Liam O'Rourke Posted December 8, 2014 Share Posted December 8, 2014 For this week's podcast, we're looking at classic examples of guys in wrestling history who may have been more successful if they had come around at a different time or place, and as always, we're looking for your suggestions. So who is the ONE guy that you've always watched and thought they would have done better had they come along at a different time or place, when would have been the best time for them, and more importantly, why?We'll be reading the best candidates on the show and crediting you accordingly, so this should be a lot of fun. Who's your pick? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Boycie Posted December 8, 2014 Paid Members Share Posted December 8, 2014 Superstar Billy Graham always springs to mind when this comes up. Years ahead of his time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Undefeated Steak Posted December 8, 2014 Share Posted December 8, 2014 I wish Bobby Roode was a few years younger and got signed to NXT instead of going the TNA route. He'd have been great on that show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zep81 Posted December 8, 2014 Share Posted December 8, 2014 Well one guy who has not long debuted in WWE, Sting. Â Yes it's great to have him finally there, but i wish we could gave got more years and matches out of him, had he joined earlier. Â If that counts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members bbabba Posted December 8, 2014 Paid Members Share Posted December 8, 2014 I will go with Cesaro and WWF in and around 1993-1997 for the reason that he could have been western Europe's answer to Bulldog in the UK. Â From what I've read WWF was massive in Germany and other parts of Europe around this time, and while they capitalized on this with a ridiculous amount of house show tours, perhaps they could have done more to push a European star to be on the same level as Bret Hart, just like Bulldog was with Hart (and other major players) in the UK in the early 1990's. Â Who knows, they could have drawn 70,000 at a major stadium for an event like Summerslam 95, which otherwise would be an unmemorable dud. Â For all the bad gimmicks in the company at the time, WWF was willing to book the few talents that could wrestle (like Bret, Owen, HBK, Bulldog) near the top of the card and size wasn't too important. Â Besides, there was a lack of main eventers in general and so someone who stands out like Cesaro would probably find himself near that position anyway. Â I'm not saying he would have got the belt, but he could have had a similar position to Bulldog in the US, headlined the European tours, done PR work with his language skills etc, and perhaps maintained and increased mainland Europe's interest in the product as the attitude era came in. Â Also matches against those mentioned (Bret, Owen, HBK, Bulldog) would be excellent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loki Posted December 8, 2014 Share Posted December 8, 2014 I wish Bobby Roode was a few years younger and got signed to NXT instead of going the TNA route. He'd have been great on that show. Â This is a good un. Â You can't help but think he'd have done well in WWE. Â When a question like this comes up I always think, imagine what a Vader or a Bam Bam Bigelow would do in today's WWE. Â They'd be huge, monstrous stars, surely world champ material. Â Â Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patiirc Posted December 8, 2014 Share Posted December 8, 2014 Earthquake in the Mark Henry role would work. Agile, hard hitting monster with less injuries, with a decreasing lack of big guys or ones who look menacing, definitely had a chance in this era. Aside from that Big Show in the late 1980's replacing Andre in the Collosal Connection and working from there as a heel would have been fun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Carbomb Posted December 8, 2014 Paid Members Share Posted December 8, 2014 Big Daddy V was awesome, whereby I think it's just a shame he wasn't just Big Daddy V his whole career - Big Daddy V winning KOTR rather than Mabel would've been intense, and V in the Ministry instead of Viscera would also have been scarier. Of course, I recognise that BDV couldn't have come about without Viscera, but it was the best thing he ever did. He would also have been brilliant during the 80s as well, I think. Â Chavo Guerrero as Kerwin White - not so much that he should've come at a different time, but just that it was really hit by the timing of Eddy's death. It was a damn good gimmick, controversial and it seemed to draw some actual performance ability from Chavo outside the ring. Could've been so much more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members tiger_rick Posted December 9, 2014 Paid Members Share Posted December 9, 2014 Rusev would be an incredible opponent for Hulk Hogan at Wrestlemania 2. With his size and athletic ability he'd blow peoples minds while the gimmick would fit right in. I'm not sure 1986 would be ready for Lana though. They'd have to digitize her legs. Â If you could port some of the 80's guys who never got a title run into today's scene, Dibiase, Hennig, Piper and Roberts, they'd definitely be real main event players and have multiple runs. Not that it's possible. These days there's no way they could have had the schooling they had and no would anyone put the amount of effort into establishing the gimmick and, more importantly, sustaining it beyond the initial TV appearances. Â I think a great opponent for John Cena these days would be the 1996 heel Diesel. He was outstanding for those few months and had attitude before attitude was a thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shane O' Mac Version 2 Posted December 9, 2014 Share Posted December 9, 2014 Khali would have fit in a lot better in the 80s. Not that he was ever required to throw himself around a lot, but I think the slower style of back then would have led to less injuries and him being a special attraction. A man of his stature wouldn't have become comedy fodder in the Hulkamania Era. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glass Smash Posted December 9, 2014 Share Posted December 9, 2014 Although he couldn't wrestle but sometimes I wonder what WWE could've done with a character like Nailz during the Attitude Era. He was only around for a few months in 92 while the company was family friendly. I just think they could've really come up with some crazy shit for his character and really pushed the envelope as far as they could. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loki Posted December 9, 2014 Share Posted December 9, 2014 Rusev would be an incredible opponent for Hulk Hogan at Wrestlemania 2. With his size and athletic ability he'd blow peoples minds while the gimmick would fit right in. I'm not sure 1986 would be ready for Lana though. They'd have to digitize her legs. Â I'd love to have seen that. Â Height-wise, how does Rusev compare to, say, Nikolai Volkoff, who was doing a similar gimmick in that era? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Chest Rockwell Posted December 9, 2014 Moderators Share Posted December 9, 2014 Big Daddy V was awesome, whereby I think it's just a shame he wasn't just Big Daddy V his whole career - Big Daddy V winning KOTR rather than Mabel would've been intense, and V in the Ministry instead of Viscera would also have been scarier. Of course, I recognise that BDV couldn't have come about without Viscera, but it was the best thing he ever did. He would also have been brilliant during the 80s as well, I think. Â Chavo Guerrero as Kerwin White - not so much that he should've come at a different time, but just that it was really hit by the timing of Eddy's death. It was a damn good gimmick, controversial and it seemed to draw some actual performance ability from Chavo outside the ring. Could've been so much more. Â Â I think with these two examples they are definitely the peak of the two guys mentioned, but both the guys mentioned are generally pretty shit so it's not saying a lot. I don't think a change in timing would really have led to any more sustained greatness for either of these gimmicks. Â edit: Does "Big Daddy V" include him being sexy with Lillian? That was the height of his career; crooning Barry White whilst eating fried chicken. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Au Posted December 9, 2014 Paid Members Share Posted December 9, 2014 Volkoff was billed as 6'4" compared to Rusev at 6'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheffbag Posted December 9, 2014 Share Posted December 9, 2014 . Not really a case of them been more successful in this era but I would love to see the entire late 80's early 90's Heenan stable in WWE since 2102 just to see Bobby in his prime again plus the likes of Brain busters vs Shield / Wyatts Rude vs Orton Perfect vs Cena Flair vs Punk or Bryan, etc Luger can face Rusev just to get squashed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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