WM 30 Opening Segment Minus HBK

[Slammy Award-Winning Cannibal]

Austin had a Q&A on his podcast show tonight and one answer touched on the WM30 opening segment. He said Hogan/Rock/him wasn't the original lineup but it ended up just being the three.

I hope he clears this up on a future show but based on a backstage WM 30 photo with the 4 of them talking, my guess is HBK was axed from the segment.

Before we find out the details (IF we do), anyone wanna venture a guess why he might've been removed from the segment?

My only guess is The Rock said no.

... Unless all of this is wrong and it was never HBK and was actually scripted to be somebody that gets his ass kicked by all 3.

[Instant Classic]

HBK is great, but those are the 3 biggest stars ever. HBK is probably like number 7.

[BV]

Wouldn't be surprised if Warrior was the other.

[comahan]

Could Flair be a possibility? He has the pedigree to be in the ring with those three, but didn't seem to be in the arena at all, given his absence when they introduced the likes of Bruno/Dusty/Bret/etc

[Professor Chaos]

I love HBK but those 3 are above him and the segment was perfect as was. Had Triple H showed up it'd ruin it.

[willywonka666]

There didn't need to be anyone else in that segment-it would have gone on too long-they got it right

[jagilki]

Wouldn't this be good to be in the WWE Current section?

[BigBadZ]

Only guy missing was Cena but he had a match. Maybe Sammartino but he doesn't quite fit that picture of sports entertainers.

[willyjakes]

Apr 22, 2014 8:49:02 GMT -5 BigBadZ said:

Only guy missing was Cena but he had a match. Maybe Sammartino but he doesn't quite fit that picture of sports entertainers.

Sammartino could definitely stake his claim to being in the ring with those 3, but he's more of a 70's dim smoke filled arena relic...a legend but from a fading era. Plus New Orleans isn't really his stomping ground. If this was MSG then I could see him being there.

[Slammy Award-Winning Cannibal]

Apr 22, 2014 8:13:20 GMT -5 jagilki said:

Wouldn't this be good to be in the WWE Current section?

I thought so, as I posted this in there originally. Not sure why it was moved.

[AJ Smudgico]

Piper?

Though first thought was Warrior

[Mayonnaise]

If it was supposed to be HBK, it wouldn't shock me if they pulled him for fear of him getting heel heat and ruining the feel good stuff. He was still getting heat for HIAC up to his last appearance and with it being Bryan's night and the crowd being so firmly behind him, HBK probably would have gotten some major heat.

[Magic knows Black Lives Matter]

Because he would have been out of place as f***. HBK is my favorite wrestler ever and I'm willing to admit that.

Even then, I kinda doubt HBK was the original plan. I'm guessing that some midcard goof like Damien Sandow was supposed to interrupt and eat finishers (well, punches in Hogan's case) from all three.

[jason1980s]

Rock, Austin and Hogan are definite "Mount Rushmore" wrestling stars. Shawn is tied with a number of others. That's nothing to be ashamed of but the three picked were the best possible three.

[Deleted]

Apr 22, 2014 3:35:51 GMT -5 Slammy Award-Winning Cannibal said:

... Unless all of this is wrong and it was never HBK and was actually scripted to be somebody that gets his ass kicked by all 3.

Damn those three....keeping Health Slater from getting his Wrestlemania moment