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Post by Hulkamaniac on Jun 23, 2007 18:45:58 GMT -5
I was reading an interview done with the Honky Tonk Man the other day. Of course I was reminded of the IC title. It seems to me that once upon a time the title really, meant something. You knew the guy wearing the belt was someone who was going to be a main eventer one day. Back in the mid to late 80's and early 90's almost every single guy who wore the IC strap went on to a World Title reign or at the very least got a feud for the title. There were very few exceptions - Ricky Steamboat (semi-retired a yr after winning the belt), Honky (too gimmicky), Mr Perfect (personal problems), Texas Tornado (personal problems), The Mountie (transitional champ), British Bulldog (personal probs). During that period you saw future world champions like Savage, Warrior, Bret Hart, HBK, and Diesel. Other guys who never wore the world title in the WWE but went on to be main event guys were Rick Rude, Jeff Jarrett and Razor Ramon. During the Attitude Era no-name guys like HHH, Austin, and the Rock wore the strap (very obscure names I know).
Since about 2000 though, only 4 guys have won the IC title and then a World Title - Angle, Benoit, Eddie and Jericho. You could argue that Benoit, Jericho and Eddie were already established talents when they won the belt and didn't need it to get over at all. Lately, it seems the strap goes to guys who aren't going to get any higher than the mid-card or washed up has-beens who won't get a sniff of the main event ever again. Just look at the last 3 years.
Chris Jericho - mired in the mid-card for the rest of his WWE career Shelton Benjamin - career mid-carder Carlito - has yet to sniff the main event Ric Flair - washed up old vet (there I said it, bash away) Shelton Benjamin - still stuck in the mid-card Rob Van Dam - was already over before he got the belt Shelton Benjamin - hey, look who's still jerking the curtain Johnny Nitro - peak of his WWE career Jeff Hardy - over already...won't ever be a main event guy Johnny Nitro - What ever happened to him now? EC what?? Jeff Hardy - Spot monkey hits the peak of his career Umaga - Ok, I might give you this one. Don't know if it really got him over or not, but he did go on to a main event feud. Santino Marella - Is this guy ever going to headline anything? I doubt it.
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Post by blu3blazer on Jun 23, 2007 18:49:10 GMT -5
I agree, but Randy Orton, Edge, and RVD went on to World Titles too.
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DJ619
Main Eventer
Owner of 99% warning level for nothing.
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Post by DJ619 on Jun 23, 2007 18:50:12 GMT -5
Back in the 80's and 90's the Intercontinental Title was a very important Title!But today it's just some midcard title... Honky Tonk Man, Ultimate Warrior, Mr.Perfect, THAT we're real champions!Not just some nobody like Santino Marella! Since '97 the Title wasn't very important, it was just some title...
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Post by Hulkamaniac on Jun 23, 2007 19:00:33 GMT -5
I agree, but Randy Orton, Edge, and RVD went on to World Titles too. True, but the title didn't help any of them really. Edge was already over as a tag guy. RVD was very over when he won the title. You could argue that the title boosted Orton's career but I don't know that I would. Once upon a time, the title lifted a guy up above the rest and pegged him as an up and comer in the business.
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Post by comebackkid on Jun 23, 2007 19:01:47 GMT -5
Orton saved it then they screwed it up by giving it to guys who are past the title already..
Same case with Benjamin and Nitro
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450punk
Mid-Carder
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Post by 450punk on Jun 23, 2007 19:02:30 GMT -5
at the end of last year when jeff hardy vs nitro were fighting over it, it was great! it meant something again watching those two fight eachother in some really good matches. then they gave it to umaga just so he would look stronger at wrestlemania and it lost the momentum it had going with it for the past months. then they give it to santino marella and it was a bad move. the guy is alright but i dont want to see him with the title and his matches vs masters werent anything special. he hardly even defends maybe if he defended it more and built a solid feud (which im hoping will be with regal) then it will get some more credit back for him and the title. its sad when its not defended at a ppv, this sunday will be his first defense at a ppv i believe. but this is something that can be fixed and can change so we can all be entertained again with the intercontinental championship.
