Season Nine was a big season for a lot of different reasons. First, it utilized an auction-style draft rather than the traditional style. That ultimately was the deciding factor for that season's championship game. Second, it used a completely different system to determine its standings than any season before or after it. It began with a pay-per-view which crowned the temporary champions for each division. Then, at the next pay-per-view, the highest ranked team in each division challenged their temporary champion. Third, it is the only season to use a pay-per-view event for playoffs. And fourth, ACFW was effectively ended following the conclusion of the season. Season Nine was the end of an era.
I've always liked the concept of an auction draft as it allows anyone to get any wrestler on their team that they want, provided they pay enough of their auction points. With one hundred points to obtain four wrestlers, not many players went over thirty for any single wrestler. Jeff, on the other hand, paid seventy five points for Roman Reigns to be on his team. At the time, no one thought that was a good idea.
Jeff and Bo won the first pay-per-view (Wrestlemania 32) for their respective divisions making them the temporary division champions. At the following pay-per-view (Payback), Austin and Ross failed to take down Jeff and Bo. So, they remained division champions.
Three more weeks passed before the next pay-per-view, which saw Austin lose to Jeff once again. However, Ross actually defeated Bo 58-50 to become the new temporary champ.
After the final four weeks of the season, it was time for the divisional championship games which once again were Jeff vs Austin and Ross vs Bo. Bo defeated Ross 90-70 and Jeff once again defeated Austin 80-60.
On July 24, 2016, Jeff played Bo for what was possibly the last ACFW Championship. It also was the first all-Cagle championship game. Despite the fact that Jeff actually had a losing record (17-26-1) and Bo barely had a winning record (24-20), they were in the championship over Austin (37-5-2) and Ross (34-9-1). But, the pay-per-views mattered more than the rest of it. That was the system and they successfully earned the right to play in that game by using that system.
With John Cena's win over The Club and Roman Reign's performance in the triple threat main event, Jeff managed to win the game 60-46 which made him a two-time champion.
Following that, ACFW came to an end. At least until it was brought back in January of 2017. But, Season Nine was still the end of an era. That championship belt is still retired. Jeff was its last champion.
He won the season with a losing record. But, did he deserve the championship? Yes, he did. Everyone knew how the pay-per-views were going to work. Everyone knew Roman Reigns would win the championship at Wrestlemania 32. But, only one person was willing to spend seventy five to get Roman Reigns. Plus, who can argue with someone that beat the previous season's champion in four consecutive pay-per-views and then won the title at a fifth pay-per-view?
I'd say Roman Reigns at seventy five was a good idea.
