RAW tag titles

[Djscorpion]

So are we gonna see the RAW tag titles defended at WM23? this is of course provided that hbk&cena drop the titles but that doesnt seem likely. If anything it seems likely that they could drop it to Rated-RKO on Monday but even if they win the titles are still not gonna be defended at WM23? The WWE has shat on the Tag division. Also dont forget that Cryme Tyme has a shot at the tag titles whenever they want and the WWE has completely ignored this....

[Xero]

I wouldn't be surprised to see something like a Tag Team Turmoil or something, just to fill out the card.

[M-A-G]

I believe EVERY title should be defended at WM in some fashion or another. Hell the IC title hasn't been on the card since 2002!

[6to1]

they will probly pull a scott hall and throw them in a trash can

[Xero]

Originally Posted by 6to1 they will probly pull a scott hall and get shit-faced and brag about how those titles are the biggest thing since the WWE Championship

[The Optimist]

Nice, I bitch about this even in situations where it's not obvious and people are just now getting it. WWE could have done a hundred things to the tag team titles before this point to keep them from going down the shitter. They haven't even shown interest in any of them.

My answer would have been a double-elimination tag team tournament like WCW put on in early 99 to revitalize their tag teams. That gives you a reason to put on alot of meaningful tag team matches so they can get some of the less developed tag teams so action. They'd have to have a strong heel team and a strong face team advance to the finals also, so they'd probably finish with WGTT and the Highlanders unless they wanted to turn Cryme Time from their tweener position.

WGTT would have to do some vial shit during the tournament in order to be recognized as heelish, that or be endorsed as McMahon's pick for the tournament. . .have Coachman escort them and talk about how useless it is to even fight them. Yeah that would work. Whereas the Highlanders would probably be booked as underdogs the whole way. Then when it comes to the ending you could see it going either way, WGTT are the team of destiny but the Highlanders are the lovable underdogs that made it this far already.

They might need to bring in Kaientai or some other Heat tag teams to fill in the roster, but I'm fine with that as long as they don't bring back the Hardy Boyz AGAIN.

[Mr. Nerfect]

This is a little fantasy booking, but fuck it, this is what I want to see:

On RAW next week, Shelton Benjamin comes out and cuts a promo about how it is a disgrace he has to qualify for the Money in the Bank Ladder Match. He shows us clips of his performances at WrestleMania 21 and WrestleMania 22. He asks who could possibly be as exciting as him in Ladder Matches, and almost ironically, Jeff Hardy comes out as Shelton Benjamin's opponent.

The two work a pretty decent match, as you'd expect of these two. Eventually Benjamin goes for a "Shelton Bomb" off the top rope, but Hardy gets the knees up, and Shelton's version of the Swanton failes. Jeff Hardy climbs, but Benjamin recovers and leaps up to the top rope. Hardy manages to shove Shelton off, and follows up with the Swanton Bomb for the pin. Jeff Hardy qualifies for the Money in the Bank Ladder Match. Charlie Haas then enters the ring and beats the crap out of Jeff Hardy, and slaps on the Haas of Pain, but Matt Hardy runs in, and hits some moves on The World's Greatest Tag Team, and stands tall with Jeff.

In the main event, Rated-RKO cheat their asses off to win back the World Tag Team Championship. You could have Shawn Michaels fail to get back in the ring and help out John Cena, or something to drive the babyfaces apart.

On SmackDown!, Mr. Kennedy defeats Matt Hardy to enter the Money in the Bank Ladder Match, beating Hardy with his brother's own move. After the match, Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin run in, and beat down Matt.

We also get the final Money in the Bank Qualifying Match on this edition of SmackDown!, with Randy Orton facing the WWE United States Champion, Chris Benoit, the man he beat for the World Heavyweight Championship at Summerslam 2004. Orton manages to get the relatively clean victory over Benoit, pinning him with the RKO to add himself to the WrestleMania Ladder Match.

On RAW, we open with an interpromotional tag team match between The Hardys and The World's Greatest Tag Team. Jeff Hardy is isolated for most of the match, but eventually he tags in Matt, only for the heels to sneak out the victory, regardless.

