I've got some BAD NEWS...

[FreshAIG]

The real linear champion is Wade Barrett

http://www.voicesofwrestling.com/2014/03/12/who-is-the-reigning-linear-wwe-champion/

Jason Felix+Posted By on Mar 12
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I hate non-title matches. Despise is actually a more accurate word. I know I’m not the only one who hates them. So I asked this question: What would happen in the professional wrestling world if non-title matches did not exist? What would happen if every time a Champion stepped into the ring in a one on one match, the WWE Championship was on the line? I sought to find out what would happen if that was the case.
The idea to try to figure this out is from the Review a Raw podcast (LiveAudioWrestling.com). John Pollock and Wai Ting for a time were keeping track of the Review A Raw United States Champion because of a non-title match. That’s when I first started thinking about it and finally decided to take the time to try to figure out who the true champion of the WWE is.
Here’s the criteria I used:

1. WWE Title could only change hands in singles (i.e. one on one) matches (more on that in a second)
2. WWE Title can not be lost by countout or disqualification (keeping with the traditional rules of pro wrestling)
3. WWE Title could be lost by pinfall, submission, or by a match stipulation.
4. WWE Title could be lost by Referee Stoppage
5. WWE Title could not be lost in an Multiple Man (Triple Threat, Elimination Chamber, etc) or Tag Team Match
6. WWE Title must be defended (i.e. wrestle a one on one match) every 365 days.
7. The Linear WWE Title is not bound to the WWE. If the champion loses anywhere (Japan, another territory, etc.), they lose the Linear Title

The Multi-Man Match Conundrum: Triple Threat matches are the worst thing that happened to pro wrestling. A stipulation where a champion can lose the title without being beaten is beyond ridiculous. So, I decided to not count any multi-man matches (Triple Threat, Fatal-Four Way, Elimination Chambers, etc.) Any match that involves more than one opponent opens the champion to a degree of luck to retain the title. HOWEVER, I understand that I may be wrong in my thoughts, so if you want to see what the Linear Champion would be if those matches were included, please click HERE.
Inactivity/Retirement on Lineage: This was the toughest part of this project. What happens if someone wins the Linear Title and then becomes inactive, retires, or dies? As I progressed through the project, on two occasions the retirements happened and one time where the champion just didn’t wrestle for a very long time. I decided that if you were the linear champion, you had to defend the title within 1 year of winning it (i.e. a singles match.) I put such a long window allowing a title defense because I really wanted the lineage to stay as pure as possible. If the champion failed to defend within that one year window, the Linear title would go to whoever the active WWE champion was at that time. If you want to see the pure lineage (i.e. ignores any defense window), please click HERE. (Please note that this link only shows a very limited part of the title history, as so much of it is a duplicate of this one)

 

[FreshAIG]

