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Kamala's Random WCW Bullshit thread

Valeyard

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I think I'd have a much higher appreciation for heel Hogan if he didn't work the same people he did as a face. Like the novelty for me wore off really fast when nothing fresh seemed to happen.

Also DDP should've gotten the Luger win. He was so hot
 

Cackling Co Pilot Kamala

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Hogan and the Outsiders really are to blame for the cool heel. Well that and WCW booking their babyfaces to look so ineffective. I know in wrestling, the money is in the chase but WCW seemed to think the money was in the friggin hamster wheel.
 

Valeyard

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The cool heel is fine, but if the face can't keep up it's death. WCW didn't feel like complete dinosaurs until the Outsiders showed up and made everyone else feel dated or outclassed.

This is another one of those things that is probably just me but by having Hall and Nash be a team most of the time, it really limited options on the card as well as both of them as workers. I never once bought any WCW team as a threat because the Outsiders were an OP final boss team who should've been doing other bigger things
 

BruiserBrody

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[quote author=BRODY link=topic=7317.msg606823#msg6
Meltzer would have had a heart attack had Nash been US champ and Hall TV champ instead of the Vanilla Midgets.
Hall and Nash would have also probably felt they were being established as a lower tier than Hogan.

Luger's TV title run kind took something away from the Badd/DDP/Booty feud that would be theoretically elevating guys upward. Then Regal got it back via the NWO anyway.
And Sting working Regal on PPV for it felt like a bit of a demotion too. Bulldog and Steamboat got PPV shots at Regal, but that was after their main event usefulness had been taken out.

I 100 percent agree on the End Boss feel for the Outsiders. The Faces of Fear murdering geeks every week was good TV and any other year before 1996 would have meant a title run. We were only months removed from Slater and Buck winning the belts.

Sting/Luger winning the belts in January at least added to the overall angle with Luger being a heel in some segments which was all part of the Sting/Luger vs Mega Powers angle that never paid off.
It accidentally made the end of War Games even better though as Luger of all people not trusting Sting after the BS Sting stood by with him earlier that year made Sting's "F it" reaction even more justified.
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I wonder if Hogan pitched for a Booty Man vs Hogan Clash match 2 weeks after Hog Wild or if Beefcake was just supposed to be happy with getting paid to sit home? Seems like an easy TV main event and then the NWO can smash Beefcake's face up and "retire" him until the Disciple shows up.
 

Valeyard

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I don't think they'd be pissed at not being seen on Hogan's level because the first three nWo members were already on the same level, really. There was never a doubt the Outsiders were top guys and could main event any show without anyone batting an eye. If Hall and Nash do other things, or at least do things adjacent to other things, it works well. I think Hall would be pretty down to work hard and make guys look good for a little while. Not put a lot of people over, I'm sure, but make them look good. Nash would be a huge star in any context because whoever he works with benefits from being near him (until he kills them). And if you wanted to put a title on them, that's probably a good idea so Hogan can do his "take time off and come back to pop a rating" thing more.

Luger's run suffered by the belt not being a focal point to his other stuff. The TV title being elevated* and in play with all of his tweener bullshit adds a lot. Badd leaving hurt DDP more than Luger being the champion, short term, but I don't think there's a scenario where he doesn't get a huge push in some fashion. It's surprising Brutus never got a small title run, though. I would've thought him more likely than Duggan. Regal's thing with Sting made sense if they were actually going to elevate Regal but the main event buzzsaw was in full effect.

Sting/Luger vs Mega Powers should've been at, like, Uncensored 98 with Savage turning or something. There was no other way. Honestly I feel like heel Mega Powers would've been awesome so it's too bad that didn't happen.
 

Big Papa Paegan

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Also DDP should've gotten the Luger win. He was so hot.
Counterpoint:
DDP having that brief a first World title run would've tarnished his 1998, IMO, which was all about establishing him as THE People's Champion for the company. It would have been a much hotter deal than Luger, true, and I think we see Page in the ME earlier than we did (and it adds more heat to both the celebrity tag matches in summer '98 and Havoc '98), but I don't think a one week run helps long-term without Page eschewing the Benoit/Raven programs that, let's face it, carried the first half of 1998 for the company.
 

Valeyard

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See I don't know if I see him necessarily not working the Benoit/Raven matches because DDP would love to use his spot to elevate both of them and he would slip down the card anyway. But the main thing is DDP getting that win is a truly home grown WCW guy being Hogan. Losing to Hogan doesn't hurt him too badly, either, because once DDP got over in WCW he stayed there and now that you know he can win the world title he is a perpetual threat. He also is 100% the guy I'd put on top for a Sturges white trash bowl. It could even benefit him being out of the title picture proper until Havoc, as well, because now he's hungrier and pissed with the best finisher in the company and a track record of beating the biggest name ever for the title.

