Restoring prestige of the mid-card titles.

[BestWrestlingOpinions]

Alright, for my idea to work, we would need a third title, possibly the Cruiserweight. What should have been done is give the Shield, from June, the US Championship, the IC Championship and the Cruiserweight. Ambrose being US, Reigns being IC and Rollins being the Cruiserweight. Then, at PPVs, we could have the Shield defend their titles in singles matches, with all matches coming one right after the other. I would think that the 3 Championship matches would create a lot of buzz and would be some sort of Shield's challenge to the locker room; try and beat us.

This way, we could have easy title defenses every PPV and would generate a lot of interest, in my opinion. The tag titles were good too, but I was looking into something more of singles matches than tags. Thoughts?

 

[The_Reptile_]

Or, and I know this is gonna blow your mind, just have the guy with the US/IC titles win. And win. And win. You know. Like with Big E Langston and IC title right now.

The biggest lie that's thrown around the internet is that a title needs a big angle to get prestige. All you need is a guy, a belt, the guy to hold the belt and that guy with the belt to win his matches in a decisive manner, with people showing a desire to face him to get that belt. I know it seems similar to your thing, but the thing is, your idea wouldn't so much improve the standing of the belts as much as improve the standing of the Shield. Once they lost them the belts were back to where they started.

No, just giving the belts to a promising young guy and having him win title defenses and people undertaking matches to get the privilege to face him is how you build prestige for the title as a belt to fight for, not open challenges.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

There's never going to be a "perfect solution" to this or any other title situation. No matter how good a guy is as champion or how well he or she represents him/herself as champion, there's always going to be some sort of complaint. This group of fans feels that titles should be defended on television more often, that group of fans doesn't feel so & so hasn't been champion for long enough while that group of fans feels so & so has been champion for too long, one group doesn't like the title designs, one more group wants the champ to do a lot more high spots, another group feels this wrestler A should get a shot at the title but gets upset if wrestler A doesn't win the title even if the current champ is doing a good job in the spot, yet another group will become dissatisfied if a mid-card champ isn't booked with the same level of reverence or hype as a main event champion while ignoring that there's a reason why mid-carders and main eventers are labeled as "mid-carders" and "main eventers", etc. I've read numerous posts with those sorts of complaints over the years. Some of them, sometimes, have some genuine merit and sometimes it's just more of the same old complaining for the sheer sake of it.

I do agree that there are times when WWE could do a much better job with their mid-card titles. Beginning around this time last year, for instance, or really just after the Royal Rumble, where Vince essentially buried poor Wade Barrett & Antonio Cesaro while they were both still mid-card champions. As of right now, all in all, Big E. & Ambrose are doing good jobs as IC and US champ, particularly Big E at the moment. The problem, in the eyes of net fans or dirtsheet writers, is that "good" or "solid" isn't enough. Every title run, every match, every feud, every show has to be part of some grand scale epic, otherwise many will label it as a failure. Ambrose isn't having the "perfect" US title run, nor is Big E. having the "perfect" IC title run and I highly doubt such a thing exists as there's always going to be something to complain about; especially if you want to nitpick. I'm not wild about Ambrose losing so much as of late, but that's not enough to counter the good we've seen out of him in his 230+ day run so far. At the same time though, net fans especially like to hype idealism in pro wrestling to an almost absurd degree with perfection always seemingly around the next corner or over the next hill so long as WWE winds up doing PRECISELY what they think should happen, particularly when it comes to titles.

 

[Little Jerry Lawler]

Ambrose is FAR from having the perfect title run. Hell, I don't even think it's a good title run in the first place. He's already there in that Cody Rhodes/Big Show territory of holding a midcard title and that's not a good thing. At least what they're doing with Langston is good. Put up challengers against him and he'll knock them down. That works to an extent. Actual feuds over a belt would work as well, not just the old "Guy wins #1 Contender match" routine. On a scale of 1-10, I'll give Langston's run a 7 and Ambrose's a 2.

 

[LODemolition]

Giving The Shield the Tag Team and US Title was just fine, imo. The problem is, they NEVER have Ambrose defend it. I mean really, when was the last time Ambrose had a US Title match on Raw/SD, or a PPV? I couldn't tell you. Rollins and Reigns remained relevant because they were having great matches with The Usos and the Rhodes bros.

We do NOT need the Cruiserweight Title back. Sure, it would be interesting at first. Then, they'd do the exact same thing that they did last time and begin to sweep it under the rug and pretend it doesn't exist.

All they need to do to make the US and IC Titles interesting again is have great matches for them. Put Ambrose up against Ziggler, Mysterio, Kofi, Kidd, Gabriel; and RVD, Bourne and Sheamus (if he stays face); when they return.

