Light Heavyweight Championship: the resurrection

[thrilla11]

I watch a lot of the WWE and TNA and I sometimes go through their websites to check out whose on the roster and I've noticed three things:
1) A LOT of wrestlers are underutilized or forgotten about by the creative team (Shelton Benjamin and Carlito to name a few)
2) The TNA X Division is amazing and is the main reason why I watch the program
3) Senshi (Low Ki, Kaval) is on FCW when he should be in the WWE

So I was wondering, why shouldn't the WWE once again have a division that will bring back the high flyers and death defying moves of the 90s era (WWF/WCW)? In 2001, the WWF retired the Light Heavyweight Championship. Why not bring it back. Here are my reasons as to why they should:

1. To counter the TNA X Division Championship
2. To bring back the excitement of the high flying superstar era: WWF/WCW Cruiserweight Championships
3. To give superstars that are underutilized in the WWE exposure and a forum where they can shine and show off their skills
4. To give up and comers a place where they will be noticed before moving on to the WWE/ World Heavyweight Championship scene (Richie Steamboat, Cody Rhodes, Ted Dibiase)

Here are the superstars right now on the WWE roster (alphabetical order) who would compete in the "Light Heavyweight Division". Many of these wrestlers would immediately make an impact and make the division viable and exciting:

Raw: Carlito, Chavo Guerro, Christian, Cody Rhodes, Evan Bourne, Kofi Kingston, The Miz, MVP, Primo, Santino, Ted Dibiase, Yoshi Tatsu, Zack Ryder,
Smackdown: Caylon Croft, Dolph Ziggler, Jimmy Wang Yang, JTG, Ron Killings, Rey Mysterio, Shelton Benjamin, Trent Barreta, Tyson Kidd
NXT: (when they get moved up to the main rosters): Bryan Danielson, Heath Slater, Justin Gabriel
FCW: (when they get moved up to the main rosters): Alberto Banderas, Brett Dibiase, Curt Hawkins, Donnie Marlow, Incognito, Kaval (Low Ki, Senshi), Richie Steamboat

* In order to make the division not all about the cruiserweights I think that they should make the weight limit at 230 instead of 215. This is the reason why I wanted it to be the Light Heavyweight Championship instead of the "Cruiserweight Championship". It would make for better competition, story lines and wrestling styles. Also, allow the Light Heavyweight Championship to be defended on both Raw and Smackdown (in the same way that the Unified Tag Team Championship are) so both rosters can compete.

So what does everyone think? Should the WWE bring back the Light Heavyweight Championship? Why or why not?

*This is my first thread so I'm sorry if I messed up anything or didn't follow protocol.

 

[DirtyJosé]

The only problem I have with the WWE Light Heavyweight title is it's title. I think that if you want to be taken seriously, you avoid titles with the word "light" in them.

Otherwise, I am whole heartedly endorsing this idea. Call it a television title, call it a cruiserweight title, maybe even one for each brand (I kid!). I feel that creative gets lost in angles which never develop fully for one reason or another, and often forget that at the end of the day the best reason to get two guys to want to fight is a belt. Also, since WWE is so over-saturated with superstars, it has just nothing to do with all it's talent. Give these guys something to fight over on Superstars.

 

[ScreaminNormanSmiley]

as much as i do like the idea because it could give some of the smaller and underutilized wrestlers a chance to share in some of the spotlight i am afraid wwe would make the title have little to no importance. just think of the cruiserweight title the last few years it was around, they had some very exiting and talenwed wrestlers in the division but they gave it so little time and nearly no storys so it was hard to keep to much of an invested interest.

with that being said i would still like to see it if done correctly. it would gve some of the smaller wrestlers and the undercard something to do. and it would give them a reason to finally bring up low ki which i have been waiting for what seems like forever

 

[wrestler36]

Funny, I was just thinking about this situation. I think it would be a great idea as it will revitalize alot of guys' careers. People complain about Evan Bourne being jobbed, rightfully so, but Jimmy Wang Yang is SO talented and has been dogged since he's been in the WWE. Daniel Bryan gets a HUGE reaction, but with his size, can he be a viable and realistic threat to people like Taker, Batista, Kane? Mysterio seems like the only cruiserweight who has broken that glass ceiling consistently. If pushed right, the light heavyweight title can be utilized as a PPV draw. It would be cool to have just one belt and maybe do a tournament for each brand to see who fights for the belt. Then that respective brand would have bragging rights for holding the title.

