Chris Cash: “Despite What Anyone Thinks, JBL Should Have Won”

JBL, John Bradshaw LayfieldWell, we saw this coming as soon as the Raw script was leaked, so no one can say they were caught off gaurd with tonight’s Intercontinental Championship match.  JBL is the new Champion and that’s that. 

However, I can see the journalists across the ‘net already going crazy and the majority of the fans soon to follow (if they haven’t already started as well).  I don’t agree with that.  In fact, I think JBL is the perfect candidate as the new IC Champion.

I’m not suggesting excitement over JBL winning the title because quite frankly, JBL bores the hell out of me in the ring while I think he’s one of the best on the stick.  That combination is passable as the mid-card title holder.  However, that’s not the reason I believe he should be the Champion.

When you think about the Intercontinental Champions in recent history, did anyone of them get the focus put on them they deserved for being in that position?  Not for any extended period time. 

CM Punk?  He won the tournament to go on and defeat William Regal for the title, but what high-profiled matches do you remember while he was Champion?

William Regal? He lost every bit of his momentum when he got suspended and simply hasn’t gained it back, nor has he been given the chance to, even with the title around his waist and the new girl on his arm.

Santino Marella?  He should still be the Champion right now with the "Honk-a-Meter" gimmick because he is one of the most entertaining characters on wrestling television today.  Yet they dropped that with little regard and he went on to be the best enhancement talent of the decade. 

Kofi Kingston?  Um, no. 

And the list goes on. 

The Intercontinental Championship today means just about as much as the cardboard cut-out belt my friends and I made when we were 10.  It was wrapped in shiny aluminum foil though and moreso, meant the world to me and those that competed for it in our trampoline federation.  So, in that regard, it may have meant more than WWE’s IC title does today.

I digress.

We all wish the WWE would add credibility to the divisions outside of the World and WWE Championship.  With JBL as the Intercontinental Champion, I can almost guarantee you that you’ll see that happen in the upcoming months.  In fact, it looks like we will finally see the Intercontinental gold up for grabs at this year’s WrestleMania. 

The last time the Intercontinental Championship was defended at WrestleMania was at WM 18 when RVD defeated Regal.  The Cruiserweight Title has been up for grabs TWICE since then! 

But not anymore.

JBL will definitely get attention as the new Champion and as much as we may hate it initially, in the end it will hopefully be the best thing that could happen.  Much like we all despised his World Championship reign (the longest in Smackdown history, remember?), it helped elevate John Cena to become the "superstar" he is today.

I see that being the case yet again.  JBL is a bigger star than he was back then and he will bring focus back to the entire division.  Maybe WWE will allow this to start a trend of great feuds and programs revolved around the actual title, rather than it being the furthest thing from the actual Champion’s mind every pay per view. 

And if this is not enough to make you think twice about JBL as the new Intercontinental Champion, it does mean he won’t be involved in WWE and World Championship matches in the near future.  That’s a plus, right?

Agree? Disagree? Hate me with a passion and you hope my dog dies?

Either way, shoot me your thoughts at wzchriscash@yahoo.com.

 

TRENDING


X