Main Event Pushes That Shouldn't Have Happened.
 

Ok, after reading STD's thread about favorite RR Title matches, I got to thinking about how bad some of those matches were. Not so much because of the people involved, but also because the terrible build and storylines involving them. 2003 for example, saw HHH defend the title against Scott Steiner. Another example was Hardcore Holly going against Lesnar. I mean, did either of those guys really ever have a chance? Did either even deserve a chance at a main event push? I know there have been other guys in the past who were given main event pushes that went absolutely nowhere, so I want your thoughts on this TPWW. Who are some guys in the WWE, past or present who have been given main event pushes that should have never really had the chance.

Main Event Pushes that Shouldn't Have Been:

Hardcore Holly
Scott Steiner (disputeable)
Mark Henry
Vladimir Kozlov
Mabel
"The One" Billy Gunn
The Great Khali
Test (disputeable)
Jeff Jarrett
David Arquette
Bubba Ray Dudley
Jack Swagger (disputeable)

To be fair, everybody jizzed their pants when Steiner debuted. Steiner just dropped the ball. Oh, and add Mabel to the list, as much as I love Viscera.

Yeah, I forgot about him. Him and Billy Gunn were really the only KotR winners who did nothing. Regal doesn't count as much because he fucked himself over there.

Can't really put Steiner in that list because he was the man in WCW, so his initial push to the main event was the right thing, he was just a muscled cripple by the time he was in WWE.

You've got the ones I'd name off the top of my head though. Road Warrior Animal from the back end of WCW?

To me, Steiner is like Test. Both guys COULD have done good, but they both kind of just dropped the ball. I suppose Test could be added to the list, but did he ever even get a main event push aside from an ECW Title match against Bobby Lashley that he walked out on?

Steiner was in the main event of WCW for about a year and a half though and rightly so. Roid rages on the mic were gold.

WWE
"The One" Billy Gunn
"Great" Khali
JBL
Ken Shamrock

Shamrock should have been up there longer for me. Was my face guy during that period.

Fuck. How did I forget Khali? Good eye there DttS.

DTTS I'm going to punch you for saying JBL. Highest workrate in WWE history.

No, he really didn't. His run on ECW was as close as he got.

I always liked Test. He just didn't get over enough to warrant a main event push.

That's what I figured too. He could have been a main event guy, but to me, it felt like he just didn't give a shit.

Shut the hell up.

JBL carried Smackdown for months on his massive and entertaining hat.

OH, A-Train. He may be awesome now, but he wasn't during his push on Smackdown.

Well, I thought he main evented a PPV. Maybe I imagined it.

I guess you have to say Swagger was a bit of a flop.

Test? When did he get a legit ME push outside of ECW?

That's a good list.

Steiner really wasn't main event material IMO. He got a main event push in the last 6 months of WCW's run because there wasn't a whole lot of talent left that wasn't totally stale, and because the bookers were too afraid to say "no" when Steiner demanded to be pushed.

Jack Swagger's push is kinda weird. He cut some awesome promo's and seemed to be getting over, but for some reason the WWE cut his push.

If you wanna count WCW than add Ronnie Garvin and Ron Simmons. Neither were very over and both dropped their belts pretty quick.

It was a bit longer than 6 months, and he got a massive reactions when he debuted at MSG when he killed Matt Hardy and Shannon Moore. Steiner fucked up his own push in the WWE by having awful matches that killed the crowd, and being it's the WWE and you can get away from not being the best wrestler, it had to be bad. Steiner failed miserably living up to expectations.

more like SNORE-RATE!

Hahaha give me your address!!!!!

Going to say this...don't try to stop me.

Jeff Jarrett.

Didn't deserve to win the TNA World Title.

Lol well he help create the company, but he's WCW run. Yeah. Not good.

I disagree with Test & Billy Gunn..... they deserved a shot

Dolph Ziggler

Dolph needs to drop Vickie before I can decide either way. Willl his heat stay? Probably, but not to the level that it is.

Feel Dolph's main-event push is deserved more than most of the guys on the list, frankly.

I don't see this as a main event push for Dolph. I'm okay with them doing throw away title matches on the Rumble. It lets them try out upper midcarders in the main event without worrying about losing much interest, because the Rumble match is what draws.

That said, I hope Dolph comes out well after this match and continues his rise. I expect him to have a good program into Mania and to hold the title by SummerSlam, and I'll be happy with it I'm sure. But I couldn't buy him walking out with the title at the Rumble.

