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IC Title: Cliff Dive to Jobber status

12K views 142 replies 87 participants last post by  Shadowcran 
#1 · (Edited)
Updated: Perhaps this title IS cursed. We've got Daniel Bryan trying to give it legitimacy again and he's now out with injury. Maybe we should retire this thing before it kills somebody like it's already killed careers.

Wade Barrett was 1 and 13 on tv with the title. Remember when Curtis Axel held it? Geez, this title sucks.

I recall when the IC title was a stepping stone to the World Title. At the worst it was a place for a talented wrestler who didn't have much experience to gain that. What is it now?

Seems every wrestler that wins it only wins when defending it. They wrestle tons of non title matches and tend to lose every single one.

Barret has lost to Ziggler numerous times after winning the title from him.
Barret has lost to Ambrose numerous times in non title
Barret has lost to friggin' R-Truth 2 times

Since his return, other than winning the IC title, has he won a match?

Instead of a "stepping stone" it seems to have become a "cliff dive" into Jobber status.

It seems every single time this happens, the prestige of the belt slips further and further into "Who gives a damn?"

Even when faces hold it, they tend to lose non title matches often and never seem to hold it long.

I've stopped doing it, but I'm reviving the "Combine the US and IC titles into one and retire both with ceremony" idea. Seems they can't promote both anyways. At least Rusev has kind of brought some prestige back to the US title.

And when they do, turn it back into a stepping stone. Call it the "American Title" or something and keep it at least prestigious enough to want to own. Hell, call it the "Western Hemisphere' championship...I'm terrible with names btw.

As it is now, if I was a WWE Wrestler, my inner thoughts about the IC title would be:

"Oh God!!! Don't book me to win that!!! I'll do anything!!! I'll job to Cena! I'll be his bitch! Just don't give me the IC Title! I want to win occasionally!"
 
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#3 ·
Of all the disgraces in WWE these days, this is the one that baffles me the most. I literally cannot think of one positive that can come out of disrespecting a championship as bad as this.

You know it's reached rock bottom when even the wrestlers and announcers say things like, 'He wants to restore the championship to it's former glory.'

Fuck off you incompetent clowns and book a champion to win. It's not difficult.
 
#5 ·
I love how you list people in descending order of wrestling quality and list divas below guy who puts ring together an concession stand guy :lol
 
#31 ·
Absolutely agree. I think that's just Ziggler actually putting forth effort in those regards, and it worked (opinions). The Title was interesting for several months, which is much more than any other IC Champ can say. The Title defenses had more emotion and more merit than they have in years.

The way most IC Champs are booked is just stupid. Losing every non-title match on weekly television. Blame the wrestlers as well though.
 
#9 ·
It's just lazy booking. all the titles are booked liked this except the WWE WHC. Rusev is only booked as good as he is to be fed to Cena. if not he would be getting rolled up in non title matches cause that's how you set up a feud now a days. Samething will happen to Cesaro and Kidd. Two guys who you can see take pride in being tag team champions, who could raise tag team wrestling out of the shitter where it is but no. they will have some lame ass booking to only hand the titles back over to the Uso's at mania.
 
#12 ·
What can I say but "exactly'. They'll lame it up as they always do.

Everyone does seem excited to see Barret-Ziggler-Ambrose in a 3 way match, but I don't think anyone believes R-Truth should make it a 4 way. I can just see 'creative's' thinking. They'll find a way for R-Truth to get it while we all sit here with pained looks on our faces so ticked off at the utter stupidity that we can't even coherently express our disgust.
 
#10 ·
The IC title today is basically given to any wrestler that they believe will never make the main event but feel the need to reward them for working hard in the company. In other words, when a wrestler wins the IC belt, that is their furthest potential ranking wise within the company.

Heel IC champions like Barret generally get beaten by midcard faces and are always made to look weak or chicken shit. Face IC champions are always booked strong against heel lower midcards, but are always overshadowed by a top card face like Cena.

Wrestlers they actually give real pushes always skip the IC or any mid card belt. Reigns is a perfect example of this. If you aren't immediately pushed to the moon as soon as you debut, you're basically not going anywhere and can only hope for the IC belt.

