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PWINSIDER Q&A: TAG TEAM WRESTLING, VIDEO GAMES, RANDY SAVAGE AND MORE

Answered: 2/14

This may be something that you do not have knowledge in when it comes to wrestling since it is a video game/wrestling question. But I got Smackdown vs Raw and realized a lot of key characters were left out of the game (Big Daddy V, Murdoch and Cade, Deuce and Domino, Jamie Noble, Chuck Palumbo, Jimmy Wang Yang etc). Any reason certain guys are left out? It cant be that they don't have enough space to put them in since they have plenty of room for 2 Vince McMahons (bald and hair version), a DX HBK and HHH as well as a regular version of both men.

One reason, quite simply, is that the game goes into production quite some time before it is released.  So, it is entirely probable that the lineup for the game was finalized before the recent push of someone like Palumbo.  The other reason, quite simply, is that the wrestlers you might see as "key characters" are seen as "undercard workers" by someone else.  Not to be disparaging, but there are a lot more HBK fans than there are Lance Cade fans, and I would guess most of them would rather have a DX version of Shawn Michaels than a character they probably would never use in the game. 

Has there ever been a time in WWE history that they had so many tag teams? They currently have 12 tag teams on the roster. Also do you believe a team is more marketable when it has a team name like Demolition, Road Warriors etc. instead of the guys two names like Murdoch and Cade 1)Deuce/Domino,2)Wang Yang/Moore,3)Festus and Jesse,4)Morrison/Miz,5)EdgeHeads,6)Dreamer/Delaney, 7)Rhodes/Holly,8)Santino/Carlito,9)London/Kendrick, 10)Highlanders,11)Cade/Murdoch,12)Duggan/S.Crazy(heat)

Has there ever been a time in WWE history?  Yes.  The late 80's saw a ton of tag teams, almost all of which were believable challengers to the tag titles, as opposed to the above list which includes teams that, in all honesty, are just used as enhancement talent now.  There certainly are more team now than at any point in the last 5 years or so, and that certainly is a good thing for those of us that enjoy tag team wrestling. 

Isn't Shawn Michaels a bigger legend than Bret Hart since is comeback has produced tons of good matches with today's workers? Also, Shawn has more longevity than Bret at this point. Plus, Shawn has more charisma and better on the stick.  Do you think Shawn is a bigger legend than Randy Savage?  Out of the three...1. Randy Savage 2. HBK 3. Bret Hart..Your thoughts?

Depends what you consider when dubbing someone a "legend".  I guarantee you if we go to Canada, no one is going to tell you that Shawn Michaels is a bigger legend than Bret Hart.  I definitely think Shawn's comeback has done wonders to improve his standing in the eyes of may fans, who no longer see him as a talented crybaby who never wanted to drop a title in the ring.  He has certainly redeemed himself in my eyes in that respect.  Now, when you throw Randy Savage into the mix, that's a totally different situation.  Savage was a big star during WWE's peak, and WCW's peak.  With all due respect to Michaels and Hart, I think more people who never watch wrestling would know that Randy Savage is a wrestler.  That said, again, if we were up North, Hart would be above him. 

The IC title used to build up and comers and make midcard matches important. I remember a time in the 80's where the IC titleholder was considered the #1 contender to the World title. Why doesn't the WWE see that the de-pushing of the IC title hinders them in building new stars or re-energized veterans who need another push?

I really wish I had an answer for that. I don't see a problem with the I-C Champion wanting the World Title, but it had gotten to a point where I sometimes forget Jeff Hardy even has the belt.  Hell, prior to the Royal Rumble, Randy Orton showed how little he cared about the IC belt when he got intentionally disqualified rather than try to take the belt away from Hardy.  I think WWE would be best served to get the IC belt out of the main event picture, and allow it to be contested for by midcard wrestlers, thus allowing them to work their way into the World Title picture AFTER their time as IC Champ is done. 

I believe there could have been an uninterrupted boom period from the Hogan Days to the Attitude Era. In 1992, they had Sid Vicious, Ultimate Warrior, Mr. Perfect, Macho Man, Bret Hart, Undertaker, HBK, Jake Roberts, Lex Luger was coming in, British Bulldog, Ric Flair; Texas Tornado, Etc. Imagine the dream match combinations: Warrior-Hart; HBK-Savage; Roberts-Hart; Savage-Perfect; Flair-Bulldog, etc.

1) Why did Vince allow Stars like Warrior, Roberts, Vicious, Flair, Bulldog, and Mr. Perfect leave when he needed main eventers?

2) When the above were on the roster at the same time, why didn’t we see more of these dream matches scenarios?

To answer your first question, wrestlers come and go for a variety of reasons.  Sometimes it is attitude, sometimes it is financial disagreements, and sometimes it is just because the person wants to leave.  As for the second question, you have to consider the time period.  Shawn Michaels was just entering the singles ranks and working his way up, feuding with the likes of Tatanka and Rick Martel, while Randy Savage was World Champion.  If the match happened at the time, it wouldn't be seen as the "dream match" that history makes it out to be.  I do think WWE missed out on an opportunity by not having a Perfect-Savage feud, but they were both heels at the same time for a good part of their WWF run.

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