I present to you the current WWE Linear Championship History:
1. Buddy Rogers – 1963
(This is the start of the WWE lineage based on Vince McMahon Sr. and the WWWF breaking away from the NWA. Rogers was recognized as the first champion)
2. Bruno Sammartino – 5/17/63
3. Gorilla Monsoon – 10/4/63
(Monsoon defeated Sammartino via Referee Stoppage due to an eye injury suffered by Sammartino.)
4. Bruno Sammartino (2) – 6/6/64
(Wins a Best of Three Falls Match – 2 Falls to 1)
5. Fred Blassie – 8/24/64
(Wins a Best of Three Falls Match by TKO – Sammartino won Fall #1, but couldn’t finish the match after being inadvertently hit in the groin on a leap frog.)
6. Bruno Sammartino (3) – 11/10/64
7. Professor Toru Tanaka – 5/1/67
(Sammartino’s leg was under the bottom rope. WWWF disallowed the title change. Since match was never restarted, this results in a linear title change)
8. Bruno Sammartino (4) – 7/8/67
9. Professor Toru Tanaka (2) – 9/30/67
(Tanaka won on a “illegal pinfall.” WWWF disallowed the title change. Since the match was never restarted, this results in a linear title change.)
10. Bruno Sammartino (5) – 10/2/67
11. Giant Baba – 8/7/68
(Baba won a Best of Three Falls Match 2 Falls to 1.)
(Records from Japan were…spotty to say the best for this time period. Not many matches from Baba were recorded in the cagematch.net Database. Honestly, I do not considering impossible that he didn’t lose a singles match for 2-1/2 years in Japan, so I think this should be accurate.)
12. Gene Kiniski – 12/3/70
13. Giant Baba (2) – 12/19/70
14. Jack Brisco – 12/9/74
(Brisco won a Best of Three Falls Match 2 Falls to 1. )
15. Terry Funk – 12/15/75
16. Harley Race – 6/29/77
17. Giant Baba (3) – 1/18/78
(Won a Best of Three Falls match 2 Falls to 1)
18. Kintaro Oki – 4/1/78
(Oki wrestled a singles match on 12/11/79, but did not wrestle one for another year. On 12/11/80, Linear Belt goes to WWF Champion Bob Backlund.)
19. Bob Backlund – 12/11/1980
20. Adrian Adonis – 1/18/1982
(Won by referee stoppage)
21. Bob Backlund (2) – 2/15/1982
(Won a Texas Death Match)
22. Don Muraco – 2/12/1983
(Won by TKO)
23. Bob Backlund (3) – 3/2/1983
24. Iron Sheik – 12/26/1983
25. Hulk Hogan – 1/23/1984
26. Andre the Giant – 2/5/1988 – The Main Event
27. Hulk Hogan (2) – 7/31/1988 – WrestleFest 1988
(Won a Steel Cage Match)
28. Ultimate Warrior – 4/1/1990 – Wrestlemania VI
29. Sgt. Slaughter – 1/19/1991 – Royal Rumble 1991
30. Ultimate Warrior (2) – 3/17/1991
(Won a Steel Cage Match)
(Warrior loses Linear Title 4/27/1994, as his final defense was 4/27/1993 against Hercules)
31. Bret Hart – 4/27/1994
(Awarded – Warrior did not defend for one year – Hart was the reigning WWF Champion)
32. Bob Backlund (4) - 11/23/1994 – Survivor Series
(Won in a Submission Match via Corner Stoppage)
33. Diesel – 11/26/1994 – House Show
34. Bret Hart (2) – 11/19/1995 – Survivor Series
(Won a No Holds Barred Match)
35. Shawn Michaels – 3/31/1996 – WrestleMania XII
(Won an Iron Man Match 1 Fall to 0 in Overtime)
36. Sid Vicious – 11/17/1996 – Survivor Series
37. Shawn Michaels (2) – 1/19/1997 – Royal Rumble
38. Triple H – 12/11/97 – Monday Night Raw
39. Undertaker – 12/11/97 – After Raw Dark Match
(Won a Casket Match)
40. Shawn Michaels (3) – 1/18/1998 – Royal Rumble
(Won a Casket Match)
41. Steve Austin – 3/29/1998 - Wrestlemania XIV
42. Kane – 6/28/1998 – King of the Ring
(Won a First Blood Match)
43. Steve Austin (2) – 6/29/1998 – Monday Night Raw
44. Mankind – 11/15/1998 – Survivor Series
(Defeats Austin in the Semi-Finals of the WWF Title Tournament)
45. The Rock – 11/15/1998 – Survivor Series
(Defeats Mankind in the Finals of the WWF Title Tournament)
46. Mankind (2) – 12/29/1998 – Monday Night Raw
(Won a No Disqualifications Match)
47. The Rock (2) – 1/24/1999 – Royal Rumble
(Won an “I Quit” Match)
48. Mankind (3) – 1/26/1999 – Halftime Heat
(Won an Empty Arena Match)
49. The Rock (3) – 2/15/1999 – Monday Night Raw
(Won a Ladder Match)
50. Steve Austin (3) – 3/28/1999 – Wrestlemania XV
51. Undertaker – 5/23/1999 – Over the Edge
52. Steve Austin (4) – 6/28/1999 – Monday Night Raw
53. Triple H (2) – 10/17/1999 – No Mercy
54. Big Show – 11/20/1999 – House Show
55. Triple H (3) – 1/3/2000 – Monday Night Raw
56. The Godfather – 3/14/2000 – Smackdown
57. The Big Show (2) – 4/4/2000 – Smackdown
58. Triple H (4) – 4/22/2000 – House Show
59. The Rock (4) – 4/30/2000 – Backlash
60. Chris Benoit – 5/15/2000 – Monday Night Raw
(Won a Submission Match)
61. Rikishi – 6/19/2000 – Monday Night Raw
