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3 WWE Titles That Are Making Their Champions Mean Something
Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

There is a longstanding debate in the wrestling industry about whether the person makes the championship or the title makes the champion. In WWE, with so many championship belts and titleholders, that debate is as healthy as it has ever been. WWE currently has 13 different champions on the main roster, with another six in NXT. Many will argue that's far too many. But WWE has to do it for a reason. Their goal is to give a stacked roster something to compete over and, in many cases, a reason to be relevant.

Taking a look at titles who make the champions, we're looking at three titleholders who might be relevant only because they hold a championship: War Raiders, Iyo Sky, and Bron Breakker.

War Raiders: World Tag Team Champions

Laregly Forgettable If Not For Their Titles

This is not to suggest that the War Raiders don't have incredible matches. They do. However, fans don't get invested in this team until they get in the ring and showcase their talents, which is far too infrequently. Erik and Ivar, were dominant in NXT. When they jumped to the main roster, things didn't go as well for them. Multiple name changes finally led to them being known as The Viking Raiders, and it wasn't until Triple H got a hold of them creatively that they became even remotely interesting. An injury took them off programming for several months and when they returned, the Viking gimmick was gone.

Now known as the War Raiders, they are a mashup of a new style and what made them formidable in NXT. Fans just aren't getting behind the duo. Their in-ring style blends Erik’s raw power with Ivar’s surprising speed, but they haven't had a strong storyline to sink their teeth into.

The Raiders are a great team, but WWE doesn't treat them as such. If it weren't for their holding the championships, one has to wonder if fans would see them on television at all.

Iyo Sky: Women's World Champion

A Great In-Ring Talent Who Needs The Title To Get Her Flowers

Perhaps the best pound-for-pound female performer in WWE, Iyo Sky rarely gets credit for how wildly talented she is. She's perhaps the most underrated superstar in WWE, and WWE finally recognized her abilities when they put the Women's World Title on her last week on Monday Night Raw. Sky defeated Rhea Ripley to win the title.

Not one week later, both Ripley and Bianca Belair -- whom Ripley blamed for her title loss - disrespected Sky by essentially ignoring she was even in the ring during their recent segment. Both pushed Sky out of the conversation until she finally snapped and slapped both women to prove a point. She is the champion and she's not about to be forgetten as Belair and Ripley try to build the program heading into WrestleMania 41. The fact WWE is aware that Sky is the overlooked member of the trio sugges ts they are well aware that she needs to come into a Triple Threat match as the champion to hang with the other two stars on a marquee level.

Bron Breakker - Intercontinental Champion

Doesn't Have A WrestleMania Opponent Yet

A soon-to-be star that is working with Paul Heyman behind the scenes, Bron Breakker is on his way, but he's not a star yet. It's obvious based on the fact no WrestleMania program has been booked (arguably even teased) for Breakker as the Intercontinental Champion. This is a title, that if a big star were holding it would have a match and an opponent set for the biggest premium live event of the year. As it stands now, Breakker holds the belt as a likely placeholder until someone like Sheamus finally wins the one championship that has elluded him.

The Intercontinental Championship has long been seen as a title wrestlers hold before they take a big step and become a huge star. Breakker holding it now feels more like a right of passage than it does someone carrying the title because WWE wants to make the championship more relevant. It's just a matter of time before Breakker moves beyond the belt. It seems like WWE isn't ready to pull the trigger on heavily pushing him in a main event program. They teased it when he lost the title the first time. The company put those plans on hold. He's got the championship again, and it feels like WWE has put the title on Breakker so fans know there are big things in his future.

This article first appeared on The Sportster and was syndicated with permission.

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