Wrestling What Ifs

[Hustler of Culture]

3 hours ago, twiztor said:

i'm a big Stevie Richards mark. hell, i even liked his short run in WCW where he did essentially zero but was entertaining. His rise in ECW, from absolute nobody to semi-main eventing their first PPV, is fascinating.

But to think that maybe ECW doesn't go out of business is just wishful thinking. Stevie would've still jumped to WCW, where his role wouldn't have been all that different (maybe a longer run, maybe a bit higher on the card, but he was never getting anywhere near the US title, let alone a main event spot). WWE had him under contract for years, and it wasn't until they relegated him to a third-tier show (Stevie Night Heat) that he was able to show off any sort of personality. And that got him no more notoriety than anything else. the Big 2 just didn't see anything in him. A damn shame, but not a sport changing miss either.

ECW was likely to go out of business either way, but they had cash flow issues due to Heyman's reckless business management.  However, they were drawing people to shows.  Buffalo was drawing 5K+, the ECW Arena was always selling out, they were drawing 3,000+ in Atlanta, etc.  

 

Either way, it's not so much about ECW staying in business as much as it is about Stevie becoming a main event superstar in ECW.  He does that and now he has much more leverage whenever he decides to go to WCW or WWF.

 

But with his injury, he didn't have insurance and needed to pay for the surgery so he had to take the WCW deal and his career took a couple of steps backward.

 

And with the injury he was far less effective on the mic.  

 

 

 

HoC

[twiztor]

1 hour ago, Hustler of Culture said:

Either way, it's not so much about ECW staying in business as much as it is about Stevie becoming a main event superstar in ECW. 

i could definitely see that happening. He played his role great, he was becoming quite a good wrestler in-ring, and (most importantly?) he had earned the goodwill of the fans and they were ready for him to be a huge deal in ECW.

ultimately, i don't see that changing anything once he inevitably ends up in WCW or WWE. Just look at other former champs/main eventers: Raven (midcard in WCW, lower midcard in WWE). Sandman (low carder in WCW, short term WWE contract). Shane Douglas (mid card in WWE, midcard in WCW). Tommy Dreamer (low carder in WWE). Tazz (high profile debut in WWE then immediately to the midcard). Justin Credible (low carder in WWE). hell, Rob Van Dam was a midcarder for most of his WWE run who flirted with main event status occasionally. Rhino, Steve Corino, Jerry Lynn. all had high profile ECW runs but middling WWE success afterwards.

I don't remember any of these guys (except Lynn) being a big deal in TNA either, although i never followed TNA very closely.

All i'm saying is that Stevie's placement on the card in ECW makes virtually no difference whatsoever to Vince McMahon.

Edited October 23, 2020 by twiztor
spelling iz hard

[Log]

Stevie headed up his own faction in WWE (Right to Censor).  They were actually pretty heavily featured.

At least they were featured enough that a group of my friends were them for Halloween one year.

[Web Conn]

What if Hogan not Savage goes in for 2 knee surgeries in June of 98 and not Savage? For arguments sake let’s say that Randy doesn’t tear his ACL at Spring Stampede and is still Champion in June.

[Ziggy]

2 hours ago, Web Conn said:

What if Hogan not Savage goes in for 2 knee surgeries in June of 98 and not Savage? For arguments sake let’s say that Randy doesn’t tear his ACL at Spring Stampede and is still Champion in June.

One of if not THE last great match he had was against Bret at Slamboree a month earlier. It was one of Bret’s best WCW matches too. 

Savage was already heavy on the juice but got even more carried away with the juice after those knee surgeries. Like he copied Scott Steiners Big Poppa Pump  playback. Juice up and repackage himself.

[thee Reverend Axl Future]

I dig Stevie as well, including his ringwork. No throat-injury SR could not have saved ECW, but if somehow (and that is a whole 'nother thang) ECW was not doomed to sink and he stayed uninjured I could see him as a big babyface main eventer there, in that early geek-like-you mode, and I could believe that momentum carrying over to WWF/E or WCW if that is still there as well in that dimension. A lot of fandom, wrestling included, went from wanting their heroes to be bigger than life, to being just like them. He definately was a worker who paid attention and tried to innovate and improve. Stevie jumped up and down after Beulah said she was pregnant (one of my fave stoopid angles) is hysterical still.

