In January 1991 former Intercontinental Champion Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat was brought back to the WWF. Aside for a casual reference by Gorilla Monsoon to "Ricky Steamboat", for all intents and purposes he was essentially a new character. Dressed like a literal dragon and breathing fire, Richard Blood was used primarily as an opening card wrestler once he began performing in March of that year. Steamboat remained undefeated and gained a lengthy series of victories against Haku on the house show circuit. In the meantime he requested that he be allowed to work under a mask as a heel, with the eventual unmasking to be a huge surprise. WWF booker Pat Patterson declined the offer, and Steamboat continued to wrestle as a face and remained undefeated.
In October 1991 he finally sustained his first pinfall loss - a house show defeat to Skinner. The next day at a television taping he gave his notice after being asked by Vince McMahon to do a stretcher job to The Undertaker. That release was granted, and Steamboat joined WCW the following month.
However what if Steamboat had stayed on with the WWF? While Vince McMahon may have envisioned him as a mid-card performer on his return that would never revisit his 80s heights, that situation might have been flipped on its head a year later. Steamboat was never a body wrestler and was even more technically sound than Bret Hart. Let's focus on September 1992. Ultimate Warrior is having contractual difficulties again with the company. Hogan is sitting out. Piper has left. Flair has fallen victim to an inner ear problem and may not return. Sid has been sitting out and is on the verge of release. Jake Roberts is in WCW. The World Wrestling Federation was considering several options to be their new face of the company - Undertaker, Bret Hart, Randy Savage, Shawn Michaels, Tito Santana, and Rick Martell.
Undertaker was rejected due to concerns about his gimmick. Savage was rejected because he had just been champion and business had declined over the summer of 1992. Martell was turned down due to his promos, and Santana was ultimately judged to be too old. Shawn Michaels was considered too inexperienced as a singles wrestler for that level of push, and ultimately it went to Bret Hart. But what if Ricky Steamboat had been in the mix? He would have been 39 at the time, a year older than Tito and 5 years older than Bret. However he would not have had the level of exposure that Santana or Hart had, and could have theoretically been considered a fresher face. At the same time, he would have made for a prime heel opponent for Bret Hart in 1993.
Thoughts?
ick
In October 1991 he finally sustained his first pinfall loss - a house show defeat to Skinner. The next day at a television taping he gave his notice after being asked by Vince McMahon to do a stretcher job to The Undertaker. That release was granted, and Steamboat joined WCW the following month.
However what if Steamboat had stayed on with the WWF? While Vince McMahon may have envisioned him as a mid-card performer on his return that would never revisit his 80s heights, that situation might have been flipped on its head a year later. Steamboat was never a body wrestler and was even more technically sound than Bret Hart. Let's focus on September 1992. Ultimate Warrior is having contractual difficulties again with the company. Hogan is sitting out. Piper has left. Flair has fallen victim to an inner ear problem and may not return. Sid has been sitting out and is on the verge of release. Jake Roberts is in WCW. The World Wrestling Federation was considering several options to be their new face of the company - Undertaker, Bret Hart, Randy Savage, Shawn Michaels, Tito Santana, and Rick Martell.
Undertaker was rejected due to concerns about his gimmick. Savage was rejected because he had just been champion and business had declined over the summer of 1992. Martell was turned down due to his promos, and Santana was ultimately judged to be too old. Shawn Michaels was considered too inexperienced as a singles wrestler for that level of push, and ultimately it went to Bret Hart. But what if Ricky Steamboat had been in the mix? He would have been 39 at the time, a year older than Tito and 5 years older than Bret. However he would not have had the level of exposure that Santana or Hart had, and could have theoretically been considered a fresher face. At the same time, he would have made for a prime heel opponent for Bret Hart in 1993.
Thoughts?
