Other Columns
WWE vs. TNA vs. ROH - Round Two: Secondary Champions
By Adam Barnowski
Feb 1, 2006 - 4:00 PM

Thanks to all who sent me feedback on my debut column. This column is meant to function as one fan’s analysis of how effective each of these men is in their current role as champion. It is not intended as a comparison of these guys to each other, nor is it is intended as an analysis of the titles themselves.

Having said that..... “Let’s get to work”


Round Two : The “Secondary” Titles


WWE - Smackdown : United States Champion : Booker T

The currently injured Booker T was awarded the Smackdown United States Championship when Randy Orton defeated Chris Benoit in the finals of a very odd best of seven series.

If you’re confused by that, don’t worry. You’re not alone.

How exactly does one measure the effectiveness of Booker T as a champion? Booker never won this title, and he has never defended it. One would think that a victory in a title match, and/or at least one successful defense would be mandatory qualifications for calling yourself “champion”. Apparently not on Smackdown.

Booker has been stale for as long as I can remember, and his recent heel turn (with the addition of Sharmell to the equation) has done nothing to freshen up his character. Adding this totally irrelevant title to his character has accomplished nothing at all.

Aside from the fact that he’s hurt, Booker’s current title reign (like Angle’s) is also compromised by a total lack of depth on the Smackdown roster. There’s exactly zero exciting opponents lined up to challenge him. He’s heading into a feud with perhaps the weakest US Champion of all time - Orlando Jordon. Those matches (if and when they actually happen) will be dreadful. With Benoit and Orton out of the picture, and Angle, Mysterio, and Undertaker all wrapped up in the World Title picture, Booker is left with the dregs of a pathetic roster as potential opponents. Assuming he gets by OJ, we can look forward to Book feuding with the likes of - Bogeyman, Mark Henry, Fit Finlay, Matt Hardy, Sylvan, Simon Dean, JBL and so on. None of these match ups qualify as even remotely exciting.

To sum up - In his current run as Smackdown United States Champion, Booker T may be the worst example of a “champion” of all time. I didn’t think I would be handing out a zero this quickly, but I can’t think of any good reason to give him any points at all. It appears that Book is merely keeping this belt warm for Ken Kennedy, or perhaps Bobby Lashley. Either way, the sooner they pull this title off of him the better - For both him and the belt.

Current rating - 0 of ten


WWE Raw - Intercontinental Champion : Ric Flair

It took me about five solid minutes of thought to remember who the current WWE Intercontinental Champion was. Why? Because Ric Flair hasn’t bothered to defend this title (with any kind of regularity) since he won it. “The oldest player in the game” captured his first ever IC title from Carlito Caribbean Cool last September at WWE’s Unforgiven PPV, and then promptly threw that title onto a shelf, where it has been collecting dust ever since

The “King of Kings” (Trips) wouldn’t allow it to be on the line during his feud with Flair because he felt that it would lower his status to be seen competing for this title (nice). Flair technically defended the title against Edge at "New Year’s Revolution", but that non-match degenerated into chaos and was quickly ruled a disqualification. Flair obviously wasn’t defending it once his “R-Rated” opponent became the World Heavyweight Champion. Road Rage Ric doesn’t wear the belt, he doesn’t even carry it with him when he appears on television, which tells you just how much he values it. If the mandatory 30 day title defense rule were still in effect, they would have had to strip Slick Ric of this title by now..... If anyone cared..... Which they obviously don’t.

I grant that Ric Flair is a legendary performer in this business, but how am I supposed to buy this near sixty year old man, who looks like he might keel over at any second, as the Intercontinental Champion? I just can’t. Especially on Raw where there is a whole roster of guys whom you would think would want the IC title. The only way this is even remotely believable is if you convince yourself that younger stars like Carlito, Masters, and Benjamin (to name only a few) have no interest in winning the belt. Which only serves to bury the title even further.

To sum up - Ric Flair is a legend to be sure, but as the current WWE Intercontinental Champion he has been a miserable failure. This title had more prestige attached to it when it was retired. It’s an irrelevant trinket to Ric Flair. If the WWE bookers want to revive this belt they need to put it on someone who it actually means something to..... Immediately.

