**MERGED** All Championship Prestige Discussion

[the_vipers_enigma]

Since last august the IC championship was held by Cody Rhodes for 236 days(one of the longest reigns ever). During that time Cody fought the likes of Booker T (former five time, five time, five time, five time, five time WCW and WWE WHC), Randy Orton (9 time World Champion) and Big Show another former World Champion. He even brought back the old version of the title and claimed that he broungt back the prestige of the IC title. Know during his feud with Show he lost the title to him at Wrestlemania and then regain it at ER only to lose it at the next PPV to Christian another former World Champion. All of this
is very good for me cause the long reign the title being held by former world champions being defended very often helps to bring back the prestige of my favourite championship back.

Now after saying all that do you think the title is bringing back some of its prestige?

 

[bittermang]

I actually felt like, at the beginning of this year, both the IC title and the US title had gained huge strides in the prestige area. Cody with his historic run, daring to challenge the length of IC title reigns of a bygone era. Ryder with his Internet campaign lobbying for just the right to challenge for the belt, because it was that important to him. Both programs taking large strides to establish the importance and weight of these two belts.

Then Cody dropped the belt to Show, who didn't even defend it for a month, then it flips back to Cody on a technicality in a tables match, and now it's on Christian who wasn't even scheduled to challenge for it until a Battle Royal on the same night. Hot shot city.

On the US Title front, Ryder got his token run, and has been getting killed by Kane ever since. Meanwhile the belt flipped between people, landing on Santino and virtually becoming an afterthought.

In a few months both belts went from gaining in prestige and helping build their respective holders and challengers to, "I don't know, you hold on to this for a while."

My hope is that putting the belt around Christian's waist leads to some great matches, and there's a lot we could see in the veteran Christian helping to elevate challengers via the IC title. But I have my doubts.

 

[Fansince1992]

None of the titles in WWE mean much anymore. To make the mid card titles a little more prestigous, it should at least start at the top title, The WWE Title. Although Punk has done great with the Title he hasn't been in the main event (The Last Match) for ages. This to me degrades the main belt, making the undercard titles seem worthless.

I would like to see another Main event like Hogan vs Warrior at WM6, Champ vs Champ. The IC title had always been about having a future main eventer hold the title for a while until they could be catapulted onto the WWE Title scene. Look at the past IC Champions - Warrior, HBK, Bret Hart, Rock, Austin.

I would give a guy like Ryback the IC Title for a while. He could destroy Christian and hold the title for a few months. Then hype a Champ vs Champ main event match for a major PPV (Summerslam, SS, Rumble, WM) Have The IC Champ BEAT the WWE Champion in the LAST match of the PPV.

This is the only way i can see they can elevate the two main singles titles. I would scrap the US Title.

 

[LoudClearVoice]

Christian having the belt will definitely give it some legitimacy. Christian is a decorated WWE veteran and has held the IC title before. He is good enough on the mic to have some good feuds. Ultimately, he should put over a younger guy. What they need to do is make the IC belt relevant again and then give it to an up and comer. Previously, the title had lost virtually all of its value and so when some young, up and comer won it, it was essentially a prop that didn't help the guy at all.

If they can actually rebuild the midcard circuit to the point where the IC belt is defended at every PPV and actually means something, they'll be able to have a revelant midcard belt again and it will help the younger guys immensely.

 

[Workrate]

Those feuds with Booker T and Orton might have helped if they were for the title (and, y'know, if Booker wasn't an announcer), but they weren't. That's the problem. They made the belt look like an unimportant trinket, with both Booker and Orton effectively saying "I have a grudge with you, Cody, and want nothing more than to beat you up -- literally, dude, what are you even bringing that belt to ringside for?" They do this regularly: they make storylines where the wrestlers appear totally uninterested in championships. So then what's the point?

The only way a title can mean anything is if it's sought after. For my money, the title would have gained more prestige if Cody Rhodes were regularly challenged for it -- guys like Dolph Ziggler, Zach Ryder, Jack Swagger -- and not because they had some personal vendetta against him, but because they wanted the title. What's the biggest complaint fans make about these mid-card titles? "No one cares about the Intercontinental Championship." Well, where's that rooted? It's rooted in the fact that no one on the roster ever seems particularly interested in winning these belts. A guy wins the belt, defends sporadically against random people, then one day is in a match on Raw and loses the belt to someone out of the blue. That's the formula. Until they commit to making the belts central points of feuds and storylines -- and frankly, it isn't a difficult thing to do -- it isn't going to matter if a champion feuds with a top former world champion.

