Periods when you felt that a midcard belt was more prestigious than the WWF/WCW title

[Creepy Old Man]

Obviously the IC strap headlined SummerSlam 1992 in an awesome bout, but the WWF title still felt like the daddy overall - at least to me. When Shawn held it in 1995, however, it felt like the top title. Shawn was young and exciting, and was a guy who had already won the Rumble and challenged for the WWF title at WrestleMania. His matches with Jarrett and Hall at IYH2 and SummerSlam were classics. Nash's interminable WWF title run just didn't feel as important.

In spring/summer 1998, I found the TV title to be more prestigious than the WCW or US title when Booker T and Benoit competed in a best-of-seven series to earn the right for a title shot at Bash at the Beach. Goldberg was exciting as US champ, but the belt didn't feel particularly important - it was more about Goldberg destroying people. Hogan's fourth reign as WCW champion was tedious and the belt was merely a trinket for the egotistical star.

What about you? When in history have you found a mid card belt to be the most prestigious? Looking for periods when WCW and the WWF were operating with one world title, as the delineation between main event and mid card belts gets fuzzy at times when the NWA title or WWE's World Heavyweight title (or even the WWE title) were defended in mid card.

 

[Catacomb]

Summerslam 1991, Bret vs Perfect was relatively early on the card but it felt like a big time match, and delivered. The WWF title wasn't defended and Hogan vs Slaughter was beyond played out by Summerslam.

Or how about this one Wrestlemania 6. The IC champ vs WWF champ, title for title, and the IC champ won the match. The IC champ was better than the WWF champion, something you won't see in the WWE ever again.

 

[Quinn30Colo]

The one that comes to mind for me is Booker T and Chris Benoit in 98 for a Best of 7 series for the TV Title. Although the one goofy thing was to be the #1 contender for the TV title. That best of 7 series helped both be elevated.

It was so good WWE did it again for the US title Best of 7 between them.

 

[AustinHartLesnarHBKTaz80]

Best of 7 series between Booker T and Chris Benoit for the TV championship. One of WCW's best feuds during the Monday Night Wars IMO. Their match at Spring Stampede 1998----***** classic.

 

[FlairFan2003]

There was never a time when I felt a secondary title was bigger than the World Title.

However....for most of the 1980s the IC Title was extremely important with high profile main event feuds, and was used to elevate top stars into the main events, from Savage, to Brett Hart, to Shawn Micheals in 1992.

Likewise, the US and TV Titles were contested by some of the biggest names on the NWA roster in extremely entertaining feuds....Magnum TA-Tully Blanchard was every bit as intense as Flair-Dusty in 1985, just like Savage-Steamboat was huge in 1987 even with Hogan-Andre. The Best Of Seven Series For The US Title in 1986 was neck & neck in importance with Flair's 13 challengers in 30 days feat during the 86 Bash Tour....Brett Hart's IC Title feuds with Curt Henning, Roddy Piper, and British Bulldog were huge parts of WWE programming, as was Lex Luger's dominance of the US Title and feuds with Dusty Rhodes and Barry Whyndam and Nikita Kolloff.

Even in the mid 90s with guys like HHH, Rock, Flair, etc competing for and winning these titles they seemed to have a serious importance, otherwise established main eventers and the industry's biggest rising stars wouldn't have been wearing them. It's a shame they have both been seemingly downgraded over the past decade, they used to have a significant level of importance that made it worthy for established stars to wear and continue their careers as well as a spring board for mid carders into the main event scene.

Some great TV Title feuds included Tully Blanchard-Dusty Rhodes 1985 & 1987 and Steve Austin's record breaking 1990-91 run.

 

[Aquaman6686]

Just one example, right now. The WWE World Heavyweight Championship is completely meaningless. The champion being constantly absent devalues the title completely to me. The Intercontinental, United States, Tag Team, and even Divas Championship are all far more prestigious right now.

 

[World Class Mark]

Macho Man as the IC champion when Hogan was the WWF champion.

Hogan was rarely on TV, Savage was, and even before there was a such thing as dirt sheets or the internet, hardcore fans greatly disliked Hogan (had there been internet back then, Hogan would likely get the same kind of reaction as John Cena does now, very split).

Macho was a better wrestler, Hogan was a known bad one, and the IC champion was shown on TV while the WWF champion at the time rarely did, so as a kid I always felt the IC title was more "important."

But hey, that's just me.

 

[Headman]

I don't know about bigger but during the Warrior's 2nd IC title reign the IC title felt like a main event title. Warrior's team main evented that year's Survivor Series and headlined his own house show tour. Even with challengers like Dino Bravo, I can't say that I remember the IC title being that important before or sense.

 

[Goldie]

I would disagree with the opening sentence in the thread.
Summerslam 92- just for that night only, seemed like a bigger deal than the WWE title.

The Savage-Warrior title match had an unsatisfactory screwy ending in a match in the middle of the PPV card, whilst the IC title headlined, in the WWE match of the year. The Bret-Davey scorcher is still one of the best WWE matches ever, and the crowd was unbelievable... the Davey pop when he won the title, 80,000 plus was deafening.... easily rivalled the sort of pop Austin got at his peak. Bret was roundly booed as if he was a heel!

