Should a promotion's top program always be for the world title?

[pol]

Just something I've been thinking about lately. I've been working my way through early 90s All Japan and seeing Hansen hold the Triple Crown while Jumbo/Misawa is clearly the hottest thing in the promotion. It seems like in modern WWE the world title is only involved in the top program maybe one-half to three-quarters of the time.

 

I can see the logic that if the title is a draw by itself, using it to prop up your secondary program gives you two drawing cards rather than one. I guess a counterpoint would be that if the world title spends too long languishing in the secondary spot on cards it eventually ceases to be a draw, so you have to give it top booking some of the time to preserve its status as a draw. Does the world title add any value to a program that would already headline on its own merits? Thoughts?

[JerryvonKramer]

I have always thought there was value in having two "featured" matches on any given card. I've pointed before to cards (some here have poo pooed this notion) that have "co-main events".

 

In 1980, the hot feud in WWF was Bruno vs. Larry Zbyszko while Bob Backlund was champ taking on various challengers. Even if Bruno was the bigger drawing card and had the hotter feud, the title still meant something and could headline cards in its own right.

 

In 1990, Warrior was champ but the hot feud was Hogan vs. Earthquake. Some might argue that Hogan vs. Earthquake hurt Warrior's run as champ, because it made Warrior vs. Rude (a feud that had been at IC level the previous year) seem secondary. Perhaps that's a less successful example that might point to some of the "dangers" of this.

 

In 1992, they ran Hogan vs. Sid as the hot feud into Wrestlemania, while Flair vs. Savage were competing for the title. Then later on, it was Warrior vs. Savage into Summerslam but Bret vs. Bulldog was in the headline (two different audiences, main event for American audience vs. main event for live crowd).

 

In 1993, they ran Hogan and Beefcake against Money Inc into Wrestlemania, while Bret vs. Yokozuna was for the title. And we all know what happened at the end.

 

In WCW around that same time, you also have a lot of cards with Ron Simmons vs. challenger somewhere in the mid-card with the Sting match on top.

 

The situation comes up when you have a huge star (Bruno, Hogan, [sting*] -- and, as you pointed to, Jumbo) who happens not to have the title.

 

I think it can work, but you have to keep the title picture strong.

 

I think you could argue that Bruno overshadowed Backlund in 1980 and Hogan overshadowed Warrior / Flair / Savage / Bret in 90-93 and Sting overshadowed Ron Simmons ... from that point of view it looks like the promotion doesn't have faith in the current champ to carry the card, so they are going to go with the old established draw.

 

But I still think it can work -- Summerslam 92 is a good example of it working -- because promotions can play to different audiences. I don't see why there has to be just one match that is doing the drawing, why not two points of interest? They can help each other out, i.e. I get to see THIS match AND this one? Wow, I'll buy! Not necessarily a bad thing in my book, but I think there's scope for it to devalue the champ.

 

* I know, I know

[slackermillionaire]

I have always thought there was value in having two "featured" matches on any given card. I've pointed before to cards (some here have poo pooed this notion) that have "co-main events".

 

In the last year I have been watching a lot of 2003 and 2004 ROH, it is surprising how many times Samoa Joe title matches are not the final show on the card. I don't think it actually hurt his reign at all,

 

But of course the booking in ROH at the time is different than say current WWE as they were booking 2 cards a month and not having a weeks of tv to build up to one card.

[MikeCampbell]

I think the answer should be yes 9 times out of 10. I'm OK with the occasional big feud or program not centering around the title, especially if it's between two guys who are already made, and neither really needs the title. But, I think, for the most part, the title should be always be the focal point.

[fakeplastictrees]

Are we talking about a top title or spcifically the WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE? I think wrestling needs to move away from the WHC being the centerpiece of PPVs and Shows. I believe the champions should not be overexposed and the company should work on rotating the champions into the billed features. Examples of this is what the UFC and boxing currently does. The biggest titles in both are NOT the heavyweight title. I would love to see a wrestling promotion take a chance (as ROH did in the past- to an extent) and feature another title as the biggest deal in the world. So yes I would like to see a Sheamus/Cesaro match for the U.S. title positioned as so Important that is closes out one of the B level PPVs. The Usos have been tag champions for a LONG time. Maybe billed to a program with Tyson/Justin and have them close out the Oct. PPV.

 

When the biggest PPV draws in the world are all under Heavyweight- its time to reconsider the old pro wrestling presentation. The overexposure of the champions also doesn't help.

