Technically, Seth Rollins never actually vacated the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, you know. Sure, we were told he did but he wasnt in attendance at RAW on the 9th November when Triple H announced that he was no longer champion. Hes not been on RAW since, in fact, even to be interviewed backstage or to run his mouth on commentary. What if Rollins were to claim that, since he never gave up the title, it was still his? What if the title were to go missing, to vanish from the champions possession? Say it disappears from his bag, in the locker room, the hotel, in a cab or at the airport. Its humiliating, but eventually a new title belt is commissioned and no one thinks anything more of it for two, three, four months or more until Seth Rollins returns to RAW, the belt around his waist, claiming to be the real WWE World Heavyweight Champion? Its a storyline thats been done before, most recently with CM Punk and John Cena in summer 2011, but its rarely done right. Punk came back too early, the company frightened to let the story run as it should. You see, according to the weird chicanery that surrounds professional wrestling titles, they can be defended in any promotion, in any country, depending on whats agreed between the organisations in question. Its no great stretch to say that a champion whod never lost, who was still in possession of the physical belt could call himself the champion and work anywhere he or she liked. Look at Madusa taking the WWF Womens Championship to WCW in December 1995? What if she hadnt dumped it in the trash, but had carried on defending her WWF title against WCW talent? How about Ric Flair, sacked from WCW in July 1991 while still the NWA world champion - he took the title to WWF television, humiliating the NWA. Rollins has the original belt: lets say that, in the storyline, WWE allow his contract to lapse while hes rehabbing the knee. He could potentially take the title and defend it in New Japan; on a Ring Of Honor card; in Glasgow at an ICW show; in Mexico for AAA; the possibilities are endless. Moreover, there have been occasions when titles have been won by members of rival promotions and the title itself has become part of that promotion. New Yorks National Wrestling Federation, about to close, gave its own heavyweight championship to the newly opened New Japan Pro Wrestling in December 1973 when Johnny Powers dropped the title to Antonio Inoki, who then founded NJPW with the championship as its top title. With two men having legitimate cases to make that theyre the only real WWE World Heavyweight Champion, the focus comes to the title more than ever. Its the fake Undertaker versus the real Undertaker, Tiger Mask versus Black Tiger. Which champion deserves the title most? If there have been multiple champions since Rollins was injured, what will they be prepared to do to ensure that Rollins championship run isnt reinstated, and their own entries in the record books struck out? And (if hes successful), does that mean that Rollins suddenly has a shot at, technically, beating CM Punks 434 days as WWE Champion?
Professional writer, punk werewolf and nesting place for starfish. Obsessed with squid, spirals and story. I publish short weird fiction online at desincarne.com, and tweet nonsense under the name Jack The Bodiless. You can follow me all you like, just don't touch my stuff.
