10 Times Jim Cornette Got It Absolutely Right

1. Vince Russo Also Helped Kill WCW

Jim Cornette
WWE.com

While Bruiser Brody is credited with giving rise to the shoot video movement, Jim Cornette popularised it. And in initiating hostilities with Vince Russo, Cornette has crafted the most gripping rivalry outside of the ropes in modern wrestling.

Cornette, speaking before WCW closed its doors, was the first to posit the theory that Russo may not have been the messiah of wrestling's second mainstream boom period, attributing his WWF success to strict Vince McMahon regulation and the unprecedented two-headed Orthrus of The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin.

Presciently describing the WCW corporate arm as "marks" for hiring Russo, Cornette also criticised (that's understating matters) the Brooklynite for the manner of his WWF exit. As Cornette tells it, Russo didn't have the good grace to tell Vince McMahon in person of his intention to depart the doors of Titan Towers.

Cornette described Russo in his first, infamous rant as a "mark who no longer had to subsist on the internet fans" for adulation. He instead had WCW's dwindling audience for that. That dwindling audience would soon disappear altogether - with Russo largely to blame.

Jim Cornette is a man who does not mince his words - and we have the pleasure of hosting this irresistible wordplay at Refuse To Lose, our first ever iPPV!

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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!