Opinion
DeMarco: Let ‘Em Have Their Custom Titles, Corey!
Greg DeMarco might disagree with Corey Graves slightly on the topic of custom championships. What say you?
Greg DeMarco might disagree with Corey Graves slightly on the topic of custom championships. What say you?
On a recent edition of “After The Bell,” Corey Graves shared his thoughts on Bray Wyatt’s custom WWE Universal Championship. Obviously, before we get into it, you should probably see his comments…
“It’s cool. I think it’s very very cool. I am a big fan of Tom Savini, one of the greatest special effects artists to ever work in the motion picture industry. I think it’s cool that our worlds have collided. The championship in and of itself is very cool, visually. But I have a problem with these customized championships. I always have.”
“I hated when Stone Cold had the Smoking Skull belt. It looked cool, but all of a sudden, the WWE Championship and all of its history is customized to one guy. I didn’t have a problem with the blue Universal Championship because it made sense, it still looks like the WWE Championship. I didn’t hate when Ultimate Warrior would change the strap on his WWE Championship. But all of a sudden, The Fiend is going to defend a title that is just his face? I’m not a huge fan of it.”
[You can find these comments almost anywhere, but I got them from SEScoops, so big thanks to them.]
Now, despite his comments towards Mauro Ranallo during Takeover: Chicago–and in no way do I think he was trying to play up the brand supremacy battle (and neither should you)–I am a big fan of Corey Graves’ work. As an asshole myself, I can appreciate that he owns it, and uses the attitude that has made him famous. If you know me, you know I don’t disagree to disagree…I call it as I see it.

What Is A Championship, Really?
As fans, and I think Corey is really talking as a fan here, we tend to romanticize championships. We want them to mean something, so we give them meaning. Well, the writer/booker/promoter/whoever is really doing the exact same thing, but through storytelling. A championship at it’s core (usually) is leather and metal. Just like a sports league trophy is usually wood and metal. It’s fine wood and precious metal, but wood and metal nonetheless.
A championship is a prop. It’s a stake created to make a match, and a story, matter. Over time it gets history and “prestige,” but that’s made up–just like a TV show. What is Rocky really about? Is it about a championship? It’s about Rocky. Wrestling isn’t about building a championship, it’s about building wrestlers (character), and a championship is one way to do it. It’s an easy way, but it’s still just a way.
So Why A Custom Championship?
When a wrestler hits a certain stride, a custom championship makes sense. “Stone Cold” Steve Austin… The Rock… John Cena… Edge… Daniel Bryan… Naomi… and even Bray Wyatt’s The Fiend. They’re iconic figures for different reasons, but iconic still. Having a custom championship isn’t about the lineage of the physical belt, it’s about the history of the performer. It’s intention is to enhance the talent, and you can build a story around it.
Remember Daniel Bryan’s Sustainable WWE Championship? That belt perfectly fit his character, and helped him deliver a stronger performance (note that I didn’t say it made him a stronger performer). Plus, when Kofi Kingston won the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 35, Xavier Woods giving him the “proper” WWE Championship was a moment. That moment was created using props. That moment gave meaning to the props.
The most recent custom championship works for The Fiend. And when someone finally beats The Fiend (I’m looking at you Roman Reigns), it’ll matter that they carry the “proper” championship like a “proper champion.” But it’s the story, and the moments, that give meaning to leather and metal.
#LetMeIn! A limited quantity first run of #TheFiend @WWEBrayWyatt Custom Handcrafted Titles by @THETomSavini Studios will be available for pre-order exclusively at #WWEShop tomorrow. #WWE #Smackdown #BrayWyatt pic.twitter.com/TFI5AWfJ0V
— WWEShop.com (@WWEShop) November 30, 2019
Can It Be Too Much?
Wrestling, like life, is best in moderation. Storytelling is the same way. Fans immediately point out when promotions (or in WWE’s case, show) use the same storytelling elements at the same time. It’s the internet, so really it’s a rush to judgment. This can be avoided with moderation. I don’t want to see every champion get a custom title, but I do want them to be used when appropriate. Present day Bray Wyatt is 100% unique, all about custom everything. Having a custom championship just makes sense.
Sorry Corey, but I’m for it.
Pro wrestling, along with sports entertainment, is a fun ride. Enjoy it! Follow me on social media @ChairshotGreg and drop me a line at gregdemarco@thechairshot.com.
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Opinion
Chris King: The Wyatt Sicks’ Wasted Potential By WWE
Chris King takes a look at the WWE and their wasted potential of Uncle Howdy and the Wyatt Sicks faction.
Chris King takes a look at the WWE and their wasted potential of Uncle Howdy and the Wyatt Sicks faction.
