Idea to unify WWE and World Championships

[Rjw2688]

I believe like most people, that there should only be One Main tittle in the WWE. With a lot of superstars jumping back and forth on Smackdown and Raw and the rumors of the brand splits being done especially with John Laurinaitis running both shows, I believe that WWE may finally be on track to unify the belts. This is my idea of how they should do it.

Have Punk and Jericho both win at Over the Limit. This can have Jericho's return not be wasted and can pick up on the best of the world/ end of the world as we know it angle. Jericho can start running at the mouth of how his win of the WHC proves he is the best. Which can make for a Unify title match at say No Way Out or Money In The Bank. I know Jericho will be leaving sometime around Sumer Slam but WWE still has enough time to make that storyline work and not waste Jericho's return. I say have them fight at No Way Out and have Jericho win to unify the titles. Proving that it is indeed the end of the world as we know it...

Also a way they can have Jericho lose the tittle and write him off to leave the WWE this time is to have Lesner come in and destroy him. I know heel on heels are rarely ever used but if Lesner is going to legitimize the WWE he needs to destroy that locker room, faces and heels. He can beat down Jericho so bad that he leaves the WWE again which can start a monstrous reign by Brock. You can even do a triple threat with Brock Y2J and Punk at this point so its not just Heel vs Heel

Thought and Ideas? Do you think its possible that WWE could Unify the belts this way?

 

[Jack-Hammer]

Firstly, all in all, I don't see Jericho's return as being wasted at all. His program with Punk was overshadowed by Cena vs. Rock because, quite frankly, Rock & Cena are both bigger stars than Punk and Jericho at this time. It got more attention because it was the bigger money match. I know that people are in a rush for WWE to declare CM Punk the face of WWE but it's not going to happen overnight. Cena has shown night after night, week after week, month after month and year after year why he's the top guy in WWE. I'm not saying that Punk can't be, but it'll take a good amount of time. Cena didn't become THE guy in a few months or even a couple of years. I think that Punk & Jericho have delivered an overall solid program that's given us some legitimate match of the year candidates. I agree that it wasn't an epic feud that set new standards for feuds like some hoped, no matter how unrealistic some of those visions might have been, but Jericho's return certainly hasn't been "a waste". It's resulted in some fantastic matches with Punk and now Jericho is helping to put some life into the WHC picture because, let's face it, Del Rio can't get it done on his own right now.

It's an interesting idea for unifying the titles, but that's probably not gonna happen anytime soon. It's true that the brand exclusivity aspect of WWE is virtually dead right now. There's even been serious talks of not even doing the WWE Draft because, realistically, it serves no real purpose now. If WWE is going to unify the titles, I don't see it happening unless it takes place at a WrestleMania. I do think that it will happen at some point down the line, but not anytime soon. Taking the title off Sheamus right now probably isn't in the cards either. While I'm not into Sheamus as a face nearly as much as I am when he's a heel, Sheamus still does good work. He works hard and he's certainly shown over the past few years that he belongs in the main event spot. If anything, I see the match next Sunday as a prelude to a Sheamus vs. Orton feud that will culminate at SummerSlam.

 

[Ol'Canucklehead]

Jericho unifying the titles....I don't think that has ever happened before...oh wait it did. Completely unoriginal idea. I think the brand split may come back again seeing as though there will be a draft soon. After Big Johnny Laryngitis gets fired and there are new GM's in place. I am however not against unifying the titles but it needs to be done right. Unfortunately I don't see it in anything other then another tournament or something cheesy like Rock/Cena II at next years Mania with each holding a title.

 

[2Sweet_4Life]

I think they should just make raw 3 hours and have SD! a 1 1/2 hour supporting show like in the atttitude era. Then i would have Y2J beat sheamus, Then Y2J vs Punk III- Punk wins and redesigns the belt like he promised and Y2J leaves for a bit and punk goes over to signify him as the 'guy'.

