10 Times Backstage Politics Ruined WCW

4. The Infamous Bash At The Beach 2000 Mess

Hulk Hogan Jeff Jarrett Bash At The Beach 2000
WWE

Hey remember the time when everyone worked themselves into a shoot after trying to run a worked shoot, brother? Heading into Bash At The Beach 2000, the plan called for Hogan to beat Jeff Jarrett for the World Title under screwy circumstances before storming out of the building. Vince Russo would then line up a replacement World Champ, and we'd be cooking heading into the final few months of the year.

There was just one major issue: Hulk was annoyed by Russo’s “big, bald son of a bitch” promo when he’d already left the building. The resultant legal minefield lasted years, and it didn't conclude until long after WCW bit the dust. This sorry saga was another misery the World Title couldn’t survive in the wake of David Arquette lunacy.

4 years earlier, Hulk had changed the industry by turning heel and forming the New World Order. Hell, 2 years before BATB 2000 back in 1998, he'd been teaming with pop culture hot topic Dennis Rodman against DDP and Karl Malone. That celeb infused magic seemed a million miles away when 2000s pay-per-view sneaked into view.

Backstage, things got messy between Hogan, Eric Bischoff, Jeff Jarrett and Russo. Booker T somehow ended Bash as the new World Champ, and Hulk never appeared for WCW again before it was sold off to the McMahons.

Don't get it twisted: Most were thrilled to see Booker finally reach the apex of WCW, but then they had to suffer through Vince f'n Russo as on/off World Champ in steel cage matches. How's that for a trade off?!

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.