The WWE brand split would not have been relevant without separate Championships on each show. WWE did the right thing by introducing a primary title, a secondary title, a women's’ title and tag team titles on both Raw and SmackDown after the recent roster-split.
While the United States and Intercontinental titles were already active in the company during the time, the rich lineage that both those titles enjoy doesn’t translate to several other Championships on either brand.
The name of Raw’s primary title – the WWE Universal Championship – immediately became the butt of jokes upon its introduction. But even more than the name, it was a lack of ingenuity in the design of the belt that made serious followers of wrestling angry.
Also read: 10 Ugliest Championship belts in the history of wrestling
Basically being a different coloured version of the relatively recently introduced WWE World Heavyweight title, the belt seemed to be devoid of any attempt at creating an actual separation between the two world titles.
Throw in the SmackDown Women’s and Tag team titles – which seem like the original Raw titles dipped in blue paint – and you get the picture. When WWE was running around with the World and WWE tag team titles, at least each had individuality.
But besides what we have now, have there been any other Championships in the long history of the WWE that were utterly pointless? Read on.
#1 WWF Canadian Championship
The European Championship wasn’t the first title introduced by the WWE to cater to the fans outside the United States – there was the short-lived WWF Canadian Championship to entice the fans north of the border.
Upon taking over the Montreal-based International Wrestling promotion, WWE re-introduced that promotion’s chief draw Dino Bravo to the WWF roster in 1985. A former WWF tag team champion, Bravo was billed as the inaugural WWF Canadian Champion at WWE shows. He would defend the title in Canadian cities during Raw,
The title lasted for just about five months – When Bravo left the promotion, WWF abandoned the title without any fanfare.
#2 WWF Intercontinental tag team Championship
Universal Pro Wrestling or UWF was a Japan based Lucha Libre promotion that ran from 1990 to 1995. The first ever Japanese promotion to be based around the Mexican Lucha Libre, the UWF had a working relationship with the WWF during the former’s initial days.
Also read: WWE News: WWE Universal Championship belt design booed
This led to the formation of the WWF Intercontinental tag team titles, a subsidiary to the WWF tag team titles The titles were awarded to Perro Aguayo and Gran Hamada in January of 1991, but by July, the WWE had severed its relationship with the UWF and the WWF Intercontinental titles were quietly abandoned.
The UWF would struggle on till 1995 when the promotion folded after top stars like Ultimo Dragon, Taka Michinoku and Gedo decided to leave. Future WWE/WCW/ECW stars such as X-Pac and Jerry Lynn were part of the UWF before its demise.
#3 WWF Women’s tag team Championship
At least this title has a history of over six months – In fact, the WWF Women’s tag team titles graced the company for a period of 6 whole years!
The titles were created when the NWA Women’s tag team champions Velvet McIntyre and Princess Victoria came over to the WWF in 1983.
Having withdrawn from the NWA fold, the WWF recognised the duo as the first ever WWF Women’s tag team champions. McIntyre and Victoria held the titles for 574 days until the latter was forced to retire from the ring due to injury.
McIntyre continued her reign with Desiree Peterson for another 237 days before losing the title in Cairo, Egypt to the Glamour Girls who would proceed to have a 906-day reign with the belts.
The titles were abandoned in 1989.
#4 Million-Dollar Championship
The Million – Dollar Championship saga in the WWE is the perfect example of what started out as a promising story line getting extended much longer than it should have.
The Championship was introduced as a way to develop the character of Ted Dibiase. Frustrated at not being able to beat Randy Savage for the WWF Championship, Dibiase created his own Championship in 1988.
Very rarely was a Championship match held and the title was used to extend Dibiase’s feud with Jake Roberts instead. The one time the title was actually defended, Dibiase lost it to his former bodyguard Virgil. Dibiase would eventually regain the belt and later discard it after winning the tag team titles with I.R.S.
Dibiase would later award the Million Dollar belt to multiple people including Stone Cold Steve Austin and Ted Dibiase,Jr. The title would be stolen multiple times as well and would eventually be rejected by Ted Dibiase,Jr. It hasn’t been mentioned on WWE TV since.
#5 WWF World Martial Arts Heavyweight Championship
Created by Vincent J McMahon in 1978, the WWF World Martial Arts Heavyweight Championship was awarded to Japanese superstar Antonio Inoki upon Inoki’s arrival in the WWF at a House show. The matches were billed as shoot wrestling matches and Inoki held the title for over ten years.
It was recognised by both the WWF and NJPW till 1985 until NJPW became unaffiliated with the WWF.
Inoki continued to hold the belt until April of 1989 before losing it via knock-out to Soviet Olympic Judo Champion Shota Chochishvilla in an MMA match. Inoki would regain it a month later and NJPW would abandon the title in December of the same year.
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