[Henry Hill]

Sorry for those who feel that the belts are not merely used as props these days. As far as I can see the titles have gone from being the be all and end all to being used to get someone over. Not handing the title to someone because of the crowd reactions but giving them the title in the hope that they will get a crowd reaction. Gone are the days when wrestlers had to slave away to make the top prize seem important and when top talent couldn't even become world champion... good times.

By the way none of the above was directed at The Miz who I think was fully deserved of his run and has done very well (considering the odd manner in which he has been booked. It's one thing to be a sneaky, heel champion, its another to struggle to beat an old man.)

But the question is when did you first stop caring about the World championship?

For me it was when Jack Swagger cashed in his Money in the Bank. A talented athlete and worker but a guy who had been booked horribly and just didn't deserve to be anywhere near the main belt. It just turned the whole thing into a joke.

There were a number of incidents that I could mention that transpired before then but for me that one really put the nail in the coffin.

I still watch and care about the product but I wish I still gave a damn about the main prize.

 

[chinoho0y]

When Kahli won the WHC.

/THREAD for me

 

[Henry Hill]

Eh its not a competition. Its a question posed for wider debate. Khaali is a good choice though. Vince is just always on the hunt for that special big man who is going to make everyone go wild. It worked with Andre and he thought the magic would rub off again on a load of untalented shits such as Diesel, Sid Vicious and of course Khaali.

 

[D17]

2008/2009 when they were truely passing it around it around like candy. I know they were passing it around like crazy in 1998/1999, but I started watching in 2000 so those years don't apply.

 

[Henry Hill]

It has also been ruined through repetition. I heard the other day that Elimination Chamber was the first time in three years that either Orton or Cena hadn't challenged for one of the belts. That's a pretty horrifying statistic.

 

[Violent By Design]

Late 90s

 

[Paladine]

When they made a second world championship belt. The brand split sucks!

Oh and how did they make that second world champion? They handed Triple H the title. Handed it to him. No title tournament. No title match. Just handed it to him. Here ya go, your world champion now. Gratz man!

 

[Henry Hill]

When they made a second world championship belt. The brand split sucks!

Oh and how did they make that second world champion? They handed Triple H the title. Handed it to him. No title tournament. No title match. Just handed it to him. Here ya go, your world champion now. Gratz man!

Darn straight. Having two world champions is just beyond absurd. Originally just the world champion was on both brands - much better concept.

 

[Sheik]

Never. No matter how low the belt has gotten recently, it'll always be the "pinnacle of sports entertainment."

The fact that guys like Russo, Arquette, Swagger, Khali etc.. tarnish the prestigous list, doesn't change the fact that the list of title holders dates back to nearly 100 years of the greatest wrestlers of all time.

No matter what, the title will always be the measuring stick of the state of the business, and it'll always be considered an honor to hold.

 

[Henry Hill]

Never. No matter how low the belt has gotten recently, it'll always be the "pinnacle of sports entertainment."

The fact that guys like Russo, Arquette, Swagger, Khali etc.. tarnish the prestigous list, doesn't change the fact that the list of title holders dates back to nearly 100 years of the greatest wrestlers of all time.

No matter what, the title will always be the measuring stick of the state of the business, and it'll always be considered an honor to hold.

Well I'm glad that you still see it that way and I am envious because as far as I'm concerned the belts are now just props and the history that goes with it becomes ever more tainted with each new shitty title run and undeserving, green champion.

As I look towards wrestlemania I am only concerned about the quality of the matches, the titles are just irrelevant and that it is a shame because I used to really care about who was champion.

 

[Kratosx23]

Never. It's still the only thing that matters. If you don't value it, just stop watching, because at that point, it's impossible to accomplish anything.

 

[Henry Hill]

Never. It's still the only thing that matters. If you don't value it, just stop watching, because at that point, it's impossible to accomplish anything.

It really doesn't matter though does it. Edge is now what an eleven time champion? Reigns last about two months. Barely over mid-carders are given the belt with the hope that they'll get over. The same title matches occur over and over again. Title match preparations are booked horribly. Champions are booked horribly.

