WCW facts, tidbits, and stuff people forgot

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

How about the Chucky cross-promotion shit ?

[Guest Loss]

Yeah, Rick Steiner arguing with the Bride of Chucky was horrific.

 

Note to those who stopped watching WWE because of Katie Vick -- you're pussies. Total pussies.

[Slickster 0]

Or Savage beating up on Team Madness?

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

Technically the NWA, but remember Robocop saving Sting from the Horesman ?

[JoeDirt 0]

What was the reasoning behind giving Luger the title the week before Road Wild 97? Just to give him a quick title reign and keep him happy?

 

What was the original plan with Nash after losing the retirement match to Hogan at Road Wild 99?

 

How did Torrie Wilson and Asya debut on WCW TV?

 

Why was Bischoff mad about Benoit and Malenko winning the tag team titles like you mentioned earlier?

[JoeDirt 0]

Or Savage beating up on Team Madness?

http://www.ddtdigest.com/updates/1999071m.htm

 

There's a funny picture at the end of Savage slapping Torrie.

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

What was the reasoning behind giving Luger the title the week before Road Wild 97? Just to give him a quick title reign and keep him happy?

 

What was the original plan with Nash after losing the retirement match to Hogan at Road Wild 99?

 

How did Torrie Wilson and Asya debut on WCW TV?

I think that was the first regular 3hr Nitro, so they wanted something big to end it with.

 

What happened is what was meant to happen.

 

Torrie debuted as the blonde woman in those videos that wound up with David Flair turning heel on Ric at SB' 99. Asya was part of the Revolution.

[Guest Loss]

What was the reasoning behind giving Luger the title the week before Road Wild 97? Just to give him a quick title reign and keep him happy?

 

What was the original plan with Nash after losing the retirement match to Hogan at Road Wild 99?

 

How did Torrie Wilson and Asya debut on WCW TV?

 

Why was Bischoff mad about Benoit and Malenko winning the tag team titles like you mentioned earlier?

1. I don't know.

 

2. To come back with Scott Hall and "not work for WCW".

 

3. Torrie debuted in a rather dumb storyline with David Flair that I don't have the energy to fully explain. Asya just showed up as one of Flair's sidekicks one day after he got out of the mental hospital, I think. They only named her Asya so they could say she was "bigger than Chyna".

 

4. I don't know. I don't think he liked the idea of Benoit getting any type of push.

[JoeDirt 0]

Was the original plan for Dustin Rhodes to debut as that weird Seven character and then Russo nixed it? I remember the vignettes with some weird cow at a kid's window, and then Dustin coming out talking about how he was dressed like Uncle Fester.

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

Was the original plan for Dustin Rhodes to debut as that weird Seven character and then Russo nixed it? I remember the vignettes with some weird cow at a kid's window, and then Dustin coming out talking about how he was dressed like Uncle Fester.

I don't know if the gimmick was Russo's idea, but nixing it was.

 

His bright idea was to eventually bring Rhodes back as Platinum, which would have been a character as close to Goldust as legally possible.

[DCMaximo 0]

A question purely based on my own sentimental wrestling past: My first non-squash match I ever saw was Steve Austin regaining the TV title from Barry Windham on Worldwide and I loved that match, watching it at least twenty times in a two week period. However, I haven't seen that match in over 12 years...was it actually a good match or was my 10 yr old newcomer brain playing tricks on me?

[Nightfall 0]

I remember an onld 3 hour episode of Nitro where the 1st hour didn't have one live shot, it was all pre-taped stuff with the nWo, Torrie Wilson, and some other stuff. What was the reason for that? I always thought they had problems in the arena of something.

 

This could have been a dream, but an old episode of Saturday Night I swear Sting (this was in his old short blond hair days) came out from the back for a match, took a few steps out, then he freaked out like someone had a gun or something, ran into the back, and came back out like 5 seconds later like nothing happened. Was SN live-to-tape back then, and does ANYONE else remember this?

 

We asked about guys that almost left the WWF for WCW, but any guys that almost left WCW for the WWF but didn't?

 

What was the story on Mark Madden? Where did he come from? It seemed like all the other announces legit hated him. And why did Stevie Ray of all people start to announce?

 

What were some angles that WCW almost did that never came to pass because of talent refusal, Standards not agreeing with then, etc.?

 

Was the S&P/Stacy Kiebler angle a shot at the netwrok's S&P or WCW's own? And was there any reason for it?

 

Was the belt Russo brought out after the laydown at Bash 2000 the REAL WCW belt that had been used for years (it had the bent top which I remember hearing happened to the real belt)?

