CanadianGuitarist 0 Report post Posted June 19, 2006 The opposite thread on Gamefaqs got me thinking. There's lots of worthy contenders who never held the world title (Dibiase, Perfect, etc.) So who got the ball while so many were left aside? I mean, did Mabel really deserve a push in 95 instead of HBK or even Kama, who was billed pretty well? And for god's sakes, there's gotta be more worthy contenders than Kama. A buddy of mine who hasn't watched wrestling since about 88 was amazed that Andre never had the title. Discuss. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
naiwf 0 Report post Posted June 19, 2006 I think this discussion almost begins and ends with Randy Orton and JBL in terms of undeserving champions. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Corey_Lazarus 0 Report post Posted June 19, 2006 ...no, it really doesn't. JBL's one of the most over heels on the entire roster, and Bradshaw really kicked it up a big notch with the gimmick change to become somebody that was **GASP** entertaining. His matches may be pretty shitty, but he has complete control over the gimmick, and his heel antics have made me a fan. Orton was somebody that was getting over and would have greatly benefitted from a slow build to the World title, but he was one of the few workers on the roster at the time that was over enough to even be considered upper-mid. He didn't deserve it right away, but I won't say he was the most UNDESERVING. You know who came to mind right away? Justin Credible. I'm in the vast minority that enjoyed his run with the ECW World title, mostly because of how Dreamer and Storm tried to get the belt off of him but failed and how it took the man who he tore the house down with in '98, Lynn, to do it, but I never thought Justin Credible was as awful a champ as others have made him out to be. Fuck, Mike Awesome was a less-deserving champion than Credible, since at least Credible was there for more than a paycheck. But, then again, Awesome had an awesome (no pun intended) feud with Masato Tanaka over the title, and his mini-feud with Spike Dudley was mildly entertaining. So yeah...my vote for least-deserving champion (ECW, WCW, WWF/E) would have to be...Jeff Jarrett. He didn't deserve the belt in WCW, he didn't deserve to keep the belt as long as he did in TNA, and he doesn't deserve any belt he may get in the future with TNA. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
naiwf 0 Report post Posted June 19, 2006 JBL warranted his push AFTER he got the title. He hadn't done much of anything when he got the title. Orton got his run about a week or two after dropping the IC Title and didn't even have a chase. The fact that both reigns bombed miserably in terms of buyrates and attendance isn't surprising. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tominator89 0 Report post Posted June 19, 2006 No mentions of a certain actor who won the WCW title? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jericho2000Mark 0 Report post Posted June 19, 2006 JBL-Just because someone makes you laugh, doesn't mean they can draw money or get over the way they're supposed to. By all accounts, JBL was a miserable failure as champion. But he was funny and improved a bit, so I guess that makes him a deserving champion. Nevermind the lower than usual buyrates and embarrassing house show crowds. Orton-Never generated anything more than midcarder heat, and that was after a main event push and a fued with Mick Foley. Mediocre in all aspects of wrestling/performance skill. Agreed with Orlando. No heat or talent to speak of. Mark Henry's current push is undeserving. Booker is completely better and should be in his place, unless they're saving his title shot for SummerSlam. Hardcore Holly had no business co-headlining the Royal Rumble, although at least he was squashed. Shawn Michaels superpush is undeserving, considering he never drew a dime in his life except against Hogan. Triple H doesn't deserve to be a 10 time champion. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lt. Al Giardello 0 Report post Posted June 19, 2006 How about Diesel's almost year long reign? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Just John 0 Report post Posted June 19, 2006 Champs: Arquette and McMahon obviously (World/WWF) Chyna (IC) Jacquiline (Cruiser) Billy Gunn (IC) Stephanie McMahon (Women's) Judy Bagwell (WCW tag) Add the guy she replaced, Kenny Kaos, while we're at it. Jeff Jarrett (World/NWA) Pushes: Bradshaw (not JBL, the "leech onto Austin" Brashaw push of 02) Mark Henry (any time) Hardcore Holly (Rumble 04) Jeff Jarrett (WCW and TNA) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Epic Reine 0 Report post Posted June 19, 2006 David Flair as US Champion. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
