[The Rod]

Wondering what you think could have been done to make Warrior more successful after WM6?

Ive heard many times about giving him newer, more exciting feuds as opposed to going back to Rick Rude (not knocking Rude, he's awesome).

My idea would be to not have him give up the IC title after WM6 and have to defend both. I feel this would create a sense of "this has never been done before" and really try to make him different from Hogan.

I know people will shit on that idea and say he was a horrible worker etc etc but I think during that time he was massively over and it would have been a cool concept. It would have also been cool to see him come out in more than attire\face paint each night.

 

[InexorableJourney]

Re: Ultimate Warrior after Wrestlemania 6

Yes, Warriors exact problem was that he had no credible opponents.

In beating Hogan he effectively showed that he was levels above all the guys Hogan beat before him, so putting him against Haku, Ted Dibiase, Jake Roberts and Rick Rude who he had already beaten, made all his matches look like forgone conclusions.

The only new blood that looked credible enough to face Warrior at that time was Earthquake, and shortly after The Undertaker. So of course Hogan got Earthquake, and Warrior only faced Taker on the house circuit.

Interestingly Hogan ran into a similar problem once he regained the title, and had to sit on his hands waiting for Sid and Ric to arrive.

 

[Mifune Jackson]

Re: Ultimate Warrior after Wrestlemania 6

This one's pretty simple. Earthquake was who Warrior should have feuded with. The feud was even built-in and would have appeared to been the direction they were going in with Quake's debut.

Hogan may have even saw that and stole it from under him with the injury angle (which was a pretty good angle, admittedly).

Warrior/Rude was the wrong way to go, even though it seemed like a good idea on paper. Rude had never really been in the main events or featured in feuds with Hogan, so it was a stretch for him to be positioned that way.

Even with Hogan stealing Earthquake, though, Mr. Perfect could have been a good opponent and had credibility from working with Hogan earlier in the year on SNME with the Genius. That would have had a built in storyline with Perfect having Warrior's old IC Title and claiming he was the better champion.

By the time Taker debuted, the Warrior/Savage story had already kicked in, so that was best saved for summer '91.

 

[Flair Flop]

Re: Ultimate Warrior after Wrestlemania 6

Just going to echo what's already been said here. It was always going to be tricky still featuring Hogan prominently. It worked in 88 with Savage as champ with them being a team so it didn't feel like they were competitors until it was time for them to be. Which was smart. They were trying to replace one of the most dominant champions in history and yet they gave the new monster heel to the former champion they were supposed to be replacing in the top spot. Destined for failure. I was a far bigger Warrior fan than Hogan so I really shouldn't have been looking forward to both matches equally. Warrior should have gotten Earthquake. Rude could have came later and has already been suggested, Henning would have worked too as it's my understanding that it was in the plans at one point for him to beat Hogan for the belt. I will never understand why the Hogan vs Slaughter feud needed the title. Warrior vs Savage could have carried the belt just fine.

 

[Jupiter Jack Daniels]

Re: Ultimate Warrior after Wrestlemania 6

Fresh, quality challengers. Namely Mr. Perfect, who shouldn't have jobbed to Beefcake. Losing to Hogan doesn't hurt as much but it would've been better had he not lost to him, either.

Because then, you could build to an ultimate champion vs. undefeated challenger match, perhaps at Summerslam. Another one is Ted Dibiase, who could possibly be the first challenger, due to Warrior eliminating him at the Rumble. Add to that the previous two years of Dibiase buying a title and a convenient Royal Rumble spot, he's perhaps the perfect antagonist for Warrior. Because of course he's not going to be able to buy the title from Warrior. But, he can buy an opportunity in a way that can't be vetoed by Jack Tunney. A bounty, which Warrior overcomes, in order to finally get his hands on Dibiase. Maybe not necessarily that but I think a program with Dibiase could've benefited Warrior's run.

Dibiase & Perfect can buy enough time (and given their respective presentation, perhaps enough interest) until you get to Savage OR do something with Hogan again.

Nothing against Rude but been there, done that. No matter who you put over, the fans had already seen it. So, would they really want to see it again?


