Antonio Cesaro - 200+ Day US Title Reign

[Troy]

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It may be difficult to believe but Antonio Cesaro has currently held the United States Championship for 212 days. It is the fifth longest US title reign since WWE revived the title in 2003 and by WrestleMania he will have moved to third on the list. He is the longest reigning current champion and yet heading into WM there seem to be no set plans for him.

He had his feud with Miz for a couple of months but that finished up on Smackdown a few weeks back and now Miz is off feuding with the Intercontinental champion Wade Barrett. Cesaro has been on television each week but it has been in non title matches where almost always he is the one staring up at the lights at the end of it. He has taken loss after loss yet none of these loses have actually lead to an actual feud. Wrestling Booking 101 dictates that when a wrestler pins a champion in a non-title match that wrestler then gets a title shot. By not following through with this all WWE are doing is burying the US title. They are saying that these wrestlers that have defeated Cesaro simply aren't interested in the US title and that they think they are above the title. It isn't a good look at all and is a wasteful use of Cesaro.

He has plenty of heat behind him now with his standard foreign heel gimmick. No US wrestler can defeat him for the title and carrying the US flag to the ring with him each week is a nice touch. It should be incredibly easy for WWE to come up with a challenger for him. Pick a midcarder that is American and a face and have him come out and challenge Cesaro for the title to defend his countries honour. It doesn't even have to be a top name, give that storyline to Alex Riley and it would work. It shouldn't be hard to book yet for whatever reason WWE don't want to give him a solid feud.

We are 16 days away from WM and the longest current reigning champion has no match. They are leaving it so late and whatever happens it will be a thrown together match if he even makes it on the card. It is a shame that WWE haven't booked this title reign to it's highest potential because it is a waste of Cesaro and of the title.

What are your thoughts on Cesaro's US title reign? Who would you like to see him feud with? Will he make it onto the card, or preshow, at WM? How long do you see him holding the title for?

 

[Keith]

Sadly the main reason he has had such a long reign might be because of how little WWE value the US belt, so they are just happy to keep it on one guy in the opening match slot. At least Cesaro has a netich, its been a decent first year for him there, but they need to do something different with him now.

 

[Gimmick]

He's been champion for that long? It really doesn't feel like it.

Things started off well for him when he won the US championship. He looked dominant in the ring, and had that streak against US competitors going strong. Then out of nowhere he lost to an American without any build-up, and now he now he's not doing anything at all.

It's funny how someone with so much praise backstage can be given nothing to do.

 

[Deezy]

This would mean more if WWE didn't have 4325 titles right now. If WWE unified their secondary titles and got rid of the World title, then this would be a big deal.

This is basically like some guy who was TV champion in WCW, it just doesn't matter.

 

[Keith]

This would mean more if WWE didn't have 4325 titles right now. If WWE unified their secondary titles and got rid of the World title, then this would be a big deal.

This is basically like some guy who was TV champion in WCW, it just doesn't matter.[/QUOTE]

Thats actually an insult to the TV title which was far more important at its peak in WCW than this title is.

 

[Deezy]

Whats the insult? TV title held zero prestige other than being made because Tully needed a belt so he could look good with Flair and the Andersons and Windham didn't want to give him the US title.

And what is "at it's peak"? LOL, same thing could be said about this current title, it was kind of a big deal at its peak as well. Had it's own tournament and everything.

This is neither here nor there, both titles are as nothing now. And wthe US title should be defunct.

 

[Mick Donalds]

This title should just be scrapped. We only need the IC title, and they need to fucking do something with that one too!

 

[TheOneKnownAsFetter]

The United States Title hasn't been relevant in years. Sadly & Unfortunately IMHO It was last Relevant when Cena had it.

 

[Cwalker]

The United States Title hasn't been relevant in years. Sadly & Unfortunately IMHO It was last Relevant when Cena had it.

I wouldn't say it's been that long. I would say MVP's first run in 2007, which has been erased from history due to who he beat to win it.

As far as Cesaro goes, I like the guy, but I do think he's reached his peak with his current gimmick. I don't think he can be a main eventer with the "I'm better than all Americans" gimmick.

But in terms of him not being booked properly, it's simple. It's WrestleMania season, all the important stars need someone to go over, which is why you see both midcard Champions losing every week. Creative obviously has nothing for him right now, so he's got to be the job guy right now.

I don't understand why they blew the Miz feud off on a Smackdown. I wouldn't have minded seeing that 2 out of 3 falls match at WrestleMania.

 

[Troy]

This would mean more if WWE didn't have 4325 titles right now. If WWE unified their secondary titles and got rid of the World title, then this would be a big deal.

This is basically like some guy who was TV champion in WCW, it just doesn't matter.

I am all for them unifying the titles. That should start with the World title though, why a company with a combined roster has two world champions I do not know. Surely it wont hurt house show business too much if they just have the WWE champion alternating house show tours for RAW and Smackdown. I would rather they keep two midcard titles over two world titles, use the two midcard titles as stepping stones towards that one main goal.

I wouldn't say it's been that long. I would say MVP's first run in 2007, which has been erased from history due to who he beat to win it.

