The What If Topic...

[Steve J. Rogers 0]

What if Triple H didn't injure himself at SummerSlam 98. Would he have been hot shotted into the Main Even mix the way Rocky was that fall/winter as well? Would he have turned on DX prior to WM? Would he hold a transitional title during the Mankind-Rock-Mankind-Rock hot potato?

[Boxer 0]

What if Triple H didn't injure himself at SummerSlam 98. Would he have been hot shotted into the Main Even mix the way Rocky was that fall/winter as well? Would he have turned on DX prior to WM? Would he hold a transitional title during the Mankind-Rock-Mankind-Rock hot potato?

 

I always thought it would be a SLOW build with Hunter being in the main event sometime in 1999, but I think Wrestlemania would've been too early.

 

What if the 1997 ECW Invasion worked? We get talent swapping and basically WWF/ECW vs. WCW.

[Boxer 0]

So What If Eddie was still alive? And I don't mean storyline wise, but the locker room in WWE. Obviously, Benoit would also be alive so with these two guys still around there would be no emphasis on drugs, no wellness program, etc......

 

Would we see a self-destructing locker room here? Or business as normal? Looking back, these two deaths will forever have a lasting impact in the industry for a LONG, LONG time.

[cabbageboy 0]

Judging by the amount of guys that just got suspended it looks like it's business as usual anyway.

 

The 1997 ECW Invasion angle was never really meant to be a big deal, just there to promote ECW's first PPV and it petered out on WWF TV soon after. On ECW's end it was more significant since they got wide exposure on national TV and some guys like RVD got over with it.

[Diamonddust 0]

Judging by the amount of guys that just got suspended it looks like it's business as usual anyway.

 

The 1997 ECW Invasion angle was never really meant to be a big deal, just there to promote ECW's first PPV and it petered out on WWF TV soon after. On ECW's end it was more significant since they got wide exposure on national TV and some guys like RVD got over with it.

 

Yeah, and it also led to Jerry Lawler and Jim Cornette appearing at the ECW Arena as RVD's "Mr. Monday Night" angle progressed against Tommy Dreamer.

[cabbageboy 0]

In an odd way though I'm not sure the angle did much for RVD. Or maybe it sorta did but it didn't, as in he was booked great on the ECW side of it as a traitor, but a traitor that had some viable complaints with Heyman and ECW. On WWF TV though RVD and the other ECW guys were mostly midcard filler though and it hurt my own perception of Van Dam as a wrestler. In other words I didn't really think much of RVD until that angle was finished and then he moves on to beat Bigelow for the ECW TV title.

[King Kamala 0]

What if Bam Bam Bigelow doesn't blow out his knees in early '88? Does he become the WWF's next huge babyface alongside Hogan and Savage? Perhaps he beats HTM at SummerSlam '88. Maybe he turns heel and has a run with Hogan.

[Diamonddust 0]

What if Bam Bam Bigelow doesn't blow out his knees in early '88? Does he become the WWF's next huge babyface alongside Hogan and Savage? Perhaps he beats HTM at SummerSlam '88. Maybe he turns heel and has a run with Hogan.

 

That's a real good question. I do recall reading where Bam Bam was getting MASSIVE pops during his face run. I don't know if he would have had a heel run against Hogan since he took the time off to film "No Holds Barred" and Savage was champion for most of 1988. Still, I think Hogan vs. Bam Bam would have drawn quite well.

[AlexPuma 0]

I have a really bad one:

 

What would happen if Mabel ended up winning the WWF Championship at SummerSlam 95?

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

As great as I thought Diesel was in my early teens, business was tanking with him on top by that point. I don't imagine a the October 95 IYH would have done much worse business if it was Diesel vs Mabel in a rematch (assuming they did something else in September). In the end, Bret probably would still beat whoever was champ at Survivor Series, it would have just been a worse match (though I am no wondering how a Bret vs King Mable match would have played out).

[Toxxic 0]

OK, here's a what if:

 

WWE have just suspended 11 workers, and fired Nova (probably more as a gesture than anything else, but let's assume that they might be prepared to do it with in-ring talent the next time). What if during this on-going process of suspensions and further investigations by Congress or whoever, their business actually collapses? Probably not financially, but let's say they get dropped by their network who longer wants to be associated with them, or whatever (yes, even Sci-Fi). The WWE effectively ceases to exist. What happens?

