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WWF: Hulkamania era (1984-`1992)

alkeiper

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How would it have worked for someone to get eliminated from the Rumble via count out? You have ten seconds to get back into the ring if you slide out of the bottom or second rope?
Battle royals should have this rule, honestly. The way the rules operate now there is no reason to ever actually get into the ring. Another form of count-out could be the "wrestler unable to continue" booking, which we don't see in the Rumble but was a common spot in '70s battle royals.

If I'm not mistaken the only wrestler counted out in a Rumble was Randy Savage, the only one disqualified was Finlay (2008).
 

BruiserBrody

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[quote author=BRODY link=topic=7317.msg606823#msg6
How would it have worked for someone to get eliminated from the Rumble via count out? You have ten seconds to get back into the ring if you slide out of the bottom or second rope?
With the brawling around ringside that happened every now and then, I can see that being a spot where a person would be counted out.

We have to assume that if they were going to book these stips, then they had plans to utilize them in 1991.
 

snuffbox

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With the brawling around ringside that happened every now and then, I can see that being a spot where a person would be counted out.

We have to assume that if they were going to book these stips, then they had plans to utilize them in 1991.

Maybe that was the plan for eliminating Andre if he'd been able to work that one?
 

BruiserBrody

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[quote author=BRODY link=topic=7317.msg606823#msg6
Wrestling Classics had a post mentioning that Savage vs Warrior in 89 originally was promoted as face vs face in some markets. Their first match is one week after the Mega Powers break up so it makes sense that the WWF would be plugging main events weeks out.
So now I want somebody to upload those promos!
 

Valeyard

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He was always weird looking but the El Matador look made him look old. Could've probably hung on like the Bushwhackers though. Jumped to WCW, get some time with Eddie and Benoit, maybe Martel.

Arribadercy never got his due until way later it feels like.
 

BruiserBrody

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[quote author=BRODY link=topic=7317.msg606823#msg6
He was always weird looking but the El Matador look made him look old. Could've probably hung on like the Bushwhackers though. Jumped to WCW, get some time with Eddie and Benoit, maybe Martel.

Arribadercy never got his due until way later it feels like.
I'm pretty curious as to why any of the older talent who were active didn't wind up on WCW C and D shows (and jobbing on Nitro). Tito, Koko, Orton Jr, Bundy, even Brunzell.
Tito was on the WWF payroll in 97/98 as a Spanish announcer.
Koko and Eaton could have reunited as the Jet Set to have surreal matches with WCW's massive tag team roster.
Orton and Dick Slater as Crusty Old Men!
Bundy in the Dungeon of Doom? It would be funny to hear of him quitting the moment they asked him to get squashed by Luger or the Giant on Nitro.
I feel like Russo could/would have used near 50 Brunzell in a comedy gimmick as he was getting chubby. Make him oblivious to the fact that he's 10 years past relevance as he insists his tie-dye tights will get over with the hip fans. "I throw a mean dropkick!" How's your hurricanrana?
"What the heck is that? Like a head scissors?"
He can then lean into his midwestern accent and morph into one of Bill Swerski's Superfans as he talks about how the High Flyers could overcome ever increasingly absurd odds as Mean Gene tries to remind him that the team broke up 13 years ago.
 

Valeyard

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Tito absolutely feels like a 1993-97 guy. Matches with Austin, Pillman, Regal, or Eaton. Dustin ally. Nonthreatening midcarder to Hogan, someone you can stick with Sting against the Horsemen, maybe just give him the Renegade spot when it becomes apparent it isn't working. Let him rule Saturday night with Eddie, Dean, and Benoit, maybe be one of those oversized cruiserweights and put on great matches with guys like Psychosis or Super Calo. Give him and Saturn ten minutes and see what happens.

I know the story has been Hogan wanting to bring in Koko for the cruiserweight division, and I wish that had happened. Mad underrated and would've had great work with the new generation of guys. He and Eaton would've been great, too. Jet Set vs Blue Bloods? Hell yes.

Ace would've been a perfect Col. Parker guy. He looked really skinny but still really solid in SMW and I think he could've made something work in the short term. I don't think he'd be Orndorff but he could've fit in the midcard. Be a hell of an agent.

Bundy never coming in is so weird because he would've been the perfect guy at the perfect time. He was always a very reliable big man and worked well with Hogan, and probably could've been amazing with Sting. Would've been a better investment then Kamala, honestly. Then nWo Bundy and Scott Norton just become a meat wall.

Russo bringing in the Bees in has potential. They could have the money feud with Lenny and Lodi.
 

BruiserBrody

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[quote author=BRODY link=topic=7317.msg606823#msg6
According to the Wrestling History Grenade, the Rockers tried to behave when they entered the WWF in May 87. Chief Jay told them right away he didn't think they belonged in WWF. The Rockers also tried to be low key and didn't go hobnob in the locker room, so the boys thought they were stuck up.
The locker room eventually convinced them to go out to the bars that night. Marty ended up with the rat JJ Funk had his eyes on, so JJ freaked out in the bar and even went so far as to chew on a broken beer bottle. Finally Shawn took him up on his demands to get wild and smashed a beer bottle over his own head.
The office got word and the story expanded far beyond the truth and the Rockers were canned.
Pat Patterson went to bat for them for the next year plus before Vince brought them back.
 

Valeyard

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That timeline, we get The Model Shawn Michaels.
 

BruiserBrody

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[quote author=BRODY link=topic=7317.msg606823#msg6
That timeline, we get The Model Shawn Michaels.
I was thinking that this oddly changes a lot of history potentially. The Rockers are tiny in 87 before they roided up to a degree a bit into their WWF run. So they likely take the role of the Young Stallions, who never form in this timeline, or stay pure jobbers but team anyway.
They probably spend most of 87 working the Conquistadors, Shadows and Bolsheviks on C-shows while popping up once in a while to put over Demolition and the Harts. They might get a killer run of openers with the Islanders by 88.
If they survive the stink of slumming it early on they may have a similar 89 where they work the Brian Busters and Rougeaus a bunch, but the extra year in WWF may effect how long they want to stay on the hamster wheel and WCW in 1990 may seem like a better option either as a team or singles. Maybe we have the oddity of Shawn in WCW much like Owen Hart's cup of coffee in the same era?
I guess there is also an argument that they would just be under the radar in 87, not really pushed but not really buried and we only see them in the Survivor Series tag match and the WM 4 battle royal. They likely put the Harts over in AWA towns first though.
Argument 2 is after Zenk quits, the Rockers get the rocket ship push as the pretty boy team to spite Zenk and Martel finds a role as a babyface single to replace Jake the Snake, Hacksaw, Steamboat and JYD as they all are gone in the Spring/summer of 87 for various reasons.
It is odd to think of the Rockers as the team putting over the Demos at WM 4 and becoming also rans before their actual run started in the Summer of 88. That would potentially set up the Rockers imploding at WM 5.
 

Valeyard

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Rockers getting the Strike Force spot makes the most sense to me. Realistically I think they would either be Strike Force or go on the lower card death spot guys like the Stallions and Bees were in. Seems more plausible to me thinking that Martel gets lost in the midcard shuffle after Zenk leaves and the pretty boy face team (championed by Patterson) gets the spot. Given that the Rockers are who they are, one of them will leave early in the 90s. If it's Shawn, he might well fill the spot of someone like Pillman or Austin. Marty, he might be the third wheel in whatever Rock n Roll Express angle is going on.

It's one of those scenarios I think is hard to wonder about because it reallt went as well as it could ever have gone.
 

JHawk

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Looks like that was during Race's time off with his abdominal surgery as Jake beat Greg Valentine that night.
 
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