10 Genius Ways Wrestling Companies Kept You Watching

6. Who's The Third Man?

Sting WCW
WWE.com

Eric Bischoff is unfairly maligned as a vulture and plagiarist, as if those things are automatically bad. Repurposing what works elsewhere is how WWE became WWE, from the AWA to ECW, before the company stumbled into this awful period by somehow convincing themselves that they hadn't done that.

You see, their inherent brilliance won the day!

But Eric Bischoff didn't just borrow wholesale the UWF-i Vs. NJPW cross-promotional feud; he used its inspiration and adapted it with a crucial understanding of both episodic pro wrestling TV and the maturing audience who watched it. Scott Hall debuted in 1996 not as some lawyer-triggering Jimmy Hart Version of Razor Ramon but as Scott Hall for a purpose he left hanging in the air with an iconic storyline hook:

"You all know who I am, but you don't know why I'm here."

In a phenomenal twist, he was soon joined by Kevin Nash. It was thought that every WWF star was headed south, and WCW deliberately cultivated that feeling. Hall and Nash indeed promised a "third man," the mystery surrounding whom was intoxicating. The entire world of professional wrestling was changing overnight, in every conceivable way, and then the inconceivable happened: Hulk Hogan turned heel.

From Hall's debut onwards, just one week dented WCW's 83 of dominance.

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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 current Undisputed WWE 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!