Angusdacat
Superstar
Joined on: Jun 26, 2014 21:28:21 GMT -5
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Post by Angusdacat on Apr 9, 2021 14:49:00 GMT -5
I saw what appears to be a recent interview today where Austin was asked about the pros and cons of being forced to retire early. In the interview, Austin mentioned how if he hadn't had the neck issues that he did, he would have liked to wrestle another 5 years. This would have him retiring around Wrestlemania 24 at the same time as Ric Flair (although, knowing what we know now, the texas-based Wrestlemania 25 would have more likely happened)
Despite Austin being one of my (and many of our) all time favorites, it's so hard to imagine where Austin would have been put during this time period. WWE didn't go PG until late 2008 (I think), so that wouldn't have been an issue, but if this would have been a reality, how do you think the last half of his career would have went?
Another Royal Rumble win?
A fued with Orton?
A redemption match with a healthy HBK?
Putting over Cena and Batista?
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Angusdacat
Superstar
Joined on: Jun 26, 2014 21:28:21 GMT -5
Posts: 702
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Post by Angusdacat on Apr 9, 2021 14:53:15 GMT -5
I could even see Austin vs Goldberg happening as the WWE title match over Eddie vs Angle at Wrestlemania 20
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Post by jason88cubs on Apr 9, 2021 17:29:56 GMT -5
wouldve been cool to see AUtin vs Flair, loser retires then Flair does lose
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Post by TKO Propagandist on Apr 10, 2021 0:11:34 GMT -5
He retited at the perfect time I felt. Match vs Punk & Brock Lesnar would have been the ones I would have wanted to see. That's it really
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Post by hbkbigdaddycool on Apr 10, 2021 1:54:56 GMT -5
I just can't picture Steve Austin fitting in for a wrestling standpoint in anything after Wrestlemania 19. The WWE was clearly done with the attitude era ordeal. Austin being the co-GM with Bischoff was perfect though for the year of 2003 and then being the guest referee for Goldberg vs. Lesnar, but as a wrestler, I can't picture what Steve would have done or if he even would have been happy again.
I gotta feeling Steve would have taken his ball and went home again if he remained a wrestler. I don't see him ever being the World Champion again, and if he was, it would be for a cup of coffee much like HBK's win was at Survivor Series 2002.
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Post by hbkjason on Apr 10, 2021 2:02:19 GMT -5
Great topic man  Hard to imagine him around. I think he would have had a feud with Evolution. Or, some kind of thing with Eric Bischof. I wonder if he had stuck around and been healthy the whole time if people like Cena, Eddie and Benoit would have made the next step? |
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Old Zeke
Main Eventer
'Fraid old Zeke, he rides up here with me. Can't trust a pig with watermelons, you know.
Joined on: Jun 24, 2019 13:46:50 GMT -5
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Post by Old Zeke on Apr 10, 2021 3:26:42 GMT -5
You know, I honestly don't know where he would've fit in. He already seemed out of place in 2002 leading up to the walk-out, and the same when he came back in 2003 to wrestle. He, to me, WAS the Attitude Era - and there just didn't seem to be a place for him as a wrestler anymore. I think retiring when he had to was a blessing in disguise - having just wrapped up my rewatch of 2003, that Co-GM role was the perfect fit for him that year.
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Angusdacat
Superstar
Joined on: Jun 26, 2014 21:28:21 GMT -5
Posts: 702
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Post by Angusdacat on Apr 10, 2021 14:16:07 GMT -5
Great topic man Hard to imagine him around. I think he would have had a feud with Evolution. Or, some kind of thing with Eric Bischof. I wonder if he had stuck around and been healthy the whole time if people like Cena, Eddie and Benoit would have made the next step? I feel like Austin and Triple H would have had zero chemistry once Triple H went full evolution. But I also can't see Austin fitting in with the smackdown six that much. Maybe he would have become the first major part timer and had fueds at summerslam/wrestlemania time? I could definitely see Austin beating JBL at Wrestlemania 21 for the title instead of Cena, but I think Cena's position overall would have stayed the same. Eddie and Beniot are more so wild cards in this situation. |
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Post by CM Tusk on Apr 10, 2021 14:30:37 GMT -5
XX-Goldberg
21-Hogan
22-Cena
23-Batista
24-Edge
25-Orton
That’s roughly how I would have liked to see his Wrestlemania programs to look. Have Orton retire him at 25.
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Angusdacat
Superstar
Joined on: Jun 26, 2014 21:28:21 GMT -5
Posts: 702
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Post by Angusdacat on Apr 10, 2021 20:17:51 GMT -5
XX-Goldberg 21-Hogan 22-Cena 23-Batista 24-Edge 25-Orton That’s roughly how I would have liked to see his Wrestlemania programs to look. Have Orton retire him at 25. Remembering how rough Cena had it with the Chicago crowd at WM22 with a heel Triple H, I can't imagine how violent things would have been if Cena was going over Austin that night. What a super interesting piece of fantasy booking |
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Post by theoutlaw1999 on Apr 10, 2021 20:46:51 GMT -5
TBH when Austin returned from his injury in late 2000 he felt out of place. He had been gone for almost a year so the company had successfully moved on from the Austin era.
The heel turn and his 2002 booking didn't help either so I could not have imagined him in the RA era.
