Did WWE Miss the Moment for Oba?
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What is the main focus of the podcast episode?
Welcome to the Busted Open Podcast. This is Dave LaGreca. On today's episode, myself and Bully Ray talk Monday Night Raw and Oba Femi. And has the WWE gotten Oba wrong?
Did WWE miss an opportunity with Oba Femi?
We'll explain right now on the Busted Open Podcast. This is the Busted Open Podcast. You asked two great questions, Bully. And the one question we'll tackle first is Obafemi. Because we talked about it. Do you go the long route or do you do the Hogan route? Where Hogan just came on the scene and at the snap of a finger, he's in the ring at Madison Square Garden against the Iron Sheik. He caught lightning in a bottle. And it changed. That changed pro wrestling. I mean, if that moment doesn't happen, do we have WrestleMania? Does WWE go national? Like, that moment truly changed the landscape of professional wrestling.
Vince McMahon went all in on that. They talk about how WrestleMania was the big gamble. Vince McMahon went all in at the Garden on pulling the trigger that quickly on Hogan. And it was an overnight thing. Like, legit overnight. Austin wasn't overnight. Like, Austin said the 316 thing, but it took a couple more months. Hogan, overnight.
Yeah, and Vince McMahon pretty much went against everything that his dad was doing at the time. His dad wanted that uber white meat baby face, which he had with Bob Backlund. I think if it was up to Vince McMahon Jr., it would have been Superstar Billy Graham because Superstar Billy Graham was the very over-the-top charismatic personality plus.
How did Hulk Hogan's rise impact WWE's direction?
Vince McMahon Sr. said goodbye to Hulk Hogan because he was doing Rocky III. Vince McMahon Jr. is like, I want Hogan back because he did Rocky III. Because now the mainstream, now the average show, everybody saw that movie. It was the number one box office movie that year. Why would I not want to bring him into the WWF? And he also went against his father's wishes where everything was territory. You had your certain barriers that you did not cross. A line you did not cross. And Vince McMahon Jr. had no problem crossing those boundaries.
We talk about football sometimes, and you and Mark are the real football guys, about these head coaches today. What do they call, Dave, the numbers guys? They're analytical. Analytics. As opposed to like when a John Madden was a coach or, you know, any of those hard, you know, a Chuck Knoll back in the day, a Tom Landry. They went with their gut, you know? If they felt like throwing that Hail Mary on first down was the deep pass, they went with their gut. Vince McMahon went with his gut. When was the last time, and we don't have to get into this whole conversation, when was the last time that pro wrestling really went all in on a gut feeling? And should Obafemi have been that all-in guy? And maybe they are going to go all in maybe at SummerSlam and they're just stretching it.
But there's something about Oba that if I'm sitting in the room, I would have already said this. Pull the trigger now. Pull the trigger now. If it doesn't work, we can get back on track.
Well, I think the question to ask is, all right, Oba Femi is hot. Lightning in a bottle. We have it with Oba Femi. Like, the biggest reaction probably the entire WrestleMania weekend was Oba Femi. I think the question you have to ask is, can Oba get any bigger? Can Oba Femi get any bigger? And if so, how? How does he get bigger? Does he get bigger by keeping the championship off of him? Or does he get bigger by putting the championship title on him? I mean, I think that's the question you have to ask.
Dave, there are so many arguments for Oba. And all of them are right. If one of the boys were to call in right now and go, Bubba, if we would have put the championship on him already, where do you go from there? You're absolutely right. I understand that train of thought. But I also understand the train of thought of, holy shit, this guy is unique. It worked one time. Is Obafemi the worker that Hulk Hogan was? No.
No.
But you don't need to be a worker anymore in the WWE. You just need to know how to design matches that cater to the fan base. All I know is that the guy is red hot.
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Chapters
6 chapters
1
What is the main focus of the podcast episode?
0:00–0:13
2
Did WWE miss an opportunity with Oba Femi?
0:13–1:53
3
How did Hulk Hogan's rise impact WWE's direction?
1:53–12:22
4
What does it mean to go 'all in' on a wrestling talent?
12:22–14:26
5
Can Oba Femi's popularity be leveraged for WWE's success?
14:26–18:53
6
What comparisons are made between Oba Femi and past wrestling stars?
18:53–26:53