Stevie Richards comments on his placement in the WWE Championship story in "WWF No Mercy" on the Nintendo 64.
Many wrestling fans grew up playing "WWF No Mercy" on the Nintendo 64. To this day, it is considered to be one of the greatest wrestling video games of all time. For Stevie Richards, it is a magical alternative universe where he is suddenly in the main event picture and fighting for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania, depending on a player's championship path.
In actuality, he is simply filling in the role that would have been slotted for Big Show and acting out much of the genuine storyline that took Big Show to the main event of WrestleMania 2000 on WWE programming. Big Show was removed from "WWF No Mercy" after he was sent back down to Ohio Valley Wrestling to get back into shape. Therefore, as Stevie Richards was the first wrestler on the second page of WWE Superstars in the game, he is the default fill-in for Big Show in the storyline. He can also be the default fill-in for Triple H and start the mode as WWE Champion if the player chooses to go through the mode with Triple H.
Stevie Richards was interviewed about his placement in "WWF No Mercy" for "The Art of N64 Wrestling Games," a new book released by YouTuber Shawn "RGT 85" Long. Richards revealed that he had no idea at first that he was replacing Big Show and thought he was simply slotted into that role because of how hated his faction, Right to Censor, was at the time.
"At the time, I wasn't aware that I had replaced Big Show in No Mercy. I know these days it's a part of professional wrestling urban legend, but I just thought I was put in that spot due to the Right to Censor being so hated at the time," he said.
Stevie Richards replacing wrestlers has become a meme for quite some time. Following the Benoit family tragedy in 2007, some fans even pasted Richards' face over Chris Benoit in WWE WrestleMania 20 graphics.
While he may never have been WWE Champion in real life, Stevie Richards lives on as the final boss for many in "WWF No Mercy."
Fans can purchase "The Art of N64 Wrestling Games" on Amazon or support RGT 85 more directly by purchasing through Castlemania Games.