King Kamala 0 Report post Posted June 19, 2006 If we're going on basis of drawing people to shows and pay per view buy rates, than no WCW Champion from mid 1999 till the end deserved a World title and no WWE/F champion from 1993-96 or 02-present deserved it. As for my choiced I'd have to say Billy Gunn's out of nowhere King of The Ring win. To make it even worse, WWF totally abandoned the push when they realized Billy couldn't cut it and made him look like a complete ass (pun intended). Personally, The King of The Ring never had the same prestige as it had before. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lil' Bitch 0 Report post Posted June 19, 2006 You know I loved Brock Lesnar as WWE Champion and I didn't mind JBL's run (it took me 4 months to get used to it though), but the super pushes to the moon for them to get the title were ridiculous. Randy Orton had great promise as World Champion and did an excellent job with the IC title, so what does WWE do? Turn him face the night after and take the title off him after a month. *groans* Orlando Jordan - worst US Champion ever. A buddy of mine who hasn't watched wrestling since about 88 was amazed that Andre never had the title. Andre is recognized as WWE Champion. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dobbs 3K 0 Report post Posted June 19, 2006 Hulk Hogan's fifth WWF Title reign, where he beat Yokozuna in an unannounced match. Totally undeserved at that point, and he proved it by proceeding to basically bail on Vince. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted June 19, 2006 The way that Rey got the title was totally undeserved. The half push and win was a crock of shit. That's what led to me not watching wrestling anymore. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CanadianChris 0 Report post Posted June 19, 2006 The most undeserving champions in history are probably Ronnie Garvin and Otto Wanz (who paid Verne Gagne $50K or so for a run with the AWA World title). As far as undeserving pushes, promoters' sons are the worst for this. Greg Gagne, Erik Watts, and Jeff Jarrett all come to mind. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cabbageboy 0 Report post Posted June 19, 2006 Ronnie Garvin is more of a guy who flat out shouldn't have been the world champ than a guy who didn't deserve it at all. As much as I wanted to just trash Justin Credible I really can't. Much like Garvin, he was another guy who might not have been undeserving per se, but shouldn't have won the title. I mean the guy was at least an ECW loyalist and his feud with Lynn was pretty solid. As far as undeserving I gotta go with Mike Awesome. I ask anyone: What in the hell did Awesome do to possibly warrant winning the ECW title in Sept. 99? The guy hadn't been seen in the promotion for about a year. I've always thought Heyman panicked with that move. He should have just kept the belt on Taz till N2R 99, then jobbed him to RVD as it ended up anyway. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Special K 0 Report post Posted June 19, 2006 Prince Iaukea was awful, and took the belt off of Regal after a LONG run. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CanadianChris 0 Report post Posted June 19, 2006 When I think of undeserving champions, I think of guys who never should have been champion in the first place. How the hell did I forget Renegade (RIP)? Not only did he get the TV title, he squashed Arn Anderson in the process. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jericho2000Mark 0 Report post Posted June 19, 2006 If we're going on basis of drawing people to shows and pay per view buy rates, than no WCW Champion from mid 1999 till the end deserved a World title and no WWE/F champion from 1993-96 or 02-present deserved it. Well obviously the popularity of the promotion as a whole should be taken into account, but when a champion does worse business than what the champions before AND after him were doing, then it becomes increasingly difficult NOT to blame him. The only person who could of drawn in WCW after 99 was Goldberg, Booker's character in WCW was quite weak and he didn't develop a personality until coming to the WWF and turning heel. I didn't really buy his push out of nowhere, either. One day he's G.I. Bro and jobbing to Kanyon, the next, he's WCW Champion and going over Sting and Nash clean. Jarrett was also an undeserving champion. His skills and charisma were never above average. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lil' Bitch 0 Report post Posted June 19, 2006 Its pretty sad with Booker because I liked him as a wrestler and I felt he deserved to be world champion, but much like Rey's case, how you are booked to become champion plays a HUGE role so if you're hotshotted to the top withouth having gone through the midcard division, it really hurts your credibility. I have to give it to Russo though, he busted his ass to try to make Booker look credible (Sting, Goldberg, NASH, Steiner all jobbed clean to him) since (supposedly) Hogan wouldn't job to him. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CanadianGuitarist 0 Report post Posted June 19, 2006 You know I loved Brock Lesnar as WWE Champion and I didn't mind JBL's run (it took me 4 months to get used to it though), but the super pushes to the moon for them to get the title were ridiculous. Randy Orton had great promise as World Champion and did an excellent job with the IC title, so what does WWE do? Turn him face the night after and take the title off him after a month. *groans* Orlando Jordan - worst US Champion ever. A buddy of mine who hasn't watched wrestling since about 88 was amazed that Andre never had the title. Andre is recognized as WWE Champion. Stop me if I'm wrong, but didn't he actually not win it? From what I remember, wasn't it immediately held up after the fake Hebner thing, resulting in the tourney at WM 4? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lil' Bitch 0 Report post Posted June 19, 2006 The minute after Andre won the title from Hogan on the Main Event, he tried to sell it to Ted Dibiase. Jack Tunney stated Andre was the WWF Champion, but said the title cannot changes by being physically given to another wrestler so Dibiase wasn't recognized as WWF Champion and Andre was stripped of the WWF title, which set up the WM 4 WWF Championship tournament. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Darth Vader 0 Report post Posted June 19, 2006 He officially won the match and the title but immeadiatly handed the title to DiBiase. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Just John 0 Report post Posted June 19, 2006 Prince Iaukea was awful, and took the belt off of Regal after a LONG run. I'd argue that the TV title had no prestige between Renegade's run and the Booker/Benoit feud. It was hardly ever defended on ppv up until the Iaukea run, then featured a series of transitional like reigns, except there was no big picture goal of who should have the belt. I know Ultimo, Regal, Saturn, Disco, Alex Wright, Martel and maybe a couple others just had a bunch of short reigns that did nothing for anyone. 1998 was a much better year for the belt as Booker/Finlay carried the first half, and Jericho had a good 2nd half run with it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
King Kamala 0 Report post Posted June 19, 2006 Its pretty sad with Booker because I liked him as a wrestler and I felt he deserved to be world champion, but much like Rey's case, how you are booked to become champion plays a HUGE role so if you're hotshotted to the top withouth having gone through the midcard division, it really hurts your credibility. I have to give it to Russo though, he busted his ass to try to make Booker look credible (Sting, Goldberg, NASH, Steiner all jobbed clean to him) since (supposedly) Hogan wouldn't job to him. I agree, Booker T totally busted his ass off to try to make it work but he was just too much of a Rock ripoff and nobody was watching anyways. In terms of booking champions in a promotion like WCW circa 2000, you're stuck between a rock and a hard place since almost no one will be able to draw the fans in. How about the whole saga where Evan Karagias, Madusa and Oklahoma all ended up with the WCW Cruiserweight title in a one month span? Speaking of the TV title what about, Custodian Jim Duggan finding the TV title in the garbage can on an episode of Saturday Night in its dying days and then proceeding to have epic matches/ mini feuds with Steven Regal, Fidel Sierra and Robert Gibson? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MillenniumMan831 0 Report post Posted June 19, 2006 The minute after Andre won the title from Hogan on the Main Event, he tried to sell it to Ted Dibiase. Jack Tunney stated Andre was the WWF Champion, but said the title cannot changes by being physically given to another wrestler so Dibiase wasn't recognized as WWF Champion and Andre was stripped of the WWF title, which set up the WM 4 WWF Championship tournament. And it also explained why Andre and Hogan were given byes into the 2nd round. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cabbageboy 0 Report post Posted June 19, 2006 Booker's title push in WCW is the epitome of "I like the music but they aren't playing the notes right." I think it goes in with Russo's obsession with the net quite honestly. See, on the net people had wondered for years when Booker was going to get a bigger push. The fans at large however didn't worry a huge amount about whether Booker got pushed or not, but I think would certainly have bought him as a threat to any belt with the right build. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dobbs 3K 0 Report post Posted June 19, 2006 Basically it was part of Russo trying to make WCW into an almost exact copy of WWF at the time. Booker T was his Rock, complete with rip-off finisher and outfits. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
King Kamala 0 Report post Posted June 19, 2006 And lest we forget, a Triple Hesque foe in Jeff Jarrett Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Askewniverse Report post Posted June 20, 2006 I have to give it to Russo though, he busted his ass to try to make Booker look credible (Sting, Goldberg, NASH, Steiner all jobbed clean to him) since (supposedly) Hogan wouldn't job to him. Booker's win over Goldberg wasn't clean. Jeff Jarrett and Ernest Miller interfered. I don't remember Scott Steiner jobbing clean to Booker. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