 

[HeartStingerJericho]

Even if they don't end the brand extension, the two titles need to be unified. I am a fan of a brand split simply because it gives WWE reason to bring up more talent and it creates more jobs, in theory anyway. I hope there is no draft this year and that somewhere along the line Lesnar win the World Heavyweight at Survivor Series and The Rock win the WWE Title at the Royal Rumble ppv. Then have the stipulation where everyone, including Champions can enter the Rumble. Have Lesnar win that and then challenge The Rock at Wrestlemania, have it title for title. That would be the money match. I know that they don't need the titles but to have the titles be the reason these two titans fight would make the belts mean something.

That said, I think that the main titles are the only ones that should be unified if they continue with the brand extension. Let the IC and U.S. titles be the brand champions to give them credibility once again.

 

[JaceEvans]

I guess I'm on a island here with my opinion of how the two titles should stay separate.

There's just more reasons to have the two titles I mean the WHC is obviously the "B" title we all know that, but it's still useful as a means of building up superstars who are not yet ready for the WWE "A" title, plus it also gives wwe superstars something to feud with, just imagine no WHC title and a main event so crowded that only the top few draws would get a push.

I'm also in favor of the brand split, I like the idea of two shows, I of course like many would wish that Smackdown be live and three hours to put it on par with Raw but it's not completely necessary. So in short no I don't believe that wwe would unify the titles because it just doesn't make sense.

 

[RKO920]

I agree with the fact that Jericho's run hasn't been a waste but what I disagree with is the notion that the titles need to be unified. They don't. Having two titles has helped create more main event players then there would have been if there was just the WWE Title. If there's only one title then you can bet the same rotation of guys will be in the title picture. CM Punk, Cena, Orton, Jericho (til he leaves), Lesnar (when he's around), Sheamus, and Del Rio. After that you lose guys like Ziggler, Daniel Bryan, Mark Henry, and keep a guy like Cody Rhodes down in the midcard level for a lot longer than he should be down there.

The "Brand Extension" isn't exactly dead its just that Smackdown superstars are featured on Raw because they figure the more stars they have on Raw every week the higher the ratings, which isn't necessarily the case. Smackdown may get visits from Punk, Jericho, and a few other Raw stars but for the most part Smackdown is left alone as its own show. Unless you're gonna tell me that the shows will stay separate if theres a unified title then I'd be ok with that. In that case there would be a greater emphasis on number 1 contender matchups at PPVs you would know title matchups at least a month in advance instead of 2 weeks before.

 

[WRESTLING_GENIUS]

I disagree with Jericho winning the unifed belt, if anyone should win the unified titles its Punk, and it shouldnt happen til Wrestlemania 30 as I rhink by then we will be in a new age of Superstars and when i say this there will be no more H.H.H, Undertaker, Chris Jericho, HBK, Brock, The Rock, Austin, and even Cena will be limited at this time, meaning after 30 we will have one title and new faces fighting for that title, and more actual wrestling then entertainment, good idea though but the titles aint getting unified for 2 more yrs, giving time for guys like Dolph, Wade, Jack, Cody, Ted, Tyson, Brodus, SinCara(if he stays around) and others to get p in the main event before everyone is gone forever...

 

[IHW]

John Cena should become WWE Champion soon. Randy Orton should become World Champion at OTL. Then, Jericho should beat them both on the same night to become the Undisputed Champion! He could beat the companies top 2 guys, just like before. Just think, during all Jericho's future returns, he can brag about beating Rock and Austin and beating Cena and Orton!

Yeah, but seriously, I not against having two main titles. When you have as much time and superstars as WWE has, it doesn't hurt to have two big time titles.

 

[ProWrestlingFan]

WWE should not unify the World Heavyweight Championship and WWE Championship. Two world titles are better than one.

If they unify the titles many guys the IWC loves will never be World Champions.