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Post by rkolegendkilla on Jun 23, 2007 19:06:42 GMT -5
val venis for the win.
the guy ammounted to nothing, and how many times did he hold the belt in 1999?
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Post by comebackkid on Jun 23, 2007 19:19:29 GMT -5
val venis for the win. the guy ammounted to nothing, and how many times did he hold the belt in 1999? That was when his fanbase was more than 7 people on WF
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Post by Mark on Jun 23, 2007 19:20:13 GMT -5
this post is about 3 years late
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Post by Hulkamaniac on Jun 23, 2007 20:08:09 GMT -5
Orton saved it then they screwed it up by giving it to guys who are past the title already.. Same case with Benjamin and Nitro Orton was a guy on the way up and you could tell when he won it that he was going to be on top one day. Benjamin you never really had that and Nitro either. Neither one are really World Title caliber.
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Post by sharkboymark on Jun 23, 2007 20:09:17 GMT -5
The IC title has been a joke for a while now.
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Post by Rant Casey on Jun 23, 2007 20:09:57 GMT -5
Its a shame, I remember caring almost as much about a IC title match as the WWE title matches back in the day.
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Post by taker1 on Jun 23, 2007 20:16:04 GMT -5
I've been saying the US Title surpassed it for a while now.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 23, 2007 20:19:09 GMT -5
Forget about I.C., the WWE Championship is a joke!
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Post by Ultimate Figure Collector on Jun 23, 2007 20:19:11 GMT -5
I agree that the IC Title don't mean crap anymore but what WWE Title really does? With that said, you don't have to go to the main event to be a good IC Champion, you just have to be able to put on classic matches that people will remember. Mr. Perfect, Razor Ramon, & Rick Rude never won any world titles but they still left their mark. I think guys like Hardy, Nitro, & Benjamin are just fine in the IC division it's people like Santino Marella holding it that annoys me. The IC Title isn't what it once was. It use to mean so much to making people not just into main eventers but stars. Now it's just tossed on whoever WWE wants to toss it on. Just like the tag titles, the IC title is a joke. Savage & Steamboat should be ashamed at what it's become.
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Post by 49% Motherf**ker, 51% SOB on Jun 23, 2007 20:27:30 GMT -5
It has lost its luster a long time ago.
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Post by Hulkamaniac on Jun 23, 2007 20:27:49 GMT -5
I agree that the IC Title don't mean **** anymore but what WWE Title really does? With that said, you don't have to go to the main event to be a good IC Champion, you just have to be able to put on classic matches that people will remember. Mr. Perfect, Razor Ramon, & Rick Rude never won any world titles but they still left their mark. I think guys like Hardy, Nitro, & Benjamin are just fine in the IC division it's people like Santino Marella holding it that annoys me. The IC Title isn't what it once was. It use to mean so much to making people not just into main eventers but stars. Now it's just tossed on whoever WWE wants to toss it on. Just like the tag titles, the IC title is a joke. Savage & Steamboat should be ashamed at what it's become. Perfect and Razor would've got their shot at the top if they didn't have so many personal problems. You could tell they were future main eventers. Rude got a brief chance to main event against Warrior. My problem with guys like Hardy, Nitro and Benjamin is that you know they're never going to get above that level no matter what they do. Hardy is a spot monkey and is too small. Benjamin lacks charisma. Nitro lacks that certain "it" factor. All of them strike me as guys who should be feuding with someone on their way to the main title, but not winning the belt.
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Post by classicfan on Jun 23, 2007 20:59:25 GMT -5
I completely agree, except for Hardy. Anyway...I think the problem with Marella lies in the fact that he is just too short. Maybe he he laced up some tights & called himself a cruiserweight, he would work but the man is just boring.
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Post by wwe4ever on Jun 23, 2007 21:20:01 GMT -5
I agree with you. The title basically means nothing now. Almost all of the past IC champs that you listed will be mid-carders for the rest of their careers. I would like to see most of them go onto being WWE champs but it's just not going to happen.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 23, 2007 21:24:23 GMT -5
You're right. I see in about a year or so Marella would be released.
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