That Wrestling Podcast Episode 44

That Wresling Podcast Episode 44 by Dave Hatton on Mixcloud

On April 25 2011 Mark Henry tuned heel. It wasn’t the first turn of his career and it wouldn’t be the last, but it would be the most significant. It instigated the push that finally saw him accepted as a main event act after years of half-hearted and incomplete attempts by WWE. ‘The World’s Strongest Man’ started mentioning his Hall of Pain, produced the best promo work of his career and cultivated a monster aura.

At Night of Champions, five months after he’d gone bad and been rocketed to the top, Henry defeated Randy Orton to capture the World Heavyweight championship. That result, and the fact that it was clean, amazed me. I’d been convinced that Henners had been built up in order to be fed to a valiant babyface, which ‘The Viper’ then was. I hadn’t expected him to capture what was WWE’s second most prestigious title.

I was shocked by the reign but he did look good with the gold

It took me quite a while to warm to Henry. His promos and look upon turning were positive points but his matches remained as ponderous and uninspiring as ever. It probably didn’t help that I’ve never been that big a fan of big men in wrestling, particularly those who work the sort of slow, powerful style Henry does.

For most of 2011 the character was there but the match quality wasn’t. But towards the end of the year I began to be won over. Henry had some great interactions with Daniel Bryan (doesn’t everybody?) on episodes of SmackDown and at the 2012 Royal Rumble. He had a trio of matches with CM Punk on the April 2, April 9 and April 16 episodes of RAW which were, in hindsight, pretty fun.

Shortly after that Henry disappeared from TV to undergo surgery. He would return nine months later and continue to benefit from strong booking. This was another surprise. Previously breaks from TV had been one of the most common reasons for his pushes faltering. When he returned Henry not only qualified for a spot in the Elimination Chamber but was protected in his inevitable exit from the structure. A month later he cleanly defeated the previously unstoppable Ryback at WrestleMania XXIX.

Since then Henry has continued to be presented as a top act, most notably in his solid swerve turn on John Cena prior to Money in the Bank 2013. While my initial reasons for disliking the push, specifically that WWE could have given a younger member of the roster with a longer future and a less disappointing past such as Brodus Clay to spot in Henry’s place, remain I can’t deny that Henry hasn’t grown into the role and been accepted in it by fans. I wouldn’t claim to be the biggest Mark Henry fan, and I’d still argue that his matches often come closer to being boring than exciting, but when he’s on form against the right opponent Henry can and does shine. If WWE could get more people over to the same extent they'd have far fewer problems.

I just wish Henry hadn’t shaved his head bald. The dreads look was wonderful.

TLC 2013 review

It was obvious with everything from the announced card to the build-up to the show that WWE were only concerned with one match at their TLC pay-per-view. That was the World Heavyweight championship and WWE championship title tables, ladders and chairs match. It’s understandable. Unifying the two world titles which have vied for importance for the past eleven years was a big deal, one of the biggest thing WWE could promote. Not only that but it featured two of the biggest names of the past decade. Clearly this was a match capable of carrying the pay-per-view by itself.

That it was expected to is a shame. With a decent undercard to support it that match could have been the centrepiece of a truly unmissable event. By embracing complacency WWE denied themselves and fans a genuinely special evening.

Let me be clear. I’m not arguing that the WWE versus World Heavyweight championship match should have been reserved for a more important show like Royal Rumble or WrestleMania. That may have been a preferable scenario but it wasn’t necessary. What I’m arguing is that WWE could have elevated the importance of an average B level pay-per-view by booking an undercard that meant something. Had every match meant something and had a story behind it the show as a whole would have been far stronger.

That they didn’t do this shows a disappointing lack of common sense from WWE. I’d ask why they feel it appropriate to settle for mediocrity but I already know the answer. It’s because their number one. They don’t feel compelled to push themselves outside of the Rumble to ‘Mania stretch.

The TLC pre-show was the usual blend of inoffensive expert panel mugging, video packages and forgettable match. Doing the honours in the latter were Dolph Ziggler and Faaaaaan… daaaaaan… goooooo. ‘The Ballroom Brute’ got the surprise win in a competent affair.

The expert panel was comprised of Mick Foley (wearing a Santa hat), The Miz, and Booker T. The show as being held in Houston, which made the inclusion of Booker completely natural. Less natural was the appearance of Kofi Kingston. He rocked up to slap Miz as a part of their continuing feud. Booker and Foley separated them. The highlight of this sequence was Booker T. Because he’s Booker T.

The pre-show ended with Triple H, Stephanie and Vince McMahon stepping out of a limo. That got the biggest pop of the entire pre-show. Vinnie Mac can still work wonders.

The PPV proper began with Trips and Steph strolling into the entranceway to talk up the importance of the night. It was, apparently, the biggest night in the history of the company and wrestling (yes, they said wrestling!). ‘The Game’ talked up the prestige of both titles and mentioned that there had been two world champions ever since Lou Thesz and Buddy Rogers fought to a split decision. I’ll get more into lineages below. Michael Cole talked up the title situation too, but it felt hollow and half-hearted. This was an event that really missed the involvement of Jim Ross. He’d have expressed the same sentiments as Cole, but he’d have done a better job of convincing viewers he was speaking the truth.

The opening match saw CM Punk take on The Shield. For the record the trio had to tag in and out. The match started slowly, with Punk outwrestling and outsmarting Ambrose and Rollins. He didn’t do so well when Reigns was tagged in: the big man floored him almost instantly.

A few minutes into their exchange the two headed to ringside. Reigns dove at Punk as ‘The Second City Saint’ lent on the commentary desk, apparently trying for a spear. Punk dodged out of the way, sending Reigns sailing over the table and into JBL’s chair. He made it back into the ring by the count of seven but spent several minutes being attended to by a medic as Ambrose and Rollins continued the battle with Punk. There was, we were told, something wrong with his eye. In truth it was part of the script to allow the match to continue credibly.

Punk fought back against the remaining ‘Hound of Justice’, holding his own like a true headline babyface. Several minutes went by before Rollins was taken out with a GTS and Reigns re-entered proceedings to attempt another spear. Punk sidestepped it again. This time it was Ambrose waiting in place of the announce desk. Punk quickly tossed the big man out of the ring and pinned Ambrose.

The story was that Reigns’ actions had cost The Shield the contest. It will presumably contribute to the breakup storyline that seems certain to come out way soon.

Backstage Divas champion AJ Lee told Renee Young that she was the only woman in the division that mattered and that nobody has her number. Presumably CM Punk's not included in that statement. Speaking of Punk, AJ channelled him in her promo when she said she's been the champ for 133 days.