 

[trashboy]

There's just more reasons to have the two titles I mean the WHC is obviously the "B" title we all know that, but it's still useful as a means of building up superstars who are not yet ready for the WWE "A" title, plus it also gives wwe superstars something to feud with, just imagine no WHC title and a main event so crowded that only the top few draws would get a push.

yeah, but isn't that what the midcard titles are for, IC, US, whatever? They're used for guys that aren't quite ready for the world title. Then eventually those guys do jump up there and get that title.

They seriously do need to unify the belts. I've never been a fan of the two world titles, since it's one company, it only needs one world champ, one tag champs, and one women's champ. Luckily they've already unified the tag and women's titles. Now the world titles need it.

They can have the world champ go between each shows, if they keep the shows separated. Still keep the midcard titles for the people that aren't going for the world title just yet. There's plenty of belts to go around. Since there's been two world titles, too many people have become a world champ way too quickly.

 

[BenChillin]

Jericho's obviously going to win, and he's going to feud with Sheamus.

They are not going to unify the titles.

Your imagination is not going to become a reality.

 

[DeathClutch]

It's a cluster fuck with two world titles, personally I'd like to have seen Punk/Bryan unify them, but realistically I could see Punk/Jericho or Sheamus/Punk and the winner dropping the belt(s) to Lesnar leading up to WrestleMania 29 with either Taker or Rock coming back to take the belts off the 'bully'.

 

[vinnie mac]

Unifying the titles could be a great idea a) because it eliminates the cluster of two world titles and adds legitimacy back to the wwe title once more and b) because it would lead to greater importance being put on the midcard titles. Remember when the intercontinental title was highly coveted and taken seriously by the wwe? I for one would love to see a return to those days, hell it could even lead to this generations next collosal feud between two giant superstars such as the warrior hogan feud. Imagine the idea of someone like rhodes or ziggler coming after punk or bryan with the ic title to face them for the wwe title, with the feud culminating in a massve match at wrestlemania? It would be absolutly incredible, and i for one would definitly pay to watch this over another part timer mania.

 

[Uncle Sam]

I have a question. A maths question.

Which is greater - one world champion or two world champions?

Of course, you can argue it's not that simple. Maybe a unified belt would be just that prestigious, would elevate its holder just that much more that it's preferable to two belts. But I just don't see it.

There might not be two brands anymore, in a strict sense, but I think there's still a deep enough roster for there to always be good competition for the belts. There's depths which WWE are yet to tap.

Bring back Bob Holly.

 

[Why Always Me]

I don't often get personal in my posts, but for everybody who wants to keep two World titles, you are all idiots.

In one wrestling company, there should only be one World champion.

In the Attitude Era, you didn't have Stone Cold, Undertaker, Mic Foley and Big Show going after the WWF Title and The Rock, Triple H, Kane and Chris Jericho going for the World Title. No, there was one champion. Yes WCW was around but it was like TNA is now, dire.

People say Cody Rhodes, Dolph Ziggler and Wade Barrett would not get a chance to be a World champion if there was only one World title, please STFU!! A little title which used to be used for guys right on the cusp of the main event was the Intercontinental Title, a title that mian evented Wrestlemania 6 and Summerslam 92, a title that at times was considered more prestigious then the WWF title.

Dolph Zoggler right now is NOT WWE championship material. Cody Rhodes right now is not World champion material, and they don't need to be. With one title your main competitors would be CM Punk, Daniel Bryan, John Cena, Randy Orton, Chris Jericho, Sheamus and Alberto Del Rio, Jericho, Sheamus and Del Rio would also not lose any steam going for the IC title in a division that should be headed by The Miz (someone else who could use that title to get some steam back), Christian, Ziggler, Rhodes, Big Show and Wade Barrett. Use the US title like the European title used to be used, for guys like Santino, Ryder, Justin Gabriel, Kofi (maybe cud go for IC belt too), R Truth, Tyson Kidd etc, the up and comers.

