Original subtitles

[MUSIC]

THROUGHOUT THE 1990S, MONDAY

NIGHT SERVED AS A PRIMETIME

BATTLEFIELD THAT TRANSFORMED

PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING INTO

SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT.

TED TURNER'S WCW TOOK ON VINCE

MCMAHON'S WWE FOR RATING

SUPREMACY AT THE RISK OF

EXTINCTION, AS INNOVATION AND

EVOLUTION PAVED THE WAY FOR A

KING TO BE CROWNED.

[MUSIC]

IT IS SO GOOD TO BE KING.

FOR NEARLY TWO YEARS, WORLD

CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING DOMINATED

MONDAY NIGHTS UNTIL THEIR

DRAMATIC FALL FROM GRACE.

THAT'S WHY THIS COMPANY IS IN

THE DAMN SHAPE IT'S IN BECAUSE

OF -- LIKE THIS.

FACES NEW AND OLD WOULD

ATTEMPT TO REVIVE WCW, BUT WOULD

ANY BE ABLE TO SAVE THIS ONCE

PROUD ORGANIZATION?

I STOPPED TRYING TO FIGURE

THIS PROGRAM OUT A LONG TIME

AGO.

THIS IS THE MONDAY NIGHT WAR.

[MUSIC]

HULK HOGAN HAS BETRAYED WCW.

WHAT IN THE--WHAT'S HE DOING

HERE?

MONDAY NIGHT WAR.

MONDAY NITRO.

WHAT IS--HE IS [INDISTINCT]

AUSTIN 3:16 SAYS I JUST

WHIPPED YOUR -- .

[INDISTINCT]

THE NEW WORLD ORDER, BROTHER.

CAN YOU SUCK IT?

[MUSIC]

WE ARE AT WAR.

[MUSIC]

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING

HAS ALWAYS BEEN ONE OF OUR MOST

POPULAR PROGRAMS.

THE BRAVES HAVE BECOME A WINNING

TEAM IN BASEBALL, CNN IS THE

LEADER IN WORLD'S NEWS AND

INFORMATION, AND NOW WCW IS

ABOUT TO DOMINATE THE GLOBE IN

PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING.

[MUSIC]

DESPITE EARLY STIGMAS

SURROUNDING SPORTS

ENTERTAINMENT, WORLD

CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING HAD

HELPED MEDIA MOGUL TED TURNER

BUILD A CABLE TELEVISION EMPIRE.

THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

WANTED TO GET OUT OF WRESTLING

AND I WAS THE LONE VOTE FOR IT,

BUT MY VOTE CARRIED MORE WEIGHT.

HELLO EVERYBODY, AND WELCOME

TO WCW MONDAY NITRO LIVE AS LIVE

CAN GET, RIGHT HERE ON TNT.

IN SEPTEMBER OF 1995, WCW

WOULD SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCH MONDAY

NITRO LIVE IN PRIMETIME,

DIRECTLY OPPOSITE MONDAY NIGHT

RAW, THE FLAGSHIP OF THE

LONG-STANDING INDUSTRY LEADER,

WWE.

IN THE WEEKS THAT FOLLOWED,

WCW'S MOMENTUM SERVED AND NITRO

QUICKLY BECAME SPORTS

ENTERTAINMENT'S NUMBER ONE SHOW.

SINCE THIS PROGRAM WAS MY

BABY, I HAD MADE IT CLEAR THAT

WE WERE IN A WRESTLING

BUSINESS'S DAY.

ERIC BISCHOFF RUNNING AT THE

CURRENT TIME DOING, WHAT WE FEEL

LIKE, A VERY GOOD JOB.

WITH ERIC BISCHOFF AT THE

HELM AS EXECUTIVE PRODUCER AND

PRESIDENT OF WCW, MONDAY NITRO

HAD BEGUN A WINNING STREAK OVER

RAW IN JUNE OF 1996 AND WOULD

DOMINATE THEIR COMPETITION FOR

84 CONSECUTIVE HEAD-TO-HEAD

MATCH-UPS.

BETWEEN 1995 AND 1998 OF

TURNER BROADCASTING, I WAS THE

GOLDEN BOY.

I THRIVED IN THAT ENVIRONMENT.

EVERY MONDAY NIGHT WAS JUST SO

MUCH FUN.

IT TOOK A 24 MILLION DOLLAR-A

YEAR COMPANY THAT WAS LOSING 10

MILLION A YEAR AND FOUR YEARS

LATER, IT WAS A 350 MILLION

DOLLAR-A YEAR COMPANY THAT WAS

MAKING 50 MILLION A YEAR.