 

[Via Armbar]

If there were more suitable lightweights and not so many titles already, I wouldn't mind them bringing it back. We got rid of the ECW title, a pair of tag titles, and hopefully sooner rather than later we get rid of the Diva's title. It's been pointed out countless times that over saturation of championships both demeans the titles themselves and leaves some ignored and under used. They have a hard time finding meaningful programs for some talented wrestlers as it is, if you add more titles you have to mainten them with angles and feuds. Wrestlers that aren't involved in those title pictures have to fight even harder for television time now. It's not like the new titles would help the champion by being carried by them because there's nothing special about carrying one out of a 20 titles. The fewer champions, the more meaningful they are.

The talent pool for a lightweight division isn't deep enough right now. They could always bring in more talent, but like I said then you have a great deal less time for more important performers and angles. Most people will always have a nostalgic fondness for the cruiserweight division of yore, but it's a different game in the WWE right now and it doesn't fit with the current product.

 

[shooter_mcgavin]

I would say no ... from work and through reading the thing I learned is that you should focus what you are a good at and the greatness of companies capitalize on their strengths. Let's face it the WWE is terrible at handling lightweights and if the WWE does not have the ability to create a compelling division out of it, might as well not do it.

Even when they had a good roster in Smackdown! the WWE never managed for people to care about the Criuserweight Title except if the rivalry involves Chavao and Mysterio.

Also thinking about it. Guys like Jeff Hardy, Rey Mysterio and CM Punk are guys who could easily qualify as Light Heavyweights (give or take) yet they managed to become World Champions. I think if we are going to bring a Light Heavyweight Title, would enforce the glass ceiling of smaller wrestlers being World Champions.

 

[thrilla11]

The only problem I have with the WWE Light Heavyweight title is it's title. I think that if you want to be taken seriously, you avoid titles with the word "light" in them.

I don't think using the word "light" would take away from the titles. For some reason the word "cruiserweight" sounds worse. Plus what would it be called? Television? X Division? I just personally think Light Heavyweight sounds better than any of those.

as much as i do like the idea because it could give some of the smaller and underutilized wrestlers a chance to share in some of the spotlight i am afraid wwe would make the title have little to no importance. just think of the cruiserweight title the last few years it was around, they had some very exiting and talenwed wrestlers in the division but they gave it so little time and nearly no storys so it was hard to keep to much of an invested interest.

That's the main worry with everything in wrestling entertainment really: will the creative team actually put effort into the wrestlers let alone the title? If the writers are actually good and interested, they could make this division amazing in my opinion.

Funny, I was just thinking about this situation. I think it would be a great idea as it will revitalize alot of guys' careers. People complain about Evan Bourne being jobbed, rightfully so, but Jimmy Wang Yang is SO talented and has been dogged since he's been in the WWE. Daniel Bryan gets a HUGE reaction, but with his size, can he be a viable and realistic threat to people like Taker, Batista, Kane? Mysterio seems like the only cruiserweight who has broken that glass ceiling consistently. If pushed right, the light heavyweight title can be utilized as a PPV draw.

I agree with everything that you said. Not many wrestlers can realistically be in the same sentence with the Batista's and John Cena's of today. The Light Heavyweight Championship would give all those wrestlers something to actually fight for.

If there were more suitable lightweights and not so many titles already, I wouldn't mind them bringing it back. We got rid of the ECW title, a pair of tag titles, and hopefully sooner rather than later we get rid of the Diva's title.

The talent pool for a lightweight division isn't deep enough right now. They could always bring in more talent, but like I said then you have a great deal less time for more important performers and angles.

There are plenty of suitable lightweights. Plus as i said in the in my original post, I would want the weight maximum to be moved to 230 lbs so as to include more wrestlers, have better story lines and have more styles competing (not just high flyers).

