Short title reigns are an issue that has consistently plagued WWE. Wrestling is unpredictable and it is normal for things to not go as planned.
For example, Naomi‘s first reign as SmackDown Women’s Champion only lasted 9 days because it cut short due to an injury. That is an exception, but WWE seems to like their champions to hold gold for about as long as it takes to get to the next pay-per-view event.
Imagine your favorite wrestler just won the title. The celebration ensues after an emotional back and forth match. As a fan, tears of joy are running down your cheek. The woman you have been cheering for is now at the top of the division and you are ecstatic.
Now consider if that same wrestler just lost the title in a lackluster match. As a fan, you want to throw something at your television. The woman you have been cheering for has lost the title after an underwhelming 30 to 60-day reign.
This scenario happens more than one would think. It is a constant cycle of disappointment. Short reigns don’t just hurt the fans, it hurts the talent as well.
The history of both the RAW and SmackDown Women’s Championships only dates back three years. Becky Lynch is currently standing at the top of the mountain holding both titles. Lynch’s current reigns aside, there have been 26 reigns—14 on RAW and 12 on SmackDown—between both belts.
Out of those title tenures, only two of them have surpassed six months. Ronda Rousey recently became the longest reigning Raw Women’s Champion.
When a competitor holds the title for such a short time it diminishes the prestige of their accomplishment. Perhaps the best representation of this was the way they hot shot the RAW Women’s Championship in 2016.
Sasha Banks and Charlotte Flair traded the title back and forth a total of five times in a matter of six months. There is no denying these the two had great chemistry together. However, the title didn’t need to switch hands that many times.
What is in the past is in the past, right? Well, even when Flair went to SmackDown the same thing happened. Flair’s last two combined reigns with the SmackDown Women’s Championship was a measly 39 days.
Her last two reigns weren’t just short; they were also history-making. She tied and eventually surpassed Hall of Famer Trish Stratus‘ seven title reigns with those two victories. Talent aside, this record-breaking feat felt premature, to say the least.
Credit: WWE
With the Money in the Bank just a week away, Flair will face Lynch again for the SmackDown Women’s Championship. On the same night, Lynch will put her RAW Women’s Championship on the line against Lacey Evans. Sooner rather than later, The Man will drop at least one title, creating another short championship tenure; possibly another reign for Flair.
For more evidence that WWE should allow longer title reigns, take a look at the Women’s Tag Team Championship. A new title, that was pushed hyped at the beginning of this year, has hit a wall.
Banks and Bayley became the inaugural champions at Elimination Chamber. After just 49 days with the new belts, the team lost to The IIconics at WrestleMania. Since then The IIconics have lost their most of their televised matches and this past week they weren’t even apart of WWE programming. Way to showcase your champions WWE.
If this trend continues it is evident what will come next. The IIconics will more than likely lose to Asuka and Kairi Sane, becoming transition champions. As far as Lynch, she will likely lose at least one title soon. Perhaps putting both belts on her wasn’t the best idea?
What are your thoughts on the present environment for women’s champions in WWE? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section!
