Unify the WWE and World titles? Again.

[timmy872]

What is achieved by unifying the WWE and World Championships?
In my mind; these titles HAVE built seperate legacy's over the past 7/8 years.
BUT unification will bring much more prestige back to the Heavyweight Championship of WWE.
I think it will be difficult for up and comers to get a look in.
People who would get a look in:
-Edge
-Randy Orton
-Triple H
-The Undertaker (unlikely he'd have another reign though)
-Batista (proberly wont win it though)
-John Cena
-Chris Jericho

People who might get a look in:
- CM Punk
- Jeff Hardy
- Matt Hardy
- Christian
- John Morrison
- MVP
- Kennedy
- Shawn Michaels
- Big Show

But I suppose that there are simply too many faces in WWE for there NOT to be two World titles.

My other question is; would they stay unified or defended serperately like when RVD won the WWE title as ECW title.

What do people think?

 

[TerryMagowan]

Well i do like the idea of unifying the titles again creating an undisputed champion thus having them appear on both raw and smackdown some how i think that idea fails..i cant think were..its like midnight here

If wwe were smart up and comers should get a look in cause it would mean so much more and it would help guys get over and yes they should be defended together and maybe a new belt introduced to incoperate both titles i dont mind the world title but cena really did destroy the wwe title

The champion would also feud with guys from both shows so that adds unpredictabilty whenever a fued ends i mean..come on..who didnt see orton feuding with batista after backlash?

overall it would be a good idea to unify both belts creating an undisputed belt.

 

[Shocky]

If you do this, you kill the Brand Extension, that's the only way it could work. Having one guy go back and forth between both shows just doesn't work. They tried it in 2002, and it was nothing but utter confusion, and pretty much you leave one brand out in the cold as far as the world title goes, which means little interest is paid attention to that brands main event.

 

[bshort31092]

In addition to the killing of the Brand Extension, having to defend a title on two separate shows twice a week plus at house shows would tire out a superstar much quicker than normal. However, if there were no Brand Extension this would be a great idea.

 

[Black Snow]

There's absolutely no reason to unify the titles. Both brands have more than enough big names to challenge for each title. The only thing that annoys me a little is how each belt keeps switching shows. For three years RAW had the World title and SD! had the WWE title. Then they switched but still stuck with one brand for another three years. I used to think that it was going to be a big accomplishment to say you won both belts. Heck, for a while the only people that could say that were Hunter and Shawn. For a total of over three years no one could say that they won both in the brand era. Eddie Guerrero was going to be the first but he died on the day he was going to win the World title against Batista and Orton in a triple threat.

Now? Hunter, Edge, Cena... the title reigns are piling up and the belts have switched brand in each of the last two years.

Maybe it's just me. I like it when titles are identified with brands. That's why it's hard for me to wrap my head around the U.S. and Divas titles being on RAW and the IC and Women's titles being on SD! now. It just feels so unnatural. Sorry, bit of a tangent there.

But yeah, I can name over a half dozen guys on each brand that are legit threats to the WWE and World titles so unifying them does nothing but once again splinter the brand lines.

 

[JohnCenaSucks316]

I agree with this wholeheartedly. I'll give u some basis for my wanting the two titles to be unified again.

A. How can you have Edge come out and call himself the man and the champion when Randy Orton is doing it on the other show with another championship belt.

B. I take you back to Vengeance 2001 when they first unified them. Ric Flair's quote "One great company, one great Champion". I don't care if Vince runs Smackdown and Raw as separate companies (I don't include ECW because besides Christian and The Hart Trilogy it sucks) because he dosen't. Raw guys fight on smackdown and vice versa. Hell on Superstars Raw, ECW and Smackdown guys all fight each other so it ain't separate companies. No matter what Vince makes you think.

C. The World Heavyweight Title - No offense but in comparison to the WWE Title it has nowhere near the status of it (Remember they don't count the WCW Title history within the WHT). It hasn't the history and prestige as the WWE Title and it never will unless we are 30 years down the line.