The champion’s defence against Natalya was acceptable but nothing amazing. Both women countered their foe’s submission hold. Natty tried hers once too often, getting rolled up with a small package on her second attempt. She cried in the ring as AJ cavorted to the back with Tamina. Booking women to do that does them no favours. Kaitlyn did it earlier in the year and got booed. Guys don’t cry when the lose championships. Having women do it makes them look inferior. And if they look inferior they’re not going to be taken seriously.

Damien Sandow cut a promo on the Texas vernacular as he headed to the ring for his match with Intercontinental champion Big E Langston. It turned the audience against him but didn't convince them to significantly rally behind Big E (which is just as much the goal as having them boo the heel with this kind of promo). Big E didn’t talk as he came to the ring but he did bellow.

‘King’ compared the significance of Big E’s title reign to Bret Hart v Davey Boy Smith at Wembley during the introductions. That deserved an eye roll and it got one. The match was basic. Langston went over with the Big Ending. A welcome surprise was the loud reaction the crowd gave him when he pulled the straps on his singlet down. It bodes well.

Backstage Vince shook Randy's hand and had a verbal exchange that we couldn’t hear. The same thing would happen later with John Cena. It was all scintillating television!

Cole camped it up when throwing to the expert panel. They replayed the confrontation between Kofi and Miz from the pre-show. Booker tried to be serious but ended up laughing. It was lovely. Foley was still dressed as Santa and still looked awful. The purpose of the segment was to have Miz v Kingston announced. That was it.

The tag team title match was next. The Real Americans, Rey Mysterio and Big Show (the man who headlined the previous pay-per-view) and RybAxel all challenged the Rhodes bros in an elimination rules match. RybAxel were eliminated first when Goldust rolled up Ryback. Swagger immediately hit the ring and he and Cesaro successfully kept Goldy isolated for several minutes, tagging in and out between themselves. ‘The Bizarre One’ eventually managed to make a hot tag to Big Show (after one to Cody had been thwarted). ‘The Giant’ steamrolled Cesaro and then KOed both ultra-patriots with his WMD punch. That left MysteriShow to face the champs.

Goldust took the first stint against the challengers. He survived Show's large hands and finally tagged his brother, something which wasn’t milked at all and could have been. It didn't take long for a heavily winded Show to tag out to Rey, allowing the pace to quicken for a compelling finishing sequence. Rey countered a springboard into a power bomb in one of the best moments of the match, then leapt off the top rope only to be caught in a Cross Rhodes attempt. He escaped that and went for a 619, which was blocked and countered by Cody. That was countered too as Rey rolled Cody up for a believable near fall. Seconds later Rey went for some of his body twirling offence only to finally be caught with a Cross Rhodes for the three count.

The Rhodes boys retained the gold. As the four were all babyfaces there was plenty of handshaking after the match. Code of Honor style!

Backstage the Prime Time Players, The Great Khali, Los Matadores, Vickie Guerrero and Brad Maddox played with some Brawlin' Buddies (WWE toys, basically). Then the lighting turned red and Kane's music played. Kane walked in, intimidated everyone else away and then had a quiet play himself (not like that). The backstage music intro is great. It's another reason the current use of Kane is so enjoyable.

Back out in the ring Brodus Clay was upset (WWE's choice of phrase, not mine) by R-Truth after being distracted by a row he had with Tensai and the Funkadactyls. The match was instantly forgotten. It was on the card to help us all accept Brodus Clay as something more than the comedy performer he’s been for the best part of two years.

Match six was just as pointless and match five. Kofi Kingston and The Miz clashed in a no disqualification match. Kofi won a surprisingly sloppy and mistimed bout after ‘The Awesome One’s’ head collided with an exposed turnbuckle (which he himself had exposed earlier in the match). Moments before the finish came the crowd had been chanting "Boring!"

While it’s good that WWE are trying to give mid-carders something to do that chant should tell them that they have to do more than go through the motions when booking this stuff. Kofi and Miz should learn something from it too. Wrestling, particularly in WWE, is about more than having good matches. They should do everything they can to draw people into their dispute so that we care about the matches when they happen.

The penultimate match was the evening's second handicap affair. Daniel Bryan took on the three members of the Wyatt Family. Something that surprised me was how uninterested the crowd were when the Wyatts entered the arena. The trio can usually be relied on to get a strong reaction. Not so here. They warmed up as soon as the bell rang. Clearly they just wanted to see Bryan in action. That's got to be a positive for WWE and 'The Dazzler'.

The first several minutes saw Harper and Rowan flatten Bryan. Once he was with down Bray tagged in for the first time, yelling that he wanted to help and be friends with Bryan. 'The Eater of Worlds' floored Bryan with an impressive throwing suplex and then prompted a "That was creepy!" chant by rolling around giggling before doing his upside-down crab walk thing.

Bray offered Bryan a final chance to join the family and get the predictable negative response. That ultimately led to a comeback for ‘The King of Beards’, culminating with an attempted Yes Lock on Bray. The faction leader slipped out, pummelled Bryan with forearms to the face and then dropped him with Sister Abigail for the victory. The result wasn’t surprising, but the relative ease it was gained with was. The Wyatts posed over Bryan afterwards, with Bray cradling Bryan's head to his chest.

After a final, inconsequential check-in with the experts it was time for the evening’s world title unification match. The pre-match video focused on Orton and Cena's careers paralleling each other. It was very effective. It also went to great lengths to paint the World Heavyweight championship as a direct descendant of the NWA world championship. Even though the NWA title is still active elsewhere as a separate entity an argument can be made for WWE’s version of events being true. It was misleading though.

This isn't surprising. It's WWE at their hyperbolic best. Altering their own history to suit current plots is what they do. I wanted to draw attention to the fact that they weren’t entirely accurate though. The match was not, as was implied by the video and stated by JBL and Cole on commentary, fifty years in the making. As the WCW-slash-World championship was presented as an NWA continuation when unified with the WWF championship in 2001 the lineages had already been combined. That wasn’t mentioned once throughout the entire show. Obviously.

Much was made of the fact that Orton had never been in a tables, ladders, and chairs match as he strolled to the ring. Too much, in fact. Trying to paint Cena as an underdog was insulting. Everyone watching knew that Cena was the favourite, but not to the extent that Orton became an underdog. Both have been pushed heavily for years on end and that meant that the match was as even as a Cena match can be.