In a few years when CM Punk, John Cena, Chris Jericho and Randy Orton are winding down THEN Dolph Ziggler, Wade Barrett and Cody Rhodes step up and become WWE Champion. At this time, would seeing Dolph Ziggler v Cody Rhodes for the WWE Title make you want to buy it, or would say CM Punk v Daniel Bryan sell tickets? CM Punk v Randy Orton? Randy Orton v John Cena? What is more likely to sell tickets at this time? If Rhodes, Barrett and Ziggler are built up properly then in a couple of years time they will be the big stars.

Look at Stone Cold, The Rock and Triple H. They were IC champions and/or King Of The Rings (save The Rock) a good couple of years before they went to the top of the tree. People nowadays want **INSERT FAVOURITE MIDCARDER** to be pushed ASAP, let the stars of tomorrow fine tune the skills needed to be the next big things before tomorrow comes. One WWE World title is EXACTLY what is needed now and I will fight anyone who disagrees

 

[RKO920]

I don't often get personal in my posts, but for everybody who wants to keep two World titles, you are all idiots.

In one wrestling company, there should only be one World champion.

In the Attitude Era, you didn't have Stone Cold, Undertaker, Mic Foley and Big Show going after the WWF Title and The Rock, Triple H, Kane and Chris Jericho going for the World Title. No, there was one champion. Yes WCW was around but it was like TNA is now, dire.

People say Cody Rhodes, Dolph Ziggler and Wade Barrett would not get a chance to be a World champion if there was only one World title, please STFU!! A little title which used to be used for guys right on the cusp of the main event was the Intercontinental Title, a title that mian evented Wrestlemania 6 and Summerslam 92, a title that at times was considered more prestigious then the WWF title.

Dolph Zoggler right now is NOT WWE championship material. Cody Rhodes right now is not World champion material, and they don't need to be. With one title your main competitors would be CM Punk, Daniel Bryan, John Cena, Randy Orton, Chris Jericho, Sheamus and Alberto Del Rio, Jericho, Sheamus and Del Rio would also not lose any steam going for the IC title in a division that should be headed by The Miz (someone else who could use that title to get some steam back), Christian, Ziggler, Rhodes, Big Show and Wade Barrett. Use the US title like the European title used to be used, for guys like Santino, Ryder, Justin Gabriel, Kofi (maybe cud go for IC belt too), R Truth, Tyson Kidd etc, the up and comers.

In a few years when CM Punk, John Cena, Chris Jericho and Randy Orton are winding down THEN Dolph Ziggler, Wade Barrett and Cody Rhodes step up and become WWE Champion. At this time, would seeing Dolph Ziggler v Cody Rhodes for the WWE Title make you want to buy it, or would say CM Punk v Daniel Bryan sell tickets? CM Punk v Randy Orton? Randy Orton v John Cena? What is more likely to sell tickets at this time? If Rhodes, Barrett and Ziggler are built up properly then in a couple of years time they will be the big stars.

Look at Stone Cold, The Rock and Triple H. They were IC champions and/or King Of The Rings (save The Rock) a good couple of years before they went to the top of the tree. People nowadays want **INSERT FAVOURITE MIDCARDER** to be pushed ASAP, let the stars of tomorrow fine tune the skills needed to be the next big things before tomorrow comes. One WWE World title is EXACTLY what is needed now and I will fight anyone who disagrees

Let's start with Wrestlemania 6, yes the main event had the IC Title in it but it was Ultimate Warrior (IC Champ) vs Hulk Hogan (WWE Champ) Title vs Title so while it was part of the match the grand prize was the WWE Title. Warrior didn't even keep the IC Title after he won the WWE Title. Summerslam 92 I will give you the title did main event that particular card, but only because Davy Boy Smith was in his home country taking on Bret Hart, if that match happened anywhere else in the world it would not have been the main event. It still would have been a great match but it wouldn't have had the same effect if it was in Newark, NJ as it did in England.

