Mr. Perfect: 2002

[The Brain]

The post by bookerman in the best surprise return thread got me to thinking about this. In 2002 Mr. Perfect returned to the WWF as a participant at the Royal Rumble. Over the years there have been other returns at the rumble. Some are just one time appearances and some are actual returns. I wasn’t sure what was going to happen with Perfect, but I was hoping he was back to stay.

He got a nice pop from the crowd when he came through the curtain and he looked great. It looked like he had barely aged at all. He made it to the final four with Kurt Angle, Steve Austin, and Triple H. When watching this I couldn’t help but think of how right he looked in there. He just looked to fit in with those guys. Unlike some other veteran guys looking to make a comeback Perfect looked like he belonged. I had high hopes for Perfect and was actually hoping for a match against Angle at WrestleMania. Unfortunately Perfect was put in the lower mid card and didn’t do anything memorable before getting released just a few months later.

Does anyone else think Mr. Perfect could have done could have done really well in 2002 and beyond or was he just another aging veteran that wrestling had passed by?

 

[Big Sexy]

I always thought he was underutilized in his 2002 return. I remember watching the Rumble and like you said Brain, he really looked like he belonged. He hadn't really lost a step and he was competing at a very high level. He actually had a couple short feuds with Steve Austin and RVD but that only lasted a couple months and he was sent to the bottom of the card. His personal problems may have had something to do with it but Perfect definitely could have been used better. A high profile Mania match against a top guy would have been great.

 

[mr.davidson]

I know Perfect belong to the old school Hogan generation.

But it was always my hope that he didnt leave the WWF when he did.....The time he left WWF he was in a feud with Marc Marrow and HHH. In the end i honestly though this was going 2 lead to a come back and then a IC tittle around his waist again leading to a WWF HW Tittle. Remember the WWF didnt have much in the way of talent and i think Perfect would of been a high candidate for matches with HBK and Bret Hart.

Unfortunatly he went 2 WCW and though he won a U.S Tittle... i personally think he carreer there was mild.

Then upon his return.. again great shape and looked like he could do much... but i am afaird by that point old Vinnie Mac.. had his pick of the litter and no longer needed the talent that Perfect could of provided him had he not left in the first place....

 

[Mr. Artistic guy]

Quite simply yes, he looked great when he came back like he could really still go. So WWE had a veteran superstar who could still go....erm I think its time for a push. He went toe to toe with angle in his prime without for a second looking in the least bit inferior AND pulled off a perfectplex on THE BIG SHOW. Missed oppertunity most likely

 

[THEGRANDSLAM]

I remember seeing it being really pleased for him we he got to the final 4 of the Rumble. I think that in itself shows that they had plans for him but I'm inclined to believe that maybe his 'demon's' stopped him from getting a further push. It's a shame he didn't stay with WWE his whole career

 

[DeathClutch]

The post by bookerman in the best surprise return thread got me to thinking about this. In 2002 Mr. Perfect returned to the WWF as a participant at the Royal Rumble. Over the years there have been other returns at the rumble. Some are just one time appearances and some are actual returns. I wasn’t sure what was going to happen with Perfect, but I was hoping he was back to stay.

He got a nice pop from the crowd when he came through the curtain and he looked great. It looked like he had barely aged at all. He made it to the final four with Kurt Angle, Steve Austin, and Triple H. When watching this I couldn’t help but think of how right he looked in there. He just looked to fit in with those guys. Unlike some other veteran guys looking to make a comeback Perfect looked like he belonged. I had high hopes for Perfect and was actually hoping for a match against Angle at WrestleMania. Unfortunately Perfect was put in the lower mid card and didn’t do anything memorable before getting released just a few months later.

Does anyone else think Mr. Perfect could have done could have done really well in 2002 and beyond or was he just another aging veteran that wrestling had passed by?

Perfect looked exactly that PERFECT, problem was he was brought back to put the younger guys over. They give him a good looking return that had people thinking this guy was legit and could contend for the belt. WWE was in the middle of a HUGE change and Perfect was jobbed out to the RVD, Austin then he was relegated to the mid-lower cards, now from what I saw of Perfect I honestly believe this guy COULD and should of been giving an IC title run and possibly might have but with the change of winds in WWE at the time he didn't and was released after the flight from hell.

