Should WWE Change the WWE Championship design with Rock as Champion?

[WMD]

No. Change the belt for a long term, full time WWE champion.

 

[PHIL DUNPHY'S MOUSTACHE]

Pointless to change the design of the title when Rock is keeping it warm for Cena, whom the title was designed for in the first place.

I feel as though the only way the title will get changed is when/if they merge the two top titles into one undisputed championship again.

if it wasn't changed during Punk's run, it's not going to change now, it's as simple as that.

 

[We Are Legion]

Pointless to change the design of the title when Rock is keeping it warm for Cena, whom the title was designed for in the first place.

I feel as though the only way the title will get changed is when/if they merge the two top titles into one undisputed championship again.

if it wasn't changed during Punk's run, it's not going to change now, it's as simple as that.

Pretty weak argument considering CM Punk was never going to be the face of the company which all wrestlers are when they have the belt modeled in their likeness.

The WWE Championship has dawned Cena's likeness for 8 years, far longer than the Attitude era's belt design, Austin's "smoking skull" design, the "undisputed champion" design, and is currently approaching the tenure of the heralded "winged eagle" belt. To say it's "not going to happen" just because Punk's reign didn't change it is ludicrous. Kevin Nash held the winged eagle belt almost as long as CM Punk and it didn't change, but it did change 2 1/2 years later when Austin took it for his first short ride in 98 which didn't come close to the length Nash held it.

The belts aren't going to be unified either. You can join the long list of nostalgic hopefuls who think it should happen just because they did it with the WCW belt (an assumption stemming from the fact the two belts look similar so they must have the same fate lolololol) but it won't happen as long as there's a Smackdown program. Not sure how current you are on the wrestling world, but Smackdown isn't going anywhere anytime soon and it's a safe bet the belt design will be changed long before that show becomes defunct.

 

[PHIL DUNPHY'S MOUSTACHE]

Pretty weak argument considering CM Punk was never going to be the face of the company which all wrestlers are when they have the belt modeled in their likeness.

The WWE Championship has dawned Cena's likeness for 8 years, far longer than the Attitude era's belt design, Austin's "smoking skull" design, the "undisputed champion" design, and is currently approaching the tenure of the heralded "winged eagle" belt. To say it's "not going to happen" just because Punk's reign didn't change it is ludicrous. Kevin Nash held the winged eagle belt almost as long as CM Punk and it didn't change, but it did change 2 1/2 years later when Austin took it for his first short ride in 98 which didn't come close to the length Nash held it.

The belts aren't going to be unified either. You can join the long list of nostalgic hopefuls who think it should happen just because they did it with the WCW belt (an assumption stemming from the fact the two belts look similar so they must have the same fate lolololol) but it won't happen as long as there's a Smackdown program. Not sure how current you are on the wrestling world, but Smackdown isn't going anywhere anytime soon and it's a safe bet the belt design will be changed long before that show becomes defunct.

He reigned for 434 days, and has been voicing his desire to "shake things up for the better" and the like. Why not change the design of the belt that signifies what he stands against?

The title changed from Winged Eagle to Austin's belt back in 1998 because it was effectively ushering in a new era, being Attitude. When that belt faded, and the new one came in, they ushered in the 'Ruthless Aggression' era. When it ended, Cena's design came in, for the 'Cena/PG era.' When that ends, the belt will change design - no one superstar will get it changed. It didn't change for Triple H, it didn't change during Punk's monumental run, and it will not change for The Rock. It will change when a new era is upon us.

You failed to read my point. I said when/if the belts are unified. You'd have to suggest that with the brand split effectively over, house shows now falling under one banner, and a seeming devaluing of the World title, that a unification within the next 2 years is a possibility to happen - it's a little odd to have 2 world champions under the one banner. You don't have 2 superbowl champions, if I would use a sports example.

I'm as current as they come, and yes, SmackDown can still function with one world champion as it did from 1999-2002, as the champion can cross shows like most champions do these days, and the IC title can be showcased more on SD thus boosting its prestige and value like it once had during the 90's.

 

[NotReallyaGoodUN]

I feel as though the only way the title will get changed is when/if they merge the two top titles into one undisputed championship again.

If I'm being blunt/honest, I've been wanting and hoping for that for a long time.

I've always thought the concept of having TWO world titles was a bit redundant and....it always took away reduced the value of the IC and US championships. The argument for 2 world titles is weak at best with the split ceasing to exist.....but I've never seen Cena appear regularly on SmackDown like Orton or Sheamus on RAW, so there is a split, but there isn't one. I don't know how to describe it. :S

 

[We Are Legion]

He reigned for 434 days, and has been voicing his desire to "shake things up for the better" and the like. Why not change the design of the belt that signifies what he stands against?

The title changed from Winged Eagle to Austin's belt back in 1998 because it was effectively ushering in a new era, being Attitude. When that belt faded, and the new one came in, they ushered in the 'Ruthless Aggression' era. When it ended, Cena's design came in, for the 'Cena/PG era.' When that ends, the belt will change design - no one superstar will get it changed. It didn't change for Triple H, it didn't change during Punk's monumental run, and it will not change for The Rock. It will change when a new era is upon us.

You failed to read my point. I said when/if the belts are unified. You'd have to suggest that with the brand split effectively over, house shows now falling under one banner, and a seeming devaluing of the World title, that a unification within the next 2 years is a possibility to happen - it's a little odd to have 2 world champions under the one banner. You don't have 2 superbowl champions, if I would use a sports example.

I'm as current as they come, and yes, SmackDown can still function with one world champion as it did from 1999-2002, as the champion can cross shows like most champions do these days, and the IC title can be showcased more on SD thus boosting its prestige and value like it once had during the 90's.

I completely understand your perspective on the pointlessness of having two champions and I agree, but you saying CM Punk's reign was their most significant chance to change the belt design isn't entirely true. The WWE has passed up on numerous opportunities to unify those belts considering the brand split has been dead for quite some time now, just as they have passed up on plenty of opportunities to change the belt design. CM Punk's reign was similar to Diesel's in the sense that despite his long reign, he was never ushering in a new era and Cena would have still been the main guy, which is why I thought it was ridiculous The Rock brought that long reign to an end and not Cena.

The fact the branded house shows are ending doesn't really make it more likely to happen either considering those shows and what happens at them has no bearing on the televised product and never really has (except for Edge's first IC title win). And although it's not my preference either, WWE will always have an excuse to keep that WHC belt around as long as they have a 2-hour show on a different day of the week. Not my logic, this is WWE's. If this was an actual sport, then the "less is more" mentality would carry more weight on the # of championships. Unfortunately, it's a manufactured product marketed primarily towards kids and in the PC world of today wants to teach kids "everyone's a winner", so naturally there's far more champions than there should be.

I doubt the belt will change anytime soon regardless, but the WWE doesn't necessarily need a new era to change the belt design and they don't really need a good reason either. When WWE feels they've milked that ridiculous spinner gimmick for all it's worth and the last kid who thinks it's cool the face plate spins around finally doesn't give a shit anymore, they'll make another attempt to make the WWE Championship look cool again. It likely won't be modeled in anyone's likeness again for a while since WWE probably isn't going to have another guy as popular as Cena for a long time. But with John Cena being 35 years old, they have to start phasing out the fact the entire company is practically branded after him. Or they could just turn Cena heel and there would definitely be a reason to change the belt design considering it wouldn't even emulate Cena's likeness anymore. But we all know how many times they've passed up that opportunity and at the moment I see it as the least-likely scenario of all.