I LOVE the way they are treating the US title.

[The Curmudgeon]

OK, JBL putting a ring on MVP's finger was a bit weird, but JBL treated the "ceremony" and the title itself as one of the most important straps in sports.

A ceremony, a "million dollar" ring - they treat the belt as a HUGE deal. When someone strips MVP of the belt, it will be a big deal on Smackdown.

Why can't they do this with the IC belt?

[BayleyTiffyCodyCenaJudyHopps]

I think the pomp and circumstance is because they're (justifiably) serious about MVP- at least more so than it being about the US title.

Sort of reminds me of the way they used the US title to help out in John Cena's rise up the card.

[Tapout]

It's not the title that's being built up, it's MVP.

The title is still totally meaningless. How long since it's been defended?

[royboy8]

^ Last week against Rey Mysterio?

[The Curmudgeon]

Hmmm.. I suppose they ARE building up MVP more than the title (hadn't thought of that, admittedly) but it can only help the title in the long run. The next person who gets the belt will be a big star - they're not just going to piss it away like Umaga/Hardy.

[Deleted]

Yeah, I love how they're treating it with importance.

The whole feud between MVP and Matt Hardy has been based on Matt wanting to be the U.S. Champion, and to me, as a viewer, it speaks volumes about that title. Hardy was prepared to team with the untrustworthy MVP and trust him as his partner, as long as he got a chance to win the belt he's wanted all along. Obviously, Hardy's unfortunate surgery puts that match on hold now, but I believe that they should build it up as a WrestleMania match - their feud is certainly worthy of it.

It's been a long time since I could praise how they're treating a belt. It's time they started treating all the other championships with the same importance.

[derrtaysouth95]

It's designed to built up MVP first and foremost.

but in the long run it will lend credibility to the U.S. title because MVP held that title and he is now at the top of the card in the WHT picture. (this will occur in 6 months or so)

[Tapout]

If there were actually a midcard babyface who could challenge for the title, meaning there was someone other than MVP who actually wanted the title, that would give it some value.

The difference between MVP's US title run and Cena's US title run:

Cena's US title competitors: RVD, Booker T, Rhyno. Booked to come after the guy week after week and make Cena look like some kind of, I don't know, almost like a superman.

MVP's US title run: Picks up US title, picks up tag titles with Hardy, pretty much never defends US title.

[BayleyTiffyCodyCenaJudyHopps]

tapout said:

meaning there was someone other than MVP who actually wanted the title,

Matt.

This is just me, but I feel that the United States title has more value than the IC title at this stage since it's used more often to elevate new stars.

Or maybe the belt just has better stories attached to it.

[Deleted]

Wait, for those of you saying that they are only using the belt to elevate MVP ... isn't that the whole point?

The only reason titles exist are to add something to a wrestler.

[Brick Killed a Guy]

All I know is once MVP loses that belt (most likely to Matt at WM 24), he better be put in the world title picture right away. He's earned it.

[Deleted]

As soon as the feud is done, the US title will resume being unimportant...regardless of whether Matt or someone else takes it off MVP.

[mysterydriver]

bootytime said:

As soon as the feud is done, the US title will resume being unimportant...regardless of whether Matt or someone else takes it off MVP.

Also, the glass is half empty.

I think that Matt will win the title eventually (Maybe WM, when he returns healthy) and it will be used to slowly bring him towards the Main Event level, kind of how it has been used for MVP.

For right now, I could see a IC Title vs. US Title feud between Jeff Hardy and MVP. Jeff to stand up for his brother, MVP to show that he is a better champion.

[rrm15]

I think CM Punk will take it when ECW and SD! officially merge.

[azz0r]

I still think Smackdown and Raw need a lower title. EU or Cruiserweight, whatever, just something that isnt mid rank.

[BayleyTiffyCodyCenaJudyHopps]

rrm15 said:

I think CM Punk will take it when ECW and SD! officially merge.

I'd like to see that just for what new official title the ECW show would get.

[Tapout]

azz0r said:

I still think Smackdown and Raw need a lower title. EU or Cruiserweight, whatever, just something that isnt mid rank.

I don't agree with that at all. I think both brands need to start making their own midcard titles mean something. The company just doesn't want to commit guys to any kind of story around the titles, for some reason.

On Raw this past year, they could easily have set up a long-term storyline/tournament, for at least a couple months, with the IC title picture including Jeff as the champ, and Kennedy, Carlito, and Shelton as the main challengers (it's a little late for that, obviously, with Carlito on his way out and Shelton moved to ECW, but still). You could also have tossed in Santino and Snitsky in there somewhere to get squashed, but it could primarily have been those 4 guys.

I think if it had been announced that these 4 guys would be going after each other in a heated rivalry after the title, I would've wanted to tune into Raw a lot more. Also, there could've been some really good matches and the start of some really good storylines.

The US title picture is kind of in shambles, since the other 2 babyfaces on that show should not touch the US title with a 10-foot pole (Mysterio and Kane). It's beneath both of them. It looks like they're turning Finlay babyface, so maybe he'll go after MVP while Matt is out.

[Adam Pacman Khan (akkilla)]

Every US title run I can remember is quite meaningful

MVP had us title classics with Hardcore Benoily, Flair and Hardy. He's faced off with Kane but never really went over him. Recently beat Rey Rey and i think that fued is going to continue

The wwe tag divison was pretty useless until MVP and hardy won the belts and decided to elevate the US title fued. MVP with the inevitable screwjob on Hardy to gain himself much more heat.

If he goes over Rey in thier fued completely then he the fans will clearly want to see him lose the US belt ALOT, so when Matt hardy finally comes back to win the match at wrestlemania it will indeed be a huge deal.

[Mozenrath]

am90 said:

Wait, for those of you saying that they are only using the belt to elevate MVP ... isn't that the whole point?

The only reason titles exist are to add something to a wrestler.

[Jay Peas 42]

Yeah, before MVP, it was in the hands of Benoit and being feuded over with Chavo. Look, having a former World Champion hold the belt says it's serious.