10 Times Backstage Politics Ruined WCW

10. A JR Vendetta Wrecks The Cruiserweight Division

Vince Russo and Ed Ferrara have claimed previously that they didn't have anything against Jim Ross; and that the wretched Oklahoma character in WCW was only created to pop some folks who recalled Ed's JR impressions when both were on the WWF writing team. Namely, one Vince McMahon found Ferrara's send up of the iconic announcer hilarious, because of course he did.

It should've stayed in creative meetings, if anything. OK shouldn't have made it to TV, but WCW was a desperate outfit by late-1999, and the twin-pronged Russo/Ferrara combo couldn't resist poking fun at someone on the other channel. It would've been bad enough had Oklahoma exclusively existed in going nowhere skits outside the ring, but he didn't.

That gimmick (for whatever reason) dominated the once-proud Cruiserweight division and even "enjoyed" a reign as champion into the bargain. It was terrible. Simply terrible. Feuds and matches such as Eddie Guerrero vs. Rey Mysterio, Chris Jericho vs. Juventud Guerrera and Billy Kidman vs. all-comers were shoved to one side to Ed could perform a poor taste ritual humiliation of Jim's Bell's Palsy affliction on Nitro and Thunder.

The OK gimmick was born from taking potshots and trying to 'pop the boys' backstage. It was a piece of politically-charged backbiting in the midst of a ratings war that WCW were never going to win. Thankfully, the Cruiser ranks came back to life before the end of the company's shelf life thanks to guys like Shane Helms, Chavo Guerrero and a few others.

It would've been a travesty had Oklahoma feuding with Madusa been the last thing that belt had to offer.