 

From my fairly limited knowledge of the North American scene, I know we have TNA as money-losing WWE-lite with a TV deal, and ROH with a smaller but more hardcore and loyal following, who are regional but slowly expanding and now running PPVs. Does TNA sign most of the WWE guys they think might escape whatever testing Congress might force on them and try and expand outwards? Does ROH maybe get picked up by a network looking to capitalise on the sudden wrestling dearth and their superior (in my eyes) angles and ringwork suddenly elevate them above TNA in the eyes of the world? I'd imagine the old hands like Taker and Michaels would just call it a day, but would the high-rollers with years in front of them like Cena, Orton, Lashley etc take the pay cut and ego cut to dropping down to what a couple of months before would have been classed as indy feds? What the fuck does Triple H do? He loves wrestling, even if he uses his power to centre it on himself - I can't imagine him going to work for Jarrett, does he start his own fed but try and distance it from the WWE name that would bring Congress down on him too?

 

Are there other federations that might make a run for it? Although no longer associated with TNA, would the NWA make a go at pushing back into the public eye? Would AAA try and expand Northwards? Would the Japanese try and make an impact in the North American market? Fuck, would the no-compete clause on Lesnar still hold, and would enough casual fans care anymore even if it didn't?

[Richard 0]

What if Dusty didn't cut Magnum TA's brakes? Would he have been a successful champ, or would the ptb fucked everything up?

[cabbageboy 0]

Well, ignoring the silly Steve Corino moment re: Dusty/Magnum....anyway, I think the NWA would have been much better off with Magnum TA as champion circa 1987-88. Cause the NWA didn't really have much during that time period on the face side until Luger and Sting hit the scene in the late 80s.

[Diamonddust 0]

Well, ignoring the silly Steve Corino moment re: Dusty/Magnum....anyway, I think the NWA would have been much better off with Magnum TA as champion circa 1987-88. Cause the NWA didn't really have much during that time period on the face side until Luger and Sting hit the scene in the late 80s.

 

Magnum was slated to go over Flair right before the crash. Not sure if he would have won it that September like Ronnie Garvin (His replacement) did and then drop it at Starrcade that year or if they would have done the right thing and have Magnum win it at Starrcade. Magnum was popular enough to carry things, and he had been groomed to do so for a couple of years before the crash.

 

If Magnum entered 1988 as World Champion, there wouldn't have been the need to rush a Lex Luger push.

[cabbageboy 0]

I'm pretty sure Magnum was actually slated to beat Flair at Starrcade 86 and then had the car wreck that ended his career. From what I've heard Magnum was very much going to be the top face of the NWA. I wonder if that accident had an adverse effect on Dusty's booking as well, aside from the obvious thing of having a top guy's career ended in a flash. Cause it was Dusty's booking in 1987-88 that used all the Dusty Finishes and cheap crap and it makes me wonder if Dusty didn't lose his damn mind.

[Diamonddust 0]

I'm pretty sure Magnum was actually slated to beat Flair at Starrcade 86 and then had the car wreck that ended his career. From what I've heard Magnum was very much going to be the top face of the NWA. I wonder if that accident had an adverse effect on Dusty's booking as well, aside from the obvious thing of having a top guy's career ended in a flash. Cause it was Dusty's booking in 1987-88 that used all the Dusty Finishes and cheap crap and it makes me wonder if Dusty didn't lose his damn mind.

 

Got my dates mixed up... I thought Magnum had crashed closer to Starrcade '87 as opposed to two months before '86. Scratch what I said about Garvin, but you are right - Magnum's crash caused a serious shift in the booking. Nikita Koloff was turned face and fought Flair at Starrcade '86. Then in '87, Flair basically didn't have any serious threat, and that's why they went with Garvin in a title swap everyone knew had no staying power... which lead to the push of Lex Luger before he was ready as many people have said.

[Boxer 0]

What if McMahon went to jail in 1992.

 

What would the WWF be like today?

[Diamonddust 0]

What if McMahon went to jail in 1992.

 

What would the WWF be like today?

 

There was a contingency plan in place. I want to say Jerry Jarrett was going to be involved, but I can't be for certain.

[cabbageboy 0]

I don't totally buy that Flair had no opposition in 1987. On Flair's DVD they had the great 1 hour draw with Windham from 1987 and for the life of me I don't get why the NWA didn't follow up on it more. Windham wasn't as green as Luger, so why not take a chance on him as champ? Wouldn't it have made more sense than putting it on Ronnie Garvin for crying out loud?

[razazteca 0]

So who were the options back then Dusty, Nikita, Luger, Ronnie Garvin, Funk?

