No Way Out 1998 Replacement?

Omackeral

Who would you guys have chosen (realistically) as Shawn Michaels replacement in the main event of No Way Out of Texas in 1998?

They went with Savio Vega and the crowd collectively groaned loudly. Was there ever anyone else in the frame? I recall them teasing someone from outside being a possibility and all! The final line up was Steve Austin, Owen Hart, Cactus Jack and Chainsaw Charlie vs HHH, New Age Outlaws and Savio Vega.

gnfnrhead

Omackeral wrote: »

Who would you guys have chosen (realistically) as Shawn Michaels replacement in the main event of No Way Out of Texas in 1998?

They went with Savio Vega and the crowd collectively groaned loudly. Was there ever anyone else in the frame? I recall them teasing someone from outside being a possibility and all! The final line up was Steve Austin, Owen Hart, Cactus Jack and Chainsaw Charlie vs HHH, New Age Outlaws and Savio Vega.

As best I can remember, Savio made the most sense. Boricuas were all but officially aligned with DX at the time. Assuming they had no plans on building on the replacement story in future, he made sense as they could just forget it afterwards and continue as they had planned. Realistically, anyone other than a member of the Boricuas would have required explaining to some degree.

Omackeral

gnfnrhead wrote: »

As best I can remember, Savio made the most sense. Boricuas were all but officially aligned with DX at the time. Assuming they had no plans on building on the replacement story in future, he made sense as they could just forget it afterwards and continue as they had planned. Realistically, anyone other than a member of the Boricuas would have required explaining to some degree.

Oh yeah, themselves and the outlaws jumped Taker at the Rumble a month previously, that's right! What did you think of the Boricuas? Thanks for the reply dude.

gnfnrhead

Omackeral wrote: »

Oh yeah, themselves and the outlaws jumped Taker at the Rumble a month previously, that's right! What did you think of the Boricuas? Thanks for the reply dude.

They werent really needed. DX and the Nation were the two big factions at the time. Boricuas and DOA were a waste of space. Made sense they would want revenge on the Nation, but after that feud they were both fairly pointless. Should have been cut down from factions to tag teams (which eventually happened to DOA but after they did nothing for ages). Anyone could have done that run in on Undertaker and it wouldnt have made a bit of difference to the feud.

Again, pointless once they finished with the Nation.

Charisteas

They could have gone with Chyna instead of Vega.

It wouldn't have made up for the fact that the crowd and the PPV buyers were likely expecting to see Austin/Michaels finishing the match one on one, but it would have made for an interesting twist at a time when Chyna was still this mysterious female bodyguard.

It would have also had been her in-ring debut so the crowd certainly would have been more intrigued than Savio (leave the 1995 King of the Ring memories alone) Vega.

Omackeral

Could've been a potentially sweet time to bring in X-Pac if that was possible. Sweet pay-off and great introduction back to WWF. I think he was still under contract to WCW though.

jaykhunter

Ha! I thought that yesterday too! I checked his wiki and it said he only signed a few days prior to debuting, so that'd put a spanner in the works. Chyna is a v suitable replacement. Makes sense. Looking at WM14's roster, wow WWF in 1998 was quite thin... we're talking Kurrgan The Interrogator... Pillman would've been a nice replacement but if he hadn't died he'd probably be in WCW. (He had a past with Austin so it'd make a good mercenary, although joining with the guys who ran his team out of town would be hard to explain). Maybe Jarrett? I know he was doing mid-card schtick with Bradshaw/NWA but he's great. Roadie could've brought him in.

Savio Vega's one of my least favourite notable names from the 90s. Thought he stank smelly butt.

Omackeral

Funny you should mention Kurrgan. I read last night that they were thinking of adding him (he was still a mysterious monster at this point) but Don Callis blackballed the idea thinking it would expose the big man. Jarrett could've been a possibility, I agree with that.

Also, did you create this thread JK, cos I didn't?!!?:D

Reebrock

Omackeral wrote: »

Funny you should mention Kurrgan. I read last night that they were thinking of adding him (he was still a mysterious monster at this point) but Don Callis blackballed the idea thinking it would expose the big man. Jarrett could've been a possibility, I agree with that.

Also, did you create this thread JK, cos I didn't?!!?:D

Um, I don't think Cyrus - who Bradshaw use to make change in the corridor at the time - welded such power.

gnfnrhead

Reebrock wrote: »

Um, I don't think Cyrus - who Bradshaw use to make change in the corridor at the time - welded such power.

I dont think the suggestion was Cyrus said no and that was the end of it. He could have argued it and been convincing enough for whoever was making the decision to agree.

