Merging the US and IC Titles?
- Thread starter GeTiTT
- Start date
berlinbrawler
Lovable Curmudgeon
I'm all for it. The less titles there are, the better.
I have trouble recalling the current US and IC champions and I'm one of those goofs that have rarely missed a show in over 20 years. If there was only one secondary title there would be less of a feeling of "everyone stumbles onto a midcard-title sooner or later." I might actually take notice of who currently holds the belt instead of automatically dismissing it.
Of course I would also love nothing better than to unify the WWE and WHC titles as well, but that's another story.
I have trouble recalling the current US and IC champions and I'm one of those goofs that have rarely missed a show in over 20 years. If there was only one secondary title there would be less of a feeling of "everyone stumbles onto a midcard-title sooner or later." I might actually take notice of who currently holds the belt instead of automatically dismissing it.
Of course I would also love nothing better than to unify the WWE and WHC titles as well, but that's another story.
I don't think they need to merge the midcard titles yet. Honestly, the midcard titles should be the last set to be merged. It's more important to have two midcard titles than to have two world titles because the midcard titles act as a way to see what a wrestler will be like as a champion. With two you can do that with a face and a heel (or two of each) simultaneously. There isn't a need for two world titles anymore, so I'd merge those before I merge the Intercontinental and US Championships. It will most likely happen though and it is more of a "when" question rather than a "what if" at this point.
If it does happen, it wouldn't surprise me though. The roster is getting smaller and the brand extension is gone as of the moment when Raw became a Super Show. If they kept the midcard titles seperate they could still keep the brand names relevant and help promote events for those brands. Come to Raw events to see the US Champion, come to Smackdown events to see the Intercontinental Champion. It's something to think about, but signs do appear to be pointing toward all championship tiers being merged soon including the midcard titles.
If it does happen, it wouldn't surprise me though. The roster is getting smaller and the brand extension is gone as of the moment when Raw became a Super Show. If they kept the midcard titles seperate they could still keep the brand names relevant and help promote events for those brands. Come to Raw events to see the US Champion, come to Smackdown events to see the Intercontinental Champion. It's something to think about, but signs do appear to be pointing toward all championship tiers being merged soon including the midcard titles.
Big Papa Santo
Ryder? I barely even know her!
Definitely a no from me. I believe that the IC Title, with all of its prestige, should be used as a stepping stone for talent that are already destined to one day be at the top I.E. Wade Barrett, Dolph Ziggler, Cody Rhodes.But I believe that the US Title should be used for people who are forever destined to stay in the Midcard spot, I.E. Santino Marella, Zack Ryder, Jack Swagger. And merging these two titles together would mean that people who so badly need to get over and move on to the next chapter in their career by winning that unified title, will be denied the opportunity to win it by some Midcard-comedy act-flavor of the month.
I tend to agree with that .. maybe Kofi and Swagger could be added to the mid card mix as well
**with R-Truth out, curious to see what the WWE will do with Kofi.
Santino seems to be holding his U.S. Title hostage .. so I think we have to rule out the whole "just add legitimacy" because that option seems pretty far fetched at this point
jacdnwarrior
Championship Contender
No absolutely no mergers at all. Raw and Smackdown should have their own tag champs, midcard title champs (in this case IC and Us title CHamps), world champions and if they get the Divas division good enough divas champions. Merging makes the division far worse and the shows less interesting. They have a big enough roster to make separate titles work, there is no reason to do this. They just need to be smarter about how they create interest in the divisions.
Santino is over as a comedy act. Christian as IC is a huge demotion and an insult. He should be competing for and getting World title runs so that new fresh talent can come in and rejuvenate the IC division.
Santino is over as a comedy act. Christian as IC is a huge demotion and an insult. He should be competing for and getting World title runs so that new fresh talent can come in and rejuvenate the IC division.
This is actually a fine idea -- I fully support it. The United States and Intercontinental Championships have no reason to be separate, at this stage. WWE would benefit more from bringing them together, cutting out the excess fat in the divisions. It's not as if there are a bunch of people on the roster who will "suffer" from this, either, as there are only one or two challengers for both of the championships. By merging the championships, you'll have a less diluted midcard and you won't have to put up with forgettable reigns (like Jack Swagger's recent United States Championship reign).
Don't get me wrong, I don't think that a merger will solve all the problems with the midcard championships, but it'll do a hell of a lot. Sure, the title won't be a stepping stone to the main event, like it once was, but a merger can certainly help elevate it. I'd rather see the likes of Christian and Cody Rhodes fighting for the midcard title, without looking at the other midcard title and seeing Santino Marella and Ricardo Rodriguez battling over it. The two championships are at two totally different extremes -- a merger would solve that. Plus, with the end of the brand extension (basically), it just makes more sense to have ONE midcard championship. I'd rather have a smaller pool of challengers, with the one championship anyway, as then you wouldn't have to be elevating lower card guys just to have enough challengers for your championships.
A merger is the way to go.
Don't get me wrong, I don't think that a merger will solve all the problems with the midcard championships, but it'll do a hell of a lot. Sure, the title won't be a stepping stone to the main event, like it once was, but a merger can certainly help elevate it. I'd rather see the likes of Christian and Cody Rhodes fighting for the midcard title, without looking at the other midcard title and seeing Santino Marella and Ricardo Rodriguez battling over it. The two championships are at two totally different extremes -- a merger would solve that. Plus, with the end of the brand extension (basically), it just makes more sense to have ONE midcard championship. I'd rather have a smaller pool of challengers, with the one championship anyway, as then you wouldn't have to be elevating lower card guys just to have enough challengers for your championships.
A merger is the way to go.