What if the Kliq had went to WCW/a what if theory.

Unknown

DAv said:
There is absolutely no way that Nash is going to get Hogan to agree to drop the belt to Michaels and any attempt to do so would be laughed out the room, at best.
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"Doesn't work for me, brother." is so what Hogan would say to Nash...
 

jamesownz

In the short term? WWF is fine.

As much as the company tries to hype him as the GOAT HBK just wasn't a draw so I don't see any other differences in how the year plays out.

Bret gets the title in the Summer and continues his feud with Austin and then loses to him at WrestleMania, which makes alot more sense than our timeline.

I guess Bret's loss would lead to the end of the Hart foundation, I guess Bret is either 50/50 here to go face/stay heel.

But the WWF would be much better off.

As for WCW that's tough, no way HBK could get away with anything he did when he was in the Fed.
 

peeter

If Shawn went to wcw he’d probably be dead within two years. The guy was an absolute mess in 97 and going to wcw would not make things better
 
Ico

Ico

peeter said:
If Shawn went to wcw he’d probably be dead within two years. The guy was an absolute mess in 97 and going to wcw would not make things better
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Yeah but imagine Michaels in Japan.

wasn't Michaels wife an Nitro girl thought?
 

meries

tb78 said:
My few cents:

If Shawn woulda legitly left WWF would be in a hard spot.. but to be honest I could see them eventually climbing their way out of it. Things would be different of course but it wouldn't have been the worst thing in the world if it had happened in 1997. 1996? Possibly. Shawn was their top dog in 1996 and the people decently loved him but things started changing by fall of 1996. They forced him down everyone's throats and the crowd started to turn. The In Your House vs Mankind had some smarks in the audience but Survivor Series was really the decline of his face movement. The crowd was sick of him and booed him out the Garden while cheering massively for Sid. That seriously hurt him and he never recovered from that. The fans wanted someone else desperately. RR 97 was an outlier because they had to do it in his hometown. Him winning the belt anywhere else woulda been backfired on. People were growing tired of his routine.

With him gone honestly no one woulda missed him I don't think on the product and definitely not backstage. It does hurt not to have a major face around but due to the fatigue I think the natural audience would be willing to overlook it. Internally in fact Bret would probably go down forever as the hero and would stay around. They'd have to find a way to redo his contract but I see Vince being more willing once things improve. As for who replaces HBK? Austin definitely becomes the top face by August, that was always destined. Bret still is the heel Canadian hero, and the Hart Foundation reunion still happens. Rock still turns heel and joins the Nation, Foley still has his promos with JR which turn him and feud with HHH. I think the big benefactor would be Ken Shamrock honestly. He was in the mix as a potential victor over Bret for the title once he let it be known that he wouldn't drop it to Shawn. I doubt he'd win it in this 1997 but I def see Bret requesting a title match with him, they'd do excellent together at an In Your House. Vader could also possibly get that face run he deserved and a title shot, Mankind as well. Patriot possibly as well if he could stay straight. A lot of potential for a more eclectic lineup once Taker drops the belt to Bret at SS 97. Only real thing we may lose is the first Hell in a Cell Match but honestly they could potentially put one of the HF guys in it and I see it working. Owen Hart in Shawn's spot would be fun. I could see him doing the table bump perhaps. He'd win it like in RL once Kane comes out. Bret would face Taker for the title at RR 98 and be his main feud until Austin wins the Rumble. Casket match happens but no back injury for Bret.

Mania 14 would happen and Austin would win, it was his destined time. Bret would lose clean then get knocked out by Tyson for added flavor, it would give Bret some needed time off while Austin feuds with Owen and Davey along with Foley and Kane. Bret would be gone for a bit then comes back for a reduced schedule but he'd be a face instead. WWF goes the same way as RL as the wildness comes in. Sable takes off much like in RL, Rock gets his push, Taker/Kane have their feud, Shamrock becomes either a tweener or top heel, and so on. Bret becomes a part time attraction while getting into movies and his hobbies. He'd retire by 2001 or 2002 much happier.


As for Shawn? He'd either come in as a face and ally to Sting or he'd be in the NWO as one of the Wolfpack with Hall/Nash and Syxx. If it's the former he'd be another face in what was once the best idea in a long time growing out of control. He'd probably take Curt Henning's spot but he in better shape. He and DDP would probably have a hell of a US Title match at Starrcade. Going forward he would go with Nash to join the red and black and they'd be a lot like DX in terms of being more wilder. Probably would be a lot different than the RL group. They'd be younger and more bold. No Savage/Luger/Sting. Konnan would stay but it would be younger guys and they'd be bold and take on the old black and white NWO. Eventually he'd either turn on Nash and join Hogan or would leave post finger poke and go on his own.

