After watching a couple of episodes of (The classic) Quantum Leap, it got me thinking about if you was able to go back in time and be able to get (With the benefit of hindsight) a decision changed, which could change the landscape of a particular performer, company…etc. What would it be?
I think that we could all agree that we would change the decisions that resulted in a career ending injury (Shibata, Droz) and the unfortunate deaths (Owen, Benoit)
I would:
Tell Vince not to rush The Invasion and let WCW get the upper hand properly (No WWE turncoats)
Not have the Austin turn at WM 17
Tell Bischoff to control spending.
Let WCW gain an advantage of The NWO earlier (Especially at Starrcade 97)
Tell Heyman not to sign The TNN deal in 99
Not have ECW do the crucifixion angle in from of Kurt Angle.
Not turn Austin heel at WM17. It killed off so much popularity of one of wrestlings biggest characters. Eventually they would have had to do something to freshen up his characters or provide him new feuds. And the trendiness of wrestling would still have died down eventually. But having Austin as a strong babyface in the early 2000’s would have put them in a much better position to withstand the transition to the next generation.
Bret doesn’t go to WCW. The monday night wars would still have continued to ramp up interest in the product, but Bret might have his career saved if he doesn’t run into Goldberg.
WWE turns John Cena heel in 2006 when he’s feuding with RVD who was the hottest babyface in the company and the fans were ready to get back behind Edge. Babyface John Cena ended up being a cornerstone of the PG era which has turned WWE into a family-friendly multi-billion dollar behemoth so I don’t know if it would have been good in the long run. But it would have created some interesting programming in the late 2000’s which is overall an awful era.
Good question
I’d try to tell Bischoff to chill out about Nitro ratings in 98/99 – WCW was still doing really strong business but his ratings obsession started derailing everything else.
Also, WCW should not have signed Hogan to that ludicrous contract in 1998.
I’d have turned Roman at survivor series 15 (where he won the title first time) have him turn on Dean to side with the authority and run with Dean/Roman as the top program until Mania, then do the Roman turn/HHH match later.
Keep the nWo a smaller faction in 1996. Buff Bagwell would be the last member I’d have join. There was no need to build it as a separate band, and it got watered down after that point.