Is JBL still the worst WWE Champion ever?

[SamoaRowe]

Two months ago, I created a poll asking you all to vote for whom you felt was the worst WWE Champion of all time. John Bradshaw Layfield, who was just weeks into his reign, received 33 votes. Now that it's almost September, and we've seen JBL defend his belt against Eddie Guerrero and the Undertaker, do those of you who voted for him still stand by your vote? And likewise, do others who defended him at that time now agree that he's the worst champion ever? Discuss

 

Personally, I don't think he's the very worst, but his title defense at Summerslam hurt him greatly. His title defense at No Mercy is going to heavily affect my perception of JBL as champ.

[Guest jfscjrs]

Eh, Theres been FAR worst WWE Champions than JBL. Desial and Hogan 2002 comes to mind as far worse Champions. JBL has surprisly been a very entertaining Champion sence he won it. MUCH better than Deisal and Hogan anyways.

[Australian Pride]

I voted for Big Show in the original poll, and nothing has changed to change my mind. JBL is nowhere near being the worst champ in WWF/E history, and he never was. I think he is really doing well in his current role, and while his ringwork is still a bit lacking, he is certainly a better all around package than Big Show in 99, Hogan in 2002, Diesel in 1995 and the Iron Shiek in 1984.

[Guest krazykat72]

Can't come down too hard on Shiek and Hogan in '02 since they were 1 month transitional Champions. Nash is still probably the worst, but house show business is fast falling to those levels now (both brands). Show in '99 was pretty bad, but the company was so hot it didn't matter.

 

-Paul Jacobi-

[Papacita]

I'd say that Bradshaw is definitely the most undeserving champ ever, but I agree he's not the worst.

[Guest Staravenger]

Eh, Theres been FAR worst WWE Champions than JBL. Desial and Hogan 2002 comes to mind as far worse Champions. JBL has surprisly been a very entertaining Champion sence he won it. MUCH better than Deisal and Hogan anyways.

Hogans reign sucked? If because they made him look bad by barely being able to beat Ric Flair & Chris Jericho, and losing it to Taker in 4 weeks, then yeah. But giving it to Hogan wasnt a big deal, it took it off HHH, but then gave to another "old timer" Taker, who then lost it to part-time Rock. Just horrible use of the title period.

 

Diesels 12 month reign of terror wins. House Shows drawing less than 1,000 people in the spring/summer of '95, horrible main events against Psycho Sid & King Mabel, and all around horrible business.

[SamoaRowe]

Well, some Smackdown house shows this summer drew less than 1,000. Things still aren't to the badness levels of Diesel, but then again, I'm not counting on JBL reigning for an entire year.

 

I still say Vince McMahon is the worst champ ever. JBL is entertaining enough, but it was still a bad idea to take the belt off of Guerrero.

[Lil' Bitch]

Yup, JBL is still the worst champ ever.

 

Desial and Hogan 2002 comes to mind as far worse Champions. JBL has surprisly been a very entertaining Champion sence he won it. MUCH better than Deisal and Hogan anyways.

 

I'd rather sit through another Hogan / Nash title reign than fucking Bradshaw any day of the week.

[SamoaRowe]

I just watched the Texas Bullrope match between JBL and Guerrero for the first time last night (yes, I bought the Great AMerican Bash dvd, sue me) and I must say it was a rather tremendous match-up. It actually made me more upset to see JBL win it too because of how over Guerrero was with the crowd. I honestly think if WWE had let Guerrero win that night, he would have been more over than ever and he would have been a much bigger draw over the summer than he was over the spring.

[Guest Prof_Plague]

I'd rather sit through another Hogan / Nash title reign than fucking Bradshaw any day of the week.

 

OK, really, what's so bad about JBL? I think everyone was just mad at first because he beat Guerrero. Now, the only problem at first was because people were wondering about 1) work-rate, and 2)is he over enough. Now, let's say that JBL wasn't over enough, his gimmick and his fued with Geurrero would have made him a main eventer anyhow; he just got the title premature. As for work-rate, sometimes you've got to say, "Who really gives a fuck?" Hogan even in his prime sucked. Oh well. He made the industry in the 80s and made it what it is now. Forget if his wrestling is crap. Wrestling isn't always about work-rate; granted, work-rate and move-sets come in handy, it's about being entertained.

[Guest HitmanHart]

Nothing was worse than Diesel and his defenses against the likes of Savio Vega and Waylon Mercy.

[Lil' Bitch]

OK, really, what's so bad about JBL? I think everyone was just mad at first because he beat Guerrero. Now, the only problem at first was because people were wondering about 1) work-rate, and 2)is he over enough. Now, let's say that JBL wasn't over enough, his gimmick and his fued with Geurrero would have made him a main eventer anyhow; he just got the title premature. As for work-rate, sometimes you've got to say, "Who really gives a fuck?" Hogan even in his prime sucked. Oh well. He made the industry in the 80s and made it what it is now. Forget if his wrestling is crap. Wrestling isn't always about work-rate; granted, work-rate and move-sets come in handy, it's about being entertained.

 

Easy, Bradshaw's not entertaining.

[Papacita]

I wouldn't say that. The JBL character has been entertaining enough (promos are solid and the visual of him in the surgical halo with the hat on top made me laugh) and of his matches I've seen since Mania (all 4 of them), I've liked the majority of them. The problem isn't so much that Bradshaw's terrible, but it's that they pushed him to soon. They take a new character with no build and almost no character development and thrust him right into the title mix. That's a terrible thing to do with an unproven character because not only do you risk fan backlash by shoving the guy down their throats, but you're putting yourself in the situation where you really can't put him over without hurting your ME scene as a whole, and that's exactly what happened. Bradshaw became a main eventer as a result of the Eddie feud, but it was more a case of dragging the belt down to his level than it was dragging him up to the ME level. Had they waited even til Summerslam before putting him in a feud with Eddie, I probably wouldn't have had a problem with him, but the fact that they pushed him so soon did make a difference.

[Guest TheLastBoyscout]

Antonio Inoki is the worst WWE Champion ever.

[Lt. Al Giardello]

JBL is entertaining in my books.

 

Diesel gets the nod for me.

[deancoles]

The first 2 HHH runs with the belt were terrible, he was put over Austin,Rock,Mankind and Kane but until january 2000 the fans didn't buy him as top guy.

[Hunter's Torn Quad]

JBL isn't the worst WWE/F Champion ever, but he's not that great either. He isn't bad in the ring, but he's not World Champion caliber. Workrate might not be everything, but I believe the World Champion should be at a certain level, talent wise, and JBL just isn't there. His mic work is pretty good for a midcard heel, but, again, it isn't World Champion level. Same with his charisma. And his current halo gimmick might be amusing, and it is to a degree, but you shouldn't be laughing at the World Champion like that. You can't take a character like JBL seriously when he's booked like he is, and that is fine for the midcard, but it's all wrong for your World Champion.

 

The worst WWE/F Champion, at least as far as one who was meant to be the main guy to build things around, is easily Diesel. Had to be carried to anything above average, not that good on the mic, and the worst drawing champion ever.

[Guest curry_man2002]

i remeber when i was still a mark and kurt angle was champ for the first time. i hated that reign and i dont know why maybe it was because i was used to quick title changes but that would be my least enjoyed wwf title reign.

 

just think if kane had of held the title longer than he did , he might well have been the worse champ ever

[Lil' Bitch]

I would compare Bradshaw to a pile of dog poop. All Vince did was spray paint it gray (business suit). Sure, it looks different...but its still dog poop.