If he goes face he'd be the top WCW guy along with Sting, he'd kill off Luger's momentum in that way. He'd probably be what they were wanting Hart to be which was the pissed off outsider who wants to re-avenge the company and reverse what the outsiders did. If they go all the way through with it I could see the NWO ending by early 1998 perhaps. Hard to see happening with Hogan's pull though. Something would have to give there, especially if Bischoff screws up and gives Shawn the same pull Hulk had.

A big determiner of his destiny would be his issues; they'd get a lot harder if he doesn't hurt his back in WCW. With the lax nature of how they ran things there's a very good chance he either gets busted or OD's in this world. There's be nothing there to prevent him from either OD'ing or doing something stupid if he didn't get the help he needed. Granted his wife was there but there's no guarantee they'd hook up here. If they do he eventually does get straight and has a nice run to end on his feet before the company dies off. Does he go back to WWF? Possibly not, if Vince views him as a traitor like Savage he wouldn't consider it but who knows.
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I think this is the most likely scenario for the WWF going forward from the time of the OP POD as things were beginning to click creatively, there are some details I could disagree on but I think you've got it.

The thing with Michaels and not post-Montreal Bret going to WCW is that Bischoff might not have a good idea to salve Hogan's ego the night of Starrcade and could have stood up to Terry (but then again Bischoff keeps on changing his story about that night). If there isn't a botched ending to an 18 month storyline then WCW's demise might be delayed at worst though unless they get their spending under control leading into the AOL-Time Warner merger, its hard to see the promotion survive.

As for Michaels himself, I don't want to pessimistic but given Hall's history backstage in WCW at the time, he might be one of those names of wrestlers died by the age of 35 given what he was already doing in WWF and would continue after the jump without the injury.
 

peeter

Ico said:
Yeah but imagine Michaels in Japan.

wasn't Michaels wife an Nitro girl thought?
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Shawn was a straight up junkie in 1997 and the only reason he survived was that Vince cared enough for him to push him to the straight and narrow. If he left wwe he would not be reliable at all as a worker and would get himself sidelined very quickly. Watch his stuff on YouTube in 1997 and there’s plenty of times where u can clearly see he’s drugged out on camera
 
Ico

Ico

Nivek said:
Just a normal day in Atlanta
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History_Ultimate-Guide-to-the-Presidents_Jimmy-Carters-Legacy_SF_HD_1104x622-16x9.jpg

"That doesn't work for me brother..."
 

jamesownz

Thinking about it more, it really would have been a much better product for the WWF.

Bret was simply a much better worker and company guy than HBK, he would spend his remaining years in programs putting over guys like Austin, Rock, Mick Foley...much better.

I don't see HBK finding much success in wCw, if he tried to run any of his Kliq bs Hogan and Macho Man would probably kick his ass.
 

Sonny912

jamesownz said:
Thinking about it more, it really would have been a much better product for the WWF.

Bret was simply a much better worker and company guy than HBK, he would spend his remaining years in programs putting over guys like Austin, Rock, Mick Foley...much better.

I don't see HBK finding much success in wCw, if he tried to run any of his Kliq bs Hogan and Macho Man would probably kick his ass.
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Not with Hall, Nash and syxx backing him up. Hell, hunter would probably come along for the ride along with Chyna rather then be the sole kliq member left on wwf's roster. With Austin, the Hart family and the Bone kill crew(Undertaker's backstage group formed to keep thevkliq in line) the writing would be on the wall that trips would never be anything more the a midcarder.
 

jamesownz

Sonny912 said:
Not with Hall, Nash and syxx backing him up. Hell, hunter would probably come along for the ride along with Chyna rather then be the sole kliq member left on wwf's roster. With Austin, the Hart family and the Bone kill crew(Undertaker's backstage group formed to keep thevkliq in line) the writing would be on the wall that trips would never be anything more the a midcarder.
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It fun to think about.

But in the end guys like HBK/Nash/Hall weren't draws I just don't see it ending well for them if they try some shit that could potentially hurt Hogan and Macho paydays.

We know Nash kept Hogan happy IOTL would the addition of HBK make him confident enough to try something? Who knows.

If HHH left then he obviously not marrying Steph which changes WWF even more
 
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