Whens the last time HBK has had a long title run?

[RP]

I dont recall him having a long one. I think he's more due then fucking Cena or HHH. I'd like to see him more involved in these title fueds.

[IC Champion]

97/98 He had about a 6 or 7 month run before WM14.

Great fucking title run too by the way.

[McLegend]

I don't think he wants the title.

[Fabien Barthez]

I don't think he needs the title.

[St. Jimmy]

I don't think he wants a spinning belt.

[RP]

whos doesnt want a spinning belt ( besides everyone not John Cena )

[Good Ol JG]

It would at least be credible with HBK as champ. I can buy someone who entertains and can work, unlike the other sorry ass Raw main event guys. But I think HBK is in the place where he just wants to put guys over as much as he can without being the man anymore.

[NeanderCarl]

Michaels doesn't want the schedule attached to being the main guy, but I think a long IC title reign would be great... some may see it as a step down, but HBK could do a lot to restore credibility to that belt and give it meaning, just like he did in the early 90s.

[Kane Knight]

Michaels needs a title like Warrior needs LSD.

[DRBailey]

I like this Batista/HBK feud and if they do the draft I reckon a move to SD and possibly a run with the belt would restore SD's credibility a little. On unrelated note move Koslov to FCW

[Jura]

Yeah I don't see Michaels moving to Smackdown. Between those two, if anyone is going to move it will probably be Batista heeling it up on Raw. Maybe even joining up with HHH again once he turns heel.

[Rammsteinmad]

Looking at it in kayfabe, it's crazy that Michaels has had as many title shots that he has since his return, considering that he's only won one of 'em.

Don't get me wrong, Michaels is the man... just asking in kayfabe how he keeps getting so many shots.

[blake639raw]

Maybe he don't need the title, but neither does HHH or Cena. Whenever Orton loses it, I would rather him lose to HBK than either of those guys. Who else is there really that's credible enough right now?

[RP]

Looking at it in kayfabe, it's crazy that Michaels has had as many title shots that he has since his return, considering that he's only won one of 'em.

Don't get me wrong, Michaels is the man... just asking in kayfabe how he keeps getting so many shots.

Because he's putting on the best matches and carries just about everyone?

[RP]

I mean, HBK can make Hogan look like God you know.

[Zen v.W.o.]

97/98 He had about a 6 or 7 month run before WM14.

Great fucking title run too by the way.

Holy cow. He got the title in November and held it till march. 4 months. Decent reign length, but not that great of a reign itself. Had a match with Shammy at IYH, a casket match with taker at the RR, skipped the next ppv, and lost at Mania.

Wasnt great by any means.

[NeanderCarl]

Plus he didn't win it in the "time honoured tradition", spent the majority of his run injured, headlined one of the worst drawing PPVs in history (WWF Disqualification X, as it should have been called, Dec 97), turned the European championship (which had been seen as quite prestigious throughout 1997) into a joke, nailed the fans with a bait-and-switch by not wrestling as advertised at No Way Out Of Texas, and then decided he would only drop the belt to Triple H (who was nowhere near ready to be the top guy in the company on any level) and had to be "convinced" if you believe the rumours to actually lose to the hottest star in the company, Steve Austin.

If fact, one of the only things he did right during this title reign (other than usher in the Attitude era with some of the original DX antics) was that in all fairness he gave 100% whilst working with a devastating injury at WrestleMania XIV to put 'Stone Cold' over as the new champ.

[slextremely]

I thought it was a great title run, mostly because of the DX segments. Taking the European title and doing what he did with it completely worked as far as his character was concerned at the time. I also enjoyed the Taker match and he did a hell of a job against Austin all things considered. That whole fued was perfect imo. Don't see wrestlemania main events built up like that anymore.

[NeanderCarl]

Taking the European title and doing what he did with it completely <strike>worked</strike> killed it.

[slextremely]

yeah he completely ruined a belt that was created in 1997. IC Title > Euro title. I wouldn't say it was THAT prestigious.

[NeanderCarl]

It was on it's way. He hindered it's growth, making it seem worthless.

This was a belt that main evented a PPV before Michaels wore it, afterwards it was dead within a few years.

[Jordan]

I disagree with those who think HBK doesn't need the title. Sure somebody who knows HBK's career is familiar with his 96 title run, but a lot of fans aren't. There are so many kids and new fans that have no idea what makes HBK the Showstopper. I would much rather Shawn hold the spinner than Triple H.

[Zen v.W.o.]

Speaking of the spinner, that title needs to be trashed. It's awful. But then the title isnt nearly as prestigious now as it once was, when given to the wrestler most deserving of it, and not given to the wrestler as a prop in order to help push a wrestler. Before it was given to a wrestler who deserved his push and made it work, finally culminating in recieving the grand prize.

