The title was renamed the World Championship Wrestling ( WCW ) United States Heavyweight Championship in 1991 when Jim Crockett Promotions became World Championship Wrestling . After Ted Turner bought the company and renamed it World Championship Wrestling in November 1988 , the title continued to be used and recognized as secondary to the World Championship . WCW eventually began to slowly pull itself away from the NWA , demonstrated by the company changing the name of the title to the World Championship Wrestling ( WCW ) United States Heavyweight Championship in January 1991 .