Orty and Cena both entered spirited performances, belting one another with chair shots and hurling themselves around ringside, and taking several big bumps. Clearly they wanted to have this match meet its hype and apparent status, and deserve credit for taking that attitude.

The booking didn't help them. 'The Viper' had to recover far too quickly after being dropped through a table (this happened twice). Cena was booked to sell blows from a microphone (yeah, those small things covered in plastic and foam) more. And a Jeff Hardy-like spot which saw Cena hanging from the belts probably sounded exciting when devised but was unimpressive in practice. It would have been better had the belts been hanging higher, but then this spot is the reason they were so low.

Then there were the handcuffs. They were introduced to allow for a win that didn’t weaken Cena too much. 'The Franchise' was locked to the central rope by his fiendish opponent and then smacked with a ladder (which he no-sold). Orty set up the ladder in the ring but he’d taken too long: Cena had wrenched the turnbuckle pad free and gained access to the centre of the ring. He sent Orton sprawling to the floor. Moments later he was pulled off the ladder using the ring rope and landed in the general vicinity of a table. He was probably meant to go through it because he sold as if he had.

Orton then very slowly clambered up the ladder and, after pausing a couple of times to stare at his fallen opponent, unhooked the belts. As he posed with his prize JBL said people will talk about the night in one hundred years. That nonsense was thankfully overshadowed by The Authority walking to the ring to Vince McMahon's music. All three congratulated him as Cena say at ringside staring and looking glum.

The finish makes sense. Cena can work programmes of interest without the belt. That’s not necessarily the case with Orton right now. His purpose has become to act as a paper champion for The Authority. Without that role he’d be back to drifting aimlessly. As he’s going to be on TV no matter it’s preferable for him to be doing something.

The win also sets up a potential match with CM Punk at Royal Rumble or WrestleMania. While that match isn’t fresh it’s one we haven’t seen for a while and something that could, if handled well, be fun to follow. What’s next for Cena is less clear but I wouldn’t be surprised if it involved him being denied a rematch and promising to win the Rumble, possibly being entered at number one by the heels. TLC may not have been the most entertaining show of the year for WWE but it delivered on its main event and, more importantly, has done a good job setting up an intriguing batch of storylines for the next month.

Just think of how different things would have been with a functioning mid-card.

That RAW Recap 09.12.13

A tweet on Monday afternoon revealed that the Slammy Award episode of Monday Night RAW is one of Vince McMahon’s favourite nights of the year. With that in mind we could have reasonably expected Monday’s RAW to be a belter. It was not. Excellent closing segment aside the show was firmly in average territory.

 

Bret Hart gives this line-up of former champions 4/10

The closing segment was WWE’s final push (Main Event and SmackDown don’t count) at convincing people that the title unification match happening at TLC really means something. It saw Triple H and Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley joined in the ring by numerous former WWE and World Heavyweight champions. This led to a situation where genuine greats such as Shawn Michaels, Mick Foley and Booker T were, on some level, presented as the equals of The Great Khali and Jack Swagger.

 

‘The Game’ kicked things off by talking up the importance of world championships in wrestling, to ever increasing chants of “Daniel Bryan!” from the Washington (Bryan’s home state) crowd. Triple H waited it out, allowing the crowd to have their fun. Mark Henry raised Bryan’s hand, hoping that that would provide a culmination point for the fans. But it didn’t, they just carried on.  Home state crowd or not, this was a perfect illustration of how popular Bryan remains with the people who buy tickets to WWE events, an excellent reason for his push to continue.

 

Eventually Tripper resumed his speech and brought Randy Orton and John Cena to the ring. The idea was that both men would, to use wrestling parlance, talk people into the building. Each would cut a promo about the importance of the match, the concept of title unification and their dislike for each other so that punters would be convinced they’d be missing out on something if they fail to order this pay-per-view. If that’s what WWE were going for, and the approach taken as well as Triple H’s proclivity for old school antics makes me think it was, then they failed. I don’t think a significant number of people will have been convinced to order TLC based on the performances on RAW alone. But I do think both Orton and Cena did a great job.

 

Orton started things off with what was, by his standards, a great piece of mic work. Gone was the stilted, drawn out delivery of hollow nonsense, replaced by passion and a man who wanted to show that being a world champion means something to him. Perhaps more significantly this was a man ho wanted to show that he’s the equal of John Felix Anthony Cena.

 

Orton commented that Cena had lost the “ruthless aggression” (remember that “era”?) he’d claimed to have when he first debuted in WWE. Then he put himself over as the greatest superstar of this or any other generation and mentioned some of the other men in the ring. He reminded us that he’d taken years off of Mick Foley’s career and life and that he’d embarrassed Shawn Michaels numerous times, before saying that had he been around for Survivor Series ’97 the Montreal Screwjob wouldn’t have needed to happen. Naturally Bret Hart did not look happy at that.

 

Unfortunately Orty let himself down at the last minute. He said that everything Cena’s worked so hard for will come crashing down around him on Sunday. It was a shame that such a passionate speech was closed by such a generic comment.

 

Cena began his response by bringing Daniel Bryan into the centre of the ring to illustrate that people like him because he works hard. In truth he didn’t actually need to involve Bryan at this point. He did so partly to get the audience on side and partly to give them another chance to cheer for Bryan, something they all clearly wanted to do. There was nothing wrong with either reason. It demonstrates how good Cena is at reading situations and crowds.

 

Cena went on to talk about how Orton has had everything handed to him during his WWE career because his father was a wrestler. In fairness to Orton this is rubbish. WWE has hired people based on family names in the past, and probably will in the future, but nobody would get to Orton’s level based purely on their name. Orton, Rock, and Eddie Guerrero, all second or third generation stars, reached the top of WWE because on their hard work. By Cena’s logic Ted DiBiase, Chavo Guerrero (Junior) and Natalya are all major stars.

 

If Cena really has an issue with third generation people in the wrestling business he should have been looking at the only woman in the ring with him. She is the greatest beneficiary of nepotism in WWE history.

 

Cena talked about Orton being bulletproof during their time together in developmental because management liked him. That was a state of affairs that continued when the two moved to the main roster and Orton was sheltered by “the best performer in the business” (Triple H, apparently). Cena’s point was that all Randy does is hide behind the McMahons.

 

The mention of Triple H being the best performer in the business is interesting. It’s yet another tantalising hint that Cena and The Authority are closer than they appear to be. It wouldn’t be the last of the show.

 

Cena reminded us that Orton feels he’s better than WWE in its entirety and that he’s had in-ring behavioural problems in the past. Smashing kayfabe, he also brought up Orton’s behavioural problems outside the ring. Engaging hyperbole mode the World Heavyweight champion said Sunday’s TLC match will be the biggest in company history and that it will change the direction of the organisation.