NWA/WCW:
Ronnie Garvin
The Barbarian - I seem to recall this guy actually got a few world title shots when he first came to WCW
Jimmy Valiant - They pushed this old has been to the moon in the mid 80's as The Boogie Woogie Man


ECW:
Justin Credible - shoulda never won the belt as he is awful
The Bruise Brothers - Ron and Don Harris
Terry Gordy - He was awful by the time he came to ECW in '96


AWA:
Otto Wanz - This guy was actually AWA World Champ at one time

LEX LUGER

Fuck I wish they would have pushed Test.

Lex sucked in the ring but was a draw and was mega-over at one time.

:y:

Arquette....

I don't think Shamrock deserves to be mentioned. He was over from almost the moment he debuted, and seemed to just be a victim of being in an already crowded mid and upper mid card.

My pick for this list is Jeff Jarrett in WCW. He went over there and almost instantly inserted into the main event despite not even being close to such in WWE.

Rey Mysterio, at the time he won the belt, should not have been a main eventer. I get why it was done, I get that he was and has been legit over enough to do it, but the way they went about it was sad. It's like the moment Eddie passed, WWE made it their mission to put the belt on him, and once they did, they made it look like a fluke. The way they booked it the second time around was much, much better.

Lol, goes without saying.

I was not mad at Mark Henrys push. He never got the title so it didnt make me hate him...

Most of these guys never did. This is more so a thread about guys who were pushed to that next level and failed either because, they weren't ready, just a fued filler, the newest guy they had, etc.

Come to think of it, Nathan Jones never had a main event push in the WWE did he?

Word they guy last from the #1 spot ate the rumble beats Kurt and Randy twice, then jobs for the rest of the time he holds the belt then says I quit to chavo

I know but I felt the role and push he was given was fine.

Fuck it... im gonna say it

Hulk Hogan

It's obviously Hardcore Holly. He was the clear most WTF Royal Rumble WWE Title match in history.

Though at the Royal Rumble the title matches are secondary to the Royal Rumble Match itself.

For non-Royal Rumble Title Matches:

-Big Boss Man Vs. The Big Show for the WWF Championship was pretty bad at the December 2000 PPV.

-The Patriot Vs. Bret Hart (C) At Ground Zero.

-David Arquette.

You're a fucking troll. :wave:

Would you include Orton in there as well, circa 2004? He failed pretty miserably. I know it wasn't his fault, but I don't think the company was ready to get behind him at that point.

Would Morrison count since he had just 2 weeks and 1 match with his push against the Miz?

The title match itself was good on Raw but probably would have been better to save the idea for a later date if Orton was going to be the one who faced the Miz for the real feud.

Test could have been a main eventer.

Both Orton and Morrison are fine where they're at. Orton's initial push was to test him and clearly in the BIG PICTURE, I'd say it paid off.

As for Morrison, this is his test phase. It's pretty apparent the guy can go, and I see him winning a major title this year, so I'd say it's too early to say Morrison's main event push isn't/wasn't worthy.

I'm wondering if Kofi should be up there? They were backing him hugely last year in the main event against Orton, and then his push kind off fizzled out. Same could be said about Evan Bourne really, but to say neither of those guys were deserving would be a bit much.

No. I am just an avid hater of a terrible wrestler and person.

If it wasn't for Hogan we wouldn't be here talking about wrestling.

Rey Mysterio should be on that list. Good person and all, but I've seen the 619 too many times than I wanted to in my lifetime. I'm sure I speak for a lot of ppl when I say that the 619 is the most cheesiest finishing move today in the game.

Now if he turned heel that would be awesome. Put some big guys and make a stable with him pointing his finger and destroying the Smackdown roster and have the big guys hold the wrestler in place so he can do the kiick to the face and make it more believable. That's wishing too much I guess.

I dont believe that for one second. If not for Hogan, someone else would have come along and done the exact same thing. You never know, that guy could have actually been a GOOD WRESTLER and a GOOD PERSON. Maybe have more than a leg drop, powerslam, and a silly hulk-up-because-im-invincible-after-I-get-the-crap-beat-out-of-me move. Hogan is a sad, pathetic excuse for a human being, and a wrestler. That is why I believe he fits perfectly on this list.

People paid to see the leg drop, powerslam, and a silly hulk-up-because-im-invincible-after-I-get-the-crap-beat-out-of-me move, im not a Hogan mark but why should he be a spot monkey if he doesnt have to be, he didnt need to kill himself to get over. And he could do more than that if needed, just watch his stuff from Japan.

Why would Hogan push himself to do more if he didn't have to? Also, how is Hogan a bad person?

