One-time champions, do they deserve a second?

[SJM12492]

In my viewing of the WWE, there have been plenty of different champions, including mutiple time champions, underdogs and assholes (kayfabe speaking). But there are some past champions I believe deserve more, people who won the championship. Other then the main eventer draught we are having, some past champions have been pushed off to the side ((upper) mid-cards) including Kane, Khali, Big Show, Mysterio, and plenty others.
Now I was looking at the title histories on their website, and it shows the WWE championship, but the thing that amazed me most was the fact that ever since Edge won the championship near the end of 2006, it has been the same 3 people ever since then with the exception of Hardy (1 month run) and Batista (1 week run). I knew it was bad, but this is bloody bad.
In my opinion, the WWE need to branch out on mabye some past champions to join in, people who won it once but near saw another chance...
So, my question is this of what I want you to answer... Which one-time champion(s) would you like to see on top of the mountain more frequently? You can use people who have left the WWE, or people in the past who are now desceased. This includes Eddie Guerreo and Chris Benoit. Now I'll provide you with a small list, if you can't think of any:

Kane,
Mr McMahon (LOL),
Eddie Guerreo,
JBL,
Rob Van Dam,
Goldberg,
Chris Benoit,
Rey Myserio,
King Booker (Booker T),
The Great Khali.

 

[Viola Moonlight]

Well, the concept of a one-time champion is the fact that they are a wrestler who has a HUGE following & over with the crowd, has very decent ring skills, praised by many... but the fact is that they are not the biggest draw of the company. Men like Rey Mysterio prove this... sure they can hold a top tier title & go for the "I finally won" concept, but it is the type of ploy that the WWE has used to see if these guys can get uber-over with the audience & can carry the company for more than a few weeks or months. Most of the time, the WWE do not see fit to let the man hold the title. Only in the rara occasion that guys can carry the title for a while like JBL or have multiple title runs like Punk.

However, despite this... I would love to see another Kane title run. But this is a smark dream that wont come true at all if he is used the way he is currently. If Benoit was alive, there would be no doubt that the WWE would put the strap on him again.

NOTE: For argument purposes, I have not included the ECW title as a top tier championship.

 

[Mantaur Rodeo Clown]

NOTE: For argument purposes, I have not included the ECW title as a top tier championship.

Why not? WHY YOU GOTTA BE DISRESPECTIN' MAH ECW?
No seriously, I understand you're view point there.

Of the list you've put up there dear SJM12492, hardly any of those wrestlers are still active. But if we look at past wrestlers that really deserved to wear the belt more than once, we could probably look no further than King Booker. During his run in the WWE, it took far too long to get that WHC belt around his waist, so thank goodness he had a decent fun with it once it was finally there.

In terms of a historical standpoint, It probably, if circumstances would have allowed, healthwise, to see Andre with the belt for a bit longer than the 45 seconds he originally had. It just would have been a great tribute if he had been able to hold the title for even a month or so. And what about another great hell of the 80's? The Iron Sheik with a long heel run would have of course been fun to watch,

In terms of your list though, I'd expand it. Include guys like Sgt. Slaughter and Warrior even,spice it up a bit.

 

[Chill]

For selfish reasons I would like Kane to have a second (and meaningful) title run, though only the Lord knows if that will ever happen again. However, it might not be as impossible as some would have you believe.

Generally though I would be in favour of guys who have held the title one time getting another crack at it. Whether that be RVD making a return and becoming champion, whether it be King Booker holding the title, whoever. Sometimes, it's the guys who have only held the title once who were the most interesting champions...sometimes they have great character, charisma, personality and skill but for whatever reason they were never permitted to ascend to the top for a second time. It could well be that as champions, they weren't the biggest draws but then again if you take a guy like Kane, who knows how successful a draw he could have been as top dog, who knows if he couldn't have been a great champion....certainly in order to prove this you would have to be champion for longer than a day. Although, Kane would have been far more effective as champion when he was in his prime than if he were to hold the belt today in my opinion.

Had people like Benoit and Eddie been alive today, I think WWE would have put the belt back on them again...certainly the word was at the time that Eddie was to have the belt again just before his untimely passing.

Generally, I think it would be good to see some of the one timers get another shot because it could help freshen up the somewhat fusty main event scene.

 

[shafe_41]

I pretty much agree with Falkon about the "one time" concept. Big following, lots of fan support, but not a draw. Rey Rey doesn't deserve another because he didn't deserve one in the first place. Eddie's death won him that title. We ALL know it.