Ziggler may be the number 3 worker in ring in the WWE right now behind Punk and Bryan, he's great on the mic, and gets a reaction every time. I would much rather see him in the title picture over a guy like Del Rio or even Sheamus, who I do like but Ziggler has been around and taken the road to stardom.

Sure in the Attitude Era there were the main guys that all went after the WWE title, but that was a different time. When WCW was purchased and ECW was absorbed the roster became huge, in comparison to the Attitude Era it is still a very large roster. You need the second show and a second title to showcase all of these superstars. While the World Heavyweight Title may be considered the "B" title look at those who held it and tell me they are "B" superstars. Guys like Edge, Undertaker, Batista, Triple H, John Cena, Shawn Michaels, and Randy Orton all have been World Heavyweight Champion. During a lot of those World Heavyweight Championship runs look who was WWE Champion. Guys like Eddie Guerrero, JBL, and Rob Van Dam. If there is no second title great wrestlers such as these do not even sniff the title picture and are stuck being midcarders for life and we may not speak of how great Eddie Guerrero was or how JBL had a long title run on Smackdown.

So while you may not like having a two title system in the long run it has helped build a lot of stars who otherwise may have never been heard from or if they did maybe years after their prime and missed out on some great matches.

 

[The Idiot]

WWE should not unify the World Heavyweight Championship and WWE Championship. Two world titles are better than one.

If they unify the titles many guys the IWC loves will never be World Champions.

I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and say that was a sarcastic post.

Not only do they need to unify the world titles, but they need to unify the IC and US titles as well. Something of this magnitude should happen at Mania. CM Punk vs Daniel Bryan. Of course if they bring Austin back for Mania then have the unification match at SummerSlam.

 

[Y2J__Y2J]

I had a thought yesterday that Lesnar would somehow get involved in the WHC match and wins it, with Daniel Bryan beating Punk. It's a way to get a title on Lesnar (as he appears on Raw) and having a title on Bryan (he appears on Raw and Smackdown) without having Lesnar beat Punk.

 

[whoopin' ass]

WWE should not unify the World Heavyweight Championship and WWE Championship. Two world titles are better than one.

but what is the top title then? why should someone go for the wwe title over the world title? for that matter, why should someone go for the wwe/world title over the IC/US title? the titles have become watered down because the top title depends on who is being pushed - the person is important, not the title. that`s why we have number one contenders for each title that were challenging for the other one just a month ago. how does that make them important? so you can`t win one, no big deal - just challenge for the other one. unify the wwe and world title and leave the IC and US titles separate. it gives you one main title which is the best in the company and then a couple secondary ones for your up and commers and for your established guys to hold. it drove me nuts during the Orton/Rhodes feud that never once did Orton challenge him for the IC title. i thought the ultimate revenge was taking the title from someone. if that was the world title, there would have been match after match for it.

if you want to unify them, you need to make it a big deal and someone other than Cena, Orton, Jericho and Punk need to win it(a Del Rio or Sheamus, even Miz). these guys are established so winning the undisputed or unified title isn`t a big deal, just another credit on their resume. think back to when Jericho won. would it have been such a big deal if Rock or Austin won instead? best way to do it: make it a huge tournament. make some excuse to strip both champs of their titles (one is suspended, one is injured so they can not defend their titles) and then say because of this, the titles are being unified and there will be a huge tournament taking place over several weeks(the key word being several, not like that wwe title tournament when Punk left) where the ultimate winner will become the new champ. partway through you can bring the old champs back in and include them but have it so every match on both shows count - you win, you move on. it gives the illusion that anyone in the company can win and gives people a reason to watch a Ryder vs Santino type match. eventually you get down to just a couple guys and those two go for the unified title. simple, straightforward idea and you can get a lot of millage out of it. and it does not have to all be in tv. you could put a Punk vs Sheamus match on a ppv with the winner moving on. but in the end, being the unified champ is the goal, you do not need some over the top storyline that overshadows that.

