The Complete History Of The New World Order | Wrestling Timelines
January 4, 1999 - Finger Poke Of Doom
It is reported in the December 21, ‘98 WON that, on December 14, a frazzled Eric Bischoff held a talent meeting to announce that Nash and DDP had joined the booking team. On December 27, at Starrcade, Kevin Nash is booked to end Goldberg’s lengthy undefeated winning streak and take the WCW title from him.
Nash, who offered his services, will later quip that he should have said “Let’s go to a strip club” as a means of helping a stressed Bischoff.
The match at Starrcade is remembered only for the fact that the booker beat the top star, and while that is certainly symptomatic of WCW's slow death, what's often lost is that Nash receives some support from the crowd. Goldberg is favoured, but the word "mixed" is not an inaccurate description of the atmosphere. There is, at least, interest left in the idea of Nash as a top babyface.
The World title rematch is set for January 4, 1999 at the Georgia Dome on Nitro. It doesn’t happen.
Instead, what happens to Steve Austin a lot happens to Goldberg, because that’s what’s in: Goldberg is arrested. Nash instead puts up the title against Hogan, magically back from a November “retirement” few took seriously.
Hogan prods Nash in the chest with his finger - the “Finger Poke of Doom”. Nash bumps theatrically to the mat, willingly takes the pin, and magically pops back up, celebrating with Hogan and a reformed nWo also featuring Luger, Hall, and Steiner. The histrionics are funny, granted.
The scene is meant to provoke outrage - damn these disruptors, and their lack of respect for the belt! - but fans are over being jaded.
Usually, when you laugh in someone’s face, it’s because you’ve outsmarted them with a fiendishly clever idea. Reforming the nWo is not a fiendishly clever idea. It is an idea that convinces fans, who get worked into it for a few weeks, that WCW is out of ideas.
After initial interest in the reboot, WCW’s audience craters over the coming months. WCW will never again win a ratings battle. WCW, in just over two years, will be dead forever.