Royal Rumble 1992: Pick a winner not named Flair

[CBT]

So, I tried to included everyone who hadn't had a WWF heavyweight title run before the Rumble of '92 along with those that never won the gold, period but had their chance in this match.

Take nothing away from Flair, he did go on to have an uneventful but still existant 2nd reign so it's not as if losing the Rumble would've altered time, space, so on and such.

The question is, who would be your first choice to award their a first run as WWF champion if Flair was your second choicr?

My pick, well picks, are ... Shawn Michaels fresh off the heals of the glass-shattering break-up of the Rockers. Yes, that may mean we would have never seen HBK bust his ass in historic ladder matches for the intercontinental title but it would have still been a fresh face and different looking champion.


My other pick... The Hotrod. I'm not expecting a long run, but who deserved it more then Piper? Okay, well, deserved may not be the appropriate term but Piper sold merchandise, and could draw ire like no one's business. I see him as a champion that could put more value into the thin body of water we call fan favorites then-WWF was trying to establish.

[carly1988]

HBK wasnt ready to be the champ yet. 98% of the people back then didnt see him becoming what he's become. Its one of those where you have to forget what he's done when voting here cause at that point he was pretty much a curtain jerker.

For voting, I chose Sid Justice. He was launched straight into the main event scene. Had Main event status (NWA/WCW) plus he was the "wing man" of the biggest face in the company (Hogan). Sid also had that main event look like Hogan and Warrior that McMahon likes. Would it have lasted long? Probably not but would hands down be the top choice of the group

[CBT]

Good answer, I chose Michaels not because of what he would do or would become but rather a meteoric push after splitting from Jannetty. It would have been no issue for WWF writers to put his on a missile and target the WWF championship even if it would only last until the first defense.

[WFK]

I'm going to agree with G-Money about Sid. The most credible, in my opinion, of those listed. Plus, I've always been a big Sid mark for some reason.

[carly1988]

Jan 30, 2010 22:28:24 GMT -5 CBT said:

Good answer, I chose Michaels not because of what he would do or would become but rather a meteoric push after splitting from Jannetty. It would have been no issue for WWF writers to put his on a missile and target the WWF championship even if it would only last until the first defense.

I enjoyed Michaels Rocker and Early Singles work. He really just bored me though around 95ish.

Also just in case, I didnt want you to think I was bashing your opinion on HBK. Its all opinion and everyone is free to have their own, Im just hoping that people wont be like "OMG HBK had a match with Taker last year, they should have made him champ in 92"

[slappy]

Sid, they still could have had Hogan/Sid at WrestleMania.

[Chicago]

Sid would have been the most realistic/logical choice to win his first WWF Championship of the names listed, but Piper would have made for a feel-good story (even if it didn't make much sense storyline-wise).

Everyone else just doesn't sound right with the WWF title attached to their name for this particular event.

Oh, and lol at Virgil, indeed.

[vivalaraza1331]

Sid would have made the most sense, especially since his heel turn led to the match with Hogan but I picked, as a dark horse, Jake Roberts. He was still in the middle of the feud with Randy Savage--which is still one of WWE's best creative achievements in my opinion--and could have easily main evented 'Mania with Savage. The feud had enough juice to continue on until March and it's almost disappointing we never had one true, epic blowoff to the story.

[CBT]

Jan 31, 2010 0:23:59 GMT -5 @carly1988 said:

Jan 30, 2010 22:28:24 GMT -5 CBT said:

Good answer, I chose Michaels not because of what he would do or would become but rather a meteoric push after splitting from Jannetty. It would have been no issue for WWF writers to put his on a missile and target the WWF championship even if it would only last until the first defense.

I enjoyed Michaels Rocker and Early Singles work. He really just bored me though around 95ish.

Also just in case, I didnt want you to think I was bashing your opinion on HBK. Its all opinion and everyone is free to have their own, Im just hoping that people wont be like "OMG HBK had a match with Taker last year, they should have made him champ in 92"

I trusted you weren't bashing me. I'm no wrestling historian but I can understand why Shawn Michaels was no where near as polished and accepted by fans as a main draw at that point.

I've never been a big Sid fan at any point in time; WWF-NWA-WCW-ECW, ect.. he's always been nothing more to me then a big man who can choke slam, big boot, clothesline, and powerbomb. I get the look and charisma/personality were more contributing to being champion as well as backstage friendships...


....but, makes me wonder why Flair was awarded the belt when he could have been great to have as a challenger.

I personally would have praised a reign for guys like Haku, Martel or even Snuka. All of which would have been transitional champions but still could have benefited from the win.

[DTP.]

Sid, Hogan or Flair to be totally honest.

[carly1988]

Jan 31, 2010 15:20:32 GMT -5 CBT said:

Jan 31, 2010 0:23:59 GMT -5 @carly1988 said:

I enjoyed Michaels Rocker and Early Singles work. He really just bored me though around 95ish.

Also just in case, I didnt want you to think I was bashing your opinion on HBK. Its all opinion and everyone is free to have their own, Im just hoping that people wont be like "OMG HBK had a match with Taker last year, they should have made him champ in 92"

I trusted you weren't bashing me. I'm no wrestling historian but I can understand why Shawn Michaels was no where near as polished and accepted by fans as a main draw at that point.

