WWE - The Return of the Light Heavyweight Belt

       Since the WWE Light Heavyweight belt, and the WCW Cruiserweight belt became defunct, it has been a fight for the represented wrestlers to showcase their talent. Since the "Powers-at-Be", decided to make a joke out of the Cruiserweight division, and put the belt on Hornswoggle, the fans have been the ones to suffer.

     September 27th, 2007, Vickie Guerrero, ended Hornswoggle's reign, when she stated his relationship to Vince McMahon, and his diminutive size, could be a detriment to his health. The title had already lost so much status before Hornswoggle became champion. The six-way open where he was victorious, he competed against Jimmy Wang Yang, Shannon Moore, Jamie Noble, Funaki, and Chavo Guerrero. Even though, they were all talented wrestlers in their own right, they very rarely appeared at upper-middle, or middle card status on a regular basis.

      It wasn't always that way, if we look back at the history of the wrestling history, we would see future Heavyweight champions, showcased their talent in the light heavyweight/cruiserweight divisions. In the early days of the WCW Cruiserweight history, we saw Rey Misterio, Chris Jericho, and the late Eddie Guerrero ply their trade in the now defunct division. The crowds had the chance to view the high energy wrestling that many crave for, while the so called "little guys", could put themselves a little higher up the ladder. The WWE needs to use the belt as a stepping stone to a shot to the Heavyweight Championship, use it to see if the crowd can get behind the wrestler, and help push him to higher levels.

         I'm not Vince McMahon, so I don't know if the stories are true, about him wanting to destroy anything he didn't create, but it seems this may have been the case for this division. In November, 2001, the WWF took reigns of the belt, and the cancer set in, the belt headed to a slow and painful death. Rey Misterio, was the only wrestler with high level exposure who was allowed to carry it.

          The WWE have many talented wrestlers, who would love to compete for the gold, knowing that their chance of holding the Heavyweight belt for more than a token time, are limited. Wrestlers such as Stardust, Dolph Ziggler, Sin Cara, Dean Ambrose, Daniel Bryan (inj), Tyson Kidd, Xavier Woods, Neville, Kalisto, Zach Ryder, Kofi Kingston, etc... Yes, Yes, Yes, some of the aforementioned, have been, or will be Heavyweight Champion, but the WWE still loves their big men, Seth Rollins has been the exception of late, but I do believe, he would have lost the belt to Roman Reigns if he hadn't injured his knee. With Rollins injure, they had to find another heel for Reigns to compete against. Instead of elevating Ambrose, and having him turn on Reigns, they give the belt to two-move Sheamus.

          The WWE have the opportunity to use talented wrestler, integrate then into high level story lines, and give the fans another belt to cheer. Being a wrestling fan for most of my 45 years, first in the UK (World of Sport), then finding the WWF in 1987, I want to see more than wrestlers fighting over the Heavyweight belt. The same wrestlers, month after month, year after year, being over exposed, becomes monotonous. 

         I would love to see the belt return to the WWE, and used in a format that Steve Regal will remember. If the belt was fought for, in a best of three format, wrestlers would be able to showcase their finishing moves, and entertain the crowd. Not all fans want to see the slow paced matches that end up in "Suplex City:.

        If the WWE doesn't want to throw it straight back to the main roster, they have a great opportunity with NXT, to give it a trial run. NXT wrestlers are the next generation, and will give more wrestlers a greater chance of exposure. So many talented wrestlers are not allowed to showcase their skills, give them an open door, and I'm sure they will walk through it.

Gary Davis
Forty Year Wrestling Fan