 

Still not done Cena said he’s always been a fighting champion and gave himself credit for giving Dolph Ziggler, CM Punk and Daniel Bryan chances to main event pay-per-views and wrestle for top titles. Judging by his reaction this infuriated Punk. Understandably so because it’s only part true: Cena did main event pay-per-views against all three men (and others) but the men themselves had earned those opportunities with years of work. They didn’t need Cena’s blessing to succeed, which was how it seemed to presented on RAW.

 

Title unification in WWE was always going to involve these two

Cena ended his promo by saying that the TLC match will be physical and he wants to know that ‘The Apex Predator’ will be at his very best. The last thing that anybody wants, he said, his another Randy Orton excuse. The two shook hands as the belts were raised up to the ceiling. Then Orton cheap shotted Cena and everything kicked off.

 

Cena took Orty down and pummelled him. The more physically able world champions in the ring swarmed around the two and pulled them apart. As the two men were held in separate corners Punk approached Orton , presumably to try talking some sense into him, and got a slap for his trouble. His response was to punch Orton repeatedly.

 

‘The Game’ intervened, easily flooring Punk and then yelling at Orton. He was pulled around to take a retaliatory right from Punk. HBK super kicked Punk. Bryan hit a running knee on HBK. Orton attempted an RKO on Bryan but got shoved off into Stephanie McMahon. Triple H checked on Steph and then dropped a distraught Orton with a Pedigree.

 

Cena and Kane then helped Triple H get Stephanie to her feet as the fans basically ignored the events they’d just witnessed and chanted for Bryan again. The show went off the air with Triple H, Stephanie, Kane and Cena looking down at Orton.

 

I don’t think Cena’s going to align himself with The Authority at TLC but I do think there’s an argument to be made for it being the long-term plan. And if it is it’s a good one. It could give the Cena character the refresh it needs without being an all-out heel turn. Cena could still be marketed at kids but adult (more specifically hardcore) fans would have more reason than ever to dislike him because he’d be aligned with the promotion’s lead heel group.  

 

As pre-pay-per-view RAWs go this show as a whole was not great. But its main event segment was an absolute classic. It’s set up multiple possibilities for future storylines. In addition to Cena potentially joining The Authority the issues between Bryan and Michaels were revisited and CM Punk was drawn further into conflict with The Authority. It looks like WWE are setting up a very strong WrestleMania Season.

Unification

The big news on last Mondays RAW was that WWE champion Randy Orton and World Heavyweight champion John Cena will face off at TLC. In a tables, ladders and chairs match. And both titles belts will be hanging above the ring.

 

Is this belt near retirement?

Cena v Orton may be one of the most played out matches on the roster but this match still manages to be of interest. On a basic level the two men have never clashed in a TLC setting, so there's something fresh there. There's obviously the far more noteworthy title versus title aspect too. While WWE have so far refrained from referring to this as a unification match (going out of their way to avoid that specific word) it's hard to see it as anything else. It's hard to see one man leaving the pay-per-view with both titles and defending them separately, although the option of the belts being switched (Orton taking the WHC and Cena becoming WWE champ) remains an option. A depressing one too.

 

I’m currently leaning towards one man having both belts. It's tough to imagine Orton defeating Cena cleanly especially as he wasn't even allowed an unsullied win over Daniel Bryan in their recent feud. That his Survivor Series match with Big Show ended with a musical cue distraction didn't make 'The Viper' look especially strong either. Basically the last few months have made it clear that even he is not on Cena’s level.

 

While it's easy to imagine Cena defeating Orton, because Cena beats everyone, that result seems too obvious. Would WWE announce a title versus title match involving Cena just like that and then have him win, also just like that? The match itself has come completely out of nowhere after years of doggedly sticking to the two world straps system. Whacking both titles on Cena on a B-show with only a month's build seems too easy. A bout of this importance could net WWE a decent buy rate if handled correctly. Rushing it seems entirely the current house style but isn't, ahem, what's best for business.

 

The TLC stipulation-slash-gimmick is an interesting one. Obviously it's been chosen because the title match will be going on last at a show of the same name as opposed to there being a genuine necessity to use it. It brings with it both freedoms and restrictions. The writing team can pile as much interference and other assorted nonsense into the match as they like without booking themselves into a corner. The gimmick is designed with that in mind, and this is a rare occasion when getting more bodies into the ring would probably improve the match quality considerably. But this also would also work against WWE: they have to book a decisive finish or come up with what will almost certainly be one of the wackiest finishes in company history.

 

A title unification feels like it should take place on a big show like WrestleMania or SummerSlam. That it’s not indicates to me that WWE wants its world title scene cleared up by 'Mania XXX next year (assuming this isn’t the start of a longer story which culminates with the real unification at ‘mania, which I doubt). Being the thirtieth instalment of their biggest annual show I think it's entirely possible the decision's been made to have the WWE championship in a clear position of prominence.

 

Personally I'm happy about the likelihood of WWE decluttering the world title picture. I've been saying for years that unifying the belts would make the remaining one, and by extension the man that holds it, mean more. I'd hoped that Cena getting the world title would lead to it but I hadn't thought it actually would. WWE seemed comfortable with the established setup.

 

Lovely ring gear, no?

Longer term the move raises questions about future storylines and the secondary titles. For starters this could be the beginning of what ultimately turns out to be a Cena heel turn. Survivor Series and RAW showed his first interactions with The Authority as The Authority and he seemed on decent enough terms with them. It's not hard to see him being selected as the new 'Face of WWE' because in reality he's had that spot for years. If WWE does get rid of one world belt (and it's still not definite that they will remember) it could see a swift return to prominence of the Intercontinental championship. It's notable that that championship has recently been given to Big E Langston, a man who's said to have the archetypal WWE headliner physique  and the not insignificant backstage support of John Cena. If the IC strap suddenly returns to being the company's undisputed number two and star-making title it should, in theory, raise Langston's profile by association. Not only that but it would be done in a pretty smooth manner.

 

It's possible there are plans for a rerun of the Ultimate Warrior-Hulk Hogan WrestleMania VI plot. Intercontinental champ Big E could win the Royal Rumble and go on to challenge for the WWE championship at 'Mania. Obviously that could work next year, but personally I think it's a bit soon. The Intercontinental title is currently as good as meaningless. Rebuilding its prestige over the next year with good matches and extended programmes between wrestlers that matter, which would demonstrate that guys care about it as something worth winning, would make it a bigger deal when the man that holds it goes for the world title. There's no reason that can't be Big E. 'Mania VI worked fine (storyline-wise at any rate) and Warrior had lost and regained the gold during the previous year.

