The Monday Night War was,without question,the most interesting time in Pro Wrestling. Vince McMahon's WWF and Ted Turner's WCW clashed in a heated war from September '95 to March '01. And as we all know,it was WWE that won the it all.
WCW,in it's last 3 years,screwed up royally,allowing Vince McMahon's Company to get the win.
In fact, WCW's problems began in mid-1998. Keeping the nWo around longer than it should have,Backstage politics,Hiring Vince Russo,Wasting Money,and Screwing the Fans were just some of the problems that WCW faced.
But,what if all of those thing's Didn't happen. Let's take a trip to an Alternate Universe....A Universe where WCW won The Monday Night War.
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Opening!
In Late December of 1997, At Starrcade '97, Sting defeats Hollywood Hogan cleanly and becomes WCW Champion. The nWo tried to interfere, but WCW fought them back. The next night,The nWo start having inner problems after the fall-out from Starrcade. Said problems would continue until their bitter end in March.
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1998!
In Early January of 1998,The nWo's internal troubles continue[mainly between hogan and nash.]. Hollywood Hogan gets a Rematch with Sting on Nitro,the match ends in controversy,as hogan "accidentally" knocks out the referee.Nick Patrick comes out to officiate..giving the match tho hogan.J.J. Dillon comes in and demands a restart to the match.Bischoff argues,but is ignored. the match restarts once the original ref comes to and Sting wins.On the 1st WCW Thunder (a new 2 hour show),It's announced that,despite the Controversy in the Hogan/Sting match on Nitro,Sting will still keep the Championship and will face Hollywood Hogan at Souled Out. On the same show,Bret Hart and Ric Flair start a mini-feud after weeks of confrontation. The Hart/Flair feud ended in Early March.
On the Next Nitro,Goldberg continues his dominance and The Giant/Nash match at souled out will be a #1 contenders match. the nWo clash even more..this time after a host of misunderstandings. At Souled Out,Kevin Nash defeats the Giant and becomes the #1 contender for the WCW Championship. Randy Savage is beaten by Lex Luger and when the other nWo guys try to come to Savage's aid,Hollywood calls them back.Hulk Hogan loses to Sting,thanks to interference by the nWo,who mess things up for Hogan. The Next Nitro,Savage calls out Hogan for calling back the nWo when he was in trouble.2 then start a small feud.While Eric Bischoff sides with Hollywood Hogan,Nash sides with Savage. Scott Hall defeats DDP for the US Championship at Souled Out.
In February of '98, Hogan and Savage battle it out in a series of matches,Savage is kicked out of nWo when he wins the final one. At Superbrawl VIII,Sting defeats Nash thanks to Hogan's interference.The Egotistical Hogan claims that No One in the nWo deserves to be champion but him. Nash is given a rematch,but it ends in a DQ,when Hogan attacks Nash. Savage comes to Nash's aid and attacks Hogan.
The nWo attacks Savage and Chaos ensues. Lucha Libre and Japanese Wrestling are given a full platform during Nitro's 2nd hour. Goldberg still dominates and wins the WCW US Championship from Scott Hall at Superbrawl VIII. Hogan and Nash are given another chance to win the title at the event,when they face Sting in a 3-man brawl. Sting Wins and Nash and Hogan blame each other for the nWo's loss. Also at the event,The Steiner Brothers retain the Tag Championship against Public Enemy. Scott shows signs of a narcissistic heel.
In March of 1998,On The 1st Nitro of March ,Hollywood Hogan gets his final rematch with Sting,but he loses thanks to Kevin Nash. The 2 address their issues on the following Thunder and eventually get into a fight. J.J Dillon comes out later in the show and decides its time to put an end to the nWo. So he offers an ultimatum at Uncensored.
If the Kevin Nash fails to get the WCW Championship from Sting at the event in a no-dq match,The nWo must disband. Bischoff,with The nWo, comes out and offers his own ultimatum,Should Sting lose,he must either Join the nWo or leave the company AND if the nWo wins,they get full control of WCW's shows and PPVs....every single one. Sting arrives and agrees to this.
