The WWE US Championship has seen glorious days but those times are far gone. With the exemption of John Cena’s reign in 2015, which, thanks to Cena’s popularity and his US Open Challenge, brought the title back into the spotlight, the US Championship has been a third rate prize in the WWE for a long time. However, there is a way to bring respect back to the forgotten title and save some wasted talent along the way. Here’s how I would do it!
Currently, Kalisto holds the US Championship. His reign is an example of a good concept, having a terrible realization. Kalisto has the potential to be a successful singles competitor. However, so far, his booking as a champion has been flimsy, to say the least. The WWE Creative tried to so hard to present him as an underdog that he had to capture half of his victories through dubious roll-ups. Then, Kalisto was given a couple of title matches that seemed to resemble Cena’s idea of being a defending champion. However, a week later, the unfortunate US champ found himself reunited with his tag team partner Sin Cara, which meant that Kalisto would wrestle as part of the Lucha Dragons, forgetting the US Championship altogether. Meanwhile, Kalisto’s rival – Mexico’s Greatest Export has been jobbing diligently alongside his League of Nations teammates. As a result, the rivalry with Del Ro, which should culminate at Fastlane, has been terribly underwhelming to the point where it has become virtually non-existent. Nonetheless, even in this sloppy booking mess, the US Championship could easily become exciting again.
Kalisto’s participation in the Lucha Dragons might actually be beneficial for him at Fastlane. Del Rio will most certainly rely on some help from his League of Nations associates. Rusev and Barrett will be at ringside, causing trouble for the champion. This is where Sin Cara comes into play. He’d fly around, keeping Del Rio’s buddies at bay, which would help Kalisto retain fair and square (preferably with something better than a roll-up). Next night on RAW, Del Rio & friends could come to complain, only to get pushed back by the Lucha Dragons again. Then, as Kalisto’s celebrating, he’d get attacked from behind by Sin Cara. Over the next following shows, we’d find out that Sin Cara’s reason for turning on his partner is that he believes that without him Kalisto would not have been US Champion. According to him, Kalisto had betrayed him by taking advantage of his injury to get ahead and through a series of flukes get himself a title. Sin Cara would claim that he was the more capable half of the Lucha Dragons all along and that if he hadn’t fought off the League of Nations, Kalisto couldn’t have even dreamt of still holding the gold. Therefore, Kalisto doesn’t deserve the spotlight and all the attention, along with the US Championship should go to him – Sin Cara.
The former Lucha Dragons would face each other at Wrestle Mania. The time between the two PPVs would allow both of them to develop a bit of a character, get some promo time and in general – become more relevant. So, on the Biggest Stage of Them All, Kalisto and Sin Cara would fight for the US Championship and it wouldn’t be any match, it would be a Ladder Match. We all know what these luchadors can do when ladders are present. Regardless of who goes on top, the fans would be guaranteed a spectacular match. Kalisto would pull out some of the most insane moves, we’ve ever seen but then Sin Cara would toss him all the way from the top of the ladder to the outside and would climb to victory, in front of the unbelieving eyes of the viewers. That loss would hurt because Kalisto would have deserved to retain and he would definitely have been the fan favourite in this. The next step would be Kalisto to fight for retribution and attempt to regain the US Championship at Payback.
The match at Payback, being a normal match, could never come close to the Ladder Match at Wrestlemania. Kalisto and Sin Cara would be presented as pretty much equal in the fight. By the end, they’d both be exhausted and as the face-off would be nearing a conclusion, with a possible happy ending for Kalisto, things would take an unexpected turn. Delivering a Beauty Shot and a Supermodel Kick, Tyler Breeze would make a dramatic entrance on the title scene, taking both men down . He’d then take selfie with the US Championship and leave. He could even leave with the title, so that he can use it an a series of Twitter and Instagram posts. Then Prince Pretty would let the WWE Universe know that he is going to bring some Gorgeous to the US Championship as he’s done with watching two “uggos” fight over it. After all, only an “uggo” would hide behind a mask. Would you want to know how hideous these two need to be to have to never show their faces to the world? There is no better place for gold to shine, rather than in the hands of a prince, in this case – Prince Pretty. Also, The Definition of Delish can only bring the US Championship photo-shoots a much needed dose of gorgeous. No selfie would be perfect without gold in it and so on. You catch the drift.
