There are plenty of examples of Triple H's overpowering ego and preferential treatment in 2002 (going on last at WrestleMania, the burial jobs of RVD and Kane etc.), but few are as obvious as this. When Undisputed Champion Brock Lesnar became the exclusive property of Smackdown, Raw needed a World Champion. Now, common sense would dictate that this would be determined by a tournament, a major match between two or more big stars or, hell, even a battle royal. That's not how this one played out. Instead, Raw GM Eric Bischoff just handed Triple H the big gold belt, the one famously worn by such distinguished champions as Ric Flair, Sting and Harley Race. He didn't earn the belt, he was just given it because he was the 'biggest star on Raw'. This demeaned the entire Raw roster. I mean, why weren't the likes of Kane, Rob Van Dam and Booker T given the chance to battle for the belt. Oh, they would in the months to come, something they'd live to regret.
