Overview
- On the July 10 SmackDown broadcast, rapper Lil Yachty presented Trick Williams with a customized United States Championship and said he worked with WWE “higher-ups” on the change.
- The belt features mink fur on the straps and was billed on-screen as a 'Legacy Edition' variant rather than a formal change to the title’s status or lineage.
- Trick Williams has leaned into a flashy, luxury-oriented character since his call-up from NXT and the mink-fur design was introduced to visually align the title with that persona.
- The backstage segment that unveiled the belt aired alongside major roster news on SmackDown, where CM Punk declared a SmackDown presence and a WWE Championship match with Cody Rhodes was confirmed for SummerSlam by Nick Aldis.
- Personalized 'Legacy Edition' belts have precedent with stars such as John Cena and Edge, and WWE often uses celebrity appearances and bespoke belts to raise a performer’s profile and attract mainstream attention.