PHOTO COURTESY OF WILDCAT CHAMPIONSHIP BELTS

As a kid, Andrew Lazarchik was the World Heavyweight Wrestling Champion. At least, that’s what it said on the title belt he fashioned out of dot matrix printer paper.

These days, Lazarchik runs Wildcat Championship Belts, a Latrobe-based company that creates wearable awards for public and private events, celebrities, average joes and global corporations, including his lifelong obsession, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).

Food and beverage brands and professional pigouts are his bread and butter.

“Everything we do is totally custom — that’s the specialty that we offer,” he says. “I can design something based on a napkin sketch.”

I’ll remember that the next time I eat 32 burgers for a story.

PHOTO COURTESY OF WILDCAT CHAMPIONSHIP BELTS

Lazarchik grew up in Latrobe and named the company after his high school’s mascot. His dad owned Strickler’s Drug Store, birthplace of the banana split, so, of course, he makes mementos for the town’s Great American Banana Split Celebration. (Look for that story in the July issue of Pittsburgh Magazine!)

There are four styles, turnaround times and price points, ranging from $375 to $1,850. All belts include a metal centerplate and two or more side plates, a hand-tooled black leather strap, heavy-duty snaps, custom artwork and painting and a gold or silver finish.

PHOTO COURTESY OF WILDCAT CHAMPIONSHIP BELTS

Winners of the Qdoba World Burrito Eating Championship, Toronto Wingfest, Guy Fieri’s Tournament of Champions, St. Elmo Steak House Shrimp Cocktail Eating Championship, the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl and the Picklesburgh Pickle Juice Drinking Contest have all worn Wildcat’s handiwork around their waist — although they may have had to loosen it a little.

So, how’d Lazarchik go from donning a paper belt in his Latrobe living room to heading a global enterprise?

He pins it on fate.

In the mid-’90s, WWE stars Razor Ramone and Jeff Jarrett visited Greater Latrobe Senior High School to help students raise money for weight room renovations. Feeling inspired, he upped the quality of his belts, replacing the paper with items he found at the hardware store.

While attending LaRoche University in McCandless for graphic design, a chance on-campus encounter helped him get his foot in the door — or, in this case, the ring — of a local independent wrestling organization.

PHOTO COURTESY OF WILDCAT CHAMPIONSHIP BELTS

Although his first job out of college was making films for printing Pittsburgh Magazine, the work didn’t satisfy his soul quite like watching Macho Man Randy Savage unleash a Flying Elbow Drop on Hulk Hogan. After grappling with his feelings, he decided to go into business for himself.

Wildcat Championship Belts officially launched in 2005 and has been piledriving the competition ever since. The PA Chamber of Business and Industry named the belts one of the “Coolest Things Made in Pennsylvania.”

His first major account was Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest, an event that takes place every July 4 at Coney Island. Legends Joey Chesnut and Miki Sudo have 26 Wildcat belts between them. Chestnut, who was banned from last year’s high-calorie bout for endorsing a plant-based frank company, returns in 2025.

Lazarchik estimates he’s made more than 6,000 belts so far. Although he has the industry in a chokehold, he doesn’t let the success go to his head. Whether he’s making for high-profile clients such as Pepsi and Post Malone or a local employee of the month, he puts equal amounts of love into each project.

Last December, Wildcat’s Little Champs Program donated $4,000 to the Major Wrestling Figure Podcast Toy Drive.

PHOTO COURTESY OF WILDCAT CHAMPIONSHIP BELTS

Lazarchik, a self-described history nerd, bestowed a “Pittsburgh Champion” belt on Rick Sebak, whose WQED documentaries about the Steel City are usually blaring in the background as he works like some kind of yinzer meditation.

You don’t have to be a wrestling fan to realize that this guy’s got an Andre the Giant-sized heart.