What Might Have Been: Old School Edition

[King Kamala 0]

First off, kudos to my good man, oldskool for coming up with this thread idea. In this thread, we'll look back on a turning point in wrestling history and discuss what might have been, if things had turned out a bit differently...

 

 

The Setup: In September 1993, Shawn Michaels quit The WWF after it was announced that he was stripped of his WWF Intercontinental title for failing to defend his belt enough times during a set period. In reality, he had been suspended for testing positive for steroids. During this time period, Michaels receives numerous offers to join the roster of World Championship Wrestling.

 

The Actual Result: Michaels spurns WCW's offers and returns to the WWF in November of that year. He goes on to have a memorable feud with the winner of the vacant IC title, Razor Ramon which culminates in a legendary ladder match at WrestleMania X. This match in effect launches Michaels into the stratosphere. Eventually, Michaels becomes a 3 time WWF Champion, the first Grand Slam Champion, the founder of DeGeneration X, and the alleged leader of the infamous backstage group, The Clique.

 

The Question is...What Might Have Been?

Let's say Shawn Michaels doesn't turn down WCW's offers and agrees to join the then somewhat struggling promotion in the Fall of '93. What do you think Michaels immediate impact is on the promotion? Where does he enter on the card? Mid card? Upper mid-card? Main-event?

 

What happens to Razor Ramon and the Intercontinental title scene? Who does Razor face at WrestleMania X without Michaels around?

 

What happens to Shawn Michaels' bodyguard Diesel (later to be known as Kevin Nash)? Without Michaels around, does he eventually become a part of the main event scene in the WWF?

 

How about Bret Hart, Michaels' in the ring and out of the ring archrival? Without the Clique around to play backstage politics, does Bret become a full time staple of the main event (Instead of drifting between that and insipid feuds with the likes of Jean Pierre Laffitte and Issac Yankem)? Without Michaels, there would be no Montreal Screwjob. Would Bret Hart retire with the WWF/E? Would he stay a babyface for the rest of his career?

 

Would Michaels eventually reach the main event in WCW? Would he become a World Champion as he has in the WWF? Where would he fit in when Hogan signs with the company in June '94? Would we see their SummerSlam '05 match a decade early?

 

 

What do you think would happen?

[Diamonddust 0]

The biggest impact it has in my opinion, or at least the first that comes to mind, is the fact there would be no Ladder Match at Wrestlemania X. The match was one of the most influential matches of all time, and without it happening, the high spot driven matches of the late 90's probably wouldn't have happened. Sure, there might have been an equivalent match that came along, but nothing on the level of this particular ladder match.

[Hawk 34 0]

The Ladder Match gimmick was already introduced to the WWF fanbase although with minimal high spots and smaller viewing audience from a weekend show but it would've been just a matter of time before it was used on that type of stage. The unknown factor would be the potential the match would have if Shawn isn't the one bouncing around. However, I think 123 Kid or Marty Jannetty could've done well to put over the ladder match in a similar fashion as Shawn did.

 

As for Shawn's hypothetical departure to WCW? I think he would've found a spot in the upper mid-card pretty quickly in a similar character to HBK and it's highly probable that he could've taken Diesel with him or been paired with someone similar. The biggest impact would be the loss of Michaels' political power with the arriving Hogan. If Shawn couldn't beat Hogan with his real clout in 2005, he stood no chance against in 1994. I don't think he would have ascended beyond the level of US Champion and at best, was destined for a lengthy rivalry with Sting. Which isn't a negative but it isn't quite as successful as reality would have presented him with. Ultimately, he would've grown weary of Hogan's political choke-hold and left to return to WWF by the end of 1995.

 

Razor Ramon would likely remained as over as he was and simply found a new dance partner like Bigelow or Jarrett. Without Shawn in the picture, I honestly believe Razor would enjoy the success that Shawn would reach a couple years later.

 

 

[Diamonddust 0]

The Ladder Match gimmick was already introduced to the WWF fanbase although with minimal high spots and smaller viewing audience from a weekend show but it would've been just a matter of time before it was used on that type of stage. The unknown factor would be the potential the match would have if Shawn isn't the one bouncing around. However, I think 123 Kid or Marty Jannetty could've done well to put over the ladder match in a similar fashion as Shawn did.

 

Maybe so, but Waltman and Jannetty didn't have the "star" potential to really put it over like Michaels did. They were good workers and very well known, but they both lacked that "it" factor Shawn had.

[cabbageboy 0]

Michaels wouldn't have done shit in WCW. At best he would have ended up in a heatless US title role that Austin had circa 1993-94. Might have put over Flair in a pseudo world title feud in early 1994. Either way he wouldn't make such a big difference that Bischoff wouldn't sign Hogan in mid 1994 anyway, and after that he would be going nowhere. In fact I dare say that he probably would have either gotten buried, injured, released, whatever by 1995. Then maybe gone to ECW and started doing his DX type gimmick a few years early, and ended up in the WWF again.

 

As for the WWF, I think they would have been fine. The backstage area would have been much more peaceful, Bret would have kept the belt and had a better run. Probably no Diesel for all of 1995 with the title. Maybe a bigger push for Razor (if Hall was sober) and maybe UT gets back into title consideration.

