As WWE continues to find a balance between mainstream entertainment and the original product from which it evolved, it appears that an overdue change is coming to the WWE Title.
CM Punk announced this weekend at Philadelphia's Comic Con that the WWE have already produced a redesigned WWE Title Belt.
The title itself, which is currently nicknamed the "spinner belt," was introduced to wrestling fans by current face of the company, John Cena. Cena's original gimmick was that of a rapper with watered-down urban flair. The overdone glitz and tacky glamour of the belt fit both his character and the direction that WWE was looking to move towards.
While the centerpiece of the belt no longer actually spins, the physical title itself does not resemble a legitimate sports trophy. Being as WWE's wanted to be perceived as both larger than life and strictly entertainment (the desire to be viewed as a pseudo-sport has all but vanished), the belt is adequate. However, recent rating drops have prodded management to develop a fair mixture between the product of the future and the edgier product of the past.
What was once the lone top accolade that a WWE wrestler could obtain, the WWE Title is no longer the only top trophy in the company.
The World Heavyweight Title (formerly the WCW Title), was first defended in WWE after the acquisition of World Championship Wrestling. At the time, WWE divided its roster into two separate groups for Raw and Smackdown! programming. Members of each roster could only appear on their respective shows. Both major titles took turns headlining the two rosters.
Technically, the roster designations still exist but WWE has allowed most stars to appear on both programs for the past year. The lack of two distinct groups of wrestlers has called the need for two titles into question, but at this time it is not likely that WWE will opt to unify them. Those close to the organization feel that having two champions gives them more leeway when booking wrestlers for non-televised live events.
Even with the ambiguity as to what the top title may be, the time had come for the company to restore a more traditional look to their flagship trophy. John Cena is no longer a perpetual champion, and the belt he introduced to the fan base is no longer necessary.
There is no set timetable for the reveal of the new belt, but one might expect it to be unveiled in late July during the 1,000th episode of Monday Night Raw.
The new WWE Title will join the Unified Tag Team Titles and the Intercontinental Title as belts that have been redesigned over the past year.
