What was the real reasoning behind the IC title 02

[Steve J. Rogers 0]

Memory is a a bit hazy, but the only thing I can figure is that HHH wanted RAW to be a one title show (other than the Tag belts of course) and then the WWE realized that the IC was a worthwhile way of organizing the mid-card and reinstated the title

 

So was that really the case or was something else the reason (ie the belt was used as a kayfabe pawn in Bischoff's war for power with whomever would eventually go toe-to-toe with him and they had every intention of eventually bringing the belt back into service, just they didn't know WHO the person would be just yet)

[Guest Fook]

The idea was that Lesnar would go to SD and thus the WWE title would be exclusive to SD. Then the IC title would be the top belt on Raw and HHH would hold it.

 

However, HHH felt the IC title was beneath him and thus had his own world title created in late August 2002 and then merged with the IC title when he beat Kane at No Mercy 2002.

 

By May 2003, they realized that the only titles on Raw were the tag titles, women's title, and HHH title. Compare that with the ever-increasing lot of mid-carders (as no one but HHH was a permanent main-event fixture), they decided to bring it back at Bad Blood 2003 in a battle royale composed of former IC champs and Booker T. Christian won after a Dusty Finish (yes, in a battle royale).

[The Mandarin 0]

2003 was so, so bad.

 

I blame Triple H and Kevin Nash.

[Dark Age 0]

Eh, SmackDown03 produced some really good, underrated, forgotten gems. I can dig that. Also, the 6 weeks following SummerSlam (on SD) were great fun.

 

The rest sucked.

[BUTT 0]

Didn't they get rid of the IC title so it wouldn't be seen as more "legitimate" than HHH's world title?

[Jericholic82 0]

The idea was that Lesnar would go to SD and thus the WWE title would be exclusive to SD.  Then the IC title would be the top belt on Raw and HHH would hold it.

 

However, HHH felt the IC title was beneath him and thus had his own world title created in late August 2002 and then merged with the IC title when he beat Kane at No Mercy 2002.

 

By May 2003, they realized that the only titles on Raw were the tag titles, women's title, and HHH title.  Compare that with the ever-increasing lot of mid-carders (as no one but HHH was a permanent main-event fixture), they decided to bring it back at Bad Blood 2003 in a battle royale composed of former IC champs and Booker T.  Christian won after a Dusty Finish (yes, in a battle royale).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

actually, Austin (then the co-gm of raw) came out and announced he was bringing back the IC title (reason being that he won it in his career and it helped him to the next level and getting rid of it was dumb so ) and actually the battle royal happened at Judgment Day 03 with Christian winning it. (kind of a shock)

[Aero 0]

Eh, SmackDown03 produced some really good, underrated, forgotten gems. I can dig that. Also, the 6 weeks following SummerSlam (on SD) were great fun.

 

The rest sucked.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Yeah, I agree with that. 2003 mostly sucked, but SD from about Aug. to Dec. was actually pretty good. The Angle-Lesnar-Taker match combinations beginning at Summerslam and culminating at No Mercy were good. Meanwhile, Cena was slowly turning face, and the seeds were being planted for Benoit and Eddie's main event runs. The one thing that was unforgiveable to me was not delivering on the blowoff to the Benoit-Lesnar feud.

[EdwardKnoxII 0]

The one thing that was unforgiveable to me was not delivering on the blowoff to the Benoit-Lesnar feud.

 

True. And the thing I found funny is that if they had the Benoit-Lesnar WWE title match at WM 20 Benoit would have HAD to go over no matter what cause Lesnar was leaving. And then Benoit could have said that he was the one that run Lesnar out of the WWE.

[The Mandarin 0]

Eddie winning the Rumble, going to Raw and beating Shawn Michaels and Triple H for the belt would have been pretty good.

 

I still would have had Goldberg-Lesnar though (hey, it was a dream match) and done Benoit over Angle instead.

