Kawshen
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| #1 Posted on 21.4.02 0247.07 Reposted on: 21.4.09 0255.16 | OK, it's a new year and that usually means we'll be getting a new rookie World Champ. Last year into next year, of course, was Chris Jericho.
Question is who will be the newest first-time Champ?
I would have said Booker but he's been a World Champ already - just not the WWF World Champ - though it wouldn't surprise me if he won it.
At this point, the only one I see getting there is RVD. The fact that he was never the ECW World Champion is a crime - but I think we'll be hearing RVD announced as the WWF World Champion sometime this year. You never know.
Any other likely candidates? Edge?
(edited by Kawshen on 21.4.02 0347) Promote this thread! | | Excalibur05
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| #2 Posted on 21.4.02 0256.01 Reposted on: 21.4.09 0257.37 | Benoit.
Unless you're counting that sip of tea he had with the WCW belt. | MoeGates
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| #3 Posted on 21.4.02 0740.32 Reposted on: 21.4.09 0741.47 | I think this year is going to be the exception in terms of the "upper-midcarder gets a winter first-time Title run" rule. The upper card is just too glutted. Austin, Rock, HHH, Jericho, Taker, Hogan, Angle. That's (arguably) the top 7 guys, and each of them has already been champ (and that's not even counting Kane, Show & Nash). I don't see the fed giving its #8 guy the WWF Title anytime soon. Maybe it's #3 or 4 guy, but not #8.
On the other hand, stuff changes in 6 months, and the right combination of injuries, crowd reaction, and insanity in the booking room could yield a surprise or two.
Moe
(edited by MoeGates on 21.4.02 0842) | Weevil
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| #4 Posted on 21.4.02 0813.50 Reposted on: 21.4.09 0814.03 | Undertaker has gone almost two years without the title and both angle and jericho got there runs while he was active so i don't think it's that unlikely that someone new could get a shot. | The Vile One
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| #5 Posted on 21.4.02 1032.18 Reposted on: 21.4.09 1045.44 | Actually its been almost 3 years since Undertaker has held the title, and "that's not a bad thing...that's...a good thing."
Some people think Kane should get a world title run over a day. Personally I don't think so. Anyway, how about Benoit getting the title sometime this year after those two screwy false finishes in WWF 2000 and jobbing to Austin in Canada including his hometown of Edmonton. I guess RVD could also be the new champion at the end of the year. | Weevil
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| #6 Posted on 21.4.02 1037.51 Reposted on: 21.4.09 1048.54 | i meant to say two active years, since he obviously wasn't in anyones way when he was injured | oldschoolhero
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| #7 Posted on 21.4.02 1057.58 Reposted on: 21.4.09 1059.01 | Kane's worked continually hard over the past few years, and if he keeps on getting over-especially with this character renaissance-then he could be the best pick for the new champ at the end of the year. But I'd be tempted to go with Benoit as well-not for any percieved injustices against him but because he needs something to make him a main event guy. | Rex
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| #8 Posted on 21.4.02 1119.34 Reposted on: 21.4.09 1123.44 | I would bet that we don't have any first-time champs this year. But I would say that the best candidate is Benoit. If handled right, he'll have a lot of momentum upon his return, and he could turn that into a main-event program, particularly if there is an injury to a key guy. If he gets into any sort of extended title program like he did with Rock in the summer of 2000, I think he grabs the title this time. I wouldn't look for him to be in the title match at the next Mania, but Jericho and Angle have proven you can get into the title picture somewhat quickly if they want you to.
I would say the next candidate is RVD, with Brock Lesnar as a very long shot, but probably with better prospects than an Edge, Booker or Bradshaw. | The Vile One
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| #9 Posted on 21.4.02 1131.21 Reposted on: 21.4.09 1135.15 | Kane and character renaissance? What does it entail? Kane ripping off the Rock and Hulk Hogan and acting like a stupid goofball? When you say renaissance do you mean Kane just coming out and hurting people and then talking through his stupid voice thingy? Where's Paul Bearer? Kane seems to get injured and take too much time off, kind of like X-pac. Kane will never be a legit world champion. Or he maybe but his title reign just won't work. Remember when he was IC champion? I don't think anyone even cared that he held the title. | oldschoolhero
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| #10 Posted on 21.4.02 1136.23 Reposted on: 21.4.09 1145.44 | You know it's funny you should say that Kane just spends too much time injured, because this is actually the first time I can remember when he's having any significant time off. And your constant prattling about anything not workrate intensive is becoming increasingly transparent. Get this: people like Kane. He is over. At this point in time, they are attempting to make him a little more accessible, a little more three-dimensional, in order to give him that shunt up into credible main-event territory. Thus, character renaissance.