I believe the IC belt is the worst belt to own, even worse than the US belt. For some reason, they always book the US champion to be stronger than the IC champion even though technically the IC belt is superior to the US belt.
 
#14 ·
Soon as i saw Barrett was wrestling for the title when he returned i knew instantly he was gonna win it and job to nearly half the roster after getting it. He did the same thing in last IC title run i believe, everytime he gets a title he can't win a match.
 
#15 ·
Seems it's not just Barret but anyone who gets it last few years. Maybe they're trying to cultivate a "IC Title Curse" angle for the future,lol.
 
#16 ·
They are jobbing Barrett for sole reason to setup a ladder match for IC title between Barrett, Truth, Ziggler, Ambrose, Bryan (as of recent smack down)

Since Bryan caused IWC uproar and shit over Rumble

Bryan will be given the IC belt at wrestlemania winning the ladder match.


That way Bryan fans can stfu now he'll have a belt to hold while the Brock/Reigns/Rollins story plays out

Reigns will have wwe belt
Cena has US belt
Bryan with IC belt
Paige regains diva belt

After mania


Betcha
 
#21 ·
Reigns will have wwe belt
Cena has US belt
Bryan with IC belt
Hope not, though I would not bet against it either.

Bryan is above the IC title. Though maybe he is a guy who can make it respectable again. At least until he loses it and then the guy who beats him starts jobbing.

Those other two alternately scare and disappointment me.
 
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#22 ·
Yup. It doesn't make sense. They aren't even giving BNB a chance to talk like he used to, which was very over as a heel gimmick. If he could at least talk more maybe he could play off the losing to everyone on the roster, but now he just comes out and jobs to everyone and it makes no sense. He's one of their best all around guys, but I don't think he could beat Zack Ryder right now.
 
#23 ·
I'm not kidding around when I say "expect R-Truth to get it".

Why?

I've a gift for seeing patterns. They've done something like it before with different wrestlers and they're planning on doing it again. The more they make it less likely that Truth will win, the more they're setting up him actually getting it.

I can't recall who they did this for, but I DO remember when they gave a jobber, Barry Horowitz a push at one point. I think they're going to try to cash in again with this.

Similar took place in the AWA with Jake "The Milkman" Milliman...
 
#25 ·
Very excited for this match.

No World title means you have to build up another title. If your upset based on WWE's track record or ruining IC greatness, I understand. But really, this match only downgrades the WWE title, and not anyone in the IC picture. 4 fan favorites fighting over an IC title in a ladder match >>>>>>> Brock "satellite" Lesnar v Roman "Rookie" Reigns. It's in the long run this math will be significant, in giving the IC a much greater deal. In the short run we just get an awesome match.
 
#27 ·
Exactly. And what do people around here expect the guys to do that aren't currently getting a shot at the WWE title? Just fight random feuds and matches? If WWE gets their head out of their asses and makes amazing IC title matches and storylines, they will finally do something right with the talent that aren't CURRENTLY being in the WWE title match.
 
#29 · (Edited)
Sounds better than mine...I repeat, I'm terrible with names.

Who will Barret job to this week? Brooklyn Brawler come out of retirement setting up six way for IC title Ladder match? Emma pins Barret next, setting up a 7 way...Guy selling Cena T-Shirts next, setting up 8 way?

Perhaps in the future, if the IC Title slide continues, they can give it away to guy who sells the most candy bars for Breast Awareness or something.
 
#32 ·
Its not just the booking its the people holding it. When Cody Rhodes held it the ic title felt important because he was seen as a future worldchamp and was a huge part of raw. When Ziggler held the us title same there. Put the ic and us titles on people like Cesaro,Ziggler,Rollins,Wyatt,Ambrose,Reigns,Zayn,Balor,Owens etc people that are actually viewed as the future and not the likes of Barret or Kofi Kingston.
 
#35 ·
if barry horowitz or tom brandi won it id agree with you
 
#37 ·
heh, old school jobbers there.

It's not the point I'm making. That is once they get the title, it seems they're not allowed to win another match unless it's a title match.

Barrett has lost every match on TV since winning the title. On the totem pole of success, the IC Title is:

-Winning the WHC
-JObbing to John Cena
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-
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-
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-Jobbing to Zack Ryder
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-Being IC champion
 
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