 

The other possibility is that WWE intend to unify the Intercontinental belt and the WWE belt at WrestleMania XXX. Which would still give us Cena v Langston. That's a match I can see WWE wanting to do at a WrestleMania. The championships would just add to it. Is it a match I want to see? No. But I can imagine it’s one WWE are saving for a special occasion.

Fantasy Booker: John Cena v Alberto Del Rio

Hell in a Cell saw John Cena come back months earlier than originally expected from an elbow injury. On the show he faced World Heavyweight champion and proud Mexican Alberto Del Rio, and beat him. Cena became the World champ essentially out of nowhere.

I predicted ADR would leave with the title. With hindsight this was obviously never going to happen, although in my defence I noted that ‘The Essence of Excellence’ would win via cheating or on some daft technicality. I was being optimistic. I do that sometimes.

Like I say, a win for Cena was obvious. This is the man who, since 2005, has consistently been booked as a winner, someone fans can rely on to pull out the win when the chips are down. It’s okay for him to lose to the likes of The Rock in these “guaranteed victory” situations, but guys on ADR’s level are not privy to winning matches against the megastar.

Just out of shot is a really funny sign

It’s this reliability that has kept Cena on top for so long. A portion of the audience continues to support him because he has proven he won’t let them down. A guy in Cena’s position can only lose so many times before they lose their shine and start to look like everyone else.

Had things happened differently WWE could have created some compelling television.

Imagine if Cena had come back to face Del Rio, with the match receiving the same video package and build-up, along with the same promos and initial reaction from the champion, and had lost. Other than Del Rio going down to a single AA the match was fine as it was. They could have done exactly the same stuff but tweaked to have Cena selling his injured arm far more. An altered finishing sequence of Del Rio applying the cross armbreaker again and again, with Cena continually escaping but becoming increasingly fatigued before finally having nothing left and the referee stopping the match, could have been very effective.

This would have put over Del Rio’s finisher as one of the most fearsome WWE has ever known and allowed him to brag on the following evening’s RAW. It would have been a great source of material for the arrogant ADR.

Meanwhile Cena would have been granted another few weeks off to heal and created interest in a rematch with Del Rio. Plus, as an added bonus, Cena’s detractors would have seen him putting someone over cleanly. He could have returned after a couple of weeks off selling the injury to admit that Del Rio to set up a rematch. The attacks and verbal showdowns we’ve seen would have had far more impact to them had Del Rio still been carrying the gold and had a recent victory over ‘The CeNation Leader’ to boast of.

The Survivor Series rematch would be getting looked at differently if the above had happened. I’m sure Cena would still be the heavy favourite but the outcome wouldn’t seem quite so clear. They’d be able to tell an interesting story about Cena desperately trying to protect his still tender arm and avoiding the cross armbreaker at all costs with Del Rio determined to go two in a row over the company’s top star. In this situation the first successful application of the armbreaker would get a huge reaction.

Another positive approach to taking this approach would have been making Survivor Series feel like a bigger deal. Any time a WWE pay-per-view, particularly one traditionally viewed as a big deal, can be given such a boost it should be.

This was obviously never going to happen, of course. Cena is simply not booked to make stars and Del Rio is not someone company bosses consider in need of an increased push. That this fairly simplistic set of circumstances seem so incongruent with the current WWE approach is a large part of the reason why the promotion’s in the shape it’s in.

That Wrestling Podcast Episode 17

That Wrestling Podcast Episode 17 by Dave Hatton on Mixcloud

Could this guy be 'The Man'?

Due to the nature of recording schedules there are sometimes references on podcasts that seem incongruous, peculiar or just plain incorrect. This episode features such an example. I refer to Cena potentially making his return at the Royal Rumble. In my defence this episode was recorded at the end of September and Cena has Wolverine-like healing abilities. There was no way I could have known he’d be back in action, as the World Heavyweight champion no less, by the time this got posted.

The central focus of the episode is how far three guys could make it up the WWE roster. Yeah, it’s one of those episodes. The men in question of Brodus Clay, The Ryback, and Big E Langston. It’s a big man special!

 

Also featured, in the opening moments, is a rant about hipsters buying food in Burger King. I’ll leave the identity of the ranter as a surprise.

The Intellectual Failure

The October 28^th RAW will always be remembered as the night the second failed Money in the Bank cash-in occurred. There are worse fates for a RAW to have.

The evening kicked off with a John Cena promo. He'd won a world title the previous night so what else could we realistically expect? The champ talked about being inspired by JBL openly doubting him in the weeks leading up to Hell in a Cell, mentioned that he'd be wrestling on SmackDown and the European tour (which struck me as pretty strange), and said that WWE is his life. I bet Nikki Bella was thrilled to hear that. In short it was the predictable and unremarkable opening segment that everyone expected and so lulled viewers into believing they knew how things were going to play out.

As Cena’s music played and ‘The Champ’ made to leave the ring it became clear the regular approach wasn’t in use. Damien Sandow walked down to the ring, custom suede case in hand, and mocked Cena by stating "The uncrowned champ is here!" 'The Intellectual Saviour' questioned Cena's miraculous healing ability and teased cashing in his title shot before saying that he’d be waiting for another night. Seconds later he swerved us when he kicked Cena's knee and then slammed the case into the champion's bad arm multiple times.

 

Things don't look good for Cena. Don't worry, he made it out okay

 

Leaving the ring Sandow stretched Cena's arm around the ring post and yelled "Rise above this!" as he whipped him into the crowd barricade. He completed his trilogy of Cena quotes for the evening by yelling "My time is now!" before he handed over his briefcase and Justin Roberts announced the cash-in to make it official.

It was a wonderful opening segment. A large part of the success was obviously due to the surprise of it all but Sandow's existing popularity and understanding of his character shouldn't be overlooked. His mockery of Cena's phrases helped make the moment what it was. And, in fairness, Cena played his part too. While showing weakness still isn't something he's great at he did sell the attack on the arm well and made it seem like Sandow's WHC reign had arrived.

As it turned out it hadn't. But you wouldn't have known that from the pre-match interaction of champion and challenger. The two men had a very good match, making it two nights in a row for 'The CeNation Leader'. Sandow looked competitive and it came as a shock when he lost, falling to Cena's trusty AA.

