*THE* World Championship

[Jack-Hammer]

At one point or another, we've all probably thought about, debated with friends, talked about with like minded friends, etc. as to which title in professional wrestling is THE World Championship. It's a pretty simple question: Which title do you consider to be THE true World Championship in professional wrestling and why? Use whatever criteria you want to explain your choice.

 

[King Patrick Star]

As far as which World Championship Title is THE World Championship Title, it’s the WWE World Championship Title. The WWE is the be-all end-all of Professional Sports Wrestling Entertainment. I don’t care what anyone who doesn’t agree with me thinks. There is no way to deny what the WWE is then, now and forever. Vince McMahon might not have started this business, but he sure as hell owns this business. It’s only right that his World Championship Title is the Championship Title of Championship Titles.

Now as far as which World Championship Title Belt is THE World Championship Title Belt, it’s this one…

 

[rbv13]

Crazy thing, I was just having this conversation last night while enjoying a few cold ones. The argument really comes down to two options. The WWE WHC and the IWGP HC. Very compelling arguments can be made supporting each option. I am currently going with the WWE WHC when it comes to Sport Entertainment and the IWGP HC if we are talking traditional pro wrestling.

 

[Kuchar1992]

Real simple, WWE World Heavyweight Championship. #1 wrestling/sports entertainment company in the world.

 

[Rayne]

Throughout prizefighting history, "the" championship has always been decided by the largest company paying the largest purses. Bellator and WSOF both have world champions, but the UFC is where the actual champions are. Boxing used to be much the same way, until a series of promotional splits, rivalries, unifications, de-unifications, and Don King happened, and now it's a confusing mishmash where people just hear that Floyd Mayweather is coming to take their money in a few months.

So by that standard, far and away, the answer is the WWE. They are so dominant in their position that they can, with a couple of exceptions, dictate what they will pay to people without worry of being outpriced.

 

[OYDK]

Every wrestling fans dream (or 99% of them) is to one day lift the WWE World Championship at Wrestlemania. Hell, I would even say it's every wrestler's secret dream to lift the WWE World Championship at Wrestlemania. It's the "big prize" so to speak and that makes it THE World Championship in professional wrestling.

I'd honestly be surprised to see anybody say different.

 

[Navi]

You know it really depends on what company you are a fan of the most. I know some people who wouldn't watch the WWE if their lives depended on it, but they are crazy about ROH and others. So if you asked them, their responses would differ from mine and others.

I used to watch TNA, but since Spike dropped them we don't get it here anymore. And I've never really been into ROH or any of the Japanese companies. Some of them are just too out there for me. When a ladder becomes the champion, or a dog, yea just a little too weird. It doesn't mean I haven't followed certain wrestlers, but as for a full time viewer no.

So I watch the WWE most of the time. It's shit these days, but I have the network so can watch the older stuff, and of course I watch RAW. Smackdown haven't seen in forever. I picked the WWE title, simply for the fact that's the company I watch more than any other.

 

[Hem]

It doesn't even matter if you watch all of the shows and love one the most...the WWE championship is easily THE championship.

Until recently, the WWE was what every wrestler had dreams of. It was the final stop for you. Out of the wrestlers that arrived there many notable names held the WWE Championship. A championship which has been held by The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin, John Cena, CM Punk, Randy Orton, Batista, Eddie, Benoit, Seth Rollins, HHH, Ric Flair, HBK and so many more LEGENDS is obviously going to be THE CHAMPIONSHIP.

Sure sometimes its booking is horrible but you cannot take away the fact that every wrestler who first started out in the industry thought that one day I will stand on the grandest stage of them all holding the WWE/WHC championship.

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

As far as which World Championship Title is THE World Championship Title, it’s the WWE World Championship Title. The WWE is the be-all end-all of Professional Sports Wrestling Entertainment. I don’t care what anyone who doesn’t agree with me thinks. There is no way to deny what the WWE is then, now and forever. Vince McMahon might not have started this business, but he sure as hell owns this business. It’s only right that his World Championship Title is the Championship Title of Championship Titles.