 

[ultramattman]

Again, no idea why so many people want to eliminate a perfectly good World Heavyweight Championship just to elevate the midcard titles. Why bother? Isn't the WHC good enough as a #2 belt? It's certainly a hell of a lot more credible than the current limp version of the IC or US titles. So why are THOSE the ones you want to keep? Rather than sacrifice a strong belt to elevate a weak one, why not just keep the strong belt???

I'd unify the midcard belts, if anything. Eliminate the beyond-pointless U.S. Title and have a midcard champion that floats between brands like the tag champs do. Keep WWE and WHC titles to drive their respective shows.

 

[Why Always Me]

Let's start with Wrestlemania 6, yes the main event had the IC Title in it but it was Ultimate Warrior (IC Champ) vs Hulk Hogan (WWE Champ) Title vs Title so while it was part of the match the grand prize was the WWE Title. Warrior didn't even keep the IC Title after he won the WWE Title. Summerslam 92 I will give you the title did main event that particular card, but only because Davy Boy Smith was in his home country taking on Bret Hart, if that match happened anywhere else in the world it would not have been the main event. It still would have been a great match but it wouldn't have had the same effect if it was in Newark, NJ as it did in England.

Ziggler may be the number 3 worker in ring in the WWE right now behind Punk and Bryan, he's great on the mic, and gets a reaction every time. I would much rather see him in the title picture over a guy like Del Rio or even Sheamus, who I do like but Ziggler has been around and taken the road to stardom.

Sure in the Attitude Era there were the main guys that all went after the WWE title, but that was a different time. When WCW was purchased and ECW was absorbed the roster became huge, in comparison to the Attitude Era it is still a very large roster. You need the second show and a second title to showcase all of these superstars. While the World Heavyweight Title may be considered the "B" title look at those who held it and tell me they are "B" superstars. Guys like Edge, Undertaker, Batista, Triple H, John Cena, Shawn Michaels, and Randy Orton all have been World Heavyweight Champion. During a lot of those World Heavyweight Championship runs look who was WWE Champion. Guys like Eddie Guerrero, JBL, and Rob Van Dam. If there is no second title great wrestlers such as these do not even sniff the title picture and are stuck being midcarders for life and we may not speak of how great Eddie Guerrero was or how JBL had a long title run on Smackdown.

So while you may not like having a two title system in the long run it has helped build a lot of stars who otherwise may have never been heard from or if they did maybe years after their prime and missed out on some great matches.

The point I was trying to make was that the Intercontinental title should be the stepping stone to being a WWE Champion. Having the World title has a stepping stone devalues the World title.

The World title should be the top prize in a company, not the joint top prize or a stepping stone to the WWE title. Once again, 12 years ago people were not saying lets create a second WWF World title so that Chris Jericho, Kurt Angle, Eddie Guerrero and CHris Benoit could become World champions. No, The Rock, Triple H and Stone Cold were WWF champin whilst Jericho, Angle, Guerrero and Benoit were fighting over the Intercontinental title and even the European title. Guys do not need to to be rushed into a World title reign, Scott Hall, Mr Perfect, Rick Rude and Roddy Piper were IC champions and yet were massive parts of the WWF back in the day.

Everyone nowadays sees someone with a bit of potential and then wants them to be a World champion straight away. Surely if Dolph Ziggler won the WWE championship it would mean more if there was only one version of a WWE World title. With a lot of people on here, we may as well bring back the ECW title so that Rhodes, Ziggler and Christain can ALL be champion.

Quote from Ric Flair, one great company, one great champion.

Quote from Stone Cold Steve Austin, if you are not hear to be the champion, then you got no business being here.

Two of the best ever hammering home the importance of being champion and having just one World title. Both titles now do not mean as much as they should, when was the last time a ppv was main evented by a title match? October? Two of the last 3 Wrestlemania's have had a non title match close the show, the last 2 manias have had a World title match open the show, meaning winning the Royal Rumble means jack now.

