Titles Need More Respect

"That is truly unentertaining television". Weird that these very words came from the mouth of John Cena on "Raw" last night.

He couldn't have been more right. Not that Cena was exceptionally bad last night but the set-up with Chris Masters couldn't have been more predictable.

Who really thought that Masters was going to win the title in the Masterlock Challenge? Who really thought that Batista was going to lose the title in the Triple Threat match last week on "SmackDown!"? Who DIDN'T think that Bobby Lashley was going to win the ECW Championship this past Sunday with the way they've pushed him recently?

WWE needs to go back to respecting the concept of the title change.

Nothing should be more exciting that a title changing hands. Nothing should be more important. A major title SHOULD be on the line in the main event at a pay-per-view. It SHOULD be the most important goal to attain in a wrestler's career.

It should be chased and fought for and should be as hard to attain as it is to get yourself to a position to attain it. A cheesy challenge...not even a match...in the middle of the "Raw" card should NOT represent a WWE title match.

First, it weakens the overall importance and prestige of the title if it could potentially change hands so easily. Second, it makes obvious to the somewhat-intelligent wrestling audience that the belt won't be changing hands.

This second point is probably the one that grates at me the most. Predictability.

When Bobby Lashley hopped over to ECW (seemingly for no apparent reason) the writing was on the wall. So instead of someone deserving - you know, someone who has chased the title, fighting and clawing their way to a position where he was worthy to carry it - the still relatively green Lashley is now the ECW Champion.

To suggest that Lashley is among the worst promo cutters in the business is to actually indicate that he can cut a promo to begin with. Not that promo-cutting is the key to being a champion...but I'm yet to be entertained by him. Furthermore, what about Lashley is extreme? Other than his intake of steroids, of course.

Also more importantly, the ECW product as of late, has done nothing but push Bobby Lashley. Nowhere was there an indication that maybe, just maybe Sabu or CM Punk would come out on top. Here you have a major title on the line with SIX possible winners and yet there was no drama or suspense in the match.

Same deal with "SmackDown!". As mentioned in my "Sour Survivor Series" article, the table was clearly set for Batista to win back the World Championship at this event. I watched the match hoping against all hope that I'd be surprised. Not just because I'm a King Booker mark, but because I was hoping that WWE would prove me wrong. They've become too predictable with their belts.

Last night on "Raw", they highlighted Chris Jericho's double-victory five years ago at Vengeance when he became the first-ever Undisputed World Champion. With Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock being at the top of their game at the time, that was a pretty unpredictable outcome. I miss those days.

For wrestling to be interesting, it needs to promote a sense of the dramatic...the unknown, the twists and turns and plots that keep viewers at the edge of their seats. Just like any good movie, I guess.

Having the current championships held by Cena, Batista and Lashley respectively is God awful enough! Having us watch matches for these very championships where the outcome is obvious only pours salt in the wound. Here's hoping WWE surprises us all soon!

Not that I think he's particularly deserving, but I'd sure be surprised if Umaga won the WWE Championship from John Cena. Hatred for Cena aside, this outcome would be compelling. But if it doesn't happen...I won't be surprised.

Now this would be a great surprise: Someone overtaking The Smashin' Masters for Tha O League championship. There's only one week left to do it. Here are the standings after Week 8:

1 The Smashin' Masters - 2312 pts
2 TheEndustry - 2151 pts
3 Dan-e-o - 2113 pts
4 Phenominal_Angles - 2066 pts
5 Better_Than_Dan-e-o - 1862 pts
6 The Omega Ones - 1857 pts
7 D.W.I - 1805 pts
8 BigDaddyDonnie - 1760 pts
9 fabulousBagiuoIgorots - 1727 pts
10 LO Destruction - 1691 pts
11 Second City Saints - 1651 pts
12 Thrones And Patriots - 1641 pts
13 TheBIGBang112 - 1392 pts
14 Methods Of Mayhem - 922 pts

I do have a few more thoughts on "Raw". You may remember my article vehemently stating my disdain for the Cryme Tyme gimmick when their vignettes were being shown. Interesting that last night on "Raw", this issue was addressed in the form of Shelton Benjamin. The mere mention that Cryme Tyme is a stereotype alleviates my concern about them.

The WWE audience needs a storyline like this...a black man challenging their negative image of this new tag-team. In addition, the apparent reunion of The World's Greatest Tag-Team (in Benjamin and Charlie Haas) will not only help rejuvinate the currently ailing careers of each individual but set up a (hopefully) good feud with Cryme Tyme.

They might be funny and all...but they've gone weeks without a match. You can only get so over without wrestling a match. They need the opportunity to prove themselves in the ring.

Destroy a negative stereotype AND attain greater prominence as actual wrestlers - now there's a thought. With all this talk of how to properly change ownership of titles, Cryme Tyme will need to do this before they wear tag-team gold. Speaking of which, I can picture their belts (if they're given the Cena treatment) with plasma TV screens! Just a thought...it'd be a nice surprise.

Lastly, if you haven't yet, check out Tha O Show's MySpace page. We have FINALLY put up some music including Big Daddy Donnie's favourite Dan-e-o track, "It's Over". You can download this song for FREE! Also included are "Deadly" and "Corrida De Toros" (which I shot a wrestling-related music video for in 2000). Log on to and register with www.feedlynks.com to check it out...also for FREE!

You've been hearing snippets of Secret Suburbia before and after every O Show interview for months. You can now hear the full-length version of that track on our MySpace page as well. Enjoy!

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