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Post by Oh Cry Me a Screwball on Mar 6, 2018 21:53:07 GMT -5
One that my best friend and I argue about: What if Owen Hart didn't die at Over the Edge? Hate to say it, but probably finishing out his career in the mid card and being remembered as a Dean Malenko-esque figure. At a certain point maybe the screw job notoriety and his ability would have given him at least a limited ME run, but I doubt it. ETA:Maybe his actual injury of Austin could have been made a storyline at some point, but the animosity seemed way too real. I don't think you'd see too much of a butterfly effect on Owen's career itself. He was looking at getting out of the business by all accounts, and generally someone in that position have a downward career path, and not being involved in major storylines or winning world titles. Of course, the most important thing here is that Owen lives. However, just the fact that Bret doesn't take time off after Over the Edge changes quite a lot about his life. At the very least, Bret goes on the Tonight Show, and follows up on the metal plate angle with Goldberg. He probably avoids getting kicked in the head by Goldberg at Starrcade, and without the concussions or the trauma in his personal life, doesn't have the stroke. Could Bret have come back to the WWE sooner and in good physical health for a money match with Shawn Michaels, maybe even another run?
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Mar 7, 2018 11:08:10 GMT -5
What if Rock never returned to the business?
The whole part timer craze that has defined this era of WWE pretty much happened because of him.
Rock's comeback also played a big part in CM Punk's frustrations at the time. No Rock in the main event of WrestleMania + less chance of Punk being unhappy = no Pipebomb...which means no influx of worked shoots, which also have been a big part of the current era.
No Rock in the main event of WrestleMania also means no Rock vs Cena. Maybe John-boy faces Undertaker at 28 and the Streak ends 2 years earlier than it did in our reality. No Brock Lesnar breaking the streak = no indestructible Suplex City machine. *Another* huge factor in current pro wrestling. Heck...maybe Brock stayed in MMA or moved onto something else that wasn't pro wrestling in this alternate timeline.
Another outcome caused by Rock's WWE return in 2011 that may not have happned if he never came back...
Daniel Bryan's rise to becoming one of the biggest stars of all time. Branches out from CM Punk's pipebomb promo that helped shed light on great wrestling ability and the independent scene at large. No attention paid to those two subjects and the current focus on a workrate heavy WWE product likely doesn't happen.
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Reflecto
Hank Scorpio
The Sorceress' Knight
Posts: 6,847
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Post by Reflecto on Mar 7, 2018 19:10:47 GMT -5
One good overarching one:
What if Vince McMahon had no problem with Ricky Steamboat getting his time off for the birth of his son?
This happens, it seems to only change on paper a few small things: Savage/Steamboat II likely happens at Mania IV in the tournament, and Honky Tonk Man doesn't get his IC Title...which starts the dominos.
HTM isn't champ, it's likely Ultimate Warrior doesn't get his quick reign and his rise is slower to Mania VI winning. Possibly Warrior (or Hogan) have to turn heel for that match if the "Title vs. Title" isn't in play.
Steamboat doesn't leave for the NWA, and the Flair/Steamboat (and Flair/Funk) series doesn't take place.
If he does, and comes back, The Dragon likely doesn't happen, and Steamboat doesn't leave over it and go back to WCW...and for his second WCW run, then you have more potential fun.
No Steamboat second run- he doesn't help solidify Steve Austin and Shane Douglas with their runs- they're weaker going away from WCW. Steamboat's a loyal employee, he likely doesn't have his indy run in the 2000s with ROH and TNA (which hinders that era.)
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Squirrel Master
Hank Scorpio
"Then the Squirrel Master came out of left field and told me I'm his bitch!"
Posts: 6,641
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Post by Squirrel Master on Mar 7, 2018 19:41:43 GMT -5
What if Afa Anoa'i never gets in the business? He was the first domino that brought the rest of the family into wrestling, starting with him training his brother Sika. No Yokozuna, Umaga, Rosey, Tama/Tonga Kid, Rikishi, Usos, Headshrinkers, Wild Samoans or Roman Reigns. This leaves Haku's career on a completely different trajectory and Rock's career would be very different. Where does this leave Too Cool? How is the "Who ran over Austin?" angle resolved? How does Hogan's WM9 debacle go down? Or does it? Given Roman's place in the company, how drastically changed would it be without him there dominating their plans for the past several years? And Afa was responsible for (at least partially) training Batista, Kidman, JYD, Beefcake, Michael Hayes and Snitsky, would their careers resemble how they turned out without him? Would we have someone else playing Drax? There would still be a need for wild Samoans, and some would magically appear. Because wrestling sans wild Samoans means something is very, very wrong.
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Squirrel Master
Hank Scorpio
"Then the Squirrel Master came out of left field and told me I'm his bitch!"
Posts: 6,641
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Post by Squirrel Master on Mar 7, 2018 19:45:47 GMT -5
What if Terra Ryzing and The Maestro got bogged down in a years-long feud that served as the unofficial bathroom break on the Mothership?
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Post by CubsFan71 on Mar 7, 2018 22:01:30 GMT -5
Here's one for you: What if Bruiser Brody had survived his stabbing?
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Post by 2coldMack is even more baffled on Mar 7, 2018 22:07:32 GMT -5
What if WWF had cut bait on Rocky Maivia after he got injured in 1997?
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