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Warrior in AWA

2K views 16 replies 15 participants last post by  RockStarDud 
#1 ·
Warrior joined WWF in 1987 if I am not wrong and got his I/C title in 1988. The what if scenario that came up was if Warrior had joined AWA instead of WWF back then, do you think he and Gagne could have done what Hogan and Vince managed to do with WWF using the wrestling boom that Hogan/Vince created? Gagne had the resources and Warrior had the charisma and persona that rivaled Hogan. Do you think it would have worked and we would have got a MNW scenario earlier between AWA/WWF?
 
#2 ·
No because from what I can tell Verne seemed stuck in his ways. I don't doubt that Warrior could have become a big star in the AWA but I don't think he would have. Verne was too out of touch, I mean he created the fucking WrestleRock Rumble I wouldn't trust him with leading the Ultimate Warrior to success.
 
#5 ·
New Japan had him in mind for the Vader gimmick. Yet he picked the WWF. If he wasnt going to go to New Japan (where Inoki was going to do the job quickly to him in his first match), he had no chance of wanting to go to a dead league like the AWA. And even if he did go to the WWF, the one thing McMahon had over everyone else is that he didnt care if you couldnt work. Only the WWF would have had the patience to allow Warrior to do very little and get over with the tools he had. He had the body. That's all Vince cared about.
 
#6 ·
IF Verne would have gotten over his mindset, it might have worked. Warrior was one of those special guys that was so into building his character that he could have gotten over anywhere, just happened Vince gave him the time and also had some other guys that could reign him in and get some really good matches out of him.

He might not have been the greatest technical guy on the planet, but like Hogan, he knew how to work his gimmick and character to work the crowd. He also had enough tools to put on two indisputable all time classics at back to back WMs... hell, I'd say at least three given his matches with Rude were damn good too.
 
#7 · (Edited)
Nope....

The AWA could have been saved but Warrior wasn't the guy to do it.

The biggest problem with the AWA was that Verne was cheap and he tended to favor his friends who were older and guys who could wrestle over guys who were popular. At one point during the 1980's Bockwinkel was AWA Champ and in his late 40's or early 50's and Crusher was a Tag Champ and he was in his late 50's.

I think the only guys who could have saved the AWA were Hogan, Kerry Von Erich, Roddy Piper, Randy Savage, Sgt. Slaughter, The Patriot and Ricky Morton.

A company can't be successful without an over baby face.

Warrior didn't have the mic skills or the wrestling skills. It worked well in the WWE but the WWE's audience was geared towards kids.

At the end of the AWA you still had a decent amount of heels Larry Z, Nikita, Tully, Yokozuna, and Vader.

Verne's best bet would have been to copy the Japanese model of touring and work with Japan to bring over the American Talent (Williams, Gordy, Hansen, Johnny Ace, Kenta Kobiashi, and Misawa) for some American Tours under the AWA banner.

Running an angle where the Japanese had all the AWA titles and the American Wrestlers were trying to get them back.
 
#10 ·
Maybe if Verne would have copied the Hulk Hogan's formula with Warrior and a technical wrestler like Rick Martel passing the world title between them 3 times each year, it could have worked.

It would have been a friendly competition like Superman/Warrior vs Batman/Rick Martel which could have given some interest in its scene.

Completed by some cool heels of course... but all the hype would have been in the endless faces feud.
 
#13 ·
To say Warrior had no charisma, etier you are trolling or you need to go back and Watch him. I Think many people within the business are wrong then and you are right :tysonlol
 
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