10 Awful WWE Clichés That Refuse To Go Away
5. Worthless Champions
Remember when WWE’s championships meant something? Those were the days! The WWE Championship felt like the most important prize in the universe during the company’s best years, and winning it was a major accomplishment. Eddie Guerrero’s title victory at No Way Out 2004 was made special by the fans’ investment in Eddie’s real-life underdog story, but it wouldn’t have meant half as much if the title wasn’t treated with dignity and respect.
Such stories are impossible in 2016. You won’t get another Eddie Guerrero moment, because WWE’s champions are booked so poorly that the gold around their waist has lost all meaning. Universal Champion Kevin Owens should, theoretically, be the best wrestler in the company. Instead, he’s painted as hapless goof who can’t win a match without outside interference, and he hasn’t pulled-off a clean pinfall victory in months.
That’s just one example. WWE’s midcard champions are routinely treated like punching bags for the rest of the roster, and while SmackDown’s smart writing has gone some way to rebuilding the belts, it’ll be years before they’re able to wash the stink out. WWE have unwittingly ran their champions into the ground, and it’s a big reason for today’s ailing product.
It’d be nice to have a United States Champion who doesn’t lose every single non-title match he wrestles, or a World Champion who can win on their own merit. WWE’s ongoing devaluation of their champions is hugely counterproductive, and one of their biggest flaws.