WCW in 1998

[BUTT 0]

I was reading "The Death of WCW" at a bookstore a few days ago, and I was thinking about just how much success WCW pissed away in 1998. They were coming off their biggest show ever, which did a 1.9 buyrate, they had just signed Bret Hart, and they had a ton of up-and-comers who had the potential to become breakout stars. And yet we all know what happened. Now disreagrding the awful quality of Starrcade '97, WCW still had a lot of momentum coming off of this show and was incredibly popular. So, if you were Eric Bischoff, what would you have done in 1998 and beyond to ensure that WCW reached its maximum potential profitability? Which wrestlers would you have pushed, and why and how? What feuds would you run? Which wrestlers would you get rid of and which ones would you bring in? Any ideas are welcome.

[tommytomlin 0]

Given Sting a definitive win over Hogan, taken Hogan off TV for two or three months then brought him back to feud with Kevin Nash, thereby beginning the nWo breakup. No Wolfpac, no Black and White, just Hogan/Steiner vs Hall/Nash.

 

Meanwhile Sting could defend the World Title against guys like Savage and Bagwell, while Hart was kept strong with wins over Flair, Hennig and Benoit. Then a nice Sting vs Bret program, with Bret winning the World Title, leading to a Hogan vs Hart match at a big PPV (GAB maybe). All this time Goldberg has been undefeated, leading to Goldberg vs Hogan at Starrcade, Goldberg wins and WCW reigns forever on the back of the bald dude.

[iggymcfly 0]

I think pretty much the most mind-boggling thing about the whole situation is that they didn't push Bret Hart more. I mean they brought in a guy, who had a legitimate claim to being the WWF Champion, and they just let him flounder into nothingness.

 

I don't care if they put him against Sting or Hogan, made him a face or a heel, or any of that stuff, but they needed to find some way to get him into a World Title program stat.

 

Still though, I think the problems with WCW ran a lot deeper than any one program or pushed talent could turn around. Everything just ran so slow. It wasn't just the matches with their endless stalling and slow, boring sequences. It even extended to the promos.

 

Here was a typical WCW promo:

 

Hey yo.

 

(30 second pause)

 

Wolfpack in the house!

 

(30 second pause)

 

You know...............lately..........................the Wolfpack....................has had some problems..........................with nWo Hollywood.

 

And right now........................Scott Hall......................is here....................to kick some tush.......................nWo wolfpack style!

 

I mean honestly, one the one hand, guys like Austin and Foley were doing some of the most innovative promo work in the history of the business, and on the other Monday night show, you had people cutting 30 minutes promos where they uttered a total of about 5 sentences.

 

I think that in order to really defeat the WWF, WCW would have had to completely revamp a product that had fallen behind in just about every aspect imaginable.

[BruiserKC 0]

WCW would have had another perfect main eventer IMHO if they had used him right...Raven. He would maybe have not been the main focus of the company, but a definite transitional MEer as they would try to get away from the Hall/Nash/Hogan/Savages of that time. Here's how I would have booked Raven at that time and made him a player in the WCW game.

 

Raven keeps the US title for a while instead of dropping it in one night. I would have had him feud with Savage...meanwhile without Hogan in the picture Elizabeth flirts with a return to Savage. At the Great American Bash...Raven battles Savage for the US title...Raven's rules of course. Suddenly, as Savage looks to be on the verge of winning the title...Elizabeth comes out of nowhere and clobbers him with a stop sign. Raven wins and Elizabeth joins the grunge that is the Flock. IN weeks to come you see her go from the gorgeous woman wrestling fans knew and love to one with stringed out hair, torn jeans, etc.

 

Meanwhile...Hogan's return would be made right about the time of the Great American Bash. He returns with Dennis Rodman...the following night after GAB it is scheduled to be a tag team match with Hogan and Rodman vs. Hall and Nash. Hogan is the face now...and early in the show we await Rodman's arrival at the arena. About midway through the show we find Rodman...beaten to a bloody pulp and tossed into the dumpster outside...with NWO spray-painted across his body. Hogan finds a partner in Scott Norton (NWO underling) only to have Norton turn his back on Hogan during the match...but instead of joining over to Hall and Nash he leaves the ring entirely.

