Number 1 Contender

Does anybody remember when you had to earn your title shot by actually wining matches? You earned your way to Number one contender and if you lost...you had to work your way back up again.

Where did this go? When exactly did Number one contender stop mattering?

Yeah they still say it a lot but it means nothing anymore.

[Slash]

This Is Another Interpretation That Has Gone By The Way Side Much Like Title Defences....There Was Never An Innogerated "Ladder System" In Which Wrestlers Would Actually Be Ranked And Seeded, Like Some Parts Of Japan, If Not All Of Them....

This Was Simply A Ploy To Have The Most Over Wrestler Of The Time Be Able To Get Back Into The Frey Of The World Title Scene With Little Explanation...Or More Likely A Heel Bein' Able To Start A Program With A Face Champion....

People Love To Talk About The Ol' Days Of Hulk Hogan And Bret Hart And Randy Savage And Shawn Michaels...But When Really, Did They Ever Lose The Belt And Then Have To Wait 6 Months To Win It Back, Other Than Bret....None Of 'Em Had To...

Case In Point, The Undertaker Defeated Hulk Hogan For The WWF World Title At Survivor Series, Only To Lose To Hogan Two Days Later At The Tuesday Texas Massacre, Or Whatever That Dumb Ass PPV Was Called....

This Is A Prime Example Of The Fact, The "Ladder System" Was Never Used In Actuality, But Used When Needed As A Ploy....'Cause The Hulkster Did Not Climb Any Ladder, That's For Sure....

[Oeo]

excellent point, SLASHHH......the #1 contender has been used when deemed necessary as a way for the Champion to face the next guy in line, but many times it has been disregarded.....

i believe the original beginnings of the #1 contendership was wrestlings way of "keeping it real".....ie, the same way boxers have to earn their shot at the belt.....however, that time was also during the time that they worked up to a title shot.....in todays version of wrestling, you come into the title picture so quickly that the 'working' up to the shot is not possible.....

you had to have a particular winning streak, and build towards the feud while someone else was feuding with the champion.....now, you can lose fifty-six times in a row like HHH (whoops, didn't mean to throw that in here) and still be considered a championship contender.....winning and losing means nothing (not taking a shot at HHH now).....look at Kane.....he was the winner over a non-wrestler, and immediately thrown into the title picture.....

on SD, Bob Holly hasn't even been around, but he's immediately in the title hunt.....today's version of hurry up wrestling makes it watered down wrestling.....so, the #1 contender thing is more of a joke than ever before.....

I coulda sworn I remembered Number 1 contender actually meaning something....oh well


In that case I shall change my point, I think Number One Contender SHOULD mean something, I think more effort should be put into the championship race. People fighting each other for a CHANCE to fight for the championship. I believe it would make things more interesting.

[G O D]

Isnt that what they are trying to do with shit benoit? Oops i meant Chris Benoit?

[HunterHumpHomos]

Hogan never has to wait to get a title shot.

Hart lost to Yokozuna 30 seconds later Hogan runs out 1-2-3 Hogan is champ again.

Same thing with the last time he returned.

Had one just ONE match and he LOST!

Yet the next PPV he got the title.

[Bloodice]

I find it so funny how people bitch and complain about hogan, yet when guys like HHH and the Rock and Kurt Angle come back from an injury and are given the title RIGHT off the bat there's no bitching and all praise. They didn't earn it, they didn't uphold the rosters while they were out with an injury yet they get rewarded when they come back. Double standards and fickle fans really disgust me. I always hear the hogan comment but nobody brings up the others.

And the #1 contender used to hold the IC and U.S. title and it's a shame that they don't look at those titles with the same utmost respect anymore, but then again Vince doesn't seem to care about a lot of things in this industry anymore aside of buying out companies and having him and his family showcasing most of the shows.

[G O D]

Originally Posted by Woody Paige

I find it so funny how people bitch and complain about hogan, yet when guys like HHH and the Rock and Kurt Angle come back from an injury and are given the title RIGHT off the bat there's no bitching and all praise. They didn't earn it, they didn't uphold the rosters while they were out with an injury yet they get rewarded when they come back. Double standards and fickle fans really disgust me. I always hear the hogan comment but nobody brings up the others.

Bullshit noone brings it up... Everyone jumps on Rocks goat over returning and winning the belt in his second or third match
HHH winning at Rumble then taking the belt off Jericho was fucking off coloured.
Angle hasnt done it yet to my knowledge

[Bloodice]

Did I say everyone here? I post at several boards and that's always the topic of discussion and it's been done here time and time again. Don't assume anything, i've been here from day one several times over and it's been done constantly.