 

Was there any backlash for the lWo, like taking heat away from the nWo? And was it in any way a shoot at the nWo about holding people (luchas in particular) down?

 

Thanks for awnsering these btw.

[MillenniumMan831 0]

This is definitely the best thread on the board in a LONG LONG time. Thanks everyone for the input.

 

As for my inquiries, my favorite WCW character is Chris Jericho's heel shtick from 1998-99.

 

Did Jericho really book the way he turned heel, all his feuds, ect? I ask because how did Jericho get Malenko, Juvy, Iaukea, and the rest of the CW division to job to him every week w/o the political support of guys like Bischoff, Nash, Hogan, ect. Plus, he had to convince someone to get them to send a camera crew to Washington DC in Jericho's search for justice after losing the CW belt.

 

Did Jericho clear the stuff he did w/ anybody? Or did he just conceal his props until showtime? I'm sure the 1,004 holds had to have been given the ok by someone . . . and I get the feeling the only reason CJ was allowed to do it was since it was at Malenko's expense.

 

Did Jericho call Goldberg out from the blue? Or did Bischoff give him the ok to do it until Nash spoiled everyone's fun?

 

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As for Kevin Nash and Jimmy Hart, were they cool w/ each other? I ask since I'd figure that there would be a little tension there since Hart is Hogan's best friend. But, in Hart's shoot interview, I guess he begged Nash to not release Moore, Helms, & Kourageous so he could do the 3 Count gimmick and film them a music video. Nash wholeheartedly agreed. I would have guessed Nash would have cut the 3 Count gimmick before it started.

 

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Was there ever any tentative plan to give either Mike Awesome or Lance Storm a brief run w/ the WCW Championship in 2000?

 

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Thanks again!

[Guest Loss]

A question purely based on my own sentimental wrestling past: My first non-squash match I ever saw was Steve Austin regaining the TV title from Barry Windham on Worldwide and I loved that match, watching it at least twenty times in a two week period. However, I haven't seen that match in over 12 years...was it actually a good match or was my 10 yr old newcomer brain playing tricks on me?

I remember liking it too, and Windham and Austin were both good at this point. I'd say your memories are likely accurate.

 

[Guest Loss]

I remember an onld 3 hour episode of Nitro where the 1st hour didn't have one live shot, it was all pre-taped stuff with the nWo, Torrie Wilson, and some other stuff. What was the reason for that? I always thought they had problems in the arena of something.

Nash was getting blamed for the ratings dropping, so he purposely booked a crappy first hour to show that no matter what kind of programming they put out, the end result was going to be the same. And yes, they STILL let him book for six months after that.

 

This could have been a dream, but an old episode of Saturday Night I swear Sting (this was in his old short blond hair days) came out from the back for a match, took a few steps out, then he freaked out like someone had a gun or something, ran into the back, and came back out like 5 seconds later like nothing happened.  Was SN live-to-tape back then, and does ANYONE else remember this?

 

You lost me.

 

We asked about guys that almost left the WWF for WCW, but any guys that almost left WCW for the WWF but didn't?

 

Hogan. Savage. Hall. Nash. Sting.

 

What was the story on Mark Madden?  Where did he come from?  It seemed like all the other announces legit hated him.  And why did Stevie Ray of all people start to announce?

 

Madden was originally a writer for the Torch who ended up making a lot of people furious when he got Bill Watts fired from WCW for faxing racist comments he had made in an interview to the higher-ups in CNN Center. Bischoff liked him because he was controversial and hired him into the company in 1995 as a writer for WCW Magazine. He was friends with Flair, Hall and Nash, and he used their friendships to keep his job. He wasn't hated by ALL, just by most.

 

Stevie Ray started doing color commentary because all the wrestlers thought he was funny backstage, but was a poor worker. They thought that putting him in the broadcast booth was a better way to utilize him, and the company wanted to push Booker as a singles wrestler anyway.

 

What were some angles that WCW almost did that never came to pass because of talent refusal, Standards not agreeing with then, etc.?

 

I can't think of any off the top of my head, but I'm sure there were some. Do you have any specific wrestlers in mind?

 

Was the S&P/Stacy Kiebler angle a shot at the netwrok's S&P or WCW's own?  And was there any reason for it?

 

The network's S & P *was* WCW's, and yes, it was a shot at them. Russo felt like they handcuffed him because they wouldn't let him show nude monkey sex on Nitro or something. I don't know. He needed a scapegoat.