Also I don't think that there are too many titles that the Light Heavyweight Championship would get overshadowed.
Raw: WWE Championship, U.S. Championship, Divas Championship
Smackdown: World Heavyweight Championship, Intercontinental Championship, Woman's Championship
That's 3 each plus the Tag Titles. With the Light Heavyweight Championship being competed for on both shows, that would be 5 each. But not every week do all those titles get fought for. Plus, I feel like so many wrestlers could benefit from this title. I personally think it could work. Maybe unify the divas championship and have only one for both shows? What do you think? OR, maybe have the Light Heavyweight Championship defended on WWE Superstars? That wouldn't take away from Raw or Smackdown. And people would actually watch that show. Thoughts?

 

[DL23]

The Light Heavyweight belt was designed for the smaller guys, After Taka won it, he rarely defended it hell in mid 98 he stopped carrying it to the ring, until Christian won it, which was all fine and good, then they had him drop it to Gillberg, who held it for 15 months and only defended it on the Indy's.

By early 2000 it wasn't relivent, until Malenko joined WWE and creative realized they could try and re-hash the whole division, it worked for all of 3 months max, then died, for thos not around in 2001, it was rumored he was going to face Lita at Mania X7 for the belt and he'd drop it to her, creative changed and he dropped it on an edition of Heat to Crash Holly (The belt changed hands on Heat 3 or 4 times) after Crash it went to Jerry Lynn who had just signed with WWE and they (wwe) fucked up, they had him jobbing to everyone, even editing matches with RVD, then it got mixed between Xpac, Jeff Hardy and Tajiri.

The Cruiser belt was a joke, so IF WWE were to return a belt I'd say Light Heavyweight simply because when it was joined up to the Cruiser the belt meant something.

The amount of guys who'd be able to go for that belt is endless,

Bourne, Kidd, Rey, Punk (not a wise choice but always fun) Christian, Daniel Bryan and the list goes on, thinking about it, I generally thing Vince should consider joining all belts together, and have 4 singles belts and the tag and a Divas belt.

World, IC, LHW and maybe bring back the Hardcore for the Knox, Kane, Big Show, Mark Henry guys who aren't great but gives them an incentive and something go for.

That way your catering to everyone on the card, rather just the big guys and main eventers.

 

[thrilla11]

The fewer champions, the more meaningful they are.

I was just thinking about your post again and I just remembered that there are 5 titles in UFC and all of them are important and all are meaningful.

Heavyweight: Brock Lesnar
Light Heavyweight: Lyoto Machida
Middleweigt: Anderson Silva
Welterweight: Georges St. Pierre
Lightweight: B.J. Penn

Why couldn't the WWE do the same? The women's championship is barely even defended LOL. I feel like it could work.

Also thinking about it. Guys like Jeff Hardy, Rey Mysterio and CM Punk are guys who could easily qualify as Light Heavyweights (give or take) yet they managed to become World Champions. I think if we are going to bring a Light Heavyweight Title, would enforce the glass ceiling of smaller wrestlers being World Champions.

I don't feel like the glass ceiling would be lowered for these wrestlers. MANY wrestlers who management feel like will be immediate superstars in the WWE Championship Division will bypass the lower championships (CM Punk, Shaemus).The Light Heavyweight Championship would cater to everyone under 230 as well as wrestlers not currently in the championship hunt as well as new up and coming wrestlers. If the creative team thinks a wrestler doesn't belong in the division, they won't put him there.

 

[thrilla11]

The Cruiser belt was a joke, so IF WWE were to return a belt I'd say Light Heavyweight simply because when it was joined up to the Cruiser the belt meant something.

The amount of guys who'd be able to go for that belt is endless,

Bourne, Kidd, Rey, Punk (not a wise choice but always fun) Christian, Daniel Bryan and the list goes on, thinking about it, I generally thing Vince should consider joining all belts together, and have 4 singles belts and the tag and a Divas belt.

World, IC, LHW and maybe bring back the Hardcore for the Knox, Kane, Big Show, Mark Henry guys who aren't great but gives them an incentive and something go for.

