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Golden Dreams, Empty Hands
21 Plays1 month ago
Join the Queens this week as they discuss larger than life superstars who never held a world championship.
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Transcript
Introduction & Anniversary Celebration
00:00:00
Speaker
Welcome to Queen's Ring Podcast, where we celebrate the past, the present, and the future of professional wrestling. We're your hosts, Charity and Keri, your go-to duo for life in the squared circle.
00:00:11
Speaker
And on today's episode, we're diving into popular wrestlers who never held a main title in the WWE. So before we dive into the episode today, as you are listening to this episode, we are celebrating our one year of Queen's Ring podcast.
00:00:34
Speaker
More specifically, April 3rd is when we had our one year anniversary. So thank you to all of us listen, who like her stuff, con vibe with us every week. We appreciate it.
Controversial WWE Moments: Gunther vs. Jimmy Uso
00:00:48
Speaker
So, our first headline. Um, F.U. Gunther. Okay. I don't know if some of you saw what he did to Jimmy Uso in front of J's face.
00:01:01
Speaker
Left Jimmy Uso all bloody. Like, what you doing? he He really want to fight. He want to sussle. Yeah, he's definitely a crusty bitch, but...
Charlotte Flair's Return & Personal Journey
00:01:15
Speaker
yeah what the fuck bro yeah that was crazy that was crazy did not expect that show didn't and i know jay better win that's all i got to say and then we have the charlotte flair interview yeah so charlotte did an interview with what's her name sherry sherry shepard yeah she did interview with sherry shepard where she kind talked about her divorce with Andrade and how she felt like she was disappointing everybody and she wasn't living up to who she was both in and outside of the ring, that her return is not really for the fans, it's some more for herself.
00:02:02
Speaker
And there are a lot of comments for that interview. kind of putting two and two together and saying that Andrade, with the child that he has now, cheated on Charlotte Flair when they were engaged and had a child.
00:02:15
Speaker
A secret child. So... Secret child is crazy. um Marrying him afterwards is crazy. Yeah, I was about to say. As soon as he found that out, yeah, nah. What marriage?
00:02:28
Speaker
ah What wedding? like Come on now. Not marrying at all. not marrying you at all So now it's time to get into our episode.
Why Do Some Wrestlers Never Win a Main Title?
00:02:38
Speaker
Yeah, so as we stated, we're talking about larger-than-life wrestlers who never got to hold a main title in the WWE. So despite ah talent, the charisma, and the support of fans, some wrestlers just never seem to wear a heavyweight title.
00:02:56
Speaker
From almost being champions to workhorses and modern stars who deserve to have a run in today's episode, we will be discussing those spectacular superstars.
00:03:07
Speaker
So, does holding a world title define greatness, or can legacy be built in other ways? What causes a popular wrestler to never hold a major title?
00:03:18
Speaker
There are many reasons why a popular wrestler never holds a world title.
Ricky Steamboat: A Career Without a Main Title
00:03:24
Speaker
Backstage relationships and politics can unfortunately play a huge role in determining who gets their hands on the gold.
00:03:31
Speaker
Management doesn't always see a crowd favorite as a world champion. This has been seen and talked about in instances where heu he sho
00:03:43
Speaker
where who shall not be named held back top superstars. All because he had a cookie cutter, want a bread idea about what a champion should look like. Another reason could be timing.
00:03:55
Speaker
If a wrestler is getting over with the crowd, but it coincides with more dominant champions like John Cena, Roman Reigns, etc., they may never get opportunities to even have title matches.
00:04:08
Speaker
Some wrestlers may even be in the wrong era. A gimmick could also be a brick wall. As we said it in an episode before, Goldust was hugely popular with fans.
00:04:19
Speaker
However, his gimmick was thought of as too risky to have him hold a major title. And some wrestlers thrive in other roles, being a part of a tag team, a mid-card superhero, etc.
00:04:33
Speaker
So let's kind of dive into a few of those superstars who deserve to hold a world title. So my first wrestler is Ricky Steamboat. So he was known for being the humble, professional, and incredibly disciplined wrestler. He wasn't like the ordinary wrestlers relying on the flashy gimmicks and extravagant promos to connect with the fans.
