5 Things WWE can learn from AEW - Big change to promos, Change in how titles are treated

#4 WWE should respect its championships

Go back to that moment at Double or Nothing 2019 when WWE legend Bret Hart came out to reveal the new AEW World Heavyweight Championship. The fact that The Hitman himself unveiled the title gave it instant legitimacy. Even its design is reminiscent of past belts.

In WWE, championships have become props. While this is true on a certain level, the title should mean everything, especially the world title. It doesn't help that the company's championships resemble living toys. The recent title designs are a branding exercise in keeping the formula in place.

Moreover, the fact that WWE has so many championships on different brands devalues the experience. While AEW has the advantage of being a relatively young promotion, the titles are more respected, even the 'mid card' titles.

There was a time in WWE when the Intercontinental Championship was the stepping stone to the world title. But now, it seems like a shiny object for a storyline to prosper. Even though the TNT Championship, a modern-day television title, has already featured several title changes, each one has had a purpose.

While Roman Reigns is one of the longest-reigning WWE Universal Champions, only bested by Brock Lesnar, and has brought legitimacy to the title, it lacks a substance that the AEW World Championship already has in abundance. The title doesn't have the same 'WOW factor' that championships of the past had, not accounting for the horrible color scheme.

What does this mean? Right from its inception, it was understood that the WWE Universal Title was the supreme 'championship.' However, since the beginning, it has felt more like a marketing gimmick than it does a real championship. Of course, this is a matter of opinion, but the overwhelming overtly 'red' or 'blue' screams 'toys for children.' Moreover, the title awkwardly featured transitional champions like Goldberg, Kevin Owens, and The Fiend without thought put into it. Can the same be said of the AEW World Championship? Probably not!

Maybe WWE needs to go back to the drawing board on how these titles are presented and booked.