Episode 417: I Would Have Been Brutus

In a deep dive into the pivotal year of 1986 for the WWF, hosts John McAdam and Steve Genarelli dissect the wrestling landscape during a time of massive fragmentation and transition. With five 'world' titles floating around—NWA, WWF, AWA, UWF, and World Class—the hosts debate what truly constituted a 'world championship' in the eyes of fans, revealing that only the NWA and WWF were universally respected, while the others were seen as regional or glorified secondary titles. The episode explores hypotheticals that reveal the fragility of the WWF's dominance: what if Hulk Hogan had been injured? What if wrestlers went on strike before WrestleMania II? The consensus? The WWF’s entire brand rested on Hogan’s mythos, and without him, the company would have struggled to maintain momentum. They also examine the missed opportunity of Paul Orndorff as champion, arguing that even though he was a fan favorite, he was never the right fit for the top spot. The hosts reflect on the cultural impact of the 'Machines' angle, the rise of the Hart Foundation, and the subtle but telling shift in how the WWF began to craft its image—upgrading production values, filming in major arenas, and selling the product as 'Major League' to TV buyers. Ultimately, the episode paints 1986 not as a year of peak innovation, but as a critical turning point where the WWF began to manufacture its own mythology, setting the stage for the next decade of dominance.