The Lost Art of the Traveling World Heavyweight Champion

[It's...Baylariat!]

I know what you're thinking. "Thiz isn't iNWA'Z' THIS IZ WWE'Z!"

No. I'm implementing a well received notion from the old days to possibly put over younger superstars in the WWE. The traveling World Heavyweight Champion originated in the NWA. Wrestlers like Hackenschmidt, Thesz, Funk, Brisco, Race, Flair, and Rhodes were all world travelers to defend the NWA Worlds Heavyweight title across the globe. What this did is take wrestling to lesser known parts of the world to show people some unique entertainment. Japan, Europe, Australia, and other parts of the world.

It's a noble idea, and to be honest, Vince will never go with it. He doesn't believe in working someone THAT much. Mind you, during Flair's heyday, he worked all year, twice on Saturday, twice on Sunday. I'm sure the tour would be more limited for someone like a John Cena or HHH, or even Sheamus if he were to do it.

So what are your thoughts on this. Could the WWE pull this off? And if they could, who would be the WWE's traveling World Champion?

 

[kcordloh]

I am confused.

Are you suggesting a 365-day WWE tour, or sending the WWE champion to various promotions to wrestle and defend his title on a daily basis?

No way would vince go for the latter. Why assist smaller feds with your belt? I mean why risk the credibility of say Sheamus by having him have to sell someone who he would squash in the WWE (and might have) and make them look like they should beat him?

 

[CynicSteve]

This could never possibly happen. While I loved the days of the travelling champion Vince would never allow his gold to be defended in other promotions. He is way too anal about his wrestlers signing exclusive contracts.

 

[deadelviX]

i never understood this concept. who decided the results? would the champion always go over by default?

i guess in the past this was more commonplace to make a name for a champion. nowadays you have a national tv show on once a week to do the work for you.

 

[Vintage]

This is probably the thing I miss most in wrestling. Back when WCW was around, every now and again you'd get to see something cool like Ultimo Dragon coming with this 7 Japanese belts around his waist and arms, then defeat the current cruiserweight champion and take his belt as well. Could the WWE pull this off nowadays, I'd say no. They won't even acknowledge that it's a wrestling company, I wouldn't want to work with them. They would likely never allow a title change to happen since they are corporate now, can't market what you don't own.

 

[Dre Guevara]

this concept won't work 2day due 2 the fact that territorial wrestling organizations R a thing of the past & remember, according 2 Vinny Mac "it's not wrestling, it's Sports Entertainment".

whatever that is.

@ deadelvix,

back in those times, the NWA Board of Directors would determine which wrestler, based on their popularity in whatever territory, would get the opportunity 2 face the World Champion as well as how long that wrestler would be champion.

 

[Supernova]

Cena, that guy already is apparently a workhorse, which is why he gets massive respect, and he has a good attitude and humbleness about him that guys like Orton and HHH don't, and which guys like Undertaker and HBK may have but are too old to cope with the workload.

 

[Super Crazy]

What you are suggesting is ushering in a new era of journeymen champions. I like this idea, and I think it would totally work, you could actually do this with all of the WWE. Instead of travelling to different cities day in and day out, they could do like a different country every month, doing various cities in each country until it was time to move out.

Who I would pick for the champion, I would have to say John Cena. After seeing his one lengthy title reign, I believe he is the only man worthy of doing so in the WWE, and the only man who can believably hold onto the championship that long aside from Undertaker, who is too up there in age to do this.

Now sure, this would be harder on the families, but that's why I'd say every wrestler gets a a few weeks off here and there, to go back and home and be with their families. See this could work, it's just a matter of whether Vince would really do it or not, which I doubt he would.