They've got a great WrestleMania match staring them in the face for the IC Title. Mark Henry needs to turn on Langston and go heel once again. Tell me this wouldn't make look Langston look great if they put him over Henry. After that, you've got Brodus Clay, Cesaro (if they split Real Americans up), RVD, Del Rio, Barrett, and possibly a heel Sheamus.

This is too easy. It baffles me that WWE doesn't get it together and give us some great mid-card championship matches. You want prestige returned to the IC and US Titles? Make the feuds and matches better. It's really that simple.

 

[Dagger Dias]

The way things went with Ambrose winning the US Championship while Rollins & Reigns won the giant pennies was much better than the thread starter's idea. Sure it could have been cool to see all three members holding a singles championship, but they can't even manage to increase the importance of the two midcard belts they have, let alone bringing back the Cruiserweight Championship or the addition of any midcard title. The fans for the most part won't care. Ambrose should have had stronger competition during his reign so far. I doubt that making Reigns the Intercontinental Champion and Rollins the Cruiserweight Champion at the same time would have been as successful as what actually took place. Rollins and Reigns had a good run with the giant pennies.

What will instead restore prestige is if they take the time to develop better storylines and book the champions strongly until someone is built up enough to dethrone them. The World Heavyweight Championship is no longer with us, so having the Intercontinental Championship take its rightful place as the #2 belt should (in time) make it more important again. Any feud that would have gone to the World Heavyweight Championship can now go to the Intercontinental Championship. Let former World Champions not feuding for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship get in on the fun by trying to win the Intercontinental title. The title tiers will be more defined, making it easier for the creative team to write better angles. Let's give it some time and see where things go. Bringing back the Cruiserweight Championship, or any third midcard belt for that matter, was not the answer in 2013 nor would it be the answer now.

 

[Radical]

No, just giving the belts to a promising young guy and having him win title defenses and people undertaking matches to get the privilege to face him is how you build prestige for the title as a belt to fight for, not open challenges.

I agree with this!

I generally HATE the 'Creative' lazy-ass idea of having some random Superstar be put in match with the Champion and have them win it ("shockingly!") a couple weeks before the PPV and then that grants them the Title shot.

NO!

The Champion should be sitting pretty at Commentary or in the back watching the monitor as OTHER Superstars fight in various matches or a multi-man match to determine the #1 Contender OR an authority figure says that 'so and so' Superstars have got big wins over past Champions lately and deserve a shot at the title so they will make a Triple Threat or some multi-man match for the Title at the PPV and in the ensuing weeks before the PPV the Champ can battle those different Superstars in various types of matches (but STILL WINNING THEM) but let the challengers get 'the last laugh' after the match sometimes with either allies coming into help or just them turning the tables and hitting their finisher or clearing the ring.

But yes, let the Champion win and KEEP winning.

As much as people may have different reasons for hating Triple H, especially during the Evolution thing it probably had something to do with the fact that that damn guy WON the vast majority of his matches. So when he actually DID lose the belt it was a BIG DEAL.

That's how you bring prestige back to the titles.

FYI, they are doing a good job of this with the Rhodes Brothers. They have won most of their matches since becoming Tag Champs. I was even actually surprised they won CLEAN over Harper & Rowan on SmackDown!

 

[lil steroid meat]

Merge the US and IC Titles, calling it something extremely creative like the IC-US Title and have it replace the spot that the World Heavyweight Title took . . .

 

[Radical]

Merge the US and IC Titles, calling it something extremely creative like the IC-US Title and have it replace the spot that the World Heavyweight Title took . . .

If they merge the US and IC Titles then there is ONLY 2 Singles Titles. That hasn't been the case since the early 90s I'm pretty sure but back then there was a smaller roster and WAY less programming and WAY less PPVs.

With only 2 Singles Titles that means an average 8-match PPV will have:

1 WWE World Title Match
1 IC/US Title Match
1 Tag Team Match
1 Divas Match (maaaybe)

And 4 non-title matches? Divas matches aren't draws so if there is only 2 Singles Titles that is a lot of non-title 'feud' matches to book. Lately the 'feud' matches have sucked and I don't tune in to PPVs to see a bunch of meaningless feud matches, I tune in to see what should be meaningful TITLE matches.

WWE doesn't need to get rid of the US Title they just need to freaking BOOK it well.

 

[CultOfPersonality]

FYI, they are doing a good job of this with the Rhodes Brothers. They have won most of their matches since becoming Tag Champs. I was even actually surprised they won CLEAN over Harper & Rowan on SmackDown!

I like how the Rhodes Brothers are getting a lot of title matches because it shows the depth of the division, but I have to agree with the claim of lazy WWE creative because all these title matches come about by the Rhodes Brothers getting beaten the week before in a non-title match.

Rhodes Brothers lose....team who beat them get a title match....Rhodes Brothers win the title match. This to me is not how title matches should be put together.