Goldberg continues dominating and will meet Randy Savage for the US title at Uncensored.At Uncensored,Bret Hart defeats Scott Hall.Earlier in the match,Hollywood called back the nWo who were trying to help Hall and forbid them to do so. Nash argues this logic,but Hollywood tells Nash that Hall is a loser for losing the US Championship and the nWo doesn't help losers.Nash decides to disobey and help,His buddy.Hogan stops him and the 2 have a fight.The nWo try to separate them. Randy Savage loses his match against Goldberg.
Nash loses the mach against Sting,thanks to Hollywood Hogan,who put Pride and Ego ahead of his stable. On the following Nitro,The nWo is officially defunct and Nash and Hogan blame each other.The 2 start a lasting feud. DDP officially becomes the #1 guy on the mid-card and is set to face Goldberg at Spring Stampede. The WCW Superstars express their feelings about the end of the nWo. Eric Bischoff continues to be the advocate for Hollywood Hogan. Ric Flair expresses his want to be champ again.
In April of '98,During a Tag Team Championship match on the 1st Thunder of the month,The Steiner Bros. lose their Tag Team gold against Steven Regal and Dave Taylor[the bluebloods].Scott blames Rick for the loss and turns on him. The 2 have a feud..with Scott as the narcissistic heel known as Big Poppa Pump.
Lucha Libre and Puroresu are even bigger hits than before. The Cruiserweight Division is as great as ever too. Ric Flair and Sting re-spark their old rivalry.DDP,Bret Hart and Goldberg begin a mini-rivalry for ownership of the US championship. WCW ratings raise.On final Thunder of the month, The Blue Bloods loose the Titles to Bagwell and Norton,who remain the Champs until August.
The 3-way rivalry for the US Title leads to Goldberg,DDP,and Hart having a 3-way brawl at Spring Stampede(an announcement made by J.J Dillon on Nitro). Also,The Steiner Feud gets Heated,as Scott uses personal attacks against Rick.Scott Hall becomes the TV champion. WCW reinstates it's Women's division,with Madusa as the champion.The division is Not sexualized..unlike what they have in the WWE. DDP wins the US Championship at Spring Stampede by pinning Bret Hart. The
following Nitro Hart cries fowl and demands a rematch. DDP mocks Hart. This leads to a DDP/Bret Hart feud,a feud that lasts until mid-june. Nash and Hogan have a match at Spring Stampede,the match ends in a double DQ.
Also at Spring Stampede,Flair battles Sting for the WCW championship and loses. Randy Savage regains his ambitions to be the world champion again and JJ Dillon decides to grant him that chance at Slamboree.Flair cries foul and starts a fight with Savage.The 2 meet on Nitro for a number 1 contenders match.Flair wins.Savage assaults Flair after the match.The 2 re-ignite their legendary feud. To prevent "fan burn-out",WCW Saturday Night is reduced to a single hour and all lesser WCW shows were canceled.Puroresu and Lucha Libre become full mainstays in WCW,giving the company a big ratings boost. In Late April, WWF's Degeneration X (DX) invaded Nitro. The WCW not only confronted the degenerate gang,but they also managed to beat them back. This incident was a ratings boost for Both the WCW and the WWF.
In Early May of '98,The Road to Slamboree begins with Ric Flair trying to woo Elisabeth away from Savage.He tries this multiple times and each time ends in a brawl between Savage and Flair.Sting watches from the rafters each time and is amused. In Mid-May,Scott Hall loses his TV title to The British Bulldog. Madusa re-ignites a feud with Aja Kong for the WCW Women's championship Eddie Guererro and Rey Mysterio start a friendly rivalry in the cruiserweight division. Both men eventually meet for the Cruiserweight title the next month,when Guererro wins it from Dean Malenko at Slamboree. The Nash/Hogan war continues.DDP battles Bret Hart for the US title at Slamboree.