[Diamonddust 0]

I don't totally buy that Flair had no opposition in 1987. On Flair's DVD they had the great 1 hour draw with Windham from 1987 and for the life of me I don't get why the NWA didn't follow up on it more. Windham wasn't as green as Luger, so why not take a chance on him as champ? Wouldn't it have made more sense than putting it on Ronnie Garvin for crying out loud?

 

I don't think it was a matter of no options, but the way I've read it is that Flair wanted to drop the title to set up a title win at Starrcade '87. The only one foolish enough to agree to being a transitional champion was Garvin.

[Boxer 0]

What if Pillman-Austin went ahead as the big feud to revitalize the company?

 

Where would this leave HHH-HBK-Bret-Taker, etc....... in 96-97

 

Would a Pillman-Austin feud draw?

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

I don't totally buy that Flair had no opposition in 1987. On Flair's DVD they had the great 1 hour draw with Windham from 1987 and for the life of me I don't get why the NWA didn't follow up on it more. Windham wasn't as green as Luger, so why not take a chance on him as champ? Wouldn't it have made more sense than putting it on Ronnie Garvin for crying out loud?

 

I don't think it was a matter of no options, but the way I've read it is that Flair wanted to drop the title to set up a title win at Starrcade '87. The only one foolish enough to agree to being a transitional champion was Garvin.

It was Dusty's idea for Flair to drop the title to set up the big Starrcade match. Garvin got the nod because he was the only babyface Dusty was willing to lose to Flair cleanly. The Garvin reign was a disaster.

[razazteca 0]

What if Pillman-Austin went ahead as the big feud to revitalize the company?

 

Where would this leave HHH-HBK-Bret-Taker, etc....... in 96-97

 

Would a Pillman-Austin feud draw?

I don't know who I like better Piper, Pillman, or Austin at doing the loose cannon promo. If they kept it simple and did not do fucking stupid shit like the home invasion it could draw both guys are masters of the promo so it could of main evented some In Your House PPVs.

[cabbageboy 0]

It was in the Death of WCW where they discussed that Garvin reign a bit. Ratings were in the 4.0 area when Flair had the title in 1987, but then when Garvin won it they tanked down to 2.8 in a month's time. Garvin is the epitome of a guy who was seen by fans as a solid enough challenger, but who should never, ever actually win the belt.

[JN News 0]

I've asked this many times.

 

 

What if Brian Pillman survived his health problems via rehab, and then returned to the WWF in 2000 to feud with HHH & Stephanie during the initial McMahon-Helmsley Era? I think that the fans would get behind "The Loose Cannon", big time.

[Steve J. Rogers 0]

What if the fans at WM 13 were not behind Austin in the "Double Turn" match with Bret (i.e. cheering Bret all the way despite his heel actions). Does the WWF still pull the trigger on the turns? One of the turns? Does Bret turn heel but not the Anti-American one that was only a heel in the States?

[Diamonddust 0]

What if the fans at WM 13 were not behind Austin in the "Double Turn" match with Bret (i.e. cheering Bret all the way despite his heel actions). Does the WWF still pull the trigger on the turns? One of the turns? Does Bret turn heel but not the Anti-American one that was only a heel in the States?

 

Excellent question since that match has to be looked at as one of the most influential in terms of where the wrestling business went in the late 90's. If the fans didn't get completely behind Austin, things would have been drastically different.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

Yes, it still could have worked. Austin was getting cheers, and Bret was getting booed, even before the double turn, even before the anti-American tirade. Bret could have found a way to turn up the volume a little more without playing the anti-American card. It wouldn't have been as memorable, or created as much unique, fun, and groundbreaking television, but it still could have gotten over. Play up the returning HBK as a face, maybe a little history of Austin-Pillman...there were plenty of things to go on, and Bret and Austin both had enough charisma to allow for things to work that we maybe hadn't even considered.

[Steve J. Rogers 0]

Yes, it still could have worked. Austin was getting cheers, and Bret was getting booed, even before the double turn, even before the anti-American tirade. Bret could have found a way to turn up the volume a little more without playing the anti-American card. It wouldn't have been as memorable, or created as much unique, fun, and groundbreaking television, but it still could have gotten over. Play up the returning HBK as a face, maybe a little history of Austin-Pillman...there were plenty of things to go on, and Bret and Austin both had enough charisma to allow for things to work that we maybe hadn't even considered.

 

Fair point, plus this is the WWF we are talking about. No doubt they wouldn't let one bad reaction stop them from ramming turns down the fan's throats.