New Titles and Credibility

[Guest OnlyMe]

Why does the Raw World title still suck, even after a year? And how did the US Title manage to be a better belt, after only a month?

[ANKLELOCK 0]

A perfect column about the WWE title situation right now. Good job.

[Guest TheZsaszHorsemen]

Anyway, at the end of last year, Brock Lesnar took the WWE title to SmackDown!, leaving Raw without a World Champion. This led to Eric Bischoff handing Triple H the former WCW title, calling it the "World Heavyweight Championship". That was the first controversial move that was made, as people felt that Triple H should have done something in order to hold the title – titles should be won, and not awarded. This is a pretty fair assessment, as a champion should be that because they've proven they are the best, not just because someone decided they were.

 

Obviously, in the real world, that is how titles are awarded, but in the storylines, giving someone a title means nothing.

 

Here's mistake #1: HHH was not just awarded the title. He was given it because he defeated The Undertaker in a Number One Contender's Match the week earlier. And in addition to that he defended it the same night against Ric Flair.

 

Of course... he didn't. His reliance on gimmick matches to mask his weaknesses as a performer meant that the matches seemed bigger than they were. The Elimination chamber was sold pretty much on the "what the hell is it" factor, rather than Triple H. The same can be said for the two out of three match with HBK. And again, for the Hell in a Cell against Nash, which also featured Mick Foley for the true overbooking taste.

 

And this is where the World title is failing. Not because Triple H was given the title. Not because he has buried everyone who's come near him. But because the matches have all sucked.

 

None of Triple H's title defences have been memorable because of the match itself, always because of something surrounding it. Kane's demasking is an obvious one, as are the overblown gimmick matches. Hell, even Scott Steiner having the fans turn on him managed to overshadow their matches.

 

What about the RVD match? It was certainly decent, and could've been better if RVD wasn't just spot fu. Then you have the original Kane match, there was really no gimmick. It also helped the title a great deal by Unifying it with the IC Title. The Elimination Chamber a still think was a real attempt a getting a new gimmick match over, and I think it's worked. The announcement that the title match at SS would be EC got a big pop The HBK match is tough to criticize for being gimmicked because the feud was there BEFORE HHH was champ. So you could argue that the gimmick was justified in blowing off a long, heated, fued.

 

I think more then match quality a title becomes legit if, in story line terms. Your champion is DOMINANT. If he doesn't take shit, if he defends often, if he is booked as the best wrestler in the world. After all, Hulk Hogan was hardly a great worker, but his 4 Year reign did nothing but help the WWF Title in fans eyes.

 

The famed SmackDown! Six (Benoit, Angle, Eddie and Chavo Guerrero, Rey and Edge) were putting on awesome matches between each other on an almost weekly basis. Now, the division is pretty much gone, with one of those teams feuding, and two split up due to injuries. TWGTT, one of the best tag teams in ages, are in there, as well as Rey Mysterio and Billy Kidman (until the inevitable happens and they split up.) Other than that, the division is pretty much dead. Hopefully, though, putting new teams together will lead to some more great matches.

 

This goes to show that having a new title belt is not a problem. In fact, even handing a belt over shouldn't be a problem (since it will be forgotten over time). The problem comes from the quality of the matches.

 

At this point the SD Tag Titles are just another belt. Which raises the point... if you build a belt on workrate alone how can you take the workrate away and expect the belt's standing not to suffer? It neeeds to be workrate AND a long title reign.

 

Someone who is over, despite a lack of wrestling talent, and placed in main event matches just gets shown up – Goldberg's WWE debut against the Rock pretty much showed this.

 

No this is more GBerg being a little bitch and Rocky exposing him because of it. If Golberg was a nice guy, and Rocky TRIED to get heel heat the crowd's reaction would've been much different.

[The Czech Republic 0]

Anyway, at the end of last year, Brock Lesnar took the WWE title to SmackDown!, leaving Raw without a World Champion. This led to Eric Bischoff handing Triple H the former WCW title, calling it the "World Heavyweight Championship". That was the first controversial move that was made, as people felt that Triple H should have done something in order to hold the title – titles should be won, and not awarded. This is a pretty fair assessment, as a champion should be that because they've proven they are the best, not just because someone decided they were.

 

Obviously, in the real world, that is how titles are awarded, but in the storylines, giving someone a title means nothing.

 

Here's mistake #1: HHH was not just awarded the title. He was given it because he defeated The Undertaker in a Number One Contender's Match the week earlier. And in addition to that he defended it the same night against Ric Flair.

 

Of course... he didn't. His reliance on gimmick matches to mask his weaknesses as a performer meant that the matches seemed bigger than they were. The Elimination chamber was sold pretty much on the "what the hell is it" factor, rather than Triple H. The same can be said for the two out of three match with HBK. And again, for the Hell in a Cell against Nash, which also featured Mick Foley for the true overbooking taste.