It was the IC bout that sold out the 80,000 at Wembley. Behind Wrestlemania 3, this is the 2nd highest crowd the WWE have drawn (and WM3 is still dubious as some claims persist that the 93,000 at WM3 was inflated).

 

[relentless1]

Ive never felt the secondary belt was ever as prestigious kayfabe; pretty close in the mid 80s- early 90s though for sure in both companies but I know in the WWF at least the Intercontinental title was looked at by the boys to be awarded to the workhorse of the company for the most part, world title went to the biggest drawer. So to sum up, the IC title & the US title have been somewhat equal to the World belt but never more prestigious.

 

[Aquaman6686]

It was the IC bout that sold out the 80,000 at Wembley. Behind Wrestlemania 3, this is the 2nd highest crowd the WWE have drawn (and WM3 is still dubious as some claims persist that the 93,000 at WM3 was inflated).

Actually it was the THIRD highest attendance WWE has drawn, not second. Second is WrestleMania 29, they drew 321 fans more than SummerSlam 1992 (80,676 to 80,355).

 

[c71score]

Rick Rude's 1991-92 US title reign. Leader of the Dangerous Alliance. Great feuds with Steamboat and Dustin Rhoades. Luger rarely defended the World title. Sting and Vader were both injured during their reigns. Ron Simmons, while inspiring and historic, was often quite burried during his reign. I feel they were grooming Rude to take Flair's spot as a long running heel WC until he messed up his neck against Masa Chono.

 

[Goldie]

Actually it was the THIRD highest attendance WWE has drawn, not second. Second is WrestleMania 29, they drew 321 fans more than SummerSlam 1992 (80,676 to 80,355).

WM3 was supposedly 78000 (verifiably paid) so it could well be that WM29 is first and Summerslam 92 is 2nd

Nonetheless Wembley was a superb environment to hold a major wrestling card.
The IC title was the match that packed the house that night

 

[Vader]

The most obvious one for me is when Bret Hart held the US title during the Finger Poke of Doom.

In terms of the midcard title meaning more, I think it's largely subjective. If you're asking when was the midcard title held by a better in-ring talent then you could just about say any time that Hogan would fit that description. In terms of the midcard title holder having more more influence overall that the World Champion than there are very few examples of this besides dumb swerves like the Finger Poke, Jarrett laying down for Hogan, and David Arquette.

 

[tvcolosi]

I'm going with an unpopular choice and saying never. Even in the days when the IC belt was the work rate belt guys Steamboat, Perfect, Rude, Honky, Bret, Davey etc. were not putting an ass every 18 inches ...Hogan was, Andre was, Warrior was.
I'll give Savage a maybe, but he was moved to Main Events almost immediately after WM3.

You bought tickets to see Hulk, you left saying "Hart Foundation and the Rockers was really fun.

 

[Jonyboyuk2]

I think that from just before SummerSlam 1991 to October 1992 the IC title was treated with more prestige than the WWF title, the period from when Mr. Perfect won the belt from Texas Tornado then went on to drop it to Bret Hart at SS 1991 started that. Brets reign then Pipers reign were incredibly well executed. The 2nd reign of Bret Harts WWE IC title reign was forgetable because there was no new stars being created. This (the lack of stars being made) led to a downturn in business over the next 5 years. Brets loss to the Bulldog was so spectacular - it was really something else. That is the kind of match that demonstrates how wrestling should be done. It was also the main event at SummerSlam and the fact that it remains the highest attended WWF/WWE event ever (this is a fact - it drew 4000 more fans than the true WM3 attendance figure) says a lot of how the prestige of the IC title once was.

The WWF tag title used to mean something in the late 1980s and early 1990s. It means didly squat now.

 

[FlairFan2003]

WM3 was supposedly 78000 (verifiably paid) so it could well be that WM29 is first and Summerslam 92 is 2nd

Nonetheless Wembley was a superb environment to hold a major wrestling card.
The IC title was the match that packed the house that night

Im not sure who you think inflated the numbers but the Associated Press, CBS, NBC, & ABC all reported the 93,000 and it was listed I believe in the Guiness Book of World Records as the largest indoor attendance in North America.

 

[FlairFan2003]

WM3 was supposedly 78000 (verifiably paid) so it could well be that WM29 is first and Summerslam 92 is 2nd

Nonetheless Wembley was a superb environment to hold a major wrestling card.
The IC title was the match that packed the house that night

In fact, this was officially listed as the North American Indoor Attendance Record for over 20 years before the 2010 NBA All Star Game broke it. The NBA official website verified this is the current record although it stated the previous record was the very first Cowboys game in Dallas new stadium, which also topped 100,000. Wikipedia confirmed the record, including the Guiness certification, and stated it was W-Mania III that held the record before the Cowboys game.

 

[Goldie]

In fact, this was officially listed as the North American Indoor Attendance Record for over 20 years before the 2010 NBA All Star Game broke it. The NBA official website verified this is the current record although it stated the previous record was the very first Cowboys game in Dallas new stadium, which also topped 100,000. Wikipedia confirmed the record, including the Guiness certification, and stated it was W-Mania III that held the record before the Cowboys game.

I said 'Rumoured' as 78000 anyway not 'Actual'.

I read it in a Powerslam magazine sometime I think.
However if you google WM3 attendance as 78000 theres lots of debates on it.