If Owen Hart paralyzes Stone Cold in 1997 would the WWF still be in business?
 

Saw this brought up on another site and found this interesting. Stone Cold came back from a horrific neck injury and took the company to places even greater than the Hogan era. So the question is, if Stone Cold doesn't come back would the company have survived, and further, could WCW kept wrestling in the mainstream? Would we be back in the territory market of old? Crazy to think about what could have been.

Don’t know for sure but I'd have 2 go with probably...WWF back then still had quite a few excellent up-and-comers and main eventers. They would've survived but the whole landscape of the business would probably be drastically altered, maybe even to the point where WWF is the one that folds and gets bought by WCW.

Only one way we’ll ever find out...

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Time machine.

Yeah they'd still be in business. WCW was never going to beat out WWE long-term. The landscape would be very different today and we might even still have two viable competitive companies, but yeah, definitely still in business.

Maybe Rock would have taken Austin's spot... his extra value as THE only guy could have changed his career drastically.

The WWF was on fumes in 1997. HBK was injured, Bret Hart was having issues with Mcmahon and the Rock hadn't found his groove. That would have left Undertake and maybe Sid in 1997. I don't know if they would have made it. WCW would have folded regardless.

They woulda given the Stone Cold gimmick to someone else. Stone Cold Aldo Montoya would have been epic!

"Stone Cold" Bart Gunn, wasn't he also billed from Texas?

Jeff Jarrett main event push!

"Stone Cold" Brian Pillman

worked for WCW

Owen Hart would have taken the title off Shawn Michaels at Wrestlemania 14. Ken Shamrock would have been a logical anti-authority wrestler to eventually challenge Owen, though without the cussing or obscene gestures.

What a load of turd, Curd. That is all wrong. Ken Shamrock ain't no anti authority figure. His Bo Rics haircut screams conformity.

I guess you have a point about the crew cut signifying conformity. He'd have to shave it bald like the Headbangers or something.

Say, is that Juan in your avatar?

In the immortal words of Jim Cornette "Jeff Jarrett broke 6000 guitars and never drew a dime"

It's Juan of many Mexicans here illegally

Yup, didn't your notice how Shisen's posts sweat now

Close... but Austin's woman gave him the idea for the "Stone Cold" part. Whoever it was would have likely been "Ice Dagger" instead.

WWF would have beaten any WCW with Hulk "Creative Control" Hogan in it eventually....

He could drink pasta sauce like beer.

They didn't "give" the stone cold gimmick to austin though. That was pretty much just him. And Austin's rise and popularity is what prompted wwe toward having guys just be themselves as opposed to assigning them ridiculous gimmicks.

There still would be "_______ Vs McMahon"

They'd still be in business I think, they just wouldn't have had the same boom period. It would have come later with The Rock instead, but then again would he have become so popular without having Austin his rival? Would Foley?

They'd still be around although at the same size they were pre-AE. Bret vs HBK feud which included DX-Foundation and Canada-USA would have lasted at least another year. The WWE would eventually have found a new star due to all the youth they were pushing although doubt whoever became the new star would have the same mainstream appeal Austin had.

Doubt the Rock becomes as big as he did since his rise was from the Stone Cold feud and by association with the Vince-SC feud.

Don't think WCW would have lasted if the WWF went under considering they started to have serious money issues just a year later from all the bloated contracts and nWo being stale by late 1997.

Wouldn't be as good without austin.

For that to happen Bret and Shawn would have had to patch things up. Remember, without Austin, The Rock would have had to come a year early and ratings were terrible. Imagine if Austin wasn't around.WM 14 was built around Austin vs HBK. Take Austin and Bret out of the picture and what are you left with? Taker vs HBK? That eliminates Kane then. It'd create a huge trickle down effect.