Larry Zbyszko Once Purchased The NWA Championship For $25K

One of the most memorable programs WWE Hall of Famer Larry Zbyszko had during his legendary career was when he bought the NWA National Heavyweight Championship in March 1983. At the time, Zbyszko was on a mission in WCW to win the belt from "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff, who Zbyszko labeled "a chicken" for not getting in the ring to face him. 

Following a win over Chief Joe Lightfoot on WCW television, Zbyszko told viewers he had an offer for "Killer" Tim Brooks, who had an upcoming championship match against Orndorff. In front of a nationwide audience and announcer Gordon Solie, Zbyszko offered Brooks $25,000 for the National Heavyweight Championship to be turned over to him should Brooks beat Orndorff for the belt. On March 20, 1983, the unthinkable happened when Brooks not only ended the 133-day championship reign of Orndorff but sold the belt to Zbyszko. Shortly thereafter, Solie interviewed a boastful Zbyszko, who said, "I want everybody out there to get it straight. Whatever I had to do, I did. I told you people I was going after the belt and I got it. If you don't like the way I got it, too bad."

The way Zbyszko circumvented the rules to become the National Heavyweight Champion did not sit well with WCW fans nor NWA President Bob Geigel, who stripped Zbyszko of the Championship on April 30, 1983. The following week on WCW television, Solie said on commentary, "talking to a gang up in Meadville, Pennsylvania, and they said 'Zbyszko is unquestionable a legendary competitor' but they all agreed that he should've been stripped from the title because you don't buy titles, you win them in the ring."

To determine a new champion, a tournament was held with final round occurring in Atlanta, Georgia, on May 6, 1983. On that night, Zbyszko defeated Mr. Wrestling II to legitimately lay claim to the belt that had eluded him for the past couple of months. Zbyszko would hold the National Heavyweight Championship for nearly five months before losing it to Brett Sawyer in Atlanta on September 25, 1983. Six months later in March 1984, Zbyszko joined Verne Gagne's American Wrestling Association (AWA), where he would have programs against Sgt. Slaughter and Nick Bockwinkel.