Most prestigious World Championship in wrestling Today

[canadafour 0]

What do you think is the most Prestigious World Championship in wrestling today??

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

Loaded question.

 

If it's today exclusively, then the WWE title would make the most sense, wouldn't it? Champion of the highest attended and watched promotion? (Pardon my tunnel vision of Japan and Mexico).

 

But a title gains prestige by history primarily (not to discount the man holding it, the circumstances under which he won it, or whom it was defended against henceforth), doesnt it?

 

Ultimately, I think the word "today" needs to be dropped from the opening question.

 

 

 

 

On the other hand, maybe I completely fucked up what you meant. And therefore, the World Heavyweight title should get the nod. The B show of WWE is still miles ahead in prestige, history and recognition as to say, the ROH title or the CZW title. A handful of forgettable holders and a little mud on its trail doesn't ultimately detract from holders like Flair, Rhodes, Hogan and Benoit.

[Taker666 0]

I would say the SmackDown World Heavyweight Title. It has a prestigious History behind it and the fact that it kept the same basic design from the NWA in the 80s all the way to the current WWE makes it very prestigious and makes the Title holder look important. Its the only World Title today that actually LOOKS like a World Title.

[Corkscrew_Senton 0]

If you're talking the whole world I guess it's best to look at every facet.

 

You can discount Mexico, as tournaments are more important over there than belts. The belts they do have are rarely defended.

 

In Japan, AJPW is in a big funk so you can discount the Triple Crown. NJPW introduced that awesome new belt, only to have Brock Lesnar literally steal it, so they've had to revert to the old design and hold a tourney for the vacant title. NOAH has had problems establishing a new champion and have had to give the title back to Misawa, who's a great wrestler for sure, but it happened because Marufuji's reign wasn't going well.

 

In the US, the NWA Title was won and defended through such wacky means that it's devalued. Plus the belt is just too old, small and ugly for aesthetic purposes. It's OK for the Triple Crown to be old, small and ugly, as having three belts makes up for it, but the NWA World belt needs an upgrade.

 

The ROH title is now truly world, and has been booked well. A knock on it is it's still at a small scale.

 

The ECW title? Well...

 

The WWE title has a great lineage and although I can't stand John Cena has been booked well. I really really really hate that spinner crap, but it doesn't take away from the belt being booked strong and having that history. As an aside with the spinner, it doesn't even go with Cena's current character. When he was a rapper and anti-authority, it made sense. But the '80s Hogan fight the odds stomp around like a dingus when coming out of the curtain salute the crowd Cena? He's an entirely different character. Get a different belt.

 

The World Heavyweight title has another strong lineage. It hasn't been booked as strong as the WWE title because of Rey's awful "lose every match" reign. It's a much grander looking belt though, that's for sure.

[Hawk 34 0]

The ROH World Title is the one championship right now that has not just a tremendous history although limited in length in comparison but since it's inception it has been the main focus of that promotion. Something alot of companies can't claim. Samoa Joe and Bryan Danielson had tremendous championship reigns worthy of legendary status not just for indy wrestling but for the history of the business. Two long reigns with incredible matches and feuds during their respective reigns. As well as a tremendous angle involving CM Punk with the title that truly captured the importance the belt holds for the promotion. Not to mention the current world champion being a NOAH talent.

 

It's defended around the world in places like the Budokon as the main event of other wrestling promotions. That title is as close to the NWA World Title as we'll ever see again.

 

It's not about which title has the most history because it isn't fair to compare promotions that have a shelf life of 5 years, or just 10 years against promotions that has been in existance for decades. The question seems to be which matters the most in relation to its promotion and that's easily the ROH World Title.

 

The WWE Titles are secondary to the characters and it works for them.

[SamoaRowe 0]

To me, the lineage of the World title used on Smackdown began in 2002 when Eric Bischoff handed it to Triple H. I know it can be debated that it shares the lineage of the WCW/NWA title, but even the WWE doesn't acknowledge that with their title section history at their website.

 

Having said that, I think the most prestigious belt in wrestling (in America, no disrespect to Mexico or Japan) is the WWE title on Raw.

 

The second most prestigious belt is the ROH title, for the same reasons that Hawk gave.

[Taker666 0]

To me, the lineage of the World title used on Smackdown began in 2002 when Eric Bischoff handed it to Triple H. I know it can be debated that it shares the lineage of the WCW/NWA title, but even the WWE doesn't acknowledge that with their title section history at their website.

 

Actually, they do..

