[Lariatoh!]

Yep, watched everything. Wrestling has never been the same since.

 

[NapperX]

Vince initially wanted to run it as it’s own entity but the TV deal he had meant he understandably couldn’t run a different wrestling show on a rival network.

His Plan B was therefore going to give Raw to WCW but the bad fan reaction to the Booker T vs Buff Bagwell match allegedly scrapped this plan which was a huge shame. He tried to rush everything which was a big mistake- with patience there could’ve been a scenario where he was getting double PPV money a month.

It didn't prevent him from buying WCW which means he could have explored other networks for WCW. The invasion angle was effectively plan b. Vince McMahon encouraged USA Network execs after Raw left in 2000 to get ECW programming.

 

[BigCy]

I sure did. It was losing it's luster and believability after Finger poke, Russo and Arquette strapping themselves up and other nonsense but I remember being shocked that Hogan put Billy Kidman over and they were on the verge of building some guys up and had started to gain a little momentum but then it just had the plug pulled.

I agree that Jarrett shouldn't have been champ or even others at the time but their world title meant almost nothing at that point after Russo turned it into a "prop" and other backstage shenanigans really devalued it and every belt was hot potatoed where almost none of the titles meant anything towards it's final days.

 

[iarwain]

Hey, I was a huge WCW fan and stayed tuned in as a loyal fan even during its worse period in 99/00.

I remember in 2001 the product started to really improve though. Russo was fired and Johnny Ace seemed to have whipped things into shape: The Natural Born Thrillers, Booker T, Mike Awesome & Lance Storm looked like the future of the company and the older stars were booked more appropriately (Steiner was a great heel champion, Flair was in a commissioner role & Luger was putting over the younger talents).

Backstage Johnny ran a tight ship, fining Nash for being late which was the type of sleaze he’d regularly get away with beforehand. Unlike Russo’s product, there was a primary focus on wrestling rather than juvenile gimmicks (check out the 3 WCW PPVs in 2001 and you’ll see they were actually good).

To me it really looked like WCW would challenge the WWE again but it was too little too late. Let me know what you thought of that period though.

I watched WCW to the bitter end. I really wanted them to survive, I still miss them. I still think it's important that WWE has a viable rival wrestling company - it makes everybody better.

People don't really remember that WWE didn't really kill off WCW, what killed WCW was when Turner sold TBS. The new owners weren't interested in having a wrestling show, so they sold it off.

Regarding Russo's creativity, I remember that one match where that one hippie wrestler guy (can't remember his name) was sitting staring into a psychedelic light for what seemed like forever lol.

 

[Geeee]

In Canada, Raw and Nitro were both on the same channel but Nitro aired on Tuesdays, so it was easy to watch both, so of course I was watching both

 

[SuperstarSlyme]

I think WCW could have survived if it wasn’t for the AOL/Time Warner Merger. I think we more or less get what we got with TNA in WCW. Guys like AJ Styles, Christopher Daniels, Monty Brown etc. would be pushed, guys like Steve Corino, Road Dogg, D’lo Brown etc would sign to fill out the midcard. Guys like Hulk Hogan, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall etc. would sit out their contracts. RVD is the big question mark though. Would he sign to a rebuilding WCW ? Or would he sign with the hot handed WWF ? Guys like Booker T, Dustin Rhodes, Shane Helms, DDP, Ric Flair, Rey Mysterio would probably jump after 1-3 years

 

[Geeee]

I think WCW had a potentially hot hand that they folded. The WWF product declined and also they were really bad at identifying prospects, so people like Samoa Joe, CM Punk, Bryan Danielson would probably be in WCW while WWF was trying to push body guys that sucked.

Honestly, had they given any thought to the future, they could've had Chris Jericho, Eddie Guerrero, redacted, larval form of AJ Styles, Booker T, Scott Steiner, Goldberg

That's an amazing main event scene

 

[jking1979nc]

I liked Jeff Jarrett, Scott Steiner, Booker T and DDP in the main event. They were all great world champions. I'm also glad that Jeff Jarrett and his daddy created TNA after WCW went out of business.

