Why haven’t Hangman and DMD defended their belts more often?

[champchumpchange]

Last week Britt mentioned having 9 defenses in her year long run
Tonight Hangman says 2 in 81 days.

Am I misremembering Omega & Mox being more active than they actually were, or are the world champs made to be less active so as to maintain the prestige of being matched up against one of them?

[Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-]]

Definitely a prestige thing, and not wanting to blow through a whole bunch of contenders at once

[asuka007]

AEW champions don’t defend their belts as often. It’s not a new thing.

And in Britt’s case, she’s kind of run out of challengers. She’s beaten almost every other woman with any credibility at this point.

[Instant Classic]

I really hope Adam Cole isn’t next in line. Just because he has a good record by beating a bunch of lower card guys shouldn’t get him a shot at the title.

[robferatu]

As was mentioned in the aforementioned comment, it’s a combination of the prestige thing and the ranking system, and I for one kind of like that those two championships are maybe only defended on “Rampage” or “Dynamite” between one-to-three times between pay-per-views as the TNT and TBS Chanpuinships are the ones that should be defended bi-weekly on national television.

Even though, I’m not particularly into the Lance Archer vs. Hangman Page fued, I don’t mind it being one of those filler championship matches between pay-per-view events.

[clifford]

Britt's only made 6 defences. Nyla, Velvet, Statlander, Ruby, Tay and Ryo.

Kenny only made 7 in his almost year long reign, and 1 of them came in Impact.

I think kayfabe wise it tracks to have heel champs defend the belt less.

Page is will be less than 90 days when he defends against Archer next week, roughly a defence every 30 days.

I think the two world champs defend less cause you've got to build up credible challengers for them, based on the rankings system. Archer is the first world title challenger since the days of Mox as champ to not really do anything but attack the champ as a means to getting a title shot.

[Celexa Bliss 54]

Jericho only defended the title, what? Four times? I remember him beating Darby, Cody and Sky before dropping it to Mox.

Mox definitely had more defenses, as I can remember matches with Hager, Darby, Cage, Brodie, MJF, Archer and a couple of defenses against Eddie. Might have been more I'm forgetting. But he was definitely the most active Champion.

Kenny faced Fenix, Mox, Orange and PAC, Swann, and Christian that I can recall. He may have had a few others, though?

Hangman's only faced Danielson so far, but that's since November, so he's at least defending once a month, which Kenny definitely didn't do.

Britt has had more defenses than those before her, right?

Riho I know had quite a few defenses, including Britt, Emi, Nyla and Statlander. She may have had a few others?

Nyla's reign was disrupted by Covid.

Shida faced Swole, Rosa, Anna Jay, Abadon, Nyla and Penelope, that I can remember.

And Britt won it in May and has faced Nyla, Red Velvet, Statlander, Tay, Ruby and Riho.

Thinking about it, maybe Shida defended it more?

[Cyno]

There's only four PPV's a year and the timeframe between Full Gear and Revolution is longer than the between other PPV's. There aren't as many defenses for the world titles in general. The TNT/TBS Championships get defended more often as the "TV championships." But World Title defenses are meant to be seen as special occasions.

[Kalmia]

Omega felt more active because he had a few multi-man matches with the Bucks so he probably wrestled more than Hangman is doing, but wouldn't have defended the title much more when you average it out.

I don't mind the reduced number of title defenses. It means the challengers have to work for them and they aren't just handed to everyone. But I do think the champs should be on the show more, either in tag or non-title matches. Hangman especially could benefit from a bigger presence on the show.

[clifford]

I will say this though; I wish they would have Hangman wrestle a bit more regularly. Since winning the title, he's wrestled Danielson twice and had one tag match with the DO on Dark. I wish he'd be in a few more multi man tags. The best way to keep your top star over is have them do (cowboy) shit in the ring. You've got no shortage of tag partners for him. I think he's had a fine reign thus far but just wish he'd be a bit more active in ring.

[salz4life]

I think it's good that the top titles aren't defended often. Gives the actually defenses a "big fight" feel.

[Deleted]

Feb 4, 2022 9:10:20 GMT -5 salz4life said:

I think it's good that the top titles aren't defended often. Gives the actually defenses a "big fight" feel.

I am actually the complete opposite...I wish he defended the title more. To me it comes down to how I perceive the psychology of it. It doesn't make sense to work so hard to get the belt then to just stop working hard...The champ should be grinding even more to stay the champ. I am more for all challenges champion. Atleast have him in squash matches with lesser talent.

[eJm]

Feb 3, 2022 16:45:24 GMT -5 Kalmia said:

Omega felt more active because he had a few multi-man matches with the Bucks so he probably wrestled more than Hangman is doing, but wouldn't have defended the title much more when you average it out.

I don't mind the reduced number of title defenses. It means the challengers have to work for them and they aren't just handed to everyone. But I do think the champs should be on the show more, either in tag or non-title matches. Hangman especially could benefit from a bigger presence on the show.

Yeah, I can agree with Hangman’s presence being needed a bit more but I can also see how you need to make the champion seem important and not just on all the shows all the time. And the difference between him and Omega is that there’s more moving parts that need to be juggled around now than there was when Omega was champion, from what I’m seeing as a viewer.

[asuka007]

The Women also have the problem of not having many compelling stories that get enough TV time.