I've never been a big Sid fan at any point in time; WWF-NWA-WCW-ECW, ect.. he's always been nothing more to me then a big man who can choke slam, big boot, clothesline, and powerbomb. I get the look and charisma/personality were more contributing to being champion as well as backstage friendships...


....but, makes me wonder why Flair was awarded the belt when he could have been great to have as a challenger.

I personally would have praised a reign for guys like Haku, Martel or even Snuka. All of which would have been transitional champions but still could have benefited from the win.

I think the original idea was to have Flair get the title and have Hogan take it from him at Mania. Which is what everyone wanted to see but Sid threw a monkey wrench in that. Ive noticed quite a few people have voted DiBiase and while I agree he should have had a title run in his career, by this point he was really a curtain jerker feuding with Virgil and Duggan. '88 or '89 would have been prime for DiBiase

[DTP.]

Actually Savage should have won this one, he seemed definitely worthy.

[Mastermind]

Sid for sure..exactly who i wanted to win back in 92...jake being a close 2nd..

[gordon]

My pick is DiBiase.

He was always so close, but then again his in-ring career was slowing down by then.

[Deleted]

Jan 31, 2010 16:27:34 GMT -5 DTP. said:

Actually Savage should have won this one, he seemed definitely worthy.

I agree, and even though it was few years removed, it would've been interesting to see how both of the Megamaniacs won the Rumble in consecutive years...I can dream, eh?

[koreygunz]

Jan 31, 2010 15:40:28 GMT -5 @carly1988 said:

Jan 31, 2010 15:20:32 GMT -5 CBT said:

I trusted you weren't bashing me. I'm no wrestling historian but I can understand why Shawn Michaels was no where near as polished and accepted by fans as a main draw at that point.

I've never been a big Sid fan at any point in time; WWF-NWA-WCW-ECW, ect.. he's always been nothing more to me then a big man who can choke slam, big boot, clothesline, and powerbomb. I get the look and charisma/personality were more contributing to being champion as well as backstage friendships...


....but, makes me wonder why Flair was awarded the belt when he could have been great to have as a challenger.

I personally would have praised a reign for guys like Haku, Martel or even Snuka. All of which would have been transitional champions but still could have benefited from the win.

I think the original idea was to have Flair get the title and have Hogan take it from him at Mania. Which is what everyone wanted to see but Sid threw a monkey wrench in that. Ive noticed quite a few people have voted DiBiase and while I agree he should have had a title run in his career, by this point he was really a curtain jerker feuding with Virgil and Duggan. '88 or '89 would have been prime for DiBiase

Original plans called for the top the matches at Mania that year to be Hogan/Flair, Savage/Roberts, and Sid/Undertaker. However, after Hogan decided to leave the WWF after Mania for movies, they obviously didnt want Hogan to take the title and then leave. So they did the Sid heel turn to set up a match with Hogan, Savage took Hogan's place, and Taker turned face to take on Roberts.

Which card would you have rather seen? I know everyone says WWF should have capitalized on Hogan/Flair, but at the time I dont think the general fan would have realized Flair's NWA importance and the idea of NWA vs WWF. Though I would have liked to seen a final blow off match between Savage and Roberts, though Savage and Flair put on a great match.

[Deleted]

My pick would have been Mr. Perfect, but with his injuries he was all but done at that point.

This was tough for me, I wanted to say Texas Tornado, but I don't think he would have stayed away from the Texas wrestling scene long enough.

That led to my vote Jake Roberts, look at that Royal Rumble Poster front 4, Savage, Hogan, Roberts, Flair. Roberts never held any gold. Fresh off of that Cobra biting incident, wedding present incident, he was a hot heel and Savage Roberts for the strap at Mania could have paved the way for Hogan vs Flair on the card as well.

[Deleted]

I love the votes for Skinner, Virgil, Repo Man, and the Nasty Boy Saggs

[roth630]

I would have to have seen the original plans for that Rumble to come true. Roddy Piper was suppose to win the World Title at Tuesday Night In Texas. Roddy was going to sub. for Hogan who would have been "hurt" from the steel chair tombstone from Undertaker at Survivor Series. Roddy was to have gone onto the Rumble to lose it to Flair. Hogan was going to win the Rumble to face Flair at Mania 8.

For some reason, of course, this didn't happen. This story was verifyed to me by Roddy and Percy Pringle.

[Deleted]

Feb 1, 2010 14:51:57 GMT -5 @roth630 said:

I would have to have seen the original plans for that Rumble to come true. Roddy Piper was suppose to win the World Title at Tuesday Night In Texas. Roddy was going to sub. for Hogan who would have been "hurt" from the steel chair tombstone from Undertaker at Survivor Series. Roddy was to have gone onto the Rumble to lose it to Flair. Hogan was going to win the Rumble to face Flair at Mania 8.

For some reason, of course, this didn't happen. This story was verifyed to me by Roddy and Percy Pringle.

I have heard so many reasons for Hogan vs Flair not happening at WM8 but the main one was Sid being promised a Main Event at Mania in his contract.but I dunno what to believe.