25 Crazy WCW Facts (That Get Progressively More Ridiculous)

11. Literally Ass-Backwards

Sting WCW Free Agent 1996
WWE

WCW’s production gaffes were a recurring theme in the long saga of its drawn-out death. In the early days, WCW did not have dedicated studio space in the main Warner headquarters; the TV was hastily edited in third-party suites, the delays stemming from which once led to an episode of Worldwide not airing in the New York market in 1990. WCW had failed to send the tape to the station in time. Years later, WCW was still plagued by total incompetence. 

An episode of Thunder was taped on April 11, 2000 for broadcast a day later. The show was typically abysmal. Three matches, totaling seven minutes and 17 seconds, ended via disqualification. One of these matches - Sid Vicious Vs. Harlem Heat 2000 - was a No Disqualification match. The No Disqualification match ended via disqualification when Eric Bischoff disqualified Sid in a match where disqualification could not happen. And yet this did happen (yet again). 

Because this is WCW, it is somehow not the dumbest aspect of the show. On this episode of Thunder, there were three ref bumps and no less than nine run-ins. No, that wasn’t the dumbest aspect of the show, either. 

Sting won a Handicap match over Los Villanos IV and V (the second Handicap match on the show, incidentally). To the viewer watching at home, the finish lacked a certain drama. That is because, as a result of an editing gaffe, highlights of the finish were broadcast before the full match had taken place. 

As tempting as it is to blame the production team here, could you actually keep track of this insanity if it were your job?

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick (Creative Writing BA Hons) is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over a decade of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential UK 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 AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and 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!