10 Wildest Wrestling Hoaxes Fans Actually Fell For

5. Vince Russo Was A Mole

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WWE

This is one of the funnier conspiracy theories. In fact, it gets funnier the more the legend endures. 

The theory posits that Vince McMahon and Vince Russo hatched a master plan in the summer of 1999. McMahon apparently dispatched Russo to WCW in order to kill it off forever with intentionally bad creative. 

The idea that Russo even knew the difference was a riot, for a start. Was Russo meant to rock up, with his own signature creative approach, and turn it up just so that WCW would self-implode? 

Because that is insanity. 

“I have this great idea to kill WCW once and for all, my head writer who I trust to write my own TV presently: go there and keep doing what you’re doing!” 

Also: WCW was already finished by the summer of 1999. There was no reason to kill it; the promotion was dousing itself in gasoline, throwing a match on itself, and calling it Nitro. Thunder, meanwhile, was even more phoned-in than 2024 era AEW Rampage. 

Familiarise yourself with Occam’s Razor, people. It might just be possible that Vince Russo was as thick as a brick. 

Contributor
Contributor

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!