Times WCW Tried To Shock Fans (& Backfired)

When WCW executed a shocking angle like the New World Order, Lex Luger’s shocking debut on Nitro or Goldberg beating Hollywood Hogan for the World Heavyweight Championship, the results spoke for themselves. When World Championship Wrestling was focused, it justified its standing as the No. 1 promotion in the entire world.

Unfortunately, because WCW was so chaotic behind-the-scenes, too many angles backfired spectacularly. Some of these ideas may have looked good on paper, but were let down by poor execution. Others were just so bad that they should never even have been conceived. And if WCW had maybe thought twice, they would probably still be in business today.

Resurrecting The New World Order In December 1999

A Controversial Finish At Starrcade 1999 Led To Another Short-Term Revival Of The New World Order

• The New World Order gradually fell apart in 1999, due to various championship losses and injuries sustained by members.
• Hollywood Hogan had resumed his Hulkamania colors in July 1999. By the end of the year, the group had quietly collapsed.
• WCW Champion Bret Hart defeated Goldberg via technical submission at Starrcade 1999. The ending was a recreation of the infamous Montreal Screwjob.

In one of WCW’s last-ditch efforts to get more money out of the NWO cash-cow, they brought it back under a nice, shiny, new banner. Even with Bret Hart as WCW World Champion, Jeff Jarrett as United States Champion, and Scott Steiner and The Outsiders in tow, it couldn’t hold a candle to the original incarnation of the concept.

As successful as the New World Order angle had been for WCW, it had long outstayed its welcome by this point. True, Bret Hart’s retirement and Kevin Nash’s injuries derailed the group’s potential, but things became desperate when The Harris Brothers came on board. With fans now exhausted of the NWO, the 2000 incarnation was dismantled four months after its formation.

The Giant Defeats Hulk Hogan In His First Match To Become WCW World Heavyweight Champion

Paul Wight’s Impressive Accomplishment Was Betrayed By Laughable Booking And A Poor Finish

• Paul Wight debuted at WCW Slamboree 1995, where he was initially billed as the son of Andre The Giant.
• As The Giant, Wight first faced Hulk Hogan in a Sumo Monster Truck Match. The Giant lost and was knocked off the roof of Cobo Hall by Hogan.
• The Giant got better in no time to wrestle his first-ever match in the main-event of Halloween Havoc 1995.

Given the legendary career Paul Wight has had, this was a most impressive achievement (on paper). And really, The Giant should always be proud of his time in WCW, especially given that his first-ever match saw him defeat the Immortal Hulk Hogan to become World Heavyweight Champion!

Unfortunately, the entire scenario with Hogan at Halloween Havoc 1995 – from start-to-finish – was just ludicrous. With all the silly booking involving monster trucks, The Yeti, The Giant winning the belt via disqualification (a stipulation no one had even announced!), this did more harm than good for the future Big Show.

The Black Scorpion Revealed To Be Ric Flair All Along

Ole Anderson Created A Storyline That Ruined Sting’s First World Title Reign

• Sting defeated Ric Flair for the NWA World Heavyweight Title at The Great American Bash 1990.
• Shortly after his epic title win, Sting was haunted by the mysterious Black Scorpion.
• Many suspected that Sting’s former tag-team partner, The Ultimate Warrior, was the man under the mask, despite Warrior being WWE Champion at the time.

The idea of a mysterious figure from Sting’s past that had come back not only to haunt him but also to take the World Heavyweight Championship from him was a promising one. And in the hands of the right creative team, this storyline could’ve been legendary for all the right reasons.

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The Infamous Black Scorpion WCW Gimmick, Explained

The Black Scorpion was a WCW gimmick that was destined to fail from the start. Here is a look at the gimmick and the reason that it had no chance.

Unfortunately, the creative team here was Ole Anderson and Jim Herd. Both of them wanted different things, neither were willing to compromise, and neither knew nor cared what they were doing. After months of red herrings, it was finally revealed that arch-nemesis Ric Flair had been behind the Black Scorpion plot all-along as a long-winded scheme to destroy Sting. And no one cared.