In June, at Money in the Bank, Prince Pretty would capture the US title in a triple threat match against Kalisto and Sin Cara. Then, he’d retain in July at Battleground (or whatever name the WWE announces for their July PPV this year). The idea would be to have Tyler Breeze carry the US Championship into Summer Slam. The sun, the beach, the fake tan, the glamour and the constant selfies – it’s the perfect season for The Gorgeous One to show off his gold. However, that would also be the place where he’d lose it, ironically, to yet another “uggo” – Neville. The Man That Gravity Forgot would have interrupted Tyler’s constant, self-indulgent monologues on the way to Summer Slam, causing the beginning of the feud. On the RAW, following the PPV, as Breeze complains and confronts Neville, Bo’s music hits and he comes out to offer some peace of mind and inspiration to both of them. That would be solo side quest he’d embark on, despite still being in the Social Outcasts, 3/4 of who would meanwhile be busy with the New Day. The promo segments between these three would be hilarious. As we all know that Neville isn’t a master mic worker, we need to keep Tyler in the game, so he can match Bo’s promo skills. In September, at Night of Champions, these three NXT legends would clash, crowning The Inspirational One as the new US Champion. Neville, being the honest guy that he is, would ask for a rematch first thing on RAW and he would lose it because of a heavy intervention from the Social Outcasts.
Despite the stable proving beneficial for Bo at first, later it would become problematic. Let’s say that The Radical Mongoose Adam Rose and Curtis Axel have become Axel Rose and have acquired the Tag Team Championship. Then Bo Dallas goes out and captures the US Championship roughly at the same time, if not actually on the same PPV. Where does this leave the guy, who was meant to be the leader of the Social Outcasts – Heath Slater? Bo and Heath would start bickering in front of the confused eyes of Axel & Rose. Bo would say that Heath Slater should be happy for him and that Slater should be grateful to be around an inspirational guy like him, since some of Bo’s greatness could rub onto Heath, of course, that’s only if Heath would care to Bolieve. The two would pretend to be friends while obviously in an argument and subsequently in a rivalry. Axel and Rose would struggle to pick a side and would remain equally baffled through Bo and Heath’s match at Hell in a Cell.
Heath Slater would somehow prevail in the fight. With his jokes and general likability, he could even become a face. However, the Internet darling would have to face a very unhappy Bo Dallas at the following PPV, which should be Survivor Series. That could show a few more layers of the Inspirational One’s gimmick, while Heath Slater discovers his face potential. We’ve seen short glimpses of that but Bo’s character is borderline insane. He can’t take losses very well. He could get out of control and he could retaliate in violent outbursts, followed by creepy long smiles. The whole chaos would completely put Axel and Rose off, so they’d decide to leave these two on their own, causing the official break-up of the Social Outcasts. Heath and Bo would continue feuding till their match at Survivor Series in November. In their comic way, they’d get so overexcited that they’d decide to have a No Holds Barred Match. That would be quite a ridiculous prospect, knowing the characters involved. Yet again, they’d be bursting with confidence and enthusiasm.
At the actual PPV, however, Bo and Heath would be more talk than action. They would try to produce a No Holds Barred match and they’d actually do well but you can’t expect that to be a really gory match. The fans wouldn’t find it particularly overwhelming. That’s until, out of nowhere, Baron Corbin shows up and decimates both of them. The Lone Wolf would toss and drag them around the arena. He’d put on of them through the announce table and he’d follow the other one, who’d be crawling up the ramp and he would break that miserable man into two right there. Baron would be the beast who’d show them what No Holds Barred really means. This would be quite the impressive debut. Then, in December, at TLC, despite Bo and Heath, trying to double team on him, The Lone Wolf would put them both down, through a table, obtaining his first WWE title in a brutal Tables Match. The year will close with Baron Corbin finally standing tall with his hand, raised high above his head and gold, hanging around his waist, as his fallen rivals, face their End of Days.
With that booking plan, the US Championship would not only become important again but it would also give a chance to many of the WWE’s forgotten superstars to have their moment of glory. NXT’s talent would actually be put to a good use on the main roster and that would make one great year in wrestling.
What do you think? Comment below with your thoughts, opinions, feedback and anything else that was raised