Pro Wrestling's World Championship: Important or Irrelevant?

WARNING: SMACKDOWN SPOILERS AHEAD!!

Recently while making the rounds online of various other pro wrestling websites, I happened across a column concerning Christian’s World Title loss.

The writer stated that fans needed to calm down, because the World Title is just a “prop.”

As a fan of over thirty years, and someone who has spent several years in the business, I have a real problem with that statement.

There is no question that the concept of a World Championship in the business does not mean what it used to.

During the heyday of Jim Crockett Promotions and the National Wrestling Alliance, the World Heavyweight Championship was a big deal. Dating back to 1905, this belt was defended all over the world, and was recognized for many years as THE World Championship.

There are two reasons for this. One of course, is the aforementioned history of the championship, a title that stood the test of time.

Second, and most important, the title was prestigious and meaningful because of the men entrusted to carry it.

From Pat O’Connor, to Buddy Rogers, Lou Thesz, Dory Funk Jr, Jack Brisco, and Harley Race, the list reads like a who’s who of wrestling royalty.

But, let’s be honest. Despite how great these men, and the ones who followed after, were, when I think of the NWA and the World Championship, there is only one name that comes to mind. Ric Flair.

Ric Flair is as synonymous with the NWA World Title as Michael Jordan is to the number 23. I simply cannot think of one without the other.

Flair epitomized what it meant to be the champ. His appearance, his look, screamed “professional.”

Much love and respect to Edge, but can you imagine Ric Flair in 1985 cutting a promo wearing denim jeans and a leather jacket?

Flair brought another level of credibility to a title that already had it by the truckload. When he entered the room, his presence commanded attention.

If you didn’t know anything about the business at the time, but saw Flair, in his custom made suit, Rolex watch, alligator shoes and dark glasses, you would assume that he was somebody. And you would be right.

But apart from his look, Flair is a stand out because of his work in the ring.

Ric Flair made his name by working guys fans had never heard of, and making them look like superstars. That is the definition of a professional wrestler, and that is how it is supposed to work.

Why? Because pro wrestling is all about give and take. Give me your best move, I’ll sell it like crazy, and make you look great. When it’s my turn, you do the same for me, and we will have the best match on the card from start to finish.

Working Ric Flair during that time was like doing a favor for the Godfather. Working Ric Flair in the main event during that time was like becoming a made man and joining the mob.

Now, while many “Edge heads” are no doubt warming their fingertips to type a response to my earlier comment, let me say this.

Dusty Rhodes is one of the all time greats, and while he occasionally wore a suit himself, there is a lot to be said for the cowboy hat and fur coat.

I mean, come on, that was just pure Dusty.

So, the look, combined with the ability in the ring, and let’s not forget, the ability to talk. Ric Flair could have run for President in the eighties and if the voters were pro wrestling fans only, he would have won by a landslide.

Times have changed, of course. The NWA, while still going strong, is not what it used to be in terms of national exposure on TV. Various other World Championships have existed since then, namely the two that currently headline WWE RAW and Smackdown.

The business has changed, as well. Gone are the days of fans believing what they see, their faith in the product’s reality unquestioning. We all know it’s a work. The proverbial cat has been out of the bag for a long time now, thanks to Vince McMahon and the internet.

But what has not changed, at least not for this fan, is the importance of the World Championship.

I have never met, nor have I ever heard any worker in the business, say that they had no aspirations of becoming the top guy. That is not to say that those wrestlers do not exist, but if they’re smart, they keep that little nugget to themselves.

Why is that exactly? Because if a guy wanted nothing to do with the World Title, why would a promoter bother pushing him as far up as he can go?

Does anyone believe that Santino Marella, if given the opportunity, would not love a WWE or World Championship run? Are we expected to believe that he would simply like to be comedy relief for the next thirty years? Of course not.

As important as the World Title can be to a promotion and its fans, let us not forget that it can also become very irrelevant very quickly.

Jeff Jarrett was the WCW World Champion. Remember his title run? Neither does anyone else.

By the time he got the belt, WCW was on life support. The company had become a joke, the belt reduced to a piece of tin that workers near retirement age fought over every week on TV. Fans no longer cared about it. The belt meant nothing.

Is that the case in WWE? When fans look at both championships, do they truly see two “World” titles, or was the column correct, and are they merely props? Props, that are meant to draw in the fans with the promise of legends being made, only to see the guy lose it two days later?

There is no denying that the World Championship in this business is used as a major selling point to make money. That has been the case for years, and will continue to be the case for years to come.

But, even if it perhaps is not as important as we have always been led to believe, does that mean that we should not care about it?

When a wrestler is hyped, promoted, and pushed, all the way to the main event of a pay per view shown around the globe, in a World Championship match, we as fans are supposed to care.

That is the point of such a match in the first place. We are pulled in by the drama, by the “defining moment” that only pro wrestling can provide. We as fans are hooked.

Now, we are told, that we should stop caring immediately, and let it go. After all, it’s just a wrestling match. Right?

WWE, TNA, nor any other wrestling company, cannot have it both ways. Asking us to care, to be involved, and then to let it go when we see something we do not agree with, makes no sense, and to be honest, is more than infuriating to me.

Back to the original premise. Is the World Title a prop? For me, the answer is no way. For everyone else? That is up to you, and history, to decide.