That way your catering to everyone on the card, rather just the big guys and main eventers

I agree with everything that you said. Although not the entire unifying part. They should keep the WWE and World Heavyweight separate but they should unify the Intercontinental and US. They should definitely unify the Divas Championship but they shouldn't or better yet WOULDN'T bring back the hardcore championship. The WWE is PG. It wouldn't work.

But what do you think of this:

Wrestlemania
Kaval (Low Ki/ Senshi) VS Bryan Danielson for the Light Heavyweight Championship

That would be a wrestling clinic and would be an instant classic.

 

[mister630]

I don't think it would be a good idea. Yes, it's obvious many talented wrestlers are floundering about within the Raw and SmackDown rosters, however I believe creating another belt will simply compound the problem. You can only have so many people feuding over a title, what about the rest of the people? What will they be left doing? Same as they're doing now. Realistically I can see maybe 4 people on Raw going after the title and 4 people on SmackDown going after the title. What about the rest of the people? They'll still be lost in the shuffle.

Another problem I have with this is difference. How is this any different from the IC/US titles? It'll be the same midcarders feuding over the belt. If you want a championship to mean something, there has to be a difference. In the UFC each title means something therefore, each title is worthy of being there. Look at TNA, a fan asked Bischoff what the difference between the World Title and the Global championship is, he said he didn't know. What kind of value does that bring to the "top prize" in the company? NONE. Same thing here. If a wrestler loses when challenging for the IC/US title, they will just go on to fight for the Light-heavyweight (or vice-versa). If they lose, they're nothing more than a glorified jobber, if they win, what kind of prestige will that bring to the title? It will look second rate to the other championship.

The answer isn't more titles. A piece of metal around your waist that don't mean anything won't make you relevant. The answer is in firing people. WWE has too much talent for 5 hours of TV a week. Release some of the undercarders so they can go somewhere else to ply their trade.

 

[NaturallyPricele$$]

I was just thinking about your post again and I just remembered that there are 5 titles in UFC and all of them are important and all are meaningful.

Heavyweight: Brock Lesnar
Light Heavyweight: Lyoto Machida
Middleweigt: Anderson Silva
Welterweight: Georges St. Pierre
Lightweight: B.J. Penn

Why couldn't the WWE do the same?

Those titles are meaningful because you have months between title matches in order to create a buildup. Titles mean something because winning a championship is an actual accomplishment rather than just a prop. We'll give it to Wrestler A, then to Wrestler B, then have A win it again just to drop it to C. Then C will defend again A and B in a triple threat match. C retains but the following night, A invokes a rematch clause and wins as a result of interference from Wrestler B.

Thats the problem with titles. They are bounced around from person to person, show to show that now there is no honor in being the World Champion or any champion for that matter. In the early 90's, you had two people with 7 World Champion reigns, Ric Flair and Harley Race. How many wrestlers now have over 10 reigns? Hell Cena has had 4 reigns in a 18 month period.

Sad to say, but now the WHC has no more meaning than Jimmy Hart's megaphone.

 

[ccotreau1]

The only way I would see them doing the "Light Heavyweight" Championship is unifying the IC and US titles and then renaming one for the lighter weight guys (so guys like Evan Bourne, who IMO is very talented, doesn't have to job week in and week out, making him look weak) and have the title holder for the IC/US and the Light Heavyweight title do what the Unified tag team champs do and defend on all shows. The name of the title doesn't have to be Light Heavyweight, but should represent that weight class nonetheless.

 

[DL23]

I agree with everything that you said. Although not the entire unifying part. They should keep the WWE and World Heavyweight separate but they should unify the Intercontinental and US. They should definitely unify the Divas Championship but they shouldn't or better yet WOULDN'T bring back the hardcore championship. The WWE is PG. It wouldn't work.

But what do you think of this:

Wrestlemania
Kaval (Low Ki/ Senshi) VS Bryan Danielson for the Light Heavyweight Championship

That would be a wrestling clinic and would be an instant classic.

See my idea of the hardcore belt was simply it has no value, apart from respect for your toughness, plus it gives the bigger, slower, non Mid carders or Main Eventers a belt to fight for.

I generally think you've hit on something, regarding belts and divisions.