 

Yep. He's still the champ

 

I'm sure some people will see the loss as a burial and Sandow being "ruined". It's anything but. He was allowed to look like he was going to beat the biggest name of the past ten years. Even with the pre-match assault that's quite the achievement: not just anybody gets to look competitive against, or dominate, Cena. That he lost isn't an issue either. It doesn't mean he'll never be a champion, it just means he's not one yet. Losing to Cena is not, in and of itself, a sign that a wrestler is being overlooked. In fact that he was given such a lengthy interaction with the company's top star in the opening spot of RAW (which can be regarded as the prime spot of WWE's hours of weekly television) is a great sign.

Survivor Series will probably see Cena defend the WHC in a rematch against Alberto Del Rio, which will keep him busy for the next month. Beyond that it’s hard to say but he’ll likely be wrestling an upper mid-card heel at the TLC pay-per-view in December. It’s entirely possible it’ll be Del Rio again. I can’t imagine Cena being the World champion once WrestleMania Season kicks off in January so it’s possible the idea is for him to spend a couple of months working with Del Rio to keep him doing something (that seems) relevant (but actually isn’t).

The future of Sandow is less clear. Keeping him floating around the Cena versus Del Rio programme isn’t impossible but it would seem peculiar. The unsuccessful Money in the Bank cash-in demonstrates that Sandow is not on the level of either man: he’d be the clear odd one out in a triple threat match.

The interaction with Cena and the loss clearly happened with a plan in mind though. WWE doesn’t book opening segments of RAW (especially ones featuring Cena) without a plan in mind. Sandow lost for a reason. It may be the rumoured face turn. Losing what most fans consider a sure thing is a humiliating experience, one which could be used as the trigger to start eliciting sympathy. Even though Sandow’s a bad guy and essentially got his just desserts when he failed to win the gold it’s the sort of scenario the modern WWE brain trust regularly engineer for face turn purposes.

What I’d like to happen is Sandow mocked by his fellow superstars for picking the worst moment to cash-in, showing that he’s not the intellectual he claims to be. That could lead to a short series between Sandow and pretty much any mid-card face, which ‘The Duke of Decency’ would win. With that out of the way he could announce his intention to bring an end to Cena’s title reign by earning a shot at the World Heavyweight championship the traditional way. This chain of events could actually see Sandow wrestle Cena at TLC, because he’d have had a break while things were wrapped up between Cena and Del Rio.

Whether Sandow would win the WHC on the second attempt is irrelevant at this point. He would be rehabilitated by a PPV win over a contemporary and be driven by his high profile loss to Cena. The negative of losing would be turned into a storyline and a tool for moving Sandow to then top. It’s a far better idea than turning someone who uses the term “unwashed masses” into a babyface.

The Intellectual Babyface (of the Unwashed Masses)

This time last year I said there was little fresh materiel for Alberto Del Rio, suggesting the best thing for him would be a rest from TV for a month or two. I added that a face turn wouldn't work because his character is naturally too heelish. As I turned out to be completely wrong (due to a combination of Ricardo Rodriguez and ADR being more capable of empathy than I believed) I'm wary of making similarly bold statements on the subject of face turns.

That said... surely there's nobody better positioned to be the bad guy than Damien Sandow. Which makes the rumblings of a potential goodie switch troubling.

Sandow is a good wrestler, a very good promo, and has a fantastic character. He's routinely one of the highlights of every show he's on. I'm sure he's talented enough to make a face turn work. It's very easy to imagine tweaks that would see him directing his intellectual ire at his peers instead of the audience, and anyone who's made it to WWE's main roster should have enough experience to be at least competent at playing a good guy.

 

Not a natural good guy

 

But it would still feel like a waste. 'The Intellectual Saviour' character is too good to be downplayed or altered. There's still so much left to do with it, so much potential. Sandow could give heat-generating lectures or reintroduce the fan quizzing segments he performed earlier this year. The promo-heavy nature of the gimmick would make Sandow a natural fit for one of the chat show segments WWE loves to dish out. There are so many options with Sandow that WWE shouldn't need to think of turning him for years.

It's also worth pointing out that WWE already has an under-utilised, and (formerly) incredibly popular, babyface on the books. Dolph Ziggler was one of the biggest stars in the company over the summer and seemed on the cusp of becoming a lead player. But he was given little to do after dropping the World championship to Del Rio and has since sunk down into the mid-card, where he's been treated like anybody else. Why turn Sandow, necessitating a change in his enjoyably snooty routine, when you have 'The Show Off' to put into the role?

A second rumour (I'm big on rumours today) states that WWE is concerned about the lack of depth on the dark side of the force. Wouldn't Sandow's turn only worsen that state of affairs? It certainly wouldn't improve things. As one of the most natural heel characters the company has he should be kept as he is. Build on what's already there, don't change things needlessly because there's a current shortage. That'll only makes things worse in the long run.

Eleven Years of the World Heavyweight Championship

Today marks eleven years since the World Heavyweight championship was introduced to WWE. It was very much a creation of its time. The company was sticking (fairly) rigidly to its duel roster initiative with the WWE championship having been defended on both shows by whoever held it (names as varied as The Rock, Undertaker and Hulk Hogan). When Brock Lesnar defeated The Rock at SummerSlam that changed.

In what was a fairly surprising development at the time we got a storyline in which Lesnar signed an "exclusive" deal with SmackDown (general managed by Stephanie McMahon, fact fans!). That left RAW without a world championship, leading GM Eric Bischoff (now of, snigger, TNA fame) to dig out the World Heavyweight championship belt made famous by WCW. It had been unified with the WWE championship at the end of the previous year but that was downplayed. Presumably WWE didn't want to confuse an already fairly convoluted chain of events.

There was no tournament to crown a new champion. There wasn't a match of any sort, in fact. Triple H was awarded the title by Bisch, which naturally prompted some always popular turnbuckle posing from the new champ.

To be fair there was a logical storyline reason for 'The Cerebral Assassin' being awarded the strap. He had beaten The Undertaker in a number one contenders match on the previous week's show. The idea was that as Lesnar had signed a SmackDown-only contract and made himself unavailable to defences on the red brand he had essentially forfeited his claim to being recognised as the champion. As Triple H and proven himself worthy of a title match he essentially got the new title via forfeit. It wasn't the standard WWE storyline and that helped it stand out. It also gave the newly created world crown a much needed feeling of legitimacy.

It's important to note that the title was stated to be starting a new lineage. It just happened to be represented by an established, and pretty iconic, design. It was explicitly not a continuation of the WCW championship line under a new name, which meant it had no links to that promotion and no more links to the NWA championship and the Hackenschmidt and Gotch world title(s) than did the WWE championship.