I still love watching professional wrestling but the world championship means literally nothing to me at the moment. I don't care who wins or loses it because it just seems meaningless.

 

[Kratosx23]

Sure it matters. What else is worth winning? If you completely de-value the world titles, then it's impossible for a character to be considered successful. I won't do that.

It's booked badly, I'll agree, but that's a small point.

 

[BGLWrestlingGod]

When they started passing it around like a hot potato in November 2008. Jericho had just won it in a major swerve and seemed poised to defend it for a few months, had one title defense against HBK, then lost it to Batista so he could win it back a week later. Then he lost it to Cena three weeks after than. The WWE Title changed hands at Survivor Series '08, then when Hardy won it a month later at Armageddon (at which point the win meant almost nothing), and would change hands in January, February, April, twice in June, September, twice in October, December (09) and then twice in February, March, and June. Orton's last reign lasted a couple of months and was defended, and Miz has been champ since November, with five defenses under his belt.

The WHC changed hands again in February '09, April, twice in June, July, August, and October. Sadly, it wasn't until UT's last title reign that anyone successfully defended it.

So to answer your question, late '08 started it, and by mid '09, they meant practically nothing.

 

[D17]

Sure it matters. What else is worth winning? If you completely de-value the world titles, then it's impossible for a character to be considered successful. I won't do that.

It's booked badly, I'll agree, but that's a small point.

Well if you look at Jake the Snake, Piper etc. then that's not true, but if you're talking about current WWE then I guess you're right, you could argue The Miz before winning the belt though.

 

[Rockstar1]

Around late 2008 when they started passing it like candy. When Orton or Cena were all over the place in the main event and now there's Miz, a guy who I still can't believe is the champion. Sometimes I pinch myself hopping to wake up from this nightmare.

 

[Kratosx23]

Well if you look at Jake the Snake, Piper etc. then that's not true, but if you're talking about current WWE then I guess you're right, you could argue The Miz before winning the belt though.

Sure it's true. They never won a world title, their characters are failures. Are they failures as people? No, they made a lot of money, but they are as characters. If you're not on the top, then you're on the bottom by default.

 

[Henry Hill]

Sure it matters. What else is worth winning? If you completely de-value the world titles, then it's impossible for a character to be considered successful. I won't do that.

It's booked badly, I'll agree, but that's a small point.

It's hardly a small point. Nothing is worth winning anymore. At the moment winning the world title is comparable to screwing an old lady who used to be really attractive.

Sure it's true. They never won a world title, their characters are failures. Are they failures as people? No, they made a lot of money, but they are as characters.

Not really because wrestling is more like the movies. Orson Welles never winning an Oscar for his films doesn't make him a failure as a filmmaker. We can still look back at the glorious Jake the Snake and Piper moments and admire their greatness - promos, rivalries etc whereas some current champions are like the Oscar winners which everyone will have forgotten about in the next five years i.e. Driving Miss Daisy.

 

[Kratosx23]

Then go watch UFC where the title "means something" if you don't care so much.

Not really because wrestling is more like the movies. Orson Welles never winning an Oscar for his films doesn't make him a failure as a filmmaker. We can still look back at the glorious Jake the Snake and Piper moments and admire their greatness - promos, rivalries etc whereas some current champions are like the Oscar winners which everyone will have forgotten about in the next five years i.e. Driving Miss Daisy.

Well, I don't value the Oscars, so that's a moot point to me. The Oscars are basically rendered meaningless by the fact that the first and second best movies of all time could theoretically come out the same year and only one could win, and the other could never get it and then a bunch of lower class ones could win the following years. When you're going on a system that's as flawed as that, that's a serious problem for their credibility.

Frankly, I never liked Jake or Piper much anyway.

 

[jimboystar24]

Probably about a year or so ago. When they were passed around for no reason. No one really had a great reign. And sometimes belts were changed just to continue the feud (the shitty "rematch clause"). Also champions would defend against people 3 times, with nothing added to the story. Just lazy booking.

Both titles took huge hits in the past month (WHC-Ziggler situation, Miz fighting an announcer older than Hulk Hogan)