Has money in the bank made the world title a joke

[Blade]

Not really. The fact that people seem to put so much into how the title was won rather than how the title reign is kept is really annoying. It really shouldn't matter than much how the MitB was one. It has been won in ridiculous ways. But winning the title does not a title reign make.

Jack Swagger cashed in on an injured Jericho. Ok, he's world champion. But if he goes on to beat Randy Orton, Edge, John Cena, Batista and Triple H clean, then would anyone give two shits about how he won it? No, because the title reign would be so epic.

Rey Mysterio won the title clean. At fucking Wrestlemania. He beat Kurt Angle, one of the biggest stars in WWE at the time, and Orton, who was like the prodigy. He then proceeded to lose to everyone except JBL. Mysterio couldn't even beat Sabu.

THAT is what makes the world title a joke. How the title is won doesn't mean anything.

 

[Slim Pickns]

I don't think MITB counts as hot potato for the World Title in the same way WCW did to devalue their title. MITB establishes that concept right off the bat. The build up to the match stresses how important it is to be able to take advantage of a champion and pin them while they are hurt. The announcers and officials flat out say that the winner will take the title out of nowhere. I think that adds excitement to the product and the title in general as you never know when the briefcase holder will cash in his shot. Also, they do have to win a match to earn this honor. Its not as much as a hotshot as some random midcarder all the sudden fighting for the title.

The problem with MITB this year is that it was used as a way to push a guy with talent that the WWE screwed up with last year. They wanted Swagger as a top guy but killed his momentum for no apparent reason. Then all the sudden a guy who never wins is World Champ. I agree with whoever stated that it doesn't matter anymore that he beat Orton, but it still would have been better to have him a little more established beforehand.

Another opportunity they miss with MITB is to switch up the way it is used after there is a winner. Punk, Swagger, and Edge came out of nowhere and won. It would be great if while they were holding the briefcase throughout the year champions like Jericho would express concern going into or after matches that the MITB holder was going to jump them. The last two years the briefcase was never mentioned unless the holder was on screen.

 

[TempestH]

MITB doesn't make the World Title look bad, but the creative team makes the MITB winners look bad with bad booking.

Edge's entire heel character is based on his first MITB win, and every title reign Edge has had except for his second WWE Championship, was won by Edge "swooping in and taking the title by surprise."

CM Punk was still treated like a midcarder during his first MITB cash in/World Title reign. Also, his win, defenses, and loss of that title were nothing more than plot devices to move everyone else's storylines along, as seen with Batista beating up Edge, Kane going psycho yet again, the unofficial formation of Legacy, and Punk dropping the title to Jericho

Punk's second title reign was no better, as he won it from Jeff Hardy, who despite being entertaining, may not be seen by everyone as a main eventer, and was buried by Undertaker.

Swagger does have the potential to be a good main eventer, but they can't just job him out to the top stars every week.

 

[Poop Master Flex]

I certainly do not think so. Its not really the MITB match that makes the World Title a joke its the way the briefcase is being booked that makes the World Title look more of a joke (although I don't think "joke" is the correct term, more like it lost a lot of its prestige). Not only that there have been a couple of instances where they put the title on someone too soon (CM punk the first time he won MITB, Jack Swagger) as in these cases it made the title seem a little "jokey", especially since both guys were/are no where near the level they needed to be in order to be considered a serious world champ. At the same time MITB has been handled extremely well (Edge, RVD, Punk the second time around) in some cases and for that reason the MITB hasn't made the World Title look like a joke.

Its not the match (or briefcase) that diminishes the prestige of the World Title, its the way the booking is being handled in regards to it. Frankly, I hope the next MITB winner loses his title shot as it will bring a whole new dynamic to the briefcase, its stupid to have EVERY MITB winner successfully cash in their title match as it loses a lot of the surprise and unpredictability to the briefcase. If the MITB winner isn't ready to become world champion when he has the briefcase, then he shouldn't win the title. The MITB should be a CHANCE at the world title, not a GUARANTEE.

 

[3/4 Facelock]

No it does not.

Winner of MITB has to beat 6+ guys at once in a very dangerous match. AT WRESTLEMANIA. So no. It does not cheapen the belt.

Rumble winner gets a title shot if they win whether they enter 1 or 30.

KotR participants had to defeat multiple opponents in 1 nights to win a title shot.

Please remember that if you disagree with a particular storyline or whom the belt is on, it is not the WWE or "Vince" thinking you are stupid. They are a business and they have $$$ invested in their wrestlers. This is stage combat theater. This is not 1920's style shoot style 5 hour matches. This is ENTERTAINMENT.

MITB is a showcase for top mid-card talent. This way you can check out the next guy moving up for a main event push.

You want to see a joke title? Check out TNA where the fans and the IWC can vote to see who's next in line. That's a joke of a world title and a slap in the face to the bookers, writers, and wrestlers. That's what I think when I hear joke and title in the same sentence. Not WWE. They have done an amazing job progressing the company and cultivating new talent for the new era/generation.