D. We wouldn't have had ass clowns as Champions. How can you signify who is a main eventer nowadays? Years back you had maybe 6 guys in around that main event area. Now you have about 15. I don't think that Edge in any way would have held the title the amount of times he has if their was only one belt nor Triple H (trust me I really don't). John Cena as much as I don't like him would've because he is the Hogan of this era. I still reckon Jeff would've as the fans put the belt on Jeff not Vince which is evident as Vince took it off him 3 weeks later.

Think of the people we wouldn't have had to endure in title reigns like The Great Khali, JBL and Edge multiple times. If there was just one title they would never have held the top championship.

So, really I have always thought their should be one belt because who is the REAL champion?, who is THE MAN?

 

[Dave]

I would like to see the 2 titles unified again but I don't see it happening at any point in the near future. I think because of the sperate brand ans the brand identities, it is silly to unify them at all. With just one main event title on the go, the WWE would be flooded with too much talent in terms of the upper-mid card division.

Although I would like to see it because it would freshen things up a bit and we would see some really good feuds I think if both brands were merged, a must if the titles were unified. I mean if we look at Smackdown just now, everything looks very fresh and I could see the samething happening if they unified the titles. I just don't see it.

 

[Viola Moonlight]

I vote Yes for the title unification. It is a silly idea to say "I'm the best in the business" with JR saying "It's the richest prize in the business" when the other guy who holds a similar belt says the same thing with JR repeating himself.

Unifying the titles would bring prestige back to every other male's title, excluding the ECW. Having one ME title means more challengers for the title. This then creates more guys getting rejected for the title. So, where do they turn? The IC & US titles...

Having guys like Jeff Hardy, Edge & all the upper-mid card wrestlers fighting for those titles would restore them as legit championships. Other "rejected" wrestlers could form tag teams and go for the unified tag team championships, which woud help in the restoration of the tag teams division.

People would actually get even more rowdy & pumped to see a WWE title match. More championship match possibilities will double at least, people will actually want to watch a midcard or tag title match, allows more promo time for other non-title feuds...

I could ramble on about why WWE should unify the titles, but it probably wont happen due to the brand extension. However, it doesnt have to be that the champion appears at every other show (TV or house) & it gets confusing. The reasons could go under a whole new thread.

 

[Black Snow]

It's called brand loyalty. If J.R. is on SD! and the World title is on SD! then he should be all accounts consider the World title to be the richest prize in the business. By the same token if J.R. was sent back to RAW or the WWE/World titles switched brands then you should expect J.R. to believe the WWE title is the richest prize in the business. It's the same logic as why Tenay and West are going to pimp out the TNA title. J.R.'s comments are supposed to sell brand loyalty.

I've always seen the idea of top guys fighting for the IC and U.S. titles to be faulty logic. It'd make sense if those titles meant the same thing today as they did 20-30 years ago. Back then if you held those belts you were technically considered the #1 contender or at the very least once you lost the title you were almost automatically the next in line for the WWF/NWA title.

That standard doesn't hold true anymore. If Jericho, Rey, Morrison, Benjamin, Jeff Hardy, etc. fight over the IC title all it means is that other people are busy with the World title. The IC title is a prop. Those secondary titles should be used to elevate talent. Jericho has 8 IC title reigns to his name. But only 2 or 3 of them were actually used to elevate him. The others were all prop reigns. Heck, the most recent one was a "give the belt to someone reliable because coke hound Jeff Hardy needs to go bye bye" reign.

The way to so-called restore a secondary title is to simply have solid up and coming young talent fight for it. All of the top guys should remain top guys and if they aren't feuding for the World title then they can just have personal feuds. No titles of any kind are needed.

The same goes for the tag titles. Makeshift tag teams of big names are never the answer. Tag team wrestling is supposed to be sold as an artform. Remember how the Rockers were always called "tag team specialists?" Specialists wasn't supposed to just be a buzzword. The idea is that you need to have chemistry with a partner because training to be a tag team wrestler is totally different from a singles wrestler. The worst thing that can be done is to have an established tag team get destroyed be Cena and Batista or whatever main event tag team you have in mind. That basically sends the message that tag team wrestling is garbage and any two big name singles wrestlers are better at being a tag team than an actual well-established tag team.