 

And this is where the World title is failing. Not because Triple H was given the title. Not because he has buried everyone who's come near him. But because the matches have all sucked.

 

None of Triple H's title defences have been memorable because of the match itself, always because of something surrounding it. Kane's demasking is an obvious one, as are the overblown gimmick matches. Hell, even Scott Steiner having the fans turn on him managed to overshadow their matches.

 

What about the RVD match? It was certainly decent, and could've been better if RVD wasn't just spot fu. Then you have the original Kane match, there was really no gimmick. It also helped the title a great deal by Unifying it with the IC Title. The Elimination Chamber a still think was a real attempt a getting a new gimmick match over, and I think it's worked. The announcement that the title match at SS would be EC got a big pop The HBK match is tough to criticize for being gimmicked because the feud was there BEFORE HHH was champ. So you could argue that the gimmick was justified in blowing off a long, heated, fued.

 

I think more then match quality a title becomes legit if, in story line terms. Your champion is DOMINANT. If he doesn't take shit, if he defends often, if he is booked as the best wrestler in the world. After all, Hulk Hogan was hardly a great worker, but his 4 Year reign did nothing but help the WWF Title in fans eyes.

 

The famed SmackDown! Six (Benoit, Angle, Eddie and Chavo Guerrero, Rey and Edge) were putting on awesome matches between each other on an almost weekly basis. Now, the division is pretty much gone, with one of those teams feuding, and two split up due to injuries. TWGTT, one of the best tag teams in ages, are in there, as well as Rey Mysterio and Billy Kidman (until the inevitable happens and they split up.) Other than that, the division is pretty much dead. Hopefully, though, putting new teams together will lead to some more great matches.

 

This goes to show that having a new title belt is not a problem. In fact, even handing a belt over shouldn't be a problem (since it will be forgotten over time). The problem comes from the quality of the matches.

 

At this point the SD Tag Titles are just another belt. Which raises the point... if you build a belt on workrate alone how can you take the workrate away and expect the belt's standing not to suffer? It neeeds to be workrate AND a long title reign.

 

Someone who is over, despite a lack of wrestling talent, and placed in main event matches just gets shown up – Goldberg's WWE debut against the Rock pretty much showed this.

 

No this is more GBerg being a little bitch and Rocky exposing him because of it. If Golberg was a nice guy, and Rocky TRIED to get heel heat the crowd's reaction would've been much different.

I was at that Raw where HHH was given the belt out of the briefcase. For all general intents and purposes, he was handed the title. And all too eventually, Flair and HHH joined up, so that couldn't have been seen as a legitimate defense.

[Guest Retro Rob]

Here's mistake #1: HHH was not just awarded the title. He was given it because he defeated The Undertaker in a Number One Contender's Match the week earlier. And in addition to that he defended it the same night against Ric Flair.

 

Even if he did win a Contender's match, that doesn't mean that he should be awarded a vacant title. Had he won it in a match FOR THE TITLE or a tournament, that would have been great.

 

What about the RVD match? It was certainly decent, and could've been better if RVD wasn't just spot fu. Then you have the original Kane match, there was really no gimmick. It also helped the title a great deal by Unifying it with the IC Title. The Elimination Chamber a still think was a real attempt a getting a new gimmick match over, and I think it's worked. The announcement that the title match at SS would be EC got a big pop The HBK match is tough to criticize for being gimmicked because the feud was there BEFORE HHH was champ. So you could argue that the gimmick was justified in blowing off a long, heated, fued.

 

I also liked the RVD matches. As for the Unification match, it did nothing for the World Title because the IC Title had been a meaningless piece of shit for years. I also thought the Elimination Chamber was a step in the ring direction.

 

I think more then match quality a title becomes legit if, in story line terms. Your champion is DOMINANT. If he doesn't take shit, if he defends often, if he is booked as the best wrestler in the world. After all, Hulk Hogan was hardly a great worker, but his 4 Year reign did nothing but help the WWF Title in fans eyes.

 

In order to be a strong Champ, you need to either have or create strong challengers. Hogan usually did this by getting the shit beaten out of him by the likes of Bundy, Studd and Andre leading up to the blowoff matches. Triple H never lets anyone get the upperhand ever, thus he has no real challengers for his title.

 

At this point the SD Tag Titles are just another belt. Which raises the point... if you build a belt on workrate alone how can you take the workrate away and expect the belt's standing not to suffer? It neeeds to be workrate AND a long title reign.

 

The title didn't have to be built around match quality, instead it could have been just good old competition. Right now the division lacks competition because very few teams are on the same level as Haas and Benjamin.

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

What are you talking about?? HHH gets pinned in all those tag matches

 

As for the IC unification - NO ONE CARES. They overloaded on the unifications during the Invasion when every title was being linked to another. Add this to the fact that they never make light of this unified title after it becomes unified nor do they give it meaning nor do they change the belt or have the winner of the unified title come out with both titles makes the unification meaningless.

