Does Santino's Reign Devalue the IC Title?

[Y 2 Jake]

Yeah, he should hold it until there's a wrestler who'll actually use the title. He's got the title now, and while he's not having great matches, he's still doing more with it than the wrestlers before him. He loves that title, to Jericho, Hardy, Umaga and others. Every champion since Orton has simply bought that belt to the ring with them, defended it when Jeff Hardy was getting suspended/coming back from a suspension. That's it.

Santino should only lose it when WWE have got a hot prospect like Brock Lesnar, even if it takes yeasr. Somebody who is going to the top one way or another, no stalling. Another Jericho reign will do nothing, other wrestlers aren't talented enough to get over with the title.

 

[Fizzy]

I'd say it doesn't devalue it by any means. Santino is the best mid carder on Raw right now and no one deserves the title besides him. I think Kofi could be a good champ, but he needs more time before he is as deserving as Santino. So no he doesn't devalue the title by any means and is the most worthy champ on Raw as of now.

 

[Crush1]

Arguably, the last credible champion in my opinion was Randy Orton. Since then, the belt has been worthless. Well worthless in the sense of not having the value it once did. The WWE has 3 world title, 2 mid card title, 2 divas title, and 2 tag titles, that's 9 belts that people in one company can win, as compared to the IC title being the only other singles title up until 2001. The WWE has tried to put the belt on guys like Umaga, Jeff Hardy, and Chris Jericho. Chris Jericho just lsot the WHC, and Jeff Hardy is probably one of the five most over guys on the roster, yet it did nothing to elevate that title.

I agree that entertainers who were very over like Jericho or Hardy couldnt elevate the title. But if a title isnt being feuded over with a decent contender, wouldn't it make sense that the IC title wasnt elevated.
There need to be key factors to make the title a worthy title. And thats 1 a young superstar that is over with the crowd, 2 a good number one contender, 3 a good feud.

So. It draws attention to the title, and the old saying is, bad press is still press. The title is still getting attention, negative or not. It will get people to care about. Plus, the longest reigning IC champion in history is a comedy heel, so it's not going to change people's perception of that belt.

The fact that it draws attention is good but that doesnt mean the marks will continue watching someone who wins with stupid antics. People will eventualy get bored, of santino. Because if he keeps on winning when he has absolutely no strenght, they'll know he will stay as a champion for a while.

But the Honky Tonk Man is exactly what Marrella is now, a comedy jobber. Sure, he feuded with big name guys, but his tactics were the same. He essentially hid behind the stable of guys that Jimmy Hart put together, and nailed people with a guitar with the refs back turned. All that being said, the Warrior beat him in 12 seconds and skyrocketed his career because of that, getting the belt off of Honky.

I understand that some older wrestling viewers wont change their perception of the title, but there are a lot of new fans. These new marks or smarks who are relatively new to pro wrestling may think that the title will look weak if a 21st century jobber holds it. And i think honky did a better job than santino is doing now, but you're right they are still the same a jobber. So i think it would make sense to not have another comedy entertainer be the IC champion. Because there already was one.

So wouldn't that make him a perfect midcard IC champion?

No, because his promo's are the only thing that is worth to the fans. His IC reign is a fluke.

But if Marella was made to look strong, then his gimmick would be ruined. His gimmick is the cocky foreigner that talks a big game, and does the least amount to back it up. Everyone should beat Santino, but yet he wins every time, it'll drive people nuts, and get them in a fever pitch to see the belt come off of him.

I know that his gimmick would be ruined, but he just looks too weak. I would suggest that he should win against other jobbers but still lose against mid-carders. That way he wouldn't look like such crap.

So you want Santino as champion?

No.

 

[The Roid Rage]

Case and point, NO. All the arguments that can be made basically have. He is funny, and his Honk-O-Meter thing is great, having Beth Phoenix is a good thing for him, the guy can actually wrestle believe it or not, the storyline works perfectly, and in the long run I think it could add value to the title if he defends it legitimately. I don't think it is something you want to draw out for a long long time because people will just get tired of it. But, I think it is working now and will continue to work for a time. Kofi Kingston getting the title might help if he has an honorable run with good matches, and then if the next guy repeats the same formula, you just might have an Intercontinental revival.

 

[The Mark of Zur-En-Arrh]

Santino should be IC champ until he retires!!!!!!!!

On a serious note though....

I would love nothing more than to see Santino keep the IC title until he beats the Honkey Donkey Man's record, and then lose it at week 65.

