Person Behind AEW’s New National Title Revealed Amid NWA Backlash

AEW’s decision to launch its own “National Championship” has officially stirred up the old-school hornet’s nest—and now, we know who was behind the belt design.

According to a Fightful Select, AEW tapped veteran belt maker Dave Millican to work on the new title, calling it a bit of a “throwback” in style.

“We’re told that Dave Millican worked on it and it’s a bit of a ‘throwback’ title.”

This reveal comes just after NWA’s fierce response to what they consider a blatant disrespect to their historic National Championship. The NWA made a strong public statement on November 6 by crowning Mike Mondo as their new National Champion and reinforcing the belt’s legacy dating back to 1980.

The drama isn’t just about a new title—it’s about wrestling history. NWA’s Bryan Idol previously claimed AEW’s move was retaliation for a lawsuit that derailed AEW’s “Shockwave” project. Now, the fight isn’t just in the ring—it’s between promotions and their legacy.

NWA’s own tweet fired off a reminder that their National Title has been held by legends like Dusty Rhodes, Tully Blanchard, Ted DiBiase, and Nikita Koloff. Mike Mondo, fresh off a win over “Big Strong” Mims, added fuel to the fire by putting AEW directly on notice:

“Let me be CLEAR. There is only ONE NWA & there is only one PRESTIGIOUS National Championship that holds legit lineage & has for decades. So to Tony Khan or anyone else confused… here’s the legit title, with the company it belongs to & the legit National Champion! MY NAME IS MIKE MONDO.”

Fightful’s update also explained how the NWA once unified the National Title with the U.S. Title in the 1980s—the very same U.S. Championship that WWE still features today. NWA only brought their version of the National Title back in 1997, and AEW’s attempt to reintroduce a new version has reignited those long-simmering tensions.

In the middle of this storm, Millican’s craftsmanship now stands front and center—whether AEW fans accept it or not, his “throwback” design could become a major part of AEW’s midcard scene moving forward. But for traditionalists and NWA loyalists, the message is clear: you can’t rewrite wrestling history overnight.

AEW may have a new belt, but NWA’s response proves they’re not giving up their place in the wrestling legacy discussion anytime soon.