FanPost

A Take On the Titles in WWE: Where They Should Go From Here

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WWE is in a unique state of change when it comes to its titles. For the first time in many years, there is only one top champion (though still two belts). Because of that, the Intercontinental title has picked up a little more meaning. The United States Championship continues to exist as well and has recently been put on a strong single's competitor with a past of holding top championships.

This piece is to lay out one Cagesider's opinion on what they should do with the titles they have going forward. I've split it up into different topics concerning different aspects of the current situation.

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Having Two Title Belts:

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I'm not alone when I think this is rather ridiculous. There's no good reason the top champion in the company is forced to carry around two separate titles. It's a pain in the arse for the champ to lug around (Bryan himself has said he struggles to do his "YES" gimmick with those heavy gimmicks). Plus, most of the time, it looks more cumbersome than cool.

It has been long past time to ditch one of the titles. The only time someone should have held up two titles was when Randy Orton won the TLC Unification match. Then they should have picked a belt and run with it.

Which belt? The WWE title.

Many, like myself, have personal affinity for the Big Gold, but the truth of the matter is this is the WWE. And the WWE should have it's own top title like they always have. I wonder if those in management, like Triple H, have too much respect for the Big Gold and it's long history that they keep it around for that alone. If that's the case, and even if it isn't, what they should do is have a Big Gold Belt retirement ceremony. Bring in Flair and as many guy who held that belt when it was still important and have a ceremony retiring it. It could be a nice moment honoring that championship and the champions that held it but saying goodbye to that long gone era. Plus, it'd give something for Sting to do if he actually signs.

After that, go forward with the WWE's signature championship. One company, one champion, one belt.

Having the champ carry around two belts feels like the WWE is continually hedging their bets when it comes to the idea of splitting them again, which brings me to my next point.

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Splitting the Titles:

Unless WWE decides to re-brand itself, they should not split the titles. Once again, I am of the mindset that one company has one champion. If both belts are up for any roster member, it takes the shine off the chase for the title. It makes that chase, that struggle, that fight to get to the top mean less when someone else is doing it at the exact same time but for a different belt.

Imagine the Daniel Bryan's story heading into WrestleMania if there was a second belt that was billed as evenly as the one he was fighting for. Doesn't that feel like it would have taken away from the story. The story of Bryan fighting for the companies top prize feels more important than Bryan fighting for one of two equal top prizes. Can you imagine if it were Bryan in the WWE Title bout against Batista and Orton but earlier in the card, Cena was defending the World Heavyweight Title against Bray Wyatt? The main event would have been lessened.

There should be one top dog. I've always been a fan of hierarchy when it comes to championships and at the top of that hierarchy is one guy who's earned the top prize. We've seen what happens when there have been two titles. Inevitably, one of them is the second tier title which does a disservice to that title.

If WWE wanted to re-brand, which I won't get into here, then having two titles makes complete sense. But if they stay as they are, there should just be one guy at the very top.

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The US Title:

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The US Title and Intercontinental Title, at this moment, co-exist like the WWE title and World Heavyweight TItle co-existed before unification. My problem with two B titles is it breaks that heirarchy I love so dearly. All the A guys should be aiming for one title, and that's the WWE Title. So all the B guys, those guys who are really good but haven't cracked the top yet, should have one title to feud over. That has historically been the Intercontinental Title. Unfortunately, the US Title is currently being booked on that level, leaving two titles for those guys to feud over.

Sheamus is a big star in the WWE and any title he holds is not a tertiary title. Once again, we have a muddled situation concerning which title means more. Right now, it feels like neither does. So if Sheamus loses the US Title and then goes and wins the IC title, who cares? It lessens the strength of either one title.

I'm not saying they should get rid of the US Title, but it should not be at the same level of the Intercontinental. If it sticks around, it should be a tertiary title, which again brings me to my next point.

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Tertiary Titles:

If WWE eventually unifies the US and IC title, I think they should reintroduce a belt that acts as the third tier title in WWE. Having just an A and B title leaves nothing for the new young talent to fight over. Here's a hypothetical situation. Imagine Bo Dallas enters, and he is very entertaining on the microphone and above average in the ring. So WWE likes him enough that they want to reward him by putting a championship on him. Unfortunately, there aren't many available with just the two. Obviously he's not getting the WWE title. But he's also too new for the Intercontinental title. This is where a tertiary title would be great for these new guys to feud over.

The WWE roster is huge right now and only getting bigger with NXT graduates coming up. Having a championship for them to feud over to start off without the pressures of measuring up to Intercontinental Championship status would be a good tool to help them start to get over. It would also create some great early feuds that could steal the show early on in PPVs.

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Going forward:

Unfortunately, it will take some time for WWE to really set up this heirarchy since many of the current competitors held one of the two major titles and many have held both the US and IC belt. I look at someone like Sheamus as an Intercontinental level guy currently even though he's held both major titles.

Currently, John Cena, Daniel Bryan, Randy Orton, Lesnar, and Batista are WWE Championship guys and these guys should never hold a belt lower again. (I've never been a fan of someone holding the major title and then winning the B title.)

There are a lot of guys that I view as Intercontinental Championship guys such as Barrett, Sheamus, Cesaro, Ziggler, Cody, and Reigns. Granted, some of the guys can be (or have been) a top champion; however, to build back up the IC belt, I suggest giving these guys some great Intercontinental feuds that help them continue to get over before bringing them to the top. That's what happened with past stars such as Bret Hart, Shawn Michael, Steve Austin, the Rock, and Triple H. They all had great IC feuds on their way to the top. Let's give these young guys a chance at that magic too without the pressure of having a top respected belt put on them too soon.

As for the US Title, it's been too muddled the last 5 years. While it is possible it can be redefined as the tertiary title, I think they should unify (and promptly drop the US Title -- no carrying around two!) Then they should re-introduce the European title (who's historically been a tertiary title.) To help define it as a third tier title, they should have a tournament with guys who have never held any single's title. Guy's like Rusev, Bo Dallas, Sandow, Adam Rose, Ryback, Fandango, and Heath Slater can be involved. I think the European Title can be a fun title for the guys who are just starting out (ie Dallas) or will never make it to the next level (ie Slater) to feud over.

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Well there's just one man's take on the current state of the championships in WWE. Since is purely opinion, there's plenty for you all to sound off on below. So hit the comments with your take!

The FanPosts are solely the subjective opinions of Cageside Seats readers and do not necessarily reflect the views of Cageside Seats editors or staff.