Does this title reign devalue the IC title even more? Nope. Orton was the last credible IC champ that i can think of and that was almost 5 years ago. Sure Jericho and Van Dam and Shelton had title reigns but did they defend the title that often. Not to my recollection. Santino has defended the IC title at least twice a month since winning the title at Summerslam. After he defends it against Regal next Monday, that'll be 3 IC title defenses since Cyber Sunday, 1 for each week. Sure he wins with quick roll ups, opponents falling over and Beth interfering, but he still defends the title a hell of a lot more than previous champs before him.

People are bleating on about whether or not a cowardly heel is the right choice to be champion, because people will get bored of it. Errrr, a hell of a lot of people got bored of the WWE champ stepping upto every challenger he faced and winning, less than a year ago so i guess the lesson to learn is, don't just recycle the same matches over and over with nothing new happening during that time frame.

Sometime in the near future, Santino needs to be put in a fued for the IC title. A challenger has to be determined to win the title from him, cutting promos on how it is their dream to become the IC champion, have several title shots and come within arms reach of winning the title, and always lose to the Milan Miracle. But who? Name 1 mid card guy on Raw who not only has decent ring abilities, but can cut a watchable promo and is in need of a push.

Don't say Charlie Haas. He's lucky he still has a job, never mind getting a push.

My pick would have to be Evan Bourne personally. He's had a coulpe of GREAT matches these past two weeks so why not? He can obviously do well in the ring. I haven't heard a great deal of mic work from him yet, but who knows? He could be perfect for a fued with Santino.

They honestly can't have people keep losing to him in 5 minute squash matches, otherwise his angle is no better than Ricky Ortiz's (is his undefeated streak still going? I wouldn't know, i don't follow ECW).

I hope that Santino gets the chance to actually show off his wrestling ability, which we all know full well he has, and gets into a fued for the IC title, while i also hope that he does indeed beat the Honky Tonk Man's record or at least comes close to it. They wouldn't hype it like they have been if he wasn't going to at least get close to doing it.

Santino Marella, champion of the WORLD, and the greatest Intercontinental Champion of all of the times!!!!

 

[Edgeheadfan]

Well this is kind of common sense don't you think The value of the IC title has mean Nothing ever since The Attitude Era. because of the The Attitude Era that the IC Title World tag team title as well as the WWE champion mean NOTHING now yes John cena Randy Orton and HHH are bring vale back to the WWE title by holding it more then 3 weeks but come on people let face it TV and the fan that get bored with a wrestler after one week destroy the IC title.

The blame doesn't belong to Y2J or to Edge or Shelton Benjamin it belongs to The Attitude Era while it was a great ear for Promo for titles it was a Joke the only way The IC title can be respected again is when William Regal wins it

 

[Undar8d]

Well, I just read the RAW spoilers and it was a little disappointing.
* William Regal b. Santino Marella to become the new Intercontinental Champion in a quick match.
His reign was a shy 85 days. Great...

And then I read that Beth Pheonix remained Champion. I just don't see how "Glamazon" will work now if Santinos not IC Champion anymore.

I think they should have made Santino a more serious wrestler who still jokes around. They shouldn't have him lose to William Regal in a squash. That's like a slap in the face, even if it is William Regal's hometown. Hopefully, Jamie Noble gets a push and they start feuding because now Santino is stuck as a comedian.(Although his comedic style isn't bad).

 

[RoyHahn]

Isn't this what we want? Weren't we all sick of having the Intercontinental Championship treated as a joke? Having a battle royale to determine the number one contender and then having a highly pushed wrestler win the title is legitimizing the IC title far more than it has been in years. I'm thrilled. Regal also happens to be a great worker who I could see as a plausible world champion. I'm hoping that this foreshadows a greater role for both the champion and the title, and I couldn't be happier.

 

[a7xoff]

Ugh I figured a spoiler would be posted... Oh well... At least I don't have to watch Raw, thanks ...Now that the fate of the IC championship as far as Santino's record goes has apparently been decided... Some closing thoughts from me on the topic of this well... topic... Overall I feel that Santino's reign did not devaule the IC title at all. He really did not have a big feud or anything like that while he held it, but overall it did bring attention to the belt. Prior to Santino holding the title, we were lucky to see the IC champ on a weekly basis. Let alone in any type of story line. At least Santino had the whole Honkey Tonkey thing going during the later part of his reign. If anything his reign brought back some attention that the belt did need. So now we shall wait and see what the new champ does with it. My hopeful thought is that it wont fade back out of the picture.

 

[mccannman]

im aculy a fan of santino but only for his mic skills,lets face it the guys ring skills are limited at best,hes only in wwe for entertianment purposes,he shouldnt be getting belts he would just as popular without them. personally i dont know how he can be happy with his career hes made into such a joke as a wrestler but i guess hes just happy being famous and making the money mone yaya