00:04:57
Speaker
He was the man that let his work speaks for speak for itself. We can clearly see that he had the stereotypical muscular fit because that man was fit, okay?
00:05:08
Speaker
He had that physique. that they typically look in for wrestlers. Despite his immense popularity and technical brilliance, he never captured the top championship in WWE during his peak years.
00:05:22
Speaker
Steamboat was consistently a fan favorite and delivered some of the most memorable matches in wrestling, particularly his classic bouts against the likes of Ric Flair that we don't like, but and rap Randy Savage.
00:05:36
Speaker
However, his time in the WWF was mostly confined to the midcard and Intercontinental Championship scene. His only singles title reign was the Intercontinental Championship, which he held in 1987. Even with being a prime candidate for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship, Steamboat's lack of a main title run can be contributed to a variety of factors.
00:06:00
Speaker
As said before, it could be timing, and at this time, i say it was, Cause I mentioned Ric Flair and Randy Savage. Those were like the bigger names during his time.
00:06:11
Speaker
And of course we said the man who shall not be names preference for his idea of a larger than life character. And the fact that Steamboat style, which while exceptional didn't align with the larger than life persona that the company was pushing at the time.
00:06:27
Speaker
And Steamboat actually left for a brief time in the late eighties to pursue other opportunity, Other opportunities, which further, I would say, further delayed his chances for ah sustained main event push.
00:06:41
Speaker
And he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009. And I would say, you don't really get inducted into the Hall of Fame if you did if you aren't memorable, if you didn't do anything within the WWE. Oh, that's a lie.
00:06:56
Speaker
Because we have some celebrities. scratch that
00:07:04
Speaker
The unfortunate reality that despite undeniable talent, not every wrestler gets pushed. Well, he was cool, I guess. He was cool, guess.
Cesaro's Unfulfilled Potential
00:07:15
Speaker
Yeah, he was cool.
00:07:16
Speaker
I don't know. wasn't like a, I'm not a big, I just don't care. yeah I mean, that was way back when. Impartial. We didn't do football. Got her.
00:07:28
Speaker
I can't.
00:07:31
Speaker
i
00:07:38
Speaker
well let's talk about cesaro or you know now claudio um in aw but let's talk about his wv presence and career so whether it is in his current role in aw or being cesaro in wwe one thing for sure is that this man can wrestle he sure can
00:08:04
Speaker
In the WWE, he is a prime example of someone who had all the tools to be a world champion, but never did. he is one of the most technically gifted wrestlers of this generation. His strength, precision, and timing is something to marvel at.
00:08:22
Speaker
This led to the fans calling him wrestler's wrestler. Despite the way WWE tried to push him, the fans loved him. even making their own Cesaro section in the crowds.
00:08:34
Speaker
Organically, Cesaro had support at every show, but the promotion never capitalized on it fully. Krusty McMahon famously said in a time...
00:08:50
Speaker
Mm-hmm. famously said and a twenty fourteen interview that cesarro might not connect or might not have the charisma but in reality czarro's dry wi and multilequal promos could have led to something more with the right book but w e loved to use him to elevate others whether it was like in ta teams or midcards he always helped make someone else look good Which, ironically, would not help in his push.
00:09:20
Speaker
WWE never pulled the trigger on Cesaro being world champion, but the fans have always known his worth. And luckily, once he left, another promotion saw that too, and he became two-time Ring of Honor world champion.
00:09:36
Speaker
So... Booyah. Yeah, no, um but I love Cesaro. And I hated that that they used him to elevate others. Like... Hmm? Don't... kind of Y'all didn't see it, but I was looking because I was looking.
00:09:54
Speaker
I'm dead. Okay. Okay, so my second person.
Jake Roberts: Icon Without a Title
00:10:02
Speaker
But my next person is Jake the Snake Roberts.
00:10:07
Speaker
So he's often...
00:10:16
Speaker
Oh my gosh. I need to go to bed.
00:10:23
Speaker
Please. So he is often cited as one of the greatest wrestlers to never win a world championship. And there are several reasons that make an argument.
