Good and Bad first title runs

[Chris B]

Coming out of the conversation about Hangman's run as champion, it reminded me that Punk didn't exactly have a stunning first run either.

Who had great first runs, and who had terrible ones?

[Carbomb]

First one that comes to mind for me is Randy Orton's. It was fairly clear at that point that WWE were just in a rush to get the belt on him after Lesnar left, so that he would no longer be the youngest WWE champ ever. They made a lot of mistakes with Orton's first run that we knew they would never make normally, as was evidenced by Batista's and Cena's runs at their respective belts not long after.

[DCW]

Swagger or Zigglers were obviously duds as I remember none of either run bar the cash in.  

Bryan's first World Title run as an obnoxious heel (telling AJ to shut up, beginnings of the heel Yes chanting) was good fun. The 18 second loss to Sheamo at Mania was memorable too and kinda helped him in the long run, though I seriously doubt that was by design. 

[boshealecta]

As much as I have never been a fan, Brets first run was successful in that it took him from midcard to headliner and cemented his place in the WWF. He was portrayed as a fighting champion taking on all comers. However in retrospect it wasn’t that long, but it felt like he’d been at the top for a while come Mania IX. 

Then Yokos after was probably the worst first run for anyone. (Even though I loved Hogan and was so happy he won the belt). 
 

 

[ReturnOfTheMack]

3 hours ago, Chris B said:

Coming out of the conversation about Hangman's run as champion, it reminded me that Punk didn't exactly have a stunning first run either.

Punks last wasn't much cop either

[Chris B]

1 minute ago, ReturnOfTheMack said:

Punks last wasn't much cop either

Punk's last *two*.

[Matthew]

Surely the thread closing answer to the question is Jinder Mahal?

[Tommy!]

2 hours ago, Carbomb said:

First one that comes to mind for me is Randy Orton's. It was fairly clear at that point that WWE were just in a rush to get the belt on him after Lesnar left, so that he would no longer be the youngest WWE champ ever. They made a lot of mistakes with Orton's first run that we knew they would never make normally, as was evidenced by Batista's and Cena's runs at their respective belts not long after.

I can easily believe HHH wasn't loosing any sleep over that booking with Orton.

Kicking a heel out of a heel group to turn him face is the absolute stupidest thing on earth and never seems to work. Why is he a face, he's not changed or done anything you can get behind, his mates just think he's too shit to hang about with anymore. 

Didn’t they run with a story he had a concussion in some of the follow up too, so one of his return matches was lots of him selling with a gormless look on his face while HHH slowly worked him over. 

Actually did HHH & Orton ever have a good match? 

[gmoney]

Orton's big face move was gobbing on people and running away.

[Supremo]

Lasted longer than his AEW career, at least.

[CleetusVanDamme]

10 minutes ago, Tommy! said:

Actually did HHH & Orton ever have a good match? 

They had a few, but never at the times they most needed it (Unforgiven 2004 and Wrestlemania 25). I liked both their matches at No Mercy 2007*, the last man standing on Raw Is Trump 2009 and surprisingly (I was dreading it) the Saudi one from 2019.

* I know it would be buyrate/*whatever Network metric they use now* suicide, but I'd love to go into a show with a sense of mystery around it as this one again. Didn't know what was going to happen from start to finish. A brilliant show, in context.

 

[Chris B]

Did Orton ever have a great run?

One unexpectedly good first/only run - Mark Henry. Really felt like he was legit.

[Fog Dude]

8 hours ago, DCW said:

Swagger or Zigglers were obviously duds as I remember none of either run bar the cash in.   

I think WWE officially counts Ziggler's cash-in as his second run. His first involved being awarded the title on a technicality on an edition of SmackDown, then losing it back to Edge by the end of the night.

[air_raid]

14 hours ago, Tommy! said:

I can easily believe HHH wasn't loosing any sleep over that booking with Orton.

Kicking a heel out of a heel group to turn him face is the absolute stupidest thing on earth and never seems to work. Why is he a face, he's not changed or done anything you can get behind, his mates just think he's too shit to hang about with anymore. 

 

14 hours ago, gmoney said:

Orton's big face move was gobbing on people and running away.

It was three strikes. Evolution outsmarted him the night he was 100% feeling protected when they stabbed him in the back, so he looked stupid. Then he spit in Hunters face and ran off, so he looked like a coward. Then at Unforgiven in his first title defence and chance at revenge on Hunter, he lost, so he looked like a loser.

”Stupid cowardly loser” is not exactly how you book a top babyface, brother.

[WeeAl]

12 hours ago, Chris B said:

Did Orton ever have a great run?

One unexpectedly good first/only run - Mark Henry. Really felt like he was legit.

Orton's best run as a champion may well have been his I.C title run. If he had a better period as World Champion, it's not coming to mind right away.