1. More Marquee than Midcard
WWE SmackDown treats the Intercontinental Championship as it should be: as a coveted prize over which gladiators furiously fight.
The blue brand has offered the leather-and-gold strap the spotlight it deserves. It has made it a key part of the show and an integral part of The Miz's being. As a result, it has steadily renewed its prestige.
As LaToya Ferguson of the A.V. Club wrote, "The Intercontinental Championship has been treated with reverence since the brand split."
Dean Ambrose snatched away the IC title from The Miz on Tuesday's SmackDown to end the self-proclaimed A-lister's latest reign.
Signs of how significant the championship is right now were everywhere. The title bout served as the show's main event. Ambrose's win came in a dramatic, well-hyped affair. And in the aftermath of his defeat, The Miz crumbled.
On Talking Smack, The Miz mourned the loss of the IC crown with a rage-filled rant, slamming his fist, cursing everyone around him and spilling his heart onto the desk.
The title has long meant this much to The Miz. Throughout 2016, he beamed with pride as he carried the belt around. He stroked it and stared at it much like Golem did his "precious" ring.
The Miz regularly deemed his title WWE's most prestigious.
At times, it felt that way. Dolph Ziggler put his career on the line at No Mercy for a crack at it. When James Ellsworth ruined Ambrose's chance to win the title in December, the loss gutted The Lunatic Fringe.
The IC crown had no chance to collect dust, as too many midcard championships do. SmackDown featured many a match with that title at stake.
Since November, the IC title has been up for grabs on SmackDown six times, per CageMatch.net. On Tuesday night and on the Dec. 12 show in Houston, these bouts were the blue brand's main event.
There is a buzz surrounding the IC title and the men involved in the championship picture as a result.
Raw could learn a lesson from its brother in that regard. Roman Reigns' United States Championship reign has been underwhelming largely because the title isn't the centerpiece of its own story; it's a subplot to Reigns' quest for the Universal Championship.
Reigns doesn't fawn over his title belt. In fact, he often goes long stretches without mentioning it.
His former Shield stablemate Ambrose, meanwhile, is poised to shine as IC champ. The Lunatic Fringe is part of a brand committed to showcasing and celebrating the trophy he holds.
2. American Alpha, Abridged
SmackDown tag team champions Chad Gable and Jason Jordan have not only seized gold but have made short work of their opponents along the way. Several of American Alpha's victories have been of the short-and-sweet variety.
That can and should be an element to further explore.
Presenting American Alpha as a fast, overpowering force foes have to withstand from the opening bell is smart. It would buck the standard pattern for matches.
And should opponents make it through that first wave of offense and the match extend past the 10-minute mark, the announcers can sell a story of American Alpha being out of its comfort zone.
3. Throwback Video of the Week: The Great Kabuki
Tajiri's 205 Live debut saw him pull out one of his best weapons—green mist. He spat the mysterious stuff in The Brian Kendrick's eyes when they met on Tuesday night.
Before Tajiri, The Great Kabuki flustered his foes with green mist of his own.
In this 1985 match against One Man Gang for World Class Championship Wrestling in Dallas, Kabuki wasted little time in spitting the illegal substance in the air:
Here's to Tajiri and others continuing the tradition Kabuki created. Wrestling is better off with poison mist as an available armament.
4. Letting Neville Off the Leash
The new Neville is dripping with disdain. He's angry and ornery, raring to stomp all over his enemies. It's been a fantastic transformation so far.
Neville spent too much of 2016 as an underused talent, warming the bench and wandering around in search of direction. His recent heel turn and move to the cruiserweight division has invigorated him.
He is excelling playing a villain. His matches have been more meaningful. He's been more compelling overall.
We are now seeing Neville soar toward his ceiling, making the kind of impact on the product he should have a long time ago. His resurgence makes one wonder what other stifled talents on the roster are waiting to burst out.
