10 Things Everybody Gets Wrong About WCW
1. Dated Critiques
There was a lot wrong with Vince McMahon's petty 'Billionaire Ted' assaults in January 1996, far beyond the fact that they completely misunderstood what had appealed to a section of disenfranchised WWE fans in the first place.
It was wrong-headed enough to suggest that the athleticism was completely superior considering the in-ring innovation sneaking through on TNT, not least when images of Diesel, Razor Ramon and Ahmed Johnson all hitting powerbomb variations was supposed to prove the point. But the increased digs at the expense of Hulk Hogan and Macho Man Randy Savage via crude aged caricatures flew wide of the mark too. Particularly in light of the then-unknown runaway success of the New World Order.
Hulk and Randy may have been a touch older than certain WWE topliners, but WCW performers they were barely two years old. Savage's longterm partner Elizabeth had been reborn alongside Ric Flair, shockingly turning heel that same month to kick off the company's most profitable house show run ever up to that point.
The same logic applied to virtually every ex-WWE star that donned black and white over the next 12 months. As part of Hogan's heel unit, they were both familiar faces AND brand new talent. WCW was far from the old folks home, nor getting by by stealing stars. What was old was very, very new again.