I've always wondered had he never been released might he of been alive today? his in ring abality was top rank aside from Bret Hart in the late 80s to mid 90s no one in WWE could touch them as far as in ring ablity.

I've heard Bulldog was the uncrowned world champion a lot I consider Mr Perfect the uncrowned champ, as a heel he could of ran wild with the belt.

 

[Wolf Pac]

I dont think he would've won the WWE Title cause WWE were high on Trips, Taker & Lesnar to carry the company which is the reason why Perfect got released cause it was either him or Lesnar when they got into a fight over who had the better amateur skills but I think if he wasnt released, he would've got another run with the IC Title cause the IC division didnt really have a lot of people who could hold the title at the time. There was Eddie Gurrerro & RVD but then the title just went around in circles after RVD lost it and was held by Jericho & Kane who held it the previous year and didnt really need the title at the pint before the title got retired but I believe it would've stuck around for Perfect to hold till Christian or Booker T could take the title off him & become IC Champion.

 

[natlee75]

I dont think he would've won the WWE Title cause WWE were high on Trips, Taker & Lesnar to carry the company which is the reason why Perfect got released cause it was either him or Lesnar when they got into a fight over who had the better amateur skills but I think if he wasnt released, he would've got another run with the IC Title cause the IC division didnt really have a lot of people who could hold the title at the time. There was Eddie Gurrerro & RVD but then the title just went around in circles after RVD lost it and was held by Jericho & Kane who held it the previous year and didnt really need the title at the pint before the title got retired but I believe it would've stuck around for Perfect to hold till Christian or Booker T could take the title off him & become IC Champion.

It really just boils down to the drug problems. If it weren't for that, he probably would have had a relatively successful run in the mid-card. He certainly would never have gotten the main title, not with guys big guys like Triple H and Brock Lesnar to carry the company...

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

I do think Mr Perfect was under-utilized on his return in 2002. As other posters have said, he looked in great shape and was still good in the ring.

I do think that the reason he didnt remain with the WWE long and get another run with a mid-card title was the personal problems he had, which sadly ending up beating him and ending his life.

I couldnt see him being given a rung with the Heavyweight belt, as I think if he was ever going to get a run as champion, it would have happened in his prime. I would have loved to have seen Perfect as IC champ again though

 

[byrnside]

Lots of Hennig today, and I love it. I was actually at that Royal Rumble in Atlanta, and I'll never forget seeing one of my favorites return. If I'm not mistaken, it wasn't a surprise that he was returning, and I guess for good reason. At the time there were a lot of younger fans, and they probably wouldn't have known who he was. I'm also not sure, but I think Perfect had some behavorial issues outside of the ring.. Didn't he have a pretty big part in that airplane fiasco that happened around that time? If that was the case, that's probably what kept him down.. but I digress..

Absolutely, they could've done any number of things with Mr. Perfect at the time. I know he wanted to keep wrestling, so I'll start with some scenarios with that in mind. He could've easily been brought in as a top contender just judging on his Royal Rumble performance alone. He could've worked a serious angle with Triple H, going back to '96, around the time Triple H debuted as "the blue blood," I feel like few people actually remember that Mr. Perfect turned heel and helped Triple H win the IC strap in somewhat of a managerial role. They could've gone a couple different ways with this, either having Triple H come out to allign himself with Perfect or have the two feud. Maybe Perfect could've accused of Triple H of polliticking his way to the top when Perfect didn't agree with it, or even polliticking his way into Perfect's release from the company, forcing him to WCW or something.

Hennig would have also made a great asset as a veteran that gave younger talent the rub. He could've gone up against the likes of Jeff Hardy, Edge, Randy Orton, etc. etc. just to build their credibility as stars, much like guys like Goldust do today.

If/when Perfect was ready to retire from in-ring competition, he could've resumed his "executive consultant" [or whatever they called it] role he had from the early 90s, where he was basically Flair's manager during Flair's first WWE run. He could've made a great mouth piece for guys who didn't have the skills, ie-fellow Minnesotan, Shelton Benjamin.

Perfect was hands down one of the greatest competitors to ever set foot in the ring. He had impecable mic skills and was twice as good a competitor. Bottom line, he could've done all kinds of great things in his WWE come back.