This is not the first time that the up and comer has been set up to take a fall. Seriously, it has been fast, and it sucks to see things happen the way they do.
Aside from the main contenders that you know are going to chase the title and not win, setting up the up and comer, fan favorite for a title shot and then losing is a bad example of booking....or is it?
Jeff hardy is in line for a title shot, he pinned the champion last night on Raw.
Will he win at the Royal Rumble?
No.
When has this happened in the past?
let's see.....
Shawn Michaels Survivor Series 92 - Shawn Michaels was beginning to get some major cheers back when he was the Intercontinental champion and he was set up for a major push, so much so that he hand Bret Hart battled it out for the World Title! Michaels didn't win, but he was an up and comer and was ready and hungry for the belt. He wouldn't win that title until four years later in a classic Iron Man Match up.
Sting & Lex Luger Circa 1996 - You might not remember this but in 1996 for a few months straight no one could beat the World Champion "The Giant" in Wcw. So they set up contenders that were up and coming as singles wrestlers in WCW to take on the big man, only to go down in some main event matches. Sure Sting and Luger had careers as solo wrestlers, but in 1996 they were a tag team chasing the titles and this caused some controversy within their own team.
Stunning Steve Austin 1993 - Steve Austin left the Hollywood Blondes and was making a name for himself as a singles wrestler, even gaining the upper hand and winning the U.S title at one point. However, when moving him to the main event cards (such as Spring Stampede) where he battled the likes of Ricky Steamboat and others, he just didn't make waves and didn't win. They pushed him hard only to be fire a few months later. He would go on to be huge.
The Ultimate Warrior Circa 1998 - What ended up being the laughing stock of Halloween Havoc 1998 was the Warrior and his match up with Hulk Hogan. The much anticipated match drew flies and the match was horrible, horrible! I can't believe they would try to out due the Wrestlemania VI classic. There's no point in watching that match.
Diamond Dallas Page October 1998 - After lengthy feuds with Randy Macho Man Savage, Raven, and others, DDP was ready for the big time and ready for the main event. His match with Bill Goldberg would be a classic and hard fought battle for both men, and what transpired was DDP not winning, although being billed as the man that could stop Goldberg. He didn't win the title.
The Undertaker January 1996 - The Undertaker hadn't received a title shot in 5 years, but he was a fan favorite and the crowds bought into his gimmick with so much dedication that Undertaker would sometimes get sole credit for the box covers back in the vhs rental era. He finally got his shot at the belt at Royal Rumble 96' against Bret Hart. He went on to lose via dq thanks to Diesel, and would come back to screw Diesel over the next month. However, Taker didn't get the title until March 1997, defeating Psycho Sid.
Owen Hart August 1994 - All year Owen Hart had been antagonizing his brother Bret. Claiming that his brother was in the spotlight. Owen defeated Bret at Wrestlemania X (10) clean, and then went on to challenge his brother in a Steel Cage match at Summerslam. Owen was being pushed hard to get a title run...it never happened. It will now never happen.
Rob Van Dam - Did you know that for a while there Rob Van Dam was in the main events? That's right, he was being pushed as a title contender at one point. The big match that I remember him in was the big feud with Stone Cold and Kurt Angle. Who would RVD splash? The three settled it in a triple threat match for the Gold, and while RVD never got the strap, he was being pushed as a serious main eventer...only to be left in midcard hell and later he would let his contract expire and take some time off.
You see, wrestling has a lot of set ups and falls. A lot of fan favorites get pushed hard at first to see if they can handle the pressure, and see if they can become charismatic. Jeff Hardy is being pushed hard right now, but unless he can prove himself on the mic, I don't see the WWE giving him a seriously Title run, or even giving him a close chance in the match.
But never say never, you might see a Jeff Hardy title reign, but I would highly doubt it.
Will Matt Hardy become the Owen Hart of the Hardy brothers? Will he go one to mid-card greatness and eventually set up a main event? Or will Jeff Hardy's push create another Rise and Fall, Flash in the Pan main event title position?
More importantly, if Wrestling falls into cycles like all other entertainment, are we simply seeing another transition in the Title History? There is no way Jeff Hardy is going over Orton, but then again, he went over HHH.
But this could be just a momentary lapse in judgment on the part of WWE because they are setting up some feuds for the new year...and Jeff hardy is still the Intercontinental Champion.
Remember when the IC Title meant you automatically got a title shot?
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