JohnJohnson
aka JuanJuanson
I know the topics of bringing back old titles(whether they be Cruiserweight, Light Heavyweight, European, TV, Hardcore, etc) has beat beaten nearly to death here. Typically the main argument that arises when discussing Cruiserweight and Light Heavyweight divisions is that it makes the smaller guys look weak. It makes it seem like they aren't legitimate contenders for the WWEWHC or what have you.
Last night I was watching Taka Michinoku wrestle, and it got me thinking about his feud with Brian Christopher. I remember it was entertaining because of Lawler's commentating during these segments and the fact that the weight restriction was something like 215 and under. Brian Christopher was over the limit but would lie about his weight. That's when I thought wait a second, instead of booking it so that the little guys all go after this belt and not the bigger titles. Book it as something that smaller guys get to compete for and bigger guys try to. For instance, in the UFC, arguably the most competitive weight class is the Light Heavyweight(205lbs). Some of the most popular fighters from the past Liddel, Wanderlei, Tito Ortiz, Rampage and some of today's biggest names John Jones, Shogun, Rashad Evans come from this division. It's not see as something less than Heavyweight, it's just a division where Heavyweight's can't fight due to weight restrictions. People in the Lightheavy can easily fight up if they chose. Anderson Silva from the Middleweight(185lb) division often fought up in the 205 weight class. Fighting down would be hard, because weight would have to be cut.
Since UFC is very popular these days, and they like to focus more on reality(even using the "tale of the tape"), they have the perfect opportunity to reintroduce the title. They can even introduce it as something new. We have so many mid carders with nothing to do and the U.S. and IC belts aren't being defended as apparently sitting on the belt and racking days is supposed to be a push. Announce that there will be a tournament and anyone who makes the 205 weigh-in let's say 2 weeks away gets to participate. Even their smaller guys like Ziggler and Kofi are billed to be at about 218. For people that don't normally watch boxing or UFC, fighters often walk around at about 15-25lbs above their weight class, and drop to their class's weight at the weigh in the day before a fight. I've even read that Silva, who fights at 185, walks around at about 220-230, drops to 185 the day before the fight, and is about 190-200 the next day. This basically gives us two weeks to promote this belt by showing vignettes of superstars training hard, and sitting in saunas, portioning out meals. We have a segment where all the fighters weigh in, some heel throws a fit for weighing 206 and the tournament begins.
Who should carry the title first? You might think of some smaller high flyer, but I was actually thinking Cesaro. He is billed at about 230, just 25lbs over class limit. He is always talked about for being the most disciplined wrestler, and sleeping on the floors. It's not unreasonable to think that the guy could drop down to 205 just for a weigh in. Especially since he is about the size of a LH fighter in MMA. He's also suspected to get a face push soon. I think this would help him out a lot. You would see other guys like Miz trying to make weight for the fight but not quite make it. Then, they can use a phrase that is popular in both boxing and MMA, "The pound for pound greatest fighter in the world." Right now we have a lot of bigger guys getting pushes, Langston, O'Niel, Roman Reigns. We also have bigger guys in the main event scene Lesnar, Batista and even Orton. Cesaro, has already been referred to as the pound for pound strongest. Now Cesaro can be referred to as the pound for pound greatest wrestler(or superstar) in the WWE. This would work for Ziggler or anyone else who is very talented but just doesn't fit.
To really set this division off, you make it very competitive. Since we have the WWE network, they can have a weigh ins the night before a title defense on PPV. It would be maybe a 15-30 min program where they each cut promos about the fight, show some highlights of the feud, and step on the scale, even take the picture for the match. You would see something like Del Rio feuding with Ziggler. At the weigh-in Ziggler makes the weight, but then Del Rio comes in a few pounds over. This, for those of you who don't watch fights, means that while the fight still happens, there will be no title on the line. Obviously Del Rio would be pissed and could attack Ziggler right there. All the officials rush in separate them. Then at the PPV the next night, Del Rio can get a "clean" victory on the injured opponent while still keeping the gold and title of "pound for pound best" on Ziggler. There are quite a few things that could be done here with a variety of different stars. Let's not forget the Shield break up. Rollins would do well in this division.
