[Mr. Rick]

We all know that the WHC is almost a mid carder title. But when did it lost the Main eventer status?
(We also remember that when HHH was champion the title was the number one)

Was it when Batista got drafted to Smackdown?
Was it when The Great Khali became champion?
Was it when The Jack Swagger became champion?
Was it when The Dolph Ziegler became champion?
Was it when RAW became supershow and smackdown a C show??

What are your thougts??

(Sorry for the English if there are mistakes)

 

[Buffy The Vampire Slayer]

Re: When did the World Heavyweihgt Title lost the status of Top Championship?

The World Heavyweight Championship lost it's value because Raw became a Supershow and when Smackdown was put as the C show. The Randy Orton/Christian feud didn't help it either. Batista got drafted to Smackdown did no harm to the World Heavyweight Championship. It kind of boosted it with the many title changes in between 2005-2011. The Great Khali becoming Champion was a worst decision, but did no harm to the title. Jack swagger becoming the Champion was boring and kind of did a little damage to the value of the Championship. Ziggler did no dent to the value. The main thing that killed the World Heavyweight Championship was poor booking for the last 2 years.

 

[Ghoshlad1989]

Re: When did the World Heavyweihgt Title lost the status of Top Championship?

it became a second rate title when it was given to every mediocre star in the pg era. that belt was at one brief period the most prestigious belt in wrestling now its lost a lot of value. to me it became second rate when it was used to push other superstars instead of being a title which when ud earned you would get instead of being handed it. also prestige is determined by the holders and previous winners of it e.g. when rock hhh batista goldberg held it there was no complaints but that legacy has been tarnished by second rate superstars(not all pg stars are) second rate belts are held by secondrate stars. MY VIEWS

 

[Oliver-94]

Re: When did the World Heavyweihgt Title lost the status of Top Championship?

it became a second rate title when it was given to every mediocre star in the pg era. that belt was at one brief period the most prestigious belt in wrestling now its lost a lot of value. to me it became second rate when it was used to push other superstars instead of being a title which when ud earned you would get instead of being handed it. also prestige is determined by the holders and previous winners of it e.g. when rock hhh batista goldberg held it there was no complaints but that legacy has been tarnished by second rate superstars(not all pg stars are) second rate belts are held by secondrate stars. MY VIEWS

Can the same be said about the WWE title? I mean Miz held it for a couple months (two of his defenses were against JERRY LAWLER!). Also the fact that CM Punk has only main evented once with the title says alot for the belt.

 

[CamillePunk]

Re: When did the World Heavyweihgt Title lost the status of Top Championship?

Somewhere between Wrestlemania XXVI and XXVII I reckon.

 

[NoyK]

Re: When did the World Heavyweihgt Title lost the status of Top Championship?

When it started to be the opening-match at Wrestlemania.

 

[ZigglersHandshake]

Re: When did the World Heavyweihgt Title lost the status of Top Championship?

When it started to be the opening-match at Wrestlemania.

Exactly this. Quite disgraceful really.

 

[GEOLINK]

Re: When did the World Heavyweihgt Title lost the status of Top Championship?

.

 

[Nightmare_SE]

Re: When did the World Heavyweihgt Title lost the status of Top Championship?

I've been thinking this for awhile too. People make a big deal about CM Punk not closing PPVs, but Sheamus has been champion for about 5 months now and he hasn't either.

To be honest I can't even think of the last World Heavyweight title match that should of even closed a PPV, perhaps Kane vs. Undertaker Buried Alive at Bragging Rights 2010. Interesting enough their previous match, at Hell in a Cell was the last time a World Heavyweight title match, as well as a SmackDown match, headlined/closed a PPV.


With that said, I suppose the title really started to feel like a midcard title after Edge retired, resulting in Christian/ADR, Orton/Christian followed by Mark Henry winning the title.

 

[radiatedrich]

Re: When did the World Heavyweihgt Title lost the status of Top Championship?

If I had to pinpoint an exact date, it would have to be when Swagger won it. He was the first in a series of mediocre midcarders who burst into the main event out of nowhere and devalued the WHC.

 

[azhkz]

Re: When did the World Heavyweihgt Title lost the status of Top Championship?

Once Triple H lost it! Not seen any wrestler hold any title with as much passion as Trips. He has the looks and made the title look top notch legitimate.

 

[Ratedr4life]

Re: When did the World Heavyweihgt Title lost the status of Top Championship?

