What If? HHH doesnt get injured in 2001?

[relentless1]

So its very clear watching 2001 RAWs that there was no intention of doing anything with any sort of Invasion until HHH went down with the quad tear. It was the very next week in fact that Lance Storm showed up and literally kicked off the Invasion storyline, the scenario thrown out there that says HHH would face Austin for the title come SummerSlam but what would've happened with the Invasion if Hunter stayed healthy? would the invasion have been pushed back? would it still go on as we saw it? would HHH and Austin have gone on as the Two Man Power Trip? What do you guys think??

 

[HeenanGorilla]

To be honest, at first glance of your post, I thought "Are you crazy? Of course they would have done it anyway." And then a second later, I thought, "Oh wait.." For some reason, when I hear Invasion, I still think of what might have been. But then I am snapped back to reality and I am reminded of what Vince's ego churned out instead.

In all my years of watching wrestling, and of all the storyline do-overs I would call for if able, this is probably the top one. The way the Million Dollar Man was used, though very well done, could have been better--same with Mr. Perfect. But the Invasion could have been so big, it has to go to the top of my list.

To answer your question, I somehow doubt the injury of Triple H was so devastating that Vince thought the Invasion was the only way to make up for it. He had to have been leaning in that direction anyway and maybe this accelerated the idea. But, there is no way Vince was against it and changed his mind because one guy went down. Yes, he was a main guy, but it wasn't Hulkamania-era Hogan getting injured, which could have seriously rocked the boat at that time. So, my guess is, if anything, it pushed up the timeline but didn't cause the Invasion.

 

[King Patrick Star]

In 2001, If Triple H doesn’t get injured in May, I believe the Invasion angle would have started at Survivor Series, instead of ending in November. The Two-Man Power Trip could have grown into something bigger. I would have added Kurt Angle and Big Show, making it the Four-Man Power Trip, or just the Power Trip.

 

[THTRobtaylor]

You don't get that level of talent and storylines in place quickly... The Invasion such as it was would have taken place anyway and had likely been planed but Triple H would have been one of the focal points of it. It's also important to note that Chris Benoit was injured right before the Invasion angle began and he too would likely have had an important role to play at the planning stages.

As he was ex-WCW and wasn't fired, there could have been mileage in him being the one to turn against the WWF instead of Austin who always came across as silly for "switching back" when everyone knew he'd been fired by them.

Some personnel who were pushed the rest of that year may differ as Triple H would have been prominent in the Invasion, at the expense of likely both Chris Jericho and Kurt Angle who both matured as main eventers carrying major parts of the story and as mentioned Benoit would also have had a prominent role as even before Trips' injury, he and Jericho were being pushed.

It would have been different in some ways, but not have changed the fundamentals, that WWE didn't have the talents under contract to truly make it work at the time. It might not have been as noticeable with Benoit and Triple H available to them as they could have filled in on the WCW side, or Jericho moved over but as it was they ended up with Jericho "ready" to step up to the bigger role and Angle far more seasoned than during his first title run which had appeared "hotshotted".

 

[Vanilla Midget]

I don't see any evidence that the Triple H injury had any correlation with pushing ahead the Invasion plans other than they happened to follow each other by a week.

You can't sit on WCW forever. You have to keep it in people's minds. The Invasion was beginning in the summer no matter what happened. I'm not saying that it's outside the realm of possibility, I'm just not seeing the smoking gun that there's a direct causal correlation here.

What if Triple H didn't sit out the Invasion is an interesting question. It won't improve that angle so much as it would just have made it different.

Ultimately, the only aspects that would have greatly improved things there would be if a good number of the actual WCW stars participated, and to a lesser extent if the Invasion didn't coincide with the Stone Cold heel turn.

If Triple H didn't get injured then the WWF title match at King of the Ring 2001 would have been a fatal four way with Triple H being added to the match. Lance would have still showed up the week after the tag title match, and Booker T would still interfere here in the main event truly kicking off the Invasion.

Odds are though that WWF would have gone with Austin defecting to the Alliance. It was a profoundly dumb move that I don't see them avoiding. Triple H would slot into the Kurt Angle role, becoming the top babyface with Rocky away and Austin a heel.

The long term plan with the two man power trip was most likely to lead to a face Triple H vs heel Austin WrestleMania main event. Austin's heel turn would have failed nonetheless, with the Mania X8 main event likely still being Triple H vs Jericho.

Triple H would have turned face and been a focal point of the Invasion angle, though I doubt his inclusion would have done more other than allow for a longer build to WrestleMania X8.

Would Triple H's involvement have robbed us of one of the best moments during the Invasion, and one of the greatest segments of JR losing his mind? If Triple H is the top babyface is WWF, does Kurt Angle still win the WWF title at Unforgiven 2001? Triple H might have been in that spot and it's hard to picture JR putting Hunter over the way he put over Kurt at the end of that match.