00:10:35
Speaker
That make an argument. Several of them. That make an argument. Oh my gosh.
00:10:48
Speaker
And there are several reasons that make his story intriguing. Roberts had a tremendous ability on the microphone and created one of the most memorable characters in wrestling history.
00:10:59
Speaker
Quote his name, the snake. Okay. He was a master of psychological storytelling and his matches and his promos were legendary. Despite these strengths, Roberts never captured the top title.
00:11:14
Speaker
And a lot of it boils down to his positioning within a company, his personal struggles, and definitely timing. His role was often that of an antagonist building heat for the top faces of the time, but he was never fully pushed as the top baby face or heel in any way that would elevate him to championship status.
00:11:34
Speaker
In addition, his personal issues, particularly with substance abuse, made it difficult for WWE to fully trust him with the responsibility of being the face of the company.
00:11:45
Speaker
I feel like that's factual. Like, who would want somebody that struggles with that to be the face of WWE? I suppose. I suppose. I suppose.
Scott Hall's Challenges in Achieving a Title
00:12:01
Speaker
Just kidding.
00:12:04
Speaker
My next person that I'm going to talk about is Raze Ramone, aka Scott Hall, aka Raze Ramone, aka Scott Hall. Not only did Scott have the looks of the era, and charisma that hooked you in he was a crowd favorite.
00:12:21
Speaker
Which, as we stated, all of these people are. Yeah. Yeah. A superstar that had a connection with the crowd, his big personality and aura had you believing he was the top guy and that he even held world title.
00:12:37
Speaker
But unfortunately, that was not the case. One of the reasons why I think he never held a world title is because of the era he was in. During the early to mid-90s, WWE's main event scene was already stacked with guys like Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, The Undertaker, Diesel, and And though Hall was always in the mix, he who shall not be named never saw him more than Amid Carter.
00:13:00
Speaker
Another reason is unfortunately he had a not-so-pleasant backstage reputation. His demons were well documented. While his peers loved him, his struggles with addiction may have made higher-ups wary.
00:13:13
Speaker
Hall left WBF for WCW in 1996 and kicked off the NWO angle with Kevin Nash and Krusty Ho. one of the move one of the most influential storylines in wrestling history.
00:13:29
Speaker
But in WCW, titles were often kept in the NWO circle, especially with Hogan hogging the top spot. Hall had the potential, but between the company's direction, timing, and personal battles, it just never lined up.
00:13:44
Speaker
Still, he was a phenomenal and iconic intercontinental champion and still considered a legend to this day. Period. And he is. Why'd you want Push Christy Hogan.
00:13:57
Speaker
don't. Okay, my last person is Roddy Piper.
Roddy Piper: Charisma vs. Title Criteria
00:14:03
Speaker
A beloved Canadian.
00:14:10
Speaker
ah just said that because I've been right by Canada. Beloved Canadian. Rodney Piper earned national fame and became a wrestling legend.
00:14:22
Speaker
His career was filled with iconic moments and he was the WWF Intercontinental Champion and World Tag Team Champion. Piper rarely lost by pinfall, yet somehow never captured the top titles.
00:14:36
Speaker
One reason for this was his era. He was active during Hulk Hogan's peak and Hogan consistently stole that spotlight as Keri also had somebody else that was um a victim.
00:14:49
Speaker
Are we all victims of Hulk Hogan? We sure are.
00:14:56
Speaker
I believe what WWF was looking for at that time didn't quite at all align with Roddy's personality or physique. As we discussed in a previous episode, sub-stars struggle with balancing both in-ring and my skills.
00:15:12
Speaker
In Roddy's case, He excelled on the microphone with a bad charisma and mic skills, but his in-ring work wasn't always seen as up to the level needed at the time for the top champion.
00:15:25
Speaker
Lenny Poffo even mentioned that Roddy wasn't suited for the top title because his intense desire to hold onto it would have made him unreasonable. That was mentioned in an interview, possibly leading to complication in his bookings.
00:15:41
Speaker
So despite these factors, Piper remains one of the most legendary figures in wrestling history. We know a wrestler, or she came through the wrestling business, Ronda Rousey. Ronda Hogan.