People have had 2 World titles in the WWE for ten years now, and think its an easy way to get **INSERT FAVOURITE WRESTLER** as a World champion. Like I have said, Ziggler and Rhodes are not yet ready to be champions, this is why the Intercontinental title is there, it should be used to make guys ready for the WWE Title, like it was for Bret Hart, Stone Cold, Triple H, The Rock, Chris Jericho, Kurt Angle, Ultimate Warrior, Shawn Michaels etc.

Like I said, ANYONE on here who wants to debate this with me, bring it on

 

[theBec2101]

Its funny how people say it wont work or its a bad idea. It worked well in the attitude era. They has more stars then to. I think it would work and then a littlel down the road bring another title back. Kinda switch it up. I honestly would of liked the idea of jericho comming back and fueding with both Punk and Bryan, stating in the video packages that either of them wernt worthy. And at WrestleMania they would of had a triple threat for the Unification of the title. Wouldnt of really cared who would of won it. I think it would of been a 100% better then Bryan jobbing out in 18 sec. Then somewhere down the line in another storyline bring back. They could of had Punk win at mania for the unify belts and they want a rematch at a ppv and Jericho does the Walls and DB does the Yes-lock at the sametime and Punk taps out and they split the titles caus there was no clear cut winner. If only creative would do somework, and develope better storylines.

 

[ultramattman]

Like I said, ANYONE on here who wants to debate this with me, bring it on

All right, I'll bite.

The point I was trying to make was that the Intercontinental title should be the stepping stone to being a WWE Champion. Having the World title has a stepping stone devalues the World title.

The World title should be the top prize in a company, not the joint top prize or a stepping stone to the WWE title.

- It does devalue the WHC somewhat, insofar as it's clearly a step below the WWE title. The WHC is definitely no longer the top prize. But is that a reason to just toss out the title entirely? The WHC is devalued slightly when compared to the WWE title, but it's still a very strong belt and a HELL of a lot stronger than the IC and US belts.

The Rock, Triple H and Stone Cold were WWF champin whilst Jericho, Angle, Guerrero and Benoit were fighting over the Intercontinental title and even the European title. Guys do not need to to be rushed into a World title reign, Scott Hall, Mr Perfect, Rick Rude and Roddy Piper were IC champions and yet were massive parts of the WWF back in the day.

And nowadays, the exact same thing happens, except with the WHC instead of the IC title. So again, what's the difference?

Both titles now do not mean as much as they should, when was the last time a ppv was main evented by a title match? October? Two of the last 3 Wrestlemania's have had a non title match close the show, the last 2 manias have had a World title match open the show, meaning winning the Royal Rumble means jack now.

I'm in a STRONG minority here, but I have no problem with the WHC match opening Wrestlemania. Why is opening Wrestlemania an insult? Strikes me as one of the most important matches on the card. Now if the WHC was routinely opening PPV's, I'd have a problem. Wrestlemania is different.

As for the Royal Rumble, just because the winner has opened the last two Manias doesn't mean next year's has to. Winning the Royal Rumble will ALWAYS be prestigious.

Like I have said, Ziggler and Rhodes are not yet ready to be champions, this is why the Intercontinental title is there, it should be used to make guys ready for the WWE Title, like it was for Bret Hart, Stone Cold, Triple H, The Rock, Chris Jericho, Kurt Angle, Ultimate Warrior, Shawn Michaels etc.

Cody Rhodes has not yet held the WHC. Neither did Dolph, really. Both held the IC title for long runs. But again, what does it matter if the WHC or IC titles are used for this 'stepping stone' purpose? Why is the IC the 'right' belt to use as a stepping stone? Couldn't either belt do the job just as well?

My overall point is that the WHC, these days, is an elevated version of the old IC belt. It's the #2, but it's a stronger #2 than the IC when it was #2, if that makes sense. Personally, I think this is great. Why wouldn't you want your #2 to be as strong as possible? People should be clamoring to unify the midcard titles, not the world titles.