One-timers though should definately receive a 2nd in some cases. Look at JBL. Sure he was on a slow decline, but he played that character so rediculously well, that everybody was into all of his title matches because of the ways he would cheat and weasel out of things to keep that title. The sadder part is the worst match the whole time he won the title was the one he dropped it to Cena. That is easily one of the 3 worst WM title matches (WWE or WHC) of all time. The rest of his matches were pretty good IMO. Once you get a nice long title run past 4 or 5 months, I think that's when people start to get more interested because they are either really rooting for you to keep it, or really rooting for you to lose it. I find it actually makes watching matches and PPVs more fun because they've had it longer than you thought, so you're really on the edge of your seat to see what happens. But I digress...

The guys that have gotten another shot, or were getting another shot (Eddie), deserved it. Eddie, Punk, etc... Eddie had some good matches left in him. When he passed, you could argue he hadn't even hit his peak yet because somehow, Eddie seemed to get better as time went on. At least in my eyes he did. He was a freak of nature with a true gift for the business. Guys like Eddie don't come around all the time. But he definately deserved the 2nd title run he was going to get.

The guys that didn't get another shot, didn't deserve it because they didn't draw. I love RVD just as much as the next person (with the exception of the awful haircut), but he only won because of the major heat Cena was drawing, and the perfect timing of the ONS PPV and the bringing back of ECW. That was alllllllllll a timing game for RVD. He's like Rey-Rey. He's super over (unless wrestling Jericho), but is just not a powerful draw by himself.

And I also have to touch on Kane because I always touch on Kane. The way he's booked isn't the problem. It's the fact that he's on the decline and has been for a good 2-3 years in my eyes. Yes people love Kane. I do not but I understand why people love him. Kane isn't a main event draw. His merch never even sold that well so he would never be pushed with a title run. I mean REALLY... how many Kane shirts have you seen walking around in the last 10 years (not including WWE events)? Few to none. I know people would looooooooove and jizz over Kane winning another title, but no. Just no. Vince will do that if he wants people to stop getting PPVs.

 

[WOLFPACK0524]

Kane - sort of like Tommy Dreamer, it would be for nostalgia/respect since it is at the end of his career...I see it as 85/15 of him NOT getting the title back.
Mr McMahon - yeah, LOL...
Eddie Guerreo - obviously, can't win title again.
JBL - retired so won't win it again.
Rob Van Dam - will only appear sporatically for guest appearances.
Goldberg - retired so no
Chris Benoit - See Eddie...
Rey Mysterio - possibly. Out of this list, he is the more likely to win it again.
King Booker (Booker T) - he is an absolute joke on TNA. No.
The Great Khali - ...

 

[JBK2008]

Kane for sure. The guy has been so loyal to Vince and if used properly his second run would be good. He could really use a meaningful title run. The ECW title run was kind of like a teaser title run. A nice little run but the guy deserves to hold the title on one of the other 2 brands.

Also if Eddie or Chris were still alive, I could see a 2nd or 3rd title run for them both.

 

[JJohns]

First of all, I'm pulling the super obvious ones, and then talking about why these guys probably won't get another title.

Kane-Hasn't been a serious contender in nearly a decade, and has been a character that many people lost interest in AFTER he lost his mask.
Mr McMahon (LOL)-Vince knows that the fans won't like seeing him as champion. In fact, the only reasons he's held titles in WWE was A)Build up a Triple H vs Austin feud and B)To elevate Bobby Lashley
Rob Van Dam-He would be the most likely to get another run if he ever returned, but RVD doesn't need the belt to put him over.
Goldberg-His WHC reign in WWE was a failure. In order for him to have been successful in WWE, he would have had to have been booked like he was in WCW, but Vince won't book anyone to be that dominant.....not even Hunter.
Rey Mysterio-Just not a "credible" champion. Having the underdog as champ for a short time is one thing, but the reign he had was too long.
King Booker (Booker T)-The least likely on this list to win another title as I believe he's burned more bridges that Lesnar and Goldberg combined when he was released.
The Great Khali-I don't see WWE putting the belt on him until he's no longer the "Punjabi Playboy"

 

[muzzerman]

I am including ECW championships and in that sense, i would love to see John Morrison as champion again. His title reign and feud with Punk worked and I'm glad they are putting him in title matches.
However, not including ECW, I would love RVD to return and win the WHC if Jeff Hardy leaves. It's a shame he left no matter on what terms he left on.
I wouldn't mind seeing Rey as champ again but I think he is much more believable as IC Champ right now.

Also, for the record, most of these guys have only been champ once for a reason.

