vannaboy Posted September 8, 2013 Report Share Posted September 8, 2013 So I have been talking with a few people about Lex Luger. I feel his mistake was going to the WWF so that got me thinking... Do you feel the same way and also who else if any do you think would have been better off by staying in the NWA/WCW? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartelFan38 Posted September 8, 2013 Report Share Posted September 8, 2013 Granted that Ronnie Garvin's peak already had happened, but he certainly fell off pretty fast when we he went to the WWF. Jobbed at WM5, became a referee, and then had his biggest moment defeating Valentine at RR90- far cry from being the NWA Champion 3 years earlier. Windham did make much progress in WWF, but was cut short due to family issues. However, with Quake getting a monster push in 90, Perfect getting a run as IC Champion, Rude being brought to the Title forefront, I wonder what was left for Widowmaker Windham in 1990. Possibly a feud with a mid-carder like Boss Man, Duggan or Von Erich. Dusty is obvious, but he had no choice since he ran out of luck with NWA/WCW. Even though he didn't win titles, he did have a solid run in 90-early 91 feuding with top heels like Savage and Dibiase. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerryvonKramer Posted September 8, 2013 Report Share Posted September 8, 2013 Granted that Ronnie Garvin's peak already had happened, but he certainly fell off pretty fast when we he went to the WWF. Jobbed at WM5, became a referee, and then had his biggest moment defeating Valentine at RR90- far cry from being the NWA Champion 3 years earlier. Take a look at this thread to see just how far Garvin fell after this point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricky Jackson Posted September 8, 2013 Report Share Posted September 8, 2013 Once you get past the polka dots and Sapphire, Dusty actually had a decent WWF run as far as being in pushed feuds with other top guys goes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartelFan38 Posted September 8, 2013 Report Share Posted September 8, 2013 The Orient Express (w/ Mr. Fuji) defeated Ron Garvin & Major Yates at 2:27 when Sato pinned Yates with the sit-down powerbomb; during the bout, the Bushwhackers cut an insert promo on the Orient Express where they ate rice with their hands after throwing their chopsticks away I think this constitutes rock bottom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt D Posted September 8, 2013 Report Share Posted September 8, 2013 Granted that Ronnie Garvin's peak already had happened, but he certainly fell off pretty fast when we he went to the WWF. Jobbed at WM5, became a referee, and then had his biggest moment defeating Valentine at RR90- far cry from being the NWA Champion 3 years earlier. Windham did make much progress in WWF, but was cut short due to family issues. However, with Quake getting a monster push in 90, Perfect getting a run as IC Champion, Rude being brought to the Title forefront, I wonder what was left for Widowmaker Windham in 1990. Possibly a feud with a mid-carder like Boss Man, Duggan or Von Erich. Dusty is obvious, but he had no choice since he ran out of luck with NWA/WCW. Even though he didn't win titles, he did have a solid run in 90-early 91 feuding with top heels like Savage and Dibiase. There's an alternate reality where Windham is in the Zeus role in 89. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El-P Posted September 8, 2013 Report Share Posted September 8, 2013 Luger, Windham, Arn & Tully, The Steiners never really fit in WWF. That guy Terry Taylor would probably have been better off staying with Crockett too... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt D Posted September 8, 2013 Report Share Posted September 8, 2013 I think Luger's WWF run is hugely underrated. He was very effective in there vs Bret/Perfect/etc as a heel and I think everyone who went through the 93 year book (if you read those posts) talked about how well built Summerslam was. They just didn't pull the trigger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El-P Posted September 8, 2013 Report Share Posted September 8, 2013 The Narcissist gimmick was over the top (that outfit...), but it was the best role for Luger. Turning him face and having him failed at SummerSlam killed him dead. Basically the Total Package gimmick he did with Liz in 99/00 was exactly what the Narcissist should have been. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerryvonKramer Posted September 8, 2013 Report Share Posted September 8, 2013 Luger's heel run in 89 is not a million miles away from The Narcissist. He didn't have the women and the mirrors, but 85% of the character is already there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El-P Posted September 8, 2013 Report Share Posted September 8, 2013 True, Luger in 89 was excellent, but the comedic/chicken shit aspect of the character in 99/00 made him even more fun, and that would have been perfect for the WWF. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vannaboy Posted September 8, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2013 I feel if Luger never made the jump he would of been one of the biggest names wrestling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dooley Posted September 8, 2013 Report Share Posted September 8, 2013 Granted that Ronnie Garvin's peak already had happened, but he certainly fell off pretty fast when we he went to the WWF. Jobbed at WM5, became a referee, and then had his biggest moment defeating Valentine at RR90- far cry from being the NWA Champion 3 years earlier. Windham did make much progress in WWF, but was cut short due to family issues. However, with Quake getting a monster push in 90, Perfect getting a run as IC Champion, Rude being brought to the Title forefront, I wonder what was left for Widowmaker Windham in 1990. Possibly a feud with a mid-carder like Boss Man, Duggan or Von Erich. Dusty is obvious, but he had no choice since he ran out of luck with NWA/WCW. Even though he didn't win titles, he did have a solid run in 90-early 91 feuding with top heels like Savage and Dibiase. There's an alternate reality where Windham is in the Zeus role in 89. They were hinting at Windham challenging Hogan on the syndie shows before his run got cut short. