Guest Jack Tunney Report post Posted March 24, 2003 What do you think would've happened if Austin really did have to retire after SummerSlam 1997?Who would've won the 1998 Royal Rumble, the WWF title at WM14, and who would've carried the WWF in 1998? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest snuffbox Report post Posted March 24, 2003 Thats quite the compelling 'what if?'. I think Owen Hart would have ended up with a main event run despite injuring Austin in the first place. With Bret gone, I think it might have been Owen to go over HBK at WM14 and play a badass face. I really think it would have worked and drawn very well. Well enough to overtake wcw, but probably not quite the mainstream heights of the Austin era. Had this happened, Owen would have held the belt for awhile cementing himself as a maineventer. He would have never had to dig up the blue blazer character...which leads to another 'what if?' Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Bloodice Report post Posted March 24, 2003 I have to agree. Had Austin not come back Owen could've really ran with all of this and they would've pushed him in the main event spot you would think, which would've dropped the Blue Blazer ordeal.....wow this one really makes you stop and think about a few things. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Aero Report post Posted March 24, 2003 From what I remember back in January 98, everyone knew Austin was going to win the Rumble from the start, but it was being said that if something was to happen to him, like an injury, Owen was supposed to win. I actually liked "Black Hart" Owen Hart as a face back in 1998, and I was hoping that he would get a main event run, other than of course facing HBK on one RAW. Owen was actually completely screwed out of the main event scene, then, come to think of it. The two champions, before and after WM, refused to work with Owen due to past bitterness: Austin from Summerslam 97, and HBK from the Screwjob. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest tank_abbott Report post Posted March 24, 2003 HBK didn't like bret (obvious) and he would've saw to it that Owen remained in the mid card... And I don't think there is any way Owen would've ever been a big enough draw in the WWF to help overthrow WCW in the ratings. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Choken One Report post Posted March 24, 2003 They would have had to look way out to Wrestlemania...At the time, they kind of knew Bret was leaving...So what they would have done was have Bret/Shawn at Badd Blood with Bret jobbing the title in St. Louis. Then they could have done Shawn/Undertaker HIAC at Survivor...Bret Could have gone over Shamrock in his WWE Farewell match. However, comes this...What would had they done for Mania...Logic suggest Owen/Shawn was already handmade... They would do this...Shawn doesn't defend the title at Rumble as He serves as a Guest Commentator for the Rumble match...Owen, Shamrock and 'Taker would have been the favorites. Final 6: Owen (15), Taker(27), Shamrock (22), Rock (4), Farrooq (19) and Dude Love (30)... HBK gets paniciky...He knows 'Taker took him to the limit...He knows Owen has a vendetta on him and He knows Shamrock is the world's most dangerous man. Undertaker dumps Farrooq as the Lights go out...the music starts and The pyro goes off...Kane stands there...And UT turns and gets Tombstoned...Kane chokes him out. HBK is nervous as fuck. Love has Owen on the top but Rock dumps Love. Shamrock goes for a Lariart but Rock ducks and Shamrock falls over. It's Rock and Owen Now. HBK leaves the booth...HBK pulls down the ropes as Owen bounces off...HBK assumes OWEN went over and celebrates but Owen skins the cat and Rock misses an Lunge and falls over and HBK realizes Owen won the match. Mike Tyson still happens but it doesn't have that Appeal that Austin had. It still does well enough....Owen Wins the title over Shawn...and remember here, Shawn never got hurt. Owen holds the title until he jobs it to Shawn again in KOTR. WWE never reaches that boom that it enjoyed with Austin however.... Here is another scenario...Owen gets sent with Bret...Montreal still happened. Vince decides that without Austin, It's time to make Ken Shamrock his next big thing...Shamrock goes over HBK via DQ at DXIYH...HBK/U.T casket match happens...Karma catches Shawn... Shamrock wins the rumble in similar fashion to Austin in 1998...They really give Shamrock the "Hard-Sell"...With Tyson and Shamrock...They really get a good hype thing going with Shamrock's past. Shamrock goes over... WWE doesn't thrive like it did with Austin... The last sceanario is this...They decide to make Undertaker and HBK the focal point of WWE for a little while...Owen has been jobbed down as punishment. They blow Kane/U.T off for the time being at Rumble...HBK beats Shamrock at Rumble in a rematch. Undertaker Meets HBK...They use HIAC as a push...Tyson doesn't sign on here because it would'nt fit into this storyline...Undertaker FINALLY gets his over HBK... