John Cena, one of the longest-reigning and highest-decorated superstars in the history of WWE, is known for his phenomenal work ethic as well as for the huge impact he left, both in the ring and on the business. But one of his lasting legacies—the WWE Championship spinner belt—remains among the more divisive title designs in wrestling history.
It did become an iconic part of Cena’s persona in his heyday, but even some WWE legends, such as The Rock, were very critical of it. Pointer is being called “a bigger tragedy than the plague” by some. While the reaction was mixed at the time, most will remember that time frame as the time when Cena ruled the company; a spinner belt is a big part of WWE history.
So why was it seen as such a controversial move, and why have some of the all-time greats from the world of wrestling viewed it as an insult to the very legacy of the championship?
The design of a controversial championship
The spinner belt was a personalized take on the WWE’s most prestigious family heirloom, making its debut in 2005 right after Cena won his first WWE Championship at WrestleMania 21.
It had a big, obnoxious center plate with a spinning WWE logo in the center, a belt essentially styled after Cena’s then-hip-hop-inspired persona. The design was very dear to younger fans and spoke very well to Cena’s character, but to purists, it was a step down from the earlier championship designs.
Fans shared a number of thoughts on Twitter, and various legends such as The Rock, Triple H, and CM Punk were quite vocal with their criticism of the belt. The Rock, in particular, infamously called it “garbage” and felt the title deserved something that looked more regal.
He hated the belt so much that, after winning the WWE Championship in 2013, he immediately swapped it out for a fresher, more streamlined design that represented the title’s legacy and stature.
JOHN CENA WAS NOT LYING WHEN HE SAID EVERYONE HATED THE SPINNER CHAMPIONSHIP 😭
EVERYONE SLANDERED IT #WWERAW pic.twitter.com/wuklxWhGvP
— FADE (@FadeAwayMedia) March 25, 2025
Most of the backlash came from the fact that the WWE Championship is supposed to represent history and traditional values, not a custom belt that belongs to one superstar. The spinner belt made the title appear less like a world championship and more like a toy, something which legends like Ric Flair and Bret Hart, who had held more traditional designs, despised.
The enduring legacy of the spinner belt
Although there are plenty of former WWE stars that hated the spinner belt, there is little doubt it remains one of the most iconic title designs in wrestling. Cena continued to be synonymous with that belt through multiple reigns.
Several other champions like Edge and Randy Orton briefly held the spinner belt too, and by then, it became an unavoidable symbol of the Ruthless Aggression/PG era. Despite being so divisive, the spinner belt sold incredibly well in terms of merchandise.
WWE took advantage of its popularity, turning out waves of replica models that the fans snatched up. The title design was so synonymous with Cena’s presence on the brand at that time and the way he had helped & contributed to the title, leading to such a big influence he’d had on what that title had become, that it wore both his mark and those he succumbed to.
Triple H Just Turned John Cena into CM Punk From 2011 With His Plans to Retire After WrestleMania 41
In an old press conference back in 2012, CM Punk stated:
“Spinner belt, ladies and gentlemen! The belt everybody complained about, and now everyone carries them around in public; it’s ironic. I look at that and think, John Cena.”
The era of the spinner belt came to a close in 2013 when The Rock unveiled a new and more traditional WWE Championship design. Even though many fans were glad to see the return of the spinner belt forced into retirement, at least in their eyes, the title that was the embodiment of Cena’s reign of terror won’t be forgotten.
Although it became synonymous with John Cena, the spinner belt he used was a giant departure from anything WWE ever made, and it caught a lot of flack from wrestling legends. The Rock and others saw it as an affront against the title’s history, a “tragedy of greater proportions than the plague.”
Even with the controversy, though, the belt grew to become one of the most visually identifiable and marketable designs in WWE history. Like it or lump it, the spinner belt was a distinctive era in the cyclical history of the WWE Championship, one that will be forever tied to the legend of John Cena.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