It’s that time of the year again, folks; it’s unfortunate and downright awful that so many WWE superstars got released today. I’m not going to list all of them, but I am going to talk about one of my favorite factions,
The Wyatt Sicks. Nikki Cross, Joe Gacy, Erik Rowan, and Bo Dallas (Uncle Howdy) were something special. After Bo’s brother Bray Wyatt’s tragic passing, WWE felt like there was a hole that needed to be filled. Wyatt was one of the most creative and brilliant characters, and Bo would be taking over his brother’s concept and bringing it to life. In 2024, at the end of an incredible documentary highlighting Wyatt’s career and struggles, Bo appeared on the screen portrayed as Uncle Howdy. The last time Uncle Howdy was seen on-screen was at the 2023 Royal Rumble, where Wyatt defeated LA Knight in a Pitch Black Match. Howdy jumped off a structure onto Knight.
This post-credit scene sparked so much speculation and excitement that Wyatt’s brother would carry on his legacy and possibly debut the faction that was Wyatt’s concept. On the June 17th episode of Monday Night Raw, The Wyatt Sicks made their dramatic debut ,destroying the backstage area as well as “murdering” Chad Gable. It was such an iconic arrival for Howdy as he made his menacing walk from the back into the audience who were chanting “Holy Shit.” The Sicks and American Made (Chad Gable and The Creed Brothers) battled for months, with The Sicks being victorious. On the September 9th episode of Raw, The Sicks defeated them, with Howdy getting the win with Sister Abigail.
The following year, The Sicks would move over to Friday Night SmackDown, and it seemed like WWE had a plan in place. They would win the tag team championships from The Street Profits and start to look dominant. Now, what should have happened next is Howdy should have won the United States title. The Sicks could have held all the gold over on the blue brand, but it never happened. The Sicks entered into a never-ending feud with The MFT’s (Solo Sikoa, Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa, JC Mateo, and Talla Tonga.) It started off exciting, and the WWE Universe was red-hot for their interactions.
After months of repetitive matches and The MFT’s stealing their lantern, the feud grew tiresome and boring. Even Tama asked Solo why they are still holding onto the lantern, as it was destroying them as a whole. Finally on the SmackDown before Mania, Tama
gave the lantern back to Howdy against Solo’s wishes. Please explain to me why both factions fought almost every single week instead of just having one final blowoff match at WrestleMania.
It should have been either a massive street fight or a falls count anywhere match on the grandest stage of them all. Instead, it turned into a meaningless week-after-week extravaganza that benefited no one. The MFTs won the rivalry, and The Sicks don’t even work for WWE anymore. This was the same criminalized creative process that Wyatt dealt with during his first run in the company.
We’ll never know how much of a dangerous force The Wyatt Sicks could have been in the WWE. For all their careers’ sake, I hope they stay far away from the company for as long as possible. Every superstar that was cut deserves better!
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Opinion
Chris King: Bloodline Saga: Is This the Right Call For WWE?
Chris King questions the WWE’s logic in setting up Jacob Fatu as the next challenger for World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns
Chris King questions the WWE’s logic in setting up Jacob Fatu as the next challenger for World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns
Roman Reigns is once again World Heavyweight Champion after his dominant win over CM Punk at WrestleMania 42. On the following night on Monday Night Raw, The OG Bloodline came back together as a well-oiled machine as The Usos stood side by side with Roman. With the WWE Universe asking who would be the first to challenge “The Tribal Chief,” Jacob Fatu shocked the world by answering the call.
Fatu is running hot after his impressive win over Drew McIntyre and feels like he is ready to become the new world champion. This bloodline segment ended Raw, and it picked right back up on SmackDown with even Solo Sikoa and the MFTs involved. This is now two shows that have been centered around The Bloodline saga, and it’s made me question whether or not WWE should be retelling this story.
The Bloodline (Roman Reigns, The Usos, and Solo Sikoa) ran WWE for over four years as Reigns’ henchmen, doing his dirty work to retain his title. Even though Roman has declared he doesn’t want Jey and Jimmy to serve him, it sure seems like WWE are spinning their wheels. Fatu could add a whole new chapter into the story, even if he’s not able to beat Roman at Backlash. “The Samoan Werewolf” could be forced to do the same thing as Jey did all those years ago and fall in line.
In my opinion, I feel like Fatu should be challenging for the Undisputed WWE Championship because that’s a title I feel like he should win. I understand standing up to your blood and trying to prove you’re the best, but I don’t think this is the right move. It feels like 2022 all over again, as The Bloodline is the central focus on both shows. If Fatu doesn’t win, what happens to all his momentum he’s been building over the last two years?
Why did WWE make this the best choice for storyline purposes? Why couldn’t creative have come up with a different challenger for Roman? There are so many other superstars that could challenge The Tribal Chief, such as Rusev, Bron Breakker, Gunther, or even a returning Sheamus.
I just can’t help but question WWE’s logic here, and it kind of reminds me of all the times The Shield reunited. Could WWE be pushing the same storyline too many times here? Could the WWE Universe get tired of this rinse and repeat cycle of The Bloodline Saga?
Are we about to see all the weekly episodes solely focused on The Bloodline again? Will it be cinema… Yes. Is there still money in The Bloodline… Yes. Was it the right call? That’s to be determined!
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