The integrity of the WWE Championship is vital to Vince McMahon's brand. The belt is the prop which gives support to the franchise star of the day, it is the one thing that's a constant in the business, a marker of prestige. What happens when the belt starts being treated without respect? Well, just take a look at WCW, which was out of business just a year after putting the belt on Hollywood actor David Arquette. With this in mind, thank god the WWF didn't go through with plans to put the WWF title on Chyna in 1999. Nothing against Chyna, who was legitimately one of the biggest stars of the Attitude Era, but as Champion she just wouldn't have been right. It's also nothing against women; it just wouldn't have made sense creatively. The women have their own championship, what would it say about that belt and indeed the men's belt if Chyna was WWF Champion? The plans for Chyna becoming champion at SummerSlam 1999 went as far as her winning a number one contendership on Raw in the build up. WWE writers then flipped direction, feeling ultimately that the 'ninth wonder of the world' lacked the in-ring skill to be champ. The SummerSlam match instead ended up as Austin vs Foley vs Triple H. Mick won and then Hunter captured his first ever championship the next night on Raw.