 

[RKO920]

The point I was trying to make was that the Intercontinental title should be the stepping stone to being a WWE Champion. Having the World title has a stepping stone devalues the World title.

The World title should be the top prize in a company, not the joint top prize or a stepping stone to the WWE title. Once again, 12 years ago people were not saying lets create a second WWF World title so that Chris Jericho, Kurt Angle, Eddie Guerrero and CHris Benoit could become World champions. No, The Rock, Triple H and Stone Cold were WWF champin whilst Jericho, Angle, Guerrero and Benoit were fighting over the Intercontinental title and even the European title. Guys do not need to to be rushed into a World title reign, Scott Hall, Mr Perfect, Rick Rude and Roddy Piper were IC champions and yet were massive parts of the WWF back in the day.

Everyone nowadays sees someone with a bit of potential and then wants them to be a World champion straight away. Surely if Dolph Ziggler won the WWE championship it would mean more if there was only one version of a WWE World title. With a lot of people on here, we may as well bring back the ECW title so that Rhodes, Ziggler and Christain can ALL be champion.

Quote from Ric Flair, one great company, one great champion.

Quote from Stone Cold Steve Austin, if you are not hear to be the champion, then you got no business being here.

Two of the best ever hammering home the importance of being champion and having just one World title. Both titles now do not mean as much as they should, when was the last time a ppv was main evented by a title match? October? Two of the last 3 Wrestlemania's have had a non title match close the show, the last 2 manias have had a World title match open the show, meaning winning the Royal Rumble means jack now.

People have had 2 World titles in the WWE for ten years now, and think its an easy way to get **INSERT FAVOURITE WRESTLER** as a World champion. Like I have said, Ziggler and Rhodes are not yet ready to be champions, this is why the Intercontinental title is there, it should be used to make guys ready for the WWE Title, like it was for Bret Hart, Stone Cold, Triple H, The Rock, Chris Jericho, Kurt Angle, Ultimate Warrior, Shawn Michaels etc.

Like I said, ANYONE on here who wants to debate this with me, bring it on

Sure, 12 years ago it was a completely different company with a SMALLER roster. Once the purchase of WCW was complete and the takeover of ECW and you now had this huge roster of talent, what else are you supposed to do? There had to be a roster split and there had to be 2 world titles, of course the WWE Title is more important, it's Vince's title, the WHC was handed to him so it is always going to be secondary. Just like Smackdown is the secondary show to Raw. 12 years ago yes you had some amazing talent on the roster; Austin, Rock, (full time) Undertaker, (full time) Triple H, Kurt Angle, just to name a few. The guys who were capable or even believable to be in the title picture 12 years ago was very small, maybe 7-8 guys. Fast forward 12 years and now you have CM Punk, John Cena, Sheamus, Randy Orton, Alberto Del Rio, The Miz, Daniel Bryan, Chris Jericho, Mark Henry, now even a Lord Tensai who will be in the title picture along with others. The roster is deep and right now given the right story sure I could absolutely believe Dolph Ziggler as a title holder, Cody Rhodes I will give you needs just a little more polishing but he will hold the WHC sometime in 2012.

It's a completely new generation. Razor, Piper, Perfect, and Rick Rude in this generation would have been champions, WHC or WWE Champions? Who knows but they would have been champions because with this roster the cream rises to the top, the guys who work the best and those who kiss ass get rewarded. The IC and US titles now are given to those who are up and coming as their first taste of what it is like in the big time to see if they can carry the load. Gone are the days where the IC title went to the guy who was "next in line" or the guy who "would steal the show."

I watched the Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart Rivals DVD, in it they both talked about the importance of winning the IC title. But that was the 90's this is 2012. You are given a chance if you win the IC title or US title then handed the ball with the WHC and then when you can carry the company on your back you become WWE champion.