WON News + Notes, January 22nd Issue

[Vern Gagne 0]

Putting over isn't the same as passing the torch though, passing the torch generally means scaling back and letting others have the spotlight instead of that person.

 

I know the difference. Both ideas have been discussed in this thread. Since passing the torch doesn't happen very often. I was trying to figure if Undertaker really put over Mick Foley, or was Foley established enough that it wasn't the case.

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

Putting over isn't the same as passing the torch though, passing the torch generally means scaling back and letting others have the spotlight instead of that person.

 

I know the difference. Both ideas have been discussed in this thread. Since passing the torch doesn't happen very often. I was trying to figure if Undertaker really put over Mick Foley, or was Foley established enough that it wasn't the case.

 

Let's put it this way. Less than a year later at Wrestlemania XIII, who was in a midcard tag match and who was winning the world title?

[uhftv 0]

HHH has "passed" the torch twice in recent memory. He passed it to Batista, even though Batista went to SmackDown. If HHH hadn't put him over like that, Batista wouldn't have been seen as a legit main eventer.

 

And the second one, was obviously Cena. Not even Thor HHH could beat ganster Cena.

 

People are always so quick to complain and point at HHH, but be realistic, he's lost clean at three straight WrestleMania's.

 

- Benoit made him submit in 2004 to win the World heavyweight championship.

- Batista pinned him in 2005 to win the World heavyweight championship.

- Cena made him submit in 2006 to win the World heavyweight championship.

 

Three straight clean loses, three straight title loses, he's put all three over huge in those matches and in the respective feuds.

 

Well Benoit is so far away from his previous spot, a new fan would not think he could ever beat HHH or headline a WM. But it's not his job to keep guys up top after he's lost to them. He also had that feud with Benjamin that saw him elevated and they totally dropped him without any explanation, who was actually getting huge pops back then if you can believe it.

 

For whatever reason Hunter put Benoit over (even though 4 months later Vince didnt care about him.)

He actually buried him subconsciously by having Orton replace Benoit as babyface champ, and it was done so horribly that he had to END Orton's reign "for the good of the company."

 

Even before that, they were overshadowing Benoit with the Eugene storyline, who was atcually getting huge pops back then if you can believe it.

 

So by the end of 2004 he, in a roundabout way, got his win back from Benoit by beating the man who beat him, Orton, so the top babyface was Eugene by default, who he beat TWICE for some stupid reason I forget, and suddenly all the top babyfaces are lower than Hunter, all guys who he supposedly helped put over.

 

The Batista one has some debate either way. Some dismiss it and say he put him over clean and made him a star which is true. But as explained above, there was no one left.

 

He did it 3 times in a row, and never got a win back (although he took some time off after, so nobody remembered his losses.)

 

Others argue "he already destroyed Orton who had more upside as a talker, worker and youth."

 

So he buried that guy and put over someone else who is a poorer worker, poorer talker, injury-prone, and is nearly 40, so may retire before Hunter does.

 

In terms of WM, he went on a winning streak after the loss to Warrior at wm XII, lost to Taker who was already a top guy with seniority at wm 18, destroyed Booker clean, who was the babyface at wm 19, and then lost to Benoit who was eventually drafted to SD so he could headline Velocity with Christian.

 

So for his 3 match losing streak at WM, the 1st 2 guys are on a different show and are still considered lower than him, no fault of his I'm sure.

 

As for Cena, well it was 50/50 who was gonna win till the last minute, and if it wasn't for his injury, he WOULD'VE GOT HIS WIN BACK THIS YEAR!

 

So "passing the torch" implies "getting it back, at an undetermined point in the future?" lol