Isn't The World Title Supposed To Be Important?

Y 2 Jake · 06-23-2009, 07:20 AM

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Originally Posted by Bigpapa42
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Yes and no. If the motivation is sufficiently explained, then it could make some sense. In a way, its kind of like Andre winning the belt and then handing it to DiBiase for cash.

Andre selling the title actually added some prestige to it. Ted Dibiase wanted it that much that he'd do anything to get it. He made Andre an offer he couldn't refuse.

But I suppose in kayfabe terms Joe being in the MEM could be better for him financially if you look at it that way.

Sam · 06-23-2009, 10:16 AM

TNA's version of the 'Fingerpoke of Doom' perhaps?

Bigpapa42 · 06-23-2009, 10:18 AM

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Originally Posted by Sam
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TNA's version of the 'Fingerpoke of Doom' perhaps?

Nowhere near. The Fingerpoke was not only a massive swerve - which resulted in no match - but a big bait n' switch as well.

Y 2 Jake · 06-23-2009, 10:24 AM

Despite what people might think about the Fingerpoke Of Doom, it was very good. The only reason people are negative about it is because everybody involved got injured and it ended up going nowhere.

I doubt TNA could pull off anything as memorable or as intresting as that. I doubt very much people will talk about what happened on Sunday over 10 years later.

Bigpapa42 · 06-23-2009, 10:29 AM

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Originally Posted by Y 2 Jake
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Despite what people might think about the Fingerpoke Of Doom, it was very good. The only reason people are negative about it is because everybody involved got injured and it ended up going nowhere.

I doubt TNA could pull off anything as memorable or as intresting as that. I doubt very much people will talk about what happened on Sunday over 10 years later.

If by "very good", you mean a catalyst for the downfall of the entire WCW promotion, then sure.

There are many reasons that people are negative about it. For one, Nash was scheduled to face Goldberg, which was a hyped and anticipated match. They used some weak storyline accusation to get Goldberg out of the building, then had Hogan come out. For another, they didn't even give the fans a legit match before the "incident". Up to that point, the WCW World title was still shown as coveted and valued. It was after that where they started to hot shot the thing around.

Y 2 Jake · 06-23-2009, 01:50 PM

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Originally Posted by Bigpapa42
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If by "very good", you mean a catalyst for the downfall of the entire WCW promotion, then sure.

Not really. One way you could say tha the Fingerpoke Of Doom was the downfall of the promotion. But it was more than likely several months before when they gave a money match away on free TV.

Or if you look back even further it was after Hogan/Sting. That was WCW's highest drawing PPV. It was all down hill after that match.

The Fingerpoke just confirmed that WCW was on the slide.

REQUIEM · 06-23-2009, 06:57 PM

The Fingerpoke of Doom was ridiculous, but to say it was the catalyst for WCW going under is a bit overboard. There were a lot of reasons much of WCW's programming sucked during it's final years, but the single biggest catalyst for WCW failing was Stone Cold Steve Austin. Especially since Nitro only had one head-to-head ratings victory after September 98 when the Austin-McMahon feud was in full-swing with the "Bedpan McMahon" Incident, "Mr. Socko", "Bang 3:16", The Beer Truck, and so forth. WCW just couldn't answer that. None of WCW's writers had any idea how to construct the storyline that was badass, funny, alluring, and climactic, all at the same time.

And if there's any reason WCW lost the ratings battle the night the Fingerpoke Incident occured, it was because the same night, they gave away the results on Raw where Foley won the WWE Championship and it backfired histerically. So really, not many people even watched the Fingerpoke. And if there is still any doubt that Austin was the reason WCW started to decline, just listen to Austin's pop towards the end of that Foley match. MY.GOD.

PY · 06-23-2009, 07:02 PM

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To me, having a belt change hands every month does more to devalue it than a screwy title change like last night on the PPV.

I honestly never understood what people hate about that. All that it means that on that night, the challenger was better then the champ. I can imagine your argument about how it makes the title look less valuable, but when I thought like that, I lost interest in wrestling =\

On to the regular post, I really think it's to early to judge because I'm sure there was a reason. If there isn't, then I'll nominate the ending of the match to the Hall of Shame tbh.

Bigpapa42 · 06-24-2009, 12:55 AM

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Originally Posted by REQUIEM
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The Fingerpoke of Doom was ridiculous, but to say it was the catalyst for WCW going under is a bit overboard. There were a lot of reasons much of WCW's programming sucked during it's final years, but the single biggest catalyst for WCW failing was Stone Cold Steve Austin. Especially since Nitro only had one head-to-head ratings victory after September 98 when the Austin-McMahon feud was in full-swing with the "Bedpan McMahon" Incident, "Mr. Socko", "Bang 3:16", The Beer Truck, and so forth. WCW just couldn't answer that. None of WCW's writers had any idea how to construct the storyline that was badass, funny, alluring, and climactic, all at the same time.

And if there's any reason WCW lost the ratings battle the night the Fingerpoke Incident occured, it was because the same night, they gave away the results on Raw where Foley won the WWE Championship and it backfired histerically. So really, not many people even watched the Fingerpoke. And if there is still any doubt that Austin was the reason WCW started to decline, just listen to Austin's pop towards the end of that Foley match. MY.GOD.

Notice that I said "a catalyst", not "the catalyst". Of course one incident wasn't behind the entire downfall of the WCW. It was just another symptom of the man things that were wrong with the promotion by that point. But that sequence summed up so much of what WCW was doing wrong - giving away a PPV-caliber match on TV (before the switch), a ridiculous storyline, a bait-and-switch, a swerve, a continuation of the heels always winning, a moment many fans truly hated, and it significantly devalued the world title. That is a whole lot to manage in just one segment.

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I honestly never understood what people hate about that. All that it means that on that night, the challenger was better then the champ. I can imagine your argument about how it makes the title look less valuable, but when I thought like that, I lost interest in wrestling =\.

Its not just about the title not having value when it tossed about, but that it doesn't do anything for your champion. A world championship in wrestling is supposed to signify a worker as being the very best, just like being a champion in any given sport... Although wrestling is a work, the same idea is attached to the idea of champion. This is how the WWE always made the world title (or titles) seem. Its how other promotions make the titles out to be. But there seems to be no effort towards that anymore in the E. Titles are pretty much meaningless.