I never knew this... (Savage/HTM/DiBiase)

[odor31]

According to pro wrestling legend, Honky was directly responsible for several changes in the WWF's long term title plans in 1988. Randy Savage was originally scheduled to go over Honky for the Intercontinental Title; Honky threatened to jump to Jim Crockett Promotions if this occurred. Although the WWF acquiesced, Savage threatened to shoot on Honky. To placate him, he was booked to win the WWF title tournament at Wrestlemania IV instead of Ted DiBiase. DiBiase and Honky have allegedly had animosity towards each other since then.

[Midnight Rider]

I have heard that also;I also heard a similar story that they scheduled HTM to drop the IC Belt to Stemaboat but Honky refused to do the job,which led to the 30 second loss to Ultimate Warrior.

[ReliXIV]

So began the WWF rule about not being able to surrender titles to another wrestler, which has since been revoked. I've always thought that the WWFE should recognize Ted DiBiase as an official WWF World champion due to the controversy.

Regardless, if you think about the way the WWF was in those days, then a heel champion could not have lasted long. I think it was the best move since Randy Savage and Ms. Elizabeth were marketable enough to be headliners, and if Ted DiBiase reigned as WWF World champion, how many times could he have legitimately staved off Hulk Hogan? The only way to keep the title off Hulkster for an extended period was to have a different babyface reign as champion, which is what they did and, in my opinion, it worked.

The Honky Tonk Man allegedly refused jobs to other people, citing the fact that he was selling out arenas in his feuds with Randy Macho Man Savage. When his feud with Brutus The Barber Beefcake did not keep the same level of interest, he knew his days were numbered. He was willing to job to The Ultimate Warrior, and the manner in which it was done worked best for both parties. It gave him the first program with Warrior, it made Warrior look great, and it kept the excitement of the mystery alive with the fans for happening so quickly.

However, I don't think Ricky The Dragon Steamboat was ever on the list of men to possibly take the title off of Honky Tonk, considering he lost the belt amidst a spat of controversy himself. Ricky wanted to see his son come into the world, and Vince had him working. Ricky insisted, and Vince took the title off him (as the legend goes, he had hand-picked The Natural Butch Reed as the next champion, but Reed showed up late that day, so he and Hulk Hogan plucked the Honky Tonk Man virtually at random) and Ricky agreed, requesting the next six months as well. Once he came back, he was on job-duty until his WWF contract expired.

[skskillz]

If that is true, the WWF should be grateful to Honky (in hindsight).

Savage created a much better angle and opponent for Hogan in 1988/1989. The Mega Powers storyline was probably one of the WWF's most successful, and it put another babyface on Hogan's level (something that wasn't there from 1984-1987). Not to mention with Savage out of the IC title picture, it gave Ultimate Warrior a clear path to take over the division and eventually lead to his big surge in 1989.

It's always fun to imagine what would have happened if certain things were handled differently, but I can't think of one scenario that may have been more successful than what actually happened.

[Feyrhausen]

If I am not mistaken DiBiase was going to reign as champ until Summerslam that year, which was to be the first. Hogan would have won the belt back there, kicking off WWFs new PPV in a big way.