What if roles were reversed with

[Promoter 0]

I saw this question asked elsewhere on the net and it's a good one. It was asked because of all the heat HHH gets from fans on the net. The question asked if HHH did what Rock did and Rock stayed with the wwe how would things look today. Would the wwe be better off or does HHH really add to the company and fans don't give him enough respect?

 

These things were taken into account:

 

Would Ric Flair have a prominent role? Would Batista ever reached world champion status? What about Orton? What would have happened to the players in Evolution? Would the Rock be the one getting the heat HHH gets now with multiple title reigns? Remember in 2002, Rock was getting boos from fans who were getting tired of him. Would people here actually want HHH to return now. Take into account that he would have people praising him for his 2000 run and expect him to do it again in the year 2005.

[Mole 0]

The Rock wouldn't be getting heat because he puts people over.

 

Simple as that.

[Guest JMA]

Triple H probably would've had to go back to WWE after his movie career wasn't successful. Since he left WWE (in this hypothetic situation) he would never be pushed as hard as he is now, though. Ric Flair probably would've stayed in WWE for about a year before leaving (which would've been for the best). The Rock and the returning Triple H would've both put over Orton, who would get the push that Batista ended up getting. Batista might have gotten a short reign with the belt, but nothing major. Since changing history to this degree would affect all wrestlers, Bradshaw never would've become WWE Champion. Jericho would've been a much bigger star without Triple H to bury him and likely would've been a multiple time champion by now. Finally, WWE's ratings would be much better with Rock around.

[edotherocket 0]

I think the Rock occasionally buries his opponents on the mike (the Billy Gunn King of the Ring promo: "everyone thinks I absolutely suck") and sometimes in the ring (spearing Goldberg and then kipping up for the crowd pop when he was supposed to be heel) but generally he seems to do that sort of thing with wrestlers who the smarks don't care very much for so all is forgiven.

 

I think wrestling would be in a lot healthier condition sans Triple H although I have no idea who would be on top of the business now. Triple H seems to have a lot of buddies backstage and their friendship with him seems to result in pushes (Nash, Orton and Batista).

 

On the other hand, I have no idea who Rock is buddies with, except maybe Foley and Austin. I don't know if he's particularly close with any of the newer guys since he's hardly around any more. And having said that, I'm not sure being friends with the Rock would get you a push necessarily. Maybe you'd have more people like Rey Mysterio, RVD and Christian becoming big stars since they get over with the crowd and there wouldn't be so much politicking to keep them down.

[Team Angle Pusher 0]

I think Christian would be in a better position he's in now because The Rock always liked him.

[Guest Coffey]

Eh, it's tough to say. I'm sure WWE still would've hit a down period. Since Rock would've been on top, he would've got the blame, just like Triple H. People would be clamoring for Triple H to come back, just like they do with the Rock right now.

 

All this "Rock would've put so and so over and Triple H wouldn't have" who's to say that? Maybe if Rock would've stuck around, he would've got big headed? Maybe if Triple H left, he would've appreciated the business more and wanted to help put people over like The Rock does now? Obviously Triple H wouldn't have the backstage influence that he has now had he left for Hollywood several years ago.

 

Batista, more than likely, wouldn't have amounted to anything. Orton? Well, he has a good look, so he'd probably at least be a midcarder. Once again, it's tough to say.

 

Also, it's tough to say that Christian would be in a better posistion if the Rock was around. If Rock was on Raw (like Hunter currently is) and Christian was still on Smackdown, there's not a lot that he can do for him.

 

Another thing is that Hunter is a clear-cut heel. Even when the Rock was heel, he still got the biggest face pop on the show sans Austin. So, at best, Rock was a really good tweener and an insanely over babyface. Triple H is a good heel. I'd rather have a good heel around than a good tweener. Besides, I feel that Triple H is a better worker. The Rock had more charisma and was more entertaining outside of the ring, but as far as in-ring product is concern, I think Trips has his number.

[Guest news_gimmick]

Jericho might not be worthless like he is right now, since Rock did a fine job with him in their angle in late 2001-2002. Same with the Hurricane.

 

 

Tom

[Corey_Lazarus 0]

More people would have legitimate chances at becoming a main eventer, in my eyes. Why? Because even when he was still around, Rock knew that he had to put people over for there to be a business after he one day left. He got that from being buddies with Austin and Foley, who both put people over (Austin if he felt they deserved it, and he was dead-on with who he felt deserved to be put over, ie. Guerrero, Jericho, Angle, Benoit; Foley with whoever he was asked to put over) while having great matches.

 

Ratings would only be a little higher than they are now because The Rock has this presence to him that most other main eventers from the Attitude Era just didn't have, and he'd have had a better feud with Shawn Michaels, IMO. Christian would be at least a permanent upper-midcard fixture while he worked on his ring skills, and I'm also willing to bet that Hurricane and Rosey would have more on-screen time (since Rosey IS Rock's cousin, and Hurricane and Rock got along because both were great at comedic timing in their skits).

 

BUT...when HHH returned, he'd pop a rating due to how much of a presence he was in 2000 and early 2001, and if he decided to stay full-time we might be back in the situation we are now, or we could be back to the situation we were at in 2000, where Hunter would put people over without losing the match (see: Michinoku, TAKA; Jericho, Chris; Benoit, Chris).

[Mecha Mummy 0]

More people would have legitimate chances at becoming a main eventer, in my eyes. Why? Because even when he was still around, Rock knew that he had to put people over for there to be a business after he one day left. He got that from being buddies with Austin and Foley, who both put people over (Austin if he felt they deserved it, and he was dead-on with who he felt deserved to be put over, ie. Guerrero, Jericho, Angle, Benoit; Foley with whoever he was asked to put over) while having great matches.

