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Post by reboundking on Sept 15, 2017 11:48:05 GMT -5
I could believe it. Taker had been around a long time in WWF and already worked with all the Attitude era main eventers by that point. Maybe he thought there was nowhere left to go but down. WCW could have offered fresh main event matches with Goldberg, Sting, Steiner, etc He had done everything possible with Austin and Foley and Kane granted, but he still hadn't had high profile programs with Rock, HHH and Big Show. There was a lot left for him to do as is evidenced by his work with Angle the following year. I don't believe Mark Calaway would give up his position in the WWF (backstage and on screen) and his Undertaker character that had made him a star and millions of dollars, all to go and brave the political warzone of a tanking WCW. WCW was at their absolute worst so by the time WCW folded, Undertaker would've ended up back in the WWF either way. Only by going to WCW would mean Undertaker never again have cushy backstage positions both on-camera and off-camera and become a typical Sunday Night Heat job guy like Curt Hennig, Raven and The Big Boss Man all became. |
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Post by OVO 40 hunched over like he 80 on Sept 15, 2017 11:57:09 GMT -5
Even if the Kevin Nash story is true, I can't see bike riding Mean Mark Callous doing anything of value in WCW. Realistically he would've been introduced as an nWo member without a long term plan. I also see Paul Bearer in the NWO, as Percy Pringle, because of reasons. That's painful to even think about. When in doubt just put an nWo shirt on them ugh. |
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Post by corndog on Sept 15, 2017 12:22:01 GMT -5
I do remember hearing rumors around '99 that he was considering it. Obviously he wouldn't get to keep the Undertaker gimmick, but I never really thought about how he was doing the biker gimmick at the time, toning down the Undertaker gimmick. I felt that had more to do with the over the top character not really fitting in the Attitude Era.
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Post by Hit Girl on Sept 15, 2017 12:24:23 GMT -5
No point without the Deadman character.
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Post by MichaelMartini on Sept 15, 2017 14:12:54 GMT -5
I could believe it. Taker had been around a long time in WWF and already worked with all the Attitude era main eventers by that point. Maybe he thought there was nowhere left to go but down. WCW could have offered fresh main event matches with Goldberg, Sting, Steiner, etc He had done everything possible with Austin and Foley and Kane granted, but he still hadn't had high profile programs with Rock, HHH and Big Show. There was a lot left for him to do as is evidenced by his work with Angle the following year. I don't believe Mark Calaway would give up his position in the WWF (backstage and on screen) and his Undertaker character that had made him a star and millions of dollars, all to go and brave the political warzone of a tanking WCW. Guess my time line was a bit off but I bet every WWF guy that got an offer must have considered switching at some point just because of how much money they were throwing around. Another thing that might have been tempting was his relationship with Hogan. It must have been solid because he was one of few guys he never had problems putting over. |
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Post by TGM on Sept 15, 2017 14:16:53 GMT -5
He had done everything possible with Austin and Foley and Kane granted, but he still hadn't had high profile programs with Rock, HHH and Big Show. There was a lot left for him to do as is evidenced by his work with Angle the following year. I don't believe Mark Calaway would give up his position in the WWF (backstage and on screen) and his Undertaker character that had made him a star and millions of dollars, all to go and brave the political warzone of a tanking WCW. Guess my time line was a bit off but I bet every WWF guy that got an offer must have considered switching at some point just because of how much money they were throwing around. Another thing that might have been tempting was his relationship with Hogan. It must have been solid because he was one of few guys he never had problems putting over. Yeah I imagine he was given an offer from WCW every time his WWF contract was up and he'd have to consider it somewhat but I think late 99 would have been the least likely for him to go. |
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Post by Cranjis McBasketball on Sept 15, 2017 17:20:39 GMT -5
After the Bossman/Boss fiasco and the Outsiders lawsuit, WCW would never have even tried to put Calloway in a UT gimmick. According to Kevin Nash (so take that for what you will), UT was considering it around 1999/2000 and it's supposedly one of the reasons he toned down the UT gimmick and changed into a biker - that version of UT would be hard for WWE to hold claim over since it wasn't a "character". Nash played middle man and was trying to get WCW to offer him some ungodly amount of money to come in, but he finally opted to stay with WWF instead. Well, of course Nash would want that with his favoured nations clause. Taker coming in would only benefit Hall and him. Though I think they waived it for Bret. |
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Post by myrvarg on Sept 15, 2017 20:40:08 GMT -5
I can't buy that Undertaker ever considered going to WCW in late 1999 when he WWF was doing so great, he was a locker room leader and well respected, and was likely the second highest paid wrestler behind Stone Cold (maybe third after Rock). I could believe it. Taker had been around a long time in WWF and already worked with all the Attitude era main eventers by that point. Maybe he thought there was nowhere left to go but down. WCW could have offered fresh main event matches with Goldberg, Sting, Steiner, etc He also probably wanted the ungodly amount of money they were throwing at him so he could retire sooner. |
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Post by hesgotabithycle on Sept 15, 2017 20:48:23 GMT -5
Though you have to admit it would be cool watching him attempt The Old School in WCW and having the top rope not give an inch.