ERIC BISCHOFF HAD DEPLOYED

SEVERAL SUCCESSFUL TACTICS TO

TURN WCW INTO THE INDUSTRY

LEADER.

ARMED WITH GUARANTEED CONTRACTS

AND A LIGHT WORK SCHEDULE, HE

SUCCESSFULLY SIGNED AWAY WWE'S

TOP STARS.

POSITIONED AS EDGY, MORE

REALISTIC CHARACTERS, THESE WWE

DEFECTORS FORMED THE REBELLIOUS

NEW WORLD ORDER FACTION.

AND NOW WE'VE SEEN THE NEW

WORLD ORDER TAKING COMMAND.

SOCIETY WAS BEGINNING TO

CHANGE.

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF THE BUSINESS

MUCH BEGAN TO CHANGE.

I REMEMBER THE NWO BEING

UNPREDICTABLE, THEY CAUGHT

LIGHTNING IN A BOTTLE AND YOU

DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GONNA

HAPPEN.

THE BEST STUFF IS WHEN YOU BLUR

THE LINES BETWEEN REALITY AND

TELEVISION.

IS THERE ANY QUESTION NOW

WHAT IS THE MOST POWERFUL

ORGANIZATION IN PROFESSIONAL

WRESTLING?

WITH VINCE MCMAHON'S COMPANY

STRUGGLING TO KEEP PACE AGAINST

THE COMPETITION, AN UP AND

COMING MAGAZINE WRITER AT WWE

WAS PLEADING HIS CASE FOR

CHANGE.

MR. MCMAHON.

I'M A FAN OF YOUR WRITING.

I THINK YOU'RE A GIFTED WRITER.

ALL RIGHT.

I WASN'T A BIG FAN OF THE

PRODUCT AT THAT TIME.

THE GOON HAMMERING AWAY ON

WILDMAN MARC NOW.

THERE WAS A SENSE OF IT

REALLY STARTING TO FEEL OLD AND

STALE.

AS THE PRODUCT WASN'T CHANGING,

THE RATINGS STARTED TO DECREASE.

I REMEMBER BEING SO FRUSTRATED.

THIS WAS MY DREAM JOB, AND TO

KIND OF SIT THERE AND WATCH THE

PRODUCT AND SEE WHERE THE

RATINGS WERE GOING, IT WAS

BREAKING MY HEART.

HOW CAN THIS SHOW BE SO

AWFUL, MR. MCMAHON?

LOOK AT THE PRODUCTION

FACILITIES, LOOK AT THE PEOPLE

YOU HAVE WORKING ON THIS DECK.

HOW CAN THIS SHOW BE SO AWFUL?

I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS.

WE'RE NOT BEING NICE WITH THE

FANS OF WORLD WRESTLING

ENTERTAINMENT, I HAVE A PROBLEM

WITH THAT.

VINCE GOT HOT AT ME, "WHO DO

YOU THINK YOU ARE COMING IN

HERE?"

AND I JUST SAT THERE AND I'M

LIKE, "I WANNA CONTRIBUTE, I

WANT TO HELP."

VINCE TOOK A CHANCE ON ME.

HE GAMBLED AND A LOT OF PEOPLE

IN THAT SPOT WOULDN'T HAVE DONE

THAT.

VINCE RUSSO, LET'S FACE IT,

HE WAS A MAGAZINE WRITER AND

SUDDENLY, HE'S CALLING THE

SHOTS.

IT CAUSED QUITE A STIR.

MY FIRST ENCOUNTERS WITH

VINCE RUSSO IS THAT HE'S GOT A

REAL SENSE OF THE PRODUCT.

THE GUY KNOWS HOW TO, YOU KNOW,

WEAVE IN AND OUT OF, YOU KNOW,

STORYLINES AND LIFE AND REAL

LIFE AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

YOU'LL--YOU SORT OF GET A SENSE

OF, LIKE, OKAY, HE KNOWS WHAT

HE'S TALKING ABOUT.

SPURRED ON BY THE FANS'

DESIRE FOR MORE CONTEMPORARY

CONTENT, WWE WOULD BREAK

TRADITION AND REVITALIZE THEIR

PROGRAMMING IN WHAT WOULD BECOME

KNOWN AS THE ATTITUDE ERA.

WE WERE GOING TO COME UP TO

SPEED WITH WHERE THE WORLD WAS

AT THAT TIME AND VINCE WAS

REALLY COMMITTED TO IT.

GIVE ME A HELL, YEAH.