62. Kurt Angle – 6/25/2000 – King of the Ring
(King of the Ring Finals)
63. Kane (2) – 7/11/2000 – Smackdown
64. The Rock (5) – 8/28/2000 – Monday Night Raw
65. Undertaker (2) – 9/18/2000 - House Show
66. Kurt Angle (2) – 11/19/2000 – Survivor Series
67. The Rock (6) – 2/25/2001 – No Way Out
68. Steve Austin (5) – 4/1/2001 – Wrestlemania XVII
69. Rob Van Dam – 9/4/2001 – Tuesday Smackdown
70. Kurt Angle (3) – 9/10/2001 – Monday Night Raw
(Hardcore Match)
71. Rob Van Dam (2) – 10/2/2001 – Smackdown
72. Chris Jericho – 10/9/2001 – Smackdown
73. The Rock (7) – 11/5/2001 – Monday Night Raw
74. Chris Jericho (2) – 12/9/2001 – Vengeance
75. Triple H (5) – 3/17/2002 – Wrestlemania XVIII
76. Hulk Hogan (3) – 4/21/2002 – Backlash
77. Undertaker (3) – 5/19/2002 – Judgment Day
78. Kurt Angle (4) – 6/18/2002 – Smackdown
79. Rikishi (2) – 6/22/2002 – House Show
80. Lance Storm – 7/2/2002 – Smackdown
81. Booker T – 8/12/2002 – WWE Raw
82. The Big Show (3) – 10/13/2002 – House Show
83. Brock Lesnar – 11/3/2002 – House Show
84. The Big Show (4) – 11/17/2002 – Survivor Series
85. Kurt Angle (5) – 12/15/2002 – Armageddon
86. Brock Lesnar (2) – 3/30/2003 – Wrestlemania XIX
87. Kurt Angle (6) – 8/2/2003 – House Show
88. Brock Lesnar (3) – 9/16/2003 – Smackdown
(Won an Iron Man Match 5 Falls to 4)
89. Eddie Guerraro – 2/15/2004 – No Way Out
90. D-Von Dudley – 4/20/2004 – Smackdown
91. Rob Van Dam – 7/3/2004 – House Show
92. Luther Reigns – 7/17/2004 – House Show
93. John Cena – 7/20/2004 – Smackdown
94. John Bradshaw Layfield – 7/25/2004 – House Show
95. John Cena (2) – 3/12/2005 – House Show
96. Kurt Angle (7) – 10/24/2005 – Monday Night Raw
97. John Cena (3) – 10/27/2005 – House Show
98. Kurt Angle (8) – 1/2/2006 – Monday Night Raw
99. Shawn Michaels (4) – 1/16/2006 – Monday Night Raw
100. Shane McMahon – 3/6/2006 – Monday Night Raw
101. Bobby Lashley – 5/21/2007 – Monday Night Raw
102. John Cena (4) – 7/22/2007 – Great American Bash
103. Carlito – 7/30/2007 – Monday Night Raw
104. John Cena (5) – 8/13/2007 – Saturday Night’s Main Event
105. Randy Orton – 5/12/2008 – Monday Night Raw
106. Triple H (6) – 5/18/2008 – Judgment Day
(Won a Steel Cage Match)
107. Jeff Hardy – 11/11/2008 – Smackdown
108. Chris Jericho (3) – 12/8/2008 – Monday Night Raw
109. John Cena (6) – 12/13/2008 – House Show
110. Shawn Michaels (5) – 1/12/2009 – Monday Night Raw
111. John Cena (7) – 1/26/2009 – Monday Night Raw
112. Big Show (5) – 2/17/2009 – Smackdown
113. Triple H (7) – 2/20/2009 – House Show
114. Randy Orton (2) – 4/20/2009 – Monday Night Raw
(Won a No Disqualifications Match)
115. Triple H (7) – 4/21/2009 – Smackdown Dark Match
(Won a Steel Cage Match)
116. Randy Orton (3) – 6/28/2009 – The Bash
(Won a Best of Three Falls Match 2 Falls to 1)
117. John Cena (8) – 9/13/2009 – Breaking Point
(Won an “I Quit” Match)
118. Randy Orton (4) – 10/4/2009 – Hell in a Cell
(Won a Hell in a Cell Match)
119. John Cena (9) – 10/25/2009 – Bragging Rights
(Won a 60 Minute Iron Man Falls Count Anywhere Match 6 Falls to 5)
120. Shaemus – 12/13/2009 – TLC
(Won a Tables Match)
121. Triple H (8) – 3/28/10 – Wrestlemanai XXVI
122. Shaemus (2) – 4/25/2010 – Extreme Rules
(Won a Street Fight)
123. John Cena (10) – 6/11/2010 – House Show
124. Shaemus (3) – 6/27/2010 – House Show
(Won a Steel Cage Match)
125. Randy Orton (5) – 9/20/2010 – Raw Dark Match
126. The Miz – 11/22/2010 – Monday Night Raw
127. Edge – 1/31/2011 – Monday Night Raw
(Loses title on 4/5/2012, as final defense was on 4/5/2011)
128. CM Punk – 4/5/2012
(AWARDED – Was Reigning WWE Champion on 4/5/2012)
129. Daniel Bryan – 5/28/2012 – Monday Night Raw
130. CM Punk (2) – 6/1/2012 – House Show
(Won a No Disqualifications Match)
131. Kane (2) – 6/4/2012 – Monday Night Raw
132. Shaemus (4) – 6/5/2012 – Smackdown
133. CM Punk (3) – 10/2/2012 – WWE Main Event
134. John Cena (11) – 11/12/2012 – Monday Night Raw
135. Dolph Ziggler – 12/16/2012 – WWE TLC
(Wins a TLC Match)
136. John Cena (12) – 12/26/2012 – House Show
137. Daniel Bryan (2) – 8/18/2013 – Summerslam
138. Randy Orton (6) – 8/18/2013 – Summerslam
139. Daniel Bryan (3) – 9/15/2013 – Night of Champions
140. Randy Orton (7) – 10/27/2013 – Hell in a Cell
(Won a Hell in a Cell Match)
141. Kofi Kingston – 1/13/2014 – Monday Night Raw
142. Alberto Del Rio – 1/27/2014 – Monday Night Raw
143. Dave Batista – 2/16/2014 – House Show
144. Alberto Del Rio (2) – 2/24/2014 – Monday Night Raw
145. Sin Cara – 2/28/2014 – House Show
146. Bad News Barrett – 3/8/2014 – House Show
————-