And the reason his Intercontinental Title reign isn't particularly memorable (aside from the pair of SWANK matches he had with Albert) is because he was ABOVE that title in terms of card position. Hey, remember Lance Storm's title reign? No-one cared then either. Let me make the excuse for you before you even bother-"He wasn't booked properly!" There, that saves you posting it. | Weevil
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| #11 Posted on 21.4.02 1138.25 Reposted on: 21.4.09 1145.45 | This thread got me thinking. When was the last champion who wasn't a good wrestler? the big show 28 months ago right? that's a pretty good streak, i hope they don't blow it by putting the belt on Hogan. | oldschoolhero
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| #12 Posted on 21.4.02 1142.55 Reposted on: 21.4.09 1145.45 | Well, at least the fans will care about Hogan as a champion...that's one up on the Big Show. And some people would dispute that claim on all those guys being good world champs. COUGHEric S.COUGH | The Vile One
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| #13 Posted on 21.4.02 1144.18 Reposted on: 21.4.09 1146.12 | I don't know, the Rock held the title a little over a year ago.
You know oldschool hero, how does Kane saying some lame dirty jokes and saying Hogan and Rock like catchphrases like "Kaninites" make him more 3-dimensional? I think it just makes him look like silly goof ball, especially when he's still coming to try out and do the whole hell, fire, and brimstone thing. And you're right, Lance Storm's title reign flat out sucked. But you know what, Kane and Albert aren't even a fraction of the wrestler Lance Storm is, and Lance Storm had a few good matches during his reign. But its hard for me to remember when the IC title isn't a joke nowadays. I think RVD is doing a good job with it now, and he should hold it for a long time. Anyway, after Jericho lost it a while back, and before RVD got it, WWF clearly didn't take the title seriously. | oldschoolhero
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| #14 Posted on 21.4.02 1150.54 Reposted on: 21.4.09 1156.07 | Ya know bud, I think you just proved my "workrate transparency" speechy thing up there. Kane may not be the wrestler that Lance Storm is, but at least people CARE about Kane. And YOU know what? Kane may not be the wrestler that Storm is, but he'll win the World Title TEN TIMES before Storm gets his hands on it. It's a fact of life.
Oh, and "Lance Storm had a few good matches during his reign"? So did Kane. I guess some of us aren't so elitist that we rate any match involving two big men as bad. | Kokolums
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| #15 Posted on 21.4.02 1158.14 Reposted on: 21.4.09 1159.01 | I don't think there should be any more first-time fed champs for a few years. The WWF roster is glutted with ex-champs that "don't need the belt" or are essentially above the belt. The result is the fed title is more like the IC belt -used- to be. The rest of the belts are meaningless. Adding more main eventers weakens -all- of them at this point. | TheMarketingMajor
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| #16 Posted on 21.4.02 1221.50 Reposted on: 21.4.09 1225.54 | RVD's time will come, but not this year.
I think Vince is smart enough to know that RVD will be around another 5-10 years so there's no rush to push him into a top spot just yet. And really, why should he? The World Champ will (should) always be a draw. The IC champ sometimes is, but often isn't.
RVD is.
I forsee a loooooong title reign for RVD with the IC belt re-establishing it as something worth fighting for and building RVD's character up as one of the great IC champs of all time. From there it will be easy to move him into a main event spot whenever needed.
Other than that, throw my vote in with those picking Benoit for this years first-time champ. However, he's got some mid-card feuds to hash out upon his return so don't expect him to get to the top till later in the year. | ManiacalClown
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| #17 Posted on 21.4.02 1330.08 Reposted on: 21.4.09 1330.08 | I see Gangrel making his grand return this year and finally winning that elusive world title belt. | spf
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| #18 Posted on 21.4.02 1345.16 Reposted on: 21.4.09 1347.40 | I'm going to throw my vote to Bradshaw, since they seem determined come hell or high water to get him over as a top flight player, and how better to do it than to let him topple the WWF champ?
And RVD will not hold the IC belt for longer than 3 months. Just you watch. | Weevil
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| #19 Posted on 21.4.02 1429.10 Reposted on: 21.4.09 1434.46 |
Originally posted by spf2119 I'm going to throw my vote to Bradshaw, since they seem determined come hell or high water to get him over as a top flight player, and how better to do it than to let him topple the WWF champ?
He'll get a half assed push then get bumped down again, The thing is they know he isn't going to be a star so they won't job anyone important to him.
By the way the Rock is a good wrestler. | The Vile One
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| #20 Posted on 21.4.02 1735.44 Reposted on: 21.4.09 1742.36 | Rock? a good wrestler, could've fooled me. I think he's good when he wants to be. But usually he's just an average who worker who excels at the crappy WWF wrestling style. |
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