[Memphis Mark]

It is the chase for the World Title that generates more big time matches . Jerry Lawler has always chasing the NWA or AWA belt. Lawler would have top contenders such as the Funks, Bobo Brazil , The Sheik , Mr. Wrestling II and many others bought in to stop him from moving up the contenders ranks.

 

 

The chase for the title also saw feuds develop over who get the title shot. Lawler vs. Bill Dundee , vs. Dutch Mantell and vs. Austin Idol/ Tommy Rich. This matches drew as much or more money than the actual World Title match. Jerry Jarrett said he knew that no one would allow Lawler to be a World Champion , but the chase for the Championship made a lot of money for the promotion. Fans want to be emotional invested in a wrestling program, more so than just watching one world title match after another with no back story .

 

In today's market , I think that still that still rings true. Look at ROH , Michael Elgin has just been having good title matches , however last night they move his match to the middle of the card . The fans are not emotional invested in the Elgin title reign . So he went on right before intermission and worked with Tommasso Ciampa. Word has they torn down the house.

 

Even though Elgin is the champion , he cannot go on after the likes of the Young Bucks , Briscoes or Red Dragon . Elgin is just not on their level. No knock on Elgin as a wrestler , he just is not over like those guys

 

The drama occuring with Elgin 's main challengers is more interesting than Elgin's title reign . The likes of Jay Brisco , Adam Cole ,Tommasso Ciampa and Silas Young are fighting and clawing to their way to the title, which is were all of the action really is for the fans.

[goc]

I don't think it has to always be the top program. There are times when trying to force that when there are matches that are more important end up hurting the title, far more than not having it as THE main event.

 

Look at how little people cared about HHH/Jericho when they forced that World Title match to go on behind Rock/Hogan which was clearly the match that had the most fan interest going in. That match was never going to tear the house down, but it would have done much better going on 2nd or 3rd to last and letting Rock/Hogan close the show.

[Loss]

I feel like the tag team titles and cruiserweight title (if one exists) should be on equal footing and be main event titles all the way. In my ideal wrestling, almost every wrestler on the roster would have a semi-established tag team partner to challenge for the gold, even if they mostly work singles matches. I also think when full-time tag teams face two singles wrestlers, the "real" tag team should win most of the time. All of that said, there are exceptions to every rule and there would be times where doing the opposite would be appropriate.

 

As for the cruiserweight title, I don't think we will ever see any wrestling company present juniors as separate but equal in terms of marketing and promotional focus, television time and roster depth. But I do think that's what they should shoot for. Imagine how much fresher everything would be if you got a world title match every three months or so, and the other titles were defended about as often.

[Steenalized]

I get the idea of the cruiserweight title being on equal footing. I think it can be built around as much as any other title and probably should be, though I think that also requires keeping the divisions pretty distinct from each other. You obviously can't have the cruiserweight champion jobbing to the heavies and you have to avoid anyone who challenges him from doing likewise, otherwise it becomes readily apparent that it's a secondary title.

[pol]

As for the cruiserweight title, I don't think we will ever see any wrestling company present juniors as separate but equal in terms of marketing and promotional focus, television time and roster depth. But I do think that's what they should shoot for.

 

Do you think a separate Juniors division is still a good idea when we know that these days fans (at least in the USA) are willing to see juniors as credible threats to heavyweights? Rey's title reign would have gotten over if he hadn't been booked like shit, and Daniel Bryan would traditionally be a Junior division wrestler. I almost think a "style, not a weight limit" restriction like TNA's X Division is a better idea these days, although the idea of guys being approved to compete for a title based on how many flips they do is kind of ridiculous in kayfabe.

[goc]

 

As for the cruiserweight title, I don't think we will ever see any wrestling company present juniors as separate but equal in terms of marketing and promotional focus, television time and roster depth. But I do think that's what they should shoot for.

 

Do you think a separate Juniors division is still a good idea when we know that these days fans (at least in the USA) are willing to see juniors as credible threats to heavyweights? Rey's title reign would have gotten over if he hadn't been booked like shit. Daniel Bryan would traditionally be a Junior division wrestler.

 

It depends on how many you want to have on the roster competing with the heavyweights. One Rey, or one Daniel Bryan is special but I don't think it would work if we're also supposed to buy Evan Bourne, Tyson Kidd, Sin Cara, Justin Gabriel, Primo Colon all being viable threats to the heavyweights all at the same time.