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The real world champion

“With three world championships all in the same company which one deserves the main event spotlight?”

World Wrestling Entertainment is the only professional wrestling promotion with three world champions. Their world titles are comprised of the WWE Championship, World Heavyweight Championship and Extreme Championship Wrestling World Heavyweight Championship. Each championship represents the top prize for WWE’s separate brands, RAW, Smackdown and ECW. When the brands had separate pay-per-views, the championships were always decided in the main event. But with the new structure of WWE’s pay-per-views, that is no longer the case.

In a company with three world championships that are defended back-to-back on the same shows, which world championship signifies the real world champion?

The ECW World Heavyweight Championship dates back to 1992. Shane Douglas had just won the National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight Championship tournament to become champion. He threw down the NWA title and claimed it was “the championship of a company that died years ago.” With the speech that has been marked as the beginning of Extreme Championship Wrestling itself, Shane Douglas became the first ECW World Heavyweight Champion.

From 1992 to the company’s untimely demise in 2000, ECW was the home of the toughest men to ever be recognized as world champion. Wrestlers such as Tazz, Sabu, The Sandman, Raven and Tommy Dreamer defined the legacy of the ECW World Championship. The ECW World Champion was the most violent professional wrestler in the business. He could wrestle, get hit with a steel chair, go through a flaming table, and get up begging for more. The ECW World Champion was an individual who made you consider himself when fans debated who was the best world champion among ECW, WWE and World Championship Wrestling.
In 2006, the ECW World Heavyweight Championship returned as the crowning achievement for a different ECW. ECW was now a brand within WWE and its champion was Mr. ECW himself, Rob Van Dam. After encountering legal trouble, Van Dam was quickly stripped of the title he earned. Big Show became ECW champion and went on to carry out the legacy established by those before him. 

Although ECW’s World Championship is signified by some of the toughest men to ever enter professional wrestling, Smackdown’s World Heavyweight Championship has been worn by some of the greatest world champions of all time. The World Heavyweight Championship originated in WCW in the early ‘90’s. Men such as Ric Flair, Sting, Big Van Vader, Ron Simmons, Hulk Hogan, and Goldberg have all held the championship. The title made its first appearance in WWE in September of 2002. Then-WWE Champion Brock Lesnar made himself the exclusive property of Smackdown after winning the title from The Rock at Summerslam. At the time, the WWE Champion bounced back and forth between RAW and Smackdown. Lesnar’s actions left RAW without a world championship. This forced former WCW executive Eric Bischoff, then-RAW general manager, to create a world championship for his show. 

On September 2nd, Triple H became the first WWE World Heavyweight Champion. The Game’s superior ring prowess and obsessive nature helped define the World Heavyweight Championship. As if time played its own game of déjà vu, Triple H and the World Heavyweight Championship became the equivalent of Ric Flair and the NWA World Championship. He declared himself the crown jewel of sports entertainment. The World Heavyweight Championship soon became the main event on the same shows with the WWE Championship.

Since 2002, Triple H and Batista have defined the role of World Heavyweight Champion. Their business suits, designer shades, and desire to hold the title has identified the typical World Heavyweight Champion. The World Heavyweight Champion has become the one who is in love with the business. He spends every waking moment to personify professional wrestling. The World Heavyweight Champion is the man who wants to be professional wrestling’s world heavyweight champion.

With two championships representing the most violent man in professional wrestling, and the world heavyweight champion, that leaves only one more, the WWE Championship.

The WWE Championship is the longest running world championship within WWE It has been held by some of the greatest of all-time. Men such as Bruno Sammartino, Bob Backlund, Superstar Billy Graham, Hulk Hogan, Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, The Undertaker, Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, Triple H, Mick Foley and Kurt Angle. The WWE Championship is WWE’s own championship. It is the most recognizable championship within the company. The typical WWE Champion represents the state of sports entertainment. He is a marketing machine. The WWE Champion represents the direction of sports entertainment.
Now with three prestigious world championships all on the same show, which one deserves the main event spotlight?