Now, I know there is one problem here. Daniel Bryan will soon be the champion and is clearly a candidate for the LH division. Thus it's hard to claim the LH champ is the best pound for pound, when clearly Bryan is the best. WWE can go a few ways with this:
1)They can go the common route and just overlook this fact. Wouldn't be a big deal to me.
2)They could have a heel LH champ claim to be better than Bryan and have a feud with him. Either no titles are on the line or have them both on the line. With both on the line, the heel could sabotage the scale to have Bryan over the limit. Or just before a weigh in attack Bryan and force feed him some hot sauce, which would cause Bryan to drink a bunch of water and go over(I mean at least it's something). This way both retain belts. Or they could just have the heel claim to be better than Bryan, but each is wrapped up in their own feud.
3)You could have a face LH champ, and have them show a mutual repsect for Bryan, and only have others(Cole) refer to them as the pound for pound best. Or you can have em wrestle a one-off match, maybe with interference.
4)They could just simple not use that "pound for pound" expression while Bryan is champ.
So let's look at some of the benefits that we would get from bringing the belt back in this fashion:
- New belt to get some of the midcarders that are in limbo, doing something.
- Give's an opportunity to rasie the prestige of the IC belt and US if they keep it. But even more so, give opportunity to unify them and still have titles to defend.
- Give's us weigh-in videos, and training videos from each of the LH contenders on the Network. They are going to want to have more original programming.
- It appeases fans that want the title brought back.
- It allows the main even to have bigger guys(like the 3 being pushed) while still legitimizing the smaller guys.
- It gives a sense of reality to the product and captilaizes on the popularity of MMA today.
- It gives us a plethora of angles and feuds that will all have purpose.
- It's an idea that the WWE hasn't really done yet, at least not to this extent.
- Merchandise! Replica LH belts, "pound for pound best" t-shirts, and new shirts for those getting a push with the title.
- Brings actual competitiveness to the mid card.
So, what are your thoughts? Am I just crazy? Can it work? What would you change?
Last night I was watching Taka Michinoku wrestle, and it got me thinking about his feud with Brian Christopher. I remember it was entertaining because of Lawler's commentating during these segments and the fact that the weight restriction was something like 215 and under. Brian Christopher was over the limit but would lie about his weight. That's when I thought wait a second, instead of booking it so that the little guys all go after this belt and not the bigger titles. Book it as something that smaller guys get to compete for and bigger guys try to. For instance, in the UFC, arguably the most competitive weight class is the Light Heavyweight(205lbs). Some of the most popular fighters from the past Liddel, Wanderlei, Tito Ortiz, Rampage and some of today's biggest names John Jones, Shogun, Rashad Evans come from this division. It's not see as something less than Heavyweight, it's just a division where Heavyweight's can't fight due to weight restrictions. People in the Lightheavy can easily fight up if they chose. Anderson Silva from the Middleweight(185lb) division often fought up in the 205 weight class. Fighting down would be hard, because weight would have to be cut.
Since UFC is very popular these days, and they like to focus more on reality(even using the "tale of the tape"), they have the perfect opportunity to reintroduce the title. They can even introduce it as something new. We have so many mid carders with nothing to do and the U.S. and IC belts aren't being defended as apparently sitting on the belt and racking days is supposed to be a push. Announce that there will be a tournament and anyone who makes the 205 weigh-in let's say 2 weeks away gets to participate. Even their smaller guys like Ziggler and Kofi are billed to be at about 218. For people that don't normally watch boxing or UFC, fighters often walk around at about 15-25lbs above their weight class, and drop to their class's weight at the weigh in the day before a fight. I've even read that Silva, who fights at 185, walks around at about 220-230, drops to 185 the day before the fight, and is about 190-200 the next day. This basically gives us two weeks to promote this belt by showing vignettes of superstars training hard, and sitting in saunas, portioning out meals. We have a segment where all the fighters weigh in, some heel throws a fit for weighing 206 and the tournament begins.