The cheers for DDP prompt Hart to become a Heel. DDP retains his title. However,at The Great American Bash,he loses it to Chris Benoit,when Bret Hart helps his fellow Canadian win. DDP and Hart have one final Grudge Match in a Steel Cage on Nitro the next week following the event. Hart Wins that one. During his match at Slamboree against Hollywood Hogan,Nash gets cheered. He becomes a Face shortly after.
At Slamboree,Savage costs Flair the Title.Flair would return the favor at The Great American Bash when he costs Savage the chance to be WCW Champion again.In Late May,Goldberg is moved up to the uppercard and starts main eventing Nitro and fueds with Scott Hall,when Hall challenges him.This feud goes on for months.Hall is announced as the #1 contender for the WCW Championship at Great American Bash.
In June 1998, Liz betrays Savage again at the Great American Bash during his Match against Flair.The 2 have one final steel cage confrontation at Bash at the Beach,which Savage wins. Also At the Great American Bash,Sting battles Scott Hall for the championship. Goldberg costs Hall the match. The 2 battle in a Street Fight at Bash at the Beach. A fight where Goldberg Wins. The next night on Nitro,Bret Hart is named the #1 contender for the WCW Championship. Both Ric Flair and Randy Savage have a problem with that and confront Hart. Sting comes out and tells the 3 that he doesn't care who he fights. So a 4-way battle for the WCW Championship is made for Bash at the Beach...which Sting wins.
In July 1998,DDP gets his rematch against Chris Benoit for the WCW US Title at Bash at the Beach.Dean Malenko costs DDP the Match. DDP would return the favor by costing Malenko his match for the Cruiserweight Championship against Eddie Guererro later in the night. The 2 start a feud and have a match at Road Wild.On The Nitro following the big event,Malenko reveals that he Helped Chris Benoit so that he'd have a chance at being a Horseman,when they eventually reform.Beniot responds the following Thunder.
The Hollywood Hogan/Kevin Nash feud intensifies. Brutus Beefcake[now known as The Disciple] joins Hogan in his fight against Nash. In Late July,Scott Hall joins Kevin Nash. The 4 Men have a Tag Match at Road Wild. Bret Hart gets another shot at the WCW championship at Road Wild. He fails again,and when he does,he brutaly assaults Sting. The 2 men have a feud. Goldberg is back to being the #1 Contender for the WCW US Championship and will face Chris Benoit at Road Wild.
In August '98,Nash gets a new Ally in Lex Luger. But Hogan gets a new ally as well..Scott Steiner.The tag team match at Road Wild becomes a 6-Man Tag. At Road Wild,Malenko helps Benoit yet again and the Canadian Crippler gets the win over Goldberg.Chris Benoit returns the favor later in the night by Malenko defeat DDP. The following night on Nitro,DDP and Goldberg create a temporary alliance and continue their feud with Malenko and Benoit.The feud ends at Fall Brawl:War Games.
In Early September of '98,Nash and Hogan each get 1 more new Ally. Randy Savage for Nash and Curt Hennig for Hogan. Both of these teams would continue to clash until Fall Brawl:War Games,where they settle things once and for all in the War Games Match. Booker T starts a successful Singles Career after his Brother,Stevie Ray is out with an injury. The Nitro after War Games,Ric Flair decides it's time to revive the 4 Horsemen. Chris Benoit and Arn Anderson agree. They decide to add Dean Malenko to the group,since he helped out Chris Benoit. Steve McMichael
is out injured and won't be able to reclaim his position on the team.Chris Benoit suggests Bret Hart.Flair refuses,but Arn Anderson decides to give Hart a shot..if he's up for it.
Bret Hart,who lost his match with Sting at War Games via DQ,comes out to greet the Horsemen and tells them it would be an honor to be a Horseman. Anderson decides to give Hart a test. Hart's test is to defeat Goldberg next Monday Night on Nitro. Bret Hart accepts the challenge and with Chris Benoit's help,defeats Goldberg the following week. Bret Hart is now a Horseman. On the same Nitro,Sting and Holywood Hogan renew their rivalry.
