So as we all know VKM at times can hold a grudge for a long time. Most notably Randy Savage, but one star that never returned to WWE was Shane Douglas. When I started watching wrestling Shane Douglas was new in WCW and was involved in a lot of tag team wrestling even winning the WCW (NWA)? tag team titles. Somewhere around 1993 or 94 (correct me if i wrong) Shane appeared in WWE as Dean Douglas who was rather quickly awarded the ic title when HBK got attacked by five "thugs" in Syracuse only later that night lose it to Razor Ramon. He pretty much faded away from WWE after that, and went on to become a mainstay in ECW. When ECW was brought back for one night stand and a new weekly show Shane was nowhere to be seen. So my question is, was it his choice to never go back to WWE or did he do something while he was there to sour vince on him? I always thought he was a strong talent in ECW who put on good matches and was great on the mike. Just wondered if anyone had any insight on this?
Shane Douglas/VKM what happened?
- Thread starter HBsam31
- Start date
Richard Blonoff
Make America Rassle Again
Douglas was one of the few guys who had legit skills in ECW and weren't just hardcore wrestlers but he still wasn't amazing. I think he got an inflated ego though because I know when he left ECW for good he had a lot of differences with Paul Heyman.
After the WCW was bought out by he went on the independent circuit but to my knowledge he and Vince never had issues but Douglas did have a painkiller addiction for a while and that may have steered the E from picking him back up
After the WCW was bought out by he went on the independent circuit but to my knowledge he and Vince never had issues but Douglas did have a painkiller addiction for a while and that may have steered the E from picking him back up
DirtyJosé
Best angle of all: retirement
Mick Foley, long time friend and training partner to Douglas, said himself that Douglas burned bridges far too often. He was often quick to speak to the dirt sheets and shoot on co-workers he felt had rubbed him wrong. He was knocked around career-wise by The Klique, and left with sour grapes in his mouth. He then made it his crusade to talk people out of doing business with WWF and to knock them ECW when given the chance. So, there's bad blood involved on both ends of the story.
Also, he's shit.
Also, he's shit.
I'm glad he is sticking to his guns and not going back to cartoon land(as Shane used to refer to them as). Shows he is not a hypocrite. His wwf run did not go well because the Klique ruined him and Vince let it happen. Vince is a no good dictator and is so crooked he should be a politician. Shane doesn't want anything to do with that and neither does Bruno Sammartino. More people should see that.
DirtyJosé
Best angle of all: retirement
First and foremost, Vince would've stuck up for Shane were he not such a blowhard. The guy sucks. He had the looks, kinda, but never stuck out. Only in ECW was he considered an asset, and even then he was quickly outpaced by guys like Taz, Sabu, and RVD. In WCW, he was a joke of his "hardcore" roots. That The Klique fucked him over is regrettable, but only in the sense that shit like that emboldened that crew to repeat the same things to other guys. Shane was never going to mix with them backstage, and that's what made him an easy target.
CalciferBoheme
Occasional Pre-Show
He was quite a talent, but his attitude was horrible.
I'm guessing though, that Vince not trying to bring him back has less to do with actual animosity (at least from Vince's end) and more to do with the fact that he didn't feel Douglas was worth it.
I'm guessing though, that Vince not trying to bring him back has less to do with actual animosity (at least from Vince's end) and more to do with the fact that he didn't feel Douglas was worth it.
schaeffershawn
Pre-Show Stalwart
If one is to believe Shane when he left ECW the 2nd time he was offered a deal with the WWE but WCW outbid them. He was always outspoken and hated Vinces ECW. However two or so years ago, maybe three he wrestled a dark match as troy martin his real name that was reported on wrestlezone. Although the Kliq never thought much of him, I was a big fan. His constant shoots were great and the first true glimpse of teh attitude era.
First of all the Dean Douglas character was 1995. By the time he became Dean Douglas he had already been the Franchise in ECW and ECW champion. When Dean didnt work out he went back to the only place he accomplished individual success.
The problem with Shane Douglas was he was always too concerned about supposed backstage politics. It was Ric Flairs fault Douglas couldnt get over. It was Shawn Michaelss fault Douglas couldnt get over. Blame Vince, blame Razor, blame Barry Horowitz, blame the guy tearing tickets and the guy selling popcorn. Just dont blame Douglas. It wasnt his fault. I think he would have been better off trying to ignore those backstage politics and focus on his character and his matches. I don't think Vince has a grudge. I just think he thinks Douglas isn't worth the time.
Sticking to his guns? I highly doubt it. Im sure hed go running back to WWE if Vince ever gave him the call.
The problem with Shane Douglas was he was always too concerned about supposed backstage politics. It was Ric Flairs fault Douglas couldnt get over. It was Shawn Michaelss fault Douglas couldnt get over. Blame Vince, blame Razor, blame Barry Horowitz, blame the guy tearing tickets and the guy selling popcorn. Just dont blame Douglas. It wasnt his fault. I think he would have been better off trying to ignore those backstage politics and focus on his character and his matches. I don't think Vince has a grudge. I just think he thinks Douglas isn't worth the time.
