Wrestling History Revisited: Rewriting The Events That Shaped The Wrestling Business

By: Stuart Carapola

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

Professional wrestling has a long and storied history defined by pivotal moments and critical decisions that sent ripples throughout the industry. Have you ever wondered how differently things might have turned out if a key event had gone another way? This book explores those possibilities, diving deep into the most significant "what if" scenarios that could have reshaped the entire wrestling business.

Imagine a world where Hulk Hogan never signed with WCW in 1994, leaving Ric Flair and Sting as the promotion's franchise players. Consider the landscape if the New World Order never invaded, allowing existing WCW storylines to reach their natural conclusions. This book meticulously rebooks these and other transformative periods, showing how the progression of wrestling history would have been irrevocably altered.

The questions explored are some of the most debated among fans for decades. What if Vince McMahon had purchased the struggling Jim Crockett Promotions in 1988, merging the WWF and NWA rosters thirteen years earlier than it actually happened? How would WCW's trajectory have changed if Sid Vicious had not been fired before his planned World Championship win at Starrcade 1993?

Beyond just altering the past, this collection also tackles some of wrestling's most infamous creative blunders and seeks to correct them. Discover a detailed plan for rebuilding WCW after the botched main event of Starrcade 1997, a moment many consider the beginning of the company's downfall. Explore a timeline where WCW survived beyond March 2001, complete with roster changes and new storylines to carry it into a new era.

For any fan who has ever argued about booking decisions or imagined how things could have been better, this book is an essential read. It offers a fascinating and detailed journey through alternate timelines, rewriting the history of professional wrestling one momentous event at a time. Each chapter provides a compelling look at what might have been, backed by logical and creative booking that will satisfy any hardcore wrestling enthusiast.

Creative concepts and product knowledge

I enjoyed this book very much. While I don't agree with everything the author says, I absolutely respect his product knowledge of the times he is writing about. Certain aspects seem unfairly bias, as I think Steve McMichael was a perfect fit for the Nitro era Horsemen (and considering he learned on the fly and made the mistakes most make in a training school, instead on national TV being compared to flair, Anderson, and benoit) however the concepts were all tremendously imaginative and I will surely revisit this book again and suggest it to my friends if I ever make some. I do not see that in my future though as I'd rather read about alternate storylines from the 80s and 90s than co-mingle as part of some common social convention intended to simulate normalcy. I'd rather sit in a room with a book like this, and enjoy it's genius. Still, should anyone ask, I would absolutely recommend this title. Well done.