In Early October 1998,The Ultimate Warrior unexpectedly shows up on the 1st Nitro of October and reveals that he's here to keep justice and to seek out super tough opponents to battle.Randy Savage answers the Warrior's call and agrees to face him at Halloween Havoc.They have a great match,an match that Savage ends up winning. Ultimate Warrior would leave the WCW 2 months later due to a money dispute. Sting vs Hollywood Hogan for the Title is announced for Halloween Havoc.Sting
wins that match by DQ. Bret Hart takes to his role as a horseman naturally...He even upstages Ric Flair at one point.
In November 1998,At World War 3,Goldberg wins the 60 Man Battle Royal. Also at the event,Sting Battles Hollywood Hogan in a Steel Cage...and wins. The following Nitro,Hollywood Hogan decides to take a hiatus to focus on his Acting Career. With Bret Hart,the new 4 Horsemen continue to thrive. In Late November,Nash and Hall reunite a Tag Team and eventually win back the WCW Tag Team Championship in late January of next year.
In December of '98,Sting and Goldberg develop a rivalry before their face-off at Starrcade. At Starcade '98,Goldberg defeats Sting for the WCW Championship. The 2 shake hands after the match. In late December,Ric Flair suffers an injury and has to take a leave of absence.Arn Anderson gives Bret Hart the job of temporary leader of the Horsemen. Hart would prove to be an effective and likable leader.
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1999!
In January of 1999,DDP is named the #1 contender for Goldberg's WCW championship.The 2 fight at Souled Out and Goldberg wins. Goldberg would continue to reign as Champion until Halloween Havoc '99,where he is defeated by DDP in an epic Rematch. On the 2nd Nitro of the month,Lex Luger and Randy Savage battle in a #1 Contenders match for the WCW Championship,after the 2 have an argument about who deserves to face and beat Goldberg. Lex Luger Wins,Savage assaults him backstage.
Their feud would last until Slamboree,where Luger defeats Savage in a Strap Match[a special challenge that savage has issued] at the event. Later in the year WCW introduces the International Championship for the Lucha Libre and Puroresu divisions.The 2 divisions start an inter-division rivalry for that gold.In September of '99,the 2 divisions merge into the International division...A division where international wrestlers can become mid-card mega-stars.
In Febuary 1999,WCW rehires Jake "The Snake" Roberts,who's adopted a dark pro-snake,anti-human gimmick.Ric Flair returns on the 1st Nitro of Febuary '99 and confronts Bret Hart about his leadership skills.The 2 end up having a heated arguement,which leads to Ric Flair challenging Bret Hart for control if the Horsemen and if Hart loses,he's out of the group. Hart accepts the challenge. They fight at Superbrawl IX and Bret Hart wins. Bret proves to be a great leader and Flair hates it.
Flair would get a rematch at the Great American Bash in June,where he not only took back control of the Horsemen,but kicks Bret Hart out.Benoit joins Hart soon after. Hart and Benoit are replaced with Curt Hennig and Steve McMichael on the 2nd Nitro in July.
March of '99 proved to be somewhat uneventful,still WCW's ratings continued to stay in a healthy position. In April '99,at Uncensored,Chris Benoit loses the US championship to Booker T,thanks to Ric Flair,who wanted revenge on Benoit for supporting Bret Hart.The following Nitro,Hart blasts Flair for thr move..as does Benoit. Booker T and Scott Steiner start a feud for the US Championship and would have multiple matches,the biggest being at that years Slamboree.
In April,Owen Hart of WWE gets tempted by WCW.In fact,Eric Bischoff even invited Owen to join WCW on multiple occasions. By Mid-May,Owen Hart leaves WWF for WCW. He quit because of a big dispute he had with Vince McMahon and the WWF creative team. In June,Owen Hart reunites with "British Bulldog"Davy Smith and the 2 take the Tag Team Division by storm. In August the 2 would win the WCW Tag Titles. WCW Champ Goldberg gets into a rivalry with Randy Savage. They meet for the WCW Championship twice,once at Spring Stampede and again at Bash at the Beach.