 

[TLK]

None of the titles in WWE mean much anymore. To make the mid card titles a little more prestigous, it should at least start at the top title, The WWE Title. Although Punk has done great with the Title he hasn't been in the main event (The Last Match) for ages. This to me degrades the main belt, making the undercard titles seem worthless.

This. Unfortunately, the titles don't matter much these days. I understand that Cena/Rock and Cena/Brock were "bigger" than the WWE title, but it doesn't bode well for the prestige of the belt (nor the current champion) when the WWE doesn't have enough faith in its champ to put him on last. With the major returns over the last year (Rock, Lesnar, HHH, Taker), the WWE title (and Punk) became a major afterthought. There are flashes when it seems like the title is truly coveted (Punk/Cena last summer, Punk/Bryan last night), but unless Cena is involved, it all goes out the window (see: last night's match placement). As for the midcard titles, they're barely showcased, and title changes don't seem like that big of a deal anymore. The IC title used to be the workhorse, stepping stone title (as Christian alluded to in an afterview after capturing the title last night), but those days are long gone. A champ vs. champ match would be great, but I just don't think the WWE cares enough about the titles to worry about prestige.

There are also too many titles. There should be one midcard champ. The US title needs to be merged with the IC title to consolidate midcard talents coveting only one prize. The US title is currently just a prop being held by a comedy talent (although he is very talented at what he does), and therefore can't really be taken seriously anyway.

 

[Honkey_Kong]

Having former world champions job to the IC champion is a good idea for adding prestige to the belt if it's done right. Workrate is right about most of these former world champions not even caring about the IC belt, so why should we?

Really if they want the IC title to mean something, they should put the belt on one of the best in-ring workers in the company and have him defend the belt every week in good matches. Dedicate lots of time to them and also put the champ in meaningful feuds that have time dedicated to them. They're switching to 3 hours on RAW now, so this shouldn't be a problem as they need time to fill.

If the IC champ beats everybody in that ring in good title matches, there will be prestige for that belt. But they can't just put the belt on guys as a "stepping stone." The IC champ needs to have already made it to the top tier. The IC champ historically is the #1 contender to the WWE title. He can't just be some punk kid they're hoping to get over by throwing a belt on him.

 

[tripleddd]

I think its really interesting reading what others have written - my thoughts are the following
1. I think its a fair comment that both the WHC and WWE title have been overlooked by the return of THE ROCK and BROCK LESNAR which quite frankly is wrong but its because there are two main titles - I see these being unified within the year and also with regard the IC title and former WWE champs holding the belt I think it only adds kudos again to this title and to me re - affirms my previous statement. As for the US title it will become the third belt which is fine - the European Belt if you like - but you can see a genuine progression with superstars

 

[#BabyFace]

The Intercontinental Championship has definently gained prestige since Cody won it. Lets face it, last year, Ezekiel Jackson was champion. Did you know he is still in WWE?

While many people are looking at the negatives of Christian winning the title last night. I say that there is one positive that Majorly over rides the negative.

We are going to get a real, legit, very good fued with Cody Rhodes and Christian.

I for one, am very excited! We always gripe on how Cody Rhodes doesnt have many legit fueds for the title. I am hoping for a long fued between Christian/Rhodes.

I believe Christian and Cody can put on the type of fued Christian and Orton had last year The two could make the mid-card fued of the summer. THAT would bring prestige to the Intercontinental Title. They could possibly switch the title a few times with Christian eventually going over final with the title and Cody can go on to bigger and better things.

On another note...I like how the title pyramid is in WWE right now. With the Two World Titles being the top of course. The Intercontinental can be a top mid card title (They should have ALL top mid cards face for it Raw & SD) Then the U.S. Title can be more of a lower mid card title (guys like Santino, Kidd, Ryder, Otunga)

Good Thread!

 

[whoopin' ass]

the problem that i had though is that with Cody's feuds, the title was rarely the focus. i said it in another thread - what ever happened to taking someone's title as the ultimate revenge? every match that he had, at least every ppv match, should have been for the IC title. that is where the former World Champs are hurting the title - they don't even feel that it is important enough to challenge for which totally baffles me. Orton(or anyone else in the company for that matter) would rather walk around without a title instead of challenging for the IC/US title? who cares if you have already been a World Champ. it is just faulty logic. there is nothing wrong with a former World Champ holding the IC/US title, especially if they make a big deal out of it, but when they ignore it, it helps no one.

 

[NYMets2583]

As an earlier poster said, I agree that the titles have gained prestige and lost it as of late. If they start with the top and make sure the WWE title match is the last match of the PPV, they will do worlds for it. Make the matches about winning the belts!