 

Regardless, this isn't fantasy booking. My other favourite moments from SmackDown in '03:

 

-Brock destroying Zack Gowen and Spanky in two weeks

-Brock d. Rey Mysterio in a really, really good match

-Filthy Animals vs. WGTT Pt. II

-Eddie's feud with John Cena; including the episode where Eddie had the huge entrance in his home town

-WGTT vs. Los Guerreros tag title switch

 

Of course, on SmackDown in late '03, you also had Vince vs. Stephanie, Big Show's awful US title reign, a lacklustre A-Train push and the goddamn Bashams.

[Lil' Bitch 0]

Benoit / Lesnar for the WWE Championship at WM was perfect IMO. Fucking asshole bookers / writers.

 

Oh and having no mid-card title at all for 7 - 8 months was pretty damn stupid too.

[Dandy 0]

I think they realized that the new World Title they introduced was being shit on because it was awarded, and fans didn't buy its supposed lineage. So, they merged all the singles titles on Raw with it, in hopes of adding some prestige/credibility.

[Epic Reine 0]

2003 was so, so bad.

 

I blame Triple H and Kevin Nash.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

2002 was FAR worse than 2003 in terms of matches and storylines.

[CanadianChick 0]

2003 was so, so bad.

 

I blame Triple H and Kevin Nash.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

2002 was FAR worse than 2003 in terms of matches and storylines.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

'02 had the SmackDown 6.

[Epic Reine 0]

Yea and the abomination that was the nWo redux angle, the burying of RVD, Katie Vick, Bubba Ray being pushed as a singles wrestlers, Jackie Gayda "wrestling", and Jeff Hardy main eventing.

 

You're right '02 was way better.

[Guest Ransome]

Yea and the abomination that was the nWo redux angle, the burying of RVD, Katie Vick, Bubba Ray being pushed as a singles wrestlers, Jackie Gayda "wrestling", and Jeff Hardy main eventing.

 

You're right '02 was way better.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

The list of lowlights for 2002 is endless. There's also stuff like the Al Wilson saga, Hogan's title win, the UnAmericans, their godawful tag division, etc etc.

 

As far as I'm concerned, 2003 has less lowlights but also less highlights. It was just a forgettable, useless year for WWE. 2002, however, was an extremely fucked up year for WWE with way too many inexcusably bad moments that cancel out any highlights the year might have had (SD 6, Brock's push, most of Summerslam 2002 etc).

[David Blazenwing 0]

I'm lucky I started watching WWE in 2002 (right after WM X8)... I had no idea what I was watching was crap! Lol!

 

Still, I've been entertained by most of what WWE has put out since then, with a few exceptions (the first half of 2003 on RAW, any PPV with the words "Great", "American" or "Bash" in the title, Hogan limping through boring matches (Summerslam excluded, that one was actually good) while guys like Shelton Benjamin aren't even on the card, Hassan getting a raw deal, etc.)

[The Buzz 0]

i actually didnt think bubba was that bad as a singles wrestler but..to each their own.

[eiker_ir 0]

Bubba was decent as a mid card guy, just that for a couple of months or so it seemed like they wanted him to be a contender for the HW Title, it was kind of weird.

[ChrisMWaters 0]

Bubba was decent as a mid card guy, just that for a couple of months or so it seemed like they wanted him to be a contender for the HW Title, it was kind of weird.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

They thought he could be the next Dusty Rhodes.

[NYU 0]

The problem was they had Triple H and Ric Flair completely screw Van Dam out of the title at Unforgiven. Logically, it would only make sense to continue the feud, building it so RVD could get his eventual revenge against the two. Yet, they seemingly dropped the entire angle -- keep in mind Van Dam and Flair barely had ANY interaction with each other until the Monday before Unforgiven -- in favor of starting something completely new with Bubba Ray Dudley. No one bought seeing this perennial tag team wrestler fighting for the Heavyweight Title, and besides, no one really wanted to see it anyway. There was nobody clamoring to see Bubba Ray Dudley with the Heavyweight Title. People always rally behind the face that got screwed out of the title by the heels, and they were dying to do it with RVD. WWE completely ignored this time-tested idea and tried forcing Bubba Dudley upon everybody. It obviously didn't work, so they needed to do a rush job of shoving a proven contender like Kane into the title feud instead.