Rated-RKO defend the World Tag Team Championship against their regularly scheduled #1 Contender's, JTG and Shad Gaspard, Cryme Tyme. Edge and Orton are both in the Money in the Bank Ladder Match now, though, so they fail to trust each other. I'd even go as far as Edge Spearing Orton deliberately, giving Cryme Tyme the win and their first World Tag Team Championship.

The following week on RAW, we get Cryme Tyme facing The World's Greatest Tag Team for the World Tag Team Championship, and for the third week in a row, the World Tag Team Titles change hands, as Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin sneak out the victory to win their first World Tag Team Championship.

Meanwhile, whether it be in segments or in matches, Carlito and Ric Flair continue to be associated, and we have them win some kind of Tag Team Battle Royal to earn a title shot for WrestleMania. Cryme Tyme, The Highlanders, Lance Cade and Trevor Murdoch, William Regal and Dave Taylor, Funaki and Scotty 2 Hotty, Idol Stevens and Johnny Jeter and Mike Mondo and Nick Nemeth can be the other tag teams in the match.

So at WrestleMania, we get The World's Greatest Tag Team vs. Carlito and Ric Flair for the World Tag Team Championship. Personally, I'd like to see Carlito turn heel, and the WGTT retain, but I can understand why they'd go with the Carlito and Flair victory. It would make a fun opening match.

[The Optimist]

Wow. There's so many things about that I don't agree with. Was your intent to put the titles in a meaningful position again? If it was I think you failed.

[Mr. Nerfect]

Originally Posted by The Optimist Wow. There's so many things about that I don't agree with. Was your intent to put the titles in a meaningful position again? If it was I think you failed.

Yeah because no one cares about John Cena, Shawn Michaels, Edge, Randy Orton, Cryme Tyme, The Hardys, Carlito, Ric Flair, Shelton Benjamin or Charlie Haas.

[Gerard]

Think its pretty obvius the tag belts will be defended on heat while we have some silicone slappers beat each other down with pillows for 5 minutes.

[The Optimist]

I didn't say that no one cares about any of those people, I just said that the end result of all thoses course wouldn't make anyone care about the belts anymore than they do now. All it does is get the belts on WGTT. Which is a better situation than we have now, it's just much more shit to have to wade through than is necessary.

[Mr. Nerfect]

Originally Posted by The Optimist I didn't say that no one cares about any of those people, I just said that the end result of all thoses course wouldn't make anyone care about the belts anymore than they do now. All it does is get the belts on WGTT. Which is a better situation than we have now, it's just much more shit to have to wade through than is necessary.

Yeah, I see your point, but the belts need something to shake them up. John Cena and Shawn Michaels (like it or not) are two of the most over guys in the industry. If they can't win the belts and make them mean something, you're going to need some rollercoaster booking to make them the topic of discussion for a little bit. When the belts got around the waists of WGTT or Carlito and Flair, I'd have them stay there for quite some time. Hopefully the fans would be into the division by then.

[Jeritron]

Yea, to get the Tag Belts to matter you need a truly great tag team. And that doesn't mean just a pairing of two great wrestlers who are already over. It means a team thats got its own identity as a unit other than individuals, and that works well together.

This is why the Tag Division was arguably the draw in many cases around 2000-2001. This was thanks to The Hardys The Dudleys and E&C all together creating a great thing. They had great support from teams like APA and Too Cool as well. Plus the TLC matches didn't hurt things.

It also isn't beyond possibility for a great tag team to carry the division alone and make the belts worth a damn without a great division. But it takes a lot of. This was done by the NAO.

This is what made tag team wrestling great, diverse teams in a large division that were TEAMS and not teamups. It's hard to say when this could come again, but I doubt it happening with brand extension. BE hurts tag team wrestling more than any other aspect simply by nature. In tag team wrestling its a specific type of wrestling thats unique to itself and the tag titles represent the pinnacle of the entire division.

This is hard to achieve with 2 sets of belts. With other titles you can easily support their divisions because its singles wrestling and they're just different titles. Most of all tho, its the splitting of what would normally be one division into two identical divisions, only half as powerful.