 

["Cool Guy" Jensen]

Kane... this is the first person I thought of when I saw this thread. He had a chance to win his 2nd World Title many times, but WWE never pulled the trigger.

Mr McMahon (LOL)... I wasn't a WWE fan during the time that Vince won the WWE Championship, but I'm sure if I saw him win the title again, I would not be too happy, like I was when he won the ECW Championship.

Eddie Guerrero... Would have won his 2nd World Title the week of his death, I would have loved that. By now, almost four years later, I predict he would now be a 3 or 4 time champ. Eddie doesn't seem too greedy to be at the top.

JBL... I was enraged when Kurt Angle crowned JBL as the champ, and screwed Eddie. He did horrible as the United States and Intercontinental Champ, so another World Title wouldn't seem too good at the time.

Rob Van Dam... I didn't expect him to win the WWE Title in the first place. I wouldn't totally be opposed to see him win a 2nd if he ever decides to return.

Goldberg... At the time, I was a Triple H mark, and hated Bill. What the hell was I thinking? Goldberg was the shit! A 2nd title reign would have made me very happy.

Chris Benoit... The 2nd person I thought of when I read the title. Chris Benoit was the 2nd favorite wrestler (after The Undertaker), and anytime I could see him as any type of champ, I would be fine. He was drafted to ECW a couple weeks before his death, and was scheduled to win the ECW Championship the day of his death. I don't think he'd win the title again of Raw, if he was on Smackdown, I predict he'd be about a 3-time champ (I don't know if that would include the ECW Title, as it was treated as a World Title at the time).

Rey Mysterio... He's perfect for the Intercontinental Championship right now. But, if WWE needs him, then he could win the World Championship again.

King Booker (Booker T)... I wonder if WWE would have let Booker T win the World Title, not King Booker. I also wondered if he would still be King Booker today. Well, anyway, I was a fan, so I wouldn't have minded a 2nd World Title.

The Great Khali... He had no business being anywhere close to the World Title then, and still has no business now... or ever.

People not listed...
Diesel... I've always been a fan of Kevin Nash. His sole World Title reign lasted a week shy of 1 year. Plus, he won the title in the shortest WWE Championship match ever. Why not have a 2nd title reign?

Wow! I... I guess that's it!

 

[RVD420]

So, you realize that I have to say RVD (Anybody who doesn't see why is just plain stupid). I've always felt that Vince was reluctant to put the title on him because he was not a product of the WWE. Thankfully, he was able to see past all of that and put both the WWE and ECW titles on him at the same time.

King Booker - Definately deserved to be the champion but it took too long. The only problem I have with this title reign is that he was champion as King Booker and not Booker T.

Kane - I've always liked Kane. Maybe it was the way he debuted, IDK, but the fact of the matter is I've always wanted to see him with a decent title reign. In other words, anything more than 24 hours. Sadly, it's too late for that and not only will they not let him win the big one ever again, but he doesn't even want it. That's the only thing keeping me sane.

The Great Khali, Vince McMahon, Goldberg - All had absolutely NOOOOOO business ever being champion of anything.

Rey Mysterio - The only reason he won it was because Eddie Guerrero passed away (R.I.P. Eddie). Does not deserve it again. I'm happy with him as the IC champ as I belive this is where he belongs. Putting over the younger talent.

Eddie Guerrero, Chris Benoit - They both would have won the big one again. Sadly they both passed.

JBL - Okay.........I just threw up in my mouth a little bit.

 

[ccotreau1]

Kane was the first person I thought of when I saw the list too (and I don't count the ECW Title as a top title only because the way the WWE have the programming)...I would love to see him have the title for more than a day.

Rey Mysterio only won the title because of the fact Eddie died and they were gonna give it to Eddie had he not died...I don't want to see him with the title again because the WHC title is huge compared to him

 

[dman1373]

I would like to see another HBK title run?
I know what you guys are going to say
he had 4
well since he came back he's only had 1
and I think that even he considers himself a different person since he came back

 

[ThePeoplesChampion]

I know im going to get shit for this...cause im a fan of RVD and Kane....but JBL he was in the top 3 or 4 heels in the company when he was in there....his long title run was great...it would help maybe if he got rid of those jiggly tits but again he was one the top heels in the business.

Eddie and Chris would of def had another title reign so to me they dont count.

And the way Smackdown is going if jeff hardy leaves....rey mysterio the second most over guy there could get another shot....

Rob Van Dam yes he was amazing but he wont come back i mean he like his weed to much lol.