One MIND-BLOWING Secret From EVERY Month Of The WWE Attitude Era

31. October 1998 | Sid Came Back To The WWF…Sort Of

Sycho Sid Vicious
WWE.com

The history of WWE developmental is knotty, and the version WWE tells is not entirely accurate. The system did not start with Ohio Valley Wrestling; it’s just better for WWE to gloss that fact over because the 2002 class is such a great origin story. 

The implosion of the territory system - the dynamite with which was laced by the WWF - caused issues for the WWF. Vince McMahon had little time to celebrate the pyrrhic victory because the business was on its arse by the mid-1990s. The WWF reached out to what was left of it, sending their unseasoned prospects to the Heartland Wrestling Association, Smoky Mountain Wrestling, and the United States Wrestling Association out of Memphis. 

WWF later collaborated with Power Pro Wrestling in Memphis, which, in addition to operating as a small-time promotion in and of itself, was either a dumping ground for the likes of Giant Silva or a place in which Kurt Angle could hone his skills. This dual- purpose outfit yielded some bizarre happenings, since Randy Hales needed to sell tickets and bring in stars not on great terms with the WWF and WWF talent alike. 

This is how the unaware wrestling world almost arrived at the bizarre prospect of still-employed Brawl For All winner Bart Gunn Vs. Sid. In 1998!

The match (Sid and Jerry Lawler Vs. the WWF’s Road Warrior Hawk and Bart Gunn) didn’t end up happening; after a show-long storyline in which Sid had to beat multiple wrestlers in order to earn a spot in the promotion, he got pissed off and kicked everybody’s ass instead, resulting in a no-contest. 

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick (Creative Writing BA Hons) is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over a decade of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential UK institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!