[Ultra Violence 0]

interesting column there.. some valid points were made

[Guest Trivia247]

Definately a great read.

 

And your right a title is only as good as the people who care about it. Anyone can hold a title conceivably but you have to believe its possible and make it into a prize.

 

When they eliminated the IC title and in lesser extent the Euro and Hardcore titles they basically killed off whatever excess spotlights that could have been given to other talent beside the World and tag team champions.

 

IC title historically was a second step belt to the World title. Usually to the second most top guy heel or face on the roster.

 

there are alot of instances where the IC title holder never got to World championship status in the WWE/WWF

 

take Don Muroco, Tito Santana, Ricky Steamboat, and for contemparies, RVD, Rikishi, Val Venis, Albert etc.

 

then you had those who benefit supremely from the IC title and did take that next leap into World championship Calibur

Pedro Morelez, Macho Man, Bret Hart, HBK, and contemparies, SCSA, HHH, the Rock etc.

 

problem is that when the IC belt was retired it was shit on, hell the US title was even more discredited because it was in fact another companies belt that WWE owned purely as a side feature of owning WCW.

 

Bringing the titles backs takes alot , and they are on the right track with the US belt...but they got no clue with the IC belt. Christian is a decent wrestler, but look at Raw, there is hardly no one out there to be a contender for him or it to advance to.

 

pick 5 names of Raw talent that you could think up that should be in Line for the IC belt.

[The Czech Republic 0]

pick 5 names of Raw talent that you could think up that should be in Line for the IC belt.

Well since Christian is a heel, I'll pick five faces.

 

Rob Van Dam

Scott Steiner

Lance Storm

Spike Dudley

Goldust

 

I don't think they SHOULD, but it's the best I could do.

[Perfxion 0]

When they eliminated the IC title and in lesser extent the Euro and Hardcore titles they basically killed off whatever excess spotlights that could have been given to other talent beside the World and tag team champions....then you had those who benefit supremely from the IC title and did take that next leap into World championship Calibur

Pedro Morelez, Macho Man, Bret Hart, HBK, and contemparies, SCSA, HHH, the Rock etc.

Well, not to be anal or anything but Pedro Morelez was IC champion 10 years AFTER he won the World title. Which goes not only against what you are saying but also predates HHH's squash of Hardy by 20 years.

 

Now on to the WOrld title being DEAD! Here is what I think the major problems with the title are.

Your major problems:

 

1: Heel champ with too damn long of a reign. It worked for Flair in the 80s because there wasn't PPV until 87 for the NWA and the fact that they went all over the world. So it was a fresher act. With 12 PPVs a year for the champion, the rate of freshness drops. So holding a title for 12 PPVs with new TV everyweek is like holding the belt for 6 years back in the 80s. It is just too damn long now a days.

 

2: There are NO strong title contenders. The biggest pushes right now are for HHH, Orton, and Kane. Three heels. When you have a heel champion without a strong FACE contender, you get a shitty reign. The reason Pedro's reign was considered flat was because his reign had weak comp. The reason HBK's reigns are always flat, because there is only one person to really fued with.

Your top 5 faces on RAW:

1: Goldberg, booked weakly and jobbing out soon.

2: HBK, proven in December that nobody gives a shit about him

3: RVD, getting squashed by Kane tommorrow night.

4: Booker T, injured right now.

5: Kevin Nash, just lost a hair match and nobody gives a shit about him.

 

3: Bad writers who don't know what the fuck they are doing. This is true for the WHOLE company.

 

4: Not talked about alot but holds true, they are trying to retrain the crowd. For 50 years, the WWF has been about the big bad heel chasing the baby face with the babyface winning the blowoff, or the big bad heel chasing and beating the baby face with the second babyface winning the blowoff. If you look through time it is true.

From such title changes as:

Backlund losing to the Iranian who loses to Hulk Hogan.

Hogan getting screwed by the Mega Bucks and Savage winning it.

Bret losing to Yoko and Hogan saving the day

Austin getting screwed out of a title match and Big Show winning.

 

Lately though, it is the heel being chased by the baby face. Fans been condition to love seeing the babyface champion fending off the heel. But since about 1999 with Corporate Rock winning the title, it has been heels being chased by the baby face. And it is a bigger deflation of the crowd when the babyface loses. They pay not to see the heel get his, they pay to see the baby face win. Thats why the crowd was dead when Booker Lost. That is why the crowd is dead when RVD loses. That is why the crowd doesn't give a shit about La Crape de tag champions.