 

http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/wcwchampionship/

[Black Lushus 0]

Non-wrestlers holding titles really discredits those titles...how much? I don't know really, but Vince McMahon has held the WWE title and David Arquette and Vince Russo have both held the World Heavyweight Title, so take that for what it's worth.

[Just John 0]

To me, the lineage of the World title used on Smackdown began in 2002 when Eric Bischoff handed it to Triple H. I know it can be debated that it shares the lineage of the WCW/NWA title, but even the WWE doesn't acknowledge that with their title section history at their website.

 

Actually, they do..

 

http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/wcwchampionship/

 

That's horse shit. You can't just make up a history for a title belt using the logic "well, it LOOKS like WCW's old belt, so therefore it's the same thing."

 

SD's world title goes back to Raw in 2002 when it was handed to HHH because Brock Lesnar signed a SD-only contract. The current WWE title absorbed all of the NWA/WCW legacy when the WCW world title was unified with the WWF title at Vengeance 2001.

[Hawk 34 0]

Oh, god. Not another person who actually cares about something capricious as a fucking title lineage.

[SamoaRowe 0]

To me, the lineage of the World title used on Smackdown began in 2002 when Eric Bischoff handed it to Triple H. I know it can be debated that it shares the lineage of the WCW/NWA title, but even the WWE doesn't acknowledge that with their title section history at their website.

 

Actually, they do..

 

http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/wcwchampionship/

 

No, I didn't say they don't acknowledge the WCW title history as it's own belt, but in regards to the current World Heavyweight title. That link you posted clearly shows the history of that particular title ending in 2001 with Chris Jericho.

 

http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/worldheavyweight/

 

I know it's a bit silly to worry about title lineage in a fixed sport, but I care about it for some reason.

[Guest GiantRutgersFan]

I would say the NWA World Heavywieght title.

 

It has a storied history and although it had a terrible stretch from 1995 until 2002 or so, it is still the greatest. It is on a worldwide recognized promotion and its booked pretty well from the begining (minus Ron Killings)

 

The WWE championships were the most respected, but now that they split into 3 seperate titles, they have zero credibility. a title is supposed to signify the best of a federation.

[Scroby 0]

It really depends on who your asking, for me, it would be the NWA/WCW/WWE Heavyweight title as that's sorta been around the longest, on and off. Then the actual WWE World title.

[Corkscrew_Senton 0]

I would say the NWA World Heavywieght title.

 

It has a storied history and although it had a terrible stretch from 1995 until 2002 or so, it is still the greatest. It is on a worldwide recognized promotion and its booked pretty well from the begining (minus Ron Killings)

 

The WWE championships were the most respected, but now that they split into 3 seperate titles, they have zero credibility. a title is supposed to signify the best of a federation.

 

Minus Killings? His booking in 2002 from the promo with Rick Steamboat to actual winning the belt then defending it every week was superb.

[Red Baron 0]

I would have said at one time, the IC belt was the most prestegious belt in North America.

[Dobbs 3K 0]

I really don't think any belt has more of an argument than the WWE Championship. It has been most consistently in the mindset of even casual fans for many years. I mean, sure the NWA World Title has been around longer, but look at how low its prestige got, just a few years ago.

 

I see the arguments for Ring of Honor, but how many casual fans even know what Ring of Honor is?

[tigeraid 0]

Sorry but as far as I'm concerned the ability to consistently put on an AWESOME main event, and workrate, are the two most important things in a title holder, not popularity, notoriety, ticket sales or drawing power. That's just me.

 

So having said that, the ROH World Title and the GHC Heavyweight Title are unquestionably my two choices.

[Guest LividLiquid]

Since I don't know much about other country's world titles (With the exception of a small bit of knowledge about the IWGP title), I'd have to say that, for the moment, it would have to be the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. It's the only belt, with the exception of Smackdown's World Heavyweight Title, that hasn't been put on the promoter of the organization it represented. Vince McMahon has held the WWE Title. Vince Russo held the now-defunct WCW title. The only reason I don't believe the World Heavyweight Championship to be in contention is the lack of time it's had to establish itself. It's only been around for what? Four years and change?

 

The NWA title has a history that goes back to the legitimate days of wrestling. People fought for real over that belt. TNA's handling of it has been a bit questionable at times, but I still see it as having more credibility and holding more weight than the belt that Vince McMahon once held (Which incidentally, absorbed the lineage of the title that Vince Russo and David Arquette held.)

 

The only incident I can recall that tarnishes the reputation of the NWA belt is Shane Douglas throwing it down and declaring it worthless. This combined with a lack of exposure killed the title for the better part of a decade.