WWE Championship Tournament Game

[Stennick]

Who is the greatest WWE Champion of all time? I saw a game played elsewhere for the ECW Championship. The guys are seeded by length of reign. There have been 25 champions. I'm not counting any other title but the WWE/F Championship.

Now there have been 25 champions so I used a standard 25 person tournament bracket. That means that not all guys compete in the first round. I will post round 1 in my next post I will include in that who the winners of that round one will play into the second round against if anyone.

I hope I'm being clear and if not please feel free to ask questions I think this could be fun. I'll give voting a reasonable amount of time. Once it looks like the round or particular match up has been decided we'll move on.

This is a discussion/tournament on the greatest CHAMPION ever. You may feel Eddie Guerrero is the greatest wrestler of all time but was he the greatest WWE champion of all time? Your criteria is your own. PPV buyrates, Merchandise, television ratings, personal reasons, days as champion, impact as chamipon. Whatever criteria you want to use to determine who in your eyes was the greatest WWE Champion ever

Remember I seeded this entirely by days as champion so some guys have tough match ups while others skate by fairly easy in the first round. In my next post I'll post the first round brackets.

UPDATE

We are in the Second Round of voting. I am doing this entirely by polls it saves a lot of time. Click the links and it will take you to the poll.

WWE Championship Tournament Round 2

Round 2: Match 1: Bruno Sammartino vs. The Ultimate Warrior
The longest reigning champion in World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment History takes on a man that seemed to be the heir to Hulk Hogan's throne before either politicking or some sort of mental break down caused his reign on top to end abruptly. Will fans remember the legendary feud The Ultimate Warrior had with Hulk Hogan? Or will Bruno's outstanding success as champion be enough to overpower The Ultimate Warrior?

Round 2: Match 2: "Macho Man" Randy Savage vs. "Stone Cold" Steve Austin
Some might say the Macho Man was the 1980's Stone Cold. He said and did outlandish things outside of the ring and inside the ring he was as unpredictable as the rattlesnake himself. He won two championships at Wrestlemania 4 and 8 by winning a tournament and then defeating Ric Flair. Stone Cold's history has been told a thousand times. He drug the WWE from near bankruptcy with his McMahon vs. Austin storyline. Although he never held the championship for too long he gained several reigns before injuries took over his career the last few years. Will fans remember Randy's championship tournament win, will they remember his year long feud with Hulk Hogan that resulting in Randy turning and facing Hogan at Wrestlemania Five? Will fans remember his year long feud with the other wrestling immortal Ric Flair that resulted in him winning the championship? With Randy being involved in two of the greatest WWE Title feuds in history with two of the greatest performers in history his name is certainly in the running but can it stop Stone Cold Steve Austin?


Round 2: Match 3: "The Viper" Randy Orton vs. "You Can't See Him" John Cena
Both of these men come from the same "generation" and everyone should know their stories and their merits as champions. No need to rehash it. Will fans recognize John Cena for his lengths and success as champion? Or will fans consider Randy Orton to be this generations premiere champion?

Round 2: Match 4: "The Deadman" The Undertaker vs. Pedro Morales
Although many people might look at the Undertaker and assume this is a lock for him to win consider this. The Undertaker has never held the championship very long and has never truly had a memorable feud as world champion. The Deadman has always played "second main event". The Deadman is a four time WWE Champion for a combined 234 days. Being the attraction that didn't need the championship storyline. Pedro on the other hand is the fourth longest reigning champion with 1,027 days as champion he's only behind Bruno, Hulk, and Bob Backland. Pedro's length as champion is five times that of the Deadman and with only one reign. Will The Deadman's four short reigns be enough to topple the forgotten champion of the 70's? Or will Pedro's impressive length and success before mainstream wrestling be enough to keep him in the tournament?

Round 2: Match 5: The Rock vs. Bob Backland
The Rock is one of the most memorable performers of all time and he's a seven time WWE Champion. However the Rock has only held the championship for a combined 297 days throughout those reigns. There is no doubt The Rock is a great peformer and one of the greatest of all time but is he truly a greater World Champion than Bob Backland who is third all time in total days as champion having over 2138 days as champion over two reigns. Bob's reign lengths are over seven times that of The Great One. Will younger fans vote for the Great One? Or will the old guard be able to keep one of the most successful champions of all time in the running?

Round 2: Match 6: "The Excellence of Execution" Bret Hart vs. "Latino Heat" Eddie Guerrero
Bret Hart was champion when the WWE was at its darkest points. He went on to have many memorable WWE Title feuds with Diesel, Shawn Michels, The Undertaker and other huge WWE names. His 5 reigns got him over 650 days as champion. Eddie had feuds with JBL and Kurt Angle as champion before it quickly ended after just 133 days as champion. With Bret being champion at a less than great and memorable time while Eddie's reign was short it could become an interesting match up for who the better champion was.

Round 2: Match 7: "The Game" Triple H vs. "The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels
In what is sure to be one of the closer polls on the board you almost have master and student. Shawn Michaels only had three WWE Championship reigns that lasted just over 300 days. He was champion in a time where business was down and his most memorable WWE Championship feud may be those with Bret Hart. With Shawn being involved in two of the most memorable WWE Title matches in history will that be enough? Or will Triple H who nobody can deny was the biggest heel on the planet at wrestling's biggest time. Steve Austin, The Rock, Mic Foley, The Undertaker, he pinned the worlds biggest babyfaces not only during wrestling's biggest boom period but he did it on the biggest stage of all at Wrestlemania. In latter years he would suffer severe internet backlash for his extended reigns as "world heavyweight" champion however that championship and its merits are not tied into what he did as WWE Champion during 1999 and beyond.

Round 2: Match 8: "The Hulkster" Hulk Hogan vs. "Your Olympic Hero" Kurt Angle
A contrast of styles to say the least. Kurt Angle rose from wrestling Shawn Stasiak to World Champion in near record time. In wrestling's biggest boom period Kurt Angle was right beside Triple H, Undertaker, The Rock, Austin, Foley and other huge names. His four reigns lasted 297 days and will those days be enough to topple the man that arguablly paved the way for Kurt Angle to be champion?