Say Hogan never comes to WCW

[OGBoardPoster2005]

How much is the world different?

[Porky's Butthole]

No lie, I honestly think WCW would still be around. If Hogan retired in 93(?) and stayed retired, save for the occasional 'remember me?' deals, and with WWE, WCW would still be going.

[WWEedy]

The wrestling world? Hugely so, WCW certainly never breaks through the way they did and arguably WWF never hits the post Hogan boom that they need as Hogan's act had become decidedly stale and even if he were in the WWF at the time his standing with the fans and his draw were considerably less, I think we can also deduct that a heel turn would have never happened in the 'F as it took so much convincing anyway and Bischoff getting him to do so could be considered lightning in a bottle.

Honestly with ECW growing in those years where Hogan was stale anyway and gaining such a considerable cult following it might be logical to deduce that what we know as wrestling today would be the expansion of ECW. The art form was needing a fresh outlook and ECW were providing that, having no huge competition in the field of what they were providing they would have more of a chance to snag hungry up and comers who were looking for exposure and wanted to be a part of something rather than go to the WWF or WCW which while having been seen as the best of wrestling beforehand were now being looked upon poorly in the eyes of the fans. With that they would expand tenfold and reach global level, with realistic storytelling and undeniable talent the wrestling world would seemingly be their oyster.

[willywonka666]

I think he would have started his own promotion at some point.

I can't fault him for not staying in the rumored "Babe Ruth" role in the WWF. He had his brand to protect and continue moving forward.

As big of a name that he is, he probably would have been lost to time by the turn of the century. I'm sure there's tons of people that don't know who Gregory Peck is anymore because his likeness isn't out there anymore and he was huge in the acting field.

I think WCW would have went out of business. Frankly I think Hogan gave them some extra time, because Vince was hellbent on killing all of his competition and no one was going to stop him.

[The Dark Order Inferno]

WCW would have died in 1995 as there's no way Turner gives them Nitro without a star name, and without the kick in the pants that Nitro provided, the WWF would have ploughed ahead with their plans which would have been Shawn, Hunter and Diesel on top with Flair coming in as 'new blood' while Bret would be sidelined, feuding with dregs with Savage stuck in the cheesy commentator role, going out of his mind with boredom. The WWF would have died in 1998 and gone out with a whimper rather than a bang and wrestling would be remembered on nostalgia shows, much like American Gladiators and Roller Derby.

[A Platypus Rave]

Hogan never comes to WCW.

Ok I said it... now what?

[Giul T.]

Dec 18, 2015 14:53:02 GMT -5 The Dark Order Inferno said:

WCW would have died in 1995 as there's no way Turner gives them Nitro without a star name, and without the kick in the pants that Nitro provided, the WWF would have ploughed ahead with their plans which would have been Shawn, Hunter and Diesel on top with Flair coming in as 'new blood' while Bret would be sidelined, feuding with dregs with Savage stuck in the cheesy commentator role, going out of his mind with boredom. The WWF would have died in 1998 and gone out with a whimper rather than a bang and wrestling would be remembered on nostalgia shows, much like American Gladiators and Roller Derby.

How would you have Flair coming in as new blood in 1995 when he was WWF world champ 3 years ago?

[The Dark Order Inferno]

Dec 18, 2015 15:01:17 GMT -5 Giul T. said:

Dec 18, 2015 14:53:02 GMT -5 The Dark Order Inferno said:

WCW would have died in 1995 as there's no way Turner gives them Nitro without a star name, and without the kick in the pants that Nitro provided, the WWF would have ploughed ahead with their plans which would have been Shawn, Hunter and Diesel on top with Flair coming in as 'new blood' while Bret would be sidelined, feuding with dregs with Savage stuck in the cheesy commentator role, going out of his mind with boredom. The WWF would have died in 1998 and gone out with a whimper rather than a bang and wrestling would be remembered on nostalgia shows, much like American Gladiators and Roller Derby.

