What Really Happened: WCW's Big Bang PPV

Eric Bischoff WCW
WWE Network

Eric received a panicked call from Bedol when on holiday with his family in Hawaii.

Brian sighed and said they were "done". Then, he told a confused Bischoff that Turner higher-up Jamie Kellner had cancelled any and all wrestling programming on company networks. Without a banner TV slot, Fusient had nothing to work with. That put the planned 'Big Bang' pay-per-view in jeopardy too.

The hopeful duo wouldn't have any TV platform to promote that show on, which was terminal. They didn't have much time to think things over either. Vince McMahon swooped in within a few short weeks, bought key WCW assets and effectively removed both Bischoff and Bedol from the conversation.

Bisch went from prospective 50% owner of wrestling's second-biggest brand to out on his ear.

He'd been thinking long and hard about what the 'Big Bang' show would look like. On Untold, Eric said that the pay-per-view would've changed things up by offering a more in-ring focused product that he believed the promotion had been missing for years.

It's possible that Bischoff wanted to veer further towards more of a pro wrestling style than the WWF's 'sports entertainment' presentation of larger-than-life characters and soap opera angles. Those comments, however, clash with what Bedol told WWE Network about his vision for WCW 2.0.

Brian described 'Big Bang' as an "action movie" come to life. He wanted plenty of pyrotechnics and a glossy sheen to make the new WCW feel big time. The only snag was that McMahon's involvement meant producing the pay-per-view was an impossibility.

CONT'D...(3 of 4)

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.