I agree... he put asses in the seats but that is not what we are debating here. I am simply stating that I do not believe he deserved the original first push back in the 70s. IMO he did not deserve. I believe that the spot of "Father of modern wrestling" should belong to someone more deserving.

Dude it's his opinion. Doesn't mean it's wrong.

I think Mysterio definitely deserved his push. He's talented and I liked when he won the World Title in 06. I know that alot of people didn't like his main event push, but he was the worst booked champion ever. He never won a non-title match and I think he retained at one PPV before losing to Booker T. I don't know if Rey would work as a heel. I think he's a natural face. they tried turning him heel in WCW and it didn't really work.

To be a better performer. Really gert? Do I need to answer that 2nd question for you/ I though you were a wrestling fan.....

I'm with you on this one. I don't get how he is a bad person either. I am a big Hogan fan and I really don't care what people say about him. Alot of my favorite matches actually are Hogan matches. People can't deny that he has had some great matches over the years in both WWE and WCW. I think he had enough ability to carry a decent match and deserved his spot. True Vince could have chosen anybody to fill that role, but he had the charisma and the ability despite what people say. Randy Savage in my opinion is the only other guy that fit the bill for that. Savage had better talent of course, but I just always liked Hogan and am in the minority of his supporters. He's one of my favorites of all time. He seems like a nice person too. He treats the fans well and that is really all that matters to me.

He's a bad father though so I can see where the bad person opinion he said came from.

wow you actually agreed with me on something..... hell must be pretty chilly right now.

I have had the "pleasure" of meeting hogan on 4 different occasions. Each time he was a total dick. didn't look the fans in the eyes, didnt talk, rushed the autographs, autographs were barley legible, I tried to shake his hand and get a pic.. he said no pics and he does not shake hands... and the time I saw him in the airport I attempted to say hi and he looked at me like I told him to fuck off. The first time I met him I was 9. Thats when I tried to get a pic and he said no. But that was just my experience with him.
This is what I can compile off the top of my head.
1 he cant wrestle
2 hes arrogant beyond belief
3 hes a douchebag in real life
4 he was seen buying his underage son beer
5 his daughter is turning into a k-mart whore
6 he ruined WCW ( not singlehandedly )
7 he spent his whole career jacked up on steroids
8 most pathetic legdrop ever ( jumps 2 feet )

1. Watch his stuff from Japan before you judge him on his wrestling style. He wrestled a certain way in WWF because it was sports entertainment and in WCW because he was getting older. He did Alberto Del Rio's cross-arm-breaker in one of the youtube videos online.

2. It's called being a self-promoter. It's a part of being on top of real professional wrestling companies. Professional Wrestling is about selling yourself to the fans, so you have to be as flamboyant as possible.

5. He's not fully responsible for what his daughter does you could also blame his mom or the industry SHE chose to be a part of.

6. Not really. If anything he and the nWo brought WCW to new heights of awesomeness. Then the ratings fell and they paninied and brought in Vince Russo. Without Hogan and the nWo WCW wouldn't have rose to the heights that they did.

7. Who wasn't on steroids in the 80s and 90s in pro wrestling?

8. Whatever it was over. The Worm sucks, the Peoples Elbow Sucks, the Olympic Slam Sucks. It doesn't matter the moves are over as shit. If you can make a move that is over that doesn't hurt your opponet that is the goal in wrestling. Honky Tonk Man said that he loved wrestling with Hogan because he NEVER hurt him. Other wrestlers like Warrior hurt him because they thought they were legit badasses. Hogan was a professional in the ring just like Bret Hart.

A push that shouldn't have happened?

Owen Hart :shifty:




Too soon?


Legit though, Rey Mysterio. Don't know why he got the push instead of Chavo.

as much as people may not like it...or hate me for it...was a waste of TV time and good storyline material to push someone else but Jeff Hardy's quick and not so long WWE and WHC title runs. The man was a waste of time as he ended up leaving the company and looking at his time in TNA and his disgusting in ring performance at the end of WWE and in TNA now, to say he leaves something to be desired and is robbing the fans of a great performance by better in ring and sober performers is an UNDERSTATEMENT.

-Big Boss Man: a title shot in a extremely dumb storyline and the match itself lasted about 90 seconds (no joke)
-Abyss: debatable probably but hear me out-he only won the belt on a DQ and I highly doubt he will ever get the belt again at the level he is currently at.
-Maven that one night after winning Survivor Series and was GM for the night. Two weeks later, he pretty much was a jobber and a heel...?

Also, when did Billy Gunn actually get a WWE Title shot?