 

[SuperstarSlyme]

I think Steiner, Mysterio, DDP, Sting, & Booker come back for the actual relaunch. 2001 is build around Steiner, Goldberg comes back last minute and we get Steiner vs Goldberg for Starrcade 01. Goldberg holds the belt and drops it Starrcade 2002 to Bob Sapp (there were heavy rumors that he was to sign and get a huge push, plus with his mainstream appeal at the time I could see him being a believable threat to Goldberg)

03 would be about the rising stars (Bob Sapp, Sean O’Haire, Monty Brown, AJ Styles, & Abyss) along with familiar faces (Sting, DDP, Jeff Jarrett, Scott Steiner) and a few WWF/ECW defects (Raven, Ken Shamrock, Ron Killings, Steve Corino, Jeff Hardy, NAO). My guess would be having O’Haire pushed as the top baby face (that was the rumor at the time) and Sapp as a Brock Lesnar type heel. 04/05 might see guys like Kevin Nash and Randy Savage return for a cup of coffee and an influx of guys like Bryan Danielson, CM Punk, and Samoa Joe. By 2005 you got a main event scene of:

1. Sting
2. Jeff Jarrett
3. Sean O’Haire
4. Monty Brown
5. Bob Sapp
6. Raven
7. Scott Steiner
8. AJ Styles
9. Abyss
10. Ken Shamrock

With guys like Jeff Hardy, Steve Corino, CM Punk, Samoa Joe, & Ron Killings for the midcard

Then you got guys like Kevin Nash, Randy Savage, & DDP as special attraction/ part time guys.

Nitro probably airs Weds 8-10 on FX, maybe a 1 hour Saturday Night Impact from 10-11 on FX. Tony Schiavione, and Mike Tenay and PBP, Don Callis and Arn Anderson as color. Don West and Borash as interviewers.

Guys like Goldberg, Dustin Rhodes, Flair, Mysterio, Helms, Chavo, Booker T, Shannon Moore, Chuck Palumbo all jump ship to WWF at some point of time. Only thing I wonder if the E ends up doing a brand split anyways

 

[jking1979nc]

Haku would have been the world champion if it was a real fighting promotion.

 

[Sam Coe]

I think Steiner, Mysterio, DDP, Sting, & Booker come back for the actual relaunch. 2001 is build around Steiner, Goldberg comes back last minute and we get Steiner vs Goldberg for Starrcade 01. Goldberg holds the belt and drops it Starrcade 2002 to Bob Sapp (there were heavy rumors that he was to sign and get a huge push, plus with his mainstream appeal at the time I could see him being a believable threat to Goldberg)

03 would be about the rising stars (Bob Sapp, Sean O’Haire, Monty Brown, AJ Styles, & Abyss) along with familiar faces (Sting, DDP, Jeff Jarrett, Scott Steiner) and a few WWF/ECW defects (Raven, Ken Shamrock, Ron Killings, Steve Corino, Jeff Hardy, NAO). My guess would be having O’Haire pushed as the top baby face (that was the rumor at the time) and Sapp as a Brock Lesnar type heel. 04/05 might see guys like Kevin Nash and Randy Savage return for a cup of coffee and an influx of guys like Bryan Danielson, CM Punk, and Samoa Joe. By 2005 you got a main event scene of:

1. Sting
2. Jeff Jarrett
3. Sean O’Haire
4. Monty Brown
5. Bob Sapp
6. Raven
7. Scott Steiner
8. AJ Styles
9. Abyss
10. Ken Shamrock

With guys like Jeff Hardy, Steve Corino, CM Punk, Samoa Joe, & Ron Killings for the midcard

Then you got guys like Kevin Nash, Randy Savage, & DDP as special attraction/ part time guys.

Nitro probably airs Weds 8-10 on FX, maybe a 1 hour Saturday Night Impact from 10-11 on FX. Tony Schiavione, and Mike Tenay and PBP, Don Callis and Arn Anderson as color. Don West and Borash as interviewers.

You should do your own fantasy bookings on YouTube like I have

 

[Seafort]

Watched a bit of it, it was improving on the crap they had shown before that but the damage had been done.

If they had gotten a 6-12 month extension, who knows they may have turned the corner.

Some interesting what-ifs in the Fusient buys, company stays on Turner:

• ECW talent becomes available. Tommy Dreamer, Rob Van Dam, Sabu are all going to be in play
• Jerry Lawler is a free agent
• The Roaddog is a free agent
• Scott Hall is a free agent
• A very young AJ Styles is under contract and would be in his first year in the company
• Kevin Nash, Dallas Page, Sting, and Goldberg are under contract but were being deliberately held out in the final months in expectation for the relaunch

 

[Dr. Jones]

People don't really remember that WWE didn't really kill off WCW, what killed WCW was when Turner sold TBS. The new owners weren't interested in having a wrestling show, so they sold it off.

Bischoff and Russo killed WCW. Bischoff by handing out ludicrous contracts during the "ATM Eric" days that absolutely decimated WCW when his one idea got stale. Russo for dragging WCW into multiple lawsuits by being a completely repellent and stupid person.

If WCW was turning the profits it did in 1997/98, the Time Warner/AOL people would not have pulled the plug. They said the whole "we don't want wrestling on our channel" because they had lost over 60 million dollars the year before. Why would they keep it?