[Mooияakeя™]

Eagle belt FTW.

http://pix.auctiva.com/pix/08/82/70/classic2_013.jpg

But it would probably be this one again, obviously cos of WWE, not WWF:

http://wweozshop.com/images/products/eagle_belt.jpg

Oh if only... COME ON TRIPS, BRING IT BACK @ BACKLASH! PLEASE!

[Kane Knight]

Because he's putting on the best matches and carries just about everyone?

If Good matches were a reason for WWE to give someone title shots...

...Why the fuck is Batista or Mark Henry anywhere near a title?

[Kane Knight]

You know, the main appeal to a new belt right now would be that they could market toys and replicas. The belt's fine, though. It looks stupid, but so are all the assholes feuding over it. Orton's shit, Cena's hated by the fans, and Triple H winning the title to bring dignity to the title is kind of like bringing Jack Kevorkian in to save a terminal patient's life. Oh, and JBL, whose title reign was met with such awful buyrates WWE actually backtracked on his big push.

Some choices.

So with nobody worth a fuck near the title scene, no prestige to the title, and no respect for its lineage, does it matter if it's a spinner belt, a garter belt, or a fanbelt?

[Mooияakeя™]

The hype around Hardy at one point would have warranted this. Fans were going fucking crazy, especially after his win over Trips. no fucker expected that. But yeah, the marketing seems all that there is. But he would of probably have just sprayed over it. - nWo styleeee

I mean, Edge had it, he modified it, which suited him in his gimmick. - He's now got it, and it's better than yo's.

Orton had it, and well, it stops spinning, so it's not so bling and more "serious". Erm, well, that's the only thing I can see it suiting on him, and the bling that is left is to show his youthfulness.

Trips won it for one PPV and not all of that, and he kept his name on it. Agreed, they knew it was changing hands and didn't have time time to do anything with it, but he didn't even seem bothered with it (they could of made a reference etc.)

JBL would never win the title, but if he did, surely they would change it. It would just be fucked to keep it. Hence, not belt change, no JBL.

[Jeritron]

It was on it's way. He hindered it's growth, making it seem worthless.

This was a belt that main evented a PPV before Michaels wore it, afterwards it was dead within a few years.


The European belt was fine. If anything it was made better by having the top guy in the company like him hold it, regardless of how he held it. The belt was still cooking and even at it's best in the time that followed, with HHH and then Xpac (when he was so over.) It died after Shane decided to throw it in his gymbag and forget about it and then just let Mideon have it when he found it.

In the years that followed, it had a few good holders and decent moments but was far too dead from Mideon.

[RP]

If Good matches were a reason for WWE to give someone title shots...

...Why the fuck is Batista or Mark Henry anywhere near a title?

I think Batista puts on good matches tbh.

[Jeritron]

Depends on who they're with. Yes, he has the ability to work good matches. His matches with HHH and Undertaker have been excellent.

P.S., Shawn held the title for 7 or so months in 1996. Other than that, he's only had short reigns. I think he'd have had one by now if he wanted to, but the title means the hardest schedule which he probably has no interest in.

[Kane Knight]

The hype around Hardy at one point would have warranted this.

And he could have replaced the spinner belt with a "smoking" skull belt.

[Testicle]

He doesnt want the title, he doesnt need the title. Nothing at this point can make Michaels any more credible than he already is.

[Kane Knight]

Besides, how long has it been since there has been any real correlation between a title run and prestige? I mean, half the champions are all but buried under other guys who main event, or spank them regularly, or are in feuds that are higher on the card.

[Fabien Barthez]

I disagree with those who think HBK doesn't need the title. Sure somebody who knows HBK's career is familiar with his 96 title run, but a lot of fans aren't. There are so many kids and new fans that have no idea what makes HBK the Showstopper.


If you are young enough to not have Wiki'd his name or watched an old Vid from way back when, then it's really not important.

[Mooияakeя™]

The European belt was fine. If anything it was made better by having the top guy in the company like him hold it, regardless of how he held it. The belt was still cooking and even at it's best in the time that followed, with HHH and then Xpac (when he was so over.) It died after Shane decided to throw it in his gymbag and forget about it and then just let Mideon have it when he found it.

In the years that followed, it had a few good holders and decent moments but was far too dead from Mideon.

With how much Euro touring their doing now, i'm shocked they ain't brought it back.

[NeanderCarl]

I did enjoy D'Lo and Al Snow with the Euro belt, but Michaels did a lot to damage it, when in reality an association with him should have elevated it. He defended it once in 4 months, and even that was in the original Fingerpoke of Doom match against HHH where he just gave it away like it meant fuck all to him (which may have been true, but it shouldn't have spilt over onscreen).

[Mooияakeя™]

And he could have replaced the spinner belt with a "smoking" skull belt.

http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/7872/ricflair2un3.jpg
I see what you did there.