How would you have Flair coming in as new blood in 1995 when he was WWF world champ 3 years ago?

I meant it sarcasticly, Vince had a huge crush on him so there's no way he'd be left to rot working indies. He'd be parachuted straight into the main event scene, probably the only fresh WCW face that the Kliq would be okay with at that point.

[cabbageboy]

Well, I do know we would have been spared the horrible 2nd half of 1994 and most of 1995 without Hogan. People forget that WCW flirted with a darker, more violent and adult product in the first half of 1994, but that direction stopped dead in its tracks by Hogan's debut. Some guys like Foley would have been gone anyway, as well as Steamboat and Rude retiring due to injury. You take a look at early 1994 cards and those guys were there but weren't there by late 1994. It created a vacuum that took a solid year to replenish with the Benoit, Guerrero, and Malenko types. I think those guys still end up in WCW since WWF had no interest. It's entirely possible that Hall and Nash show up as well. Savage would have gone to WCW anyway since he was fed up with doing nothing in WWF.

Oddly enough I don't think WCW would have ever been massively popular but I do think they would have been fairly successful and around today.

[thecrusherwi]

I think without Hogan, WCW never evolves into the expensive money pit that is was. It certainly doesn't have as big a viewership. I assume WCW being successful had almost nothing to do with mergers of Time Warner, so execs still get in who want to get rid of wrestling. But perhaps, since is doesn't cost as much to operate, WCW is much more valuable for purchase by an outside company. I would be off TNT and TBS much sooner than it was, but maybe it gets a spot on TNN or something and is still around today.

The WWF probably would've done slightly better, but there never would've been a boom. There's no way that a "New Generation" that could've had cameos by Hogan, Warrior, Savage and Flair would've been good. At best, it would've been as lame as the WWE of today.

[Deleted]

He takes a few years off to rest and film some movies before shocking the world when he shows up in ECW, reinvents himself as Hardcore Hulk Hogan, and teams up with New Jack to help ECW be #1. Brother.

[The Dark Order Inferno]

Dec 18, 2015 15:54:03 GMT -5 thecrusherwi said:

I think without Hogan, WCW never evolves into the expensive money pit that is was. It certainly doesn't have as big a viewership. I assume WCW being successful had almost nothing to do with mergers of Time Warner, so execs still get in who want to get rid of wrestling. But perhaps, since is doesn't cost as much to operate, WCW is much more valuable for purchase by an outside company. I would be off TNT and TBS much sooner than it was, but maybe it gets a spot on TNN or something and is still around today.

The WWF probably would've done slightly better, but there never would've been a boom. There's no way that a "New Generation" that could've had cameos by Hogan, Warrior, Savage and Flair would've been good. At best, it would've been as lame as the WWE of today.

WCW was a money pit prior to Hogan, not as much as one, perhaps, but it wasn't doing great business, Hogan's presence was vital to convincing them to air Nitro to compete with Raw. If Hogan had left in 1998, WCW would still be around but they needed him to get to the point they could stand without him.

[Big Bad Kahuna]

Dec 18, 2015 14:21:47 GMT -5 willywonka666 said:

I think he would have started his own promotion at some point.

I can't fault him for not staying in the rumored "Babe Ruth" role in the WWF. He had his brand to protect and continue moving forward.

As big of a name that he is, he probably would have been lost to time by the turn of the century. I'm sure there's tons of people that don't know who Gregory Peck is anymore because his likeness isn't out there anymore and he was huge in the acting field.

