From everything i've heard Ricky Steamboat is one of the most beloved and respected guys backstage from his time.
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Steamboat was bring groomed for the WWF main event scene when he was Intercontinental Champion after Wrestlemania 3, but the story goes that he asked for some time off to spend with his family around this time and Vince didn't care for his Intercontinental Champion (a championship that meant considerably more then) asking for time off during a run. This is essentially why he dropped the belt so relatively quickly to The Honky Tonk Man and disappeared for a long time. Then he had the absolute classic series with Ric Flair in the NWA/WCW including an NWA World Title win. He had a couple NWA/WCW Tag Titles (with Shane Douglas and with Dustin Rhodes that I can think of off the top of my head), but had to retire due to back injuries.
What if they made Bryan Vs. HHH the main event? Like what if HHH really puts Bryan over, I feel like that would be more impactful than just making him beat Orton and Batista. To have the head of the company do that is a big deal. I know everyone is obsessed with putting the belt on Bryan but would him closing the show with a win make up for the title match? I really think some people are downplaying the Card for WM. To me it is a super card! I really dig the USO's and I think they will have a good match regardless of who they are against. Supposedly Road Dogg is hurt so I don't think it will be the Outlaws. The Shield will have something great happen whether its a triple threat or whatever, If they can all make each other look good and have success in the singles division this match will go down in history. You will get Cena putting over Bray Wyatt which is awesome, Cena is still fun to watch for me, and Bray is the best character the WWE has had in a long time. Taker Vs. Brock could easily be the main event at any Wrestlemania ever, A former MMA heavyweight champ vs the Phenom and his streak is truly a spectacle! Batista Vs. Randy is well what it is, I respect Randy Orton and I think most fans do, if he can carry this match and make people stop chanting for 30 seconds it will show me something haha. I wish they would play up the Evolution angle a little more but they are kind of being held hostage by the fans. Am I the only one who thinks this is a stacked Wrestlemania? There are at least 4 matches that are going to be better than the title match!
Others touched on it, but let me elaborate. Ricky Steamboat was certainly not a jerk. He was very well liked and respected by his peers. However, Steamboat never "played the game" like others like Flair and the like (though he was political at times with guys like Jay Youngblood and Shane Douglas.) The biggest reason Steamboat was never a star is because Steamboat was never 100% about the business and being a star. He took time off to be with family during his IC reign and then actually retired twice, once in the 80s and once in the early 90s. He came back both times to make money again. His last run was in WCW in the early 1990s to 1994. He was still a good worker, but the fire was basically out for him. A lot of matches he was just going through the motions. He finally retired after a back injury in 1994. Now, here's what is interesting. In 1994 the salaries were not really that good compared to what they would become. Most guys didn't even have guaranteed deals. (Brian Pillman would sign the WWF's first fully guaranteed deal!) However, Lloyds of London fully insured wrestlers back then before that whole industry blew up. A lot of wrestlers that retired in the early to mid 90s with back injuries are suspected of only retiring to get that Lloyds of London check. Curt Hennig for example was expected to return in 1994 and main event Starrcade against Hulk Hogan, but an issue with him collecting on his Lloyds policy led him to continue to sitout. This came up again in the WWF and he finally had to wrestle in 1997. Once the money started blowing up, guys didn't sit out anymore with injuries. Rick Rude was trying to come back, Hennig came back, Animal came back, heck, Michaels was supposed to come back twice before he eventually did but was sent home both times do to substance abuse problems.
I agree the card aside from the one glaring issue, looks pretty good. I'm hoping they find a way to work Cesaro into the card. I'm a Bryan fan, but I never felt that they had to put the belt on him at Mania, but given that he is so much more over than everyone else, he had to be in the main event, so that would soften the blow if it went on last. Orton/Batista is a bad idea, it was poorly booked from the word go, and at this point they need to just find a way to make it palatable, so trying to slide it in the middle of the show could help.
LOL at SCS AUstin vs McMahon cage match. Mcmahon all bloodied up, that story-line was one of the many great writings going on during the 90s. I need to catch up on my wrestling but how is the writing now compared to that when THe Rock and STS AUstin was wrestling? Oh and Steamboat was a mega superstar, and a household name, not sure what you nerds are talking about why he wasn't a big attraction?
That explains a lot. I know he was a star, but he should have been Bret Hart big. Kind of a mix between Bruce Lee and Tim Tebow.
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I'm saying this card has a secret main event like Hulk Hogan vs. Yokozuna (can't remember which WM that was). WM always likes to send fans out happy. I guess they'll be chanting No! Or Yes! Either way Bryan vs. HHH Sheamus vs. Christian Cesaro vs. Swagger Wyatts/Bray vs. Cena and Partners/Solo Shield triple threat Del Rio vs. Ziggler (probably a pre show) Lesnar vs. Undertaker Usos vs. Rhodes and/or Outlaws Orton vs. Batista Orton/Batista vs. Bryan. They are building Batista/Bryan way too much to convince me otherwise.
Something I personally would like to see them do, is re-establish the prestige of the IC belt as the number 2 . Maybe a fatal 4 way with Sheamus and Christian involved, or possibly a 6 man elimination battle royal Cesaro/Swagger/Big E/Ziggler/Christian/Sheamus. That would get guys on the card, establish the belt, and make for a very entertaining match. Afterwards maybe unify the IC and US titles. The 4 belt setup that they've had has really diminished the value of the belts IMO, they have basically become insignificant afterthoughts aside from the big one. I remember when the IC belt was a huge deal. Go ahead an retire the WCW belts, no need for having them. My personal card, not my prediction just the way I'd like to see it 1.IC battle royal 2.Tag Title match 3.Shield Triple Threat 4.Wyatt's/Cena 5.Taker/Lesnar 6.Orton/Batista 7.Divas Match 8.Bryan/Triple H
Seeing as there is one big championship, I was hoping to have two secondary titles. Have two or three or four guys feud for one title and two or three or four guys feud over the other one. Now, you have a group of mid careers doing something. Get the us title off of Ambrose.
Looking forward to seeing The Great Muta wrestle on TNA tomorrow. Massive mark for the man. No way is this card stacked. Batista/Orton is going to be horrible and the fans will **** all over it. Batista has heel heat, Orton is lucky to get any real heat. It will get the Goldber/Lesnar reaction. Taker/Lesnar will be good, but we all know the outcome. As for Bryan, the fans have invested in him. He has 100% of the people. behind him. It makes no sense to do anything but put the strap on him. WWE continues to make him look like a b**** and the fans are still sticking with him. It is bad business.
Remember that Bret Hart wasn't all that big until later in his career. He was almost exclusively a tag team wrestler until well after WrestleMania 3. Had Steamboat remained healthy and had he been fully committed to the business, he would have been a huge star. There was almost nobody better with ring work and he had charisma in the ring. He didn't have to pick up the mic to do a promo to get over. Steamboat was over based in his in ring work.
Lockdown is tonight. Here's the card: Disappointed that Kurt Angle won't wrestle because of a torn MCL injury. Hope he gets well soon.
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