 

Was the belt Russo brought out after the laydown at Bash 2000 the REAL WCW belt that had been used for years (it had the bent top which I remember hearing happened to the real belt)?

 

No. I believe Hogan has that belt on his mantle.

 

Was there any backlash for the lWo, like taking heat away from the nWo?And was it in any way a shoot at the nWo about holding people (luchas in particular) down?

 

The basis of the LWO was that Eddy, in storylines (and presumably real life) felt that Bischoff was holding him down. Nash disbanded the LWO when the NWO formed because yes, he thought it was taking away from the NWO.

 

Thanks for awnsering these btw.

 

No problem.

[Black Lushus 0]

wait, I thought the NWO was already around when the LWO started?

[Fökai 0]

wait, I thought the NWO was already around when the LWO started?

He's referring to the "A-Team" reforming after the Fingerpoke of Doom.

 

In kayfabe, when the nWo A-Team formed, acting president Ric Flair asked the LWO to re-join the WCW to fend off the new theat.

[Guest Loss]

Did Jericho really book the way he turned heel, all his feuds, ect? I ask because how did Jericho get Malenko, Juvy, Iaukea, and the rest of the CW division to job to him every week w/o the political support of guys like Bischoff, Nash, Hogan, ect. Plus, he had to convince someone to get them to send a camera crew to Washington DC in Jericho's search for justice after losing the CW belt.

 

Did Jericho clear the stuff he did w/ anybody? Or did he just conceal his props until showtime? I'm sure the 1,004 holds had to have been given the ok by someone . . . and I get the feeling the only reason CJ was allowed to do it was since it was at Malenko's expense.

 

Did Jericho call Goldberg out from the blue? Or did Bischoff give him the ok to do it until Nash spoiled everyone's fun?

Interesting story behind that. In 1997, they had already tried to build the cruiserweight division around Jericho as a babyface and it failed miserably, but he was considered one of Bischoff's pets, so he'd get another chance. Bischoff thought Jericho, who was white and good looking with long blonded hair, would make the best face of the division.

 

Jericho got upset in late 1997 because he didn't feel he was being used enough and at the time, Eddy Guerrero was the top heel in the division who was also upset about the way he was being used. Eddy was promised a move up the card into the heavyweight division which never happened, and Jericho was promised a heel turn and a run as the top dog in the cruiser division, which did happen.

 

I should clarify something before I say this. I loved Jericho's character in 1998-1999. I thought he was outstanding and had limitless potential. HOWEVER, I also think his push killed the division because he beat so many guys so convincingly and the match quality dropped considerably from when Eddy was the top heel. There was more fan interest, but because Jericho was such a comic figure, many saw the belt as a joke.

 

Ironically, Benoit, Jericho, Malenko and Guerrero would eventually all ask to not work in the division anymore because being labeled a cruiserweight would "impede their upward mobility".

 

Jericho very much had the support of Bischoff during his early days as a heel. Complaining about jobbing wasn't really something anyone in the cruiserweight division, so no, it wasn't a problem. Much of what Jericho did was because WCW was so focused on the big names that he was able to just do whatever he wanted because management didn't care anyway. I think Jericho was basically given carte blanche and he made sure Malenko was cool with the family digs, and that was all the license that was required.

 

Jericho just kinda started doing a feud with Goldberg and expected it to turn into something eventually. When it didn't, that, along with the problems they had with contract negotiations at the time, ended up with Jericho getting frustrated and leaving for the WWF.

 

I should reiterate that it's often pointless to ask what WCW's plans were. They were completely unorganized and booked from show to show with no long term direction in mind.

 

As for Kevin Nash and Jimmy Hart, were they cool w/ each other?  I ask since I'd figure that there would be a little tension there since Hart is Hogan's best friend.  But, in Hart's shoot interview, I guess he begged Nash to not release Moore, Helms, & Kourageous so he could do the 3 Count gimmick and film them a music video.  Nash wholeheartedly agreed.  I would have guessed Nash would have cut the 3 Count gimmick before it started.

 

Nash didn't have the power to release anyone. He was never in that position, so he couldn't have if he wanted. Jimmy Hart had a way of staying out of the line of fire with Hogan's games.

 

Was there ever any tentative plan to give either Mike Awesome or Lance Storm a brief run w/ the WCW Championship in 2000?

 

No. Booker, then Steiner, then Goldberg was the plan.

