So I was digging around on YouTube, and shortly before Montreal, Ken Shamrock had RAW matches against both Bret and Shawn... not only are both matches well above average for a Shamrock TV match (not surprising), but both matches end with a distracted ref missing it as Shamrock forces Bret and Shawn to tap (more surprising). Were there main event plans for Shamrock at the time? Because otherwise it's kinda weird to have him pretty decisively beat (even if technically both matches ended in DQs) two of the three biggest stars in the company within a week or two of each other.
If there were plans, what happened to derail them?
Well I mean, he DID main event the December PPV against Shawn, and there were vague notions of putting the belt on Shamrock when the whole Bret thing was going down, but the PPV match was weak enough that I don't think anyone would continue to push Shamrock at that level.
Shamrock should have gotten himself involved with ShamWow. He left a lot of money on the table.
ReplyDelete...And why do we call it a chamois? I know it's French, but it don't make no sense!
ReplyDeleteI loved Shamrock and was excited to see him in the company, but the booking was so bad, I couldn't get behind him. They should have had Shamrock come into the company as a tweener/heel and have him squash jobbers endlessly in one minute matches to slowly build him up as a main event player.
ReplyDeleteLol. Picturing Shamrock mumbling his way through as infomercial...
ReplyDeleteIts the Kofi/Ziggler of the main event!
ReplyDeleteSo a heel Goldberg
ReplyDeleteThe TLC main event has 'draw' written all over it especially if they wanted a decisive winner it would be a straight up one on one match rather than two straps dangling above the ring. I can see them potentially swapping titles though... this has me thinking were getting the Benoit/Eddie moment from WM20 but with Punk/Bryan... DB beating Orton for the WHC and Punk beating Cena for the WWE title, it would make sense considering it's the 30th anniversary, then they can show a 'classic moment' back without it being tarnished unlike the previous version.
ReplyDeleteI think the vague notion was that Bret wanted to drop the title to him. I doubt they ever seriously considered it HBK super-hot and Austin waiting in the wings.
ReplyDeleteI do kind of wish they had touched upon evil Robo-Shamrock earlier so he could've feuded with Austin in 1998. Though Shamrock did have a good run in 1998 with Rocky and then Owen (a personal favorite was the SummerSlam 98 match)
Not to open this can of worms but do these fake concussion angles make anyone else squirm just a little? I get that it's a simulated sport, and everything they put in tv is simulated but for some reason it kinda just strikes me the wrong way...this from someone who didnt blink an eye through the hung Big Bossman, lawlers heart attack videos, a sacrifice of Steph, the Paul Bearer death mocking etc.
ReplyDeleteIt just strikes me as hypocritical they'd do these concussion things while trying to erase the career, and shirk any small responsiblity they had in a tragedy partially caused by concussions.
I kinda feel the same way, but to Devil's Advocate that argument, if you make it seem like these superhero athletes can suffer injuries at any moment, you might make your "Don't Try This At Home" disclaimer a little more vivid.
ReplyDeleteIt was treated like a really big deal when Shamrock first made appearances and reffed the WM classic between Bret and Stone Cold. That match kind of bled off onto Ken (he got a HUGE pop for taking down Bret to keep him from beating on Austin).
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately for Ken, the WWF was entering its hottest and most talent-rich period, and they just didn't need him at the top.
Also, I don't think his heart ever really left MMA. Too bad for him he went back. Tito pretty much embarrassed him twice, and his value to wrestling wasn't as high after that.
http://www.memegeneokerlund.com/meme/t2vp8e
ReplyDeleteLOVED me some Ken Shamrock. A 13 year old Patrick thought for sure he was going to take the belt off Shawn Michaels. Then thought for sure he was winning the Royal Rumble. Then thought for sure he was beating Rock at WM for the IC Title... and after all that, it was hard to get behind the guy.
ReplyDeleteYea, within a vacuum I'd be ok with the concussion angle...youre trying to sell a simulated sport and concussions andre part of contact sports. It's just with the combination of football shit, Jovan Belcher, Seau, Dorset, etc., and with them whitewashing Benoit and never even accepting a small amount of responsibility within the tragedy, it just knaves a bad taste in my mmouth
ReplyDeleteThat's a pretty good idea but then who would take the roles of JBL and Orton?
ReplyDeleteOut of all the heel Orton's I've seen, this one seems to be the most subdued.
ReplyDeleteShamrock's lack of charisma is what doomed him in the long term. He had a great look, was legit tough and was good enough in the ring... but with the WWF entering an era of 20 minute dueling mic promos, Shamrock didn't have a place at the top of the card. His inability to beat HBK and The Rock also kind of hurt his aura and eventually the fans started turning on him after his feud with Owen.
ReplyDeleteAs for a potential main event run, I think it's like others have said where Ken was one of the guys Bret was willing to drop the title to upon his exit.
I can't even read the REVIEWS of this show anymore. I don't know how anyone watches the actual programming...
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure I understand..
ReplyDelete