10 Genius Ways Wrestling Companies Kept You Watching

8. The Higher Power

Sting WCW
WWE.com

In 1999, the Undertaker claimed to be serving under a 'Higher Power', which was intoxicating: this new version of the character, viewed strictly through the dated lens of the teenage edgelord, was already demented. He conducted satanic ceremonies and carved up his own hands. How f*cking kewl was an even more demented entity going to be?

Transfixed, the WWF's base expected nothing less than a Lovecraftian horror.

That this mystery storyline unfolded amid the quaint naivety of the early message board era - in which baseless rumours of big time talent jumps helped ease the agonising wait between Mondays - only added to the intrigue. Everybody with a 28k internet connection hovered between StickDeath and WrestleNewz, much like Sherlock Holmes, only addicted to those pictures of Sable and not cocaine.

They deduced the identity of the Higher Power by guessing which mainstream name hadn't appeared on USA or TNT for ages. Sid? Jake Roberts? Hell, nobody knew jack sh*t about contracts. It was Goldberg! Goldberg was also bald, and some people thought he was even more powerful than Steve Austin!

It turned out to be Vince McMahon, and that reveal was the sh*ts because of the dumbf*ck plot holes.

But this sh*t was ratings catnip, nonetheless.

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Contributor
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Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and surefire Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!