10 Wrestling Nightmares That Almost Came True
8. The Ultimate Warrior DID Nearly Ruin The Attitude Era
That entry title might scan as hyperbole, but consider how Steve Austin stayed over throughout the Attitude Era.
He was an incredible brawler as funny as he was intense. His act was perfectly calibrated to the times: a renegade badass who dealt with authority with equal parts violence and irresistible deadpan, the fans were besotted by a man who was always one step ahead of the evil boss. There was no ass he couldn't kick, no attempt at sabotage he couldn't outwit. To get heat on Austin required a scheme so intricate (Deadly Game) or so riddled with plot holes (Higher Power) that the fans never once stopped believing in him. This was key; Austin was indisputably the man.
In a wild scoop first unearthed by David Bixenspan, Vince McMahon - despite crying money troubles when convincing Bret Hart to jump to WCW - offered the Ultimate Warrior a contract for an eye-watering, guaranteed $750,000 in December of 1997.
If he actually signed, it was extremely likely that he'd have f*cked off within months under acrimonious circumstances - but while he was there, he'd have been positioned on top, undermining Austin. He'd also have undermined the all-important vibe of the Attitude Era. It felt thrillingly new, bold, fashionable - and the oppressive presence of the Warrior may well have portrayed the WWF as a woefully uncool relic.
It happened in WCW in 1998, after all.