EDIT: Completely forgot about Earthquake. Epitome of a fresh challenger. Might could even have Earthquake go over; if not, at least a non finish because I think he has to run with Hogan sooner than later. That seems like it would've been money, although I'm not sure if it actually was.

 

[DGenerationMC]

Re: Ultimate Warrior after Wrestlemania 6

I would've had Earthquake put Hogan on the shelf for an extended period of time, beyond SSlam and let's say 'til the Rumble. In my opinion, Hulkster needed to be out of the way or take time to put over new heels before Warrior faced them like Earthquake and Mr. Perfect.

Hogan does the Earthquake feud for a year, freeing Warrior to run through Earthquake at SSlam (Hogan returns to cost him the title) then the undefeated Perfect at the Rumble and then Savage at WM 7. When Hogan announces his intentions to challenge Warrior to a rematch for SSlam 91, the secret alliance of Jake Roberts (who convinces Hogan to wait until he's "ready" before turning on him) and Undertaker (who would defeat Warrior for the belt to send him packing) serve as obstacles.

 

[Vic Capri]

Re: Ultimate Warrior after Wrestlemania 6

Wondering what you think could have been done to make Warrior more successful after WM6?

Book Earthquake Vs. Warrior & Hogan Vs. Rude at SummerSlam 1990 instead.

- Vic

 

[validreasoning]

Re: Ultimate Warrior after Wrestlemania 6

They had zero faith in warrior as top guy, Hogan himself didn't want to relinquish the top spot and business falling away as it did pretty much confirmed to Vince warrior wasn't the guy.

I don't think it really mattered who they booked vs warrior. I know some says earthquake but in that situation what most likely would have happened is that earthquake takes out warrior post summerslam and its the returning hero hogan that comes back to save the day making warrior look a total geek.

I personally think the best thing to do is turn hogan heel immediately after mania 6 but that was never happening given they were filming suburban commando

 

[Berkajr]

Re: Ultimate Warrior after Wrestlemania 6

While Perfect was tremendous worker, he was nowhere near the draw of a top heel.

Earthquake was the only credible opponent for Warrior, but since WWF never went all the way with Warrior, and gave the hottest heel in WWF to Hogan, and thus the push of Warrior was doomed from get go.

The most important thing when wanting to psuh a new wrestler is to have credible opponents. Warrior had none.

Also Fans had already seen Warrior and Hogan pin Perfect on the houseshow circuit, so why would people pay to see Warrior wrestle Perfect when he beat him cleanly a few months earlier.

 

[Seafort]

Re: Ultimate Warrior after Wrestlemania 6

Wondering what you think could have been done to make Warrior more successful after WM6?

Ive heard many times about giving him newer, more exciting feuds as opposed to going back to Rick Rude (not knocking Rude, he's awesome).

My idea would be to not have him give up the IC title after WM6 and have to defend both. I feel this would create a sense of "this has never been done before" and really try to make him different from Hogan.

I know people will shit on that idea and say he was a horrible worker etc etc but I think during that time he was massively over and it would have been a cool concept. It would have also been cool to see him come out in more than attire\face paint each night.

The WWF had negotiations with Ric Flair shortly before WrestleMania VI that were unsuccessful. Flair would have been a unique opponent and built in a way to be a legitimate threat to Warrior.

Of the guys on the roster, Earthquake should have been the one fed to Warrior. Warlord was also beginning his singles push and in a muscle-bound WWE would have been a fresh opponent for Warrior. A heel Kerry Von Erich would have been an interesting fall 1990 foil for Warrior too.

 

[Seafort]

Re: Ultimate Warrior after Wrestlemania 6

They had zero faith in warrior as top guy, Hogan himself didn't want to relinquish the top spot and business falling away as it did pretty much confirmed to Vince warrior wasn't the guy.

I don't think it really mattered who they booked vs warrior. I know some says earthquake but in that situation what most likely would have happened is that earthquake takes out warrior post summerslam and its the returning hero hogan that comes back to save the day making warrior look a total geek.

