Post by TheXtremisT on May 18, 2023 7:34:55 GMT -5
TLDR; Test was mega over in 1999 thanks to his storyline with Stephanie McMahon, feuding with Shane and then Triple H/DX. But he got shafted after Triple H married Steph and began the McMahon-Helmsley era. He went from getting monster pops to floundering before teaming with Albert. He never recovered in my eyes and only bounced back in the Invasion era because Triple H was gone.
I truly felt they dropped the ball on him. He wasn't the most charismatic or that great on the mic, but they could have nurtured him and continued using him to his strengths like they had before. It felt as though they just "gave up" on him in December 1999. Your thoughts?
So Test was introduced in October 1998 as the bodyguard for Motley Crue while they performed on WWE Raw and appeared on Sunday Night Heat. His name was a play on Testosterone, alluding to steroid usage.
He joined the Corporation as a muscled henchman but left in April 1999 and formed the Union with Big Show, Shamrock and Mankind, turning face in the process.
He trundled along as a midcard babyface but really gained traction when he began courting and then proposing to Stephanie McMahon. They became much loved in the eyes of the fans, because it felt organic and was presented as true soap opera love. It was relatable, and hats off to Stephanie who was a decent actress as this sweet, caring young woman.
The opposition from Shane and the Mean Street Posse gave it an extra push and people wanted them to succeed. Test as a result received bigger and bigger pops, and turning Shane face and siding with his sister and Test was the right move.
Test's popularity grew and was undeniable, he was getting one of the biggest pops of the night by October-November, behind only Austin, the Rock and Mankind.
He wasn't the most charismatic guy but they used him to his strengths and the story had people invested. He was due to marry Steph on November 29th Raw, but Triple H beat him to the punch.
Test was then unceremoniously ousted out of his push. He had a couple of weeks of angrily feuding with Triple H and DX, but lost to X-Pac the Smackdown before Armageddon 1999 and thus began his slide down the card.
Afterwards, he kind of just existed/floundered in the midcard, just being a cardboard babyface and basically dropped his retribution and accepted defeat. The crowd literally began turning on him because he gave in so easily and had lack of character.
He then re-emerged as a heel in March 2000, and joined up with Albert and Trish. Mainly out of "let's do something with this guy".
They failed him basically, in my opinion. They failed to capitalise on his popularity and clipped his wings by pushing him out of the way for the bigger HHH-McMahon feud.
Steph being a mega heel after siding with Triple H should have resulted in him being a huge babyface trying to get revenge but getting screwed, but emerging stronger because of it.
I believe he should have been a thorn in DX/HHH's side for most of 2000, then when Stone Cold came back, he should have been framed as the driver of the car that hit Austin.
They could have played it out as Triple H scheming to get Test implicated and get rid of him. Triple H was driving the vehicle but an eyewitness account said he saw a blond, bearded wrestler get into the car. Therefore Test also fit the bill. And grainy CCTV footage can't distinguish between Triple H and Test, but Triple H finagles it to make it seem like it was Test as the driver.
Just an idea.
His career basically never really hit many heights after the McMahon storyline. He did nothing of note in 2000, picked up again in the Invasion era which was when Triple H was out, then when Trips returned in 2002, Test was relegated again to doing nothing except bumping for the Undertaker in the summer.
In 2003 he was prominently featured on Raw but it wasn't exactly a push. In 2004 he was expendable and released later in the year. His 2006 return was what it was for about 8 months but released due to attitudes and enhancers.
I truly think they dropped the ball on this guy. He's not someone I'm that fond of but do appreciate how over he was in 1999 and they could have done more with him.
What are your thoughts?
I truly felt they dropped the ball on him. He wasn't the most charismatic or that great on the mic, but they could have nurtured him and continued using him to his strengths like they had before. It felt as though they just "gave up" on him in December 1999. Your thoughts?
So Test was introduced in October 1998 as the bodyguard for Motley Crue while they performed on WWE Raw and appeared on Sunday Night Heat. His name was a play on Testosterone, alluding to steroid usage.
He joined the Corporation as a muscled henchman but left in April 1999 and formed the Union with Big Show, Shamrock and Mankind, turning face in the process.
He trundled along as a midcard babyface but really gained traction when he began courting and then proposing to Stephanie McMahon. They became much loved in the eyes of the fans, because it felt organic and was presented as true soap opera love. It was relatable, and hats off to Stephanie who was a decent actress as this sweet, caring young woman.
The opposition from Shane and the Mean Street Posse gave it an extra push and people wanted them to succeed. Test as a result received bigger and bigger pops, and turning Shane face and siding with his sister and Test was the right move.
Test's popularity grew and was undeniable, he was getting one of the biggest pops of the night by October-November, behind only Austin, the Rock and Mankind.
He wasn't the most charismatic guy but they used him to his strengths and the story had people invested. He was due to marry Steph on November 29th Raw, but Triple H beat him to the punch.
Test was then unceremoniously ousted out of his push. He had a couple of weeks of angrily feuding with Triple H and DX, but lost to X-Pac the Smackdown before Armageddon 1999 and thus began his slide down the card.
Afterwards, he kind of just existed/floundered in the midcard, just being a cardboard babyface and basically dropped his retribution and accepted defeat. The crowd literally began turning on him because he gave in so easily and had lack of character.
He then re-emerged as a heel in March 2000, and joined up with Albert and Trish. Mainly out of "let's do something with this guy".
They failed him basically, in my opinion. They failed to capitalise on his popularity and clipped his wings by pushing him out of the way for the bigger HHH-McMahon feud.
Steph being a mega heel after siding with Triple H should have resulted in him being a huge babyface trying to get revenge but getting screwed, but emerging stronger because of it.
I believe he should have been a thorn in DX/HHH's side for most of 2000, then when Stone Cold came back, he should have been framed as the driver of the car that hit Austin.
They could have played it out as Triple H scheming to get Test implicated and get rid of him. Triple H was driving the vehicle but an eyewitness account said he saw a blond, bearded wrestler get into the car. Therefore Test also fit the bill. And grainy CCTV footage can't distinguish between Triple H and Test, but Triple H finagles it to make it seem like it was Test as the driver.
Just an idea.
His career basically never really hit many heights after the McMahon storyline. He did nothing of note in 2000, picked up again in the Invasion era which was when Triple H was out, then when Trips returned in 2002, Test was relegated again to doing nothing except bumping for the Undertaker in the summer.
In 2003 he was prominently featured on Raw but it wasn't exactly a push. In 2004 he was expendable and released later in the year. His 2006 return was what it was for about 8 months but released due to attitudes and enhancers.
I truly think they dropped the ball on this guy. He's not someone I'm that fond of but do appreciate how over he was in 1999 and they could have done more with him.
What are your thoughts?
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