WWE: Why the Million Dollar Belt Belongs on NXT
By Josh Raibick
The idea of an additional championship in WWE NXT means added value to not just the brand, but the superstars currently in developmental. The Million Dollar Belt would be the perfect acquisition that would elevate the mid-card of the show.
So why is the Million Dollar Belt the best choice? The Million Dollar Belt has been considered one of the most aesthetically pleasing championships ever introduced. On top of the championship’s beauty, it is also easily recognizable and is considered a classic.
The Million Dollar Belt was first introduced after being created at a jeweler in Greenwich, Connecticut in 1989. The creation of the Million Dollar Belt was a direct reaction to a failed offer by Ted DiBiase for the WWE Championship. A move like that is one made by a spoiled and arrogant character. For that reason, the championship could be utilized to elevate heel talent in NXT.
The addition of a title in NXT would be handled by WWE in a familiar way, a tournament. The King of the Ring was a mainstay with the company for a long time, and even though the long-time pay-per-view is no longer an annual event, WWE still loves the tournament format. The buzz around superstars competing for a new championship would give another big reason to tune in on Wednesday nights.
Who should make the announcement? Who should crown the eventual champion?
Yeah, you guessed it “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase. What if DiBiase would reprise his role, and became an active manager with the new champion? The Million Dollar Belt means so much to DiBiase that he cannot just give it to anyone, he must hand pick the winner.
Rarely in NXT do we see interference in big matches to determine the winner, but this would be different. Remember that this championship should be used as an enhancement for heel characters, and DiBiase’s interference should be the deciding factor in the championship match. We can just look back a few years where a similar situation presented itself when The Authority hand picked Seth Rollins to be “the future” of the company.
Plus it would not make sense for a babyface character to be sporting around a championship that is just an excessive amount of gold and diamonds that cost one million dollars. This is for the same reason that the crowd favorites are not shown backstage arriving in a limousine. The best babyfaces should portray humbleness and be someone that fans can relate to. Could you relate to someone with a million dollars in gold and diamond that arrives to work in a limousine?
Another question then becomes, who are the best current candidates from NXT? Off the top of my head, Hideo Itami, Buddy Murphy, Tommaso Ciampa (when he returns), or what about Johnny Gargano?
Wait a second, Johnny Gargano is not a heel. Yes, exactly. What if Johnny Wrestling’s big heel turn was for the Million Dollar Belt? What if DiBiase, a new championship, and the added crowd heat were what put Gargano over the top as the face of NXT?
Now I know the Million Dollar Belt would be referred to as the “Million Dollar Championship” by evidence of this article on WWE.com, and WWE’s stance on calling championships “belts”. That being said, a small change of the name should not cause too much confusion with the fans.
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The point is by bringing back a familiar championship (except this time it will be regularly defended) it gives WWE an added platform to push even more talent at NXT.