Due to a last minute hip injury Curtis Axel did not defend his Intercontinental Championship against Big E. Langston at the Hell in a Cell Kickoff.
This turned out to be a blessing in disguise as Langston wound up in an exciting clash with Dean Ambrose for the United States Championship at the actual event later that night. Instead Damien Sandow and Kofi Kingston put together a decent match to fill the pre-show void.
The Intercontinental Championship has lost so much prestige over the last few years (although not nearly as much as the World Heavyweight Championship) that it has come to being possibly the worst Championship on the roster. It is hardly ever defended at a pay-per view and when it is it usually winds up on the pre-show (aka Kickoff).
No WWE championship should ever be relegated to a pre-show defense. It is a travesty to its prestige.
Pre-shows are for grudge matches, last minute additions, number one contender ship matches and anything that does NOT include a cornerstone of a company up for grabs-for free.
If something is supposed to be of prestige, why would anyone care about it if it would be given away for free when a match with NOTHING on the line is for sale? Wouldn’t that de-value said item’s worth?
Sadly sometimes logic is just never used. Especially in the world of professional wrestling.
However, if the WWE wants to give title defenses away for free, there may be a three letter solution.
NXT.
NXT is the program for WWE’s developmental roster. Aired for free on HULU every Thursday, this show consists of future WWE superstars carving out their own niches in the company.
Since NXT is given away for free anyway, why not promote value and awareness to that brand by putting their title defenses on the Kickoff?
Most fans of WWE do not watch NXT. This would not only give people something new and exciting to see but it would help promote the stars of tomorrow as well.
It would also give the current NXT viewers other reasons to watch the Kickoff matches.
It’s a fresh idea that would work for everyone and give people an idea of who will be called up to the main roster.
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