What If Angle Had Became The Undisputed Champion Instead Of Jericho?

[The GOAT]

Do you think if Kurt Angle had unified the WWF and WCW World Titles at Vengeance 2001, that it would have been just as good of a booking decision (or perhaps even a better one) than having Jericho be the one to do it?

I kinda prefer Jericho being the one to do it myself, I'm just being hypothetical for the sake of discussion.

Kurt Angle had a lot of momentum throughout pretty much all of 2001. He started the year off as world champion, had a good but sort of thrown together match with Benoit at WM X-7, nearly won the KOTR for the second straight year (and arguably only lost due to interference from Shane McMahon), became the hero against Austin and The Alliance, then joined The Alliance only to turn against them three weeks later and then brag the next night about how he was the one who single-handily "saved the WWF", with endorsement from Vince McMahon in doing so.

In regards to that last part especially, do you think him going on to beat both Austin and The Rock and becoming the first-ever Undisputed Champion in WWF history (which would allow him to gloat about being both the first and only Olympics Gold Medal winner in WWF history as well as the first-ever Undisputed Champion in history, too), and then doing the Wrestlemania angle and match with Triple H would have been better? He had history and bad blood with Triple H just like Jericho did, but the fact that Hunter was paranoid about Steph cheating on him with Angle two years before could be something else that could play into the feud. In fact, they could have even had Steph say that she DID cheat on HHH with Kurt back in 2000 to make things even more personal.

Thoughts?

 

[Aids Johnson]

Jericho winning was great, how they handled it was absolutely not.

 

[Green Jesus]

If Angle were the undisputed champion? Shit, that's a hard one. I would guess that Sarah Palin would become U.S president via butterfly effect

 

[Dolph'sZiggler]

What if the Nazis had won WWII???

 

[The GOAT]

Well, at least I still have WF when I want a serious discussion on wrestling from the past.

 

[Dolph'sZiggler]

Well, at least I still have WF when I want a serious discussion on wrestling from the past.

lol, just stay there bro.

 

[Red Rain]

Jericho admitted he had jobber's disease the first years during his first WWE run.
His mannerisms during his first promo with Rock were a disappointment (his words).
During that time as Undisputed Champion, he volunteered to be Steph's slave. The heat was really centered around Steph/HHH not Y2J/HHH.

Angle, above all, is competitive and allow himself to be denigrated to too far a degree on television.
I agree with your premise for, to this day, we've seen Jericho voluntarily toliet is reputation as a WWE legend.
If WWE were to have moved passed the Attitude Era and into the future, Angle would be the appropriate poster boy for such a move.
When one remembers the Ruthless Aggression Era Angle and Lesnar are some of the first that come to surface and not so much Jericho.

 

[The GOAT]

Jericho admitted he had jobber's disease the first years during his first WWE run.
His mannerisms during his first promo with Rock were a disappointment (his words).
During that time as Undisputed Champion, he volunteered to be Steph's slave. The heat was really centered around Steph/HHH not Y2J/HHH.

Angle, above all, is competitive and allow himself to be denigrated to too far a degree on television.
I agree with your premise for, to this day, we've seen Jericho voluntarily toliet is reputation as a WWE legend.
If WWE were to have moved passed the Attitude Era and into the future, Angle would be the appropriate poster boy for such a move.
When one remembers the Ruthless Aggression Era Angle and Lesnar are some of the first that come to surface and not so much Jericho.

Jericho kind of outlines what he thought went wrong with his title reign in his second book, 'Undisputed.'

He feels that his title win at Vengeance 2001 was way overbooked (since it took no less than three people for him to defeat Austin and become the champion) and that the Wrestlemania angle with HHH revolved less around him vs HHH and more around HHH vs Stephanie and whether Stephanie would eventually eat the pedigree. He also explains throughout the book that he actually did fight some of the creative decisions that were being made while he was champion and even had a couple suggestions of his own that were shot down. So I don't know that Kurt Angle wouldn't have run into the same issues as champion that Y2J did. However, it might not have been as bad with Angle since he had a pseudo-romantic past with Steph and would have more easily fit into the role of being her lapdog.

 

[Red Rain]

Jericho kind of outlines what he thought went wrong with his title reign in his second book, 'Undisputed.'

He feels that his title win at Vengeance 2001 was way overbooked (since it took no less than three people for him to defeat Austin and become the champion) and that the Wrestlemania angle with HHH revolved less around him vs HHH and more around HHH vs Stephanie and whether Stephanie would eventually eat the pedigree. He also explains throughout the book that he actually did fight some of the creative decisions that were being made while he was champion and even had a couple suggestions of his own that were shot down. So I don't know that Kurt Angle wouldn't have run into the same issues as champion that Y2J did. However, it might not have been as bad with Angle since he had a pseudo-romantic past with Steph and would have more easily fit into the role of being her lapdog.

If you watch the video it basically speaks volumes about Jericho's reign as champion.
He literally had to walk HHH (and Steph's) dog after it pooped on the carpet.


