Do you miss it? European Championship.

[My Couch Pulls Out But I Don't]

I created a thread a while back asking if any of you thought the WWE should bring back the type of format it had in the 80s and early to mid 90s where almost the entire roster was managed by one of four or five people.

Based on the "success" of that thread and all the positive feedback it recieved, I have decided to begin a series of threads entitled "Do you miss it?", where I will bring up something from the past and see if any of you miss the concept or think it should be brought back.

The first topic in the series: The WWF/E European Championship.

The WWF/E European Championship was introduced back in 1997 and was defended until it was unified with the Intercontinental championship in 2002. More than half of the holders were mid carders or lower with some main eventers, such as, Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Kurt Angle, Chris Jericho, Owen Hart and Eddie Guerrero having a short stint with the title.

The title, in my opinion, was used to see how a certain superstar was able to use "the being champion status" to propel them farther, maybe even beginning a push towards the IC title or farther. It was "prestigeous" enough to be held by the aforementioned main eventers, but still mainly used for lower level talent.

Here's the question. Do you miss seeing the European Championship? Do you think the WWE could benefit from having a lower level title that has some history? Could some up and comers benefit from getting the chance to go after a title such as the European Championship?

 

[bko]

No I don't miss it. Why you ask? What makes it any different to the US & Intercontinental Titles, funny enough only 2 or 3 of the people who held it were actually European, let alone the fact it seems silly having a European Title defended mostly in America by mostly American people, go figure.

 

[My Couch Pulls Out But I Don't]

No I don't miss it. Why you ask? What makes it any different to the US & Intercontinental Titles, funny enough only 2 or 3 of the people who held it were actually European, let alone the fact it seems silly having a European Title defended mostly in America by mostly American people, go figure.

There were only two European European Champions, British Bulldog and William Regal. I ask you this...would it be worth having the title around for the recent influx of European talent? (ie Wade Barrett, Santino (not really Italian but plays the gimmick), Sheamus, Drew McIntyre...) with Regal still around he could go for it as well.

 

[Prince of Phenomenal]

No, the title never really had any good feuds. Just something in the past.

 

[nerd4life]

No I don't miss it. Why you ask? What makes it any different to the US & Intercontinental Titles, funny enough only 2 or 3 of the people who held it were actually European, let alone the fact it seems silly having a European Title defended mostly in America by mostly American people, go figure.

agreed. It was stupid. lets bring back the tv title while were at it!

there should be 3 titles. heavyweight title/wwe title.
tag team champs.
intercontinental.

maybe give the divas one but other then that its all a waste.

 

[thestandout83]

No I don't miss.
The titles I want to see stay or brought back are.
World Title for Main Eventers.
US Title for Mid-Carder.
Tag Team Titles for Low-carders
TV Title as Extreme Rules(Hardcore 24/7) for Jobbers...LOL.
Divas Title for Women

Also no more BRAND EXTENSION... Make Vickie Guerro GM or Commissioner of the WWE.

 

[Tattooed Jesus]

No not really.

I miss having a real legit Television Championship and Lightweight/Cruiserweight Championship.

I think if WWE brought both these back and unified the IC/US, World/WWE titles that would be the perfect title picture for the WWE right now.

 

[Chauncy Talon]

Come on. You guys don't miss the famous... from Chicago Illinois, but living in Stockholm Switzerland... Your European champion... D'Lo Brown. Each and every week, he was living in a new city in Europe. That was Godlike!

 

[CabanaBoomBoom514]

I do miss the Euro Title. In fact, I miss low card titles in general because it gives those guys a building block to properly bring to the mid card picture.

From Chauncy Talon's example, the European title was used a fun title and people actually cared about the matches it was contested for.

So what if most of the champions weren't European, at least the fans gave a shit and most of the matches were better than the main events on SD and Raw today.

But in the end, whether it's called the Euro, TV title, etc, the E needs a Low card belt to turn those bathroom break matches on Raw, SD, and Superstars into some adequate entertainment.

 

[SmattyG]

YES!!! I'm definitely up for bringing it back. The lower to mid card guys need something to make it more interesting. I think DHS V Tyson is a good little storyline but with the Euro belt on the line it would be even better. Also for the guys on Superstars who are never going to be IC or US Title holders, or older guys like Regal or Mark Henry; it would give them something to aim for rather than yet another match with no meaning. Also, it's a great way to build new stars - I can see Evan Bourne, Justin Gabriel or Tyler Reks holding that belt; and it's a great way for new talent coming in such as Mason Ryan, Jackson Andrews or any of the NXT guys. I'm all for it. Great thread!

 

[Mike Diesel]

Come on. You guys don't miss the famous... from Chicago Illinois, but living in Stockholm Switzerland... Your European champion... D'Lo Brown. Each and every week, he was living in a new city in Europe. That was Godlike!

Ha ha ha ha ha, that's F'ing hilarious! I forgot ALL ABOUT that, good call!

The only way I would like to see a new title introduced/brought back would be if they merged the US/IC title and the 2 World titles. But with the way that things are set up now with there being 4 titles, 2 per brand and then the tag titles, one more would be overkill.

