10 Times WCW Was The Best Wrestling In The World
6. A New Lease Of Life
Critics of wrestling often lamented the lack of options in the intervening years between WCW's closure and AEW's creation. "Oh if only Dolph Ziggler could go somewhere else. He could try new gimmicks, learn new styles, and come back fresh and interesting!" There may be some truth to that, as Drew McIntyre's absence seems to have reinvigorated him right into a world title run.
Indeed, that option could have been WCW's greatest gift to the wrestling world. By 1994, Hulk Hogan’s Hollywood excursion was floundering. "Macho Man" Randy Savage had been put out to pasture and stuck behind a commentary desk. Lex Luger's potential had never been realized in the first place, slogging from one failed gimmick to the next.
Yet, with WCW offering big money contracts, all three were scooped up quickly and, suddenly, had another chance to prove their worth. Savage came in with a white-hot feud with Ric Flair before moving into the Macho Madness incarnation of his character. Luger set the tone of WCW Nitro's unpredictability by showing up unannounced in the first main event. Later, he'd defeat Hulk Hogan for the WCW title on Nitro, receiving an unforgettable pop. As for Hogan himself? Well, he'll be expanded upon later, but suffice to say he extended his wrestling career considerably.