Alternative Candidates for Title Changes

[hb2k]

So for this week's podcast, we're looking at examples in history where you as a fan have always thought that another wrestler or team should have been earmarked for a title run that took place.

Just as an example, if you thought somebody else would have been better getting the WWE Title rather than JBL in 2004, or a better transition NWA Champ than Ronnie Garvin, or a better candidate for the long WWF Tag Title reign of Demolition, who would you pick and why? Your suggestion can apply to any championship at any time of course, but the key is why you thought the alternative would have been better in the role.

As always we'll be reading the best contributions/explanations on the show and crediting you accordingly. So who do you think should have been given the gold, and why?

EDIT - Our show talking about Title Reigns That Should Have Been, featuring many of your contributions, is now online and available to listen to at the following link: http://squaredcirclegazette.podbean.com/mf/web/zs8t7m/SCG_Radio_91_-_Title_Reigns_That_Should_Have_Been.mp3

[Big Vic]

I thought after it was confirmed Daniel Bryan had to give up the WWE Title it would have been nice to see it awarded to Kane by the authority. behind the scenes it be awarded as a bit of a "thank you" run for being with the company for so long. I really wouldn't put him over anyone during his run and still have Cena win it at MITB. But that 2 week run would have made me feel warm and fuzzy inside.

I would have also had Tommy Dreamer take John Morrison's ECW title reign. When Morrison won the title it really hurt it's image and at least Dreamer was a former ECW champ and vet. If Sandman was not drafted to raw he would have been my choice for that reign. The dynamic of Sandman vs "Straight Edge" CM Punk would have been a nice angle.

[Lock Jaw]

Christian. When he got "hot".

Christian. When he came back.

Christian. Now. Then. Forever.

[DAMN iNATOR]

Some of the Christian fans might not like this, but I definitely would've put Ryder over to win the ECW title off him when they fought for it on a WWECW episode.

[XL]

I think you'd have to go with an RVD win in the Triple Threat at Unforgiven 2001. He might have proved that he couldn't be trusted many years later but at this point he was insanely popular despite being part of the heel Alliance group.

You could have had him sneak a win over Angle, and have Austin win back the title a month later (or even sooner I guess) if you didn't wanna make it a long term deal but it would have been an interesting dynamic.

[Lock Jaw]

Some of the Christian fans might not like this, but I definitely would've put Ryder over to win the ECW title off him when they fought for it on a WWECW episode.

That's ok, because in my alternate history, he wasn't even on ECW. Busy being Champion of the World on the main show.

[The Jayman]

Christian. When he got "hot".

Christian. When he came back.

Christian. Now. Then. Forever.

[Lock Jaw]

If I can be serious for a minute, it would have been "perfect" if Christian won the title in that one Cena vs. Jericho vs. Christian match they had. Just snuck out a victory by beating Jericho or something.

[Frank Drebin]

Then. Now. Forever.

Get it right or pay the price
https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/static/2014-10/6/13/enhanced/webdr08/grid-cell-12185-1412617646-0.jpg

[Frank Drebin]

Should have gone with Vince's original plan and just superimposed a blue dot over Christian's face.

[Lock Jaw]

I oppose linear timelines

[Mr. Nerfect]

This is a rather meek suggestion, but when they put the World Heavyweight Title on Khali, I always thought that Kane was a much better choice at the time. I think they only really did it because Khali was huge in India, but they quickly learnt from that mistake. I know there aren't too many Kane fans around the table, but I think you could agree that Kane winning would have just been a slap in the face and not as much a kick in the bollocks.

[Mr. Nerfect]

A weird one: If you had to choose someone to experiment with in late 2009, I'd have gone with Jack Swagger as opposed to Sheamus. Swagger had been on the main roster for about a year at this point (it's sad to think about how long he's been up there), and had already had a run as the ECW Champion. Granted, it wasn't on the same level as the WWE or even World Heavyweight Championships, but Swagger had already dipped his toes in. Swagger actually had a really decent match with Cena heading into TLC 2009, and while Sheamus was serving as WWE Champion, Swagger was on a losing streak and putting over Santino Marella. The company would pull something resembling a trigger (maybe the trigger on a water pistol) at WrestleMania 26 with Swagger, but after the whole losing streak thing it was kind of weak. If Swagger had won Money in the Bank after a WWE Title run, he could have been the first man to have held the WWE, World Heavyweight and ECW Championships, which could have at least been hyped as a big thing.

This is probably the most anyone has talked about Jack Swagger in a while.

[DAMN iNATOR]

I wonder how people would've reacted to Jeff Hardy going over Undertaker on RAW c. 2002-2003...

[Simple Fan]

I would have flipped my shit. Thats one of my all time favorite matches and I wanted Jeff to win so much.

[hb2k]

A weird one: If you had to choose someone to experiment with in late 2009, I'd have gone with Jack Swagger as opposed to Sheamus. Swagger had been on the main roster for about a year at this point (it's sad to think about how long he's been up there), and had already had a run as the ECW Champion. Granted, it wasn't on the same level as the WWE or even World Heavyweight Championships, but Swagger had already dipped his toes in. Swagger actually had a really decent match with Cena heading into TLC 2009, and while Sheamus was serving as WWE Champion, Swagger was on a losing streak and putting over Santino Marella. The company would pull something resembling a trigger (maybe the trigger on a water pistol) at WrestleMania 26 with Swagger, but after the whole losing streak thing it was kind of weak. If Swagger had won Money in the Bank after a WWE Title run, he could have been the first man to have held the WWE, World Heavyweight and ECW Championships, which could have at least been hyped as a big thing.

