Wrestling WWE

[Punisher007]

^You're not the first person to say that, and I doubt that you'll be the last.

[XPac]

WCW had a deeper roster but the programming and scripting was horribly bad.

I still wonder why people would choose to watch Hollywood Hogan vs Roddy Piper over a match like The Rock vs Ken Shamrock.

Very excellent workers in WCW were put underneath old and aging guys like Macho Man (Madness), Ric Flair and the aforementioned Roddy Piper.

Needless to say, I never, ever enjoyed watching WCW beyond the Cruiserweight guys like Rey Misterio, Eddie Gurerro and Dean Malenko.

That was one of WCW's biggest problem long term. Their reliance on older superstars because for the most part, they seemed incapable of creating new ones (apart from Goldberg and DDP). Rather than pushing any up and coming mid-carders into the main event position, they simply threw a lot of money at any WWE main eventer they could lure away.

To their credit they at least tried to push Benoit at the very tail end of his WCW career. But guys like Rey, Jericho, and Guererro were all world champion level competitors who could have helped to carry the company.

Now that I think about it, I can probably add Booker T to the list of people WCW pushed towards the main event. But by that point, it was almost too late as the WCW brand was sort tarnished too much.

[Gryphon]

12 years ago today

Viva La Raza

[SUPERECWFAN1]

When guys wanted a push in 1998/1999 Bischoff was intent on trying to keep people at levels. He had seen the Japan way and thought , I can do this. But it became too silly to keep doing. A number of guys were done like this.


Chris Jericho - Jericho had raised his profile so much that by 1999 he was working on a new deal with WCW. Jericho's fresh heel work and the whole Jericoholic run was what put him on a bigger stage. By 1999 Jericho was a mid-carder and wanted a bigger push in the company. Bischoff he claims met with him and offered him a $900,000 a year salary . But wouldn't say he'd push him as a chance in the upper-card. In fact Bischoff was like I can't give you that. Just this as pay. Jericho took a lesser offer from WWF and Vince McMahon's word of .."I'll give you the chance to see if you can..."


Raven - In 1998/1999 Raven's big opening push as the Flock was nearing the end. He wasn't happy that his lone mid/upper card push was suddenly destructed by Goldberg days later. But understood why it happened. Raven also said Hogan would sit backstage and go , I don't understand what the **** this Flock deal is about. But he saw it gaining heat and asked if Horace Hogan could join. Raven really didn't want Horace but knew Hulk was pulling strings creatively backstage so he had to put his nephew in the group.

Anyhow Raven came to Bischoff with an idea to raise his profile and get him into the top #10/12 of the company's main event roster. He always wanted to work with Roddy Piper and he brought up how he'd have Kanyon who he was with onscreen at the time do a parody act of Jimmy Snuka and the coconut act that Piper did years earlier. This enrages Piper who sees Raven as mocking him and starts a program. Piper was game for it but Bischoff said no , because he didn't want to push Raven up.


Chris Benoit - This one had a number of silliness involved. Benoit clearly was a star and singles one from 1996 on. Once his matches and more took off , it was just folks begging for him to get a push. The Sullivan feud was a big one and it flowed into a Raven program. At this point Benoit/Raven was getting tons of good heat and DDP saw it. So being Bischoff's friend , he pushed himself into the angle. Pushing Benoit out of it so he could get the good heat. Bischoff allowed it since he knew Page and all.

Benoit would have to wait years for his chance , even as Page got more chances in the main event scene than he ever did. It was more sad that Benoit had so much damn talent in the company and when people watch Nitro he was working for the TV Championship and mid-card. Even as tag team champion with Malenko , he was fucked over by Hogan who would tell Bischoff he didn't like how the WCW World tag team champions were doing great matches he had to follow. So Bischoff broke them up.


Scott Steiner - Now he literally didn't care and would do shoots in ring. The moment Steiner turned heel , he was instant gold. Years earlier Watts told Scott , if you turn heel you'll be the biggest star the business has seen. Scott wouldn't do it til he physically wasn't the same guy ...but he was HOT. Steiner had to wait 2+ years....for who knows what reason ?