 

[Riley Escobar]

 

[Sypress]

So if you look at it like this, TSC was not wrong about Barrett being next

 

[Ed MOTHEREFFING G]

Wow

Bad News Barrett* is the man...

 

[Ed MOTHEREFFING G]

and lets be real

140. Randy Orton (7) – 10/27/2013 – Hell in a Cell
(Won a Hell in a Cell Match)
141. Kofi Kingston – 1/13/2014 – Monday Night Raw
142. Alberto Del Rio – 1/27/2014 – Monday Night Raw
143. Dave Batista – 2/16/2014 – House Show
144. Alberto Del Rio (2) – 2/24/2014 – Monday Night Raw
145. Sin Cara – 2/28/2014 – House Show
146. Bad News Barrett – 3/8/2014 – House Show
this is all kinds of messed up

 

[DaylitoJames]

See this type of shyt shouldn't be thought about if champions were booked correctly. Randy Orton should have never took a loss of any kind since he won the WWE Title from D-bry at SummerSlam last year, but instead they got him losing cleanly in one on one matches and tag team matches creating a flashpoint paradox of fukkery ... best for business yall say.

 

[Ed MOTHEREFFING G]

See this type of shyt shouldn't be thought about if champions were booked correctly. Randy Orton should have never took a loss of any kind since he won the WWE Title from D-bry at SummerSlam last year, but instead they got him losing cleanly in one on one matches and tag team matches creating a flashpoint paradox of fukkery ... best for business yall say.

so they should've HHH reign of terror booked him? And killed the midcard? And not promoted Cesaro? And not hooked daniel bryan fans along for months leading to wrestlemania (PROOF that it worked)????

he should've just beat people clean?

 

[Doctor Wily]

That 3 month D Von Dudley run

 

[DaylitoJames]

so they should've HHH reign of terror booked him? And killed the midcard? And not promoted Cesaro? And not hooked daniel bryan fans along for months leading to wrestlemania (PROOF that it worked)????

he should've just beat people clean?

Other than Cesaro, Orton shouldn't be booked like a chump is all I say. All I want is a dominate heel champion so when he loses that payoff will feel credible. As it stands seeing Orton lose now like I've seen him lose multiple times in the past couple of months is to me now.

 

[FreshAIG]

Yeah I feel like there would be a balance. Him losing to Cesaro was dope but losing to Kofi was fukkery

 

[ADK]

Am I the only one lost, I tried skimming over this because it's too long

 

[Pinyapplesuckas]

Wow

Bad News Barrett* is the man...

BNB finally got his asterisk

 

[Ed MOTHEREFFING G]

Other than Cesaro, Orton shouldn't be booked like a chump is all I say. All I want is a dominate heel champion so when he loses that payoff will feel credible. As it stands seeing Orton lose now like I've seen him lose multiple times in the past couple of months is to me now.

Yeah I feel like there would be a balance. Him losing to Cesaro was dope but losing to Kofi was fukkery

that was some garbage agreed.

 

[Ed MOTHEREFFING G]

Greatest reigns in that list:

100. Shane McMahon – 3/6/2006 – Monday Night Raw
101. Bobby Lashley – 5/21/2007 – Monday Night Raw
Shane O'Mac was champ for over a year

92. Luther Reigns – 7/17/2004 – House Show
93. John Cena – 7/20/2004 – Smackdown