WWE Has to Focus More on Chase to Be No. 1 Contender to World Title

The WWE World Heavyweight Championship has faded too far into the background.

It is not just that the titleholder isn't around but that there isn't enough of a hunt for the title. Brock Lesnar's absence should give way to new storylines centered on Superstars looking to earn the right to face him.

Instead, the championship isn't even garnering many mentions on TV.

Since John Cena failed to dethrone Lesnar at Night of Champions, who is the No. 1 contender? There is no clear answer to that question at the moment. Recent WWE programming hasn't done a good job in exploiting the narrative possibilities of the pursuit of gold. 

It makes sense that the hunger for revenge has filled Dean Ambrose's mind to the point where there's no room to fit thoughts of challenging Lesnar.

But what of Randy Orton, Bray Wyatt and Cesaro? Those three men battled for the title at Money in the Bank. They have since stopped seeking it out. 

All throughout Evolution's feud with The Shield, Orton was promised a one-on-one rematch for the championship he lost at WrestleMania. Triple H tabled the issue, and now The Viper has seemingly either given up on the idea or forgotten about it.

The fact that he has yet to get this one-on-one match should be driving him crazy. It should be causing splintering in his relationship with Triple H.

Orton is instead acting as a henchman for The Authority, going after Cena and Ambrose because he's told to do so.

At the very least, the chief operating officer should be holding the promised rematch over Orton's head. It should be the carrot that gets Orton to keep carrying Triple H's cart for him.

Cesaro has moved from one midcard title to another.

After losing to U.S. champ Sheamus at Night of Champions, it's clear WWE has him heading toward the WWE Intercontinental Championship that Dolph Ziggler wears around his waist.

That feud should provide some excellent matches, but it looked like Cesaro had climbed out of the midcard earlier this year. He had shots at the world title at Elimination Chamber and Money in the Bank, inching closer to WWE's top tier.

Going after the IC title is a lateral move. With Lesnar not onscreen much, WWE has an opportunity to have The King of Swing and others make moves upward.

Even if he ended up losing a Fatal 4-Way for the No. 1 contender's spot, having him associated with world title contention puts him in a different light than losing to Ziggler and Sheamus.

As for Wyatt, WWE isn't offering him anything right now. The company even appears to be taking away his imposing goons. 

He should be spending this time proving himself—to Triple H, to Lesnar and to the world. He doesn't even need to compete for the world title to benefit from chasing it.

The Eater of Worlds could be telling the camera that Lesnar is not the monster that he is. He could be destroying foes in an attempt to demonstrate that fact.

Credit: WWE.com

If Triple H announces that he thinks that no one is worthy of a title shot, the next few weeks' worth of Raw and SmackDown could be Wyatt and others looking to craft an impressive resume. Every victory would mean more, as it would be an exhibit in his case for contention.

As it stands, there is no battle for the right to face Lesnar.

The issues that Cena, Rollins, Ambrose and Orton each have are intertwined. Wyatt is appearing only in vignettes. Cesaro is becoming the midcard bridesmaid.

They, along with the rest of the roster, have put the world title out of their minds. WWE's ultimate prize can be present in the form of men desiring it, even when Lesnar is away.

If The Beast Incarnate is going to stay champion for the next few months, WWE can't continue to miss opportunities based on its Superstars seeking a shot at him.