TheEvilDoink1987
Main Eventer
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Post by TheEvilDoink1987 on Jan 24, 2023 9:08:46 GMT -5
January 24,1993.
Today marks the 30th anniversary of the 1993 Royal Rumble which was won by Yokozuna. However, if he wasn't around, what other heel could they have gone with to win the match and go on to face Bret Hart for the WWF title at WrestleMania IX?
The roster was really thin at this point particularly on the heel side where there just weren't many credible names. I know people always want to say that Randy Savage should have won, but this was a time when they were really invested in pushing Bret as the #1 babyface and a match against one of the most popular names on the roster would have been difficult because it would absolutely split the audience. They had also just done the "face versus face" scenario a few months prior at SummerSlam so I do not see them going back down that road again so soon afterwards even if Savage was probably the best option for an excellent build/match. Bret had already beaten Shawn clean at Survivor Series and did the same to Razor at the actual Rumble event.
Was there any other heel except for Yokozuna that could have fit that role as challenger for the World Championship at Cesar's Palace?
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Post by MKSavage on Jan 24, 2023 9:40:29 GMT -5
I would say Flair, but he was on his way out of the company. Personally, I think Hart and Flair would have been a better match for the title at RR93 than Razor. Nothing against Razor, but he was brand new at the time and didn't need a big PPV loss so early. With Flair leaving, a loss to Bret for the belt with Mr. Perfect interfering would have been great. And it would still lead to the Perfect/Flair loser-leaves-town match on Raw. If that were the case, since they were building Razor up, he could have been a viable option to win the rumble, but I'm not sure Bret vs. Razor at WM9 would have been any better/bigger than Bret vs Yoko. The only other person I can think of besides Razor would have been Lex Luger. He was brand new, but people knew him from WCW. He was a former WCW Champion, and coming in and winning the Rumble in his debut match would have made him look special. Bret vs. Luger at WM9 could have been good, but again, I'm not sure if it would have been any bigger/better than Bret vs. Yoko. In the end, they probably went with the right choice with Yokozuna winning.
EDIT: I think the only other option, besides the ones mentioned above, could have been Bam Bam Bigelow. He was new and looked like a monster.
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Post by hitmancmedge on Jan 24, 2023 9:41:19 GMT -5
At that moment unless you turn Savage heel or give Bam Bam the Yoko push, at that moment there really isn’t anyone on that January 93 roster to main event with Bret. One could argue Flair but he was not only on his way out but they had done BrEt/Flair on all the house shows for two loops in a lot of cities.
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TheEvilDoink1987
Main Eventer
Joined on: Feb 22, 2010 21:37:52 GMT -5
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Post by TheEvilDoink1987 on Jan 24, 2023 9:59:19 GMT -5
At that moment unless you turn Savage heel or give Bam Bam the Yoko push, at that moment there really isn’t anyone on that January 93 roster to main event with Bret. One could argue Flair but he was not only on his way out but they had done BrEt/Flair on all the house shows for two loops in a lot of cities. I like the Savage heel turn idea. Razor can still take on Bret at Royal Rumble to help elevate his stock, but have Savage be the one who attacks Owen and win the Rumble. He was floating around pretty aimlessly at this time anyway and Bret going over such a huge name on the biggest stage would have cemented his status as THE guy. Also, would've spared us of Savage's commentary at WrestleMania IX if he was, you know, wrestling in the main event. |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 24, 2023 10:24:09 GMT -5
yep savage can win it, then start turning heel as mania starts to roll around. maybe complaining the fan dont care as much about him as bret then start attacking bret & owen on various shows
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fabulous1971
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Post by fabulous1971 on Jan 24, 2023 11:28:35 GMT -5
I would have gone with Doink. Yea, yea, laugh all about it. But imagine the match those two could have had back then when Borne was still a good, solid worker?
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Post by cordless2016 on Jan 24, 2023 13:52:39 GMT -5
Like others said, unless Savage turns heel or they give Bam Bam the “Yoko push,” they really didn’t have anyone else to turn to. Bret/Flair was ran to death in the Fall/Winter and Flair was already gone by WM9.
The other option was “Narcicist” Lex Luger. Yes, he just debuted at the Rumble, but he had all tools to be an amazing heel in the WWF. I’ve always felt Luger’s WWF run would have been better had he remained a heel and could have been a great foil to Bret and Taker at the time.
