Biggest letdown?

[electricfuneral]

I am not too familiar with billy gunn's shoulder injury

 

[SocraticMethod]

Does anyone here believe Jim was even alive yet for WrestleMania 20?

 

[Thrawn33]

Mine:
The Invasion. I think they jumped the gun with it by not having enough of the key WCW players in place yet, leading to WWF wrestlers joining. They even managed to screw up the ECW reunion by having them ally with WCW....which was all for naught, WWF buried them.

The Higher Power - Should have been Jake the Snake...sadly when someone in the WWF mentioned that he was a possibility on air I knew it wasn't happening.

Bret Harts's WCW run - nothing more needs to be said

 

[JamesRyko]

michelangelo the savage.

James is a solid wrestling fan but what we are actually seeing here I think is a fundamental difference of opinions when it comes to what works in wrestling.

James is of the (flawed) perspective that work rate creates the best match and the key is to perform cool, realistic, hard hitting spots and having logical finishes. A Cena guy?

Michelangelo is more in step with me and the nuanced fan who thinks the match is determined by how good the story is that is told in the ring and in the lead up.

I think HHH is a better wrestler now that his work rate has dropped because I think he uses psychology better and his character is more interesting.

Punk vs Undertaker was one of my favourite matches because of the story it told. Undertaker is not very capable of a high work rate.

My opinion is wrong because it is different than your opinion. Good to know. Thanks for adding to the conversation.

 

[electricfuneral]

My opinion is wrong because it is different than your opinion. Good to know. Thanks for adding to the conversation.

I'm joking when I say it's a flawed opinion or that mine is more nuanced or correct.
I do believe there is a divide when it comes to what works in wrestling though. You said in another post you do not watch wrestling for the stories, so your more of the cornett way of thinking.

 

[SammyPops]

Hogan over the Iron Sheik.

The Sheik's devastating camal clutch owned Bob, a true American hero! Who could this evil arab!!! I know, Persian. Anyways- Hogan destroys him. Shiek barely gets his robes off.

 

[Prime LeVan]

Luger beating Windham for the WCW title. Luger had been getting a huge buildup and beat Muta at the Clash for a shot at Flair. Flair left and Luger beat Windham for the strap, then turned heel with Harley Race and Mr. Hughes as lackys. To a lesser extent Luger not winning the title at WM over Yokozuna too.

Vader's WWF run. Vader should have been a dominant champ like he was everywhere else. PERIOD.

Muhammad Hassan. A waste of NUCLEAR heat and a really good character.

 

[electricfuneral]

tyler breeze

 

[King Ghidorah]

It's gotta be the Invasion angle.

They had the potential to make something huge happen, but they didn't bring in Goldberg, NWO, Steiner, or Sting it was so bad. Then of course you had the debacle that was Stephanie as ECW owner.

 

[King Ghidorah]

Mine:

The Higher Power - Should have been Jake the Snake...sadly when someone in the WWF mentioned that he was a possibility on air I knew it wasn't happening.

Bret Harts's WCW run - nothing more needs to be said

Jake is so good on the mic I am surprised they haven't found a way to bring him back. Higher Power would have been amazing, but he was fully entrenched in alcohol and drug abuse.

I think they could have brought him back to somehow be involved with the Wyatt's. I remember a year ago during his promos Bray would say "The devil made me do it". I was hoping they would bring Jake back as "the devil".

 

[Thrawn33]

Jake is so good on the mic I am surprised they haven't found a way to bring him back. Higher Power would have been amazing, but he was fully entrenched in alcohol and drug abuse.

I think they could have brought him back to somehow be involved with the Wyatt's. I remember a year ago during his promos Bray would say "The devil made me do it". I was hoping they would bring Jake back as "the devil".

Going to have to research this Wyatt, I've heard he is the mindfuck type, so yeah, the Snake being his mentor would fit.

 

[Burning Hammer]

It's gotta be the Invasion angle.

For real, they could have done that whole angle for a year or two and they bled it out in less than 3 months.

 

[Thrawn33]

For real, they could have done that whole angle for a year or two and they bled it out in less than 3 months.

They jumped the gun. Tried it with none of the big WCW names. They could have just blown off WCW as a faction until they secured the contracts of the big guns...then started the invasion.

Just let it fester in the back of fans minds then when the key players were secured: do the ECW revival first, they end up defeated and then the newly signed Flair, Steiner, Goldberg and the "opressed" former WCW stars begin the invasion. Then when things look bad, the NWO returns and adds a third side to the chaos that ensues.

 

[Stargazer Rex]

Adam Bomb, he could of been a contender...

 

[skysolo]

Hogan over the Iron Sheik.

The Sheik's devastating camal clutch owned Bob, a true American hero! Who could this evil arab!!! I know, Persian. Anyways- Hogan destroys him. Shiek barely gets his robes off.

The Iron Shiek is Aryan not Arab.

 

[PRIDEWASBETTER]

Adam Bomb, he could of been a contender...

He was nothing without Johnny Polo. lol

It's not my pick, but Luger/Yoko from Summerslam 93 was a colossal disappointment. All that buildup for him to not even win the belt and to win by countout. They even fucking celebrated it. Also, they should've put the Heavenly Bodies over the Steiners for the tag belts. Build heat with them by cheating to beat the Steiners in Michigan.

