WWE Night of Champions 2012: Power Ranking Every WWE Championship

It's championship season in the WWE as Night of Champions sheds some much-needed life on WWE's once-prestigious championships. 

The hook for this particular pay-per-view franchise, that has been in existence since 2008, is that every WWE championship will be defended. 

Following the manner in which each championship match is booked, it becomes clear which title matches are being forced and which have followed a fluent pattern of storyline progression. 

Titles that fall into the latter category tend to carry more meaning, with the WWE investing promotional efforts in emphasizing the championship in question. 

So which WWE championship is the most meaningful?  Glad you asked. 

6. Divas Championship

Despite the WWE going to a three-hour format, the Divas division still finds itself in hurry-up mode when it is featured, which is an indictment on how the WWE currently views its Divas.

Ask a casual wrestling fan to tell you who the WWE Divas champion is in five seconds.  The vast majority of said fans will fail in doing so. 

At Night of Champions, champion Layla will take on upstart accidental Diva Kaitlyn in a match sure to be slotted in the comedown position. 

5. United States Championship

Antonio Cesaro could be the next big star in the WWE, and he may even restore prestige to the United States Championship. 

Unfortunately, Cesaro is stuck in the vaunted "vs. Preshow Winner" match which is WWE Creative speak for "we have nothing for this belt." 

4. Intercontinental Championship

The change to the throwback title helps as the Intercontinental title can now be easily associated with the greats who once held it such as Randy Savage and Shawn Michaels. 

But the title has seen very little activity since the Miz captured it on RAW 1000, and it has now been forced into a Fatal Four-Way match that screams irrelevance. 

My gut tells me that the best possible scenario for the Intercontinental Championship is for Cody Rhodes to win it, since his character has cared the most about the title in recent months. 

3. WWE Tag Team Championships

The WWE has obviously taken its time in revamping the tag team division with more true teams as opposed to mix-and-match singles competitors. 

The addition of Sin Cara & Rey Mysterio as well as Daniel Bryan & Kane could be the impetus for the renaissance that has eluded this division for years.

2. WWE Championship

CM Punk vs. John Cena for the WWE Championship is a movie we've seen before, and it added more meaning to the WWE Championship at WWE Money in the Bank than it will now. 

Part of the current Punk-Cena storyline is the fact that the title has been rendered meaningless while Punk has been champion, given his lack of presence in the main event. 

This point was inexplicably made during an otherwise compelling John Cena promo on the go-home RAW, but with the spotlight back on the WWE Championship in what is expected to be tomorrow night's show closer, the WWE's top title should rebound nicely. 

1. World Heavyweight Championship

The Sheamus-Del Rio storyline has evolved to the point where the World Heavyweight Championship has eclipsed the WWE Championship as the most intriguing and meaningful title.

Del Rio's obsession with winning the title during a lengthy feud against Sheamus has led to a match where the stipulation of Sheamus' Brogue Kick being banned should create an intense atmosphere. 

Throw in the fact that Dolph Ziggler is always waiting in the wings with the World Heavyweight Championship Money in the Bank briefcase, and the WWE's silver medal is looking rather golden.

Can the WWE survive without John Cena?  Watch Big Nasty and Justin LaBar debate this hot topic now and follow Big Nasty on Twitter @ThisIsNasty.