10 Things WWE Could Learn From Kenta Kobashi's Career

2. Being A True 'Dominant Champion'

One of, if not the most successful periods in Pro Wrestling NOAH€™s history was Kenta Kobashi€™s two-year reign as GHC Heavyweight Champion. It was an incredible title reign marked by amazing 5-star matches, consistently high ticket sales, and incredible fortune for the promotion and the champion. But what made him a strong champion, a real €˜dominant€™ champion, was the way he wrestled and won while champion. He constantly wrestled against opponents that had some sort of advantage over him, or were at least booked that way. Every single one of his opponents was treated as a credible threat, and so every match felt like he could genuinely lose the championship. WWE could learn from Kobashi€™s booking during his world title reign by really booking their champion as strongly as possible, regardless of alignment. The world champion needs to be shown that he can take on all comers without being a coward or without needing outside help. That is the underlying necessity of bringing in viewers and convincing them that a champion is worth watching: if that champion cannot win by themselves or put on good matches for the championship, then they€™re not world champion-caliber athletes in the first place.