 

We see this happening for a couple of months...one time Raven is scheduled to defend the US belt against Lex Luger only for Luger to receive the same treatment. Beaten and left with NWO on his back. The night after Fall Brawl...when World champ Bret Hart is set to have a non-title encounter with US champ Raven, Hart is found another victim. Bloodied, battered, and spray-painted. Finally...three weeks before Halloween Havoc...Eric Bischoff and JJ Dillon are both found bloodied and with the NWO calling card across their backs. This time, security escorts Hogan out of the arena on the orders of Doug Dillenger and Hogan is suspended for 30 days pending a full investigation.

 

 

Hart is unable to return at this point...leading to WCW vacating the World title and putting it up for grabs at a 6-man elimination Thunderdome cage match at Halloween Havoc. The lineup was originally to be Hogan, Sting, Nash, Goldberg, Hall, and Curt Hennig for the title...the removal of Hogan from the equation now means another wrestler must be picked. A 20-man battle royal is scheduled that Nitro before Havoc, the winner to become the 6th wrestler. The Ultimate Warrior is one of those picked for this match...however that night he ends up assaulted and NWO'ed. Moments before the battle royal is set to begin, a video shows Hogan trying to get into the building, screaming "I KNOW WHO'S BEHIND THIS, BROTHER! IT WASN'T ME!" To no avail...Hogan stays outside. Raven becomes the fill-in sub for the battle royal...but amazingly without his US title (he dropped it a couple of weeks ago to Chris Benoit). Raven wins the battle royal and goes on to Thunderdome.

 

Halloween Havoc...it's a brutal match for the Main Event. The last two standing are Raven and Sting. As Sting is locking on the scorpion deathlock on Raven...the cage suddenly is raised on its crane. In runs the Flock...including Elizabeth, Scott Norton, Vincent, and Stevie Ray. Sting is beaten down, Raven gets the cover, the pin, and the World Heavyweight Championship. However, they're not done. They move Sting over to where the cage was lowered and is now raised...order the lowering again. Kidman of the Flock was sitting in the crane, and they lower the cage onto Sting's neck. But not before Norton spray-paints NWO onto Sting's back as they are leaving. Sting at this point will be booked to be out for at least two-three months.

 

The following night, Raven comes out, title in hand, and cuts a promo talking about how the darkness after the NWO has creeped across WCW. It could go something like, "You thought the NWO was dark? It was a joke, a ploy, a harbinger of what was to come! People like Hogan and Sting make fun of the blackness...the darkness...that I call my home. For their sins I will punish all of WCW and hold them responsible for all that has happened...and all that is to come! Quote the Raven, nevermore!"

[BruiserKC 0]

Oh...and to add to this. At that moment, Raven points to the Jumbotron. We see a bloodied and beaten Hulk Hogan in the parking lot...with NWO spray-painted across his back.

[Guest KingofHarts]

Oh...and to add to this. At that moment, Raven points to the Jumbotron. We see a bloodied and beaten Hulk Hogan in the parking lot...with NWO spray-painted across his back.

 

I was with you until here.

[Just John 0]

WCW's biggest problem was the fact that they never pushed anyone during the height of the NWO. In 98, that caught up to them. That said, the biggest improvement they could have made would have been to utilize their insanely talented midcard.

 

Jericho's CW title reign that transitioned to a TV title reign was a good start, but I would've had him go after the US title instead of jobbing to Konnan.

 

Raven and Benoit were two guys that should've been better used also.

 

The tag titles should've gone to good teams instead of makeshift NWO teams and Rick Steiner and Judy Bagwell.

 

Little changes and elevations in the midcard would have made a substantial difference so there wouldn't be any scrambling in 1999 when the ME went to shit.