Disrespect to a championship belt

[Guest RazorxEDGE]

Do you guys feel that the guys who throw a championship belt over their shoulder or even DRAG IT are showing disrespect to the championship? I'm talking about guys like Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, The Undertaker during his first reign as WWF champ, etc.

 

To me, I always liked guys like Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, Ric Flair, Kurt Angle, Hulk Hogan, Chris Jericho, Diesel, etc. who would wear the belt around their waist like it's supposed to be worn.

 

I don't think that anybody has ever respected a world title quite like Bret Hart. Kissing it goodbye before each match was a cool touch.

 

I always felt that Stone Cold's "shoulder throw" of the belt fit his rebel image, but I didn't like it when he would drag the belt behind him like a piece of luggage. I also didn't like how he had his own belt created. It seemed really disrespectful to the WWF title lineage, IMO.

 

I also wasn't too big on Bubba Ray turning his tag team title belt into head gear.

 

Hogan spray-painting the belt and strumming it like a guitar was supposed to be a slap in the face of WCW, so I'll let that one slide.

 

Note: I know that Chris Jericho was a shoulder-thrower during his reign as the undisputed champ, but he really had no choice with two belts to carry. Plus, he worshipped those belts.

[Guest El Psycho Diablo]

I like it when they're either worn, or worn over the shoulder. (RVD) But not thrown, dragged, abused, used as a weapon..

[Guest Flyboy]

RVD shows how a belt should be worn... *points to his TV Title reign in ECW*

 

I couldn't stand how Austin or Rock would treat the title like shit.

[Guest meanmaisch]

The belt should be worn around the waste, but it seems like that isn't popular anymore.

[Guest imajackoff?]

The general rule should be that it should be worn around the waist to the ring and over the shoulder for interviews and such. BTW...the belt looks HUGE around Lesnar's waist.

[Guest goodhelmet]

i think you meant waist meanmaisch but i see you working. anyway, i HATE it when a wrestler does not wear the belt and treat it with respect. while i loved watching the rock and austin battle it out, how can i take them seriously when the PRIZE of all PRIZES is thrown around. fuck that! maybe if the wrestlers treated the belts like they meant something then fans would take the championships seriously.

[Guest J*ingus]

In theory, you're supposed to always wear it to the ring, unless it literally doesn't fit around your waist (Bubba Ray, Mick Foley, Big Show, etc). But it is a lot more convenient and quicker just to sling it over one's shoulder, plus it gets the belt into the camera shot during a medium-closeup on the wrestler's face, so I see why a live TV-based organization like the WW(F)E would have so many shoulder champions.

[Guest DARRYLXWF]

Maybe they should have velcro straps for those who like to wear belts over their shoulders, or atleast some sort of shoulder pad.

[Guest DARRYLXWF]

Double post....but on a side note,

 

To me, I always liked guys like Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, Ric Flair, Kurt Angle, Hulk Hogan, Chris Jericho, Diesel, etc. who would wear the belt around their waist like it's supposed to be worn.

Chris Jericho often wore BOTH titles on his shoulders as Undisputed Champ

[The Dames 0]

I don't know if anyone else noticed this, but when HHH won the Undisputed Title(s) at WM, until he received his new title, he wore the WWF title around his waist and always put the WCW title on his shoulder, like it wasn't good enough or something.

 

I NEVER liked the way Austin would drag his title. For someone who claimed that it was his "drug of choice", he sure didn't act like he was a junkie.

 

Oh, and I'm almost convinced that the new (former) Undisputed title was re-done and made larger after the name change to WWE.

 

Dames

[Guest crandamaniac]

Speaking of wearing belts the wrong way, what was up with the way DDP would wear the WCW title around his waist with it turned the wrong way?

[Guest Mad Dog]

I think DDP had forgotten to turn the belt around after he put it on. I remember the Nitro where he did that.

 

It bugs me when they treat it like a toy ex: Austin and the Rock.

 

Trips did treat the WCW Title like it was worthless. Oh well he's worthless now anyways so it all evens out.

[Guest dreamer420]

I don't know if anyone else noticed this, but when HHH won the Undisputed Title(s) at WM, until he received his new title, he wore the WWF title around his waist and always put the WCW title on his shoulder, like it wasn't good enough or something.

I noticed that too dames. I always thought it was just another way to piss on the ashes of WCW.

[Guest AM The Kid]

The Rock doesn't even put it over his shoulder the right way. He hangs the belt over his back and just hangs onto some of the leather at the end. It makes it look like he doesn't even care about the belt by carrying like a piece of trash.

[Guest Dames Edna]

Eddie used to drag the Cruiserweight title in the WCW, it was so rudo bad ass of him. it ruled

[Guest Slingshot Suplex]

Around the waist or over the shoulder....the only two respectful options

[Guest dreamer420]

Eddie used to drag the Cruiserweight title in the WCW, it was so rudo bad ass of him. it ruled

so it was cool when eddie did it right? I suppose if Chris Benoit started dragging titles around it would be the coolest heel gimmick going.

[Guest J*ingus]

Well, it fits the character if their an arrogant asshole who couldn't care less, like Eddie portrays himself.