The WWE couldn't go the UFC route and have weight divisions like Lightweight-Middleweight and Heavyweight for every title, that would be a total re-branding of their image, however adding a Ligh-Heavyweight belt by itself would work.

Best thing is, they could do an 8 man tourbament on RAW a 3 hour special for it, and generally give the smaller guys the respect they deserve, I know Creative don't want teh small guys to outshine the bigger guys but if they did, wouldn't that not be better for business as it makes the heavy's work A LOT harder meaning competition within the company (kind of like when the Hardcore belt was brought in and guys faught for it)

I hadn't considered the LHW belt to be brought back in a long time, I think now it's paramount it's brought back, sooner rather then later.

 

[thrilla11]

What will they be left doing? Same as they're doing now. Realistically I can see maybe 4 people on Raw going after the title and 4 people on SmackDown going after the title. What about the rest of the people? They'll still be lost in the shuffle.

Another problem I have with this is difference. How is this any different from the IC/US titles? It'll be the same midcarders feuding over the belt. If you want a championship to mean something, there has to be a difference.

If there is in fact only 8 viable people on the roster right now who would make the division respectable, the rest would be put either in the IC/ US title hunt or in the tag team title hunt. Again, I'm not trying to have all of the mid carders in the division, I want the Light Heavyweight Division to mostly consist of the guys floating around 220 as well as the new wrestlers. Having mid carders would give the division respectability but i wouldn't want a mid carder like a Christian or a Shelton Benjamin to hold the title for 4-6 months or something. I'd rather have the young guys make a name for themselves against the veterans and then those veterans would move on to the Heavyweight Title scene. If the Light Heavyweight needs an infusion, have the creative team allow a Christian or someone else to come back, if he's not in a story line, to win the title again. That would keep the division exciting and prone to surprises.

Thats the problem with titles. They are bounced around from person to person, show to show that now there is no honor in being the World Champion or any champion for that matter. In the early 90's, you had two people with 7 World Champion reigns, Ric Flair and Harley Race. How many wrestlers now have over 10 reigns? Hell Cena has had 4 reigns in a 18 month period.

Sad to say, but now the WHC has no more meaning than Jimmy Hart's megaphone.

Yeah the World Heavyweight Championship Division essentially consists of John Cena, Dave Batista, Edge, Undertaker and HHH and a few others. They just keep rotating all of them. Just look at the main event Heavyweight Battles at Wrestlemania year after year. There getting repetitive.

The only way I would see them doing the "Light Heavyweight" Championship is unifying the IC and US titles and then renaming one for the lighter weight guys (so guys like Evan Bourne, who IMO is very talented, doesn't have to job week in and week out, making him look weak) and have the title holder for the IC/US and the Light Heavyweight title do what the Unified tag team champs do and defend on all shows. The name of the title doesn't have to be Light Heavyweight, but should represent that weight class nonetheless.

Yeah I was thinking and the only way that this would work would be the unification of the US and Intercontinental Championships and the Diva Championships as well. That would mean:
WWE Championship
World Heavyweight Championship
US/ Intercontinental Championship
Diva Championship
Light Heavyweight Championship
That's essentially 4 titles for each roster. That's less titles, more story lines and the light weights get their shine. If the creative really thinks that there's no time for the light weights, have the title only defended on WWE Superstars. People will actually watch that program.

Best thing is, they could do an 8 man tourbament on RAW a 3 hour special for it, and generally give the smaller guys the respect they deserve, I know Creative don't want teh small guys to outshine the bigger guys but if they did, wouldn't that not be better for business as it makes the heavy's work A LOT harder meaning competition within the company (kind of like when the Hardcore belt was brought in and guys faught for it)

I hate when the light weights become jobbers to everyone else. Evan Bourne deserves so much more and is capable of so much more but creative is just forgetting about the smaller guys. If this division gets going, the WWE can hire the high flying wrestlers from the independent circuits and by proxy, they would weed out the other wrestlers on their roster who don't deserve to be there. This division could really jumpstart the WWE in my opinion.

