Armchair Bookers:What if Hogan never went to WCW?

[Zack Malibu 0]

I ususally try to do these In Your Opinion/Armchair Booker style threads once a week, so here's the latest one to get discussion going.

 

What if, in 1993, Hogan and McMahon didn't have their big falling out? Let's go so far as to say Hogan played no part in the steroid trial leading to their bad blood for a while? Hogan never met Bischoff, never went to WCW and brought Brutus, Earthquake, Honky Tonk Man and his others around. We probably would have never gotten a Renegade, never had Flair lose that retirment match, and never had the shitfest known as Starrcade '94. Vader wouldn't have been made to look like a fool, and the Dungeon Of Doom would/could have ceased to exist.

 

Now, if that happens, it also means that McMahon might not have been as open to let guys that didn't fit his normal mold into the spotlight (Bret, Shawn, Owen). Could the clique have co-existed with Hogan? Would Bischoff have ever been so jaded by the spotlight of Hogan being there to let guys like Austin and Foley go to the opposition without caring about it? Would we have gotten an NWO angle as tide-turning as it was without Hogan's involvement?

 

So, TSM, what do you think the WWF/E and WCW would be like if Hogan stayed put, or even outright retired altogether and did his Hollywood thing. Would we have gotten the Monday Night Wars, the NWO, Stone Cold Steve Austin, the Attitude era, and everything else that we're so fond of?

 

-I started this topic at The Pit already, and a few things mentioned were the fact that WWF would be more likely to lose Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart with Hogan staying. It was also discussed that Hogan could easily do the shocking heel turn as the jaded hero going against his fans in the way that Bret did, and maybe even could have done the double turn that launched Austin into the stratosphere. The topic of Michaels leading the NWO as a cowardly heel came up, as did Bret jumping to lead Hall and Nash in WCW. Just a few sidenotes that might help discussion move along.

[BruteSquad_BRODY 0]

Dustin Rhodes , 1994 , WCW World Champion. I'm dead f'n serious. I think a Flair/Rhodes feud w/ a Dustin transitional reign would've worked.

[The Buzz 0]

Sting, Flair, and Vader wouldn't have been pushed out of the spotlight. Sting probably would still have went to a darker character, but with less success due to no nWo. Steve Austin might have ended up staying in WCW. A lot of guys would have been given a chance to shine, but WCW might have ended up shutting a lot earlier.

[HarleyQuinn 0]

Hmm... This is mainly sticking around the 1993-1995 era. Keep in mind that if we were being realistic, to expect The Clique coming about/NWO still happening would be bullshit because things would've been radically, radically different.

 

WWF Thoughts

- Owen Hart never would have rose to prominance as his feud with Bret was largely built around being in the shadow/Bret being WWF Champion. He probably would've gotten over enough to be at the IC Title level resulting in feuds with Razor & Michaels but he wouldn't have a chance at the WWF Title.

- Shawn Michaels & Razor Ramon probably would've either stayed around the IC Title level or eventually have gotten over enough to have a one off with Hogan but they'd likely be those upper tier pushed into the ME but never staying there kinda guys (Think Kane during the late 90's).

- I could've seen Diesel coming in and immediately being pushed into a feud with Hogan although I don't think the HBK Bodyguard angle would've come about. Odds are, Diesel would've been seen as another King Kong Bundy style opponent to feud with.

- The WWF probably would've stayed in the cartoonish era into and possibly through 1996/1997 with Hogan at the helm. I could see Hogan attempting to turn heel and the WWF trying out a feud with Bret as face but don't think it would work more than a couple PPVs. Could be done during the tail end of 1994 (King of the Ring or Survivor Series).

- Yokozuna would've been feuding with Hogan for most of 1993 and possibly into 1994. I think the ME scene would've revolved around the following players: Hulk Hogan, Lex Luger, Randy Savage possibly, Bret Hart at times, Yokozuna, Undertaker at times, and Diesel when he likely comes in later on. Remember that Hogan has always, always loved taking on the big monster bad guys so a Diesel/Yokozuna would've received good pushes so that Hogan could vanquish them.

 

We also could've seen an exodus of talent jumping to WCW to escape their lack of a push. Guys like Owen, Shawn Michaels, and possibly even Bret could've jumped ship to WCW. IIRC at the time, Davey Boy Smith was in WCW during 1993 so it would've made sense for Owen to jump. Bret could've followed him if he figured that he'd be stuck playing the sidekick to Hogan's run.

[Zack Malibu 0]

Going off Harley's post here, a heel Horseman group in '93 (not with Roma though...perhaps Flair, Anderson, Orndorff and Windham) jumping Davey Boy and Sting leading to Davey recruiting his family (Bret and Owen...Neidhart too since he had done some WCW work in '92, maybe even early '93) to come in and even the odds would have been a hell of a storyline. And as an aside to that, think of what could have come about with Bret Hart vs. an in his prime Rick Rude, Owen/Davey vs. the Hollywood Blondes (or the dream match of Hart Foundation vs. Blondes), Owen or Bret vs. a young Benoit...WCW would have a hell of a roster to deal with if they made those simple 2, maybe 3 additions.

 

Keep in mind that if Hogan stayed in the WWF and the younger guys got jaded faster, you could have Michaels bail out in 1994 as was expected for a while, making another solid addition to the WCW roster.

[Timmy8271 0]

Didn't the Blondes break up before Hogan came in? That probably still would have happened.

[spman 0]

In all honesty, had Hogan not left WWF in 1993, he probably would have had an extended feud with Giant Gonzalez probably leading to Summerslam. He likely would have dropped the belt back to Yokozuna at some point, and would have stayed out of the main event, but still on the upper card feuding with Diesel, Brian Clark, Shawn Michaels, Bam Bam Bigelow, etc. He likely would have turned heel at some point in 1994, and had runs with Hogan, Undertaker, Luger, Tatanka, amongst others. Regardless of whether or not he went to WCW however, I don't see him lasting in WWF for any longer then 1995 or so, as he would have just completely run out of steam like he did in WCW around that same time, the crowd would completely turn against him, not in a heel heat type of way, but more of get this guy off TV heat, and he likely would have been been put out to pasture by the end of 1995.

[Zack Malibu 0]

Didn't the Blondes break up before Hogan came in? That probably still would have happened.

 

There had been talk of reuniting them at one point before the whole "California Flyin' Brian-Blondes Have More Fun" gimmick for Pillman came about.

[cabbageboy 0]

I think WCW could have thrived and ended up where WWE is today. If Hogan had stayed in the WWF past 1993 and hogged the main event scene a lot of younger guys would have really gotten frustrated and bolted for WCW.

[King Kamala 0]

I'll take what happens to Hogan. I think he still drops the belt to Yokozuna and takes a bit of a break before returning as a special attraction- wrestling twice or so a year on major PPVs. I could see him having extended feuds with Giant Gonzalez (*shudders*), Diesel, and Bam Bam Bigelow. Eventually though, he comes back full-time as a heel in a similar role to Hollywood Hogan in WCW and faces off with whoever the top babyfaces are. After that runs its course in three or four years, he turns back face and goes back to his part time special attraction role.