 

I'm an Edge fan. This is as good an opportunity as any to post a picture of him

 

That changed over the years. Nowadays you will often hear JBL hammering away on commentary about how the WHC's history can be traced back for over a century. It's broadly true because it spun off from the WWE championship which in turn span off from the NWA championship. But that the WWE title's links to the past are never mentioned (beyond its own impressive fifty year history) is peculiar. It strikes me that WWE wishes to acknowledge a lengthy heritage in the WHC while at the same time not denigrating their top title by linking it to any other. The WWE championship is too important for the promotion to routinely acknowledge it span off from another belt, especially another belt that is these days held by the likes of Rob Conway. The World title, on the other hand, gains credibility, in theory, with these links to the past.

The whole thing's an exercise in pointlessly but that's WWE. It's par for the course.

The passage of time has also seen the World Heavyweight championship's importance dwindle. In its first few years it was presented and perceived by most as having more or less equal standing to the older strap. At certain points it could even be said it was the company's leading title. While JBL was enjoying a ten month reign as WWE champion the WHC was being held by Triple H. No matter what your feelings on these two performers it's tough to argue that 'The Game' was not a more credible figurehead than John Bradshaw Layfield.

At some point the title settled into the number two position. It's difficult to say exactly when this happened. It could be argued that the last reign John Cena, the top man in the company, had was the last time the title was equal to the WWE title. That Cena hasn't bothered with it since, focusing instead on the more historic belt, has portrayed it as second best, something Cena sees as beneath him. It could be argued that Edge's final reign in 2011 marked the end of the title's glory days as he'd been the headliner most associated with the prize. The Punk v Hardy or Christian v Orton feuds could be pointed to as incredible feuds for the title that signify its last moment of true significance. It could have been Triple H's merging of the rosters in 2011 that was the WHC's last hurrah.

Whenever it was the moment has been and gone and the title is now considered the second tier "workhorse" title. Basically it's taken the spot traditionally held by the Intercontinental title. No one but the title's most ardent supporter would argue that it's still true world championship. It's certainly a championship with a rich history in its own right. It's been held by greats like The Undertaker, Edge, Batista and Triple H and super workers like Christian, Del Rio and Ziggler. It's a championship that can be respected, whether it's second best or not.

Sandow v Rhodes

He may have guaranteed himself a future World Heavyweight title match at Money in the Bank but Damien Sandow is far from ready for a title reign. As things stand right now he is a prominent member of the roster, deemed good enough to have televised matches with the likes of Sheamus and Randy Orton but not high up enough on the pecking order to actually defeat them. You only need to check his win-loss record since MITB to see that his status has not changed. Briefcase and new feud aside little has changed for ‘The Lord of Literacy’.

Luckily for him there’s no rush for things to change. Winning the Money in the Bank briefcase is as much a guarantee that WWE’S creative team are going to spend time on him as it is of a future world title shot.

 

Damien Sandow, the preeniest 'Mr Money in the Bank' ever?

 

WWE have until next July at the latest to prep Sandow for a run as the World Heavyweight champion. I don’t think they’ll take that long. His current rivalry with former best friend and Rhodes Scholar tag team partner Cody Rhodes should help there. Having a memorable feud opposite Rhodes should help ‘The Intellectual Saviour’ stand out as a man on the ascent. Winning or losing the feud isn’t that important, what matters is that the two men have memorable moments while they’re working opposite each other.

The real key to getting Sandow over as a headliner will be moving him away from his current TV filler enhancement talent role. That shouldn’t be a problem for WWE. They have other guys that can and do fill the role. ‘The Duke of Decency’ can pick up a few more wins here and there to ensure he’s seen as a winner by the time he challenges for the strap.

Sandow could go from the Rhodes feud to another before taking his title match, but that’s not a necessity. In fact WWE have hinted at a potential storyline that I think could work very well that would see Sandow becoming HC while still involved with Rhodes. Rhodes has stated on commentary that he wants to become the World Heavyweight champion before Sandow. And really, there’s nothing to stop this happening. Sandow has a briefcase but that doesn’t mean nobody else on the roster can challenge for the big gold belt. Cody could quite easily enter into and win a number one contenders match, the traditional route to the top.

ADR would be the ideal opponent for Rhodes as he’s a heel and someone ‘The Moustachioed One’ hasn’t ever faced in a significant match (or, possibly, at all). That he’s expected to head into a programme with Ricardo Rodriguez would even allow WWE to present what could be an interesting Alberto and Damien v Cody and Ricardo match. Rhodes could be booked to defeat Del Rio for the title only to have Sandow cash-in and take the gold away from him.

This would instantly get heat on Sandow, give their feud a shot in the arm, and cast Rhodes in a sympathetic light. That’s not going to do a babyface any harm at all.

 

A deliciously emotive performance from Cody Rhodes

 

I suggested an idea similar (or identical, depending on your point of view) idea last year with Dolph Ziggler and Cody Rhodes. You can remind yourselves of that here. It would work better with Rhodes and Sandow as the issue between Sandow and Rhodes is far more personal. There’s a feud already in place rather than one being manufactured.

Switching the belt onto Rhodes and then Sandow would trial two men who deserve it at the top of the card. It would create compelling television and be a sensible, logical story to follow. Even if only one of them did well enough to rise up the card on a permanent basis it would be worthwhile. Whether or not these facts will count for or against it with WWE is anyone’s guess, but I’m not going to hold my breath.

The Best Thing Going Today

I don’t think there’s anyone in wrestling who’s having as good a 2013 as Dolph Ziggler. From lasting almost fifty minutes in the Royal Rumble to cashing in the Money in the Bank briefcase the night after WrestleMania to being a part of the greatest double turn in sixteen years, he’s having a year packed with memorable moments.

Not even the loss of the World Heavyweight championship has hurt DZ’s momentum. He entered such a convincing performance and was booked so perfectly as the guy who wouldn’t give up that fans were even more into him after the loss than they were before. They empathised with him and wanted to see the unsportsmanlike Alberto Del Rio (and his smarmy sidekick Ricardo, who, when playing a heel, is comparable to Muttley of Dick Dastardly fame) get his comeuppance.

We’re being made to wait for that payback. Which is a smart move. Had Ziggler continually gotten the better of ADR then his status as the gutsy underdog, surely the best way for him to be portrayed now he’s a good guy, could have been jeopardized. ‘The Show Off’ is a guy who picks his spots.

 

Whether you like it, or whether you don't...