I think WCW would have went out of business. Frankly I think Hogan gave them some extra time, because Vince was hellbent on killing all of his competition and no one was going to stop him.

haha nah son, WWF did subpar business in 93/94 and couldn't really afford raiding all WCW top stars

if WCW started building their company around Austin, Pillman, Foley, Vader, Sting (less emphasis on Flair and oldtimers) in 1994 instead of pushing Hogan & friends and Flair & friends, they would have done well enough

[thecrusherwi]

Dec 18, 2015 16:33:02 GMT -5 The Dark Order Inferno said:

Dec 18, 2015 15:54:03 GMT -5 thecrusherwi said:

I think without Hogan, WCW never evolves into the expensive money pit that is was. It certainly doesn't have as big a viewership. I assume WCW being successful had almost nothing to do with mergers of Time Warner, so execs still get in who want to get rid of wrestling. But perhaps, since is doesn't cost as much to operate, WCW is much more valuable for purchase by an outside company. I would be off TNT and TBS much sooner than it was, but maybe it gets a spot on TNN or something and is still around today.

The WWF probably would've done slightly better, but there never would've been a boom. There's no way that a "New Generation" that could've had cameos by Hogan, Warrior, Savage and Flair would've been good. At best, it would've been as lame as the WWE of today.

WCW was a money pit prior to Hogan, not as much as one, perhaps, but it wasn't doing great business, Hogan's presence was vital to convincing them to air Nitro to compete with Raw. If Hogan had left in 1998, WCW would still be around but they needed him to get to the point they could stand without him.

They were definitely a money pit, but by 2000-01, they were a money canyon.

[nisidhe]

WCW without Hogan would _not_ necessarily have meant an earlier demise for WCW. Take Savage, for example: he would have jumped anyway, simply because Vince didn't think he could still go in the ring. If anything, Savage was in better shape than Flair by that point, and was still far more flexible in whom he could be booked with. The nWo was not necessarily dead in the water without Hogan, either: Hall and Nash might have managed to get Michaels over or, failing that, Hart's jump might have been far better booked and treated with the hype it really did deserve. Would there have been the same level of politicking involved? Possibly, but I doubt that it would have resulted in the kind of financial hemorrhaging that ultimately led to Turner's ouster as CEO and killed WCW. That angle might not have had the iconic heel-turn moment that occurred in '96, but it might have proven more durable over time as there might have been more opportunities for members to get their comeuppance while still appearing very dominant and intimidating against a stable face champion, similar to the Heenan family but with more of an edge - a seachange from WCW's usual model of the heel champion and one or more "chasers". WCW would have been okay, I think. Hogan was the lynchpin for the inmates running the asylum.

[Hit Girl]

Bret Hart wouldn't be happy.

[The Dark Order Inferno]

Dec 18, 2015 17:23:02 GMT -5 Hit Girl said:

Bret Hart wouldn't be happy.

Bret would be fine as there was little chance Hogan would have stuck around the WWF, his run in 93 hadn't halted the decline and his image was tarnished, as long as he was there, the image of the WWF as the home of the steroid guys would linger over both. Hogan would have expected Hogan money too, at a time the WWF was paying guys like Diesel less than any other WWF champion before that just wasn't going to happen.

[Deleted]

Dec 18, 2015 14:53:02 GMT -5 The Dark Order Inferno said:

WCW would have died in 1995 as there's no way Turner gives them Nitro without a star name, and without the kick in the pants that Nitro provided, the WWF would have ploughed ahead with their plans which would have been Shawn, Hunter and Diesel on top with Flair coming in as 'new blood' while Bret would be sidelined, feuding with dregs with Savage stuck in the cheesy commentator role, going out of his mind with boredom. The WWF would have died in 1998 and gone out with a whimper rather than a bang and wrestling would be remembered on nostalgia shows, much like American Gladiators and Roller Derby.

Very depressing thought, but I'd have to agree with this.

[edgestar]

Dec 18, 2015 14:59:01 GMT -5 A Platypus Rave said:

Hogan never comes to WCW.

Ok I said it... now what?

Now I'm not going to give you that Pastamania gift certificate!

[A Platypus Rave]

Dec 18, 2015 21:46:02 GMT -5 edgestar said:

Dec 18, 2015 14:59:01 GMT -5 A Platypus Rave said:

Hogan never comes to WCW.

Ok I said it... now what?

Now I'm not going to give you that Pastamania gift certificate!

I DIDN'T WANT IT ANYWAY!