Reebrock

gnfnrhead wrote: »

I dont think the suggestion was Cyrus said no and that was the end of it. He could have argued it and been convincing enough for whoever was making the decision to agree.

"Blackballed"

Omackeral

Reebrock wrote: »

"Blackballed"

black·ball (vb) vote against; refuse to endorse; refuse to assent;

Don't be so pedantic. It's not that type of set-up here at PW Boards.

Reebrock

Omackeral wrote: »

black·ball (vb) vote against; refuse to endorse; refuse to assent;

Don't be so pedantic. It's not that type of set-up here at PW Boards.

I'm not being pedantic at all, I just think the idea of Cyrus having a say in a WWF main event is a false notion: coupled with the fact I have never heard this before in any interview or from any reputable source. If somebody were to provide an iota of evidence, sure. Until then I'll take it as gossip and conjecture.

Omackeral

Reebrock wrote: »

I'm not being pedantic at all, I just think the idea of Cyrus having a say in a WWF main event is a false notion: coupled with the fact I have never heard this before in any interview or from any reputable source. If somebody were to provide an iota of evidence, sure. Until then I'll take it as gossip and conjecture.

Take it as such so, not that I claimed it was fact or anything. Jaykayhunter mentioned Kurrgan and it triggered something in my memory which I read online which was possibly a rumour (on the internet?!....shocking!) and I brought it up.

Nice to see your own input into the thread topic, though.:P

Reebrock

Oh, I was more than happy with Savio Vega

jaykhunter

Don't give me credit if they picked Kurrgan lol. Although worse than Savio, you could fob off that they were trying to make a new guy having him in the main event. Getting horrible flashbacks of Khali getting a push about a decade later

Jeez, 98 was still a rough time for WWF's roster. Didn't really blow up until 2000 with Stevie Richards leading the Radicalz. Sure Jericho was mid-99 and Angle at Series 99.

Omackeral

Hey JayKay, fancy naming a few bums on the roster from 98?

I'll go first. The Midnight Express of Bombastic Bob and Bodacious Bart!

rovert

I do remember a story about the whole locker room turning against The Jackal as he would verbal berate Kurrgan way too harshly. Don did have some creative input at the time and in general his personality was to make things known.

One of the aspects people are skipping over is that the match was a brawl with a couple of hardcore spots in it. Savio Vega was known for those type of matches in Puerto Rico - a place legendary for bloody brawls.

Reebrock

jaykhunter wrote: »

Jeez, 98 was still a rough time for WWF's roster. Didn't really blow up until 2000 with Stevie Richards leading the Radicalz. Sure Jericho was mid-99 and Angle at Series 99.

If only...

jaykhunter

Omackeral wrote: »

Hey JayKay, fancy naming a few bums on the roster from 98? I'll go first. The Midnight Express of Bombastic Bob and Bodacious Bart!

The Bedtime Express with Morton & Gibson were a big low-point. Headbangers, the random luchas WWF would bring in for a cup of coffee in the Light Heavyweight division (despite Pollock's pained cries of how great they were)...The pirate from The Quebecers...those minis who were booked like children jumping on Lawler's lap (Max Mini, Nova, El Torito etc)... Tom Brandi...There has to be more!

krudler

jaykhunter wrote: »

The Bedtime Express with Morton & Gibson were a big low-point. Headbangers, the random luchas WWF would bring in for a cup of coffee in the Light Heavyweight division (despite Pollock's pained cries of how great they were)...The pirate from The Quebecers...those minis who were booked like children jumping on Lawler's lap (Max Mini, Nova, El Torito etc)... Tom Brandi...There has to be more!

Marc Mero

cough.

Reebrock

krudler wrote: »

Marc Mero

cough.

Mero being **** is a bit of a myth though.

Charisteas

jaykhunter wrote: »

Jeez, 98 was still a rough time for WWF's roster.

I thought the 98 roster was decent enough, and the Wrestlemania 14 card was very strong.

Omackeral

Charisteas wrote: »

I thought the 98 roster was decent enough, and the Wrestlemania 14 card was very strong.

Wrestlemania 14 is one of my all time favourite cards, along with Summerslam 2002 and ECW Heatwave 98.

There was a good few jabronis around the WWF in 1998, though.

All that NWA Cornette tripe featuring such delights like the New Midnight Express (Bob Holly and Bart Gunn), The Rock n Roll Express, Barry Windham and such. Then you had hangers on from the Gang Wars such as DOA, Savio's crew of nobodies and the left overs from the Truth Commission. As JayKayhunter mentioned, the Quebecers showed up for about 5 weeks and had an atrocious heel vs heel feud with the sloppy and irrelevant Godwinns. All this without mentioning The Headbangers and The Oddities...