This is probably the most anyone has talked about Jack Swagger in a while.

Thats pretty interesting though, Swagger was in a much better spot at the middle of 09 than early 2010 for sure, he alreadyhad that stunted growth feel as you say.

Sparked to mind candidates like Jeff Jarrett as IC Champ or Strike Force as tag champs, where for one reason or another (no charisma and treated like an opening match loser for a year in Jarrett and slapdash retread after the CanAms fell through in SF), it felt like the title win did more to bring the belt down than the talent up. Those are the key ones to think about here I reckon...

[screech]

This is a rather meek suggestion, but when they put the World Heavyweight Title on Khali, I always thought that Kane was a much better choice at the time. I think they only really did it because Khali was huge in India, but they quickly learnt from that mistake. I know there aren't too many Kane fans around the table, but I think you could agree that Kane winning would have just been a slap in the face and not as much a kick in the bollocks.

A thousand times this

[Big Vic]

I would have nixed the Finger poke of doom and would have Nash continue his reign so Goldberg could take take revenge after destroying the nWo.

[DAMN iNATOR]

The Brian Kendrick somehow lasting till the end of the WWE Championship scramble match and becoming "officially" the new WWE Champion could have had some interesting storylines.

I mean, just look at what he did right after his WWE departure: He got to appear as a contestant on The Price Is Right, even playing a pricing game and getting a turn at the show's famed big wheel. Only other professional wrestler I can think of that was on a US game show of the popularity of TPiR was Ox Baker in the 1980s.

[Big Vic]

......?

[DAMN iNATOR]

I know, I know, the second paragraph kind of went of the rails. I was just posing a hypothetical as to what could have been done with Kendrick had he won the Championship Scramble for the WWE Championship @ Unforgiven 2008.

[Mr. Nerfect]

I was actually thinking about The Brian Kendrick. Timing seems to be a big issue, but his gimmick was pretty much made to work out a way to slime his way out of the Scramble Match with the WWE Championship. He was the "The Man with a Plan" after all -- walking the line between genius and insanity.

Kendrick could start the match off with Jeff Hardy or whatever. By the time all five guys are in, he's taken a huge beating. With time running out, a steel chair suddenly hits Triple H in the back. Another one to the ribs and back of Hardy. MVP and Shelton take shots. Everybody has been laid out by a pissed off Kendrick with a steel chair. He grabs Hardy, gives him Sliced Bread #2 and gets the final pin as the last grains of sand fall.

Kendrick retreats up the ramp with his WWE Title, and basically collapses as Ezekiel Jackson appears on stage and holds him up. Kendrick yells things like "See! I told you I could do it, Zeke! I told you I could do it on my own!"

The reign probably wouldn't have lasted too long, but maybe through a Triple Threat with Triple H and Jeff Hardy at No Mercy, a one-on-one match with Hardy and a one-on-one match with Triple H.

[Mr. Nerfect]

The Wyatt Family really should have had a run with the Tag Team Titles in 2014, winning them from The Usos. They went with Gold & Stardust.

[Emperor Smeat]

Daniel Bryan should have beaten Roman Reigns at Fastlane 2015. Could still have Rollins cash-in to protect Lesnar at Mania but that win by Reigns did nothing to help sway the crowds to his side. Crowds loved Bryan and despised Reigns even more because of it. Also Reigns would have benfitted more in the long term by having more time to develop his potential mega stardom.


For non-WWE title stuff, Kevin Owens would have been perfect to take the US title off of Cena during the Open Challenge series era. With the way the dirtsheets implied, seemed like the WWE regretted panicking over Cena losing clean in the first match and having Cena win the feud.

[The Condor]

Love how the example is JBL in 2004. We love JBL, stop you're subliminal messaging!

[The Condor]

Also, I would have liked to see Rick Martel win the IC title after Warrior vacating it in 1990. Dude deserved a singles title run, and that seems like the spot to give it to him. Perfect could still beat Kerry Von Erich later in the year.

[Mr. Nerfect]

Every time Sheamus has been the champion, I've always felt like there was someone else that should have gotten a run. That's not necessarily a knock on Sheamus. He's pretty good in the ring, especially for a guy his size, but he's a square-peg trying to fit a round hole a lot of the time.

[Big Vic]

Is the show up?

[Lock Jaw]

And what percentage of the show is dedicated to Christian?

[hb2k]

Is the show up?

Not yet - had a schedule conflict last week so recording tonight B-)

[hb2k]

I want to thank everybody for the contributions, we got to read many of them on the show, which is now available at the following link:

http://squaredcirclegazette.podbean.com/mf/web/zs8t7m/SCG_Radio_91_-_Title_Reigns_That_Should_Have_Been.mp3

Join us as we discuss title reigns that should have been and alternative candidates for title changes that did happen! Covering as wide a scope of potential changes as you, the loyal listeners, threw our way, we talk about whether Owen Hart should have got the WWF title in 1994, who should have ended John Cena's U.S. Title Open Challenges, whether CM Punk should have held the WWE Title until WrestleMania 29, if and when Lex Luger and Vader should have had various World Title runs, if the WWE missed out on lightning in a bottle with RVD in 2001, Christian in 2005 and Jeff Hardy in 2008, as well as tons of other potential runs in WWE, WCW, ECW and ROH all talked about. A fun show this week, check it out!