Sticking to his guns? I highly doubt it. Im sure hed go running back to WWE if Vince ever gave him the call.
Shane Douglas was his own worst enemy. He originally was in WWE 1991 as a fresh faced pretty boy, was even in the 1991 Royal Rumble. His father was quite ill so he got a release to care for him. He then ended up in WCW only months later, burning his first bridge. He went to ECW after that but came running to WWE when the cash was offered. After being buried by the Clique, he returned to ECW to the only place he was ever over. He went to WCW in 1999 when the big $ were being thrown around, but by then he had let himself go, got fat and very sloppy in the ring. When WCW was purchased by WWE, Douglas contract had expired. He was certainly in no shape to be on WWE p[rogramming. Douglas was invited back for the first One Night Stand in 2005 but he shot Vince down. Thus he was never invited back. Instead, Douglas has been running ECW tribute shows in opposition to Vince and WWE. For years, Douglas has had many bad things to say a bout Flair, Hogan, Vince, Michaels and everybody else who apparently held him down. fact is, Douglas burnt many bridges, mouthed off alot and the thing is, he was not that great. He stood out and get over in ECW because he had a good look and could wrestle, could cut a cracking promo and stood out as he was the only "wrestler" in the company, until the Guerreros and Jerichos etc arrived. Shane Douglas unfortunately will never be thought of as great, because he wasnt.
Sticking to his guns? You're either too young to know this - or maybe you don't remember - but when Benoit, Saturn, Guerrero and Malenko left WCW back in 2000, Douglas was going to go with them. Unfortunately for Douglas, Vince didn't want him. So the other four guys left Douglas behind. That's hardly sticking to his guns.
As for the rift ... I really don't think there is one. Shane Douglas might have burned some bridges ... but other wrestlers have returned to the WWF after burning bridges in a similar manner. My guess is that the reason we won't see Shane Douglas on WWF TV again is for two reasons:
1) He has a higher opinion of himself than should, and he probably believes if he's going to be on TV, then it should be in a high profile role.
2) There really isn't any money to be made on Shane Douglas.
sicmcnasti
Dark Match Winner
Yeah, well sticking to his guns has his ass working at Target now. Maybe he should have learned about humility a while ago and he wouldn't be wrestling in my high school gym.
THTRobtaylor
Once & Future Wrestlezone Columnist
The 1991 thing was pretty major, he stated he wanted to care for his father and go through med school... This was just as Vince was preparing a new gimmick for him... and lo and behold, he showed up in WCW 2 months later...
The gimmick in question was "The Heartbreak Kid"... Yep, how different things could have been....
The gimmick in question was "The Heartbreak Kid"... Yep, how different things could have been....
Jaystrong322
Pittsburgh's best kept secret.
So what if the guy is working as a manager at Target making 75k a year? I bet it's more than what you make.
Shane was offered a job several times by the WWE, including a commentating job for the ECW show but Shane turned it down. When he had his run there in 94 Shane hated it and he called it the worst 6 months he spent in the business and it's probably the reason he wouldn't go back. I don't think there is any real bad blood between VKM and Shane.
Mustang Sally
Sells seashells by the seashore
DirtyJosé;3667507 said:
Yes, this seems to be the way Shane operated. When you leave a place of employment, it might feel good at the time to talk about all the things that bothered you; you probably feel you're getting a measure of revenge against all the people you figure did you wrong. Sometimes, though, it's better to keep it to yourself, especially when your chosen profession has a limited number of places to work. You might need to go back there someday and there's no need to place obstacles in your own path.
Obviously, this is true of the wrestling organizations and their top people, but it also proves true with the other performers you work with. After they learn how you've conducted yourself in the past, they probably cringe when having to work with you now, knowing you're the type to throw them under a bus after your employment at that organization ends.
And after you've alienated the employers and fellow employees....... you wind up having to find a different profession.
Paging Shane. You have a clean-up in aisle 4.
There was a song that contained the lyrics: "There was a time I had to tell my point of view.".......but you don't, you know. Sometimes it's better to keep quiet.
theHeadliner
Getting Noticed By Management
There were a few things such as backstage politics, and really getting into the mudslinging, letting things get to him, dirt sheets, etc.. He also went to a show at the Garden during the time when WWF was struggling, and just before show time he went to Vince and said his back hurt and he couldn't work, when the nights before on the tour he was fine and worked every night.
This is exactly what it should say when you open his wiki page. We just need to add a minor addition. His promo's weren't exactly great, it was just him shooting on whatever crawled up his ass that day
ShinobiMusashi
Getting Noticed By Management
Shane Douglas was the lead heel in the ECW without a doubt. Without Douglas, and the Dudleys what did the faces in the ECW have to fight with? Justin Credible? The ECW lost a lot when they lost Douglas, but honestly he really did let himself go. Probobly drugs, and alcohol. He was an excellent wrestler in 1995/96. I think had the politics not been an issue, Douglas could have been given a similar "Franchise" gimmick in the WWF, just letting the guy shoot from the hip, which was his trademark, to talk s*it.
Douglas could have been great in fueds with Diesel, and HBK in 95/96 with the proper angle.