[CROWD CHEERING]

VINCE WOULD COME UP WITH

IDEAS AND CONCEPTS THAT WERE SO

FAR OUT THERE.

BUT IT WAS GOOD BECAUSE ONCE ONE

DOMINO FALLS, THEN A LOT OF THE

OTHERS DO AS WELL.

AND IT TURNED FROM THAT GERM OF

AN IDEA INTO SOMETHING THAT WAS

TOTALLY WORKABLE.

I THINK WE MIGHT HAVE TO

CHANGE OUR NAME TO DOUBLE

D-GENERATION X.

A LOT OF THAT STUFF ON TV

SHOCKED TELEVISION, THE

SIMPSONS, THE--BEAVIS AND

BUTT-HEAD.

THAT'S WHERE THE WORLD WAS AT

THE TIME.

[INDISTINCT]

ATTACKED SABLE FOR THAT

[INDISTINCT]

WHOA, SHE'S GETTING HER DRESS

OFF.

IT WAS ON FROM 9:00 TO 11:00,

SO AT THAT TIME, THAT'S WHO WE

HAVE TO COMPETE WITH.

OH, MY GOD, DON'T YOU DO

THAT.

OH GOD, THERE'S PEOPLE IN THERE.

I GOT WORD THAT THERE WERE

PARENTS WITH THEIR KIDS, YOU

KNOW, CALLING, "WE'RE NEVER

GONNA LET OUR CHILDREN WATCH

THIS STUFF AGAIN, YOU KNOW, WHAT

ARE YOU THINKING?"

AND THEN YET, THE NEXT WEEK, OUR

RATINGS WERE BETTER.

SHOWCASING THE COMPANY'S NEW

DIRECTION, A SURGING MONDAY

NIGHT RAW WOULD REGAIN ITS PLACE

ATOP THE RATINGS DURING APRIL OF

1998.

AS MOMENTUM INCREASED, VINCE

RUSSO WAS PROMOTED TO OVERSEE

WWE'S CREATIVE TEAM AND CONTINUE

TO PUSH THE BOUNDARIES OF SPORTS

ENTERTAINMENT FOR THE

CHART-TOPPING MONDAY NIGHT RAW.

WAIT A MINUTE.

STONE COLD.

THAT BEER.

STONE COLD WITH A BEER VAN.

BEER VAN FOR THE CORPORATION.

WEEK BY WEEK BY WEEK, WE'VE

SEEN THE AUDIENCE GROW.

NOW, ALL OF A SUDDEN, ALL THE

BOYS AND EVERYTHING, WHAT AM I

DOING THIS WEEK?

WHAT DO YOU GOT FOR US?

I MEAN, LITERALLY, WITH THE

SUCCESS, EVERYBODY GOT ON BOARD.

WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?

IT'S MR. SOCKO.

SAY HELLO TO MR. SOCKO.

[MUSIC]

VINCE RUSSO HAD GREAT IDEAS.

IF YOU TAKE ANY SUPERSTAR AND

YOU FIND OUT WHAT WORKED REALLY

WELL, WHAT IDEAS, HE PROBABLY

HAD A HAND IN IT.

IF YOU'RE NOT DOWN WITH US,

WE GOT TWO WORDS FOR YOU.

[CROWD CHEERING]

[MUSIC]

WCW HAD MORE EDGY ADULT

PROGRAMMING.

WE HAD TO BE COMPETITIVE IN THE

SPACE.

SO WE TURNED IN THE ATTITUDE

ERA.

WE HAD TO FIGHT TO COME BACK AND

THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE DID.

[MUSIC]

BY MARCH OF 1999, MONDAY

NIGHT RAW HAD BEGUN ITS OWN

WINNING STREAK IN THE CABLE

TELEVISION RATINGS,

STRENGTHENING WWE'S GRIP ON THE

SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY.

WCW STRUGGLED TO KEEP UP WITH

MONDAY NIGHT RAW'S FLOURISHING

PROGRAMMING.

WE HAD HOGAN, WE HAD SAVAGE,

WE HAD FLAIR, I MEAN, THOSE GUYS

WERE ICONIC '80S SUPERSTARS.

THEY DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO DEAL

WITH GUYS LIKE DX AND STEVE

AUSTIN AND THE ROCK.

I KNEW I WAS IN TROUBLE, AND

THAT TROUBLE WAS ONLY COMPOUNDED

BY THE FACT THAT EXECUTIVE

MANAGEMENT, THEY WANTED WCW TO

BE FAMILY-FRIENDLY.

