What happened to championship significance?

VIBE
VIBE Members Posts: 54,384 ✭✭✭✭✭
edited April 2012 in Off The Turn Buckle
Long read, give your opinions...

Back in the day titles meant something, it meant you were one of the best, it meant you worked hard to achieve that spot. A title meant you were somebody, someone who was a big deal in the company. Title reigns were quite long and not so thrown around, the title holder could bring his own personality to the title. How the title was carried was with respect and dignity. Now they're more of a joke, getting put on random people for the sake of doing so. People like Santino getting thrown in as the face of Smackdown! and becoming US Champion over other more deserving people.

The WWE has lost it's touch with the significance of each title, eliminating the European Title, ? Title, Light Heavyweight Title and Cruiserweight Title. They've left no room to cater to the other wrestlers who could fit into these categories. Not only could these titles bring in more roster talent and entertainment, but it could bring in more value to the company and it's wrestlers.

The European title was one of the most coveted singles titles in WWE, yet it was unified. The door this title has to many wrestlers is wide, wrestlers like Sheamus, Barrett and McIntyre could've held this title with pride. McIntyre could've held it for a long reign. This title could've kept the WHC and WWE title from being moved around so much at times.

The Intercontinental title was the most prestigious title after the WWE title. The legend Pat Patterson was the first to win it, Chyna was the first woman to win it, Jericho was the first to hold it the most, ? Tonk man held it the longest. The IC title had pride in it and was the WWEs secondary title, but then was united with the European title and later became inactive. Inactive? One of the best titles became inactive, then became a ? title when the World Heavyweight Championship overshadowed it and took it's place as a secondary title. Even though the IC title is secondary in Smackdown! it's overall position is not secondary. Cody Rhodes has brought back life to the IC title, the old white strap and sketch logo do justice. This title gives much opportunity to others but it's not being given right, still thrown around as such on Big Show. A shame. Thank ? Cody has it once again.

The ? title, the title held the rule of NO dq, countout and falls count anywhere and later implemented the "24/7" rule where the title was up for grabs at any given time. The days of weapons, environment and anywhere was allowed. Blood was almost always certain. Foley was the first title holder, Raven held it the most and it's change in many, many hands. The ? title held no real significance as it was just a brawl to beat the hell out of your opponent and win. The title was fun and exciting, it also give rise to more ? wrestling and wrestlers more fit for this type than any other.

The Tag Team titles, the tag teams of Road Warrior and Animal, The Colons, MNM, Team Angle/WGTT, Los Guerroreos, DX, Hart Dynasty, Dudley Boyz and the Bashum Brothers. All held the titles as well as a mix of other teams. Today they have no significance because of the LACK of tag teams. The teams are thrown together randomly and given a lame name, then end up splitting up due to stupid reasons. Where does this title currently fit? No where. Smackdown! And RAW both have wrestlers that can be paired to make good tag teams but they stay under used. So if we have a lack of tag teams, what's the point in having the title? Why give it to a team if we only see them once a month? They've ignored this title for too long and now it's stuck.

Other mentions:

The "Divas" title, the Womans title was scrapped and we were left with a very 12 yr old girl pink, butterfly style title. The woman's division is very short handed, there's not many match-ups besides the same redundant ones we see. The title stays in hand for a good amount of time, but it holds no value. Beth defeated Kelly Kelly, in which Beth was deserving of it. Beth was defeated by Nikki who then loses it to the coming back of Layla. Layla? What about Eve? Natayla? Tamina? AJ? Alica Fox? Katlyn? You're probably thinking, who? Exactly, who? The Divas title has touched one main hand; Kelly Kelly. The rest of the divas don't seem to exist. The women's division needs light. Remember Lita, Trisha, Mickie James, Sable, Alundra Blayze, Torrie Wilson, Stacy Keibler, Michelle McCool? Of course, not only because they were sexy but they were relevant. Many of them held the divas/woman's title and it had competiton. So like the tag titles, what's the current point of the Divas title?

Lastly, the World Heavyweight title and WWE title. Both are the most sought after titles in the WWE and both do well in hands of wrestlers. The only complaint is we see the same people world title holders; Cena and Orton, currently the WWE has taken a new route and made Punk and Sheamus champs. When will we see the title to touch hands for Ziggler, Kofi, Cody, Miz, Barrett, etc and actually MEAN something?


We need the retired titles back! They bring more value to the company and it's wrestlers and give more room for a bigger and better roster. It brings more competition and entertainment and I guarantee it puts more butts in those seats and more tv ratings and PPV buys.

