I have a new wrestling column every Monday and Friday for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
Today, I look at the hot topic of potentially the WWE title being unified with just one champion. The following is an excerpt:
In December, WWE Champion Randy Orton will go up against John Cena, who holds the World Heavyweight Championship, in a tables, ladders and chairs match.
I don't think the titles are meant to be unified in this December meeting between Orton and Cena. There has been confusion since the match was announced. Listening to the sound clips used in the promotion for the match and WWE's website posting stories looking back in history, it seems the winner of the match at TLC will hold both titles.
Having one title is smart. WWE is bad at protecting the value of titles anymore. This is largely due to the over-saturation of programming.
CM Punk's 434 days as WWE Champion from November 2011 to January 2013 was great for the WWE Championship but the other title was still second rate. The other title currently is held by Cena.
Cena's run so far as World Heavyweight Champion has done good things for SmackDown's viewership. Brand extension is no longer going on in WWE, but there is still some unspoken separation where only the WHC is focused on the Friday program. SmackDown is the number two show, and the WHC is the number two title.
Number two world title seems like an awkward statement. A world title should be the top title. Again, unification is wise but execution is just as important in getting to that final destination.
If there is going to be a unification match, it seems WrestleMania in April would be the most appropriate venue. But who is it between?
Orton and Cena are the two wrestlers WWE has the most invested in as well as the two heavily rumored for a unification at WrestleMania. This wouldn't be good.
I don't want the main event of a December TLC pay-per-view to be the main event of WrestleMania 30 three months later. I don't care if you substitute the gimmick of tables, ladders and chairs out for the stipulation of a unified world title. There is still something wrong with that.
Another thing wrong is having what should be a monumental match in WWE's history and not including the guy who is the most popular in WWE involved.
Who all should be in the match and why WWE is doing this now is answered in the rest of the column.
