What If... WCW Bought Out WWE? Or What If The Invasion Wasn't Absolute Shit?

[Uncle Sam]

Two questions in one. They're different, but they may as well be answered simultaneously. I spent ten minutes searching, trying to find what section the old what if threads were in so take it seriously. Keep it restrained with your fantasy scenarios. The cool kids make big sweeping statements about TV ratings and big stars, not if The Rock would be wearing purple pants.

So, WCW buying out WWE. Come to think of it, this seemed like the more likely option in the unstable times, didn't it? I mean, WCW has big ol' Ted Turner backing them. WWF is a standalone operation which has shown more vulnerability. I reckon WWE stars would have more success in WCW than WCW stars did in WWE. Probably because The Rock is much better than Booker T. Booker was the only WCW guy that came over during or after the invasion that lasted, and he was a part time main eventer at best. I reckon Rock and Austin would have main evented for a fair few years - provided Austin's body lasted and Rock didn't fuck off to Hollywood. WCW would want them to anyway. Second tier guys like Foley, Taker and Triple H would be more questionable. Would Shawn Michaels bother returning to wrestling? Would he be welcome?

This one's hard because you have to presume that WCW would be in a much better state than it actually was.

If the Invasion angle was better, I'm guessing that WWE wouldn't have low-balled WCW talent. Meaning, if they were active or up to it, they'd get Sting, Goldberg and even Hogan immediately. I'll let you run with this one. I need to think it over.

 

[HBK-aholic]

Shawn Michaels wouldn't have returned to WCW, I can almost guarantee that. I'll ask him for definite when I get home tonight though. Seriously, he loves the WWE. I'm sure he could have gone to WCW back in the day, but I doubt he would have. But then you have to compare that with how much he loved wrestling, and part of me thinks he'd have gone back just to be performing again. As for The Undertaker etc. I don't think they would have gone. But I also think it's just hard to imagine them not in WWE. When it comes down to it, that's all we've ever known them as.

I really don't think WWE, or WCW as it would be known, would still be around today. Lets face it, WCW was shit. There's a love affair going on with it I don't really understand. If WCW had bought out WWE, it would have crashed shortly after. It just wasn't in a good enough condition. Today we'd be facing TNA as the biggest Pro-Wrestling company *Shudder*.

You've just had me rambling on for like 10 minutes Sam, I don't know what I'm saying.

 

[Slyfox696]

Shawn Michaels wouldn't have returned to WCW, I can almost guarantee that.

He almost went anyways, and only stayed because he knew that he wouldn't be able to compete with the mega names the WCW had, and would have taken a back seat to them all.

I really don't think WWE, or WCW as it would be known, would still be around today. Lets face it, WCW was shit.

Yes, but what made it bad would have had to have been removed for them to be the winner. The siphoning of money from WCW to other failed ventures by Time Warner. The handcuffing of programming due to the edgy nature of the product. The addition of a television show that WCW couldn't afford, either monetarily or talent wise.

Those things wouldn't have happened. So, the things that turned WCW from the best show on TV to the worst, would never have come about.

There's a love affair going on with it I don't really understand.

Because you weren't watching it (or at least able to comprehend it) when it was happening..

Back in '96 and '97, there is NO doubt that it was the best product going. It was cool, it was edgy, it was trend-setting and held mainstream appeal. It's what made wrestling cool, even before the Attitude Era came along.

It had arguably the greatest collection of talent in history. Chris Jericho, Chris Benoit, Konnan, Rey Mysterio, Eddy Guerrero, Chavo Guerrero were all undercard workers who went on to be World Champions. You had the two biggest names of the 80s in Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair. Randy Savage, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, Sting, Lex Luger, Paul Wight, Road Warriors...all Hall of Fame material. Then you had guys like DDP, Scott Steiner, Booker T. Goldberg, etc., guys who all made a serious impact in a company that had all that other talent.

WCW back in 96 and 97 was LOADED. And the product was amazing. From the fast paced undercard putting on great matches to the main-event scene bringing something completely unseen before in American wrestling...it was an incredible time.

So, what would have happened. I would say pretty much the same thing that has happened to the WWF. They would have tried another Invasion angle, probably would have botched it, would have ridden high on success and then crashed a little while later.

The only thing that may separate WCW and WWF is having the eye for talent. I'm not sure that WCW's eye for talent is as good as Vince McMahon's. That's the only hitch.

 

[mvk112]

The Invasion angle was botched so bad, it could have made so much money, but Vince's ego that nothing could be close to the WWF product ruined it.

The angle was abysmal from the start... Lance Storm being the initial guy into the program.

If they would have just bucked up and given money to Sting and Goldberg, it could have been classic...

Sting, Booker T, Goldberg, DDP, Flair... they could have landed a huge blow against Triple H, Undertaker, Angle, Austin, and The Rock.

Guys like Jericho, Benoit, and Eddie Guerrero could have chosen sides. The ECW side could have gotten involved as their own entity instead of joining WCW. Raven, Rhyno, Tazz, Tommy Dreamer, The Dudleyz, Heyman, and maybe even the three mentioned above... Jericho, Benoit, and Eddie.

That is three powerhouse factions. They could have still kept them separated and have a brand split with RAW for the WWE, SmackDown for WCW, and have ECW on both shows, truly as the renegade faction. Then, when Hogan was going to return, there would be much speculation as to would he go WWF, or WCW. It would make for some golden television.

It was done so shortsighted though, to make the WWF legacy guys look so much better than their supposed competition.