 

[darbare]

i personally like the idea of the mitb...but you guys are all right saying that it has been devalued somewhat....i think the reason everyone forgets is why swagger won it in the first place....hbk had just retired after mania 26...triple h has now been on a part time role like undertaker whos only had one match since mania.....they need stars....i think when edge won it there was a need for him in the main event adding the fact that he also worked his ass off to get there....who else hadnt cena beat by then? hell he beat masters carlito kane kurt and others over the past year...there was virtually no one else for him to face: enter Edge. same thing for when he won it the second time...there was no one on smackdown worthy of top heel..they sure werent gonna give it to mark henry....undertaker was injured anyway, and batista was face then......sad but the reality of punks first cash in was unfortunate because cena vs batista was the whole centerpiece by the time summerslam rolled around so he was only an afterthought....it worked for him the second time cuz smackdown lacked main eventers last year...it was only he, jeff, edge and jericho.....once taker came back so did the politics....it wasnt punks fault....just give swagger time

 

[darqknyt]

The problem's has been the that way it has been consistently cashed in over the years.With the exception of RVD's choice of ECW O.N.S, this whole "suprise attack" thing doesnt necessarily make the World Title look cheap, but rather, the new World Champion look like a joke.When Edge did it, it made sense 'cause it was in-line with his Ultimate Opportunist tag, and its was damage control 'cause of Kennedy & Taker's injuries(2007) The only reason he's 2005/6 cashing-in went over with the audience was because we were sick of Cena.If he had cashed in on HBKor Kurt Angle,he would have got "Swagger-Heat". CM Punk also struggled in '08 for the same reason.He was saved by the fact that we were also happy to see a divergence fromm the HHH/ Cena /RKO snoozefest that had engulfed RAW.But when he was being roughed up by Batista, fans wouldn't really get behind him.2009 was the same, but it was the point.They had the Hardy /Punk fued in mind.

The problem with Swagger was that it was too soon after 'Mania to pull such a move.Unlike Punk & RVD, there was no fan movement to see him become champ a.s.a.p. We knew he was good, but not good enough to beat Y2J & Edge.Even when Punk first became champ, they had to put Batista vs. Cena as the Raw mainevent at SummerSlam( & yanked the title & gave it to Jericho at Unforgiven) 'cause the recognised he didnt have the momentum to be considered the "face of a brand".But I don't think the WHC title was diminished in anyway.

However, Swagger maybe the first MITB winner to adversely affect a world title reputation,not in the sense that he isn't a good enough wrestler to have one it ( MITB or not) but because of fan resentment, & people thinking that the WWE doesnt care about the WHC to have put it on Jack the way they did.

 

[TempestH]

Its not the match (or briefcase) that diminishes the prestige of the World Title, its the way the booking is being handled in regards to it. Frankly, I hope the next MITB winner loses his title shot as it will bring a whole new dynamic to the briefcase, its stupid to have EVERY MITB winner successfully cash in their title match as it loses a lot of the surprise and unpredictability to the briefcase. If the MITB winner isn't ready to become world champion when he has the briefcase, then he shouldn't win the title. The MITB should be a CHANCE at the world title, not a GUARANTEE.

I think someone mentioned this earlier. but the concept of MITB, is to create new stars.

When Swagger won the MITB, I assumed that he would cash it in and lose, and that when he tried to cash it on Cena that he would immediately be scooped up, wham! Attitude Adjustment, STF, tap out, and then wished well in his future endeavors.

But think about this, if the MITB winner tried to cash his briefcase, and the champion hit his finisher immediately when the bell rang (i.e. Orton hitting the RKO out of nowhere), it not only makes the winner look weak. It makes the other participants in the MITB match look even weaker, because they lost to the guy who couldn't last 5 seconds against the champion.

 

[SHAYAN_CENA_Y2J]

No , it didn't make it a joke , because it already was.

The WWE world titles meant to be something someday.I don't know if you have read Bret Hart's book , But the way Bret talks about champions at his days , it shows that they really were no.1.Champions were backstage leaders and they travel by their own exclusive flights.They also always had a long first-run with belt.

What about now?Can you imagine Swagger or even Edge as backstage leaders , or can you imagine Swagger having his own charter flight and Orton or HHH be in the same flight with Yushi Tatso?We are far from the days we could really call a champion a real champion,

Back to topic , I think if we are gonna have 12 different person holding titles in same year , MITB is just an excellent way to rise the excitement.

But i think something is wrong about that.I think they shouldn't use MITB to push younger wrestlers.In history , Wrestler's firs title win is also a huge and dramatic moment.They usually got to title after a long and full of up and downs journey.But Nowadays , WWE is killing that very moment.I think Swagger deserved to win his first title in a major PPV and cleanly , not in a way that even Santino can become champ.This guy in public's eyes is not a credile champion , he's just a fluke.

I think they should give MITB to 2 type of people : 1-People who are not supposed to win title in their career , so give it to them and make them lose after cashing.(e.g Shelton Benjamin) 2- People who WWE thinks can hold the title , but they never can look credible in fans' eyes(e.g Drew McIntyre).

I think most of the posters agree with the fact that RVD's cash was the most memorable.He WAS credible and it wasn't a big failure.But i can say Edge's and Punk's first time were failures , and next time didn't have the big feeling.Only a OMG moment.