 

[My Couch Pulls Out But I Don't]

For those that think the European Championship was bad because it was hardly held by a European, in your logic, the US title shouldnt be held by someone unless they were born in the US.

Plus,the European title did have some good stories behind it...remember,i believe in 1997, WWF One Night Only when HBK and the British Bulldog main evented for the title?

 

[jacdnwarrior]

I did like the title. They had decent performers holding it and a few good feuds for it. I understand why they got rid of it, but I always thought if WWE had made ECW a two hour show with SD and Raw, they could have had the European title on that show as a midcard title for that show. Right now it wouldn't work because the creative team can barely work with the titles they have now.

 

[Tech N9ne]

Not really. I do miss some of the matches that were fought for that title though. Which had nothing to necessarily do with it being for The European Title. But there were some awesome matches back in the day...

The matches that took place between guys like X-Pac, D-Lo Brown, Val Venus, Jeff Jarrett and a little bit later, Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit, were really good matches.

The fact that they WERE for the title though did make them mean a little more in the middle of a card. Definitely a great addition to the titles of WWF/E in those days.

I miss those days, but not that title in particular.

 

[spinningtorturerack]

I am in total agreement it should be brought back, or at least a title of its caliber (such as the tv title).

Since we have no titles below a midcard title, it has pushed down the value of the midcard title and turned it into merely a lower stepping stone before world championships where as previously, there were three clear distinct leagues and there was nothing wrong with a upper card dipping into middle. Now, with the way the structure is, if a main event talent, say Randy Orton, went to win the intercontinental, it renders the majority of the talent useless as he is main event, should barely be touched by the midcard unless its a tv main event. And even then they are cannon fodder.

 

[TheRealDeal]

I liked watching matches for the European Title that involved wrestlers between Eddie Guerrero, Test, X-Pac but there were hardly any Europeans back then, it was only William Regal and British Bulldog if I'm not mistaken.. They should do it though, cause there are a lot of superstars like Evan Bourne, Yoshi Tatsu, Tyler Reks, Zack Ryder, Drew Mcintrye and Cody Rhodes etc who doesn't have a feud or no storyline, Yoshi and Bourne having been teaming up wth Mark Henry to unsucessfully get the tag team belts all over again.. This would be a great image for them and plus now you still got William Regal, he's a good candidate for the European Title and this could be a good push for Wade Barret since he is Scottish and Sheamus can hold the belt too..

 

[ABMorales787]

Do I miss it? Yeah, I miss it. It had a cool design. But it shouldn't be brought back. For what? Superstars? Who watches it? WWE doesn't need more belts. It's pretty ridiculous the way it is having 2 World titles, 2 mid-card titles and 2 interpromotional titles. Adding more would just mean adding the unnecessary. And the European title or any other title, are unnecessary.

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

YES!!! I'm definitely up for bringing it back. The lower to mid card guys need something to make it more interesting. I think DHS V Tyson is a good little storyline but with the Euro belt on the line it would be even better. Also for the guys on Superstars who are never going to be IC or US Title holders, or older guys like Regal or Mark Henry; it would give them something to aim for rather than yet another match with no meaning. Also, it's a great way to build new stars - I can see Evan Bourne, Justin Gabriel or Tyler Reks holding that belt; and it's a great way for new talent coming in such as Mason Ryan, Jackson Andrews or any of the NXT guys. I'm all for it. Great thread!

YES, I totally agree with you. Perhaps the DH Smith v Tyson feud would be a great way of bringing back the belt, as Hart can announce that he is bringing back the belt his dad helped to make famous? Bulldog was one of the first Euro champs wasnt he??

I used to like seeing the lower card guys fight for a title at their level, with Regal, D'Lo, Al Snow etc holding the title and occasionally higher card talent like Triple H taking the belt. I thought it was a good belt, and was pretty disappointed when it was combined with the IC title.

It is by far more use to the company than 2 tag team titles or 2 womens titles.

Bring it back I say

 

[sxeholmes]

WWE has too many titles as it is, if it was brought back it would be made into a joke. It would be just like the U.S. and Intercontinental titles where they stay on one guy for months and months without any challengers. WWE just sees no interest in building up secondary titles. TNA is pretty much just as bad. ROH is the only american promotion who really does a good job with them.

 

[A-KO]

First of all Barrett is English, not Scottish, how dare you insult us Scots! McIntyre is Scottish.

Barrett, Regal, DH Smith - English (DH Half English/ Half Canadian)
McIntrye - Scottish
Sheamus - Irish
Finlay - Northern Irish.
Santino - Italy (kayfabe)

So looking at those 7, i don't think that is enough to bring back the belt. Miss it? nah.

 

[DeathClutch]

In fairness I can't say I miss the title however since 2006-currently the European title would be perfect considering how much WWE tours over here. Personally I wouldn't mind seeing it return if it was used for the true purpose as it was intended, to be defended in Europe only (This was away to keep it on Bulldog, as it was created to keep him in WWF). With WWE's current influx of european talent the title could be easily brough back, imagine someone like Santino with the belt? or someone like Sheamus who's a European and KOTR would suit his character but I doubt we'll that return.