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TheOriginalOrangeGoblin 0 Report post Posted March 24, 2003 With no Austin, Vince might've kept Bret. And then Owen & Shamrock wou;d've main evented along with Bret & Shawn and Rock & HHH sooner than later. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Choken One Report post Posted March 24, 2003 I don't think Bret would've stayed anyways... Esp since His favorite on and off screen rival was gone for good... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest dreamer420 Report post Posted March 28, 2003 I think the Rock would have been elevated much earlier than he actually was. He wouldn't have been ready for it IMO but he had the heat and Vince behind him. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Banky Report post Posted March 29, 2003 Vince would have kept Bret if Austin had to retire. They would have had the huge Bret/Shawn WM rematch with Bret as the mega-face. Everything would have remained right in the WWF if Bret would have stayed. But would they have the 'Attitude' era without Austin? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Choken One Report post Posted March 29, 2003 Let's See it this way now...Say Austin did get hurt, and Vince realizes He NEEDS to Sign Bret. So, In doing that he also can't punish Owen because then That won't fly with Bret. Likely, They would not blow Hart/HBK for Series...For Mania they would have just gone with a Series Main event with HBK, HHH, Shamrock and ??? Vs Hart Foundation... Here, I would've double turned Hart and Shawn...Shawn and DX becomes Major Heels, Bret ends the Anti-American Sentiments and Hart is quickly forgiven by the audience. Bret is Put in the Rumble, While Shawn goes ahead and does his Match with Taker, remember that Karma didn't hunt for him so, Shawn survives. The end result of the Rumble is Bret and Rock, Hart wins. So they go with HHH/HBK Vs Bret/Owen for The Next PPV... Shawn and Bret likely still hated each other's guts...This Time, Shawn tries to play as much politics as Possible to avoid the Job to Bret. So there is alot of Speculation here...Tyson is still likely the Guest Enforcer. Alot of People are expecting Tyson to have to legit knock Shawn out so that Bret can go over. WWF teases a possible Iron Man Match but figured with a Huge crowd tuning for Tyson, they shouldn't do that. They decide to have a Straight Up One on One Match. Vince cuts a Deal with Shawn so that he jobs but keeps his heat. Bret isn't aware of this. They go at it for Thirty Minutes...then comes the"Screw-Job" It was planned that NAO and HHH try to interfere but Owen and Bulldog chase them out...that is what Bret was expecting...They do the Run-Ins...Bret chases them a little...But Bret was not alerted that HHH was to hit Shawn with the Chair behind Bret's back...So shawn is out...Bret was expecting Shawn to simply go for a Superkick but Miss and Hart to Hit the Shooter, but Shawn was already knocked out....Bret doesn't legit know why Shawn is laid out...He picks him up and whips him to the turnbuckle...He hits an Improvized Suplex and locks Shawn in for a Shooter, sHAWN is "Passed" out and Bret is called the winner... Bret is pissed that Shawn refused to job cleanly and wasn't told anything about HHH's Chairshot... Shawn cut a deal that he would be turned Face and have an angle with HHH whom would assume DX. X-Pac still joins and pretty much takes HHH's secondary spot. As for the Attitude aspect...Likely, Shamrock would have gotten the Attitude Push...At Mania, He still would've fought Rock and this time straight up win the title and decide he doesn't want that title...and goes after the World Title...Bret and Shamrock do a couple Months until Owen Turns heel at KOTR costing Bret the title to Shamrock (a Tweener slanting Heel). Shawn has finally gotten over HHH. So, Shawn/Shamrock is the Main title Fued...While Bret/Owen is