Madusa Drops The WWE Women’s Championship In The Trash On Nitro

The Angle Was The High-Point Of Alundra Blayze’s Time In WCW

• Madusa signed with WWE in 1993, debuting under the name of Alundra Blayze. She would go-on to become a three-time WWE Women’s Champion.
• Blayze was released from her WWE contract in December 1995 due to the company’s financial problems at the time. She was subsequently stripped of the Women’s Title.
• Madusa debuted on the December 18, 1995 episode of Nitro. In 2015, she was finally inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame as Alundra Blayze.

One of the most-skilled and accomplished female wrestlers of all-time, Debrah Ann Miceli proved her worth both as Madusa and Alundra Blayze. And she was no stranger to controversy in her most infamous moment for WCW.

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Madusa’s Controversial WCW Career, Explored

Madusa had a very memorable first moment in World Championship Wrestling, but it was downhill from there.

Contrary to popular belief, Madusa didn’t want to drop the WWE Women’s Title in the trash on Nitro, having too much respect for the belt, yet Eric Bischoff coerced her into doing the shocking angle. However, this backfired as WCW failed to build a proper women’s division, Madusa suffered a disastrous run in WCW, and was blacklisted from WWE for twenty years.

Ric Flair Stripped Of The WCW World Title In 1991

Jim Herd’s Real-Life Firing Of The Nature Boy Led To The Great American Bash Being A Massive Disaster

• Ric Flair was originally booked to defend the WCW World Heavyweight Title against Lex Luger at The Great American Bash 1991.
• Two weeks before the pay-per-view, Jim Herd fired Flair. At The Great American Bash 1991, fans angrily chanted, “We Want Flair!”. The show itself is rated one of the worst wrestling shows of all time.
• Still in possession of the Big Gold Belt, Flair appeared on WWE television with the title, further embarrassing WCW executives. Jim Herd resigned from WCW in 1992.

Jim Herd was one of the most despised men in WCW history, due to being out of touch with the wrestling business, and his nonsensical booking. Perhaps nothing proved this more than his real-life contempt for Ric Flair, which proved costly for World Championship Wrestling.

With Flair constantly disrespected by the EVP’s attitude and ideas (i.e. the Spartacus gimmick which never materialized), Herd shockingly chose to fire Flair whilst he was still WCW Champion. This backfired spectacularly, with the fans rejecting Lex Luger as the new champion and demanding Flair’s return. Flair would go on to have a great WWE run, and eventually made a triumphant return to WCW.

Tony Schiavone Announces Mick Foley Will Win The WWE Championship On Nitro

Viewers Immediately Changed The Channel To Watch Mankind’s Historic Victory On Raw

• Mankind defeated The Rock to win his first WWE Championship on the January 4, 1999 episode of Raw. This episode was taped in advance on December 29, 1998.
• Live on Monday Night Nitro on the same date, Hollywood Hogan defeated Kevin Nash to win the WCW World Heavyweight Championship in the infamous Fingerpoke Of Doom.
• Tony called Mick Foley to apologize for the infamous “butts in seats” line.

January 4, 1999, was a day that will never be forgotten in the world of wrestling. For WWE, it was the night fans rejoiced as Mick Foley finally won his first world title. For WCW, it was the night that signaled the slow, agonizing end.

Of course, it was when the infamous Fingerpoke of Doom took place, but Tony Schiavone – under orders from Eric Bischoff – also revealed that Mankind would win the WWE Championship on Raw, delivering the condescending line, “Huh! That’s gonna put some butts in the seats!”. Immediately, over half a million fans switched over from Nitro to Raw to watch Mick’s epic victory. WCW had shot itself in the foot once more.

David Arquette Wins The WCW World Heavyweight Championship

Arquette’s Controversial Title Win Was Used To Promote The 2000 Movie, Ready To Rumble

• The Hollywood actor made his first WCW appearance on the April 12, 2000 episode of Thunder.
• Then-WCW World Champion Diamond Dallas Page defended the title in a tag-team match with Arquette as his partner on the April 26, 2000 episode of Thunder. Jeff Jarrett and Eric Bischoff were the opposing team.
• David pinned Bischoff and thus won the title. After 12 days on top, Arquette lost the World Title to Jeff Jarrett at Slamboree 2000.