Who should carry the title first? You might think of some smaller high flyer, but I was actually thinking Cesaro. He is billed at about 230, just 25lbs over class limit. He is always talked about for being the most disciplined wrestler, and sleeping on the floors. It's not unreasonable to think that the guy could drop down to 205 just for a weigh in. Especially since he is about the size of a LH fighter in MMA. He's also suspected to get a face push soon. I think this would help him out a lot. You would see other guys like Miz trying to make weight for the fight but not quite make it. Then, they can use a phrase that is popular in both boxing and MMA, "The pound for pound greatest fighter in the world." Right now we have a lot of bigger guys getting pushes, Langston, O'Niel, Roman Reigns. We also have bigger guys in the main event scene Lesnar, Batista and even Orton. Cesaro, has already been referred to as the pound for pound strongest. Now Cesaro can be referred to as the pound for pound greatest wrestler(or superstar) in the WWE. This would work for Ziggler or anyone else who is very talented but just doesn't fit.
To really set this division off, you make it very competitive. Since we have the WWE network, they can have a weigh ins the night before a title defense on PPV. It would be maybe a 15-30 min program where they each cut promos about the fight, show some highlights of the feud, and step on the scale, even take the picture for the match. You would see something like Del Rio feuding with Ziggler. At the weigh-in Ziggler makes the weight, but then Del Rio comes in a few pounds over. This, for those of you who don't watch fights, means that while the fight still happens, there will be no title on the line. Obviously Del Rio would be pissed and could attack Ziggler right there. All the officials rush in separate them. Then at the PPV the next night, Del Rio can get a "clean" victory on the injured opponent while still keeping the gold and title of "pound for pound best" on Ziggler. There are quite a few things that could be done here with a variety of different stars. Let's not forget the Shield break up. Rollins would do well in this division.
Now, I know there is one problem here. Daniel Bryan will soon be the champion and is clearly a candidate for the LH division. Thus it's hard to claim the LH champ is the best pound for pound, when clearly Bryan is the best. WWE can go a few ways with this:
1)They can go the common route and just overlook this fact. Wouldn't be a big deal to me.
2)They could have a heel LH champ claim to be better than Bryan and have a feud with him. Either no titles are on the line or have them both on the line. With both on the line, the heel could sabotage the scale to have Bryan over the limit. Or just before a weigh in attack Bryan and force feed him some hot sauce, which would cause Bryan to drink a bunch of water and go over(I mean at least it's something). This way both retain belts. Or they could just have the heel claim to be better than Bryan, but each is wrapped up in their own feud.
3)You could have a face LH champ, and have them show a mutual repsect for Bryan, and only have others(Cole) refer to them as the pound for pound best. Or you can have em wrestle a one-off match, maybe with interference.
4)They could just simple not use that "pound for pound" expression while Bryan is champ.
So let's look at some of the benefits that we would get from bringing the belt back in this fashion:
- New belt to get some of the midcarders that are in limbo, doing something.
- Give's an opportunity to rasie the prestige of the IC belt and US if they keep it. But even more so, give opportunity to unify them and still have titles to defend.
- Give's us weigh-in videos, and training videos from each of the LH contenders on the Network. They are going to want to have more original programming.
- It appeases fans that want the title brought back.
- It allows the main even to have bigger guys(like the 3 being pushed) while still legitimizing the smaller guys.
- It gives a sense of reality to the product and captilaizes on the popularity of MMA today.
- It gives us a plethora of angles and feuds that will all have purpose.
- It's an idea that the WWE hasn't really done yet, at least not to this extent.
- Merchandise! Replica LH belts, "pound for pound best" t-shirts, and new shirts for those getting a push with the title.
- Brings actual competitiveness to the mid card.
So, what are your thoughts? Am I just crazy? Can it work? What would you change?
It's as if people are just reading the title of the thread and posting a reply without ready anything I actually posted. At no time did I mention a small guy spotfest. All the guys I listed are regular sized guys on the active roster, most of whom have nothing going on angle-wise. I'll say again, this is not bringing in a little belt for little guys to have a spotfest with. This is a belt that brings in a whole new angle to mid card wrestling.
