WWF Light-Heavyweight (Dan Please Help)

[mattitude]

Hello,

This post is more for Dan Poutsma then anyone else but if you can answer this please do..

The Former WWF Light-Heavyweight title that X-Pac won at Summer Slam 2001 and then walk out with when he got Injured.. when did that title offically start and why?

I have seen sites that say it started in 1997, I have seen wrestling-titles.com that say it starts in 80s and <a href='http://www.prowrestling.com' target='_blank'>www.prowrestling.com</a> says that cruiserweight title renamed to WWF Cruserweight with Tajiri is the continuation of the WWF Light-Heavyweight... What is Correct?

and speaking of the WCW/WWF/WWE Crusiserweight did Vince ever make the title with the WWF logo or did he just wait till the WWE Name change? My reason for asking is that on the last North American WWF PPV Backlash Billy Kidman Has The Former WCW Version with the WCW Logo on it and the Championship Match Graphics show no WCW Logo but the WCW Version.

Thanks A Whole Lot
Matthew

[edgehead1984]

The Light-Heavyweight title was abandoned in early 2002, there had been plans to unify it with the cruiserweight title, but they fell apart... the belt was given to X-Pac, who sold it for 150$ on E-Bay...

[Black_Flag_Of_Ulster]

it goes back to the early 80s but i'd be interested myself why the wwf was endowing titles for mexicans. dan, take your geritol already and tell us what you know

[necrosis215]

The WWF just recognised that the belt was the World Light Heavyweight Championship during the 1980's - early 90's (26/03/1981 - 24/03/1996 to be more precise). On the latter date, the Great Sasuke won the title from Aero Flash and proceded to defend it around Japan, ultimately uniting it with the J-Crown Title. This was the time that WWF realised they had a major title as only the top titles were used for this tournament.

Technically, they never promoted the title, just gave permission for their name to be used whilst promoting the title and they recognised every champion as their Light Heavyweight Champion. I'm tempted to say that it was EMLL promoting the title, but I'm no good at Mexican promotions and it's the only one I know really so I don't think it's right.

Anyway, once the title was unified into the J-Crown Title it was defended as such until the WWF forced Shinjiro Ohtani to vacate on 05/11/1997. Then, they introduced the title as a new title on their programming with TAKA Michinoku winning the title as the "first" champion.

X-Pac, in early 2002 went "AWOL" as Mick Foley put it on WWF programming and said that the Cruiserweight Title would supersede the Light Heavyweight Title as the company's title whichever company came through the "Invasion".

The two titles were NEVER unified and there is no continuation of lineage between the two titles EVER!!! The WWF Light Heavyweight Title was abandoned in March 2002 when, during an interview with X-Pac he said that he was still the champion. However, WWF programming had said that he WASN'T the champion as of the Invasion angle / title unifications which took place on 18/11/2001.

I know there will be at least one mistake in this somewhere, especially with the earlier stuff. Like I said, I'm not too sure on the title's early years, except that the WWF wasn't booking it, but they recognised the champions booked, as their champions in their lineage.

necrosis215

[Dan Poutsma]

The WWF used to have a relationship with the UWA in Mexico and that was the promotion where the WWF Light heavyweight title was based. But as long as I've been watching the WWF/E, no mention was ever made of the Light heayweight title until they had the tournament in 1997. As stated, the title was part of the J-Crown in Japan at the time before the WWF made them give up recognition of it.

There was a point where X-Pac held the WCW Cruiserweight and WWF Light heavyweight titles simultaneously, but again, they were never actually "unified". He ended up getting injured, subsequently left with the Light heavyweight belt in his possession, and they just ended up dropping the title altogether in early 2002. The Cruiserweight title continued on and eventually became a WWF title after the Invasion storyline ended. From what I remember, they continued to use the WCW belt up until they changed their name to WWE and that was when they finally introduced the new belt. But the WCW belt (minus the logo as mentioned) was still used in the graphics for the championship matches even after that.

[mattitude]

Hey Dan,

thanks alot for that information that is much appreciate.. I was just working on adding it to my site.. if you wish to take a look feel free too.. still working from old site to new site

<a href='http://titlehistory.webhop.net' target='_blank'>http://titlehistory.webhop.net</a>
<a href='http://title-history.webhop.net' target='_blank'>http://title-history.webhop.net</a>

Thanks
Matthew

[necrosis215]

The WWF used to have a relationship with the UWA in Mexico and that was the promotion where the WWF Light heavyweight title was based. But as long as I've been watching the WWF/E, no mention was ever made of the Light heayweight title until they had the tournament in 1997. As stated, the title was part of the J-Crown in Japan at the time before the WWF made them give up recognition of it.

There was a point where X-Pac held the WCW Cruiserweight and WWF Light heavyweight titles simultaneously, but again, they were never actually "unified". He ended up getting injured, subsequently left with the Light heavyweight belt in his possession, and they just ended up dropping the title altogether in early 2002. The Cruiserweight title continued on and eventually became a WWF title after the Invasion storyline ended. From what I remember, they continued to use the WCW belt up until they changed their name to WWE and that was when they finally introduced the new belt. But the WCW belt (minus the logo as mentioned) was still used in the graphics for the championship matches even after that.

Thanks Dan, I knew it wasn't EMLL, but I couldn't find any reference to the WWF title in the UWA pages for Mexico.

necrosis215

[Black_Flag_Of_Ulster]

Thanks Dan, I knew it wasn't EMLL, but I couldn't find any reference to the WWF title in the UWA pages for Mexico.

necrosis215

you know, i could: http://www.wrestling-titles.com/mexico/uwa/

[Dan Poutsma]

EMLL has the NWA World Light heavyweight title, which used to be recognized by the NWA board along with the World heavyweight and World Jr. heavyweight titles.

[necrosis215]

you know, i could: http://www.wrestling-titles.com/mexico/uwa/

Must have missed it for somehow.

necrosis215

[HMFiles]

Not sure if this means anything but . . . .

X-Pac was still holding the Light Heavyweight Title in televised matches as late as October 2001. Then he disappeared, presumably due to injuries.

He returned to action in non-televised matches in early March 2002. He still had the Light Heavy belt with him. This is somewhat contradicting the statement by Mick Foley. Then again, if it didn't happen on TV, then . . . well, you know.

When X-Pac did return to TV on March 19, the belt was gone. Perhaps this can be used to support the idea that the title was vacated in March 2002.

PS: X-Pac's last appearance seems to have been the same night that Kevin Nash tore up his knee after 7 seconds of "action". Coincidence?