Current rating - 2 of ten


TNA X Division Champion : Samoa Joe

Samoa Joe captured the X Division Title from AJ Styles in an match of the year candidate at TNA’s recent “Turning Point ” PPV. Since then Joe has been busy decimating the division, leaving a trail of bodies in his wake. Joe is rapidly raising the prestige of the X Division Title, and establishing himself as an unstoppable juggernaut in the process.

Joe hasn’t been champion for long, however his victories over Styles and Daniels have been the best matches on what are usually very strong TNA Pay Per View cards. Joe has also appeared often on the weekly “Impact” show, where he has taken on a string of opponents from the X division. Even Joe’s squash matches are often enjoyable to watch as they often stray from the normal big man squashes little man format, allowing the challenger to get over a little bit, without making Joe look any less dominate.

In the past, the popular criticism of Joe has been his lack of experience on the mic. However recently in TNA, Joe has been cutting the best promos of his career, effectively silencing those critics.

Joe’s recent TNA opponents have been slightly repetitive - AJ Styles and Christopher Daniels primarily. There are plenty of other guys in TNA that I would like to see him lock up with. However I voted the original Joe vs. Styles vs. Daniels “Unbreakable” three way as my Match of the Year for 2005. So I’m not complaining that they are heading for a rematch. I fully expect them to deliver yet another Match of the Year candidate at “Against All Odds”.

To Sum Up : Joe still has a long way to go as X Division Champion, and there is a chance that the fragile egos on top of TNA might eventually compromise the good thing that he has going. However, to date, TNA has booked Joe brilliantly. Here’s hoping that they have the guts to run this all the way out to it’s logical conclusion - Joe defeats whomever is the NWA champion, and then turns down the NWA title in favor of keeping the X Division Championship - When that happens, I will award TNA the elusive “10 of ten”, and call it perfect booking. Until then, Joe as X Division Champion gets a near perfect score here.

Current rating - 8 of ten


RoH Pure Champion - Nigel McGuiness

Nigel McGuiness captured the RoH Pure Title from Samoa Joe in a mediocre match that featured a fluke finish (Joe pinned himself after destroying Nigel for the entire match) at Dragon Gate Invasion last August. Since then McGuiness has used every trick in the Eddie Guerrero “Lie, Cheat, & Steal” playbook to hold onto the title. An odd way for a “Pure Champion” to behave to be sure.

The Pure Championship has allowed RoH to establish a unique division in which the fans are (supposedly) guaranteed technically superior matches with solid clean finishes. There was a time when the RoH Pure Title was considered to be on par with, or even more important than, the RoH World Championship. At the end of Pure Title matches, RoH fans are often cheering in appreciation of an excellent display of wrestling talent. However at the end of a McGuiness match, the RoH fans are more likely to be chanting “Bullshit” than “Match of the Year”.

Nigel is no “brilliant technician” and most of his title defenses end in a screwjob finish. I understand that RoH is trying to build heat for Nigel by booking him in this way, however I fear that Gabe and company are ignoring the obvious damage that this is doing to the reputation of the Pure Title.

If longtime RoH fans begin to believe that every Pure Title match can end in a screwjob, then the title will cease to have any relevance. While newer fans are left to wonder why they call it a "Pure Title", when all of the matches are filled with gimmicky bullshit.

Nigel has had some decent matches against the likes of Castagnoli, Lethal, and Whitmer, since he won the belt. However he hasn’t taken on enough of the RoH main roster to establish himself as a convincing champion. Instead of defending his title on every card, McGuiness keeps busy in non title Four Way Survival and tag team matches, and has even been missing altogether on some recent RoH shows.

To Sum up : I like Nigel, but as RoH Pure Champion he has been a failure. He continues to hurt the status of the title, which is one of RoH’s most unique and interesting features. They need to pull the belt off of him now, before it becomes as irrelevant as a WWE secondary title.

Current rating - 4 of ten


Result of Round Two : Advantage to T.N.A.


 Re-cap :

• Round One : World Champions - Advantage to Ring of Honor

• Round Two : Secondary Champions - Advantage to Total Nonstop Action


I’ll be back with a look at the Tag Team Title scene soon.

Until then, thanks for reading and send questions, comments, threats, or bribes to - abarnowski@comcast.net