Did Test have a push coming his way?

[executive vice grenadier]

So I marathoned a lot of 1999-2004 episodes of WWF/E and I can't help but notice that Test seemed to be in like, every main event storyline in some way. You wouldn't notice him but he's always in some angle. Around 1999-2000, his pop when he came out in the Royal Rumble was pretty immense. I liked the guy too, he had a pretty killer big boot.

Around this time I've read that Across the Nation was originally created to be Test's new theme, but they liked it enough to make it the new RAW theme. Usually, when a guy gets a new theme like that (a big name band covering a previous theme) it's almost always preceding some sort of push. I thought he was going to make it to the main event around this time - he didn't.

Am I just thinking too hard?

[Big L]

I'm sure he was

[Trent Valentine]

Its rumored that in Survivor Series 1999, Test was supposed to take Austin's spot in the Triple Threat Match and win the title, but at the last minute they put Big Show in his place.

[Dr. Bolty, Disaster Enby]

WWF/E tried so...very...hard to push Test. It was no surprise to me, even at age 13, that Test got a huge push out of the Alliance mess. Someone was high on him for some reason and wanted him to be a main eventer.

It never happened because he never clicked with the fans after losing the Steph storyline.

[jobber2thestars]

Ya, Test always seemed to have a problem getting over, which I always thought was weird. He was a big guy who was decent in the ring, and had a pretty good look. WWE even tried pushing him in ECW, but he failed there, too.

[mattperiolat]

I actually always blamed Triple H for the lack of the Test push in 1999. For whatever reason, even though the story made sense logically, he was never given the ball and basically got buried in a one-off match on RAW.

It's a pity because, with the push, guy was motivated and talented. No push? Well...

[percymania]

Yeah, I thought he was pushed pretty heavily on a couple occasions but it never got him over enough with the fans to justify putting a major title on him.

[derrtaysouth95]

He had the potential to be a short term main eventer....I don't know that I would've bought him as a long term champion/main eventer.

Honestly back when he had the long pleather pants...he reminded me a lot of Kevin Nash.

[i.Sarita.com]

I blame his lack of getting over on his snaggle tooth.

[bob]

I've always thought that HHH stole Test's storyline with Stephanie and Test never recovered for that

[Spankymac is sick of the swiss]

It's weird, it seemed like they always WANTED to push Test, but never got around to pulling the trigger for whatever reason. I never got it, myself. Admittedly, the dude wasn't a star on the mic, but he had a decent look and was way better than about 85% of the rest of the big men out there.

[Trent Valentine]

Dec 18, 2010 14:58:49 GMT -5 bob said:

I've always thought that HHH stole Test's storyline with Stephanie and Test never recovered for that

Actually..that had a lot to do with it. After HHH stole Stephanie from him, he was pushed further down the card, facing curtain jerkers and up and coming heels. The only good thing that came to him was winning the Hardcore Title before moving onto the T&A stable.

[Evil Homer]

I remember reading about how was going to become a part of dx. At the same time i read rumors that Billy Gun was going to be pushed into main event back in 2000

[kingoftheindies]

I remember him being pretty over when he won the European Title in 2001, but he didn't do very well after that.

He was also pushed in ECW but he was just too unhealthy

[The Ichi]

I remember wanting him to main event just because he had the best flying elbow since Savage at the time. Seriously, does anyone remember that?

[Mozenrath]

Dec 18, 2010 15:32:59 GMT -5 Evil Homer said:

I remember reading about how was going to become a part of dx. At the same time i read rumors that Billy Gun was going to be pushed into main event back in 2000

They did try giving Billy Gunn a singles push, but the problem is that any higher on the card than IC title, fans balked.

[Bearer is God]

I might be slightly wrong here but I believe Russo wanted to be, and was possibly part of the way through pushing Test in 1999 but then left for WCW and it just kind of faded.

[8-BitAssassin]

He seemed at least somewhat over when they pushed him in ECW. Of course Hardcore Holly was getting pretty big pops until they turned him Heel in ECW so what did that crowd know?

[percymania]

He always seemed like poor man's Kevin Nash to me.

No one would ever say he was a great promo guy either.

[The Ichi]

Dec 18, 2010 16:39:48 GMT -5 percymania said:

He always seemed like poor man's Kevin Nash to me.

No one would ever say he was a great promo guy either.

Actually, I think the poor man's Kevin Nash is Kevin Nash.