- RAF

[evidence]

On 10/22/2020 at 2:54 PM, Infinit said:

Yeah didn't he throw Lex under the bus? 

The story was when he came clean, his wife made him tell everything and she snitched on Lex (and I think Rick Steiner) and his wife told the other wives about the affairs.  So that's the only time Sting did the turn on Luger first.

[DangerMark]

On 10/21/2020 at 3:18 AM, L_W_P said:

Who gets the Starrcade 97 rub? 

Who got a rub from Starrcade '97 in real life? I've never heard a crowd so deflated. 

[paintedbynumbers]

On 10/24/2020 at 5:33 PM, evidence said:

The story was when he came clean, his wife made him tell everything and she snitched on Lex (and I think Rick Steiner) and his wife told the other wives about the affairs.  So that's the only time Sting did the turn on Luger first.

wonder what he had to gain throwing the other guys in with him. I mean yeah the captain goes down with the ship but is he trying to take his whole war games team down with him?  Scott and Pillman were saved at least!

[Mister TV]

46 minutes ago, paintedbynumbers said:

wonder what he had to gain throwing the other guys in with him. I mean yeah the captain goes down with the ship but is he trying to take his whole war games team down with him?  Scott and Pillman were saved at least!

I bet he tattled right away without any prodding, you don't see Sting blurting out "Larry and Rob were cheating too" mere seconds after his wife found out about his escapades. 

[paintedbynumbers]

20 minutes ago, Mister TV said:

I bet he tattled right away without any prodding, you don't see Sting blurting out "Larry and Rob were cheating too" mere seconds after his wife found out about his escapades. 

had to be more like "Larry, Rob, and I got bored and invited a bunch of ladies to dinner and well...."   

 

"Well Steve what about Scott"        "Oh honey, you know Scott stayed at the gym the whole time"

[Log]

1 hour ago, paintedbynumbers said:

had to be more like "Larry, Rob, and I got bored and invited a bunch of ladies to dinner and well...."   

 

"Well Steve what about Scott"        "Oh honey, you know Scott stayed at the gym the whole time"

“He’s always either working out or studying math.  You know how he loves math!”

[paintedbynumbers]

"no honey, there was only Scotty sitting in the Steiner recliner, he didn't have anyone else with him"

[Infinit]

3 hours ago, paintedbynumbers said:

wonder what he had to gain throwing the other guys in with him. I mean yeah the captain goes down with the ship but is he trying to take his whole war games team down with him?  Scott and Pillman were saved at least!

Wasn't Steve becoming "born again Christian", so to be absolved of his sins and save his soul, he had to lay out his dirty laundry and snitch on his bros too? lol

[paintedbynumbers]

1 hour ago, Infinit said:

Wasn't Steve becoming "born again Christian", so to be absolved of his sins and save his soul, he had to lay out his dirty laundry and snitch on his bros too? lol

thank heavens HBK didn't get wind of this, could you imagine Hall, Nash, Waltman, and Hunter's stories?? 10x as bad as Lex and Rick 

[Curt McGirt]

Didn't Lex kinda out himself by being with Elizabeth when she OD'd? Wasn't he married then? 

[Shartnado]

2 hours ago, Curt McGirt said:

Didn't Lex kinda out himself by being with Elizabeth when she OD'd? Wasn't he married then? 

I may be wrong, but I always thought that Lex started going out with Liz after his marriage went to the shitter after the Sting disclosure that's being discussed.

[HumanChessgame]

Another Sting scenarion-

During the Monday Night Wars, Sting clearly had enough clout to do what he wanted, but let's say he wasn't as amiable in that time period. He gets annoyed with first Hogan walking in and promptly winning the world title while bringing all his old friends in then Hall and Nash signing and taking over everything backstage to the point he wanted out by the end of 96. Does he go to Japan for a while? End up signing with WWE after all?

[Phantom Lord]

On 10/18/2020 at 3:43 AM, BurningBeard said:

I was just running this feud on 2K19 and think it would’ve been amazing in WCW circa 92-93 if the accident hadn’t happened:

Ravishing Rick Rude v Magnum TA. It all starts with a Madusa face turn after  her feud with Heyman and TA coming to the rescue

I'm just picturing it happening after War Games 92. The crowd on Saturday night going apeshit when Magnum runs in and hits the belly to belly on Rude and punching Dangerously. 

