Welcome once again to Tybo’s Talks! I am Tybo, and I’m sure by now you know that I am the ‘Five Star General’ of this operation we call SLTD Wrestling.
Back when Impact Wrestling was TNA, they had flirted with a secondary championship, but with little success. This could be because they didn’t know what to do with it, or that they title in question went through more name changes than the man under the Suicide mask.
A championship that’s on in existence for a hand full of years, and is called the ‘Legends Championship’, ‘Global Championship’, ‘TV Championship’ and even the ‘King of the Mountain Championship’ you begin to lose faith in what is going on. Then Impact (under its old regime) created the ‘Grand Championship’
The idea for this new championship was a throwback to a rounds and points system, personally I really enjoyed the concept of this, but ultimately it was just a gimmick that was never going to last. If you was not a fan of the idea or what they were trying to do, you would be instantly turned off to the matches and therefore the championship has no relevance.
It’s also worth mentioning I don’t look at the ‘X Division’ Championship as a secondary title, this it mainly because there is a certain set of stars who would probably never be in a X title feud. Although there are exceptions to the rule to advance storylines (Brian Cage winning just to use ‘option C’ to move him into the Word Championship picture) there is no championship like the X title, which is good and bad in equal measure, but at least it has a lineage that carries some prestige.
All that being said, this is a new Impact Wrestling, new management and although when Don Callis was asked about the future of the ‘Impact Grand Championship’ he replied
‘if you watch our show, we introduced some new titles (designs) New World Title, New X-Division Title, New Knockouts Title and New Tag Team Title. So, that may give you an indication of where the priorities lie. I’ve never been a fan of wrestling companies that had too many belts’
I can understand where Callis is coming from, too many titles always dilute the World Championship in my eyes, but the idea of Impact Wrestling having a ‘work horse’ title, with no gimmick or special match type or edgy tagline could be great for the product.
If (and this is a pretty big if) Impact Wrestling could create something the likes of the Intercontinental Championship, a stepping stone title that will give the mid-card guys something to feud over, it could change the way Impact is looked at.
Look at the likes of Eli Drake, Eddie Edwards, Matt Sydel, Millie Mack Sami Callahan and more, feuding for a mid-card title. To me these are the guys that don’t really fit in the ‘X-Division’ but are not quite looked at in the World Championship picture.
If this was done right, and Impact built some real momentum behind a new championship with a solid tournament and making the championship something wrestlers want, and something worth fighting for it could be great for the company.
The obvious answer would be to create a TV Championship, but have the emphasis being, it’s defended on Impact’s weekly show and on Twitch. You could even have the Twitch logo on the side plates. I’m not suggesting that there should be a ‘Twitch Championship’ but side plates that can be easily replaces could be something interesting and get more interest in there online product.
Personally, I think a championship with a ‘territorial’ name are always something that works and produces a feeling that it’s been in existence a lot longer that it actually has been. The likes of a ‘Mid-Atlantic Championship’, or ‘Tri-State Championship’ or even the current NXT ‘North American Championship’, all seem to carry thoughts of a long and rich history from the territory day of wrestling.
Honourable Mention: An Impact Wrestling Hardcore Championship. Although I have said no gimmick titles would be best, there could be an argument for a Hardcore Championship. With the likes of Eddie Edwards, Perntagon and Sami Callahan on the roster, this could be an interesting addition to Impact. Don Callis has already mentioned a more ‘edgier’ product now that they are on a later time slot.
The Hardcore Championship has always been a huge draw for wrestling fans, and with Impact Wrestling having their weekly show, Twitch specials and even Xplosion now being shown on Twitch there is plenty of time to implement their own ‘24/7’ rule, to make their whole product must watch.
I really think the addition of a new and more prestigious championship than the gimmick belts of the past could really produce more interesting feuds and generally more interest Impact Wrestling’s mid card.
It’s clear that the Impact World Championship would probably never change hands on a Twitch special, but the idea that on twitch specials anyone could win the mid-card title, this includes when they do Impact Wrestling Vs Other promotions. There is no denying this would add a new level of excitement and ‘must watch’ element to Impact show outside of the main show on TV.
Do you think a new mid-card championship would be good for Impact? Or do you think it will be one championship too many? Let me know in the comments below, or tweet me @TyboTalks
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