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Posted September 8, 2013 Report Share Posted September 8, 2013 Dusty is obvious, but he had no choice since he ran out of luck with NWA/WCW. Even though he didn't win titles, he did have a solid run in 90-early 91 feuding with top heels like Savage and Dibiase. Dusty didn't strictly go from the NWA to the WWF, and he didn't really have a choice since he got fired from Crockett in '88 then went back to Florida and the AWA before joining the WWF. Plus, he drew some good money on C-show loops against Big Boss Man besides the runs he had with Savage and DiBiase, so he made out pretty good I think. If he'd been sacked as Crockett's booker but retained as a wrestler, it's possible he'd have suffered a fall from grace from whoever took over. It's also possible he'd have kept himself over despite the booking so who knows. At least we got Flair-Steamboat in '89 instead of another round of Flair-Dusty. Maybe Dusty could have just reformed his team with Dick Murdoch or something and feuded with the Varsity Club. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartelFan38 Posted September 8, 2013 Report Share Posted September 8, 2013 True that he went else where in between, but he wasn't going to make money there. For Dusty the money mattered and his ego mattered. He made the money in the WWF, but his ego probably wasn't satisfied headlining C-Shows with Bossman. He was still at least 3rd behind Hogan and UW, not to mention battling for a high spot on the card with Piper, Roberts, Bossman (face version), Duggan, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Posted September 8, 2013 Report Share Posted September 8, 2013 He might have been worse off based on his position on the card but he just didn't have the choice like some other guys did, and I think given his standing at the time (I mean, he was fired and all), he was probably better off in the polka dots anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt D Posted September 8, 2013 Report Share Posted September 8, 2013 Honestly, the Polka Dots help his mythos. Steamboat being the one behind the Dragon costume is much more confusing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goodhelmet Posted September 9, 2013 Report Share Posted September 9, 2013 Steamboat was already pushing near 40 at the time and completely misread what he thought would be cool. Steamboat the ninja karate master was cool. Steamboat as Gene Simmons fire breather is cool. Steamboat as a cartoon character with a bad outfit was not cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohtani's jacket Posted September 9, 2013 Report Share Posted September 9, 2013 Did anyone actually benefit from jumping to the WWF? Steamboat maybe? Flair? Dusty from what folks have said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt D Posted September 9, 2013 Report Share Posted September 9, 2013 Big Bubba is the answer to that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El-P Posted September 9, 2013 Report Share Posted September 9, 2013 Steamboat was already pushing near 40 at the time and completely misread what he thought would be cool. Steamboat the ninja karate master was cool. Steamboat as Gene Simmons fire breather is cool. Steamboat as a cartoon character with a bad outfit was not cool. I thought the Dragon outfit and the fire breathing was a lot cooler than Steamboat the karate kid. That being said, the jump back to WWF in 91 was totally ill-advised. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebrainfollower Posted September 9, 2013 Report Share Posted September 9, 2013 Powers of Pain. Would never have gotten a world tag title run and would have ended up severely injured in those scaffold matches. Neither had that much success in WWF either but I think they made more money and worked against safer people overall. Bushwhackers probably had their lives extended by the switch, but not their careers if that makes any sense. They made money in merch as well they never would have seen as the Sheepherders in the NWA. Rick Rude made a great decision to jump as well as when to jump back. Agree totally on Bossman. I would argue Arn made the right call. Had a short title run that would have been longer and showed he could not be treated as an afterthought. Mind you I could see someone arguing he went right back to being that in NWA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerryvonKramer Posted September 9, 2013 Report Share Posted September 9, 2013 Did anyone actually benefit from jumping to the WWF? I think Flair added to his legend massively by jumping. Not just what he did during the run, but I don't think we get Starrcade 93 the way it went down if he had never gone away. Mike Rotunda is another person I think who benefited a good bit. Say what you want about IRS, he got 3 tag title runs, a series of memorable vignettes, an action figure, a co-main event vs. Hogan at Wrestlemania, the last match on a Survivor Series and decentish IC title feud vs. Razor Ramon, and he probably added about 5 years onto his career by being considered a guy with enough name value to bring back to WCW once the run was done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt D Posted September 9, 2013 Report Share Posted September 9, 2013 What's the cut off date? Because after 91 or so, the answer is almost everyone. Hall, Nash, Austin, Foley, Dustin, Jarrett, etc, etc. Maybe not Mero. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goodhelmet Posted September 9, 2013 Report Share Posted September 9, 2013 Steamboat was already pushing near 40 at the time and completely misread what he thought would be cool. Steamboat the ninja karate master was cool. Steamboat as Gene Simmons fire breather is cool. Steamboat as a cartoon character with a bad outfit was not cool. I thought the Dragon outfit and the fire breathing was a lot cooler than Steamboat the karate kid. That being said, the jump back to WWF in 91 was totally ill-advised. Depends how old you were when you were watching it and if you watched it when it originally came out or later on tape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.