WWE MUST avoid these 5 mistakes with the new World Heavyweight Championship
Triple H shocked the WWE Universe on Monday Night RAW by groundbreakingly announcing the return of the World Heavyweight Championship. The Game, one of the greatest World Heavyweight Champions from the title's first iteration, revealed that it would return at Night of Champions 2023. He then unveiled the new title, which takes inspiration from the Big Gold belt with a WWE-themed twist to it.
The announcement left a large portion of the WWE Universe ecstatic, but a few fans were understandably concerned. The company has introduced second world championships before, only for them to struggle to find any footing. Thus, it is normal for some fans to preserve their excitement until they are confident it will be handled appropriately.
Here are five mistakes WWE must not make with the new World Heavyweight Championship if it is to be a success
#5 WWE must avoid comparing the World Heavyweight Championship to the Universal Championship
So Triple H explained that when Roman Reigns gets drafted he will solely be on one brand. That Roman negotiated that he didn't have to defend the titles frequently. He will keep the WWE Undisputed Universal championship.The other brand will have the World Heavyweight Championship twitter.com/_denisesalcedo…
As Triple H revealed the World Heavyweight Championship, he seemed to take a shot at Undisputed Universal Champion Roman Reigns. The Game suggested that the title would be held by someone who would show up every week and defend it regularly. This felt counter-intuitive, as it seemingly set up any potential holder for comparison to The Tribal Chief.
This mistake has hampered WWE title reigns in recent years, making them pale compared to Reigns' legendary run. The fact that both Drew McIntyre and Big E lost to Reigns at Survivor Series 2020 and 2021 further highlights why such comparisons must be avoided. Given that Triple H's regime has seemingly done away with the tradition of Survivor Series brand warfare, this mistake is unlikely to be repeated.
This way, the company can avoid making one of their world titles feel secondary to the other.
#4 WWE must not ignore the lineage of the World Heavyweight Championship
One of the biggest weaknesses of the Universal Championship in its seven-year existence so far has been its lack of lineage. While the WWE title has a history with names like Bruno Sammartino, Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, and John Cena, the Universal title has been built from scratch. This made it harder for fans to invest emotionally in it than its more prestigious counterpart.
The World Heavyweight Championship, from the get-go, has a significant advantage in this aspect. With 12 years of history from its first run, it already boasts reigns from The Game, Batista, Goldberg, John Cena, and Edge, among others. The company must lean on this legacy to give future champions more prestige and help them present it as the greatest prize in the business.
#3 WWE must not put the World Heavyweight Championship on Cody Rhodes
If I was booking, I would do a King of the Ring tournament and use that to determine who competes for the new WWE World Heavyweight Title.
And Seth Rollins is my pick to win it. He's more than earned it.
Cody Rhodes needs to 'finish his story' and beat Roman Reigns for the WWE… twitter.com/i/web/status/1… https://t.co/GKMxwx8GY7
Cody Rhodes failed to capture the Undisputed Universal Championship at WrestleMania 39. The American Nightmare entered The Show Of Shows aiming to "finish the story" and finally win the title that eluded his legendary father: the WWE Championship. He didn't achieve that, getting thwarted by The Bloodline's numbers advantage.
If the company is to build Rhodes back up to eventually win the world title, he must climb the mountain he and his father fell from. Nothing else will do. Having Rhodes win the World Heavyweight Championship will be anticlimactic, making him feel secondary to Reigns and the title a consolation prize.
This mistake would most likely kill Rhodes' chances of becoming the next John Cena-esque top babyface. Additionally, the prospect of the new title being perceived in the same light as the Undisputed Universal Championship would be significantly hampered. Putting it on Cody Rhodes would be almost as counterproductive as...
#2 & #1 Involving The Bloodline or any part-timers in the World Heavyweight Championship scene
The World Heavyweight Championship was revived, in large part, due to Roman Reigns' stranglehold on the Undisputed Universal Championship. The Tribal Chief is closing in on 1000 days as the Universal Champion and 400 days as the WWE Champion. He has dominated the company's main event scene for over a year, specifically maintaining a stranglehold on SmackDown for almost two more.
During that time, The Bloodline has grown around him to cast a gigantic shadow over the top of the singles and tag divisions. Reigns has also taken on a lighter schedule, appearing sporadically on TV. The new championship has been advertised as a full-time fighting champion's title. Hence, it must be kept away from Reigns, his orbit (The Bloodline), and any other part-time stars.
As The Tribal Chief makes history, the company must give other talented performers a chance to shine away from his shadow.