In May of 1999,WCW's ratings begin to fall a bit due to the lack of overly interesting things.Despite this though,WCW is still running neck and neck with the WWF. With Hollywood Hogan on hiatus,Eric Bischoff decides to return to color commentary until Hogan returns.Owen Hart's star is on the rise.WCW
In June of 1999,WCW introduces The Women's Tag Team Titles and holds a Tournament for it on Nitro.This gives WCW a bit of an edge against WWF. Sting is targeted by Jake Roberts. They meet at the Great American Bash.Their feud would continue until Early August.
In Early July of 1999,Bret Hart and Chris Benoit are in feud with the 4 Horsemen. Sometime before Bash at the Beach,The Canadian's recruit Owen Hart and The British Bulldog and they form The Hart Clan.The 2 stables continue to feud for months,eventually settling things at War Games in the War Games Match.
In August 1999,the WCW TV Title is a Saturday Night exclusive title.Eric Bischoff announces that Hollywood Hogan has been kicked out of Hollywood. Late next month,Hogan returns as a Face in Gold and Crimson colors.
In September of 1999,WCW introduces the Hardcore Division,a division dedicated to ECW-style matches.Raven fully endorses it. Late Sept,Hulk Hogan introduces Hulkamania 2000,a more "modernized" version of Classic Hulkamania (complete with the 4 demandments: train,say your prayers,take your vitamins,and believe in yourself).His theme song "American Made" is given a Heavy Metal remix. Bischoff is no longer Hogan's avocate. The Hart Clan wins War Games. Goldberg loses the title to DDP.
In Early October 1999,Jeff Jerrett returns to WCW and raises hell. Bret Hart and DDP have a rivalry and meet for the title at Halloween Havoc. Hart wins,but DDP gets another chance at Starcade'99,when he wins the World War 3 Match at World War 3.
In November of '99,Steve McMichael is injured and kicked out of the Horsemen. Jeff Jerrett soon joins Mongo's place later in the Month. In January 2000,Jeff Jarrett turns on Flair,takes over the Horsemen and kicks Flair out. This leads to a Jarrett/Flair Fued. The Horsemen dissolve once again in Febuary 2000. DDP wins the World War 3 Match at World War 3,allowing him to face Bret Hart for the title at Starrcade '99.
To increase viewers and decrease the popularity of The WWF,WCW airs political-style negative ads. These work and by January 2000,WWF begins to struggle against WCW (the 1st time since 1996).Hall and Nash split up again to pursue singles careers.
In December '99,Bret Hart suffers a concussion that almost ends his in-ring career. The Hart Clan splits up soon after. Hart is forced to give up his Championship. The Belt is put on the line in a 6-way brawl between Jeff Jarret,Chris Benoit,Kevin Nash,DDP,Goldberg,and Sting at Starrcade '99 [the next 6 in-line for the title]. Hart retires from the ring in September of 2000. DDP wins the title at Starrcade '99,but loses it in March of 2000 [at uncensored]to Chris Benoit.
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2000!
In January 2000,WCW ends WCW Saturday Night and retires the TV Title.WWF starts to decline further and Nitro is once again the #1 Wrestling show. Last year,WCW's PPV's beat WWF's by a decent margin,all thanks to the awesome wrestling action,great rivalries,and fun personalities. Booker T looses the US Title to Jeff Jarrett at Souled Out.
In Febuary 2000,Sid rejoins WCW and starts a feud with everyone[because he's psycho].At Superbrawl 2000,Sid got a shot at the US Title against Jeff Jarrett...he is unsuccessful.
In March,Chris Benoit wins the WCW Championship from DDP at Uncensored.Scott Hall wins the US Title from Jeff Jarrett at the same event. Also at Uncensored,Scott Steiner and Booker T battle it out for the #1 Contender spot for the US Championship at Spring Stampede. Booker T wins and at Spring Stampede,wins back the US Title.
In April of 2000,Booker T,Scott Hall,and Scott Steiner start a 3-way feud for the US Title the Nitro after Spring Stampede. Chris Benoit and Jeff Jarrett feud for the WCW Title. They have a match at Spring Stampede. The feud doesn't end there though.