Anybody that says Douglas was crap in the ring is someone that I know for a fact has not seen much 1995-1996 era ECW, which was the best era in their history. Douglas put on great matches including the four way dance against Jericho, and 2 Cold Scorpio, and his match against Marty Janety in 95 was classic.
I loved it when Douglas ripped Wrestlemania XII on ECW TV back in the day. Called everybody a bunch of "Shawn Michaels".
Douglas could have been great in fueds with Diesel, and HBK in 95/96 with the proper angle.
Anybody that says Douglas was crap in the ring is someone that I know for a fact has not seen much 1995-1996 era ECW, which was the best era in their history. Douglas put on great matches including the four way dance against Jericho, and 2 Cold Scorpio, and his match against Marty Janety in 95 was classic.
I loved it when Douglas ripped Wrestlemania XII on ECW TV back in the day. Called everybody a bunch of "Shawn Michaels".
justtxyank
Championship Contender
This is unfair.
Flair did hold Douglas down in WCW, and Douglas was getting over. No, not as a member of the "Dynamic Dudes" (lol) but his team with Steamboat was good and he could go places. Flair refused to work with him and didn't want him teaming with Steamboat either.
In the WWF he was given a stupid gimmick (Dean Douglas? Really, a wrestling teacher? WWF for you. Why I will always contend WCW was a better company) but actually got over with it. As he started getting pushed and was in line to carry the IC title, HBK flipped out and refused to drop the belt to him. Forfeited it instead and then Razor got to pin Dean to take the belt off of him right away.
I know he wasn't an elite wrestler, but he was good. He was better than most of the stiffs who get over and he had the look and he could talk. The politics of WCW and the WWF though in the mid 1990s were horrible. Flair was a total control freak. Ask Foley, Austin, etc. He didn't want anyone to get over. In the WWF it was the Kliq. They love to tell the WWE washed history version that they didn't hold people down, they just "presented ideas" lol, but it's crap. Guys like Bigelow, Vader, Douglas were crapped all over by the Kliq.
Edit: Shane's biggest problem is that unlike a lot of the boys who got crapped on and ate it, he spit it back at people and then threw some of his own poop too.
See, HHH has crapped all over guys like Foley throughout his career, but Foley isn't a tempermental sob who goes and spews venom back. That makes it easier to play nice later. Shane never learned that lesson. When he was held down he would cut scathing promos in ECW on those guys and tell the whole world what jerks the boys in the back had been to him. (Which was true) If he was willing to keep his mouth shut and let them do whatever they wanted to him like they did to everyone else, (putting poop in people's food and clothing, harassing girlfriends and wives, etc.) then he would have had a nice career in either the E or WCW eventually. But he couldn't smile and take it.
I remember when those guys went to wwe in January 2000, but I don't remember reading that Shane wanted to tag along. Where did you read that? I've read on wrestlezone and among other places that he turned down ONS in 2005 and being a part of the new ecw(Thank God he wasn't part of that mess).
Grizzlybeard440
New Member
Saying douglas wasnt worth it is way off base. i still to this day watch ecw shows from yesteryear and i dont see how you guys can bash him. he was great. in ECW. He gave birth to Extreme. WOW people.
MrHashasheen
Enjoying Wrestling
If I remember correctly, it was going to be Benoit, Malenko, Saturn, Guerrero, Douglas and two or three of the more popular luchadores who jumped. In the end it was only the Radicalz who did so.
justtxyank
Championship Contender
Do you have anything to support this? Because I've never heard this anywhere, or your subsequent post about popular "luchadores" leaving. That one is particularly interesting since they worked for WCW as part of talent exchange programs with the Mexican wrestling promotions.
Shane was being considered for a world title run after the Radicalz left and helped get Chris Candido a job with WCW. I really doubt he was thinking about going to the WWF.
The Eighties
Forward Thinking Nostalgist
There's so much "he said, she said" in the wrestling business it's hard to know what the truth is, the one exception in this case being the incident where he was released to look after his Dad, only to go to WCW, why he made that choice is anyone's guess.
I think he was a good wrestler and a decent promo guy when he reined himself in. I enjoyed both his ECW runs and fondly remember his big title win in Pittsburgh against Bam Bam.
He had a crap gimmick in the Dean and clearly chose to spit the dummy instead of sticking it out and seeing if something else came along, I mean had he waited another 6 months the clique was virtually gone.
As to why he's never been back, it's simply that there's no money in Shane Douglas as a name, and by 2000 he had become out of shape, sloppy and injury prone.
You learn something new every day!
I think he was a good wrestler and a decent promo guy when he reined himself in. I enjoyed both his ECW runs and fondly remember his big title win in Pittsburgh against Bam Bam.
He had a crap gimmick in the Dean and clearly chose to spit the dummy instead of sticking it out and seeing if something else came along, I mean had he waited another 6 months the clique was virtually gone.
As to why he's never been back, it's simply that there's no money in Shane Douglas as a name, and by 2000 he had become out of shape, sloppy and injury prone.
You learn something new every day!
justtxyank
Championship Contender
I know this is late, but are you sure this is true? I've always read that Curt Hennig came up with the Heartbreak Kid name and gimmick for Shawn Michaels.
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