 

[Coco]

I would have no problem with a resurraction of the Light Heavyweight Championship or Cruiserweight Championship if it were done correctly. Not as an answer to the X-Division though. TNA serves no serious threat at the moment and the X-Division is all but an afterthought in that not-so-serious threat's organization. WWE doing business to counteract a complete non-factor sounds rather silly. However, the notion of a serious platform for the cruiserwight style is anything but silly. That said, to do it properly the WWE would need to see a complete reinvention of their philosophy regarding the purpose of everyone who's not main-eventing. I can't see this happening. So at the moment, I don't think I'm chomping at the bit to see these titles come back.

As we've seen in recent years in the WWE, you aren't considered somebody worthy of significant creative focus or confidence from management if you aren't part of the small pool of regular main-event players. The notion that tag teams can be given personalities and their belts can be considered the World Championship of their division is laughable as nobody other than Cena, Taker, DX, and the rest of the regular suspects are regarded as worthy of the spotlight. Hidden behind the guise that nobody is stepping up and getting spotlight, the sad truth is the WWE has long since grown stagnant and unmotivated in regards to putting on a well-rounded product that serves people with different tastes in wrestling and makes every segment seem important. Now, this isn't to say that I find everything the WWE does unenjoyable. Quite the opposite. I find a great deal of weekly enjoyment from the WWE product. However, they're not perfect. Real feuds and importance given to the midcard and the undercard would facilitate greater interest in people who will have to prove they belong in the main-event in the future and people who are seen as unprofitable dead weight.

I honestly believe that if given personalities, conflicts, and an outlet to truly display what they can do (as opposed to the three-minutes of cookie cutter ring time they get on an average week), people like Evan Bourne can become very over and bankable in the undercard playing the role as poster boy of a new cruiserweight division. With just a little more effort every week, WWE can take someone who is seen as a nobody, like an Evan Bourne, and make people want his autograph, want his t-shirts, and want to pay to see him open up shows with his exciting matches. However, the WWE has grown comfortable with the fact that people are still coming to arenas and paying to see the current crop of big stars and have decided that people in the undercard belong there or aren't stepping up. Making every part of the show unique, important, and memorable isn't something the WWE is too concerned with these days. Thus, real consideration being given to tag teams, women, cruiserweights, and most of the midcard is a pipe dream despite the fact that giving these things a stage will bring in money, interest, and word of mouth regarding a better overall product.

Thinking about this better overall product is nice. However, I doubt we'll ever see the WWE fulfill its potential as things stand at the moment. If the belt came back right now, you'd see it treated like a joke just as you see every belt that the Cenas, Batistas, and Triple Hs of the company aren't interested in treated.

 

[Tastycles]

The Light Heavyweight Championship should definitely stay dead. It might well be the least prestigious title in WWE history, with the possible exception of the Hardcore Championship. It was never defended, mostly held by complete nobodies, and occasionally by wrestlers who weren't nobodies but who did nothing with it. The title has about as much prestige as my toe, so no, I don't think it needs bringing back.

A cruiserweight division in general wouldn't be that bad an idea, but with ECW gone, I don't know where you'd put it. I wouldn't be against a new Cruiserweight division, but I don't think it's top of the priority list now, especially as the X-Division completely lacks all direction.

 

[thrilla11]

The Light Heavyweight Championship should definitely stay dead. It might well be the least prestigious title in WWE history, with the possible exception of the Hardcore Championship. It was never defended, mostly held by complete nobodies, and occasionally by wrestlers who weren't nobodies but who did nothing with it. The title has about as much prestige as my toe, so no, I don't think it needs bringing back.

A cruiserweight division in general wouldn't be that bad an idea, but with ECW gone, I don't know where you'd put it. I wouldn't be against a new Cruiserweight division, but I don't think it's top of the priority list now, especially as the X-Division completely lacks all direction.

It doesn't matter if it wasn't prestigious as much of the wrestling demographic would not know that piece of history. Wrestling fans would just see it as a new division and that would easily jump start the WWE with some much needed excitement. The WWE caters to kids and kids love high flyers. Its exciting and it would be a hit among those fans.

I was thinking about having mactches at RAW and Smackdown and then have the title itself defended on WWE Superstars. People will actually tune in to that show and not much of the air time is lost on either big shows. The great thing is that it would give the PPVs a much needed boost as well.