Austin worked best when he was the guy, the unstoppable face of the company who felt like a titan compared to the other Superstars. In the RA era you had the likes of Batista, Cena, Mysterio etc rising to the top of the ladder so seeing Austin get knocked down a few pegs would've felt wrong.
Imagine him in a mid card PPV match, that would not have suited Austin's character at all. From WM14 he felt naked when he wasn't champion.
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Post by cordless2016 on Apr 11, 2021 0:38:40 GMT -5
Hard to say. No doubt they give us Austin/Goldberg at WM20, but what does Austin do in 2003 before that? Goldberg and HHH were being built up to their eventually showdown, so does Austin toil around the midcard that year working guys like Jericho, Christian, Orton, and Batista? Does he put over HHH at some point (which he already did in 2001)? Work with HBK again like in 1998?
After WM20, it gets even tougher. With Austin around, does Benoit get a run with the strap? Do they put the belt back on Austin with ratings still dropping? I doubt Austin/Hogan ever happens as it’s unlikely they’d ever agree to an ending. Does Austin move to Smackdown after Brock leaves, Angle and Show get hurt, and Taker goes full part-time (which would have effected Eddie’s push)? Hard to predict what they would have done considering how much the landscape had changed just between WM19 and WM20.
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Post by TKO Propagandist on Apr 11, 2021 15:45:15 GMT -5
19: Rock
30: CM Punk
32: Brock (Texas death match)
Saudi show: Goldberg
38: Roman
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Post by keegandimitrijevic01 on Apr 11, 2021 18:12:09 GMT -5
Rest of 2003: feud with Goldberg for SummerSlam, and with Triple H for the WHC
2004: Feud with Brock for WrestleMania XX. Move to SD. Feud with Eddie for the WWE title. Austin wins the WWE Title. Austin vs Eddie, Kurt, and Booker for the WHC from SummerSlam - Armageddon
2005: vs Cena at WM 21. Clash of generations, for the WWE title. SummerSlam. Feud with Batista and Chris Benoit
2006: vs Randy Orton at WrestleMania 22. Legend Killer vs Austin. Austin puts over Randy at WM. Austin vs Rey for the WHC throughout 2006. Austin feuds with Finlay, as well. Austin has the WHC reign instead of King Booker
2007: Drops the WHC to Batista at the 2007 Royal Rumble. Austin/Benoit for WM 23. Austin wins. Austin feuds with Edge for the WHC throughout the summer of 2007
2008: Austin/Batista for WM XXIV
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Deleted
Joined on: Nov 27, 2024 18:39:06 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Apr 11, 2021 18:22:39 GMT -5
not sure, but matches vs goldberg, hogan & lesnar would have been big ones for me!
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Warriah'
Main Eventer
Joined on: Dec 22, 2019 19:46:02 GMT -5
Posts: 3,261
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Post by Warriah' on Apr 12, 2021 5:56:37 GMT -5
I think Austin could have worked as an attraction during those years. Much like Shawn. Feuds with Hogan, Shawn, Cena, Batista, Orton would have been great.
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Post by Kanenite on Apr 12, 2021 10:58:29 GMT -5
I think him doing the Part Timer thing would've worked in those years. He just shows up for the Big 4 and maybe an odd program here and there.
Then he gets inducted in the 2009 HOF and has his last match at WM25.
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Post by wolfpac on Apr 12, 2021 12:05:26 GMT -5
This is a great topic because it's really hard to figure in what he would have done Summer 02 and forward.
I would guess
Vs Eddie KOTR
Vs Heel Flair Summerslam
Vs Flair Unforgiven (Maybe a cage - and flair can still join evolution)
We might not have gotten HBK back so maybe Austin in the Chamber and winning the WHC
HHH/Austin December '02
HHH/Austin Rumble - drops the title
I wouldn't have given us HHH/Steiner yet - maybe have built that match for Mania 19 (I mean hindsight no, but at the time Steiner/HHH was a dream match)
Don't know about NWO but I would still do Rock/Austin at Mania 19
Then after that, anybodys guess but for the Manias
Gotta go with Goldberg/Austin Mania 20
Austin/ Orton maybe for 21
Austin/ Undertaker 22
Austin/ Edge 23
Austin/ Cena 24
Now for 25 I would have liked Austin/HBK but then we lose the UT/HBK match. This show might be the one I don't really have a good idea for a spot looking back everything would have shuffled around at all the manias.
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Post by K5 on Apr 12, 2021 12:12:34 GMT -5
the character needed repair. that heel run with McMahon neutered him and a brief glimpse of his return at invasion wasn't enough to seal the deal.
if they'd found a way to bring him back, like be the man to take down Lesnar, things may have worked.
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Post by Nick the Quick on Apr 14, 2021 21:39:36 GMT -5
I’ve never given this what-if scenario much thought. At the time I felt it was somewhat pointless to come back after almost a year to only have one more match, well three if you the two squash matches vs Bischoff. Then again, it’s since been revealed that he was wrestling on borrowed time well before he even walked out, so maybe he came back just to go out at Wrestlemania 19.
Like others have said, Austin seemed out of place by 2003 and the co-GM role was a better spot for him anyway. There wasn’t really anything left for him to accomplish as a wrestler that he hadn’t already done.
Matches vs Goldberg and Hogan, while they are dream matches, probably wouldn’t have been too good, plus finishes would probably have been hard to agree on given all the egos involved.
I feel Austin retired at the right time. He went out on top and has always seemed satisfied with how his career ended.
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