Prior to September 2, 2002, WWE recognized only one world champion, and that champion represented both Raw and SmackDown. Just after SummerSlam 2002, however, champion Brock Lesnar inked a deal to become exclusive to SmackDown, leaving Raw without a champion.

Raw general manager Eric Bischoff then declared that since Lesnar had left for SmackDown, that Raw needed its own champion. So with that, he opened a briefcase and pulled out the old WCW World Heavyweight Championship belt and gave it to Triple H, naming him the first World Heavyweight Champion. Upset that Triple H was merely handed the title, Ric Flair disputed the decision noting that he was a 16-time champion and not once had anything handed to him. Triple H agreed to face Flair later that evening in his first title defense. “The Nature Boy” gave it a valiant effort, but “The Game” hit the Pedigree for the pin.