10 Magical Moments WCW Doesn't Get Enough Credit For
9. Dean Malenko Pulling A Fast One On Chris Jericho
Generally, WCW deserve a lot of credit for the way they handled Cruiserweights.
Recognising that the show needed something to underpin the jam-packed main event scene, the company often presented some of the best high-flying wrestling in the world. Storylines in the division were sometimes lacking, but not so at Slamboree 1998.
A Battle Royal was held to determine who would get a shot at Chris Jericho's WCW Cruiserweight Title later that night. Strangely, the mysterious Ciclope was the one who outlasted everyone in the match, immediately moving on to face Jericho. It was only then that the mask was pulled off and it was revealed to be Malenko.
Fans went absolutely crazy for the reveal, because it was a genuine shock. Jericho and Malenko had been feuding, but fans hadn't seen Dean since his defeat to the Canadian at Uncensored a few months prior.
Later, Malenko was stripped of the title in storyline but that doesn't change the fact that this was some ingenious storytelling from WCW. It turned a throwaway Battle Royal into something truly meaningful.