[cmpunk04 0]

1. Were the lucha wrestlers disliked in the lockeroom? I seem to remember a lot of negative angles involving them.

 

2. What was the deel with the Kiss Demon? Wasnt he on one of the largest contracts in some time?

 

3. Does my memory serve me correct in thinking that Marty Jannetty was used for a while?

 

4. How many matches did AJ Styles have with WCW? Was he green or still really good?

[Guest Loss]

1. Were the lucha wrestlers disliked in the lockeroom? I seem to remember a lot of negative angles involving them.

Not so much disliked as seen as jokes by management.

 

2. What was the deel with the Kiss Demon? Wasnt he on one of the largest contracts in some time?

 

WCW wanted Kiss on Nitro, and the deal was that they'd create a wrestler with a Kiss gimmick who would main event a PPV. He was awful, so they got around that loophole by putting him in a random match at Superbrawl X and calling it a "special main event".

 

3. Does my memory serve me correct in thinking that Marty Jannetty was used for a while?

 

Yes.

 

4. How many matches did AJ Styles have with WCW? Was he green or still really good?

 

I think he only had one match that I know of. He teamed with Air Paris against Jamie Knoble and Evan Karagias, I believe. I don't remember much about it. It was on Thunder.

[MillenniumMan831 0]

He actually had at least two Thunder matches. One billed as AJ Styles and Air Paris while the second they were billed as Air Raid. During the 1st match, Styles did the Shooting Styles Press to the outside which in effect cost his team the match when most of the brunt was felt by Paris. The second match Styles/Paris went over the Boogie Knights. They may have had other matches.

[alfdogg 0]

Janetty was there sometime in '98. I don't think he ever got past Saturday Night.

[MillenniumMan831 0]

The poor guy jobbed to Jericho the night that CJ listed his 1,004 holds to the live crowd. ARMBAR!!!

[Black Lushus 0]

Okay, I read that article over at 411Mania counting down the top women in wrestling...this one was about Kimberly Page...they listed DDP, Ed Leslie (when he was the Booty Man) and Eric Bischoff as "men in her life"...didn't she have a stint with Johnny B. Badd (Marc Mero) as well?

 

Also, the Booty Man, what in god's name started THAT gimmick and what was it supposed to be?

[MillenniumMan831 0]

Yeah, Kim was hooked up w/ Johnny B Badd. Her most notable moment in the role was probably at Starrcade 1995 when she called Sonny Onoo 'Hop Sing' . . . I think she called him Hop Sing at least.

[Tony149 0]

As the others have said, awesome thread. One of the best this forum has ever seen.

 

I'd love to hear Loss' comments on the Bill Watts era. I'm a huge mark for that time period, 1992 in general, and even though Watts did some stupid things (banning off the top rope moves), I thought his run was good. As a matter of fact, I have an old WCW Magazine where Jim Ross writes about the matches that'll take place at Halloween Havoc '92, and I wondering to myself, why the hell did they change it.

 

Without looking at the magazine.... Ricky Steamboat vs. Steve Austin for the TV Title; Steiners vs. Gordy & Williams for the Unified Tag Titles; Cactus Jack vs. Dustin Rhodes, Falls Count Anywhere; Rude vs. Chono; Sting vs. Jake Roberts

[iliketurtles 0]

Hunter's Torn Quad? How do you know all this stuff? I'm just curious.

 

Why did DDP never join the Wolfpac anyways? No reason?

[Guest Loss]

Okay, I read that article over at 411Mania counting down the top women in wrestling...this one was about Kimberly Page...they listed DDP, Ed Leslie (when he was the Booty Man) and Eric Bischoff as "men in her life"...didn't she have a stint with Johnny B. Badd (Marc Mero) as well?

 

Also, the Booty Man, what in god's name started THAT gimmick and what was it supposed to be?

She had a brief stint with Johnny B. Badd, yes. I can't nor will I try to explain The Booty Man.

 

[Guest Loss]

They did do most of those matches at Havoc '92. I think Gordy's departure back to AJPW ended up hurting them some as well.

 

Watts' run in WCW was largely a disaster, as he darkened the arenas to a point where watching the TV was just gloomy, he encouraged the talented undercard to dog their matches so they wouldn't outshine the main events and he gave the MVC a far bigger push than they ever deserved, pretty much killing the tag division. There were some really good workers who shined during this period, but the bad outweighed the good.

 

I LOVED the Kip Frey era from late 1991-Spring 1992, though.

[Guest Loss]

Why did DDP never join the Wolfpac anyways? No reason?

Nash didn't want DDP in the group, because he already thought having Sting and Luger around made the group too WCW.