 

[My Spot]

Black Scorpion was a huge let down for me

Wasn't the original Black Scorpion going to be Al Perez? I think it could've worked with Eddie Gilbert. Prepare for tl/dr:

Anyway, you debut the character via videotape, all gloomy and such, over a few weeks, and have him drop vague hints about how he’s from Sting’s past and now that Sting is champion and on top of the world, he’s coming to take Sting down. Maybe he’ll turn up next week on Main Event. Maybe next month at a house show. But if Sting has guts and is a fighting champion, he’ll defend that title he’s so proud of against The Black Scorpion whenever one shows up. Because it may well be me… *maniacal laughter*

Sting responds with a fired up promo about how he’s all for competition, and he’ll more than happily fight any ‘Black Scorpion’ non-title, but he’s not about to hand out title shots to some wannabe playing dress up with a broken tape recorder.

Next week on Main Event, Sting wrestles Tom Zenk in a friendly match, Sting goes over somewhat strong (but Zenk isn’t squashed) when suddenly Sting is jumped by a few guys in masks, who swarm both men. Zenk is tossed aside, while Sting is beaten down, then out comes The Black Scorpion, in large robes to hide his body shape, who slaps Sting a couple times and then gives him a piledriver onto the title belt, then the group leaves.

Sting is out for a couple weeks with a stinger (heh), but comes back fired up. Now he wants his hands on the Black Scorpion, and if he has to put the belt up, fine. Come and get it, masked men!

Sting then defends the title every week on TV and at every house show against a Black Scorpion. But quickly, it becomes clear that the Scorpion is playing games, as every heel in the company and/or hired gun for a night is wrestling as ‘The Black Scorpion’. The Announcers put over that Sting’s being taken advantage of, as guys are clearly putting on the mask to get a title shot without earning it. Sting is forced to fight brawlers, technical guys, high fliers, the works.

Sid is waiting though, and at Halloween Havoc, he takes on a slightly tired Sting, and almost has the title won, when Sting gets a desperation roll up win. Sid attacks Sting afterwards, until the Scorpion appears and ‘casts a spell’ on Sid and leads him away. (Flashes a wad of cash)

Now Sid accompanies each Scorpion for Sting’s matches, now there’s only a few of them who keep repeating, but Sting can never unmask them since Sid is there to stop them. (Sid just says he has a ‘good deal going’) Finally, it leads to Starrcade, Title V Mask, inside the cage to keep Sid at bay, Dick The Bruiser as a ref they can be sure isn’t bought off.

Sting is attacked by Sid and a few masked Scorpions on the way to the ring, but the top babyfaces all make the save and run off Sid and the fake Scorpions, but in the melee Sting’s knee is hurt. The Real Scorpion comes out, and enters the ring. The Scorpion is a few inches shorter and not as fast as Sting, but he’s vicious, he’s able to brawl and, more importantly, he has the knee to go after. Sting fights valiantly, but months of constant title defences, Sid beat downs, and now this, it just slowly but surely gets too much, and after one Stinger Splash doesn’t put the Scorpion down, he goes for another, the Black Scorpion catches Sting, flapjacks him face first into the cage, and then locks on a tight figure four. After a few moments of fighting, Sting passes out. Dick the Bruiser reluctantly calls for the bell, and the Black Scorpion holds the title high as Sid comes out to celebrate.

The final image of Starrcade is the Black Scorpion, title belt around his waist, slowly, teasingly, pulling on the mask and then revealing the wide eyed manic smile of ‘Hot Stuff’ Eddie Gilbert, YOUR new NWA World Champion.

You then run with Eddie as champ, explaining how he knew Sting from their days when Sting was in the UWF Hot Stuff International Inc. Eddie knew how to manipulate Sting, how to tire him out until he could strike. And with Sid as his bodyguard, the sky’s the limit! You can then have a new Hot Stuff Inc. form, turn the Horsemen face over Sid’s leaving (they didn’t press the issue until Gilbert revealed himself), you go from there.

 

[My Spot]

Mine:
The Invasion. I think they jumped the gun with it by not having enough of the key WCW players in place yet, leading to WWF wrestlers joining. They even managed to screw up the ECW reunion by having them ally with WCW....which was all for naught, WWF buried them.

The Higher Power - Should have been Jake the Snake...sadly when someone in the WWF mentioned that he was a possibility on air I knew it wasn't happening.

Bret Harts's WCW run - nothing more needs to be said

Most of WCW's big stars had their contracts with AOL/Time Warner and made more money just sitting at home. DDP took a 50% pay cut and was rewarded with doing the job to Taker's wife.

I loved Vince as THP (obviously) because it showed just how far he'd go to fuck with Austin. Jake was still a mess at the time too (see Beyond the Mat and the Heroes of Wrestling ppv).

One of the few good things Russo did in WCW was pushing Bret. Of course then we got ANOTHER nWo reunion and then he had to retire a month later.

 

[My Spot]

He was nothing without Johnny Polo. lol

It's not my pick, but Luger/Yoko from Summerslam 93 was a colossal disappointment. All that buildup for him to not even win the belt and to win by countout. They even fucking celebrated it.

Luger was always getting screwed like that in title matches. The 88 GAB has the worst Dusty Finish ever.
It was awesome when he beat Hogan for the WCW title right before Road Wild in 97 but that only happened because he had to be WCW champion within 2 years of coming back to WCW per his contract.

 

[RedFoxOne]

1.) Macho Man's reduced role in 1993. Vince didn't have the foresight to see the shine Macho Man could have given Bret and Shawn. His pops at Summerslam and Survivor Series were huge and I know Savage wanted to work with Michaels, but imagine a Wrestlemania X tournament with Savage/Hart in the finals.

2.) Bret Hart's WWE return. By the time he came back, almost two generations of fans had come and gone. The reception was lame and considering the absolutely, historical fucking moment of Bret and Shawn (who comes out in D-X clothes) together, it should have been bigger and meant more. And that Mania match with Vince was cringe worthy.