Buff Bagwell - Don't laugh , when Bagwell broke his neck women literally cried in the audience. Bagwell was someone who could have been a huge face for the company as he battled back. WCW was literally given a real life Shawn Michaels story where a man has to try and return from a horrible injury and had fans follow. Instead on TV as soon as Bagwell returned ...he did a stupid heel turn and fans quickly lost interest.


Shane Douglas - WCW signed Franchise right after his last big ECW run. So how do you book a World Champion ? By throwing him into a group called Revolution and do...nothing. Douglas was someone who could have used his angry promos and more to show he was The Franchise. Instead ...he did little.


Mike Awesome - We all know WCW screwed this one over.


Big Show - In his shoot Show brought up that he was working on a low contract heading into 1999. He had done everything Bischoff wanted and was working so many days a week , plus main event of shows . Plus he was working to improve daily in ring. So he asked for a raise and Bischoff wouldn't give him one and snapped at him.

[BeastieRunner]

Jericho, The Giant, Raven, and Benoit were the ones WCW really screwed over. The rest ... I don't think would've clicked even with a good angle.

[TheInvisibleMan]

I think Shane Douglas could have done well if given the right storyline, the Triple Threat was the hottest thing going in ECW during their time

I remember seeing Benoit on WCW Saturday Night and going "holy crap, that dude has two speeds - walk and MURDER"

my favorite iteration of the Horsemen is Flair, Arn, Malenko, and Benoit

[XPac]

I think Shane Douglas could have done well if given the right storyline, the Triple Threat was the hottest thing going in ECW during their time

I remember seeing Benoit on WCW Saturday Night and going "holy crap, that dude has two speeds - walk and MURDER"

my favorite iteration of the Horsemen is Flair, Arn, Malenko, and Benoit

Honestly, I was never that impressed by Douglas. Not that he was bad, but I didn't think he was that grest either.

I'd never complain about him getting a push, but I wouldn't lose sleep over him not getting one.

[Gryphon]

http://www.wrestlinginc.com/wi/news/...eturning-soon/

Neville is coming back

[Exciter]

Sounds eerily familiar.

It pains me to see WWE today making the same mistakes WCW made so long ago.

[BeastieRunner]

I think Shane Douglas could have done well if given the right storyline, the Triple Threat was the hottest thing going in ECW during their time

Douglas came up during the height of my smarkhole days, so that might be why I've never been high on him. He's a great wrestler but I never thought his character work would grab anybody outside the ECW scene.

my favorite iteration of the Horsemen is Flair, Arn, Malenko, and Benoit

Mine too!

Honestly, I was never that impressed by Douglas. Not that he was bad, but I didn't think he was that grest either.

I'd never complain about him getting a push, but I wouldn't lose sleep over him not getting one.

I think the bolded part more accurately expresses my feelings.

[XPac]

http://www.wrestlinginc.com/wi/news/...eturning-soon/

Neville is coming back

IMO Neville was booked pretty darn well by the WWE. He was a cruiser weight beast for the better part of last year. So I certainly hope he comes back. He was a big part of the division.

[Immortal Weapon]

I hope that Neville doesn't return to the cruiserweight division. He should be put back in the main roster and have a run with the IC title.

[Gryphon]

Neville needed to be in the CW division at that time for two reasons. 1. It gave him a real personality whereas before he was bland and generic. 2. It made the division worth watching. Now both of those are resolved, he can be in the main division again.

[BeastieRunner]

If Neville did walk out because of dropping to Enzo, something tells me he wouldn't have if it was to somebody like Kalisto.

Enzo appears to be in it as a stepping stone, whereas PAC is well ... a wrestler.

[TheInvisibleMan]

looks like Paige is backstage

unsure whether she'll be used or not

oh and it appears her and Del Rio are done or on a break

I guess her returning to WWE was a point of contention between them

also her parents dont like him....at all