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THE INFERNO MATCH

WWE Pyro gurus Ron Bleggi and Steve Dobo shed light on Unforgiven's 10-year-old stipulation.  

1. 10 days before the first Inferno Match at Unforgiven 1998, experts performed a live demonstration to city officials for approval.

2. The fire bars are fitted to the ring immediately before the match, and must be taken down the moment the bout has ended.

3. To ensure the inferno rig is functioning properly, experts test for leaks and possible fueling failure right up until the match's first bell.

4. A highly sensitive electronic device called a sniffer is used to detect any leaks.

5. The structure is made from parts built throughout North America, including, Toronto, Canada; Richmond, VA; and Stamford, CT.

6. Eight 100 pound tanks of propane are needed to fuel one flame filled match.

7. Due to gas restriction laws, the propane tanks are stored outside the arena; hundreds of feet of piping and hose feed the gas to the ring.

8. For this match, fire marshals require that the wall seperating fans from the ring, called a dasher, be set 15 to 20 feet back from the apron. For most shows, this wall typically sits 12 feet from the ring.

9. In case of emergency, 24 CO2 extinguishers are kept ringside to ensure quick and efficient dousing of flames.

10. The entire set up is managed by a sophisticated motherboard, which is operated by a pyro expert who sits ringside. He can control the height of the flames or turn the entire system on or off with the flick of a switch. 

11. Flames can reach 8 feet in height, but only do so for a few seconds during a match for safety reasons.

12. PVC piping surrounds the propane-filled plumbing as an extra precaution against an eruption.

13. Propane is the fuel of choice because of its ability to produce instant heat and apprear vibrant on camera.

14. The ppv selection is based on a state's gas laws, which dictate the amount of gas that can be stored in a building. Some states are so strict, they prohibit effective execution of an inferno match.

WHY DO WWE'S BOOTS COST $225?

We spoke with custom boot maker Michael Bochicchio to find out what's going on south of Superstars' ankles.  

INTENSIVE LABOR     "The physical labor takes about 2 hours for one pair, but because of all the glues we use, we have to wait a week for the boots to dry. We can speed up the process if there's a need, but usually it's best to let the materials dry."

ACQUIRING THE PERFECT LEATHER     "We use about 3/4 of a yard of real leather that has no holes or abrasions. We use pig leather for the unfinished insides, but generally we use cowhide to make the outside of the boot. Most of the leather is acquired from Mexico, because there isn't a lot of manufacturing done in the U.S. We take the cowhide and cut the largest panels first, since those are the hardest to find. If there is even one imperfection, the piece is considered defective."

FASTENING THE PANELS     "We use a petroleum-based glue to adhere the outer cowhide panels to inner unfinished pig leather. This ensures it will properly stay overtime. As the glue gets older and worn out, it won't hold as well, so it's important to stitch each and every panel securely together with heavy-duty thread."

REINFORCING HIGH-IMPACT AREAS     "The heel panel is cut from pig hide, which is very soft, so we use a glue mix to make it really rigid. To ensure proper protection, the mix is placed between the inner and outer layers of the heel because it gets banged around a lot. And for added support we place a type of plaster over the pigskin so it can bond. Then we're able to cast and shape the heel piece."

CRAFTING HIGH-PERFORMANCE MATERIALS     "This is the part that makes a wrestling boot so different. It's sole is made of a crepe rubber mix. It's somewhat similar to the rubber on the bottom of a sneaker, but not as durable. Its main purpose is to give it the best traction. However, crepe wears down quicker than rubber, which is one of its downsides."

BONDING THE SOLE     "We attach the sole piece to the leather upper with a nail drill. It puts very small nails in because there's usually only 1 1/2" sole to go into. We then sew it down with a  very thick thread that requires a machine. Quite often we use a heavy-duty fishing line because it's clear and very strong. But you have to be careful because some leathers can actually tear with different fishing lines. In those cases, we use a nylon-based thread.

10 THINGS YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT BIG BLUE

The Bash is famous for its cage matches, making us nostalgic for WWE's old-school blue coop. We begged our resident historians for some inside dirt on the cobalt beauty. Here's what we learned...  

1. The cage was specifically built for WrestleMania 2's King Kong Bundy vs Hulk Hogan match in 1986.

2. The steel was coated in blue so that it blended with the then- royal blue steps, floor pads, ring skirts and corner legs.

3. It was extremely heavy to transport, with eight 10' x 10' panels, each weighing 300 pounds.

4. Assembly was also tedious, with its 8 corner legs, 4 center legs, and 8 cables. By comparison, today's cage has only 4 poles and no cables.

5. Fully assembled, it weighed more than 3,000 pounds.

6. Putting the cage together required a full crew that consisted of a construction manager, 12 carriers and 5 experienced erectors.

7. The grid-like structure was designed to make it easier for Superstars to climb.

8. The steel bars were partially manufactured to support the full weight of Bundy who was a massive 460 pounds.

9. The large square spaces between the bars were strategically designed so that WWE camera lenses could shoot clearly and easily through the cage.

10. At Superstars' request, it was retired after 15 years due to its unforgiving nature. Could this mean the Elimination Chamber's day are numbered?  NAH!!