 

[BreezyDaProtege]

What will help the IC title and any mid-card titles more is if more World/WWE Champs competed for it also. After HBK won his first WWF title he later on beat British Bulldog for the European title and later on competed for the WWF title winning it holding both before giving it to HHH. If more world champs competed for the IC title it would bring back way more prestige to both mid card titles. They need to erase that imaginary line of only mid card talent can compete for mid card titles and have every championship have meaning for the whole roster.

 

[PEP3]

There was a time when WWE titles were so meaningful, so coveted and such a milestone of achievement, wrestlers routinely targeted one-another simply to move closer to an opportunity to compete for championships. Obviously, those days are long gone. Replacing this is the philosophy that titles are a hot-potato, tossed with little thought or reason from wrestler to wrestler in hopes that simply holding a championship will make audiences interested in a performer.

As we have seen quite clearly, this is not the case. Not only do viewers care no more about a wrestler with a championship than they would if he held none at all, they also now place little to no value on the belts themselves. Such a shame!

My strong suggestion would be to return the focus of WWE to its championships. To do this, creative can simply redirect many different storylines to the existing titles. Imagine what it would be like to have new wrestlers indicate their reason for entering WWE was to win titles -- to hype up what those mean in the sports entertainment world -- and begin targeting other contenders one-by-one to work toward that goal. Even without involving the actual champions, it would begin to build the prestige of the championships. Obviously, it is implicit the contenders feel their standing and mere opportunity to vie for a title is PRESTIGIOUS, and audience opinions would begin -- slowly -- to mirror that.

By placing a title on a wrestler, and allowing him to defend that belt consistently for extended periods of time, also builds the prestige of the belt. Say what you will about TNA, but they have done an OUTSTANDING job of this with Bobby Roode's current title reign. Everyone in the company, it seems, is gunning for Roode and his title. What that says to me, as a viewer, is that belt is DESIRABLE. And, as champ, he's willing to do anything necessary to hang onto it. I am legitimately interested in seeing who will be the one to -- finally -- take the title off him.

This is a direction WWE took, to some degree, with Cody Rhodes. He is, quite clearly, the best Intercontinental champ in recent history. The mere fact that he's lost and regained and lost the belt again doesn't do away with the momentum they've built through having him hold the belt for the majority of the last year.

Instead, if Rhodes begins an incredible feud with the new champ Christian -- strictly for the purpose of regaining the title, which is of the utmost importance to him -- it continues the title's forward motion. Obviously, it means that to these two wrestlers, the title is THAT important. Thusly, it gains prestige.

Whether or not people are former World Champions, I don't think, is less important. At this point, half the WWE roster has held one of their two top titles. It doesn't even mean those men are main event performers, only that the "Big 2" have been that devalued. As has been pointed out, being The Champ doesn't even get you the top spot at a PPV.

Having held one of those belts, and now moved BACK into contention for a second-tier belt, doesn't mean much. It certainly doesn't mean the Intercontinental title is prestigious. To me, it simply means WWE elevated a wrestler before he was able to consistently maintain his status as a World championship contender. Rather than elevating the Intercontinental belt, it makes it a consolation prize, and I utterly hate that thought!

 

[Ruthless-RKO]

The WWE United States Heavyweight Championship has been neglected pretty badly, but it doesn’t have to be.

Some pretty legendary names have held the WWE United States Heavyweight Championship. Terry Funk, Ric Flair, Ricky Steamboat, Harley Race, Jimmy Snuka, Greg Valentine, Roddy Piper, Wahoo McDaniel, Magnum TA, Tully Blanchard, Dusty Rhodes, and a ton of other great wrestlers.

For wrestling fans who only know about the title’s history over the last couple of years, they have no idea just how important this title belt used to be.

Looking over the WWE roster, it doesn’t have to be, though. There’s a really simple solution for WWE to make the belt at least relevant. WWE should first put the title on Cody Rhodes, who is someone that many view as a future main event player for the company.Then they should try to consistently give him a storyline (and perhaps a title match on a pay per view). It’s a simple, but very effective and it will work.

Instead, the title is stuck with Antonio Cesaro, who is someone that the crowd simply does not seem to be connecting at all with. WWE is far better of giving it to someone who will be able to elevate the US Title and himself.

The WWE United States Heavyweight Championship is now less important than the Divas championship, it seems.

Giving Rhodes a feud each month would be a good (and simple) way to solve that problem.

If not Cody, there are plenty of other options.The Smackdown roster is filled with ultra talented wrestlers that can be used to build up the US title again. Everything that WWE needs in order to have a competitive and relevant US title division is right there.