 

For me, the main highlight of 2002 was the return of Shawn Michaels. Besides that and the other isolated events I enjoyed (i.e. Rock/Hogan at WrestleMania X8, the Smackdown Six, The Elimination Chamber), the year was a complete wash.

[hbkhhhmark4life 0]

quick question, im a lil lost, what is the smackdown 6?

[Lil' Bitch 0]

Yea and the abomination that was the nWo redux angle, the burying of RVD, Katie Vick, Bubba Ray being pushed as a singles wrestlers, Jackie Gayda "wrestling", and Jeff Hardy main eventing.

 

You're right '02 was way better.

 

Jeff Hardy was just a one time deal and got his ass handed to him plus the match was pretty decent so that was no big deal, but compared to 2003 with HHH main eventing PPVs and having nonstop God awful matches against Scott Steiner, Kevin Nash, and Bill Goldberg (Three of the worst workers you can pick to push), getting rid of KOTR, the horrible feuds of Booker Vs. Christian and Shane Vs. Kane, McMahonamania running wild and Mr. America with Zack Gowen being shoved down our throats...

 

Yeah, I'll take 2002 over 2003 any day. Besides, 2002 had better PPVs.

[Steviekick 0]

quick question, im a lil lost, what is the smackdown 6?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Edge, Rey Mysterio, Kurt Angle, Chris Benoit, Eddie Guerrero, and Chavo Guerrero.

[Steve J. Rogers 0]

quick question, im a lil lost, what is the smackdown 6?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Edge, Rey Mysterio, Kurt Angle, Chris Benoit, Eddie Guerrero, and Chavo Guerrero.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Pretty much that autum, up untill Benoit left to win the Royal Rumble, jump to RAW and face off with Triple H for the World Title, those three teams (Edge/Rey, Angle/Benoit, Eddie/Chavo) fought for the newly created Smackdown tag titles

 

Edge was in midst of yet another God push after Hogan jumped ship, (he and Edge were partners early on that summer, kind of pushing the "guy tagging with his 'idol'" storyline) Rey was the new guy so they put them together as the main face team. I think Benoit/Angle were tweeners during the period and the Guerreros started out as heels but turned face because their "We Lie, We Cheat, We Steal" was a fun gimmick

 

Steve

[Fökai 0]

quick question, im a lil lost, what is the smackdown 6?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Edge, Rey Mysterio, Kurt Angle, Chris Benoit, Eddie Guerrero, and Chavo Guerrero.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Pretty much that autum, up untill Benoit left to win the Royal Rumble, jump to RAW and face off with Triple H for the World Title, those three teams (Edge/Rey, Angle/Benoit, Eddie/Chavo) fought for the newly created Smackdown tag titles

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Wrong year. They all feuded in fall of 2002.

[CanadianChick 0]

And Steve, The Guerreros were never turned face during that run. They were actually the only heel tag team of the three, as Edge/Rey were always faces, and Angle/Benoit switched depending on which of the tag teams they faced.

 

Guerreros were starting to turn face I'd say starting between Royal Rumble and Wrestlemania in '03 when Angle and Benoit went on to do singles stuff, Edge got injured, and Rey was doing the whole cruiserweight thing.

[CanadianChris 0]

Yeah, that sounds about right. They became faces right around when they started feuding with Team Angle, which was right after the Royal Rumble.

[Jericholic82 0]

I woudl say they turned face with their breif feud vs john cena and b2. after that they were liked by the fans and were basically faces by the time they lost the tag belts to team angle.

[Lil' Bitch 0]

^ There was a SD episode (I forgot the exact date) during that time where Eddie Guerrero had a match with John Cena. They were in Green Bay and Cena rapped ending with a rip on the Packers which got INSANE heat from the crowd and were immediately chanting for Eddie. I believe it was on that night where the real Eddie love began.