[Mike wanna be 0]

Did Michaels have possession of the belt at the time of the suspension? It seems to me I remember he had an IC belt upon his return but I don't know if he had that belt the whole time and it necessitated making another one or if the WWF had the belt and made a second for the sake of the "real Intercontinental champion" argument.

 

If Michaels had the belt, then I think Bischoff would've capitalized on stealing the champ & the belt and he would have had him trash it. Of course this would be meaningless as Vince wouldn't have his champion on the verge of going to WCW with the belt to necessitate a screwjob.

 

From there...I think Michaels gets buried. They capitalized on bringing in a champion from the rival federation, and the "logical" thing to do would be to promptly bury him to indicate how much better they are. Michaels proceeds to go batshit in whining about it, but since he doesn't have backstage power, championship leverage nor friends in the company he's just sacked.

 

ECW picks him up after waiting a few months (Heyman had an in with Austin, I don't believe he had one with Michaels to the point where he could get him shortly after the release) and he makes something of himself there, and he gets a second chance in the WWF around 1998.

[jackmcmanus21 0]

If Michaels left, Bret Hart would have stayed and had the ladder match with Razor Ramon. If anyone read Hart's autobiography, they would know that Hart is the one who introduced the Ladder Match idea to Vince. He was supposed to have the first ladder match, but Vince gave it to HBK. My guess is that Vince would have made the Hart Foundation faction up like DX. How successful this would have been, I have no idea.

[King Kamala 0]

Uh...Bret Hart did have the first ladder match in the WWF. And I don't think McMahon would have ditched Bret's match against Owen or his revenge match against Yokozuna for a face Vs face match with Razor Ramon.

 

I think what's being understated here is the effect it would have on Kevin Nash (assuming he stays with the WWF when Michaels leaves). In the Fall of '93, Nash was pretty much just a heatless big lug. Wihout Michaels antagonizing him, there's no slow burn face turn to launch him into the main event. Still, I think Nash had enough natural charisma and a decent enough look to carry him past the role of random, intimidating stiff. He probably would have still had the big run in The '94 Royal Rumble and gone on to face Bret Hart at King of The Ring '94. Still with Michaels not around, he doesn't have a more charismatic heel to play off of and turn face against. I think he goes on to join DiBiase's Million Dollar Corporation and feud with Lex Luger and The Undertaker. With no Michaels around, he probably doesn't have the same political aspirations and lingers around the mid-card for a couple years before jumping to WCW during the Monday Night Wars to be a random foe for Hogan.

 

Shawn Michaels probably immedietely becomes a part of the mid-card scene in WCW. I could see him feuding with Ricky Steamboat or perhaps renewing his rivalry with Davey Boy Smith (who hadn't yet departed). I can see him working his way up to the WCW U.S. title and a feud with Sting and perhaps a match or two against babyface World Champion, Ric Flair. After Hogan arrives in mid '94, Michaels finds himself falling down the card. Maybe he gets used as cannon fodder against Hulk Hogan but eventually- he leaves the company in the Summer of '95 shortly before The Monday Night Wars. He immedietely goes on to work in ECW where he joins some success in a role not entirely dissimilar to his role as DeGeneration X ringleader a few years later. Michaels would jump at the first chance to go back to the WWF in early '96. He

 

Razor Ramon benefits the most from Shawn Michaels' departure and has a lengthy run with The WWF Intercontinental title. If Ramon stays out of trouble, I could see him eventually becoming a main eventer and winning the WWF World title around the time of SummerSlam '95. I think Bret Hart still wins the WWF World title at WrestleMania X obviously and goes onto have a lengthy rivalry with Owen Hart- leading up to a final rematch (A 60 Man Iron Man Match) for the WWF World title at WrestleMania XI. Bret Hart goes onto resign with The WWF in '96 and without Michaels as a rival political power, he stays with WWE until his retirement and perhaps to this day as an authority figure/commentator.

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

If Shawn jumps to WCW in 1993 his career probably would have ended up being similar to Marty Jannetty's. In and out of various promotions with numerous drug problems. The Ladder Match made Shawn Michaels (and the feud with Diesel, but the Ladder Match was the first big thing). I know he main-evented a Survivor Series prior to that and had a couple of IC Title reigns, but he was never anything more than a midcarder at that point. He would do nothing of note in WCW.

 

The bigger issue is what happens in the WWF. For starters, 1995 & 1996 are completely different. In 1996 because Shawn was the focal point all year, and in 1995 because Diesel was NOTHING without Michaels getting him over in 1994. Bret Hart, I think would still have a falling out with Vince over the change in the product in 1997, but he'd be the undisputed top star for 4 years prior to that. Owen Hart & Davey Boy Smith could both potentially get WWF Title reigns in a clique-less WWF circa 95-96. The biggest long term effect is without a doubt on HHH. If Shawn leaves in 1993, then Trip is probably out of the company in a couple of years without getting over in his blueblood gimmick. And considering he will likely be running the show someday, that would have a major impact on the company.