Now as far as which World Championship Title Belt is THE World Championship Title Belt, it’s this one…

I agree. WWE is THE dominant company in the world when it comes to professional wrestling, and to be WWE World Heavyweight Champion is the highest you can get in the business.

I appreciate if you are a loyal ROH, TNA or CZW fan, or even a fan of one of the Japanese promotions (which are extremely strong at present with the IWGP title being arguably the 2nd most prestigious World Title in wrestling), and those titles "mean more" to you, but WWE is the ultimate and probably always will be.

 

[enviousdominous]

Any perspective on pro-wrestling history has to recognize that the NWA made pro-wrestling, and that the WWE World Heavyweight Championship is what the NWA World Heavyweight Championship evolved into.

Vince took his show national, and did it better than any other promoter that also took their show to a national level. Now the WWE can market a world title match in any country on the globe and it'll sell out their biggest arena. The other companies have their top stars who are well known in many other countries, the WWE could have The Rock make a special appearance and overthrow the current government if he really felt like it.

While the WWE may have made some pretty big mistakes with who they let carry their top belt(s), and their standard for the top might not be the highest of all the companies listed; the perception of pro-wrestling fans I've met in places like Qatar or Korea is that the WWE is king of all pro-wrestling.

 

[Rayne]

but WWE is the ultimate and probably always will be.

Well, let's not go so far as to say that, just based on their dominant position of today. WCW made a serious run at having "the real world title", and wasn't exactly shy about proclaiming exactly that- and this was a mere ten years after the WWE had absolutely dominated their competitors in the 1980's.

Before that, it was the NWA who had the absolutely undeniable claim to the 'real world title'. Someone in the 70's might say that Verne's AWA could, possibly, maybe have a claim at that- but the idea that within five years a company would form, create a title, and have that title be recognized as the 'real' one would be insane.

In the long run of time, anything's possible. It's just not something we're likely to see soon.

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

Well, let's not go so far as to say that, just based on their dominant position of today. WCW made a serious run at having "the real world title", and wasn't exactly shy about proclaiming exactly that- and this was a mere ten years after the WWE had absolutely dominated their competitors in the 1980's.

I just think with the exposure, brand value, TV deals worldwide and marketing opportunities the WWE has today, it will be extremely difficult for any wrestling company to make a serious challenge to their dominance without HUGE investment, and as the wrestling fanbase isn't as large as it was during WCW's challenge in the Monday Night Wars, I can't see any billionaire wanting to get involved in the business and being willing to invest the money to create a challenger to WWE.

That's not to say it can't happen, I just dont think it will.

 

[ABMorales787]

Whoever votes for the WWC Universal title is gonna get a slap in the back of the head from me. That thing is an Employee Of The Month award Carlos Colon slaps on whoever brought him lunch.

As for a TRUE World title? I have to go with the unlisted CMLL Universal Championship. Their World Heavyweight Championship is not the top title of the company. All their titles are weight classes. However once a year, the company holds a tournament among all the champions and challengers to crown one above all the rest. That's pretty damn big and constantly pumps prestige to the title of "Universal Champion".

But if we're going with an actual physical belt, the AAA Megachampionship is quite massive. It was created by taking the biggest Heavyweight Championships in Mexico not associated to CMLL and making one. So that one does carry quite the load.

 

[nwogiant33]

As much as I enjoy all pro wrestling entities, THE World Championship belt to obtain is the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. That's the title that comes with the most prestige and probably money, in the world. Most people all over the world that enjoys pro wrestling probably grow up wanting to be the WWE Champ.

 

[rmp0012002]

Historically the NWA World Championship held the most prestige but with the fall of that organization the WWE World Championship is today's top belt although it's hard to consider it a World Title since other that the occasional overseas tour it's mostly a U.S. Belt. Some would say the IWGP (NJPW,The WWE of Japan) is the top or second most sought after title but it's still like a regional belt aside from some inter-promotional events.