[addy2hotty]

I say let the Great Khali win them on his own. Gives him something to do. Makes the team that finally beat him look huge.

[Xero]

When was the last time someone held the tag titles on their own anyway?

[Jeritron]

Kane did. He also was holding the IC belt and was contending for the World belt. I think they should have let him finally pick up the world title win there, and then had him lose the other belts. It would have been nice to see him on top of the WWE for a short period of time at least.

[addy2hotty]

I'll do something a bit Alienoid on the Khali thing.

Have Michaels and Cena win the titles tonight and have Cena go for the FU on him after the win and have Michaels escape and superkick him. Michaels walks away pissed and have them play up that Michaels was forced to do it.

Next week on Raw, have Vince say that they have to get on as a team as tonight they are facing Khali and Eugene for the titles.

Have them come down and Eugene waits outside for his partner (he's really excited). Khali comes down and chops and headbutts Eugene and he gets helped to the back. Michaels and Cena put up a decent fight against Khali until Cena FU's Michaels and Khali does that powerbomb thing on him and then pins him. Khali walks away with both belts.

Week after, have Coach tell Khali that Eugene is his partner and is a tag champ. Have Khali rant on and say 'ME KHALI ONLY CHAMP NO NEED PARTNER' and walk off. Khali and Eugene come down for a defence against the Highlanders and once again Khali CHOPS down Eugene before beating the Highlanders.

Week after, Coach tells him that if he doesn't want Eugene, he'll pick another partner for him in their upcoming defence against Cryme Tyme. Along comes Val Venis. This time Val starts the match and Cryme Tyme get in some offence beating down poor Val. Val then gets his chance to tag as both partners are down and tags Khali who comes in and clears house, and it appears that he's accepted Val as a partner. He helps Val up and then KHALI CHOPS AND INDIAN BUTTS him down. He then beats Cryme Tyme and walks away with both belts.

Week before Mania, have Coach tell him to find a partner or he'll strip him of the titles. They are defending against Cryme Tyme again tonight, and against TWGTT at Mania. Have Scotty come down in this match and take a right beating at the hands of CT. He gets the tag and Khali does his chop thing before *shock* tagging Scotty so he can do the worm - the fans cheer, thinking he's got his partner at last. Scotty pins after a worm for the win and goes to do the dance with Khali looking on. Khali comes in and CHOPS him. Walking away with both titles.

At Mania, Khali comes down first and his partner is Kenny Dykstra. They beat TGWTT and Khali does not CHOP Kenny at the end. In fact, a limp Kenny is carried to the back by the GREAT one.

Next Raw, have Kenny say that he's learnt Gujarati and that he and Khali are on a level. Have them beat the Hardy's or something that night.

Gives Kenny a rub, gives a few jobbers a run-out and makes Khali a little bit interesting. I think the crowd would give him some heat for destroying his partners and maybe even a pop or two.

[Jeritron]

yea great idea, job your wrestlemania main event out as a team to Khali alone...

[The Optimist]

Ugh. . .

No. If Khali becomes the lone tag team champion ever I'm going to stop watching WWE programming.

By the way Jeritron, if I could rep you again I would.

[addy2hotty]

Originally Posted by Jeritron yea great idea, job your wrestlemania main event out as a team to Khali alone...

yeah, way to miss the point.

[The Optimist]

Originally Posted by addy2hotty yeah, way to miss the point.

The consequences of your point have to be accounted for too. Not to mention all the other things wrong with the fact that you're giving Khali both title belts, thus finding some magical way to make them even more useless than they are right now.

[addy2hotty]

Originally Posted by The Optimist The consequences of your point have to be accounted for too. Not to mention all the other things wrong with the fact that you're giving Khali both title belts, thus finding some magical way to make them even more useless than they are right now.

Well, I've certainly found a magical way to make someone take the very notion of the Great Khali, a performer I loathe (as indicated in many other threads), becoming the sole holder of the Tag Titles seriously.

Call me Gandalf.