[Guest Mattdotcom]

"I don't know if anyone else noticed this, but when HHH won the Undisputed Title(s) at WM, until he received his new title, he wore the WWF title around his waist and always put the WCW title on his shoulder, like it wasn't good enough or something."

 

First thing I said when I saw him with the belts. Too bad I didn't start posting until June, so you'd all believe me...heh.

 

I always wore the "belts" I won when I was a kid, so I'm respected in the SmarKommunity!

[Guest HartFan86]

If you want to talk about disrespect for a belt, I think HBK qualifies that the most as he posed in Playgirl, naked, and the belt is the only thing covering his penis. That's just wrong and it's a spit in the face of everyone who appreciates that belt.

 

Bret always treated the belt like it meant something. Same with Hogan back in the old days. I don't think around your shoulder is really disrespectful, it's just something people do. I think Rock disrespects it a lot by just having it dangle on his shoulder and he just drags it on the way to the ring. Same with Austin...but he actually carried it on his shoulder a few times like it was worth something.

 

I remember Undertaker in the Summer of 1998 when he had the tag belts with Austin and he hadn't given Austin his tag belt and he came out for a few Raws and just tossed them in the ring and stuff. Disrespectul, but funny.

 

Kurt Angle is also someone who seems to respect the belt and wear it with pride as well. Hell, Give Big Show credit. He used to wear it around his waist.

[Guest mesepher]

I'll agree that the HBK/ Playgirl thing was very offensive... especially after they published the damn poster in the WWF magazine...

 

Bret hart treated the belt with the most respect ever, I believe. I sort of liked when Hogan would come out and play the belt like a guitar though... I think it fit his music and general gimmick. Afterall, he was Hollywood Hogan.

[Guest RazorxEDGE]

Dames...it was re-made. The new belt is much larger, and the gold plates have a glossy finish.

 

DARRYXLWF...I guess you failed to read my note at the bottom concerning Y2J.

 

[Guest GeneMean]

Title belts should definately be worn around the waist when coming to the ring. I don't mind seeing a belt worn over the shoulder during a promo because it's generally a tighter camera shot, thus OTS makes sure the title belt is prominently in the shot. I always liked the way Flair held his NWA title when cutting a promo. The Rock held it in this same manner coming to the ring for his "Why Rock why?" promo post SSeries after his first title win.

[Guest RazorxEDGE]

Austin treated the WWF championship worse than he treats Debra. Here is a list of his offenses, off the top of my head:

 

- On the RAW is WAR after WrestleMania XIV, he spots the brand-new, snazzy championship belt that Vince is holding, so he throws down the old WWF championship belt like a piece of garbage. That belt was held by everybody from Hulk Hogan to Randy Savage to the Ultimate Warrior to Sgt. Slaughter to The Undertaker to Bob Backlund to Diesel to Bret Hart to Shawn Michaels to Ric Flair to Yokozuna...it deserved more respect than that. Much more.

 

- Hurling his belt into the ring from the entrance ramp.

 

- Dragging the belt alongside him like luggage as he does his BMF walk to the ring.

 

- Replacing the WWF's championship belt with his own "Smoking Skull" belt...which wasn't half as cool-looking as the WWF's version, by the way.

 

- Spilling cheap light beer all over the belt.

 

- Using the belt as a weapon, usually as a whip.

 

Austin also has a history of throwing Intercontinental belts and Olympic medals into rivers. The guy just has no respect for prestigious gold.

[Guest Tod deKindes]

Best way to wear a belt is on your shoulder, fully snapped (RVD) or around your waist with pride.

 

Wearing it around your waist works best if your entrance involves increased arm movement. Take Goldberg for example and his pre-match pyro shower and warm-up. The image of him standing in it along with the Big Gold Belt strapped to his waist is still a pretty damn cool image today.

 

I also liked how Shawn Michaels would carry the WWF title kinda like a purse, if you will. He had it all folded up and held it along the bottom edge of it, sometimes resting it on his shoulder.

[Guest Dr. Wrestlingphysics]

I prefer it worn around the waist, or buttoned up over the shoulder. I hated the way Austin dragged it around like a piece of litter. I also thought it odd that he refused to wear the 'corporate' belt when he spent the year before trying to get his hands on the thing!

 

(and Tod deKindes, your sig is far too long, shorten it, dammit! )

[Guest dreamer420]

I loved how Bret Hart would always remove his title before his match then kiss the belt and hand it to the ref.

[Guest The Electrifyer]

I only hate when people whip the belts. When people whip it to hit another guy, or throw it on the ground, it always looks like the gold is going to fall off. Especially when Buh Buh Ray would whip the Hardcore Title around on the entrance ramp, it just looked like the title was going to break apart.

[Guest areacode212]

I didn't mind Austin dragging it around. I mean, a lot of his heat came from his being the anti-Bret. It was part of his character.

 

I agree that the Smoking Skull belt sucked. The "eagle" title belt was the company's best-looking and distinctive belt ever, IMO. By comparison, I can't even picture what the (Un)disputed title looks like.

[Guest AlwaysPissedOff]

Eh, I never had a problem with how Austin carried the title. Hell, his character was that of the "I don't give a flying fuck" redneck and he never cared about tradition as far as the on-air character was concerned, so it doesn't bother me at all.