The way to repair the tag team division is to put a handful of teams together and simply keep them together.

I'm always an advocate for fewer titles. I roll my eyes when people say that the WWE should add the European, Crusierweight, Television, Hardcore, etc. titles back to the rotation. But I have to say that right now they're at the perfect number of titles. Each brand has a top male and female title, a secondary title and one set of tag titles which only blurs the brand lines slightly and is necessary given the few tag teams that exist. That's perfect given the number of wrestlers the company employs.

Some guys do have too many title reigns to their names like Hunter and Edge. But that is a product of the titles changing hands too much more than it is from there being too many titles.

 

[RH23]

I would like to see them unify the titles just to see that stupid current version of the wwe title belt go away. But it just wouldn't work with one champion unless they got rid of the brand extension which would never happen because the wwe makes more money with the brand extension then they did without it. plus certain guys that have won the title likely wouldn't get to with only one world title.

 

[Why Always Me]

There is nothing I would like to see more than the brand extension ended and the titles unified.

As it relates to the theme of the thread, if the WWE and World heavyweight titles were unified (also perhaps include the ECW title in this), I would liek to see it done at one of the 'B' PPV's, as a Summerslam or a WrestleMania doesn't need a unification match to sell.

I think that this would also benifit the I.C., because if your unifying the Heavyweight belts, then the other applicable titles would need to be unified, there the IC and US belts would become one (sack the US belt off, its not a WWF/WWE title, it's a WCW/NWA belt). Then treat the IC belt as it USED to be treated, see the history of the IC belt dvd.

The legit main eventers, going for the now unified WWE title would be Cena, Edge, Orton & Triple H. Batista, HBK and Taker may not be around for much longer so whilst they can be included, they can;t be long term. I would then say the likes of Jeff Hardy, Chris Jericho, CM Punk and Rey Mysterio are the guys who could be seen as challengers (and potential WWE Champions, but would also be credible IC champions). Then you have your Mr Kennedy's, MVP's, Matt Hardy's, Christian, John Morrison's and The Miz who are the mainstay of the IC division.

Perhaps bring in a lower midcard title on the level of the Euro title (TV belt??) and I think you have a good balance of titles. This lower card belt could be fought for by some of the IC challengers such as The Miz and MVP, plus guys like Regal, Santino, Tyson Kidd, Jack Swagger, Evan Bourne, Finlay, The Brian kendrick and DH Smith.

I think then you 3 pretty good divisions there. I know I have expanded a little more on it but if the titles were unified I feel that a decent divison for each belt needs to be established.

 

[hollowpoint]

Im kinda torn on this matter simply because on one hand I would like to see the titles unified. It would generate a true champion, an undisputed #1 man in the business. On the other hand, I think the brand extensions are good for business, because it gives opportunities for those upper mid card guys to strive for the possiblity of becoming heavyweight champion.

Gone are the days where the IC champ was the #1 contender, there were legit tag teams and everyone else had there niche and went about there business accordingly. Now everyone wants a piece of the pie and need some type of multiple title reign to define their career.....

 

[sharpsh00ter23]

I honestly think that the World Heavyweight Title should be treated as a stepping stone to the ULTIMATE prize; the WWE title. They should have only one elite title that superstars should vie for. Seeing as the IC title is not even treated like it used to be, where if you had that title then you were pretty much a dead ringer for #1 contendership for the WWE title.


Unfortunately for the IC title that means it would have to take yet another step down, but then it would still make use of the WHC, but not really take prestige from it because it would still be a top title, it would just be the person who has the WHC would go for the WWE title.

 

[Planty]

While I believe right now its best to have both titles simply because of a lot of competition... I believe if this was to happen it should take place at Night of Champions.

Because this event is an event where every title is on the line, what better place is there? I can only think of the Big 4. Though Royal Rumble is hyped because of the Royal Rumble Match so wouldn't be fitting.
If it was done at Survivor Series I'd say that it should go like this. The survivors of the 4on4 matches should be thrown into a match with the WWE and World Champions to crown the Undisputed.
Summerslam and Wrestlemania would just see a basic Champion vs Champion unifcation match.