With respect to the midcard titles - there are so many guys in the mix that the two titles are definitely still required, it's just a case of Ambrose dropping it sooner rather than later and the guy to pick it up defends it at PPV's like Big E has been with the IC.

I like the idea of the multi-man matches to earn the #1 contenders spot - I'd imagine a match between Ziggler, Barrett, Sandow and Fandango for a shot at the IC or US would be a great match, and it makes the titles seem important by emphasising that there's a load of guys who want to fight to get a shot at it

 

[CrucifiedRaven]

I think the best way to restore prestige to the midcard titles is to give them to people who are going to get pushed. The same way the IC title was booked in the 80's and 90's. More often than not, the IC champion was next in line for the World Championship. In NWA/WCW the US title was often closing shows and seen close to a level of prestige as their World Championship, because of the guys who held it.

So don't give the titles to The Miz or Kofi Kingston, who are just a placeholder and holding it for no reason. Give the titles to guys who are going to get pushed. The current champions are good because we know the WWE is behind The Shield and Big E Langston. These guys have a bright future and will be pushed to the top of the ladder within a couple years, which makes the time they held the midcard titles mean something. It means you're good enough to be a main eventer.

So no more Kofi Kingston, The Miz, Santino, Curtis Axel, etc... and more Big E Langston, Bray Wyatt, Dean Ambrose, Roman Reigns, Bad News Barrett.

 

[AhSpicyDrop]

It's a simple format really... Unify the US and IC titles back into just the IC title. You put the strap on a guy you want to eventually be a breakout main eventer with credibility behind him. You have him work every show in a strong and competitive showing, because let's not forget when the IC title was at its most prestigious it was the work horses' title. And most importantly, you PUT OVER the defenses.

So pretty much exactly what they're doing with Big E Langston right now, only he needs to go over Ambrose clean and unify the belts, and then go on a tear.

 

[L@RISANO]

This is a topic that I have a lot of passion for. Did a thread on it some time ago when I joined.
There was a time before when the Mid Card titles were a subject of feuding between the Mid Carders. The likes of John Cena, Booker T, Big Show, Eddie Guerrero,etc.... on Smackdown used to have genuine story feuds FOR the US title. Same on RAW with the IC title, the likes of Randy Orton, Rob Van Dam, Chris Jericho,Edge,Ric Flair,etc....

The Mid Card line-up is very healthy at this time in WWE, especially with the Unification of the WWE & WHC titles.
A Mid Card reading: Dolph Ziggler, the Miz, Damien Sandow, Mark Henry, Curtis Axel, Daniel Ryback, Bad News Barrett, Fandango, Antonio Cesaro, Kofi Kingston. Also, the Big Show, Rey Mysterio, the Shield, the Rhodes Brothers, the Wyatt Family and even Alberto Del Rio can be used in the Mid Card scene to make things interesting.

The Main Event scene with the returns of Brock Lesnar, Batista and also Sheamus, means that it is now clogged up with John Cena, Randy Orton, Daniel Bryan, CM Punk also considered worthy challengers.


At present time, Big E Langston is restoring some prestige to the IC title with his run and as a way to get over with the crowd. However, he is basically having simple matches with no.1 contenders' matches randomly happening.
Indeed, the direction with Big E is acceptable but I feel they can do more with the amount of programming available and it would also showcase these potential Main Eventers in the different facets required making the step up easier when they challenge for the Main title eventually.
They have to make the title a WANT for the Roster. The guys I listed above are good quality performers and the majority of them have no direction whatsoever. They are randomly in and out of programming at any given time.

For Example, just a couple weeks ago, Damien Sandow was a challenger for the IC title. He had just failed in the MITB cash-in against the Face of the Company, and Big E was now starting his push up the card with the IC title in his possession. With both having some momentum they could have been placed in a feud with each other. Have a few promos, get the audience interested in both. Have Sandow outsmart/screw Big E out of the title and make Big E go after him to get it back. All the while, with Big E and Mark Henry teaming up at times in the last few weeks, it could also have ended the Big E v Sandow feud after maybe the Royal Rumble(a TLC to Royal Rumble programme) then have the teased Henry v Big E feud on the Road to Wrestlemania. It would allow the IC title to regain some much needed focus whilst building the Superstar holding it towards the Main Event if the holder is someone the WWE is keen on adding to the Main Event scene.

The current Shield break-up is also a perfect way to make the US title relevant again. Have it become a focus of the feud. Have Ambrose boast to the other 2 about holding a title in order to show his superiority complex even more than he has already. Make it relevant again. They want to push Roman Reigns, have him elevate the US title again by winning it in a Triple-threat match or in a One v One against Ambrose. No reason to push Reigns by throwing him into the Main Event prematurely.