Kurt Angle and Steph's relationship was more legitimate and McMahon clearly took Kurt Angle, as a competitor more seriously.
Y2J had to earn his spots because McMahon clearly had no problem with him being a glorified upper mid card act.
Angle always had a trick up his sleeve and may have walked HHH's dog just to get close to Steph.

Y2J was never the threat to HHH (despite 'injuring' HHH for 8 months) the way Angle would have. The booking philosophy would have been totally different.

 

[Roadster]

Wouldn't be much different. He was by far one of the most talented guys around and he was stepped all over by the end of his run, much like Jericho is being stepped on now.

 

[Jacob Fox]

I'm not really sure if it would have made a huge difference to Kurt Angle's legacy in any way. Based on ability alone, the man secured an incomparable legacy. Jericho, on the other hand, legacy wise, benefited from it greatly.

Now, I know your question was more about the story line at the time though. Personally, I think it was better to have Jericho unify the title and move into the HHH/Steph feud. I agree with Paige is Hot that Angle's motives would have been different storyline wise and that likely changed the dynamics of the feud.

Another thing is ability and presence at the time. Not to piss off Jericho fans, but the way he was booked seemed to be saying he needed Steph for him to win more than Steph needed him. That gave her a perfect opportunity to take control of Jericho because it was easier to assume that Jericho needed Steph to win that title. (At least in my eyes).

It would have been different with Angle. On pure talent alone, Angle had already established that he didn't need anyone's help if it came down to that. So yeah, if it had been Angle winning, he would had to have had a different motive for having Steph's involvement than just needing her to help him win.

It's mildly difficult for me because all this took place during the sole period in my life when I took a wrestling hiatus, and had to watch all the shows on tapes and such to get caught up. But I'd say the Jericho decision was more appropriate for the story going forward from Vengeance.

 

[The GOAT]

I'm not really sure if it would have made a huge difference to Kurt Angle's legacy in any way. Based on ability alone, the man secured an incomparable legacy. Jericho, on the other hand, legacy wise, benefited from it greatly.

Now, I know your question was more about the story line at the time though. Personally, I think it was better to have Jericho unify the title and move into the HHH/Steph feud. I agree with Paige is Hot that Angle's motives would have been different storyline wise and that likely changed the dynamics of the feud.

Another thing is ability and presence at the time. Not to piss off Jericho fans, but the way he was booked seemed to be saying he needed Steph for him to win more than Steph needed him. That gave her a perfect opportunity to take control of Jericho because it was easier to assume that Jericho needed Steph to win that title. (At least in my eyes).

It would have been different with Angle. On pure talent alone, Angle had already established that he didn't need anyone's help if it came down to that. So yeah, if it had been Angle winning, he would had to have had a different motive for having Steph's involvement than just needing her to help him win.

It's mildly difficult for me because all this took place during the sole period in my life when I took a wrestling hiatus, and had to watch all the shows on tapes and such to get caught up. But I'd say the Jericho decision was more appropriate for the story going forward from Vengeance.

What other motive would Angle have needed though than the fact that he had history with HHH (who he would have been forced to revisit his bad blood with since he'd had to defend the title against him at Mania due to Hunter winning the Rumble) and the fact that he used to have a 'thing' for Stephanie who now hated HHH as well? It would have been the same angle as their match at No Way Out a month before, only stretched out longer and treated with more importance due to being used as an angle for Wrestlemania instead. Plus, as tough of a competitor as Angle is, he was a heel and thus would/could still use a little assistance himself when the chips are down.

 

[Red Rain]

What other motive would Angle have needed though than the fact that he had history with HHH (who he would have been forced to revisit his bad blood with since he'd had to defend the title against him at Mania due to Hunter winning the Rumble) and the fact that he used to have a 'thing' for Stephanie who now hated HHH as well? It would have been the same angle as their match at No Way Out a month before, only stretched out longer and treated with more importance due to being used as an angle for Wrestlemania instead. Plus, as tough of a competitor as Angle is, he was a heel and thus would/could still use a little assistance himself when the chips are down.

I can't speak for Jacob Fox, but I assume he meant that Kurt Angle's character would have rubbed the audience in a different way.
In order for his character appear differently, his motivation would have been a huge factor.
This may be more psychological where Kurt Angle (the person) approached this angle from a more self-beneficial point of view.
Chris Irvine (Jericho) approached this angle considering factors such as hate-abiliity, cowardice, arrogance etc that would make the audience turn on him further.

Making Jericho a pawn in that angle is far simpler than it would be for Kurt Angle, thus WWE would have written the angle with different progression in mind.

 

[Jacob Fox]

That's probably a lot better than I could have put it, but thanks, Paige is Hot.

This all happened for the sole period in my life when I wasn't watching wrestling, Although I can go back and watch taped shows and matches, they are all tainted by the perceptions I have of these wrestlers that had developed after this happened. The first time I ever saw Kurt Angle wrestle was in the 2004 Royal Rumble, so that fierce competitor who needs no help sort of stuck with me. It's a little difficult to retroactively see Angle as he was viewed by fans watching at the time.

But yes, I think that Angle being involved because of having feelings for Steph would not have been as easy to hate as Jericho's motivation was. And I had a hell of a time trying to get that out the last day or so... thanks again