But I think it will be best suited at Night of Champions personally, a PPV about gold more than any other.

 

[sharpsh00ter23]

I was also thinking that a way for the WWE to unify the titles would be to keep the WHC/WWE title as separate belts, BUT treat them like Jericho did before they made one title...have the true Champion carry both belts. The way the chase for the title would work is say for example one superstar has the WHC and another superstar has the WWE title. Have whomever holds their respective title have a rivalry with each other to determine who is the top champ.

Furthermore, make it a 2/3 falls match to where pinfalls count as title changes. So even at the end of the match, both COULD possibly carry a belt each, but no one would be considered UNDISPUTED champ; just split champs.

In addition the IC champ should regain merit by being a sure-fire shot at either title and the champ should work both brands and face both of the split champs at the next PPV.
Make it to where a 2/3 falls match happens yet again to where the loser wins the IC title and has to try again for the titles.

GRANTED, the IC title is still up for grabs on RAW/SD, so the IC champ could still lose the belt therefore losing the #1 contendership. Therefore getting pushed down further on the food chain.

Finally, the IC title would have to change hands on local TV and not on a PPV to prevent the current/new IC champ from performing 2 matches at the PPV.

 

[Fratelli]

i dont think it would be a good idea to unify the titles.

for one the title spilt gave guys like edge, punk, hardy and guerrero the chance to be at the top of the card, giving them the chance to shine in the main event.

if we went back to having an undispued champ it would mean the title would hardly move from cena, hhh, orton, edge and jericho.

we would never get guys trying to break through the upper midcard getting a shot at the title.

it also keeps the brands seperate and stops the champ having two rivalrys such as when the undertaker fueded with jeff hardy on raw in 2002 and at the same time fueded with the rock and kurt angle on smackdown.

so keeping the belts sperate is a good idea.
the best thing to do would be to split the ppvs up instead like they did from 2003-2007

 

[ajmart25]

this just blows my mind maybe i'm just old, but when i was a kid with nwa around and wwf around they both called themselves (world champion). its the same thing happening now. its makes you wanna see the match up of champion vs champion i.e. 1989 wwf champion hogan vs 1989 flair. you know like the dream match up something like that. i dont know if i'm making much sense but i think thats what vince wants us to yearn for and when we see it its a special treat for us as viewers. i think unifying them would just be a horrid idea it didnt work in 2002 it wont work now. i rather have that feeling of that dream match up to see whos the best in the business once every year kinda like the king of kings match (the one that booker won in 06) but dont include the ecw title.

 

[Little Jerry Lawler]

Unifying the titles means merging RAW, Smackdown, and ECW back together and that is simply not going to happen. It would put too much stress on the champion to compete on both RAW and Smackdown and there are too many viable contenders for just one title. The tag team titles were justified in being unified because there aren't that many teams.

 

[RKOhead84]

I'm with Hollowpoint on this. I Don't know which way to go. I don't know which title I think is more important. Personally I would like them to keep the WHC belt, or at least change that damn WWE belt. Also get rid of the US belt, keep the IC belt, then things could get back to somewhat normal. By the way, if anyone reading this I'm new to these threads and I was wondering how to make my own thread. If anyone could help me with this I would really appreciate it. email - [email protected]

 

[Razor]

Ugh. Unified World Titles? The only way to do that, would be to end the Brand Extension. Why have 3 shows and only one champion between the three?

And you think people are whining today about a "Closed off" and "boring" Main Event scene. Think of what will happen with only one show. It'll be Triple H, Batista, Orton, Edge, Cena. Jeff Hardy when he can squeeze in, HBK when he shows up, and Undertaker when he isn't busy having random ass feuds.

The titles can not unify, because then the shows will have to. And not only will I go insane with the same, continuous, asinine whining about how MVP or Kennedy or Morrison aren't in the Main Event because of Cena doing his job; I will have to hear the complaints from the very people who wanted the Titles unified. It's stupid, and pointless. It's not like Vince's losing money from his shows. It's not like anyone will gain from the shows being unified.