Rough luck for Buff, who hasn't exactly had a prosperous career since getting forgotten by the world since the Invasion flop in 2001. Although I guess he recovered from a broken neck once already.
Discussion fodder: can the downfall of the InVasion be pinpointed to the exact moment when Buff started wrestling in a WWE ring? As in, everything before that (all the run-ins) weren't great, but there was still hope, but after Buff started wrestling and the crowd shit on it, there was no going back.
Or maybe back to the simulcast, when Buff got an unexpected huge pop when Vince mentioned his name.
I've actually always liked Buff, he was a very entertaining douchebag heel (and I think most fans agreed, he didn't get that big pop when Vince mentioned him for nothing), but he was always below-average in the ring - having him featured in the first "WCWF" match was a BIG mistake. Definitely should have been DDP.
I agree, I was a fan of Buff's heel work too and him and Scott Steiner had some tremendous chemistry together. But yeah having the first WCW match in WWF feature Buff was a huge misfire on their part.
Never liked his characters or matches but I've always felt a connection to Bagwell since watching his debut as Fabian in North Georgia Pro Wrestling when I was a kid. And who could ever forget the Handsome Stranger?
I wonder what would've happened had they waited one more week before they debuted. I remember a shoot Buff did where he said WWE didn't want to wait until the next week (when RAW would be in Atlanta) to debut WCW, and the fans shat on it all night and screwed up his and Booker's confidence, thus, the horrendous match.
"Do not adjust your television set -- I am this good looking."
At the height of the nWo, he was one of the most over guys on the roster. Besides the fact that he couldn't wrestle, his character just seemed like it wouldn't have worked in WWE.
I wonder why Buff never took a full time gig with TNA? With their affinity for ex WCW / WWE guys, Buff could have made a decent living working for them.
It was not Buff's fault. The blame goes to the WWE. Plain and simple. They should have realized that the Seattle crowd did not want a WCW match on their show. They should have waited until the next week.
Plus, they did not have Goldberg, Hogan or Kevin Nash. The only big stars to arrive for the invasion were Booker T and DDP. Not much to work with.
I might be in the minority, but I really liked Buff's tag team with Lex Luger. They were hilarious and fun to watch when they did the mock funerals for Goldberg and Kevin Nash. Figures that WCW would go out of business right when Luger was motivated for the first time since 1989.
At least now his mum could call in sick for him and it be legitimate...
ReplyDeleteDiscussion fodder: can the downfall of the InVasion be pinpointed to the exact moment when Buff started wrestling in a WWE ring? As in, everything before that (all the run-ins) weren't great, but there was still hope, but after Buff started wrestling and the crowd shit on it, there was no going back.
ReplyDeleteOr maybe back to the simulcast, when Buff got an unexpected huge pop when Vince mentioned his name.
I just hope he didn't leave his hat at the hospital. He'll never get it back...
ReplyDeleteI've actually always liked Buff, he was a very entertaining douchebag heel (and I think most fans agreed, he didn't get that big pop when Vince mentioned him for nothing), but he was always below-average in the ring - having him featured in the first "WCWF" match was a BIG mistake. Definitely should have been DDP.
ReplyDeleteI agree, I was a fan of Buff's heel work too and him and Scott Steiner had some tremendous chemistry together. But yeah having the first WCW match in WWF feature Buff was a huge misfire on their part.
ReplyDeleteNever liked his characters or matches but I've always felt a connection to Bagwell since watching his debut as Fabian in North Georgia Pro Wrestling when I was a kid. And who could ever forget the Handsome Stranger?
ReplyDeleteBroken Neck. Missing Eye. Car Crash. Research shows tanning beads lead to cancer. It's been a rough few decades for the American Males.
ReplyDeleteI wonder what would've happened had they waited one more week before they debuted. I remember a shoot Buff did where he said WWE didn't want to wait until the next week (when RAW would be in Atlanta) to debut WCW, and the fans shat on it all night and screwed up his and Booker's confidence, thus, the horrendous match.
ReplyDelete"Do not adjust your television set -- I am this good looking."
ReplyDeleteAt the height of the nWo, he was one of the most over guys on the roster. Besides the fact that he couldn't wrestle, his character just seemed like it wouldn't have worked in WWE.
Wow. That is just mean.
ReplyDeleteI also agree. Buff and Steiner were a fun team to watch during their time in WCW. A rare makeshift team that actually worked out for awhile.
ReplyDeleteI wonder why Buff never took a full time gig with TNA? With their affinity for ex WCW / WWE guys, Buff could have made a decent living working for them.
ReplyDelete...American Males...
ReplyDelete...American Males...
...American Males...
My favorite wrestler theme song of all time simply because I knew the lyrics!
It was not Buff's fault. The blame goes to the WWE. Plain and simple. They should have realized that the Seattle crowd did not want a WCW match on their show. They should have waited until the next week.
ReplyDeletePlus, they did not have Goldberg, Hogan or Kevin Nash. The only big stars to arrive for the invasion were Booker T and DDP. Not much to work with.
I might be in the minority, but I really liked Buff's tag team with Lex Luger.
ReplyDeleteThey were hilarious and fun to watch when they did the mock funerals for Goldberg and Kevin Nash.
Figures that WCW would go out of business right when Luger was motivated for the first time since 1989.