So, Yes, as some have said, booking the Champion strongly is a good way to restore interest in the titles. However, Strong booking coupled with regular story feuds can:
Elevate the IC and US Championship scene itself. Make being the IC/US Championship a title worth fighting rather than props.
Give the Mid Carders some focus on the show.Presently, the majority are just there...basically.
Build Superstars more effectively through the Mid Card title feuds in all facets(In-Ring, Promos, Crowd Response, etc.)
Those former Main Eventers(Del Rio, Ziggler, the Miz, the Big Show, Mysterio) are perfect to use as well to help them regain focus on the show rather than being afterthoughts as they are now.

All of this would help make RAW and SmackDown a programme to look forward to than just have the load of random happenings occuring with ONLY Main Eventers having any direction( Presently, there is the Main title feud, Headliners like CM Punk and Daniel Bryan having feuds and all others having Random appearances with no direction.)

Thank you for the patience.

 

[enviousdominous]

While it might seem like armchair quarterbacking for some of us to suggest ways that the preliminary titles might ever be interesting again, I think it's safe to say that the WWE is doing a piss poor job of marketing their IC and US champions.

It doesn't seem like a very difficult task. Just have one person, prior to a ppv, jockey for a mid-card title. They don't have to step on anyone's toes or engage in any kind of overly elaborate campaign. Just promote the fact that they want a title shot, use whatever d-material the writers have laying around to stretch it out until the ppv, and have a damn title match at the ppv.

I remember when they put the IC belt on Drew McIntyre, he was part of some obscure six man tag match at Wrestlemania. His only role in that match was that of a random bad guy, the match was barely promoted before the ppv.

I remember when Mr. Perfect defended the IC belt against The Big Bossman. There was a good month of promos involving Mr. Perfect saying unkind things about Bossman's mom, and it was honestly some of the most brilliant work I've ever seen of Ray Traylor.

I wouldn't be surprised if in an obscure bout that nobody is expected to pay attention to or ever remember, the IC and US belts will be combined into the "Who gives a fuck?" Heavyweight Championship.

 

[BaconBits]

I think that the idea that there is prestige in titles in a predetermined sport is a bit silly.

I mean, titles exist to enhance storylines, and that's literally it. They're props. It's not like they are legitimately contested to see who is the best. They're placed on whoever the company wants you to think is the best.

And as fans, we all know that title holders aren't always the best performers.

 

[WarroBODFan]

I hope I'm not being Captain Obvious here towards the OP, as it hasn't been pointed out yet directly, but The Shield's break-up is imminent.

But as larisano said, and I agree with him to an extent, the imminent breakup is a perfect opportunity to give some attention to the US title. IC title merge or not, the US title is a good starter for any wrestler beginning their singles career. It just adds an extra element to a Reigns V Shield, or Reigns V Ambrose feud. Call it a 'sweetener' to the deal, but I don't think it could work as the sole focus. The focus will be on the rivalry and the growth of the 'new' Roman Reigns. But it can still help the title prestige nevertheless.

If/when Reigns is going to move to main event player status in time, he can help elevate the title somewhat if he takes it. I also think something involving Big E Langston and Reigns would be great to watch. The two new guys who the WWE are clearly high on and want to be the future, taking part in a title unification match. Whether Face V Face is something the WWE would be happy about though, I'm not sure. Maybe Reigns can play the angry heel looking to cause shit out of anger from being segregated from The Shield? With a babyface turn coming very shortly after? I dunno, I'm into that typical overthinking possibilities mode now.

 

[TempestH]

If they merge the US and IC Titles then there is ONLY 2 Singles Titles. That hasn't been the case since the early 90s I'm pretty sure but back then there was a smaller roster and WAY less programming and WAY less PPVs.

With only 2 Singles Titles that means an average 8-match PPV will have:

1 WWE World Title Match
1 IC/US Title Match
1 Tag Team Match
1 Divas Match (maaaybe)

And 4 non-title matches? Divas matches aren't draws so if there is only 2 Singles Titles that is a lot of non-title 'feud' matches to book. Lately the 'feud' matches have sucked and I don't tune in to PPVs to see a bunch of meaningless feud matches, I tune in to see what should be meaningful TITLE matches.

WWE doesn't need to get rid of the US Title they just need to freaking BOOK it well.

If the World Heavyweight Title is gone, the U.S. Title should go too. WWE should have its own titles, not piggyback off of WCW's leftovers and history.

I agree that more singles belts are needed, but the U.S. and IC are both "upper midcard" titles, and we don't need two of those. There should be one upper midcard belt for the guys on the cusp of breaking into the upper tier, and one lower midcard belt for the likes of Brodus Clay, Xavier Woods, Santino Marella, Zack Ryder, Tyson Kidd, etc.

They should unify the U.S. and IC Titles and either bring back the European Title or create a new belt.