Let's say the Screwjob doesn't happen...

[The Tank]

DO NOT TURN THIS THREAD INTO AN ARGUMENT, PLEASE. I DON'T WANT IT TO GET LOCKED.

Now then, let's say Bret gets his way, and the Hart Foundation and DX cause a double DQ. Bret Hart then gets to drop the WWF Championship to whoever he wants before he jumps to WCW.

Who would you have win the WWF Championship here?

Personally, just because he was pure awesomesauce back then, I'm gonna call a dark horse early and say Ken Shamrock. He could have had some incredible matches with The Undertaker, Steve Austin, The Rock, Shawn Michaels, Owen Hart, and everyone else. I just think that it would actually work out.

Your choice, 'Crappers?

[nealo]

he would probably still be wrestling, hi career ended when goldberg kicked him in the head in WCW during the monday night wars

so bret was forced itno a match to boost ratings

[01010010 01101001 01100011]

I thought he was just going to vacate it (or have Vince do that based on the interference) the next night? I would have put it on Shawn or Owen and built to Austin winning after that.

[Mozenrath]

I think Kane would of been a pretty good choice. He was new, yes, but he wasn't a rookie. He'd of been able to handle the responsibility, was over, and whoever defeated him would of got a HUGE rub, for not only getting the title, but defeating a monster.

Owen would be a pretty good choice, too, in a clean win. Bret would be passing the torch, and leaving. The others in the Foundation could bicker over who should get a first shot, and he'd be a babyface.

[Throwback]

In Bret's Book he says he wanted to drop it to Steve Austin

[Mozenrath]

Dec 6, 2008 18:23:45 GMT -5 Throwback said:

In Bret's Book he says he wanted to drop it to Steve Austin

True, it would of been cool, given the feud they had.

[Throwback]

Dec 6, 2008 18:21:20 GMT -5 nealo said:

he would probably still be wrestling, hi career ended when goldberg kicked him in the head in WCW during the monday night wars

so bret was forced itno a match to boost ratings

He wouldn't still be wrestling. He says in his book multiple times that he never wanted to be "the old guy" he shares memories of seeing old men in the locker room and says he never want that to be him. Then the night he saw Ric Flair fall down on the bus and take way to long to get back up that cemented the idea in his head that he would retire young and in one piece

[Robbymac]

Almost would have had to be Shamrock to transition it to HBK to transition it to Austin. At that point they were waiting on Wrestlemania for Austin (which was the right call IMO). Austin was the only guy other than HBK that made sense but you had to wait. Whoever it was would be the very definition of transitional champion.

[01010010 01101001 01100011]

Dec 6, 2008 18:30:15 GMT -5 Robbymac said:

Almost would have had to be Shamrock to transition it to HBK to transition it to Austin. At that point they were waiting on Wrestlemania for Austin (which was the right call IMO). Austin was the only guy other than HBK that made sense but you had to wait. Whoever it was would be the very definition of transitional champion.

With the right build I think Owen could have done it, especially with his and Austin's past (and the whole Hart family really). I am not an Owen fan but, I think that was really the one point where he could have made the move to World Champ level. He wins it from Shawn in a tourney and drops it to Austin at Mania. It wouldn't have lasted long but, it would have been a good tip of the cap to Hart and fit in well with the whole climate.

[Thank You Shawn]

Let's say that it wasn't a "screwjob"

[The Genesis of KoOS]

Yeah Shamrock then drop it right to HBK and they would continue as normal for Austin/HBK at Mania.

[Bob Schlapowitz]

Dec 6, 2008 18:37:33 GMT -5 Thank You Shawn said:

Let's say that it wasn't a "screwjob"

I agree 100%.

[Joekishi]

Yeah, can we have him just tap to the sharpshooter, because as a kid that's what I thought happened as Shamrock was the only guy in WWF that had a submission where people tapped.

Austin still wasn't as big as he became thanks to the feud with DX, and well I was loving the feud with Owen.

I wouldn't be all that happy with another Taker or Sid reign, and HBK by that point was the top heel in the company.

I just found it funny that the 2 most liked faces of 1996 became the two most hated in 1997.

[wildojinx]

Dec 6, 2008 18:36:52 GMT -5 01010010 01101001 01100011 said:

Dec 6, 2008 18:30:15 GMT -5 Robbymac said:

Almost would have had to be Shamrock to transition it to HBK to transition it to Austin. At that point they were waiting on Wrestlemania for Austin (which was the right call IMO). Austin was the only guy other than HBK that made sense but you had to wait. Whoever it was would be the very definition of transitional champion.

With the right build I think Owen could have done it, especially with his and Austin's past (and the whole Hart family really). I am not an Owen fan but, I think that was really the one point where he could have made the move to World Champ level. He wins it from Shawn in a tourney and drops it to Austin at Mania. It wouldn't have lasted long but, it would have been a good tip of the cap to Hart and fit in well with the whole climate.

Except Owen had turned babyface during his feud with shawn, but he wasnt a big enough face to headline WMXIV. That said, i would have put it on taker, then have shawn beat him for it at rumble 98, therefore adding a new element to the taker/kane feud (if the same ending happened) since kane caused taker to lose the belt.

[The Doctor]

This thread wins purely based on 'awesomesauce'.

[srr]

what about wcw? would there be a clean finish for sting/hogan? that would have been awesome.
other than that i think nothing would change, who know they might have done a screw job like scenario the next day.

[01010010 01101001 01100011]

Dec 6, 2008 19:26:01 GMT -5 wildojinx said:

Dec 6, 2008 18:36:52 GMT -5 01010010 01101001 01100011 said:

With the right build I think Owen could have done it, especially with his and Austin's past (and the whole Hart family really). I am not an Owen fan but, I think that was really the one point where he could have made the move to World Champ level. He wins it from Shawn in a tourney and drops it to Austin at Mania. It wouldn't have lasted long but, it would have been a good tip of the cap to Hart and fit in well with the whole climate.

Except Owen had turned babyface during his feud with shawn, but he wasnt a big enough face to headline WMXIV.

Austin was the draw at Mania more than anything else, like Jericho at X8. It was more about the challenger winning than who he was facing. Owen could have played the face against Shawn but, turned to face Austin. Granted that hadn't happened at that point (that I can remember) but, I just think it would have worked. The one thing that I have forgotten until now is that Austin was very bitter toward Hart for the neck injury so they may not have worked well together at that time.

[Jay Peas 42]

I think Austin could have carried it. I think 3:16 merchandise was selling through the roof.

[rapidfire187]

Dec 6, 2008 18:23:22 GMT -5 Mozenrath said:

I think Kane would of been a pretty good choice. He was new, yes, but he wasn't a rookie. He'd of been able to handle the responsibility, was over, and whoever defeated him would of got a HUGE rub, for not only getting the title, but defeating a monster.

Owen would be a pretty good choice, too, in a clean win. Bret would be passing the torch, and leaving. The others in the Foundation could bicker over who should get a first shot, and he'd be a babyface.

I agree with both of those, but you have to consider that if the belt had went to Kane, Undertaker would've had to be the one to take the belt from him. Not that it would've been bad to have Taker win the title again at Mania 14, but it would've complicated Austin's push, and WWF might not have become as hot as it did.

[Robbymac]

Dec 6, 2008 20:24:38 GMT -5 Jay Peas 42 said:

I think Austin could have carried it. I think 3:16 merchandise was selling through the roof.

There's no questioning that, its just that WWF had already etched in stone Wrestlemania XIV for Austin's first title win. And with good reason.

Megastars typically don't win their first titles at IYH: Degeneration X or on a RAW.