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Vic Capri · 01-06-2013, 09:59 AM

Did they actually have plans for him to headline Wrestlemania 13 and if not, why bother wasting a Royal Rumble win on a guy that wasn't going to be wrestling for the WWF Championship at the company's biggest show?

- Vic

Yosihait · 01-06-2013, 10:07 AM

Because they wanted to surprise people.

Bret Hart was supposed to win the Rumble, but they realized it sucked.

The Dude · 01-06-2013, 10:38 AM

1 Because Stone Cold won like everything in 97 he was over on like that other level shit
2. yeah they wanted a mass suprise because who would have thought steve austin on one of the greatest pushes ever would lose? super pop super push to the guy who beat him then Stone Cold goes out that monday cracks open a beer and everyone forgets and is ready for his next run at it! wrestling used to be SO SIMPLE back then!

sarnobat · 01-06-2013, 11:06 AM

I don't know, but it's always awkard having a February PPV when the Rumble winner is known and there are major hints about who the champion will be going into Wrestlemania. Prior to that they had the Rumble winner voluntarily put their shot on the line but they couldn't do that every year.

murder · 01-06-2013, 12:47 PM

1. To further the "Everybody screws me" gimmick of Bret which would lead to his heel turn at Mania 13.

2. To build the February PPV with the Final Four of the Rumble competing again for the title shot.

just1988 · 01-06-2013, 12:52 PM

Good thread, I'd never given this any thought but everything posted is very interesting and seems legit

**Clique** · 01-06-2013, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by murder

2. To build the February PPV with the Final Four of the Rumble competing again for the title shot.

Question - was the plan always to have a four way for the title at that show? Shawn won the WWF Championship in the main event of Royal Rumble 1997 and you would have to think WWE would have wanted him going into WrestleMania 13 as champion, so maybe Final Four would have unquestionably determined who would have faced him at Mania. And from what I have read over the years the original main event planned for Mania that year was a rematch between Shawn & Bret.

murder · 01-06-2013, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clique

Question - was the plan always to have a four way for the title at that show? Shawn won the WWF Championship in the main event of Royal Rumble 1997 and you would have to think WWE would have wanted him going into WrestleMania 13 as champion, so maybe Final Four would have unquestionably determined who would have faced him at Mania. And from what I have read over the years the original main event planned for Mania that year was a rematch between Shawn & Bret.

The Final Four match was originally supposed to be for the number one contender spot. Since the Rumble had no clear winner that spot was basically vacant. Bret was supposed to win that match to set-up Bret-HBK for the title at mania like you said.

After the decision was made that Bret-HBK would be non-title but with the hair stipulation and Sid-Taker would be for the title, Sid was supposed to win the title on raw before the PPV where Taker would win the Final Four.

After Shawn lost his smile the title was vacant and the Final Four became a title match with Sid challenging the champion on Raw the next night.

**Clique** · 01-06-2013, 01:27 PM

Thanks. I figured that was the case. Just wondering if there were "official" insider reports/stories on it. I've heard the hair stipulation for Shawn/Bret rematch. I think there was also a rumor about having a ladder match too for the title. Even though WrestleMania 13 didn't turn out to be the best show match quality wise on the overall card, at least we got that legendary Hart-Austin Submission Match that just put the rocket on Austin's momentum. Stone Cold became white hot through that program with the Hitman.

jonoaries · 01-06-2013, 06:48 PM

It furthered the Bret-Austin story-line for bret to be "screwed" yet again. As far as I know there were no plans for Austin to ever challenge for the title at Wrestlemania 13. I'm sure the Hart-Michaels controversy changed the outcome of the rumble match.
Austin was the beneficiary of HBK being a dick. Seems Austin benefitted from the Clique fucking up a lot huh?