I personally think the best thing to do is turn hogan heel immediately after mania 6 but that was never happening given they were filming suburban commando

That's the problem - WWE had never had never had two wrestlers with a FOTC push at the same time, and that's what they were committing to with Warrior and Hogan simultaneously. They burned through the heel roster twice as fast.

To be honest, Hogan should have been given at least a year off before being allowed to come back to further establish Warrior as the lead guy.

 

[NXT83]

Re: Ultimate Warrior after Wrestlemania 6

I would have been inclined to turn Rowdy Roddy Piper or Jake Roberts heel and have them go against Warrior.
Either one would have been a great foil for The Warrior and would deliver some great heel promos and likely garner more support for the Warrior.
Either that or it should have definitely been Earthquake and Hogan should have gotten Warlord.

 

[it's squezzy bitch]

Re: Ultimate Warrior after Wrestlemania 6

they should have turned him heel :troll

 

[domotime2]

Re: Ultimate Warrior after Wrestlemania 6

Step 1:
BUILD UP EARTHQUAKE TO BE THE ULTIMATE FORCE (pun). Like, im gonna say it, make him a big more 'mystical' (80s mystical). More so in aura, im not saying powers or anything. Give him a sick entrance. And just build him up like crazy.

Step 2:
obviously... Warrior Wins

Step 3:
Wrestlemania 7 goes as planned but Savage vs Warrior is for the belt and career. both online. Warrior Wins

by this point, he has a fair shake at what his popularity looks like. How is he drawing...how are the crowd reactions etc.... if he's face i have him drop the belt to the UNDERTAKER or RIC FLAIR. If he's a heel, he eventually drops it to BRET HART

 

[tducey]

Not sure I'd buy Earthqauke as a legit title contender but someone like Perfect could have been a good title feud for the Warrior.

 

[Piper's Pit]

Randy Savage spent basically all of 1990 in the wilderness, a pointless feud with Dusty Rhodes took up most of his year, he would have been perfect for Warrior to feud with right after WM6.
As others have mentioned Earthquake and Dibiase too would have been good opponents for Warrior but instead we got yet another Warrior/Rude feud.

As much as I love the Golden Age the WWE post WM6 to the 1991 Royal Rumble was not good at all.

 

[The Gentleman]

They missed their shot with him and booked him against the wrong guys.

As his style was very powerful, it's natural to place him against guys like Earthquake for a clash of the titans, or for a big feud with Roberts (similar to what they did with Shango, but without Shango) for the mind games aspect. Then you have other Powerhouses like Luger, Bulldog, Hercules and powerful speedsters like Kerry Von Erich whou would have served him well too.

Seeing his feud with Savage last from pre WMVII-WMVIII wouldn't have been so bad either, considering that would have freed us the oppurtunity of that Hogan VS Flair dream match.

So, in short, they wasted him.

 

[dave 1981]

Think we've mostly all agreed on here before that the problem was once they got Warrior to the top spot they just rehashed what he did before (Rude) or gave him Hogan's past feuds (Perfect and DiBiase) until they gave Warrior the one they should have done which was Savage and by then it was too late as he'd lost the title.

Going into Summerslam they should have done Warrior/Earthquake and Hogan/Rude then Warrior/Savage and Hogan/Earthquake post Summerslam then do Warrior/Slaughter for Royal Rumble with Savage not getting over not beating Warrior for the title and costing him so you still got Hogan/Slaughter and Warrior/Savage at WrestleMania 7, it was so easy to do but they booked Hogan the same as they booked Cena in 2012 where the champion (Warrior in 1990 and CM Punk in 2012) took a backseat and it hurt business although Warrior drew as much as Hogan that year whilst working the B shows and Hogan working the A shows with a superior supporting card.

 

[Vilak]

It's seem as Hogan worked Politics at WM6.

Savage and Perfect, the two most credible opponents to challenge Warrior to the summer, took an either unglorious or humiliating loss at Skydome.

 

[Vilak]

It's seem as Hogan worked Politics at WM6.

Savage and Perfect, the two most credible opponents to challenge Warrior to the summer, took an either unglorious or humiliating loss at Skydome.