Mini Rant

[BarryStevens]

What is prestige? What makes something prestigious? Frankly, the lines seemed to have gotten a little blurred recently in the CAW Universe. It seems as though all it takes for a championship to have prestige is by being called a World title. I feel compelled today to remind everyone that just having a major championship will not make it prestigious. In fact, the only way something can be considered prestigious in the first place is by creating a reputation through achievements and visible success. 

We have to see a championship be successfully retained, we have to see matches that elevate said championship to a status worthy of being considered prestigious. There's no way of having a credible World title if it hasn't proven it's worthiness. Just like wrestlers, they must earn their recognition among their peers; they can't just be called main eventers and instantly garner respect with their peers or their audience for that matter. 

We must think of these things realistically, similar to how we view real wrestling. If a title is immediately introduced, it isn't the title that's important but rather the characters that will contend to elevating that championship. The title will not be the "richest prize in the game" immediately after it gets announced, or at least it shouldn't be. That's why it's so important for show-runners to pick their tournament winners and champions CAREFULLY. If there isn't any thought put into either of these things, then neither the wrestlers nor the title nor the entire show itself will be elevated.

A good show means you have a credible cast of characters that makes watching the show worth it and a title that's worth fighting for in the first place. At least, that's what I think anyway. 

Agree? Disagree? Let me know what you think below!

[Brent Delivine]

I believe you are absolutely right; people pushing their world championship by calling it "prestigious" off the bat is pretty cringe-worthy. Calling the championship "the grandest prize in *promotion*" is very different from "the grandest prize in [CAW] Wrestling".

Since CAW shows have shorter life spans and take longer to make overall shows (give or take the show is actually any good), i don't believe claiming a championship as any form of PRESTIGIOUS is justified until:

A) One year cycle of shows (depending on how well you book the championship and the scene of contendership around it)

B) Roughly 5 championship reigns have passed with a decent legacy of champions (meaning no 1 defense reigns or just placeholder champions)

or C) The promotion itself has operated roughly 5 years with an "ok" world championship scene.

Both are really hard to do with the aforementioned hindrances CAW shows have, as well as people either leaving or being kicked out, i feel the CAW standard should be much lower than real life wrestling, how ever it should still take quite a bit to be a convincingly prestigious belt.

I must also say, when it comes to promotions like VALOR or ACTION in JAPAN, because they're based off a written history and hierarchy, i think its ok to claim that the belts are prestigious, but not in an out of character sense of swinging it around claiming it's a major prize in the CAW world until the above criteria is met.

[mattmosley]

I agree with you on many points. One thing that I have found odd with the format of shows, though one is called the World Championship it often times ends up not being as powerful as say the mid to lower card championship.

That has been an issue with CAW for many years though, the best in a show often times don't get to have the spotlight in the show.