And, worst case with Benoit/Raven, throw Bret in there so he has something to do and the matches are even better.
 

Big Papa Paegan

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The idea of Bret/Raven is very enticing, because you know Bret would be wary of working a garbage brawl but that Raven would be able to convince him due to how safe and smart he actually was in the ring, and the outcome could be Bret evolving his anti-degenerate shtick into something more realized.
 

Valeyard

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Raven/Bret made easy:

Raven gives Bret shit about how he has a fractured family while Raven's family is always together. Let him compare himself to Stu, where he might discipline them but they will always love and respect him. Says something about Bret's values being different and a failure. Whole thing winds up being getting Bret to sink to Raven's level, but Bret's Bret.

Bret keeps losing the numbers game, and trying to be the class act Hitman so he won't straight kill anyone. Benoit aligns with him because Dungeon and Canada, and he's willing to play dirty. It isn't about who Bret's got, it's about what he's got. Rio Bravo shit. Finally Anvil and Bulldog come in and help out, making Bret have a bunch of people he loves but who are morally dubious on his side. Raven keeps getting away, and the Flock gets a little more annoyed every time.

Ideally, this leads to Wargames, where Bret finally snaps and breaks Raven while other Flock members just kinda watch. Raven goes off on his own against Saturn or whoever and it's a big rub while Bret is immediately back in the main event. Benoit is now upper card.

And of course throughout the year Benoit's run ragged with Booker and other things but always just haunted and distracted by the Bret/Raven shit. Next year we get the Harts/Horsemen battle for Benoit's soul.
 

Valeyard

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I've never bought it. Like it's a very Vince move but it's equally a very WCW move. I could buy it as WCW just being afraid, but as long as they aren't the Hart Foundation or wear those awesome jackets it shouldn't matter. Vince can't copyright Canada.
 

Cackling Co Pilot Kamala

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Poor Pedro (but the mental image of him crashing through the stage after GAB ‘96 is hilarious)
 

Valeyard

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Wait he only died in 2019?! For some reason I thought he died in like 1997.

Should've come back in the early 90s. Pedro would've been better than JYD.
 

Cackling Co Pilot Kamala

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'87 and on JYD legit might have been more exciting and mobile than '80s Pedro. At least, JYD always had his charisma (even if it was dulled over time). All '80s Pedro had for appeal was "Hey! 'Member him? He won all three titles!"

Also legit kind of crazy that no one won the Triple Crown between Pedro and Bret Hart. You think Hogan would've demanded a cup of coffee with the IC and Tag Team belts just to say he would've done it.

HEY! This isn't the '84-'92 WWF thread.
 

Valeyard

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Is Luger the only guy to win all major WCW belts? Or did Sting?

Not counting the Cruiserweight title because I don't think anyone came close during WCW's existence and Hardcore title isn't real.
 

Cackling Co Pilot Kamala

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I think Bret Hart too, which is kind of funny considering how his run is universally considered to be a big disappointment.

(Checks Wikipedia)

He didn't win the TV Title, just unsuccessfully challenged for it at Bash at the Beach '98. Which is an example of why his WCW run was universally considered to be a disappointment!
 

Valeyard

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Bret not being in the TV title picture with the workrate guys is a total shame. Let him elevate the belt along with Saturn or Finlay and let him just have his own universe.

I'm kinda surprised at how many guys held all the belts just because.
 

Cackling Co Pilot Kamala

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Even though it would have annoyed the smarks of 1998, Bret Hart showing up and saying “I’m not here to be handed anything. Last promotion I was in is a joke. I want to work my way up the best company in the world the WCW and show why I am the best there is, the best there was and the best there ever will be.” Then working up from the TV division to the US to the World could have been cool.

Plus those idiots Nash and Hogan wouldn’t feel as threatened by him.
 

Valeyard

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Bret/Jericho would've been a great fall program, too, if/when the Jericho/Goldberg one falls through.

Bret running his own destiny in the upper midcard is the best way. He can still main event with the big names but if he's anchored with the workrate guys, he won't get lost in the shuffle. Plus you just know he'd be into making guys he's both friends with and who are legit good workers that need it. Goal would be to let him be Bret while also being able to work the top card, I guess, and it hurts him less significantly to lose to the big names if he can make another title more important.

Bret didn't have creative control, did he?
 
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