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Post by The Rick Jericho on Aug 12, 2018 8:47:47 GMT -5
When the IC title became defunct. What exactly where the mid-carders feuding over? Tag titles?
Whose bright idea was it to get rid of the IC title anyways? And on Smackdown before the US title, where the feuds simply about "being the best"?
What a waste for that talent on Raw to go after nothing. Booker T could've easily been a great IC champion who could've defended it against Steiner at Wrestlemania XIX as way for them both to get on the big show.
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Nosnorb
El Dandy
Nachos and Fraggle Rock are TIMELESS.
Posts: 7,713
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Post by Nosnorb on Aug 12, 2018 9:07:55 GMT -5
When the IC title became defunct. What exactly where the mid-carders feuding over? Tag titles? Whose bright idea was it to get rid of the IC title anyways? And on Smackdown before the US title, where the feuds simply about "being the best"? What a waste for that talent on Raw to go after nothing. Booker T could've easily been a great IC champion who could've defended it against Steiner at Wrestlemania XIX as way for them both to get on the big show. Booker defending the IC Title instead of losing to KKK HHH wouldn't have been a bad idea, but Scott Steiner in 2002-2003 was hot gassed garbage. There is no way Big Poppa Pump should have been on the WMXIX card, not with his drop foot and more juice than a power station. |
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Post by The Rick Jericho on Aug 12, 2018 9:13:28 GMT -5
When the IC title became defunct. What exactly where the mid-carders feuding over? Tag titles? Whose bright idea was it to get rid of the IC title anyways? And on Smackdown before the US title, where the feuds simply about "being the best"? What a waste for that talent on Raw to go after nothing. Booker T could've easily been a great IC champion who could've defended it against Steiner at Wrestlemania XIX as way for them both to get on the big show. Booker defending the IC Title instead of losing to KKK HHH wouldn't have been a bad idea, but Scott Steiner in 2002-2003 was hot gassed garbage. There is no way Big Poppa Pump should have been on the WMXIX card, not with his drop foot and more juice than a power station. Exactly in terms of Booker dodging HHH. Give him a nice solo title defense victory on his career resume. I picked Steiner just so they could book end that WCW feud once and for all. But yes, Booker away from HHH would've made 19 so much better. |
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H-Virus
Hank Scorpio
A Real Contagious Experience
Posts: 5,963
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Post by H-Virus on Aug 12, 2018 9:30:32 GMT -5
Whose bright idea was it to get rid of the IC title anyways? Has this question ever been answered by anyone working for WWE? Vince, Bischoff, Hunter, one of the writers? I mean, in kayfabe I always assumed it was just a way of showing that Eric Bischoff didn't know what the f*** he was doing as GM and that's why they had to bring in Austin to keep him in check, but what was the REAL reason for just throwing away the second most prestigious title in WWF history? Getting rid of the Hardcore and European Titles was one thing, but the IC title was THE mid-card title for more than twenty years at that point. |
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Post by Hypnosis on Aug 12, 2018 9:30:54 GMT -5
That was around the time when WWE suddenly decided to get rid of all the mid-card titles.
RVD won unification matches with the European and Hardcore titles merging with the IC title, which was previously on Smackdown with Benoit until he lost it at Summerslam. Smackdown hadn't brought back the U.S. title until a year later, so both brands just had three sets of belts after Kane lost the IC title to Triple H.
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Post by The Rick Jericho on Aug 12, 2018 9:33:22 GMT -5
Whose bright idea was it to get rid of the IC title anyways? Has this question ever been answered by anyone working for WWE? Vince, Bischoff, Hunter, one of the writers? I mean, in kayfabe I always assumed it was just a way of showing that Eric Bischoff didn't know what the f*** he was doing as GM and that's why they had to bring in Austin to keep him in check, but what was the REAL reason for just throwing away the second most prestigious title in WWF history? Getting rid of the Hardcore and European Titles was one thing, but the IC title was THE mid-card title for more than twenty years at that point. I'd like to know this too. |
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Post by crowley1986 on Aug 12, 2018 9:51:51 GMT -5
Pritchard I believe said, vince thought there were too many titles, so he unified them and then after a while he realised the mid card needed something to do
I would've just moved the Euro title to smackdown as the midcard one (instead of creating the US) and kept the hardcore one as a lower card one
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Post by TheMediocreWarrior on Aug 12, 2018 10:13:47 GMT -5
The retirement of the IC Title caused me to quit watching for a few months (I can never seem to stay away for too long). The championship had a history of over twenty years, and I thought it was BS that they threw it away in favor of a belt that they handed to HHH. Plus as the icing on the crappy cake, the last feud over the IC Title (at the time) involved the Katie Vick segment.