Throughout the early part of 2007, placement of the championship matches on cards started to represent the status of the champion and brand within WWE. By taking a look at this year’s road to Wrestlemania, one can find the true meaning of each championship. Discovering the true meaning of each championship will determine who is the true WWE World Champion.

Former ECW Champion Bobby Lashley was a mid-carder on Smackdown before winning ECW’s top prize. Just a little over a year in WWE, Lashley won the championship from Big Show in an Extreme Elimination Chamber at ECW’s second pay-per-view December to Dismember. His title defense against Test at the Royal Rumble was the first of the three world championship matches that night. The count-out finish hurt the match and overall credibility of the ECW World Championship. Never before had an ECW World Championship match ended in a count-out. Its placement on the card made it seem like the equivalent to the WWE United States Championship. The match itself did not resemble a match of world championship proportions either.

At No Way Out, Lashley loss to Mr. Kennedy by disqualification and retained his title in the process. Despite having victories on ECW’s weekly television show, ECW on Sci Fi, Lashley had yet to record a win as ECW World Champion on a pay-per-view. His match against Kennedy was not bad, it was a good wrestling match. But once again, because of its placement on the card and quick build-up, the match seemed like another U.S. Championship match. 

The world championship should receive massive amounts of build-up because it is the world championship. Another factor was that Kennedy was a Smackdown wrestler, not ECW. Not only had Lashley not recorded a major title defense victory on a major pay-per-view, he had yet to face an ECW competitor on such a grand stage.

Wrestlemania 23 would have been a perfect opportunity to solidify the ECW World Heavyweight Championship as a major title. Despite Lashley’s involvement in the Battle of the Billionaires, it did nothing to enhance the credibility of the championship. The fact that Lashley was the ECW World Champion only meant that he was capable to possibly defeat Umaga. Although Lashley walked away with the victory, it was more of a victory for Lashley personally than a victory for the ECW World Heavyweight Champion.

Lashley’s subsequent feud with Vince McMahon has brought the ECW World Championship to the center stage. It is finally receiving the spotlight it deserves. Lashley’s struggle with McMahon is helping define WWE’s version of the ECW World Champion. 

But it may be too late …again. Despite having a tremendous amount of build-up, the ECW World Heavyweight Championship was the first of the three world title matches at Backlash. Compared to the WWE and World Heavyweight Championship matches, the championship didn’t seem like it held the same prestige as the other two. As of this writing, the ECW World Heavyweight Championship is no more than a secondary championship to propel someone to the main event. It has lost its luster.

So that leaves the World Heavyweight and WWE Championships in the debate.

Former WWE World Heavyweight Champion Batista is a proven main-event wrestler. He has defeated some of the best in the business. When looking at the World Heavyweight Championship’s place within WWE requires an in-depth look. Because the championship was held by such a credible and well-liked wrestler, it cannot be considered a secondary title.

At the Royal Rumble, Batista and Mr. Kennedy had a solid and exciting world championship match. Out of the three world title matches that night, it was the only basic wrestling match that made the champion and challenger look good. Listening to the crowd in attendance, fans began to take to both men as the match progressed. It had that world championship feel to it also. That is essential to a world championship match. Batista and Kennedy put on a show that opened the door for another rematch a month later.

In 2004 when Chris Benoit won the Royal Rumble, he jumped to RAW to challenge Triple H for the World Heavyweight Championship at Wrestlemania XX. Benoit stated he wanted to face the best in the business. With such a claim coming from an accomplished wrestler the caliber of Chris Benoit, it added more prestige to the championship.

When Undertaker, the 2007 Royal Rumble winner, declared he was going to challenge Batista for the World Heavyweight Championship at Wrestlemania 23, it added even more prestige to the championship and Batista. The Undertaker is one of WWE’s future hall of famers. He had the choice to challenge for the WWE, ECW and World Heavyweight Championships and he chose Batista. For the second time, the World Heavyweight Championship took precedence over the other world championships.