Comments

  • IceManKam
    IceManKam Members Posts: 2,934 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Titles stopped being about working towards them and moreso as stepping stones

    No one's given the U.S. or IC title now in days because they worked for it (so to speak) but because its used as a stepping stone towards the next level. Its just to see how the person behaves with some strap around their waist. Once they've proved themselves (or not), the title is taken off and given to the next guy (or a temporary place holder).

    Look at Cody Rhodes. Yeah he was given the title for his improved work with the mask but most people treat it as a stepping stone for him towards the main event than something prestigious to be held by the better of the bunch.

    One of the main reasons is that WWE doesn't value the mid card anymore. They don't believe in a mid card at all, they want everyone to be main event status when its not possible. When the ME is over-saturated with various wrestlers who aren't ready for the job yet, it really hurts the product. And they don't understand, and until they do you will see the ? they play with the titles

    Just my two cents
  • empressdragon
    empressdragon Members Posts: 6
    edited April 2012
    I agree with a lot of your post. Couple points:

    1. The style and demand of today's wrestling is not conducive to long title reigns. Look back in the 80s and before that...you had some high-fliers (Savage and Steamboat at WM3 inspired a lot of the current, higher-pace style), but you also had a lot of slower-paced matches, particularly with the heavyweights. More "rest holds", and the more methodical approach of focusing on a weakness and working the hell out of it with submission holds. I think a lot of newer fans would be bored by that kind of style.

    Guys like Dusty Rhodes don't have all these back problems and whatnot that guys get today...Goldust mentioned that in his book. There were only like 5 WWF championships in all of the 1980s....they didn't have to drop the belt as much because of injuries.


    2. I think a drawback of the demise of the old territories, is that you get new guys who don't know how to get over. Creative doesn't always know how to get them over. They haven't had anywhere to really learn what works and what doesn't, like in the old days. There's not managers and stables to help build up and get people over like in the past (with some exceptions), so sometimes it's like, well to get this guy over, we'll give him a title push. It's a completely different environment, completely different strategies. I actually think it's improving in recent years, I feel like WWE is realizing that they need (and that people want) to see some of these newer guys come up. Go to a live event and you'll see how popular Ziggler, Cody, Bryan, etc are.

    3. Geez....women's wrestling. Thank goodness for Beth and Nattie. I think the audience has been trained to see the Divas as a "bathroom break" match, and hiring models with no experience hasn't helped. I'm actually going to dispute your inclusion of Sable, Torrie and Stacy....Sable was pushed over women (like Luna, who had to treat Sable with kid gloves so her face/implants wouldn't get smooshed) with MUCH more talent, I was never impressed with Torrie, and Stacy...as far as I'm concerned she's a valet. Kelly Kelly even said in an interview something like "guys don't want to see girls do guy stuff," which is a slap in the face to current women like Kharma, Beth, and Nattie, and old school women like Madusa, Wendi Richter, Bull Nakano, Sherri Martel, etc. Not to mention Japanese women wrestlers innovated a LOT of the moves that guys in the states popularized. ? Killer/Vertabreaker? That's "guy" stuff, right? Megumi Kudo innovated that move.

    Watch any 80s women's match from the AWA or WWF, or Japanese women's wrestling, and you'll notice the difference in length and quality of the match, the announcers focus on the match rather than talking about people who aren't even in the ring, the crowd is paying attention, and it's not some sort of promotional vehicle to let fans know that one of the competitors is in the latest Playboy issue, so let's focus on that and OH NOES!!! Now she's beefing with some other chick who's soooo jealous that she's not a covergirl! The promotions treated the women's matches as significant, and so the fans did too.

    4. Completely agree about tag and other titles...I don't think I have much to add (unless I forgot something and come back later).