In May of 2000,WCW introduces the Hardcore Tag Team Championships. This pushes WCW over the edge and they beat WWF by a huge margin. This move grabs the attention of Paul Hayman,who accuses WCW of stealing ECW's thing. WCW's Hardcore Tag Team titles don't last that long though.They are discontinued in 2001,mainly due to yearly budget cuts. Scott Hall wins US title at Slambaree.
In June of 2000,At The Great American Bash,Jeff Jarrett defeats Chris Benoit for the WCW Championship. The Next night on Nitro. On that Nitro,Kevin Nash is named the #1 contender for the title. Jeff Jarrett starts a feud with Nash. At Bash at the Beach,Nash wins the title.WWF continues to struggle against WCW.
In July 2000,WCW defeats WWF in the ratings once again...this time even more so than before. In an effort to regain all of those ratings they've lost,WWF has their Women{both wrestlers and valets} wear nothing but bra and panties. This move does little to help the struggling company. Due to the popularity if WCW's 2 Hardcore divisions[singles and tag team],many ECW guys come to WCW to earn better pay.This pisses off Paul Hayman [aka Paul E. Dangerously],and rightfully so,since ECW is losing strength as a company week after week...with no sign of recovery.
In late-July,a war breaks out between the American Superstars and the International Stars,who feel that the Americans are getting all of the breaks.The 2 sides eventually meet in a 6-on-6 War Games match at WCW Wargames.The stipulation: If the Internationals win,they get Thunder.
In August of 2000,The USA vs International feud spills into the Women's division. Scott Hall loses the US Title to Owen Hart at Road Wild,the 2 have a feud soon after. Also at Road Wild,Kevin Nash concludes his feud with Jeff Jarrett and retains his title. In late August,Hulk Hogan and Konnan [who'd adopted a hispanic/latino advocacy attitude months prior]elect themselves as the leaders of the Americans and Internationals respectively.
In Early September,The Internationals [named the international invaders,made up of various international stars lead by konnan]and Americans [named american badasses,lead by hulk hogan] step up their attacks against each other.At WCW War Games,the Internationals beat the American Badasses in the War Games Match and win Thunder. In Late Sept. 2000,WWF's TV deal with The USA Network expires. Viacom offers WWF a new TV deal and WWF moves to TNN.This move proves useless in the ratings war with WCW,as TNN isn't as well watched as The Turner Networks.
In October of 2000,Vader re-signs with WCW and after talking about the "lame" competition in WWF and their unfair treatment of him,he makes an open challenge to anybody. Sting Answers the challenge and the 2 face off at Halloween Havoc. The 2 feud for a month and a half after the event.Nash fueds with Scott Steiner. The 2 fight at Halloween Havoc,where Steiner comes up short. The 2 continue to feud until Early January 2001,where Nash defeats Steiner in a Non-Title Cage Match on Nitro.
In Late November,Vader and Hogan decide to continue their rivalry from 1995 and have a series of matches,starting with one at World War 3.Bret Hart becomes the mentor/advocate of his Brother,Owen.Owen wins the WCW US Championship in a 3 way brawl against Scott Hall and Curt Hennig at Starcade.Curt Hennig feuds with Scott Hall for the US Title.
In November 2000,Scott Steiner wins the World War 3 Match at World War 3. He faces Kevin Nash for the WCW Championship at Starrcade 2000. Meanwhile,The WWF continues it's downward spiral and gets more morally depraved to keep it's ratings up. Thankfully,these tactics by the WWF don't work that well,and it's all thanks to WCW's awesome wrestling action.
In December of 2000,WCW is close to defeating the WWE once and for all,as the ratings serge thanks to interesting rivalries,good booking,decent storylines,awesome in-ring action,pushing both lucha libre and puroresu,and having a strong women's division. The hardcore division is also helping. Scott Steiner wins the WCW Championship at Starrcade from Kevin Nash and is confronted by Booker T soon after the win. Hogan and Vader conclude their feud in the main event of the final Nitro of 2000.
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To Be Concluded!
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