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Post by Cry Me a Wiggle on Sept 15, 2017 22:57:15 GMT -5
No, but I believe they tried to hard-boil Kane.
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Post by benstudd on Sept 16, 2017 2:56:34 GMT -5
I would laugh if they revealed that Mark Callaway was the one who drove the Hummer or something. (note: this would be impossible as that angle occurred on a live week for Raw, and it happened the same night of the Higher Power reveal) That would have been unreal, maybe it could have saved the company. Cause Bischoff's last desperate angle was turning Sting heel and they used the intrigue of the hummer to set it up. And since it failed miserably it lead to Bischoff being fired and WCW was never the same after. Had Taker been the man, Sting would not have the half ass turn heel and they could have easily create another angle since the nWo that would have generated interest. In my book, the hummer angle was the last good thing WCW did but there was no good payoffs. (and they brought it back in the Nash-Macho feud revealing that Sid was rhe driver) Taker could have been a loner at first that just go on around beating people up. Calling him the Invader or something. But say he would create a group, this time instead of WCW vs WWF feud, it would be him taking out all the big stars of WCW and using the young guys as troopers, using their hate of being held down to attack the stars and him dominating. Kind of a pre Millionaire's Club vs New Blood. |
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Post by Alice Syndrome on Sept 16, 2017 3:13:28 GMT -5
Thinking about it, I can understand why he may have considered it.
If you look at WWE in 1999, you have to think maybe a guy who's been there since the Hogan era might be feeling a little irrelevant with all these new stars rising. I mean, I know aside from Jericho and HHH he outlasted all of them (side note, anyone know if there's anyone else left from the Attitude Era or just those 2?), but he had to be thinking it looked like his number was close to being up.
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Post by Mozenrath on Sept 16, 2017 3:36:10 GMT -5
Thinking about it, I can understand why he may have considered it. If you look at WWE in 1999, you have to think maybe a guy who's been there since the Hogan era might be feeling a little irrelevant with all these new stars rising. I mean, I know aside from Jericho and HHH he outlasted all of them (side note, anyone know if there's anyone else left from the Attitude Era or just those 2?), but he had to be thinking it looked like his number was close to being up. I imagine a WCW cushy paycheck and fewer dates might have looked enticing, considering I think he either got divorced in 1999 or was soon going to. I forget the specifics, but the pre-Sara wife. Even being the top heel in WWF in 1999 still probably made him less money than WCW could potentially offer him, though he still probably made the right call, even without looking at the long term. More money and less dates, but also an entirely foreign backstage atmosphere, being away from his buddies, and uncertainty with if he'd be allowed back. (Granted, I think Vince still would have hired him back, and probably as a featured guy, but there'd be less mystique.) |
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Post by OVO 40 hunched over like he 80 on Sept 16, 2017 4:28:16 GMT -5
Thinking about it, I can understand why he may have considered it. If you look at WWE in 1999, you have to think maybe a guy who's been there since the Hogan era might be feeling a little irrelevant with all these new stars rising. I mean, I know aside from Jericho and HHH he outlasted all of them (side note, anyone know if there's anyone else left from the Attitude Era or just those 2?), but he had to be thinking it looked like his number was close to being up. I imagine a WCW cushy paycheck and fewer dates might have looked enticing, considering I think he either got divorced in 1999 or was soon going to. I forget the specifics, but the pre-Sara wife. Even being the top heel in WWF in 1999 still probably made him less money than WCW could potentially offer him, though he still probably made the right call, even without looking at the long term. More money and less dates, but also an entirely foreign backstage atmosphere, being away from his buddies, and uncertainty with if he'd be allowed back. (Granted, I think Vince still would have hired him back, and probably as a featured guy, but there'd be less mystique.) Regarding being hired back, Barry Windham said that Vince never really forgives those who desert him. Barry thinks that's why his subsequent returns never lead to anything. Terry Funk also said that he lied about his horse being sick in order to leave the wwe, well a decade later Vince still remembered and asked him how his horse was doing. I can see Vince making The Undertaker do a series of jobs in retaliation. Off topic but I can see in a parallel universe in wcw, nWo member Mean Mark Callous losing constantly to DDP lol. |
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Post by Mozenrath on Sept 16, 2017 5:27:40 GMT -5
