Ranking Every Major Monday Night Wars Jump From WORST To BEST

6. Roddy Piper

X Pac WWE Debut
WWE

Roddy Piper made his last in-ring appearance for the WWF at WrestleMania XII in a very creative but very ugly Hollywood Backlot Brawl opposite Goldust.

His pay-per-view debut with WCW was a different sort of ugly, but far more euphoric: he defeated the enormously unpopular Hulk Hogan in a dire but over main event at the smash-success Starrcade ’96, but this time, true to form, Piper changed the question: here, he was the babyface, drawing at his legendary history with the Hulkster by claiming that he knew he was a snake all along.

Yet more effective, subversive prime WCW storytelling, the result and indeed the jump suited all parties: Hogan didn’t lose his Heavyweight Championship under the non-title stipulation (the believable animosity sold and excused this), WCW generated considerable revenue, and Piper earned a bumper twilight payday.

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!