Rants

WWF Light Heavyweight Title

By Scott Keith on 16 January 2019

Hi Scott,

Quick question about the original WWF Light Heavyweight Title. It was introduced in 1981 and had the WWF branding and whatnot, but was exclusively traded in Japan and Mexico for the first 15 years of its existence.

With Vince not being known as a hands-off promoter, why was he okay with this particular arrangement? Granted, light heavyweights weren't really a thing in eighties WWF, but it does seem to go against everything we know about Vince and his protection of his intellectual property.

A secondary question – would the WWF have had to sign off on an planned title change?
It was still Vince Sr. at the point when the title was introduced, but as far as I'm aware it was more of a case of the title going to Japan after getting introduced and then the WWF just kind of forgetting about it. It was always a weird one to me as well seeing an actual WWF branded title as a part of the J Crown, for instance.