25 WTF Moments From WCW Souled Out 1998

Welcome to the first WTF moments article on WCW pay per-view events! Since we're covering the Nitros from early 1998 onwards, it only makes sense to delve into the WCW pay-per-view events and see what WCW was offering while the WWF was on a meteoric rise thanks to the ushering in of the Attitude Era. Souled Out began as a PPV in 1997, originally as an nWo event where the announcers, referees and crew were all paid for by the New World Order and the WCW wrestlers were only there to fight the nWo stars. The event tanked on pay per-view and it was at that point that Eric Bischoff began to re-consider original idea - separate branded PPV events for both WCW and the nWo. Fast forward a year to 1998 and the show was a regular WCW PPV event on a Saturday night. The 1998 show emanated from Dayton, Ohio and was sold out (no pun intended - it really did sell out). WCW was kicking off 1998 in hot fashion with a triple main event of Giant/Nash, Bret Hart/Ric Flair and Lex Luger/Randy Savage. Some star power in that lineup, folks. Overall this was an enjoyable show with lots of action, and little downtime to leave the viewer feeling bored or losing their attention. Here are the 25 WTF Moments from Souled Out 1998...

25. Eric Bischoff's Mood Lighting

Have you ever seen the music video for Meatloaf's 1993 smash hit 'I'd Do Anything For Love'? It feels like Eric Bischoff has filmed the opening promo for the show in that same castle. Bischoff is seen in some sort of mansion where he's standing by a fireplace with candles around him, looking moody and giving looks to the camera causing the viewer to discern why exactly he's staring at the screen. He also has big bed sheets hanging around with projectors showing WCW/nWo footage to promote the evening's matches. At some points it's unclear whether he's trying to make a sex tape or promote a wrestling pay-per-view but, whether it's good or bad, it's certainly a different way to open a wrestling event. I'll give him that.