An uninjured Triple H would undoubtedly have made him a focus of the angle, but would he have fundamentally altered the Invasion? Would it have been held off? Most likely not. Triple H being included in the Invasion along with say, Hall, Nash, Hogan, Flair, Goldberg, Steiner, Bischoff or any of the guys who would show up in the months following the Invasion, that would have made for something.

 

[Jonyboyuk2]

If HHH had not been injured in 2001 he very well may have ended up leading WWF against ECWCW. I think the invasion angle would have bombed no matter what as Vince was always anti WCW, as were the locker room and the fans.

 

[Deoxyribonucleic A.C.I.D.]

Since there were 3 sides, WCW, ECW and WWF, maybe they were planning all 3 groups going to war against each other..

HHH joins Stephanie and leads WCW, Austin joins Heyman and leads ECW while Rock with Vince leads WWF... But that's just a thought..

Rock and WWF are faces, WCW with HHH are heels and ECW are the tweeners who would either join WCW down the line or the WWF.

 

[therockiswwf]

To be honest, at first glance of your post, I thought "Are you crazy? Of course they would have done it anyway." And then a second later, I thought, "Oh wait.." For some reason, when I hear Invasion, I still think of what might have been. But then I am snapped back to reality and I am reminded of what Vince's ego churned out instead.

In all my years of watching wrestling, and of all the storyline do-overs I would call for if able, this is probably the top one. The way the Million Dollar Man was used, though very well done, could have been better--same with Mr. Perfect. But the Invasion could have been so big, it has to go to the top of my list.

The Invasion was doomed because WCW sucked. They could have done the story a bit better (DDP/Booker presented better) but not by much. The 3rd best guy from WCW was either Lance Storm or Buff Bagwell. Only big name from ECW was RVD. RVD/DDP/Booker vs Austin/Rock/Angle/etc would have been very hard to make believable. The WCW WWE bought was not 1996 WCW. They could not afford the giant contracts. Or if they could, it would have pissed the locker room off as they would want raises.

Waiting a year to do it (so they could get Hogan, Hall, Nash, Flair, etc) would have risked people losing interest in it. Plus there was no guarantee of getting them.

To answer your question, I somehow doubt the injury of Triple H was so devastating that Vince thought the Invasion was the only way to make up for it. He had to have been leaning in that direction anyway and maybe this accelerated the idea. But, there is no way Vince was against it and changed his mind because one guy went down. Yes, he was a main guy, but it wasn't Hulkamania-era Hogan getting injured, which could have seriously rocked the boat at that time. So, my guess is, if anything, it pushed up the timeline but didn't cause the Invasion.

HHH's injury was only one part of the speed up. A lot of people forget that HHH wasn't the only one who needed time off at the time. A ton of guys were injured/needed time off. Benoit, Angle, Austin, Taker, Kane, Rock all needed time off. I think Guerrero was released around this time. They needed something to help them out and keep the interest up. Invasion was that something.

 

[HeenanGorilla]

The Invasion was doomed because WCW sucked. They could have done the story a bit better (DDP/Booker presented better) but not by much. The 3rd best guy from WCW was either Lance Storm or Buff Bagwell. Only big name from ECW was RVD. RVD/DDP/Booker vs Austin/Rock/Angle/etc would have been very hard to make believable. The WCW WWE bought was not 1996 WCW. They could not afford the giant contracts. Or if they could, it would have pissed the locker room off as they would want raises.

Waiting a year to do it (so they could get Hogan, Hall, Nash, Flair, etc) would have risked people losing interest in it. Plus there was no guarantee of getting them.



HHH's injury was only one part of the speed up. A lot of people forget that HHH wasn't the only one who needed time off at the time. A ton of guys were injured/needed time off. Benoit, Angle, Austin, Taker, Kane, Rock all needed time off. I think Guerrero was released around this time. They needed something to help them out and keep the interest up. Invasion was that something.

The do over I referred to was to include all of the big names. It could have been better. This response concerning the actual names at the time doesn’t interest me. I saw what happened with this group, hence the do over.

Guerrero was released? I don’t remember that, but again, I’m not interested in who was in need of time off. I’m talking about what I wish would have happened. I don’t need to take what did happen into consideration. Invasion should have been done better.

I also like getting “corrected”by a 23-year-old who was 5 or 6 at the time. Haha

 

[therockiswwf]

The do over I referred to was to include all of the big names. It could have been better. This response concerning the actual names at the time doesn’t interest me. I saw what happened with this group, hence the do over.

Guerrero was released? I don’t remember that, but again, I’m not interested in who was in need of time off. I’m talking about what I wish would have happened. I don’t need to take what did happen into consideration. Invasion should have been done better.

