Thought this would be a good idea to get some conversation going in the forum. Let's discuss how wrestling history would have changed if certain situations happened differently.

What if Verne Gagne gave Hulk Hogan the AWA title instead of trying to extort him?

Think McMahon would have went back for Hogan somewhere along the line anyway whatever the differences between Gagne and Hogan.

Don't think AWA goes national instead? Or someone else becomes the face of the WWF? Maybe Junkyard Dog?

Probably someone else gets the hogan role, just not jyd

Jyd was super over. Snuka was in like for a big role but he allegedly murderer his girlfriend. Who else do you think gets the monster push ?

I don't think it would've made a difference. Even if Verne gave him the title, his outdated perception of what made a successful promotion would still be the same, and the company would still have failed. Vince would have gotten Hogan in the end no matter what, it just might have taken a little longer.

Agree with that completely.

Giving Hogan the title would have meant Gagne changed his perception of what was needed for the AWA to succeed.

Even without Hogan, the AWA had a weekly program on ESPN starting in the fall of 1985 and some syndicated penetration in by 1984. With Hogan as the lead guy, I think it could have been a big success. And Hogan would stay if he thought that's where the money was.


As for who could be the WWF's top guy, Snuka couldn't do it because the guy couldn't give an interview. Junkyard Dog was a top draw in the south but wasn't what McMahon was looking for.

In 1982 and '83, McMahon used the USA Network's Sunday noon show 'All American Wrestling' to promote not only WWF stars gut also showed matches from other territories (Mid-south, Florida, etc.). Many of those stars eventually signed with the WWF as if the territory match was an audition.

McMahon seem particularly interested in the Von Erichs. He ran stories on them in Victory/WWF Magazine in 1983. Kerry, in particular, had the look McMahon wanted. David, if he bulked up a little, would have been even better.

There was definitely some discussion of a partnership been the WWF and World Class Championship Wrestling.

There is no "Hogan role" in the sense that you can plug somebody into the top spot and expect the WWF to be as successful. Hogan had a unique set of skills which made him a great draw (which he already was in the AWA).

Somebody else would have to be in a "Champion role". I've always thought the most qualified person at the time was Dusty Rhodes. He was like Hulk Hogan without the physique. (charismatic, patriotic, etc.) Dusty still had several good years in him as we saw in Crocket's NWA.

Apparently if Hogan didn't leave wwf for rocky he would have been sent to Crockett promotions

what if eddie guerrero didn't die?

We would have never had to deal with Vickie

What if WCW never signed Ted Dibiase?

Is the WWE even in business?

What if Vince McMahon had been convicted and received a lengthy sentence in the steroids trial?

There's also a what-if about some group that tried to purchase WCW in 2001 (I think) that fell through and allowed Vince to swoop in.

I don't get this

Austin would never have been repackaged and would have remained the ringmaster thus never causing the attitude era

At some point Austin was going to make it huge no matter what, IMO. He was that good.

It's kind of like the people who think Vince made Hogan. He certainly helped Hogan but Hogan was going to be huge no matter what.

Sorry thought you meant dibiase destroyed wcw lol

He would have still became Stone Cold. The WWF (and wrestling as a whole) was undergoing a general paradigm shift towards allowing characters to be more like themselves and away from gimmicks such as the ringmaster.

JYD's popularity went downhill pretty fast in the WWF; compare the pops he gets near his debut to a couple years later. Steamboat, Savage, or Piper much more likely to be top face than JYD or Snuka, although Vince may have looked for someone with a body size/shape closer to Hogan's.

I think the "Hogan replacement" would have to have been someone who was a second-tier guy at the time or who was really unhappy where he was, like Hogan. Dusty Rhodes was basically printing money in the South at that time and WCCW was in the midst of one of the greatest 3-5 years runs ever so none of the Von Erichs were leaving for NY.

I think Stan Hansen stands out to me as a suitable replacement. He had some name recognition and WWF experience and came across as something of an every man, similar to what Hogan's character became. A face Paul Orndorff maybe, he certainly had the physique for it. Maybe a wild card would be Davey Boy Smith, but he would have probably been too young at the time.

One of my favorite what-ifs would be the plane crash that injured Ric Flair. Can you imagine a 300 pound brawling Ric Flair in place of "the Nature Boy?"

Incoming multi-quote bomb

AWA was already preparing to go national when Hogan was there. But as noted below, Verne was so out of it that AWA would've gone bust at a later point.



I completely agree with this. I don't agree that putting the belt on Hogan would've shown that Verne had the ability to change and adapt. The general product was also a lot slower than all of the southern products, which would always be a problem going national.

And on top of that, Austin was already developing the Stone Cold gimmick in ECW. He was also a real upcoming talent when he was part of the Hollywood Blondes when he was in WCW. The writing was on the wall that he was gonna be big, he just needed his chance.


I think as far as who would've gotten the strap instead of Hogan. I think Dibiase would've been a good candidate.

WCW would have struggled along. Without a massive backstage clearout it would have been screwed. They had major problems in creating new stars. It was all about the old guard who were getting on in age. The writing and storylines were wacky and out of place. People would have gotten bored.

Liked the idea of this thread so maybe it can get more traction.

What if Sting ends up being the 3rd guy in the NWO?