25 Crazy WCW Facts (That Get Progressively More Ridiculous)

18. HOW Many Pole Matches?

The exact number of On A Pole matches booked by Vince Russo is difficult to gauge, because late-period WCW is so dumb that it makes people weigh up the philosophical difference between a metal pole and a forklift. 

The number is likely 12; other Pole matches took place before and after Russo’s three stints with the company. If you combine Russo’s three actually short-lived stints with WCW, the total amount of months over which he had control is less than a year, somewhere between nine to ten. Ergo, Russo booked On A Pole matches at a rate over one per month. The real staggering stat here is that Russo, in his first full month in charge, November 1999, booked three Pole matches - which isn’t too far off one per week. 

Eddie Guerrero Vs. Perry Saturn ‘Key On A Pole’ (November 1, 1999); El Dandy Vs. Silver King Vs. Villano IV Vs. Psicosis Vs. Juventud Guerrera ‘Five-Way Pinata On A Pole (November 15); Dean Malenko Vs. Chris Benoit ‘Flag On A Pole’ (November 22).

WCW presented five episodes of Nitro in November 1999. A Pole match happened 60% of the time. On the other two Mondays, Russo booked three hardcore matches on November 8, and on November 29, he booked two steel cage matches. 

The real crux here is that you could very credible argue that just one ‘On A Pole’ match was too many, because the match type is so stunningly boring and has yielded exactly zero worthy matches that anybody cared about. 

There is no drama in climbing a pole because you only need to climb the top turnbuckle to reach the item atop it. In WCW especially, through its pioneering cruiserweight division, fans were used to watching the wrestlers climb to that position at will.