I imagine a WCW cushy paycheck and fewer dates might have looked enticing, considering I think he either got divorced in 1999 or was soon going to. I forget the specifics, but the pre-Sara wife. Even being the top heel in WWF in 1999 still probably made him less money than WCW could potentially offer him, though he still probably made the right call, even without looking at the long term. More money and less dates, but also an entirely foreign backstage atmosphere, being away from his buddies, and uncertainty with if he'd be allowed back. (Granted, I think Vince still would have hired him back, and probably as a featured guy, but there'd be less mystique.) Regarding being hired back, Barry Windham said that Vince never really forgives those who desert him. Barry thinks that's why his subsequent returns never lead to anything. Terry Funk also said that he lied about his horse being sick in order to leave the wwe, well a decade later Vince still remembered and asked him how his horse was doing. I can see Vince making The Undertaker do a series of jobs in retaliation. Off topic but I can see in a parallel universe in wcw, nWo member Mean Mark Callous losing constantly to DDP lol. It really probably comes down to circumstances for a lot of it. If Undertaker was coming back to WWF after WCW was bought, he'd either be waiting out his contract, which would have probably been for more than 2 years, so he might be coming in after WWF/WWE had lost some star power, and therefore been useful, or, he could have opted for some sort of early release or buy out and may have earned some points back with Vince for giving up some considerable cash just to be a part of the Invasion angle or otherwise in the fold. Sure, I could see Vince having some bad blood over it, but he didn't seem terribly cross with Bossman when he came back, using him quite a bit as a near constant of the Corporation storyline and after that was played out. Bossman was also obviously not on Undertaker's level, sure, but while I don't think Undertaker would be treated with the same reverence he gets from WWE now had he left, I think he was probably too good and over for Vince to ignore his upside for the grudge factor. Probably put over Rock and whoever, sure, but he would've probably climbed his way back up to maybe another title run, especially when Austin retired and Rock turned his eyes to Hollywood. |
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Post by reboundking on Sept 16, 2017 5:31:47 GMT -5
Regarding being hired back, Barry Windham said that Vince never really forgives those who desert him. Barry thinks that's why his subsequent returns never lead to anything. Terry Funk also said that he lied about his horse being sick in order to leave the wwe, well a decade later Vince still remembered and asked him how his horse was doing. I can see Vince making The Undertaker do a series of jobs in retaliation. Off topic but I can see in a parallel universe in wcw, nWo member Mean Mark Callous losing constantly to DDP lol. It really probably comes down to circumstances for a lot of it. If Undertaker was coming back to WWF after WCW was bought, he'd either be waiting out his contract, which would have probably been for more than 2 years, so he might be coming in after WWF/WWE had lost some star power, and therefore been useful, or, he could have opted for some sort of early release or buy out and may have earned some points back with Vince for giving up some considerable cash just to be a part of the Invasion angle or otherwise in the fold. Sure, I could see Vince having some bad blood over it, but he didn't seem terribly cross with Bossman when he came back, using him quite a bit as a near constant of the Corporation storyline and after that was played out. Bossman was also obviously not on Undertaker's level, sure, but while I don't think Undertaker would be treated with the same reverence he gets from WWE now had he left, I think he was probably too good and over for Vince to ignore his upside for the grudge factor. Probably put over Rock and whoever, sure, but he would've probably climbed his way back up to maybe another title run, especially when Austin retired and Rock turned his eyes to Hollywood. Vince wasn't terribly cross with Hogan and Nash when they came back to the WWF, and it helps that Taker, Hogan and Nash were too valuable for Vince to ignore upside for grudge factor like what happened to Scott Steiner, Scott Hall, Curt Hennig, Lex Luger, Bret Hart and Randy Savage when they all previously left WWF on bad terms or terrible terms. |
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Post by Mozenrath on Sept 16, 2017 5:43:51 GMT -5