 

When was this? The overbooked Armageddon '01 match where it took Vince McMahon, Crooked Referee Nick Patrick, and Booker T for Jericho to win or the No Way out 2002 match where Jericho didn't even get the win but instead the nWo came out and beat up Austin?

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

Apparently, Austin, while liking Jericho personally, didn't think he was main event worthy. When they were building to their NWO 2002 match, Austin insisted on the angle where he laid out Jericho and poured bear on him be the go home angle, when it should have been Jericho laying out Austin as the last angle done to lead into their match. I know there was also talk that Austin called an audible during their NWO 2002 match and took most of the match when he felt the match wasn't getting the heat he felt it should have had.

[Guest news_gimmick]

Well I don't know if it is just me, but I can't recall an Austin/Jericho matchup that I enjoyed. Their matches just didn't click very well, and I can see where Austin would do that during that match. I just didn't get into it, they did not mesh very well at all. And the run in at the end was just icing on the cake on a flat main event.

[Guest Nathan]

Well, when the Rock left, he was peaking and kicking ass in the ring. I might still be watching if that had happened.

[WrestlingFan4Ever 0]

What about Austin refusing to job to HHH at Summerslam 99? It had to get changed to a three way and HHH winning the belt the next night on Raw from Foley was not how it should have been done.

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

What about Austin refusing to job to HHH at Summerslam 99?  It had to get changed to a three way and HHH winning the belt the next night on Raw from Foley was not how it should have been done.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Austin never refused to put over HHH at Summerslam. The match got changed because with Austin banged up, it was felt he and Hunter wouldn't have been able to have the expect great match, and so Mankind was put in to help carry the load.

[WrestlingFan4Ever 0]

Triple H did not pin Austin to win the title.

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

Triple H did not pin Austin to win the title.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

He still wound up getting a pin over Austin at No Mercy. It still doesn't change the fact that Austin didn't refuse to put Hunter over at Summerslam.

[Guest *KNK*]

Triple H did not pin Austin to win the title.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

He still wound up getting a pin over Austin at No Mercy. It still doesn't change the fact that Austin didn't refuse to put Hunter over at Summerslam.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

One of the key reasons for that was to set up the rematch where Triple H would prove he could beat Austin one on one (and of course Austin being too banged up to give a proper match for that big of a stage) and because They didn't want Jesse Ventura(Not sure if it was Jesse or WWF who didnt like the potential image there) to raise the hand of a heel so they gave Foley the "thank you for putting everyone over, here's a one day reign for your efforts" win.

 

Also; since we are on this subject, What was the deal with the Chyna=#1 contendership?

 

Were they thinking of doing HHH/Chyna at some point and were testing the waters?

 

I do think that Chyna at that point could have done good numbers in a main event situation.

[CanadianChick 0]

I don't know about business, who'd be on top, ect., but I do know that I'd like WWE main event matches better. Triple H usually bores me to tears in the ring while Rocky doesn't. Even if he isn't the best in the ring, Rock is still fun to watch. I'd take that over Trips.

[Dr. Zaius 0]

I hate to say it, but this is too far-fetched of a premise even for a hypothetical question. It assumes both men are equal enough in talent so they could be switched. There's a good reason why the Rock is in Hollywood making movies right now, and Triple H is still wrestling. It would be like asking what if LaToya Jackson had become a multi-platinum recording artist instead of Michael Jackson. There is simply no way that could have ever happened.

[Guest JMA]

Question: Has The Rock EVER refused to put over a wrestler? Just to be clear, I'm talking about Rock refusing to put over someone because he didn't think they were on his level. I'm not talking about him not putting someone over because he believed that they'd be buried afterwards.

[Guest JMA]

I hate to say it, but this is too far-fetched of a premise even for a hypothetical question. It assumes both men are equal enough in talent so they could be switched.  There's a good reason why the Rock is in Hollywood making movies right now, and Triple H is still wrestling.  It would be like asking what if LaToya Jackson had become a multi-platinum recording artist instead of Michael Jackson.  There is simply no way that could have ever happened.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's why I had Triple H fail at acting and return to wrestling in my scenario.

[Frankie Williams 0]

Be Cool would have made more money because Triple H could play a homosexual better than the Rock. Take a look at the posedown with Scott Steiner.

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

Question: Has The Rock EVER refused to put over a wrestler? Just to be clear, I'm talking about Rock refusing to put over someone because he didn't think they were on his level. I'm not talking about him not putting someone over because he believed that they'd be buried afterwards.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I don't believe Rock has ever refused to put someone over for the reasons you stated. I know he hasn't been happy working with people he felt were not at his level, Billy Gunn is one example, but I don't think he's refused to put them over when asked to.

[Jericholic82 0]

Triple H did not pin Austin to win the title.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

He still wound up getting a pin over Austin at No Mercy. It still doesn't change the fact that Austin didn't refuse to put Hunter over at Summerslam.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

One of the key reasons for that was to set up the rematch where Triple H would prove he could beat Austin one on one (and of course Austin being too banged up to give a proper match for that big of a stage) and because They didn't want Jesse Ventura(Not sure if it was Jesse or WWF who didnt like the potential image there) to raise the hand of a heel so they gave Foley the "thank you for putting everyone over, here's a one day reign for your efforts" win.

 

Also; since we are on this subject, What was the deal with the Chyna=#1 contendership?

 

Were they thinking of doing HHH/Chyna at some point and were testing the waters?

 

I do think that Chyna at that point could have done good numbers in a main event situation.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thats the same reason I though Mankind won at summerslam 99, they wanted a face to win the match and austin was to abnged up to have another match with HH the next night and theyd rather save it for a PPV (wound up no mercy)