the HOT fued, 'Taker and Kane are still having their cool Angle... The I.C Title which Shamrock refused to have was put up in title Tournament at KOTR...Where Rock beat Foley, whom played the same role he did in the real History, but only on a less grand scale...So Rock/Foley is a major Mid-Card fued for the Summer of 1998... After a Classic Summerslam with Owen/Bret going *****, Shawn bumping like crazy in a Cell match with Shamrock, Rock/Foley in a bloddy Brawl and the Brothers of Doom Blowoff. So Now, Shawn is the champion again...But Bret still doesn't get along with him...WWF wants Bret to be champion again but Shawn refuses a Angle with Bret. So WWE decides to Put Owen over Shawn at The October PPV and Bret to be in a mid-card match with Triple H. WWF isn't sure what it wants for Mania XV...Shawn/Bret III? Owen/Bret? Or Even Rock/Bret... Owen jobs to Bret at Series...WWF decides to go with 4 Way Main Event at Mania....However, they knew A Heel needed to carry the title...They Had a problem though...What 4 Men? They had 8 main eventers...Owen, Bret, Shawn, Shamrock, HHH, Undertaker, Rock and Foley. They decide that they need to go with a Constroversial Rumble finish...They decide that Bret would be stripped of the title due to Constant non-finishes on Consective Raws leading to a Big 8 man Pier Brawl at The December PPV during Bret's Rematch with Owen. WWF strips the title and decides to put the title on the Line at Rumble...So With 8 HUGE Challengers for the title...It Makes the Rumble the Most hyped of all time. The Eight Big Names for The Rumble Bret, Owen, Undertaker, Shawn, Triple H, Foley, Rock and Shamrock Since Bret was the former champion he got to pick His #...Everyone assumes he wants to be #30...But He turns a lot of heads and goes with #1. Alot of Speculation that was a hint that Shawn and Bret III was going to be the Main at WMXV. Bret draws #1...Shamrock (13), Owen (17), Shawn (18),Rock (21) 'Taker (23), HHH (26), Foley (29). Those Eight all wind up the final 8...'Taker and HHH are both dumped by Rock, Rock and Foley toss eachother...Leaving Owen, Shawn, Bret, Shamrock in the F4. Bret Eliminates Owen but Refs never see it (Playing off Bret's past), Shawn superkicks Shammy out but Owen dropkicks both Shawn and Bret out to Win the rumble... Owen wins the title and Rumble...Owen denies that he ever touched the floor but evidence shows he was clearly LAYING down for a good 10 seconds...Owen was booked to face Bret at NWO but He claims an injury and instead Bret and Shamrock is named a #1 contender match...A messy brawl occurs and No one wins... Owen claims no one won so NOONE faces him at Mania...However, the tables are turned... WWF Announces a 4 Way Elimination Match with Owen Hart, Bret Hart, HBK and Ken Shamrock will be the Main Event. Triple H Fights Foley, Rock fights Undertaker Bret eliminates Shamrock via Sharpshooter at 12 minutes and Shawn pins Owen via Superkick at 17 minutes leading to the 20 minute showdown with Bret and Shawn...Shawn cleanly goes over. Bret decides he is burned out and is granted a few months off...While, Rock takes over as the Top Face. Owen slowly gets demoted to Mid-card status. Bret returns at Slam costing Shawn the title to Rock... Bret returns a Heel...He and Shawn sign for a RETIREMENT Match at Survivor Series. No titles...Just their careers. And I'll stop RIGHT there... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest RevEvil Report post Posted March 30, 2003 So what would Vince's role be? What about Big Show? What happened to Bulldog? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Choken One Report post Posted March 30, 2003 Mr. McMahon never existed because the screwjob never happened so he was still an announcer for all Likelyhood. I Forgot Bulldog but I'd would imagine he was a Mid-Carder pretty much being with the European Title on a contistant Basis fueding with the likes of Jarrett, X-Pac, Goldust, Vader (whom I clearly forgot about). As for The Big Show, I will have to assume that he either stayed with WCW or that he came in as Undertaker's foe after Mania... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest natholy Report post Posted April 8, 2003 I also honestly believe there would have been a gap in the mid-card ranks to which they would have needed to fill if Austin had to retire, hence they would have taken more talent from ECW or a smaller indy. regards nate holynski Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