Around the time Swagger's WHC reign came around it was officially a midcard title.

I thought the title became important again in 2011 when Christian and Orton feuded over it, before Christians heel turn. Then again during Mark Henry's reign.

Daniel Bryan's reign was as impressive, but again look who he feuded with Big Show :no:

 

[Rusty Shackleford]

Re: When did the World Heavyweihgt Title lost the status of Top Championship?

I would say during Benoit's run because even though he was the champ, the main focus was always Triple H and the only time Benoit ever main evented a ppv minus Triple H was at Summerslam but then again Taker vs JBL damn sure wasn't close. But, the whc was still somewhat valued more than the WWE Championship because it was on the "A" show and had the top talent gunning for it while the WWE Championship was on the "B" show and was being defended in sub par matches and on sub par ppvs. For me it would have to be when Swagger won it. Ever since they gave him the title, it's had some poor reigns. Swagger's reign started off good but quickly turned to shit. Then Mysterio holds it for a month and does nothing significant with it. Kane has a long and successful reign but it was boring as hell. Edge's reign was forgettable, Ziggler's "reign" was just dumb as fuck. Another pointless Edge reign ended because of injury and the guy who has been prepped to win the title since making his debut losses it in the opening match of WM and can't even win it at ER. Christian and Orton trade the title and each have pointless reigns. Henry's reign tbh was the best reign since Taker's reign from 09-10. Bryan's reign got annoying fast and Sheamus' reign is just another boring reign. So, I'm going to go with Swagger's reign coupled with bad reigns in between, boring champions, two back to back WM opening matches, and the 18 second clusterfuck.

 

[GEOLINK]

Re: When did the World Heavyweihgt Title lost the status of Top Championship?

.

 

[Mr.Cricket]

Re: When did the World Heavyweihgt Title lost the status of Top Championship?

When Great Khali and Swagger won the title.

 

[Irish Dude]

Re: When did the World Heavyweihgt Title lost the status of Top Championship?

When Great Khali and Swagger won the title and the (current) bad booking

 

[Kratosx23]

Even Khali didn't do this much damage to the WHC, which REALLY says something about Swagger. Even after Khali won it, the world title had status. Batista won it back, Taker and Edge were the final main event at the following WrestleMania. Even as late as 2009 it was still neck and neck with the WWE title, CM Punk and Jeff Hardy were main eventing PPV's over the WHC, it was higher billing than Cena vs Triple H vs Orton was, they closed the show at SummerSlam. Edge and Jeff Hardy main evented PPV's over the WHC, Edge and Cena, the WHC Elimination Chamber. The World Heavyweight Championship, believe it or not, closed several PPV's in 2009. Almost half.

Once this goofy, horrible, obknoxiously untalented Kurt Angle ripoff with the Daffy Duck lisp won it, it was doomed and is showing NO sign of recovery. It is firmly established as underneath the WWE Championship, and he did it. Curse his career and everything it stands for. Every time he gets buried, an angel gets its wings.

 

[BehindYou]

Honestly, atleast they booked swagger reasonably well in his reign.
Kane & edge had the worst feud over a major title in years, punctuated with even worse matches! That hurt it more.

Sheamus & Henry's reigns are good for the title. Very strong booking of both guys makes the title look far more legit imo

 

[StLSaint_75]

Was it David Arquette winning the "Big Gold"?

but seriously, I would saying being the second most important title, in a time when there are 4 titles for maybe 15 guys who are "title worthy" or legitimate ME, means that the title is automatically going to lose some prestige.

Looking at the WWE title, there are some names that have won it that really surprise me. The Miz would have been a IC champ at best in the attitude era.... WWE Champ, beat Cena at WM. Rey Mysterio... cruiserweight... won WWE title.... I think that devaluing that had a trickle down effect.

Besides that, whatever title who's champion is a Raw superstar will be the bigger of the two. Thats why it changed so much from 04-09. When triple H was on raw as WHC it was #1, when the WWE title moved to Raw it became #1

 

[Kratosx23]

Looking at the WWE title, there are some names that have won it that really surprise me. The Miz would have been a IC champ at best in the attitude era.... WWE Champ, beat Cena at WM.

What does this even mean? EVERYONE today would have been IC champ at best in the Attitude Era, Cena, CM Punk, Orton, Sheamus, because the top guys were AUSTIN and ROCK, the two biggest stars in the history of wrestling. There's no breaking THAT ceiling.