The only missing ingredient is desire. Not the wrestlers’ desire; management’s desire. WWE simply does not want any focus on the US title right now.

What do you guys think?

 

[Little Jerry Lawler]

Yeah, they gave Cody Rhodes the IC belt and held it for I forgot how long and the only feuds he really had were against an announcer and Big Show. Seemed to do a whole lot of good for him so forget Rhodes.

I'm all for actually developing feuds over midcard belts as the midcard has been shit for a pretty long time now. Give us a reason to fight instead of the old and tired method of winning a #1 contenders match. It isn't that hard yet they never want to seem to do it.

 

[WJDwjdWJDwjd]

Cody needs a title to be relevant. Right now, he's in the midst of a very forgettable feud with Sin Cara. He's using the same type of media tactics he used with Big Show as well. When Cody is in a feud, it's always made interesting from the other wrestler or a prop involved in the feud. Show because of his size, the IC belt, and Wrestlemania record. Many of the other feuds had to do with his mask being unfairly utilized as a weapon. With Booker, it was because Booker was an announcer and Cody didn't respect him. Also, the gimmick of Rhodes remaking the belt made him relevant. Now with Sin Cara, it's about Sin Cara's mask.

Let's face the facts. Cody needs some type of crutch in all his feuds. He's a bland, vanilla, nasally, overrated performer now. He needs something different about him to help him get over. A large amount of the audience doesn't care about him. The IWC loves him because he's moderately talented in the ring, but that's about it. Personally, I miss Cody's "Dashing" gimmick. He stood out more. Now, he's just another cocky, generic heel with a famous last name.

As Eric Bischoff once said, the IWC accounts for 10% of the wrestling audience, and they are an extremely vocal minority. Just because you love him, and think he should be pushed to moon doesn't mean he deserves it. It wouldn't surprise me to see him jobbing in a few months or year time when that sparkling veil is finally lifted and everyone else realizes (again) that he has no real personality.

Anyway... The U.S. Title needs to be given to a main event guy. A legitimate main event guy. It needs to be given the full star treatment some of the mid card titles used to have. Right now, the IC Title has been more relevant than has been in years because it's being held a former main eventer and world champion, The Miz. It's actually being defended too in actual feuds, and it's on television and PPV's. I suggest putting the U.S. Title on Randy Orton or Wade Barrett. It needs a proper star to carry it, defend it often, make it his own, have it be SEEN on an elevated platform, and defended against other major contenders. A Wade Barrett vs Randy Orton feud with the U.S. Title in the middle of the feud and the primary reason for their feud starting again is a great way to make the title relevant again.

 

[blocko_23]

They should give it back to Ryder better than Santino or Cessaro. Put it on a wrestler fans actually care about

 

[Dagger Dias]

Santino's reign was an absolute joke, much like Santino himself. It undid everything that Ziggler's reign did last year. It's not that I completely disagree with him holding the belt at all, it lasted far too long. Guys like Santino should only hold a belt for a couple of days, then it needs to go back to the "true" contenders who are legit threats to the belt and can be taken seriously as a champion. A comedy jobber held a midcard championship for nearly half a year. It also doesn't help that a few of the title defenses were during PPV pre-show events. I'm usually a big fan of lengthy title reigns, but this one was of low quality in my opinion. The belt is so neglected that it's of less value than the giant pennies at the moment and they represent a division that is on life support. The midcard is very much still alive, it needs a belt on both brands that the wrestlers who do not main event can fight for.

They are onto something now with Cesaro. Have him keep coming out and bragging in multiple languages about how he is still the champion, then make the belt more important again by having him retain on PPV matches that are part of the actual card as well as on Raw or Smackdown. The belt seeming important again by having strong retentions by someone who can actually be taken seriously as a title holder will do wonders for the belt. They can also build up a face to take the title in the meantime. Remember Ryder dethroning Ziggler? That type of moment can be recreated. I'm just glad Santino is no longer US Champion. At the rate things were going, the Divas Championship was slowly starting to become more important than the United States Championship. That's never a good thing for belts that were once prestigious.

 

[keehlnate]

They should give it back to Ryder better than Santino or Cessaro. Put it on a wrestler fans actually care about

Excuse me, but how is Ryder better than Santino? They are both jokes, and Ryder is no better. They could just hold another US title tournament with participants such as Sin Cara, Cody Rhodes, Damien Sandow, Brodus Clay, Ted DiBiase, Drew McIntyre.