I also like getting “corrected”by a 23-year-old who was 5 or 6 at the time. Haha

Guerrero had bad drug issues around that time. I can't remember when exactly but I'm pretty sure it was before the Invasion.

I assumed your do over meant using the pieces they had at the time. My bad. Though you do state it should have been done better. I don't think it realistically could. Hypothetically, yeah.

The list of names needing time off was explaining why the Invasion was moved up. You said you doubted HHH was the reason. Which was correct. He was only part of it. Obviously I can't just say HHH was only one part and then give no explanation.

I also know who George Washington was despite not being born yet. I know, impressive.

 

[Goldie]

Of course the Invasion storyline would have happened regardless.
At WM17 Steve Austin turned heel.... so Triple H was no longer the top heel in the company anyway.

You don't delay a major storyline (Invasion) just because your no.3 guy sustains an lengthy injury.

It was all timing. HHH got injured shortly after WM17. WWE bought WWE just before WM17. So it was never going to be too long before we started seeing WCW appearing in WWE.
Triple H being injured had nothing to do with the Invasion starting in May/June

 

[relentless1]

Of course the Invasion storyline would have happened regardless.
At WM17 Steve Austin turned heel.... so Triple H was no longer the top heel in the company anyway.

You don't delay a major storyline (Invasion) just because your no.3 guy sustains an lengthy injury.

It was all timing. HHH got injured shortly after WM17. WWE bought WWE just before WM17. So it was never going to be too long before we started seeing WCW appearing in WWE.
Triple H being injured had nothing to do with the Invasion starting in May/June

No, the Invasion wasn't a done deal when Vince bought WCW, they actually tried to have it be its own thing but due to a negative response to the brand itself as well as legalities holding WWF back from getting airtime on competing networks; all of their set in stone storylines went bust with the loss of HHH and then Chris Benoit so they most definitely accelerated the Invasion by at least a couple months. Had H not been injured id bet that the Power Trip Explodes story lasts til SummerSlam and then that would've left room for WCW to slowly filter in or start the full Invasion story at that point. Which would've saved it for sure because Flair was available within two months after SummerSlam and the nWo not long after that.

 

[Goldie]

No, the Invasion wasn't a done deal when Vince bought WCW, they actually tried to have it be its own thing but due to a negative response to the brand itself as well as legalities holding WWF back from getting airtime on competing networks; all of their set in stone storylines went bust with the loss of HHH and then Chris Benoit so they most definitely accelerated the Invasion by at least a couple months. Had H not been injured id bet that the Power Trip Explodes story lasts til SummerSlam and then that would've left room for WCW to slowly filter in or start the full Invasion story at that point. Which would've saved it for sure because Flair was available within two months after SummerSlam and the nWo not long after that.

Whilst Triple H was a big star at the time- I don't see why they would change the timing of such a major storyline for the sake of one wrestler being injured.
I mean Austin and Rock were clearly bigger stars than HHH, and probably Undertaker too... so Triple H was your #4 guy on the roster.
Rock disappeared after WM17 and re-appeared in the summer

The fact that several WCW guys such as Lance Storm were in attendance at WM17 and cheering on Shame McMahon - shows that they were likely going to do something with WCW sooner rather than later.
Lance Storm debuted as the first WCW guy on the next RAW after Triple H got injured. So all these WCW contacts were all quickly arranged and sorted out in the space of a week after HHH was out?
They were coming in anyway regardless of the injury to Tripper.

The NWO guys didn't appear till Feb 2002- almost a year after Vince purchased WCW.

 

[therockiswwf]

Whilst Triple H was a big star at the time- I don't see why they would change the timing of such a major storyline for the sake of one wrestler being injured.
I mean Austin and Rock were clearly bigger stars than HHH, and probably Undertaker too... so Triple H was your #4 guy on the roster.
Rock disappeared after WM17 and re-appeared in the summer

The fact that several WCW guys such as Lance Storm were in attendance at WM17 and cheering on Shame McMahon - shows that they were likely going to do something with WCW sooner rather than later.
Lance Storm debuted as the first WCW guy on the next RAW after Triple H got injured. So all these WCW contacts were all quickly arranged and sorted out in the space of a week after HHH was out?
They were coming in anyway regardless of the injury to Tripper.

WCW had already been introduced as being owned by Shane so it wasn't shocking to see them at Mania. They didn't really have any long term plans yet as they only bought them like a week before.

I mentioned before that WWE had a laundry list of guys with problems. Benoit, Guerrero, Angle, Kane, Rock, Austin, Taker all needed time off. HHH wasn't the sole cause. He was one part of it. With that many top guys injured, they were pretty much forced to do the Invasion early.

If you disagree, please note Scotty 2 Hotty main evented a Smackdown in 2001 and it wasn't as a part of Too Cool.