5. A Peek at a Changing Culture
In a single image, independent wrestler Matt Cross pinpointed just how different the culture of pro wrestling is today. He posted a shot of himself, Johnny Gargano and Gregory Iron gearing up for a game of Monopoly:
Years ago, wrestling mirrored rock and roll with drugs and booze, hard living and long nights. Yoga and CrossFit, juicing and video games have replaced much of that.
They're going to allow wrestling's warriors to stick around much longer.
6. Finding a New Spotlight
At NXT, CJ Parker was the forgotten man, a prospect officials never truly seemed to get behind.
He chose to find a new pond to swim in, leaving NXT in early 2015. He later signed with New Japan Pro Wrestling. The change has been mighty good to him.
Now wrestling as Juice Robinson, the Illinois native is coming off the biggest match of his career. He took on former intercontinental champ Cody Rhodes at Wrestle Kingdom 11 in the Tokyo Dome late Tuesday night.
Pro Wrestling Sheet tweeted a glimpse of the action:
Who knows what he would be doing now had he chosen to stick it out with NXT. He could be sitting where Angelo Dawkins sits on the brand's hierarchy, struggling for TV time, gritting his teeth through a frustrating tenure as a WWE hopeful.
Japan has proved to be the right destination for him thus far.
7. Bow Down to the Other Queen
Charlotte Flair isn't the only female WWE star in the midst of a dominant stretch.
NXT women's champ Asuka has run roughshod over the developmental brand. WWE has booked her to be an unstoppable beast, a warrior who only knows victory.
According to CageMatch.net, she is 19-1 since arriving in October 2015, with her only loss coming in a Battle Royal. She is 6-0 at TakeOver specials. In addition, Asuka recently became the longest-reigning NXT women's champ at 277 days and counting, as seen on WWE.com.
A future Flair-Asuka showdown would be tremendous. WWE has built each woman up to be a titan, and it only makes sense to let them collide eventually.
8. A DDP Playlist
Diamond Dallas Page is reportedly headed for a major honor. According to PWInsider Elite (h/t Marc Middleton of Wrestling Inc), Page will be inducted into WWE's Hall of Fame this year.
The Master of the Diamond Cutter was more known for his charisma and personality than his ring work but has some fine bouts to his name. To brush up on Page's resume, be sure to check out these bouts:
DDP vs. Johnny B. Badd: WCW World War 3 1995
DDP vs. Chavo Guerrero: WCW Fall Brawl 1996
DDP vs. Randy Savage: WCW Great American Bash 1997 (Falls Count Anywhere)
DDP vs. Goldberg: WCW Halloween Havoc 1998
DDP vs. Raven: WCW Spring Stampede 1998 (Raven's Rules)
Page undoubtedly had his best years at WCW, but lately, WWE hasn't been shy about inducting wrestlers who had more success with its former rival.
Sting entered the Hall in 2016. Former WCW TV and tag team champ Larry Zbyszko got the nod in 2015. Goldberg is likely not far behind.
9. The Ineffective Foreign Heel Crew
The Jinder Mahal-Rusev pairing isn't going to work.
Mahal recently attached himself to The Bulgarian Brute but will only bring him down. Mahal's history as a low-rung star and comedy act makes it hard to take him seriously now that he's snarling and seething alongside the former U.S. champ.
It doesn't help that WWE hasn't decided what to do with Mahal since his return to Raw last year. He was briefly a spiritual guru of some sort before shedding that element of his character. Now he's just an angry foreigner who shares a dislike with Rusev for Enzo Amore.
That's not enough to intrigue an audience.
And where Kevin Owens and Chris Jericho click perfectly with each other, Mahal and Rusev feel like two guys forcing a partnership. They are coming off as a second-rate League of Nations.
10. Ospreay on Wrestle Kingdom
The NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 11 main event collision between Kazuchika Okada vs. Kenny Omega is garnering rave reviews. It says something when fellow wrestlers can't contain themselves after a bout.
Will Ospreay of Ring of Honor and NJPW was among those tipping his hat after Wrestle Kingdom:
The bar for 2017 is set mighty high. Now it's time for WWE and the rest of the wrestling to strive to surpass it.