 

I’d understand if some people questioned the decision to enter the ex-champion into a feud with 3MB. It’s not a natural follow up or placeholder feud for a guy who’s just lost his first proper world title. Something similar happened to The Miz when he lost the WWE championship (he worked a pay-per-view match with Alex ‘Plank of Wood’ Riley) and he’s in no danger of headlining a pay-per-view any time soon.

But I don’t question the move. The mini-feud with 3MB has been designed to encourage cheers for Ziggler and creating a reason for him not to constantly be attacking ADR. It’s achieved those goals. It was a short term thing and has already been consigned to the history books, along with Ziggler’s stint as Chavo Guerrero’s caddy and his penchant for cheerleader outfits.

It will take a lot for WWE to mess up Dolph’s popularity at the moment. That’s not to say they can’t or won’t, but that they’d almost have to actively try to do so. He’s what fans seem to want right now: someone who’s earned their way to the top, can cut a damn fine promo, and doesn’t wrestle like John Cena. As far as WWE goes, Dolph Ziggler really is the best thing going today.

The State of WWE: The Belts

It doesn't matter that Dolph Ziggler is in every conceivable way a superior wrestler to John Cena, his world title still doesn't mean as much. It’s the result of years of booking the World Heavyweight championship as a second tier prize. It may be referred to as a world title, and it may be held by some big names and talented wrestlers, but everyone knows the WWE championship is the number one belt in the company.

It's a situation that has harmed the credibility of the Intercontinental championship (as well as the WHC itself of course). Had WWE unified their world belts a few years ago they could have been booking the IC title as they've booked the WHC, restoring it to its place as the promotion's second most prestigious belt and clearing up the trouble of having a secondary award that sounds more meaningful than the top one.

Matters haven't been helped by the stop-start nature of some of the pushes WWE's handed out. Jack Swagger won the World Heavyweight championship in 2010. It came as a surprise at the time but WWE followed through and gave him if not a stellar run then at least a decent one. Once he dropped the title he ended up as glorified enhancement talent, with commentary teams happily remarking practically every time he wrestled that he was a former world champ. Which did nobody any favours. It emphasised just how far Swagger had fallen and made the big gold belt seem less important because had been attained by someone at Swagger's level.

The booking of 'The All American American' by itself did not harm the status of the title. Years of instances of a comparable nature have taken their toll though.

It's not just the titles that have been tarnished by this frustrating booking. Anyone holding the title has come across as a second rate world champion because they're holding a second rate world title. Had the IC title had the spot things would have been different. That's meant to be seen as the prize of the rising stars and the guys who won’t necessarily become the WWE champion. By not being referred to as a world belt it is clearly intended to perform a different function. There's a reason John Cena's only held the WHC twice, and at time when it meant more than it does today.

It's harmed guys holding the Intercontinental and United States belts too. Both have had flourishes of significance when held by performers who care about using them as an opportunity to advance their standing but that's not happened often enough. WWE's swarm of writers have lavished too much of their time on the two world titles, resulting in the mid-card belts becoming trinkets with practically no meaning. If that's how they're viewed then they’ll obviously do nobody holding them any good. If you win something that means nothing then you've ultimately achieved nothing.

The entire scenario has stifled the advancement of several men on the roster. Antonio Cesaro, Jack Swagger, Dolph Ziggler, Sheamus and others have been harmed by WWE's approach to the booking of titles since 2009 or so. A change is clearly needed otherwise the problems are only going to become worse as the titles mean less and less.

You won't catch this guy slumming it with the World Heavyweight title

Championships are a necessity in wrestling. They drive storylines and denote who's better than who. Secondary or mid-card titles allow fans to see who's on the rise and provide non-headliners with something meaningful to feud over. World titles show who's the best the company has to offer, with those in contention being top players themselves.  

Two world titles means two "bests". Obviously that can't be the case and so the importance of both is diminished. It's a state of affairs held over from the separate roster era. I understand why it came about and I supported it when it worked but now there's one WWE roster again (albeit one that sees several important names sit out SmackDown each week) there's no need for a second world title.

Which brings us back to the idea of WWE needing change. The obvious thing to do is unify the world titles. It could be rushed into. I mean, there's nothing to stop Ziggler cutting a promo about being a better champion than Cena on Monday's RAW and challenging him to a unification match in the main event. It would come out of the blue and be strange but it could be done.

That would be a wasted opportunity though. Obviously a unification match should be happening on a pay-per-view. Even though one of the titles is clearly inferior it's a way of making money and more money will be made if the belts and their holders are presented as equals. The best PPVs to put such an event on would be one of WWE's big four. SummerSlam and Survivor Series no longer feel particularly important but they could suffice. Better would be WrestleMania of Royal Rumble.

Of them the Rumble is the better option. It would allow WWE to offer a unique and important match on what has become their second biggest event of the year. It would also provide a great chance to kick off WrestleMania world title feud. No matter what order they run in the unification bout and the Rumble match itself would provide a clear picture of who's facing who at WrestleMania. With the right winners and the right build that could be great.

There are plenty of answers as to who "the right guys" are to be in this match. There's not one match that would clearly be better than others (not that I can see anyway). Personally I don't think guys like John Cena, Randy Orton or CM Punk need to be involved in the title picture at next year's WrestleMania. They can do more for WWE working against returning part timers like The Rock, Brock Lesnar, Undertaker and, dare I say it, 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin.

Putting guys like Ryback, Ziggler, Rhodes, Bryan, Cesaro, Sheamus or even Mark Henry in the world title programme at WrestleMania would be a better option. At this stage none of them could credibly work against any of the part time gang, and there wouldn't be much interest in many of the possible bouts anyway (nobody will convince me that Sheamus v The Rock would thrill anyone). Placing them in the WWE title scene gives them something important to do and boost their profile while not forcing them into a match they'd look out of place in.

There wouldn't be as much of a rush to unify the Intercontinental and United States titles. With the WHC out of the way WWE could gradually resume booking the Intercontinental gold as the secondary prize, starting with giving it a spot on the WrestleMania card. The United States title could be left alone to function as a third tier belt, booked for cheap pop title switches and trying out guys who the company are unsure about giving a larger role to. Even that would give the US belt a boost, because it would be the only title booked in that fashion, rather than sharing the spotlight with the IC strap.

WWE needs to make its belts mean something. Right now the only title they have with any value to it is the WWE championship. Putting the World Heavyweight championship on Dolph Ziggler is a nice gesture but it’s a very different story to putting the top prize on him. That he’s still clearly below the status of credible WWE championship contender illustrates my points regarding the title situation perfectly.