Ahmed Johnson appearing at No Way Out IYH/1998.

[agent817]

I have a question regarding this. Because this was before I got into wrestling, I wonder about Ahmed Johnson appearing in early 1998. I have read online about how he was gone in late 1997 and was supposedly released, but then he appeared at No Way Out in February in 1998. Was he out with an injury or did the bookers need someone to participate in that tag match? Was he gone after that event?

[Drillbit Taylor]

I remember the signs all over the stadium that Shawn was not there, and the random Savio bump to the ME. So he might have taken Savio's spot in that tag match when he got to the ME.

[Deleted]

Wasn't Ahmed in the Rumble that year?

["Gizzark" Mike Wronglevenay]

Jan 2, 2017 12:51:19 GMT -5 @sandman said:

Wasn't Ahmed in the Rumble that year?

Yes.

[Deleted]

Jan 2, 2017 12:22:01 GMT -5 Drillbit Taylor said:

I remember the signs all over the stadium that Shawn was not there, and the random Savio bump to the ME. So he might have taken Savio's spot in that tag match when he got to the ME.

No, Savio wrestled & even wrapped Cactus Jack in barbed wire in that match.

[Tiger Millionaire]

He was there to pick up his order of Wonton Beef Stew, but then he ran into Morty, who had forgotten his medication, well, the rest is pretty self explanatory.

[Drillbit Taylor]

Jan 2, 2017 13:03:57 GMT -5 @jdogindy said:

Jan 2, 2017 12:22:01 GMT -5 Drillbit Taylor said:

I remember the signs all over the stadium that Shawn was not there, and the random Savio bump to the ME. So he might have taken Savio's spot in that tag match when he got to the ME.

No, Savio wrestled & even wrapped Cactus Jack in barbed wire in that match.

Im saying when Savio made it to the ME, he took Savios spot in the other match.

[ThankGodForSidJustice]

He didn't wrestle at all through all of December although I'm thinking he was probably just injured again. However he was in the Royal Rumble and also fought Rock the following night on Raw. He also was on Raw every week up until No Way Out although he wasn't wrestling as he was just outside the ring back up for Shamrock along with DOA against the Nation. The ten man at No Way Out was his last match as I think it was at the Raw taping afterwards that he refused to do a job for Kurrgan and walked out.

[Slanted and Enchanted]

It's still just painfully fascinating to see how quickly outdated Ahmed Johnson had become from the beginning of 1997 towards the end of it. Even when he was starring in those Attitude vignettes in November/December of that year he just didn't fit in whatsoever.

[cabbageboy]

I can't even remember when Ahmed left. It was such a slow decline that it seemed like he was just gone one day. He will go in my Tatanka category of a guy who did a horrible heel turn that wrecked his career. I even recall talking to people at the time as to how stupid it was to have Ahmed Johnson join the Nation. Once he did that you could stick a fork in the dude.

[Ludwig Kaiser’s Walk]

I miss his wedgies.

[________ has left the building]

If Ahmed wasn't so reckless and injury prone, he could had been a contender.

[Deleted]

Jan 2, 2017 16:05:30 GMT -5 ________ has left the building said:

If Ahmed wasn't so reckless and injury prone, he could had been a contender.

Wasn't that because Morty kept taking his medication?

[Deleted]

They needed a guy with extra knee pads.

["Gizzark" Mike Wronglevenay]

Jan 2, 2017 16:05:30 GMT -5 ________ has left the building said:

If Ahmed wasn't so reckless and injury prone, he could had been a contender.

He was very charismatic as a person, and tremendously over for a few months - but he was sloppy as shit in the ring, a misogynist and injury prone - didn't he also lie about his age?

[Big Bad Kahuna]

1997 destroyed him pretty much, he made all the mistakes (too stiff and clumsy, big mouth, bad backstage politician) and got some horrible booking (heel nation, injured, then suddenly face again)

NOBODY cared when he disappeared in Feb.98

[mattperiolat]

He didn't disappear, he refused to job to putting Kurrgan over during his initial push, so he got turfed. Didn't show up again until he showed up in WCW, having discovered the all you can eat buffet at the Sizzler en route.

[thecrusherwi]

Jan 2, 2017 13:54:11 GMT -5 Drillbit Taylor said:

Jan 2, 2017 13:03:57 GMT -5 @jdogindy said:

No, Savio wrestled & even wrapped Cactus Jack in barbed wire in that match.

Im saying when Savio made it to the ME, he took Savios spot in the other match.

Ahmed as always advertised to be in the 10 man tag. It was dubbed a "War of Attrition" that pitted the Nation against all of their biggest rivals over their existence. As a kid I thought this sounded awesome and was beyond disappointed that it was just a regular one fall tag match.

[msc]

It was a perfect storm in 1997. The heel turn wasn't a killer in itself, hell, booked a bit better and you could have had it as Othello (with Faarooq as Iago, as was hinted at in April 97-ish) only for Ahmed to earn his comeback. But injuries, attitude, sloppiness, it all went to hell quickly.

Which, despite being a sloppy wrestler, is a bit of a shame, because he was hot as hell in early 97 when he was the one man destroyer.

Also, Rock winning the belt a year later or not, Strawman Faarooq did have a point in summer 97.

[Push R Truth]

Pearl River Plunge (I think that was it's name) was boss though