Without X Pac....

[relentless1]

X Pac was possibly the most crucial factor to the tide turning against WCW in early 1998 other than Austin/McMahon.

When X Pac came back to the WWF several things happened:

- He helped give legitimacy to DX after HBKs departure

- his inflammatory comments towards Bischoff and Hogan set the stage for the DX invasion; a paramount angle in the turining of the tide

- Hall and Nash stopped being creative contributors in WCW after their Kliq buddy was canned

- It showed the fans and both companies that viable talent could and would move in the other direction as well; that money wasn't the sole contributing factor in a wrestlers decision as to where he'd work, meaning that Bischoff and co didn't have the best bait any more in regards to poaching talent


anybody agree or disagree with that statement?

 

[Wald]

I think he was important as he brought some of the nWo cool with him and his Bischoff shoot gave Raw that element of being real. After that though? Not sure how important he was. The New Age Outlaws are what really got that version of DX over as babyfaces.

Only other point, I wouldn't use the word crucial for any wrestler in turning the tide against WCW that isn't named Stone Cold Steve Austin. He won the Monday Night Wars on his own.

 

[Goldie]

He was a factor but not the turning point.
XPac was not a major draw.... his association with buddies in high places helped his career, but remember by the year 2000, fans were openly booing xpac because they found him so boring.
Heck during the Invasion angle of 2001- fans cheered Billy Kidman against Xpac (when WCW were meant to be heels and WWE the faces).

The timing was perfect for xpac rejoining WWE (and xpacs promo where he dissed Bsichoff & Hogan was one of his better ones) as the company gained massive momentum in early 1998, but it was Steve Austin that was the major factor in the WWEs return to dominance.
Sure there were smaller factors such as DX, Rock (remember Rock was still developing at this point), Attitude era, WCW getting stale....and to an extent Xpacs promo.... but Austin vs Vince was red hot and if there was one reason you can single out, its Austin vs McMahon.
XPacs return was a welcome addition to DX, but most crucial reason? Not for me.
XPac was no Steve Austin