Did the IWC really wanted to see Hogan vs Kidman?

[Deleted]

I listened to the Raven shoot with Chris Jericho, and he said at the time the internet wanted to see a big Kidman push back in 2000. Of course, at that time there was a lot of Hogan hate(like now). Hogan cut a promo how Kidman couldn't draw a dime and how short he was, etc...

I was on the Internet in the 2000s, and I know that there was a lot of praises for Kidman, but putting him against Hogan like that didn't make sense. He didn't go over despite winning.

Raven also said listening to the Internet was bad for business as certain favorites can't get themselves over with the larger audience.

I am bringing this up because I feel that this relevant today.

[The Dark Order Inferno]

Wrestling bookers have a cursed monkey paw way of giving fans 'what they want' in a way that isn't doing that at all and Hogan/Kidman was one of those times, fans wanted Kidman to be pushed, but not like that. It was a way to cut the legs out from beneath him with what was a push on on paper, that in reality went against what the fans actually wanted to see, like the way WWE pushed Zac Ryder at his peak, or the way the Bischoff/Hogan led TNA pushed homegrown talent, not Daniels and Styles, but Crimson, Garrett Bischoff and Gunner.

The intent was never to give fans what they wanted or to make Kidman a star, it was for Hogan to be able to claim he's a team player so he can keep on killing actual moneymaking feuds and to show that Kidman doesn't have 'it',

[corndog]

It was the wrong person and too late. Guys like Jericho, Guerrero, Rey Mysterio Jr.and Benoit were really popular with the IWC in the late 90s and WCW got a lot of criticism because the old timers wouldn't let any of those guys into the top of the card. Many people wanted one of those three to get the rub off Goldberg, heck we would even take DDP or Booker T at that point, but it ends up being Nash who is already well established.

By time Kidman happened, Jericho and the Radicalz were gone, so this was just a way for as The Disco Inferno said, make Hogan look like a team player, that WCW would actually book someone that was under 40 in the main event and for WCW/Hogan to have the "I told you so" moment of booking young smaller guys with Hogan/main event.

However I will say one thing, looking back I think Bischoff was right about those guys. Heck, Bischoff liked Saturn, Malenko, Guerrero and Benoit. He wanted them to go over, but always kept them in the midcard, looking back and even from what he said, it was a way to protect them from the guys that had creative control and the veterans that didn't want to put them over.

[The Thread Barbi]

I was a Kidman mark and was happy he was able to do a story with the biggest name in the business.

How many championships did Kidman win? It's irrelevant. He was in the ring main eventing with Hulk Hogan and this will always be remembered.

[111111]

FUBK

[mcmahonfan85]

Yes, because it's the Irresistible Force meeting the Unpowerbombable Object

[lildude8218]

Kidman needed to be U.S Title level. Imagine him having matches with Lance Storm for example. Hogan should've been paired with Mike Awesome or Vampiro even.

[Reflecto]

Mar 28, 2017 12:58:48 GMT -5 lildude8218 said:

Kidman needed to be U.S Title level. Imagine him having matches with Lance Storm for example. Hogan should've been paired with Mike Awesome or Vampiro even.

The problem though was that Kidman was the best homegrown guy that WCW had left who hadn't been tested- both seniority wise and "spot-wise".

Vampiro worked better with Sting, and the fact that Mike Awesome was a distant semi-relative to Hogan would have made it look like Hogan was up to his old tricks again.

[TGM]

If I wanted to push somebody then I certainly wouldn't do it against Hulk Hogan.

[somsta]

That wasn't Hulk Hogan, that was Terry Bollea, brother!

[OVO 40 hunched over like he 80]

Lol yes, even Eric Bischoff admitted that the angle was a mistake.

Kanyon said in his rf shoot that Kidman pretty much was pushed because the morale in the locker room was toxic.

The ICW should be more careful what they wish for.

[OVO 40 hunched over like he 80]

Also Kevin Sullivan once said that he pushed the guys who didn't left with the Radicalz, so that left Kidman by default.

[chronocross]

He was not main event level, I would have been happy with Shane, Awesome, Vampiro as a guy to feud with.

[Deleted]

I don't see Awesome main eventing in WCW tbh, though he may towards the very end. He always struck me as a big fish in a small pond type wrestler.

[Tony Schiavontay]

Hogan can sell out the Silverdome and Kidman can sell out a flea market so, going by that scale, I'd give the fan interest in this feud at a solid "Impact Zone".

[Jake, The Jake, Jake]

Mar 28, 2017 12:44:33 GMT -5 111111 said:

FUBK

What did Hogan have against Burger King?

[Captain Stud Muffin (BLM)]

Mar 28, 2017 19:20:24 GMT -5 chronocross said:

He was not main event level, I would have been happy with Shane, Awesome, Vampiro as a guy to feud with.

Vampiro was still losing to Sting at this point right

[willywonka666]

Mar 28, 2017 11:32:24 GMT -5 The Thread Barbi said:

I was a Kidman mark and was happy he was able to do a story with the biggest name in the business.

How many championships did Kidman win? It's irrelevant. He was in the ring main eventing with Hulk Hogan and this will always be remembered.

I'll remember him for itching like he was taking Humira and dating Torrie Wilson-that's it

[chronocross]

Mar 29, 2017 13:28:27 GMT -5 Captain Stud Muffin (BLM) said:

Mar 28, 2017 19:20:24 GMT -5 chronocross said:

He was not main event level, I would have been happy with Shane, Awesome, Vampiro as a guy to feud with.

Vampiro was still losing to Sting at this point right

I know, but just as an alternative, in fact I think he even got a win over Hogan around that time period if I recall.

[Tiger Millionaire]

I actually liked this somewhat, because it was pretty cool to see Hogan toss these guys around, since usually he was always facing guys bigger or around the same size as him. Of course, in the long run, it did nothing(most of Russo's stuff did nothing).

Also, Hogan did have a match with Vampiro. Vampiro would go on to say that he tried to get snug with Hogan, just to test him out, and Hulk beat the shit out of him.