nWo return 2002

[steve.vai121]

Just watching the nWo 2002 run... wouldn't it had been better if they had just re-run the nWo angle as the Invasion. Hall and Nash come out and cause trouble, only this time Hogan comes out to save the WWF. It splits the roster - the nice, forgiving good guys like Hogan, the others don't - and you have a nice face/heel divide.

 

Just a thought, but was just thinking how much Hogan's WWF return was wasted. He's bigger than Hall and Nash, and should've had a bigger return.. thoughts?

[IANdrewDiceClay]

Kevin Nash's contract with Turner ended a few weeks before he resigned with the WWF in Januray 2002, so he couldnt have came back other than when he did. An nWo reunion could have only happened when it happened, and the same old problems would have killed the group off anyway. I cant see how it could have went differently. The fans werent going to boo Hogan, Hall was always going to fall off the wagon and you cant help Nash's injuries. It looked good on paper, but it was a major fuck up in practice. And if Hogan did return as a face, it might have been an anti-climax. They couldnt have written anything to get the reactions he got at live Raw's and at No Way Out and WrestleMania 18. And if they could return earlier, thats what the Invasion didnt need. WWF, WCW, ECW and the nWo. There'd have been more t-shirts than anything else.

[Taylorslade]

Hall and Nash aside, I've always thought that the way Hogan was re-introduced was a bit shit. I'm not saying that they should of held ticker-tape parades for him or aired vignettes week after week counting down to his return, but considering he was the biggest star name the company has ever had that isn't named Steve Austin (or Sammartino if you want to be a twat about it), just having him walk out with two other guys whos own star-power and main-event status was overrated at best, was a massive anti-climax (for me, at least) and a missed opportunity. He was returning to the company where he had probably the best run in his career and had also been involved in some capacity, in the main event of the first nine WrestleMania's, and wrestling in seven of them, which of course, was the event which they were building at the time. Personally, I think he should've came out at some point on his own, possibly coming out for a promo segment, interview etc. I think it would of made for a much much more memorable event.

[ColinBollocks]

Hall and Nash aside, I've always thought that the way Hogan was re-introduced was a bit shit. I'm not saying that they should of held ticker-tape parades for him or aired vignettes week after week counting down to his return, but considering he was the biggest star name the company has ever had that isn't named Steve Austin (or Sammartino if you want to be a twat about it), just having him walk out with two other guys whos own star-power and main-event status was overrated at best, was a massive anti-climax (for me, at least) and a missed opportunity. He was returning to the company where he had probably the best run in his career and had also been involved in some capacity, in the main event of the first nine WrestleMania's, and wrestling in seven of them, which of course, was the event which they were building at the time. Personally, I think he should've came out at some point on his own, possibly coming out for a promo segment, interview etc. I think it would of made for a much much more memorable event.

People forget that people were funny on 80s wrestling and Hulkamania during this time. Many thought the yellow and red Hogan was too cheesy for the time period, and were sceptical it would get over in 2002. Even Hogan wasn't up for wearing his old gear in his WCW '99 face run (Ric Flair claims he talked him into it) and reverted back to wearing black after a few weeks. Still unsure they called him "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan when he turned face in WWE. They seemed to think the Hollywood Hogan character was more money when they singed him.

 

Daft when you look back.

[King Pitcos]

Didn't he come out on his own to set up the WrestleMania match with The Rock?

 

Looking back, it is a bit odd that Hulk Hogan returned after so long as just a part of the NWO, but I suppose they thought the novelty was in the NWO vs Rock/Austin/etc than in bringing back the passe Hulkster that they'd been taking the piss out of. It's strange, because they'd been acting like Jimmy Snuka and Freddie Blassie were the dapper dons since about 1996 and the fallout with Savage was over him shitting on the "Babe Ruth of the WWF" role in 1994, so Vince was desperate to get a retro/legends thing on the go. Hogan was always the perfect choice for that, if the two of them weren't acting up and falling out every five minutes.

[Taylorslade]

Hall and Nash aside, I've always thought that the way Hogan was re-introduced was a bit shit. I'm not saying that they should of held ticker-tape parades for him or aired vignettes week after week counting down to his return, but considering he was the biggest star name the company has ever had that isn't named Steve Austin (or Sammartino if you want to be a twat about it), just having him walk out with two other guys whos own star-power and main-event status was overrated at best, was a massive anti-climax (for me, at least) and a missed opportunity. He was returning to the company where he had probably the best run in his career and had also been involved in some capacity, in the main event of the first nine WrestleMania's, and wrestling in seven of them, which of course, was the event which they were building at the time. Personally, I think he should've came out at some point on his own, possibly coming out for a promo segment, interview etc. I think it would of made for a much much more memorable event.

People forget that people were funny on 80s wrestling and Hulkamania during this time. Many thought the yellow and red Hogan was too cheesy for the time period, and were sceptical it would get over in 2002. Even Hogan wasn't up for wearing his old gear in his WCW '99 face run (Ric Flair claims he talked him into it) and reverted back to wearing black after a few weeks. Still unsure they called him "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan when he turned face in WWE. They seemed to think the Hollywood Hogan character was more money when they singed him.

 

Daft when you look back.

 

Well I've always had the opinion that he should of had his own segment for his return. I expected as much when watching it live at the time and when he came out at the beginning with Hall and Nash I was pissed. After thinking about it for a while at the time, I just imagined that maybe that was the only scenario which would appease all of the strong personalities backstage. Hogan didn't have to come out to Real American or wear red and yellow, that's not really my point. (Although, I've always had a soft spot for the white shirt and trunks, 'American Made' gear circa 84 myself) I just think it was a missed opportunity and a massive let-down for me at the time, and I certainly wasn't expecting Hogan to do a run-in and squash all the heels and drop a few leg-drops before ripping off his shirt, either.

[Professor Paul's Bin]

The way I look at it was they brought them in for the names but didn't have an idea with a long term direction for the group. Vince wouldn't have wanted them to be too dominant as they were from WCW. Despite this we still got two classic matches Austin/Hall (I fucking love that match) and of course Hogan/Rock (probably gonna hear the word over-rated now but fuck ya).