The Batista vs. Undertaker rivalry became one of, if not, the hottest in WWE heading into Wrestlemania. The entire focus was on being World Heavyweight Champion and walking out of the biggest show of the year as the best. Batista’s promos where he stated it was all about competition separated the World Heavyweight Championship from the ECW and WWE Championships. Both men made it clear that they wanted to beat the best at the biggest show in WWE’s long and storied history.

At Wrestlemania 23, WWE made the decision to place the World Heavyweight Championship as the fourth match on the card. The decision rubbed many fans the wrong way, including Batista and the Undertaker. Responses from the fans revealed that was the main event they were expecting from Wrestlemania 23. Many felt it was a slap in the face to Batista and the Undertaker and a means of disrespect toward the value of the World Heavyweight Championship. 

Despite its placement on the card, Batista and the Undertaker stole the show with their breathtaking championship match. It proved to be the defining moment in Batista’s career and the continuation of Undertaker’s legendary undefeated Wrestlemania streak. Both men walked away winners and showed that it would take a tremendous effort to become World Heavyweight Champion.

As their rivalry intensified, the matches grew in physicality. At Backlash, both men faced each other in an incredible Last Man Standing match. The match ended in a draw, which only furthered a rivalry that was steadily becoming one of the most interesting in the business. Both men were extremely dominant wrestlers and having matches that were stealing the show. Their Last Man Standing match put both men in positions that fans had never seen them before, pushed beyond their own physical limits.

Despite having one of the strongest storylines going into Wrestlemania 23 and a truly unpredictable rematch, it was not the main event at Backlash. It was only the second world title match of the evening. In both matches, fans had an idea of who would win, but they truly didn’t know the real winner. Their feud had the element of unpredictability that is sorely missing from the main event scene. It became captivating.

Due to Undertaker’s triceps injury, the rivalry’s climax came on an episode of Smackdown in a vicious cage match. Again, both men put on a fight that will be remembered by all who saw it. The cage match was the appropriate cap to what was an outstanding feud that consisted of great matches.

The last title to be examined is the WWE Championship that is held by John Cena. Cena has held the WWE Championship for the majority of the past two years. He has defeated just about everyone who has been placed in front of him, whether fans like it or not. He has been the most popular and marketable wrestler on WWE’s roster. That is the reason why the WWE Championship has been in the main event of each pay-per-view in 2007 so far.

At the Royal Rumble, Cena defeated Umaga in a Last Man Standing match. The match succeeded on every level, but it lacked any unpredictability. Everyone knew Cena wasn’t going to lose the title to Umaga. WWE has made it clear that Cena is the future of WWE with his many victories over credible wrestlers.

Cena’s feud with Shawn Michaels was to give Cena someone credible to face at Wrestlemania. The feud centered around the WWE Championship, but fans didn’t expect that to be the real main event of Wrestlemania 23. Cena and Michaels had a tremendous contest at Wrestlemania 23, but it didn’t provide the moment like the Batista/Undertaker match. It further proved that the WWE Champion is the most protected man in WWE. Despite facing other credible wrestlers, the WWE Champion conquers all. No one can stop the WWE Champion.

A case in point is Cena’s victory at Backlash. After receiving a Sweet Chin Music from Shawn Michaels, Cena fell on Randy Orton to pick up the victory. In a fatal fourway with Michaels, Orton and Edge, there is no way Cena should have walked out of Backlash as WWE Champion. The victory didn’t showcase him as a strong world champion, it made him look very lucky. Again, further proof that the most popular wrestler and marketable wrestler, WWE Champion, will be the main event.

Now after looking at the history and status of the championships, which championship represents the real world heavyweight champion? 

The World Heavyweight Championship represents the real world champion in WWE. Current World Champion Edge is proof of that statement. Edge is a magnificent wrestler. He can step inside the squared circle and put on the match of the night with anyone. He lives, breathes and dies professional wrestling. All he has ever wanted to do is be a World Heavyweight Champion. His drive is not contested by anyone, which is why he is in the spot he is in. 

Edge is the newest and one of the most important reasons why the World Heavyweight Champion is the real world champion in WWE today.