    I'm supposed to be doing other stuff right now...will check back later. Good post, thanks.
  • gh0st
    gh0st Members Posts: 1,956 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I agree with a lot of your post. Couple points:


    2. I think a drawback of the demise of the old territories, is that you get new guys who don't know how to get over. Creative doesn't always know how to get them over. They haven't had anywhere to really learn what works and what doesn't, like in the old days. There's not managers and stables to help build up and get people over like in the past (with some exceptions), so sometimes it's like, well to get this guy over, we'll give him a title push. It's a completely different environment, completely different strategies. I actually think it's improving in recent years, I feel like WWE is realizing that they need (and that people want) to see some of these newer guys come up. Go to a live event and you'll see how popular Ziggler, Cody, Bryan, etc are.

    whole post was great but this part right here hit the nail on the head. The demise of stables has hurt wrestling badly I remember the days when stables like the Henan Family or the Horsemen would have the titles or was tearing through the ranks to get them. it would get me hype to see them battle for the gold
  • empressdragon
    empressdragon Members Posts: 6
    gh0st wrote: »

    whole post was great but this part right here hit the nail on the head. The demise of stables has hurt wrestling badly I remember the days when stables like the Henan Family or the Horsemen would have the titles or was tearing through the ranks to get them. it would get me hype to see them battle for the gold

    Thanks....I've actually noticed, it seems like outside of WWE/TNA there are still a lot more managers, like in ROH. It really helps guys who don't have as much charisma/talking skills and it helps keep them involved, just by helping and appearing with the rest of the stable.

    WWE does have Vickie Guerrero, and I'm waiting to see what they do with Abraham Washington.

  • kingofbama205
    kingofbama205 Members Posts: 2,340 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I don't like how the IC and US titles very rarely get defended on TV anymore..hell they rarely get defended on PPVs either...that stuff ? me off and it's one of the reasons I'm not watching wrestling as much as I used too.
  • TRILLip Brooks
    TRILLip Brooks Members Posts: 18,150 ✭✭✭✭✭
    if i was in charge of the wwe, that's one of the first things i'd be doing to re-building the mid card and making the ic and us titles important again.

    some of the greatest wrestlers, matches and rivalry's have came from the mid card/ic belt, using that as stepping stone for being a top guy.

    and ? title was stupid as ? some times, it was cool at first but stupid ? like the headbangers chasing crash holly around and arcade made me not take the belt seriously.
  • VIBE
    VIBE Members Posts: 54,384 ✭✭✭✭✭
    That's another thing that is in the past, rivalries. There is NO good rivalries at all, none that actually have a good history right now. The ones off the head is Big Show/Rhodes.
  • Triple B's
    Triple B's Members Posts: 1,608 ✭✭✭✭
    great post. Stables reall need to make a come back in professional wrestling
  • dalyricalbandit
    dalyricalbandit Members, Moderators Posts: 67,918 Regulator
    lot of good points
  • Michael_Malice
    Michael_Malice Members Posts: 17,415 ✭✭✭✭✭
    A lot of the things you guys are saying are the reasons I can't even watch wrestling anymore. It's just horrible now. 80's, 90's and early 2000's wrestlings was GOAT. This stuff now is just sad.
  • BK Product
    BK Product Members Posts: 1,923 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Dam man yall are all spot on!!!

    The IC title was always my fav.

    From Bret v British Bulldog in Wembley stadium

    to

    HBK v Razor Ramon at WM X

    Some of the GOATS of all time held the IC title with pride and it really helped showcase their talents.

    Completely agree about the IC title not being defended..i remember when Razor had the title, he defended nearly every week on RAW.. and the matches were always good/great, you felt like he could actually lose it so when he reatained it, it was that much more significant.

    One of the Best WWE title/Heavyweight title matches i ever saw was on RAW
    Bret Hart v 1-2-3 kid
    Bret caught him off the top rope wit some type of modified spinebuster held on to his legs and hit the Sharpshooter... I went NUTS. those moments are rare now

    i could go on and on...


  • dalyricalbandit
    dalyricalbandit Members, Moderators Posts: 67,918 Regulator
    BK Product wrote: »
    Dam man yall are all spot on!!!

    The IC title was always my fav.

    From Bret v British Bulldog in Wembley stadium

    to

    HBK v Razor Ramon at WM X

    Some of the GOATS of all time held the IC title with pride and it really helped showcase their talents.

    Completely agree about the IC title not being defended..i remember when Razor had the title, he defended nearly every week on RAW.. and the matches were always good/great, you felt like he could actually lose it so when he reatained it, it was that much more significant.

    One of the Best WWE title/Heavyweight title matches i ever saw was on RAW
    Bret Hart v 1-2-3 kid
    Bret caught him off the top rope wit some type of modified spinebuster held on to his legs and hit the Sharpshooter... I went NUTS. those moments are rare now

    i could go on and on...


    good ol days
  • Agrv2385
    Agrv2385 Members Posts: 1,086 ✭✭✭✭✭
    i still dont see the point of night of champions ppv. i thought that was what wrestlemania was for.....