10 Hypothetical WWE Brawl For All 2016 Contestants
2. Jack Swagger
Jack Swagger has been with WWE for 10 years now, dating back to his time in Deep South and OVW. Going back even further, Swagger was a dual-sport athlete in high school, competing in amateur wrestling and football, before being recruited by the University of Oklahoma.
Like others on the list, Swagger is a great choice for the hypothetical Brawl For All due to his impressive background in amateur wrestling. The All-American American is not just a gimmick. the real Jake Hager was named an NCAA All-American in 2006 as he set OU's all-time record for most pins.
Unlike others on the list, Swagger probably would've been in the Brawl For All had he been in WWE back in '98 as he fits the mold perfectly (reputed tough guy, mid-carder, in need of a push). This isn't to imply that WWE was uber-strategic in their 1998 Brawl For All selections as it was quite the contrary, actually.
According to Bruce Prichard, all of the talents were offered an equal opportunity to compete in the original tournament that would see $75,000 paid to the winner and $25,000 to the runner-up. Even if the top acts of the time like Austin, Foley, Undertaker and Kane wanted to participate, they would've likely been kept out in order to protect their personas.
Whether it was 1998 or 2016, Jack Swagger would make for a premier performer in WWE's Brawl For All.