As far as Cesaro goes, I like the guy, but I do think he's reached his peak with his current gimmick. I don't think he can be a main eventer with the "I'm better than all Americans" gimmick.

But in terms of him not being booked properly, it's simple. It's WrestleMania season, all the important stars need someone to go over, which is why you see both midcard Champions losing every week. Creative obviously has nothing for him right now, so he's got to be the job guy right now.

I don't understand why they blew the Miz feud off on a Smackdown. I wouldn't have minded seeing that 2 out of 3 falls match at WrestleMania.

MVP definitely had a good title reign and it is a bit unfortunate that due to reasons beyond his control it has been hidden away.

I realise that they need jobs guys for WM season but surely you protect your two midcard champions and use one of the other dozen guys on the roster to take the loss each week.

I would have rathered them save that 2 out of 3 falls match for Mania as well, bit odd to close out that feud on a Smackdown rather than PPV.

 

[zigglerHEEL]

I'm a huge mark for Cesaro, guy just screams future World Champion to me.... I see him and Sandow as the future top Heels of the company for sure.... I agree with the couple other posters in that there are just too many titles in WWE right now and it's kind of easy for one or two to be forgotten and buried... Ideally I'd like to see 1 World Title, an upper midcard title (IC Title), a true midcard Title (US title) and a lower card Title (TV or cruiserweight)... Then you could still have the 4 titles, a MITB briefcase holder, maybe add a MITB for one of the lesser titles to try to get some younger guys over and bring back King of the Ring for an established guy to hold whilst not in the title picture....

 

[The Cork]

He's a good wrestler but just ugh at the pic in the OP, no buys.

People bitch about WWE hiring roided up powerlifters they found flexing on Miami beach, but at least they don't look like a creepy uncle in a midlife crisis.

Aksana is hot but he needs a legit mouthpiece to get him over. Would prefer him to stay away from the Vickie Guerrero roundabout most guys get caught in, but who else is there really.

 

[Tapout]

1 World Title is a stupid, stupid decision. There can be nothing good to come from it. First off all, the World Title is used PERFECTLY to get over the Talented Superstars that they don't have room for on Raw. Raw is Cena and Punk land. And every few months the Rock. There is no room for anyone else. The World Title serves as a home for the talented superstars that deserve to be world champion, but WWE is too scared to make anyone other than Cena the face of Raw. Without the world title, stars like Edge, Batista, Sheamus, Daniel Bryan, Mark Henry, Christian, ect. would have had nothing to used to catapult them up the ladder. Can you honestly believe that WWE would have made Mark Henry, Daniel Bryan, or Christian WWE Champion? People loved those reigns, but without the world title, none of it would have been possible. Henry would probably be retired by now. Bryan would be a lower mid carder. Sheamus would still be in the US title picture. The World Title is needed, and is used to put over way more stars than the WWE title ever will.

As for Cesaro, I believe his reign would have been a lot better if they didn't use him as the job guy. 60 plus guys on the roster and I can't fine one person to do the job to Del Rio? His reign would also be better if he defended it regularly, and not just against random opponents in the pre shows of PPV's. WWE has the longer reigns thing down now, they just don't know how to book a title reign, with strong feuds and defenses.

 

[Keith]

1 World Title is a stupid, stupid decision. There can be nothing good to come from it. First off all, the World Title is used PERFECTLY to get over the Talented Superstars that they don't have room for on Raw. Raw is Cena and Punk land. And every few months the Rock. There is no room for anyone else. The World Title serves as a home for the talented superstars that deserve to be world champion, but WWE is too scared to make anyone other than Cena the face of Raw. Without the world title, stars like Edge, Batista, Sheamus, Daniel Bryan, Mark Henry, Christian, ect. would have had nothing to used to catapult them up the ladder. Can you honestly believe that WWE would have made Mark Henry, Daniel Bryan, or Christian WWE Champion? People loved those reigns, but without the world title, none of it would have been possible. Henry would probably be retired by now. Bryan would be a lower mid carder. Sheamus would still be in the US title picture. The World Title is needed, and is used to put over way more stars than the WWE title ever will.

As for Cesaro, I believe his reign would have been a lot better if they didn't use him as the job guy. 60 plus guys on the roster and I can't fine one person to do the job to Del Rio? His reign would also be better if he defended it regularly, and not just against random opponents in the pre shows of PPV's. WWE has the longer reigns thing down now, they just don't know how to book a title reign, with strong feuds and defenses.

Don't agree, any company should only have one world champion, simply because only one guy can be the best in that promotion. Besides the World title has just fallen so far behind the WWE Title in terms of importance. It only made any sense having two belts when they were pushing the SDVS.Raw story.

deezy I disagree with about the TV belt in WCW because at least that had an identity, the way it had a 15 minute time limit and could only be defended on TV, plus the list of former champions is pretty good.

 

[Dale]

1 World Title is a stupid, stupid decision. There can be nothing good to come from it. First off all, the World Title is used PERFECTLY to get over the Talented Superstars that they don't have room for on Raw.

There in is the problem. Guys shouldn't be getting the title to get them over, they should be getting it because THEY ARE over. That's why there are so many garbage title reigns.