00:15:56
Speaker
What? Ronda Hogan. paid She paid homage to him. so Should have paid a homage to staying home and out our way, but here we are.
Mr. Kennedy's Career Setbacks
00:16:10
Speaker
um much
00:16:12
Speaker
my final person was going to mr kennedy so in 2007 all things led to the idea that mr kennedy was going to win ah major title he had won the money in the break money in the brave
00:16:32
Speaker
he had won the money in the bank briefcase at rustling at However, a series of events would lead to a different scenario for the fan favorite. After winning the briefcase, Mr. Kennedy would suffer what was believed to be a bicep tear.
00:16:48
Speaker
So the WWE had him drop the briefcase to Edge. First of all, dropping briefcases. Like what? Especially if like you can have it for a year.
00:16:59
Speaker
like at least see like how he's improving, if he can improve quicker than... Anyway, dropping a briefcase was crazy. In the end, the injury was less severe than thought, but the damage to his career was already done.
00:17:16
Speaker
Not long after, Kennedy was named in the 2007 steroid scandal bill it was suspended for 30 days. This also derailed his momentum. Kennedy also had backstage heat.
00:17:28
Speaker
Several superstars reportedly voiced their concern with how reckless he was in the ring. After returning it in the ring in 2009, he was shortly released. Though there was high hopes for him, ball was dropped multiple times.
00:17:41
Speaker
2007 was a crazy year for that man, the hell? What do you mean? You win the money in the bake briefcase. You have to drop it to edge because you have a bicep tear, but it's not actually a bicep tear, and you come back, but now you're in a scandal of steroids, and now you're suspended.
00:17:57
Speaker
Sir, are you okay?
00:18:01
Speaker
Did you know, though, that it was supposed to be Mr. Kennedy as the big reveal for if he was Mr. McMahon's legitimate son? However, after the suspension, they changed directions and went with corn swaddle.
00:18:13
Speaker
Mm-hmm. No.
00:18:18
Speaker
No.
00:18:20
Speaker
And we do have honorable mentions.
Legendary Wrestlers Without Main Titles
00:18:24
Speaker
The British Bulldog, Owen Hart, Mr. Perfect, Goldust, Vader, William Regal, and Wade Barrett.
00:18:33
Speaker
It is crazy to me that William Regal has never been to a bunch people. Child. Like, what was y'all really doing for real? like i Like we said, they had a cookie cutter for...
00:18:44
Speaker
They stuck to one thing and that's going to be who's champion. Yeah. Cookie cutter, white bread idea of. But we know that doesn't always work. Because you know good and well, William Brickle should have held main title.
00:18:57
Speaker
Stop playing with man.
Defining a Wrestler's Legacy Beyond Titles
00:18:59
Speaker
The WWE is full of legends who never needed a world title to showcase just how great or iconic they were. From larger than life personalities to in-ring ability, they prove that a legacy isn't always measured in gold.
00:19:13
Speaker
Wrestling remembers more than champions. It remembers the unforgettable in audiences themselves can help make a superstar an icon at any given time. We gave our flowers to just a few of those superstars, but now we want to hear from you.
00:19:27
Speaker
Drop your take on who you think deserved the world title to run, but never did. And that is going to conclude this week's episode.
Closing & Listener Engagement
00:19:35
Speaker
Make sure you join us next week we discuss the grandest stage of them all of WrestleMania.
00:19:43
Speaker
Charity, where can the people find you? You find me on Instagram and TikTok at livinglavishwithlonnie. And you guys can find me at CarrieVicious on Instagram and TikTok.
00:19:58
Speaker
Thank you for stepping into the ring with us this week and hanging with your girls. Make sure to like and subscribe for more exciting episodes every Wednesday. And head over to... Bro!
00:20:08
Speaker
Oh, my stomach! and head over
00:20:26
Speaker
snow
00:20:30
Speaker
And head over to Instagram and TikTok, Queen Drink Podcast. We love interacting with the wrestling community, so do you not be shy Don't be shy.
00:20:42
Speaker
Until then, keep your crowns high and your shoulders off the mat.