 

[TheFightFan]

Historically the WWE has the longest history of being THE recognized World Championship. It has been merged and seperated with the NWA titles, which held matches across the globe at its peak, and so should be considered to carry the history of WWE, WCW, and the NWA throughout all of the splits and merges.

 

[stingray11214]

"TNA is not our competition. They are a 'rasslin company, while we are an entertainment company" - Vincent K. McMahon

It is with those words that WWE no longer considers itself a Professional Wrestling concern, but more as an entertainment operation with a wrestling element. So, if the company does not consider ITSELF a wrestling company, why are we even considering it one? Until Samoa Joe uttered the words "Professional wrestling" on NXT, when was the last time you heard that term on WWE? If it was, someone got their ass chewed out after. As regard to the World Championship: It is closed to all comers. You either must be liked by TPTB while on the Main Roster. Or, you must go through NXT to even get a chance at the Main Roster. That is not the meaning of a TRUE World Championship.

At this time, their are few World Championships that are open to ALL comers in the Pro Wrestling community. The greatest of all of them is the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship offered by New Japan Pro Wrestling. They allow for all comers. Sure, Bernkastel and myself cannot wake up tomorrow, fly to Japan, and demand a match with AJ Styles. However, if Zack Ryder wanted a shot at AJ Styles' IWGP belt tomorrow, I bet that there would be a far better chance of Ryder getting that match than AJ Styles getting a title shot with Seth Rollins. That is the TRUE meaning of a WORLD Championship. Even in it's logo, NJPW has as it's motto "King of Sports". Not "Sports entertainment". Not "Entertainment". But "Sports". They consider their product to be a sport.

Now, I know many of you look at the WWE belt because of "biggest company" or "known everywhere". That is because of one word: MARKETING! WWE is one big publicity campaign. They do not market their wrestlers as "wrestlers" but "Superstars" or "Entertainers". And you still call it a "wrestling" company? If they don't, why do you?

The one true World Championship in this day and age is the IWGP Strap. That is how I voted.

NOTE: The quote was an actual quote. This is not to say that TNA has a "real" World strap, either.

 

[rmp0012002]

Historically the WWE has the longest history of being THE recognized World Championship. It has been merged and seperated with the NWA titles, which held matches across the globe at its peak, and so should be considered to carry the history of WWE, WCW, and the NWA throughout all of the splits and merges.

Maybe you should read up on your history since the history and lineage of the NWA title goes back to the early 1900's and has never been merged with the WWWF/WWF/WWE title so there is zero lineage between the WWF and NWA. The WWWF title wasn't even in existence until '63. The NWA did allow TNA use of the name for a short time but the NWA has always been a standalone organization and exists today as such. The only WWE title that carries any NWA lineage is the U.S. Belt that originated in Mid Atlantic/JCP.

 

[pipebomber]

The WWE world heavyweight championship simply based on lineage.

short version of the story: To me the first original recognizable world heavyweight champion was the NWA Champion. This belt and the WCW championship became essentially one in the same until Ric Flair went to WWF as the NWA champion, at which point he was stripped of both the WCW and NWA titles, and the titles were separated as WCW actually had not been associate with the NWA for awhile, aside from use of their championship. a new tournament was held in which shane douglas won and tossed it aside claiming he didn't want to be champion of a dead organization and claimed himself the ECW world champion. In my opinion the title lost all prestige at that point making the WCW championship appear the more legit version of the world championship. it was combined with the WWF championship during the invasion making the undisputed championship the ultimate one, when they split again they both lost prestige to me until they were once again combined.

 

[t2ne]

Until the mid to late 90's in my opinion it was the nwa world heavyweight championship. Since then definitely the wwe title.

 

[BestSportsEntertainer]

Is this a joke? WWE is the monopoly. When people think pro. wrestling, they think WWE. Though it's not as good as it used to be, WWE is still the best, and no other wrestling company or championship even comes close.