Sheamus

billy gunn(they tried more than once with him if I recall)


the walking coma the great khali


Batista(not as a face anyway)

everyone in TNA who is either 50 or so hopped up on red bull and crystal meth that they have to shoot cocaine as a come down...and Matt Hardy


sidenote: not sure if Cody is headed to the ME if he is there was a time when I would've included him on this list but god that kneepadless primping nancy has grown on me.

Not sure he did but winning king of the ring is usually a precursor also he had Main Event feuds i.e. with The Rock

Bret Hart. :)

I'm in total agreement with whoever said Bubba Ray Dudley after the brand split. Unbelievably terrible push and whoever it was on the writing team that thought he could be taken as a legit main eventer must've been getting blowjobs from Bubba Ray or something.

I still feel like Batista was pushed to the main event too early, and got his big WrestleMania victory too soon in his career. WrestleMania 21 should have been Orton versus Triple H and it should've been their first singles match of their feud with Randy getting the win. Yes, we got some cool moments like Batista powerbombing Triple H through a table during the contract signing, but Batista's first promo after WM21 is still, in my opinion, one of the absolute worst, most awkward and poorly delivered "RAW opener" promos in history, and his first run with the belt was easily forgettable. He was bound to be a main eventer eventually, but I think it happened too soon when he wasn't ready to carry the ball.

I also want to agree with Jeff Jarrett in WCW. He was a good worker and everything but he wasn't anywhere near the level of main event heel that WCW needed in order to attempt to compete with the WWF's stacked main event roster. Aside from his Spring Stampede 2000 match with DDP, I can't remember a single JJ World Title match that I enjoyed during his WCW career. "Slapnuts" was funny and everything, but the guy was US Title contender at best.

Swagger he's just a poor man's Kurt Angle/Brock Lesner.

John Cena.

omgih8himsomuchsoheshudnvrhazbnpushd

And y'know clearly it was gonna be Brock at one point

but I consider us as fans lucky for winding up with Cena where Brock comes of like a whiny dick who takes his ball and goes home to his "sell by date past" wife sometimes, Cena is entertaining inside the ring and From all accounts a great human being outside the ring who genuinely loves his job

Hes not half the wrestler Brock is but who really gives a fuck its PG.

Actually, I don't think that his push should have happened when it did. Personally, I think JBL should have retained at WrestleMania and dropped the WWE Title off to Cena at Judgment Day, or something. That's what I was thinking at the time, anyway.

The Great Khali is another that comes to mind. Kane was all set up to be Edge's challenger, and was a big man that really could have used the World Heavyweight Title at that point in time. Kane has been known to turn down pushes and such, but Khali was just a weird choice. He doesn't feel like a former World Heavyweight Champion, despite his size.

Rey Mysterio's push was earned by Rey's abilities, but the timing and execution of it was just one big miscalculation on the WWE's part. Chavo Guerrero or Chris Benoit would have been more logical candidates to give the "Eddie push" at the time.

I think Cena and Batista rose so quickly for two reasons; Brock left and the Orton face turned flopped.

Had Brock stayed, he would have a few programs left on SmackDown!, and a move to Raw that never happened. Matches/programs with the likes of Triple H, Shawn Micheals, Booker T, etc.

Orton's mishandled face turned was a hige set back. Instead of either keeping him heel and dumping Triple H to build towards a possible Mania 21 title match, or going with the face turn and keeping all the characterisitcs that made him popular in the first place and letting him run with the belt, they rushed a turn and took the belt off of him after a month and he became main event fodder.

As for Rey, yes, Benoit would've been a good choice for the role, but it's not even the role I have a problem with. Mysterio's work ethic and popularity were more than deserving of his Mania win. It was the way they built up the storyline. They made it all about Eddie. And while dedicating a win to someone is fine, you can't expect giving someone such a blatantly shallow push to go over effectively. Not to mention, his booking post Mania was atrocious.

I also don't think Chavo was the guy for the role. At all. You can try to make all the arguments you want, but Chavo was never, at any point, believeably over with the fans. Yes, he can work. Yes, being Eddie's nephew and closest relative should've made am easy transition into the role, but Chavo was over enough to get that spot and make it believeable that after a career of jobbing and never doing better than a cruiserweight title, he could win a big match at Mania. He just wasn't booked that way. Not entirely his fault, but still.

Khali is an easy vote for me.

Disagree, I think he was a good champ to have HHH go over and make him look like a legit main eventer.

I was chuffed when Big Show won his first title. but using it for his feud vs Bossman was a bad idea IMO. Bossman 1999 push should not have happened.