Welcome back to Reading Wrestling, your encyclopedia on the art of pro wrestling. Today’s entry takes us to the pinnacle of the roster, the championship. The premise of wrestling as a competitive sport means that there must be an ultimate goal, a way to consummate the struggle for domination. But, unlike traditional competitions, wrestling champions are intentionally developed, curated, and finally presented as the face of the company. That doesn’t make the process any less competitive. Wrestlers must build an image that is believable as a champion, refining and manicuring a persona the fans can either get behind or resist. Today on Reading Wrestling we’ll talk about what it means to be the champ, how the archetype of the champion has changed over time, and some key moments in the struggle to be the star of the show. 

Your friendly cadre of wrestle-talkers discusses what it means to be made the champ first. Noell concludes that it means that the champ is the "boss at the end of each video game level." Chris wants a champion that seems physically imposing and formidable, like Bobby Lashley. Noell disagrees and wants a champion that you can love to hate, like Kenny Omega. Dave takes a longer, historical view of the topic, taking us to how the figure of the champion changes over time, from Bruno Sammartino and Bob Backlund to the present. He argues that in any time, the champ is the primary driver of the narrative and storyline. Chris agrees and suggests, though, that you have to "convince the audience that this person deserves to be champ," that there is a sense of "perceived fairness" or abject unfairness.

We take a look at some analytics, too, and compare how long various champions held their titles over time. Dave discusses the difference between transitional champions and longer-standing champs. He talks Sammartino, Billy Graham, the Iron Sheik, and others. He concludes that heels generally hold the title for less time than baby faces. 

Check out this fun discuss on the title holders of pro wrestling.