 

[HBsam31]

I think they are on the right track with Cesaro. He is bragging the title up a lot. Now he just needs to start defending it in in good matches. Let them have 15 to 20 mins for a title match. I also have always been a fan of the tournament. Have a bigger on with all of the midcard guys and make it so the winner has to have at least won four matches. I will say this again though. it is important for the title to then be defended regularly after the winner is crowned.

 

[JBK2008]

WWE Creative is such a joke... they are soo far up Cena's ass and all the drama that the other 80% of the roster gets neglected on a weekly basis. The United States Championship was once a prestigous title and still could be once more. Is Cesario the answer? I doubt it, but you never know because he's never on t.v until recently. Have him cut a short promo on how he's going to become the longest reigning United States Champion of all time and then have a face come out and challenge him.

It's a very simple concept and it could be a 5 to 10 minute match. Promo one week, match another week. There needs to be constant every week. It's just as important for the United States Champion to have exposure as it is for the World Champion to have exposure. It makes the entire body of work interesting. That's what creative has gotten away from. The focus can still be aimed towards drama, but put the belt on the line!

Stick with the current champion, and have him be cocky upset the U.S fans by saying how he's holding their championship and not being an american himself. that's a good start!

 

[HBKistheHOF]

<-this is for naming Wahoo McDaniel over Stone Cold Steve Austin!

Well either way you put it I think putting the US title on Rhodes would be a big mistake!

He was once WAY beyond it, so it would basically be a slap in the face. Putting it on him now would just be WWE excepting Rhodes as nothing more than a mid-carder.

Rhodes doesn't have enough pretige to build up that whole title on his own & at the same time that title has enough bad mojo it will probably just drag him down with it.

Let's be honest, while it was a slow & uneventful reign, Rhodes faced guys like Booker T, The Big Show, & Christian for the IC title. He would need equal or bigger names to bring any true respect to the US title. (Which is a REALLY small handfull of guys & it would be silly to use them on the US title)


I think only one thing can help the US title, HAVE CESARO CHANGE IT TO THE EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHP! The US title is dead & a joke now. I like the fact they have a title for younger & newer guys, but isn't that what the NXT title is for??

I think unless Undertaker, John Cena, CM Punk, or HHH wins the US title, it has lost all it's prominence.

Salvage what is left of it's legacy before the belt is literally called the "Goofy Fun Championship" and has streamers & pink feathers popping out.

 

[Little Jerry Lawler]

<-this is for naming Wahoo McDaniel over Stone Cold Steve Austin!

Well either way you put it I think putting the US title on Rhodes would be a big mistake!

He was once WAY beyond it, so it would basically be a slap in the face. Putting it on him now would just be WWE excepting Rhodes as nothing more than a mid-carder.

Rhodes doesn't have enough pretige to build up that whole title on his own & at the same time that title has enough bad mojo it will probably just drag him down with it.

Let's be honest, while it was a slow & uneventful reign, Rhodes faced guys like Booker T, The Big Show, & Christian for the IC title. He would need equal or bigger names to bring any true respect to the US title. (Which is a REALLY small handfull of guys & it would be silly to use them on the US title)


I think only one thing can help the US title, HAVE CESARO CHANGE IT TO THE EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHP! The US title is dead & a joke now. I like the fact they have a title for younger & newer guys, but isn't that what the NXT title is for??

I think unless Undertaker, John Cena, CM Punk, or HHH wins the US title, it has lost all it's prominence.

Salvage what is left of it's legacy before the belt is literally called the "Goofy Fun Championship" and has streamers & pink feathers popping out.

You call the U.S. Title dead and a joke and you advocate Cesaro changing it to what was an even more worthless title? Yeah, that would work. Like I've said before, develop a good storyline for the belt and let there actually be a reason for feuds instead of boring and played out number one contender matches.

 

[Ace630]

What I don't get is isn't the us title meant to be on smackdown now? As I remember raw stars rarely appear on sd so why isn't there enough room on sd to have a us title feud?

 

[Ethelion]

WWE should first put the title on Cody Rhodes, who is someone that many view as a future main event player for the company.

Sure, Cody could do wonders for the US Title like he did with the IC Title, but it's now already WAY beneath Cody. Just like what HBKistheHOF has said:

it would basically be a slap in the face

However, I agree with you that putting the US Title on Cesaro isn't any better. The guy seriously needs a better gimmick than that lame-a** Five-Language Gimmick.

And you're right as well on the vast WWE Roster and the desire parts. They're currently not using 90% of the main roster on Raw and Smackdown anyway, so they should have their bum-a** out of their seats and do something. As for the desire part, management SHOULD make the WWE Superstars actually want the US Title, not just win a number one contender's match.