 

[thatonewwefanguy]

Yeah, I’m watching a modern take on the death of a once awesome promotion.

 

[Will Teasle]

Yes and I liked WCW more than WWF/WWE. Scott Steiner was the best thing about late WCW with all the chaos he would cause and getting people in the crowd so worked up and even challenging them to step in the ring to fight him.

 

[HBKperfect23]

I have actually been watching some 2001 WCW recently with the WWE adding a lot of content to youtube. I was a casual WCW fan at best as I was a WWF guy. I was pretty much stopped flipping over to WCW sometime in the year 2000.

I loved when WWF bought WCW. My team won the war. I could talk a little trash in school even though most stopped following everything. We were finally going to get WWF vs WCW.

I couldn't have been more wrong with my initial reaction. I liked the Invasion more than most and think they did ok with what they had but we didn't get the real WCW vs WWF. WWF would become unwatchable not too long after acquiring WCW.

Looking back, I wish Bischoff bought WCW and revamped the company. Turner execs didn't want WCW: fine, they'll find another network. There was still enough people watching for someone to pick them up. Competition is good for everyone, brings out the best. The natural cycle of wrestling popularity was cooling off anyway but if WCW stuck around, we'd have the potential for another monday night war or another big wrestling boom of some kind down the line.

 

[SuperstarSlyme]

I have actually been watching some 2001 WCW recently with the WWE adding a lot of content to youtube. I was a casual WCW fan at best as I was a WWF guy. I was pretty much stopped flipping over to WCW sometime in the year 2000.

I loved when WWF bought WCW. My team won the war. I could talk a little trash in school even though most stopped following everything. We were finally going to get WWF vs WCW.

I couldn't have been more wrong with my initial reaction. I liked the Invasion more than most and think they did ok with what they had but we didn't get the real WCW vs WWF. WWF would become unwatchable not too long after acquiring WCW.

Looking back, I wish Bischoff bought WCW and revamped the company. Turner execs didn't want WCW: fine, they'll find another network. There was still enough people watching for someone to pick them up. Competition is good for everyone, brings out the best. The natural cycle of wrestling popularity was cooling off anyway but if WCW stuck around, we'd have the potential for another monday night war or another big wrestling boom of some kind down the line.

I think we get another boom between 2005 - Benoit incident had WCW stuck around. You have guys like Joe, Styles, Cena, Batista, Orton, Monty Brown etc entering their prime, you got guys like Jericho, Rhino, Lesnar, Christian, Angle, Team 3D leaving WWE, as long as WCW stuck with competent, logical booking I see no reason why it wouldn’t happen. Not to the heights of the Monday Night Wars but a mini boom of sorts. TNA didn’t have the brand recognition or legacy WCW had which kind of kept them in a niche

 

[Freelancer]

Jarrett was a major turn off for me. Career mid carder in a role that was too big for him.

 

[TDFG]

Some interesting what-ifs in the Fusient buys, company stays on Turner:

• ECW talent becomes available. Tommy Dreamer, Rob Van Dam, Sabu are all going to be in play
• Jerry Lawler is a free agent
• The Roaddog is a free agent
• Scott Hall is a free agent
• A very young AJ Styles is under contract and would be in his first year in the company
• Kevin Nash, Dallas Page, Sting, and Goldberg are under contract but were being deliberately held out in the final months in expectation for the relaunch

Apparently The Road dog was there the day WCW's final Nitro took place.

Mike Awesome as a monster heel with a manager by his side may have worked in pushing new guys to the main-event.

 

[Seafort]

I have actually been watching some 2001 WCW recently with the WWE adding a lot of content to youtube. I was a casual WCW fan at best as I was a WWF guy. I was pretty much stopped flipping over to WCW sometime in the year 2000.

I loved when WWF bought WCW. My team won the war. I could talk a little trash in school even though most stopped following everything. We were finally going to get WWF vs WCW.

I couldn't have been more wrong with my initial reaction. I liked the Invasion more than most and think they did ok with what they had but we didn't get the real WCW vs WWF. WWF would become unwatchable not too long after acquiring WCW.

Looking back, I wish Bischoff bought WCW and revamped the company. Turner execs didn't want WCW: fine, they'll find another network. There was still enough people watching for someone to pick them up. Competition is good for everyone, brings out the best. The natural cycle of wrestling popularity was cooling off anyway but if WCW stuck around, we'd have the potential for another monday night war or another big wrestling boom of some kind down the line.

He tried. Bischoff didn’t have enough time once Turner cancelled the shows. He was trying to find another network, although USA had unilaterally taken themselves out of the game.