 

Oh, one more thing:

I think more then match quality a title becomes legit if, in story line terms. Your champion is DOMINANT. If he doesn't take shit, if he defends often, if he is booked as the best wrestler in the world. After all, Hulk Hogan was hardly a great worker, but his 4 Year reign did nothing but help the WWF Title in fans eyes.

 

HHH is the HEEL world champion. Hogan was the FACE world Champion. Hogan had hot reign from fueds of (in order I think) Iron Sheik, Piper/Orton/Morracco, Orndroff, Heenan family members but mainly Bundy to Andre the Giant. All of these men were made to look like they could be champions and the fans bought it. Fans don't buy HHH doing this same act, except these faces don't get put over at all.

[Guest OnlyMe]

Here's mistake #1: HHH was not just awarded the title. He was given it because he defeated The Undertaker in a Number One Contender's Match the week earlier.

 

If in doubt, go with CRZ, and this quote from Eric Bischoff:

 

"You know, it has come to my attention that some of the superstars on RAW were just a little unhappy with the way, no matter how much he may have deserved it, that Triple H was just given the title last week on RAW..."

 

Cite

 

 

And in addition to that he defended it the same night against Ric Flair.

 

They should have just made that into a match for the vacant title.

 

What about the RVD match? It was certainly decent, and could've been better if RVD wasn't just spot fu.

 

Yeah, I wouldn't put all the blame for that match being merely alright on Triple H.

 

Then you have the original Kane match, there was really no gimmick. It also helped the title a great deal by Unifying it with the IC Title.

 

The IC title was watered down so much at that point, that the unification meant nothing.

 

The Elimination Chamber a still think was a real attempt a getting a new gimmick match over, and I think it's worked. The announcement that the title match at SS would be EC got a big pop The HBK match is tough to criticize for being gimmicked because the feud was there BEFORE HHH was champ. So you could argue that the gimmick was justified in blowing off a long, heated, fued.

 

I'll grant you the HBK match was justified, but it still seemed like overkill. As though they were trying to do as much as they could within the one match. Kind of like if you were told you could have one match on PPV, and you could pick the gimmick. They sat and said, "well lets make it 2 from 3, so it lasts longer. And have a ladder. And..."

 

I think more then match quality a title becomes legit if, in story line terms. Your champion is DOMINANT. If he doesn't take shit, if he defends often, if he is booked as the best wrestler in the world. After all, Hulk Hogan was hardly a great worker, but his 4 Year reign did nothing but help the WWF Title in fans eyes.

 

Mick Foley said in one of his books that if you call a guy a piece of trash and then beat him, then all you've done is beat trash. But if you build him up, and make him look strong, then beat him... then you've done something worthwhile.

 

How many times has Triple H said words to the effect of, "I'm better than you"? Certainly to Booker T...

 

At this point the SD Tag Titles are just another belt. Which raises the point... if you build a belt on workrate alone how can you take the workrate away and expect the belt's standing not to suffer? It neeeds to be workrate AND a long title reign.

 

It doesn't even need a super long title reign. La Resistance's current 3 month reign with the Raw Tag Titles is as long as any reign on SmackDown!, and I know which belts I prefer. As for the workrate, there was no need for them to take that away. Benoit and Rhyno were better together than when feuding, and Rey Mysterio and Kidman are working really well together. Team Angle are the best tag team in WWE at the moment, and there's potential for great matches and feuds. The division is pretty fucking weak, but there must be ideas within WWE for teams that can work well together - the only thing is whether they are committed to doing that.

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

I think you underrate the SD Tag Titles. Everytime the division is proclaimed as dead and buried there pops up a new challenger and the great matches continue. I have no idea who it will be, but people were dumping on the division after the Smackdown 6 era, and the Guerreros/Team Angle feud. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt for now. Mattitude seems like a likely next opponent.

 

Also, the teams are there, it is just that TWGTT are so much better than them that aren't seen as a threat.

[Guest OnlyMe]

Underrate? I must have phrased something wrong, because they are some of my favourite belts they have. Sure, the division is weak at the moment, but nearly all the best matches in WWE from the last year have come from that division.

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

Underrate? I must have phrased something wrong, because they are some of my favourite belts they have. Sure, the division is weak at the moment, but nearly all the best matches in WWE from the last year have come from that division.

I apologize. I misunderstood you. I was under the impression that you were putting them at the same level of the IC Title, because they weren't booked to be at Summerslam.

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

I think you OVERRATED the Smackdown Tag Titles. Is there even a Tag Division?? Are there anyone else who wants the Belts besides Kidman and Mysterio?

[Lord of The Curry 0]

Let's not forget the rocket-buster of a debut the tag titles had.

 

Benoit and Angle beat Edge and Rey in the MOTY at No Mercy and the future looks good.

 

Benoit and Angle job the titles to Edge and Rey in their first defense two weeks later.

 

Rey and Edge job the title to Los Guerrero's in their first defense two weeks later.

 

Good job on building it up, Vince.