David Arquette should not be blamed for this insane piece of booking. Being a lifelong wrestling fan with plenty of respect for the business, he knew that he should’ve been as far from the WCW Championship as possible. This was yet another desperate ploy to try and promote the Ready To Rumble movie (which David was starring in), and increase ratings for Nitro.

The publicity stunt was a complete disaster, with neither Ready To Rumble nor Nitro benefiting from the senseless scheme. Many fans & critics derided the decision for tarnishing WCW’s World Heavyweight Title to the point of beyond recovery. The only good thing that came out of this debacle was David’s desire to give back to the sport through his movie, You Cannot Kill David Arquette.

Vince Russo Wins The WCW World Heavyweight Championship

Russo’s Disastrous Booking For WCW Hit Rock Bottom When He Made Himself World Champion

• Vince Russo became the No. 1 contender on the September 18, 2000 episode of Nitro after pinning Scott Steiner in a tag team match.
• On the September 25, 2000 episode of Nitro, Russo defeated Booker T in a Caged Heat match to win the title after Goldberg speared Russo through the cage.
• Russo vacated the WCW World Heavyweight Championship on the October 2, 2000 episode of Nitro. Booker T defeated Jeff Jarrett in a San Francisco 49ers Match to recapture the title.

As bad as David Arquette becoming WCW Champion was, Vince Russo making himself World Heavyweight Champion was even worse! In contrast to Arquette – who actually trained for his stint in wrestling (and Ready To Rumble), and never even wanted to be champion – Russo had no training whatsoever and thought becoming WCW World Champion would provide great shock value!

It’s been said countless times just how bad an idea this was. It served no purpose other than to fuel Russo’s ego and completely undermine Booker T’s efforts to restore the lost prestige of the WCW Championship. The company was now truly beyond recovery.

The Fingerpoke Of Doom

Many Regard This Angle As The Beginning Of The End For World Championship Wrestling

• By May 1998, the New World Order had split into two factions; NWO Hollywood (led by Hogan) and NWO Wolfpac (led by Kevin Nash).
• At Starrcade 1998, Kevin Nash defeated Goldberg to become WCW World Heavyweight Champion.
• On the January 4, 1999 edition of Nitro, Hollywood Hogan challenged Kevin Nash for the World Heavyweight Title.

After the shocking outcome of Starrcade 1998 – with Goldberg no longer undefeated, let alone the World Champion – a major rematch between Goldberg and Kevin Nash promised to deliver. When Goldberg was then arrested (falsely accused of stalking Miss Elizabeth), Hogan stepped up to deliver an even greater showdown. Hollywood Hogan vs. Big Sexy at long last!

Related

The Fingerpoke Of Doom: How One Moment Began WCW’s True Downfall

When a World Heavyweight Championship match between Kevin Nash and “Hollywood” Hulk Hogan resulted in “the fingerpoke of doom,” WCW was done.

Instead, it turned out to be a ruse just to get Hogan back on top and make the NWO faction whole once more. WCW fans were left stunned and cheated by the cop-out, as WCW had merely opted to regurgitate what they’d done for the past few years and make Goldberg look bad. This massive backfire – in conjunction with spoiling Mankind’s WWE Title earlier – began hammering the nails in WCW’s coffin.

The Shockmaster Arrives!

The Infamous Botch Immediately Ruined The Shockmaster Before His Run Even Started

• Fred Alex Ottman was famous for competing in WWE as Tugboat & Typhoon. He would team with Earthquake to form The Natural Disasters.
• Ottman left WWE in 1993, soon joining WCW as The Shockmaster.
• The Shockmaster was voted the WON Worst Gimmick of 1993.

It’s one of the greatest botches in the history of wrestling. To this day, people debate whether The Shockmaster’s WCW debut was deliberate sabotage or just an accident. Whatever happened, the sight of poor Fred Ottman falling through the wall with his glittery Stormtrooper helmet falling off his head made him a laughing-stock!

Ric Flair, Booker T and Davey Boy Smith could barely contain themselves, nor could Arn Anderson (who was voicing The Shockmaster). Incredibly, WCW tried to salvage the debacle, but the damage had already been done. To Fred Ottman’s credit, he took it all in his stride and embraced the hilarious botch as part of his legacy.