 

EDIT: I'm not sure if if this has been discussed in here (it probably has), but what if Austin and Hogan do work together and decide to have feud running into Summerslam 2002?

I understand several factors would be at play here. Hogan still turns face after the match with The Rock. But I think Austin would have to go full heel against Hogan. 

AH HELL, I SAVED THIS COMPANY FROM THE GOT DANG GUTTER BECAUSE THAT ORANGE SON OF A BITCH WAS PUTTING YOU OUT OF BUSINESS AND THIS IS THE THANKS I GET? STEVE, WE NEED YOU TO BE A TEAM PLAYER. PLAY SOME BALL.

In a perfect world it would lead to Austin returning to his Stunning Steve persona (not sure he could grow back the hair) and we get the Hogan/Austin feud that should have happened in WCW back in late 94/early 95. Only thing I wish that could be in this is Brian Pillman would have been alive for a Hollywood Blondes reunion. Hogan/Rock vs. Austin/Pillman could have been an insane match maybe for that 2002 King of the Ring. 

This is part of a bigger plan that didn't involve pissing Austin off when they wanted him to lose to Lesnar with no build whatso ever. I mean I would build that up as his final match in 2004 at MSG just so we didn't get Lesnar/Goldberg. 

Edited October 27, 2020 by Phantom Lord

[paintedbynumbers]

On 10/27/2020 at 2:20 AM, Shartnado said:

I may be wrong, but I always thought that Lex started going out with Liz after his marriage went to the shitter after the Sting disclosure that's being discussed.

proving point that "no good deed goes un-punnished

[paintedbynumbers]

On 10/27/2020 at 3:46 AM, HumanChessgame said:

Another Sting scenarion-

During the Monday Night Wars, Sting clearly had enough clout to do what he wanted, but let's say he wasn't as amiable in that time period. He gets annoyed with first Hogan walking in and promptly winning the world title while bringing all his old friends in then Hall and Nash signing and taking over everything backstage to the point he wanted out by the end of 96. Does he go to Japan for a while? End up signing with WWE after all?

not sure he does Japan, he did it while in WCW but again I am sure NJPW wanted WCW top guys and that's how they got Sting to work.  I figure he goes into real-estate sooner, or gets into acting earlier.  He did shoot some movies in the 98-2000 era.  

[Matt D]

In 1993, in between getting canned at WCW and joining ECW as Gilbert's manager, Heyman was trying to get out of the wrestling business. He apparently turned down an offer from Vince. I have no reason not to believe this. If Heyman does go to WWF in 93, is he just an announcer? If not, who does he manage? Cornette doesn't come in until August but adding Heyman to the Yoko/Fuji mix feels really odd relatively.

[Mister TV]

2 minutes ago, Matt D said:

In 1993, in between getting canned at WCW and joining ECW as Gilbert's manager, Heyman was trying to get out of the wrestling business. He apparently turned down an offer from Vince. I have no reason not to believe this. If Heyman does go to WWF in 93, is he just an announcer? If not, who does he manage? Cornette doesn't come in until August but adding Heyman to the Yoko/Fuji mix feels really odd relatively.

I think Heyman would have been a better fit than Cornette who seemed so out of place in the WWF along with managing a monster like Yoko. Remember that Heyman idolized and was mentored by the Terrible Trio of Albano, Blassie & Grand Wizard and their bread and butter was talking for monsters who couldn't talk.

[Shartnado]

6 minutes ago, Mister TV said:

I think Heyman would have been a better fit than Cornette who seemed so out of place in the WWF along with managing a monster like Yoko. Remember that Heyman idolized and was mentored by the Terrible Trio of Albano, Blassie & Grand Wizard and their bread and butter was talking for monsters who couldn't talk.

And if that happened, there's an off chance he would have also managed Ludvig Borga at the time. This would have given him the chance to manage both the proto-Lesnar as well as the real thing later on. But one has to wonder if this run would end badly for him and affect his chances in his later runs to do as well as he did. On the other hand, if this run lasted until the present day, that would mean no Extreme Championship Wrestling as we know it. There would have been an ECW, but I doubt it would have evolved (or devolved) into what we knew until 2001.

[Matt D]

It means they could have brought 94 Eddie Gilbert in as a wrestling bus driver or zookeeper something.