It really probably comes down to circumstances for a lot of it. If Undertaker was coming back to WWF after WCW was bought, he'd either be waiting out his contract, which would have probably been for more than 2 years, so he might be coming in after WWF/WWE had lost some star power, and therefore been useful, or, he could have opted for some sort of early release or buy out and may have earned some points back with Vince for giving up some considerable cash just to be a part of the Invasion angle or otherwise in the fold. Sure, I could see Vince having some bad blood over it, but he didn't seem terribly cross with Bossman when he came back, using him quite a bit as a near constant of the Corporation storyline and after that was played out. Bossman was also obviously not on Undertaker's level, sure, but while I don't think Undertaker would be treated with the same reverence he gets from WWE now had he left, I think he was probably too good and over for Vince to ignore his upside for the grudge factor. Probably put over Rock and whoever, sure, but he would've probably climbed his way back up to maybe another title run, especially when Austin retired and Rock turned his eyes to Hollywood. Vince wasn't terribly cross with Hogan and Nash when they came back to the WWF, and it helps that Taker, Hogan and Nash were too valuable for Vince to ignore upside for grudge factor like what happened to Scott Steiner, Scott Hall, Curt Hennig, Lex Luger, Bret Hart and Randy Savage when they all previously left WWF on bad terms or terrible terms. I think that of those, Luger and Savage are the only ones I'd say Vince had a lasting grudge with that I can figure. Hart, obviously, took time, but that was also anger on his part, and he'd been retired already by the time WCW folded. That feud ended with Vince calling Bret after his stroke, so I'd say Vince was pretty over it by then. Hall and Hennig had substance issues by the time they got back to WWE. I'm honestly still a little surprised looking back that they bothered with Hennig, but that was a fun run for what it was. Steiner came in with a title program after both brands fighting over him, and if his foot was in better shape, I think they probably would have kept him in a main event role. After the awful match with Triple H (granted, they were both injured, so I am not pinning that all on him), he slid down the card, certainly, but he was never a job guy or anything. I don't know if Vince had any bad blood with him, but to me, it seemed like he was utilized. |
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Post by OVO 40 hunched over like he 80 on Sept 16, 2017 14:03:55 GMT -5
Regarding being hired back, Barry Windham said that Vince never really forgives those who desert him. Barry thinks that's why his subsequent returns never lead to anything. Terry Funk also said that he lied about his horse being sick in order to leave the wwe, well a decade later Vince still remembered and asked him how his horse was doing. I can see Vince making The Undertaker do a series of jobs in retaliation. Off topic but I can see in a parallel universe in wcw, nWo member Mean Mark Callous losing constantly to DDP lol. It really probably comes down to circumstances for a lot of it. If Undertaker was coming back to WWF after WCW was bought, he'd either be waiting out his contract, which would have probably been for more than 2 years, so he might be coming in after WWF/WWE had lost some star power, and therefore been useful, or, he could have opted for some sort of early release or buy out and may have earned some points back with Vince for giving up some considerable cash just to be a part of the Invasion angle or otherwise in the fold. Sure, I could see Vince having some bad blood over it, but he didn't seem terribly cross with Bossman when he came back, using him quite a bit as a near constant of the Corporation storyline and after that was played out. Bossman was also obviously not on Undertaker's level, sure, but while I don't think Undertaker would be treated with the same reverence he gets from WWE now had he left, I think he was probably too good and over for Vince to ignore his upside for the grudge factor. Probably put over Rock and whoever, sure, but he would've probably climbed his way back up to maybe another title run, especially when Austin retired and Rock turned his eyes to Hollywood. But Bossman was only used as an enforcer not in the same upper level he was used before he left. Well at least we got the legendary moments of Big Show being a no good bastard and the kennel from hell match. Regarding Taker I think that another guy like Jericho would've taken over his spot. Worse yet I think he would've been lower in the card than Benoit and Guerrero. Taker would've been accepted back and those first couple of months he would've been featured in main event storylines but then he wouldve started jobbing. |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 16, 2017 15:58:04 GMT -5
No way Taker would have jumped ship. His value came from his name and gimmick. By the time he was Biker Taker, WCW was on its last legs anyway. Hall and Nash were just names. Everyone knew who they were, and they didn't need the gimmick names.
If the Hulk Hogan character and likeness was owned by Vince, then no way Hogan goes to WCW in 94. Same deal with Taker.
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Post by Jiren on Sept 16, 2017 16:04:43 GMT -5
I remember reading/Hearing that he considered it during the mid 90's and it was the Mankind feud that stopped him.
He's still annoyed about being booked against Gonzalez
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