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Post by The Brain on Jan 24, 2023 15:00:12 GMT -5
I like the idea of Bam Bam. Return back to the company in big push for the belt sounds good to me. Plus we all know the great chemistry he had with Bret in the ring
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 24, 2023 17:01:38 GMT -5
Like others said, unless Savage turns heel or they give Bam Bam the “Yoko push,” they really didn’t have anyone else to turn to. Bret/Flair was ran to death in the Fall/Winter and Flair was already gone by WM9. The other option was “Narcicist” Lex Luger. Yes, he just debuted at the Rumble, but he had all tools to be an amazing heel in the WWF. I’ve always felt Luger’s WWF run would have been better had he remained a heel and could have been a great foil to Bret and Taker at the time. i would have LOVED this! narcissist was awesome. |
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Post by The Brain on Jan 24, 2023 17:13:06 GMT -5
Imagine after that segment with Bobby to winning the Rumble.Luger wouldve been a made man then.Top heel instantly
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TheEvilDoink1987
Main Eventer
Joined on: Feb 22, 2010 21:37:52 GMT -5
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Post by TheEvilDoink1987 on Jan 24, 2023 17:17:18 GMT -5
Like others said, unless Savage turns heel or they give Bam Bam the “Yoko push,” they really didn’t have anyone else to turn to. Bret/Flair was ran to death in the Fall/Winter and Flair was already gone by WM9. The other option was “Narcicist” Lex Luger. Yes, he just debuted at the Rumble, but he had all tools to be an amazing heel in the WWF. I’ve always felt Luger’s WWF run would have been better had he remained a heel and could have been a great foil to Bret and Taker at the time. i would have LOVED this! narcissist was awesome. Bruce Prichard is on record saying that one of their ideas for that event was to have Scott Steiner debut during the Rumble match and win so they were obviously throwing a lot at the drawing board to see what would stick. It wouldn't have been that farfetched then to do the same unveiling for Luger during the PPV, but have him come out at #30 and obliterate everyone. |
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Post by LA Times on Jan 24, 2023 20:46:59 GMT -5
Yokozuna was the most logical choice. Who was going to throw him out?
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TheEvilDoink1987
Main Eventer
Joined on: Feb 22, 2010 21:37:52 GMT -5
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Post by TheEvilDoink1987 on Jan 24, 2023 22:20:20 GMT -5
Yokozuna was the most logical choice. Who was going to throw him out? He most definitely was, but this is just exploring a hypothetical scenario assuming Yokozuna wasn't in the company and you had to use the rest of the roster that was there. It is really interesting to wonder what a 1993 WWF even looks like without Yokozuna considering that he was their #1 heel, held the World title for most of that year and also was the primary catalyst for the "Lex Express" experiment which was the biggest angle in wrestling at the time. |
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jason1980s
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Post by jason1980s on Jan 24, 2023 23:03:50 GMT -5
Imagine if Giant Gonzalez debuts late November, early December and is in the rumble and wins. WCW wins the war two years before it ever started. LOL. Gonzalez was awful. I know he tried his best with his limitations though. But then again, him versus Bret makes no sense.
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Post by hbkjason on Jan 25, 2023 1:09:21 GMT -5
As others have said, Randy Savage for me is the only other option.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 25, 2023 1:30:22 GMT -5
Imagine if Giant Gonzalez debuts late November, early December and is in the rumble and wins. WCW wins the war two years before it ever started. LOL. Gonzalez was awful. I know he tried his best with his limitations though. But then again, him versus Bret makes no sense. he was rough, but i luvs me the giants and he was HUGE. i would have been good with that actually. so my top 3 woulda been: savage, then luger, then gonzales if no Yoko |
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Post by CM Tusk on Jan 25, 2023 1:53:48 GMT -5
What about Lawler?
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Post by hitmancmedge on Jan 25, 2023 12:03:47 GMT -5
He would work if they had the forefront beforehand. Him coming in December just wouldn’t have been enough time to build him properly for a rumble win and at the time the first Hoganless mania. |
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Post by jason88cubs on Jan 25, 2023 12:12:38 GMT -5
Rick Martel or Earthquake if you turn Quake heel
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boss
Mid-Carder
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Post by boss on Jan 25, 2023 12:25:15 GMT -5
Not in WWF at the time but Jake Roberts.
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