I think the solution to WWE's title situation post brand split should have been:
WWE Undisputed (both shows)
WWE Women's (both shows)
WWE Tag (both shows, I don't get why they didn't do this)
WWE IC (Raw's top title)
WWE European (Smackdown's top title)
WWE Hardcore (Raw lower card)
WWE Cruiserweight (Smackdown lower card)
One of the things that baffled me about the early brand split stuff was ending the 24/7 rule, only to retire the Hardcore Title a week later. Did they not think that far ahead and changed their minds? I was hoping they were going to make the Hardcore Title seem to have a shred of prestige from that point forward.
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Cronant
Bill S. Preston, Esq.
Posts: 17,556
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Post by Cronant on Aug 12, 2018 11:14:55 GMT -5
They didn't know what they wanted to do with the Brand Split and its titles and it took over a year to get the right combo. Keep in mind they consolidated all the WCW titles in 2001 at the end, then went with one world title for both brands, then 2 world titles and no midcard titles, then 2 world titles and 2 midcard titles.
Basically everything from late 2001-introducing the US title again in 2003 was just them trying to find the right balance to deal with their expanded rosters. They obviously had a much clearer idea when they brought the split back due to experience.
EDIT: They brought the midcard titles back when they decided to split the PPVs. They figured it wasn't as important if every card had 2 world title matches, 2 tag titles matches, with the occasional women and cruiser titles to. Split PPVs made them want midcard titles to help fill out the cards.
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Post by Feyrhausen on Aug 12, 2018 12:05:40 GMT -5
I read back then that the plan as for the IC title to be unified with the Euro and Hardcore to elevate it to World Title status and be Raws top title. This was during the time where RVD was in for his big push while Trips would feud with the NWO. When the NWO was disbanded and they decided to turn Trips into new Flair they brought back the big gold belt as it suited that character more (and Trips thought the IC title was beneath him).
As for why they decided they didnt need mid card titles I would guess its because of a lack of real tag teams. During that time period we saw mid card guys like Edge, Rey, Eddie, Benoit, Angle, Jericho, Kane, RVD, etc all put in tag teams.
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Post by Slingshot Suplay on Aug 12, 2018 14:01:24 GMT -5
Momentum.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Aug 12, 2018 14:19:06 GMT -5
Absolutely nothin'! (Say it again, y'all!)
RAW! HOOAH!
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Post by Hit Girl on Aug 12, 2018 14:21:32 GMT -5
Retiring the IC was one of the stupidest decisions of that period.
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Post by TheMediocreWarrior on Aug 12, 2018 19:42:24 GMT -5
I read back then that the plan as for the IC title to be unified with the Euro and Hardcore to elevate it to World Title status and be Raws top title. This was during the time where RVD was in for his big push while Trips would feud with the NWO. When the NWO was disbanded and they decided to turn Trips into new Flair they brought back the big gold belt as it suited that character more (and Trips thought the IC title was beneath him). I remember when Triple H won the IC Title in 2001. It seemed like a big deal because at the time it was rare for a former world champion to go back to being a midcard champion (with the exception of the tag titles, which seems more flexible since it isn't a singles title so it seemed outside that European to IC to world title ladder). Now it seems like more former world champions win the IC and US Titles than anyone who would be considered a "rising star". |
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Mozenrath
FANatic
Foppery and Whim
Speedy Speed Boy
Posts: 121,125
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Post by Mozenrath on Aug 12, 2018 19:50:05 GMT -5
Jack and shit, and Jack had left town.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Aug 12, 2018 21:22:42 GMT -5
I always assumed it was for Triple H. They did more to make him look strong than anyone else in WWE history. So of course he's the guy to eventually unify all the belts on Raw. I remember when they did it, Bischoff said "One show. One champion."
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Post by Kevin Hamilton on Aug 12, 2018 21:25:00 GMT -5
Winner's share of the purse. /Monsoon
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Post by TheMediocreWarrior on Aug 12, 2018 23:26:58 GMT -5
Their right...to parrrrrttttyyyy…
Speaking of the time when the World Heavyweight Championship was created, I think it should have had the same lineage as the WCW Championship. Sure it means that you have David Arquette's name in there, but you'd have all of those Ric Flair reigns too. Sometimes you have to take the good, and take the bad.
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Lupin the Third
Patti Mayonnaise
I'm sorry.....I love you. *boot to the head*--3rd most culpable in the jixing of NXT, D'oh!
Join the Dark Order....
Posts: 36,332
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Post by Lupin the Third on Aug 13, 2018 11:32:45 GMT -5
Did they know what's worth fighting for
When it's not worth dying for?
Did it take their breath away
And they felt themselves suffocating?
Did the pain weigh out the pride?
And they look for a place to hide?
Did someone break their heart inside?
They're in ruins...
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agent817
Fry's dog Seymour
Doesn't Know Whose Ring It Is
Posts: 21,264
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Post by agent817 on Aug 13, 2018 12:15:40 GMT -5
Well, it was a good idea in the long run to not only bring the IC title back, but also the US title for Smackdown. In hindsight, I thought it was a stupid idea for them to drop it completely. I remember watching WWE Confidential the night before No Mercy that year (Or was it after?) and wrestlers such as Edge, Maven, etc. all talked about the IC title.
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