I absolutely abhor the phrase "... didn't/doesn't need the title".

If someone is so big that they "don't need the title" that's exactly why they should have it. If you want the title to be meaningful and anyone who has it to be looked at as an instant star, keeping it off guys because they are "too over" for it is ridiculous. You want them to have it to make it look like you really are THE guy if you hold it.

Foley was a star in WCW main eventing cards with Sting and Vader, he was a star in japan and Ecw and then he was a star in the WWF early into his 96 feud with taker.

Not too mention the great WWF title match he had with HBK when he first came into WWF, I believe it was 1996, IYH Mind Games(?)

One of my all time favorite Foley AND fave HBK matches. All be it, nothing spectacular, just a solid WWF title match with two guys, arguably in their primes, great chemistry, showcasing their skills and match psychology.

Yeah, IYHX in Philly. Mick had to come out before the show and rip Philly, and subtly ECW so nobody would cheer him later on.

Orton should have won the title from Christian eventually. There was no need to take the title from him so quickly, though, without really giving Christian the chance to embed himself in the main event scene.

When you're in the position of having to get a guy to embed himself in the main event scene WHILE he's already champion, you've fucked up.

Wouldn't have ruined anything for me. After I learned that, although live at the onset, Nitro would run a 2am rerun, I just started taping it or staying up to watch and would just see RAW at its normal time. Saved a lot of conflict that way.

I agree insofar as hating the phrase because it's used entirely too much, but in the case of the Orton/Christian example it pertained to, it was a case where it fit. Orton was over no matter what, an established main eventer, and merch mover. Christian was pretty much (no pun intended) "at the edge of greatness". To drop that fast made Christian seem unworthy, and it isn't like it elevated Randy anywhere or made him look any better than he already seemed.

Thus, he didn't need it. Instead of building another credible main eventer (face or heel turns aside), which they had the opportunity to do there with Christian, they stuck with the one they had.

The match with Orton where he lost the title was great. They could have built him up from there and the ensuing feud was a great start. You don't try to build a guy into a credible main eventer by letting him have the title though. While the moment of him winning the title was awesome, he should have either never won it or done exactly what he did and used his "fluke" title win as a catapult to him striving to reach the next level and not be a forgotten champ.