January 14, 2002 Observer Newsletter: 2001 Readership Awards results, more
In the most hyped WWF return in recent memory, a much larger version of HHH returned working house shows starting on 1/4 in Binghamton, NY and made his first appearance on Raw on 1/7 from Madison Square Garden.
After being out of action since a 5/21 quadriceps tear, and one of the great promotional video pieces ever in wrestling to build up his return, crowds blew the roof off every building he appeared ni. It may ended up being the injury, like what happened with Shawn Michaels in 1996 after beating beaten up outside a bar and WWF playing it off as a career ending injury and then in his comeback, the injury made a great worker into someone who really becomes a significant arena draw. The silver lining in coming back from a very serious injury is that from a marketing standpoint, time off is the greatest thing for most characters who are overexposed on television.
Current subscribers click here to continue reading.
Dave Meltzer is the founder and lead writer on the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the weekly constant when it comes to news and reviews in pro wrestling and mixed martial arts for more than 40 years. Dave also co-hosts Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and had had bylines for The National, Yahoo Sports, MMA Fighting and others.