WE GOT A STANDARDS AND

PRACTICES GUY IN OUR CREATIVE

ROOM, AND THEY'VE GOT VAL VENIS

WITH JETTA JAMES.

COME ON VAL.

I WANNA GO BACK DOWN IN THE

WHOLE.

I WONDER WHERE THAT

DEMOGRAPHIC'S GONNA GO.

THERE WAS A LOT OF FACTORS

WHERE, LIKE, EVERY LITTLE THAT

HAPPENED, IT JUST KIND OF PUSHED

VIEWERS TOWARDS WWE AND THEN

WHEN THEY GOT HOOKED TO WWE

THAT'S JUST WHEN PEOPLE JUST

LEAVE THE [INDISTINCT]

COMING OVER TO WATCH RAW.

[MUSIC]

IN ADDITION TO THE COMPANY'S

CREATIVE HANDCUFFS, THE

GUARANTEED CONTRACTS AND MAIN

EVENT TALENT THAT HAD LIFTED

MONDAY NITRO TO THE TOP OF THE

RATINGS WERE NOW COMPOUNDING

WCW'S PROBLEMS.

WHEN DO YOU THINK YOU'LL BE

COMING BACK TO WCW TO WRESTLE?

I'M RETIRED.

YEAH.

ERIC WAS, YOU KNOW, MR. BIG

HEAD, YOU KNOW, HE WAS GETTING

[INDISTINCT]

SAYING, HERE'S A BUNCH OF

MONEY, YOU TELL US WHAT TO DO,

YOU TELL US WHEN YOU WANT TO

WORK, YOU TELL US WHEN TO GO TO

HELL, AND THEY DID.

THIS CREATIVE CONTROL, THAT

WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT

DESTROYED THAT COMPANY.

INSTEAD OF EVERYBODY DOING

WHAT WAS BEST FOR THE COMPANY,

EVERYBODY WAS DOING WHAT THEY

BELIEVE WAS BEST FOR THEM AND IT

JUST GOT TO BE A NEGOTIATION ON

EVERYTHING.

AND AFTER A WHILE YOU GET TIRED

OF BEGGING GUYS TO DO WHAT

THEY'RE GETTING PAID MILLIONS OF

DOLLARS TO DO.

IF WCW, EVERYBODY WAS A -- ,

I JUST THINK THERE WAS SO MUCH

PRESSURE AND SO MUCH WAS GOING

ON, AND IT BUILT SO QUICKLY AND

EXPLODED SO FAST THAT THEY

DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.

ONCE THE PREMIER FORCE IN

SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT, MONDAY

NITRO HAD BEEN TRAILING RAW IN

THE PRIMETIME RATINGS FOR NEARLY

A YEAR, BY SEPTEMBER OF 1999.

WCW'S PARENT COMPANY, TIME

WARNER, HAD BEGUN TO TAKE A MORE

VESTED INTEREST IN THEIR

STRUGGLING PRODUCT AND SOMEONE

WOULD HAVE TO BE HELD

ACCOUNTABLE.

ERIC IS A TALENTED CREATIVE

PERSON, AND CREATIVITY VERSUS

NUMBERS OFTEN DOESN'T WORK

UNLESS THEY PRODUCE RESULTS, BUT

THE RESULTS REALLY WEREN'T

THERE.

AND AS THOSE THINGS HAPPENED

WITHIN THE CORPORATE ENVIRONMENT

AT TURNER BROADCASTING, IT

WASN'T LONG BEFORE THE DAYS WERE

NUMBERED FOR ERIC.

[MUSIC]

I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE

SITTING HERE.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GONNA

HAPPEN.

WELL, I THINK WE'LL BE FINE.

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER ERIC

BISCHOFF WAS NO LONGER ENTRUSTED

WITH AUTONOMOUS POWER.

EVERYTHING THAT I WANTED TO

DO WAS MET WITH UNBELIEVABLE

RESISTANCE.

I WAS LITERALLY BEING TOLD BY

PEOPLE I HAD NEVER MET BEFORE

HOW TO WRITE MY SHOW.

MIND YOU, THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT

DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT NIGHT OF

THE WEEK NITRO WAS ON THE AIR.

YOU HAD THE LAWYERS WHO

DIDN'T LIKE WRESTLING AT ALL

COME TO PAY-PER-VIEW'S AND MAKE

NO BONES ABOUT OF, I DON'T GET

IT.

AND YOU ARE?

OH, I RUN THE COMPANY.

OH, GREAT.

IF TED TURNER OR HARVEY

SCHILLER OR STEVE [INDISTINCT]

OR ANYBODY ELSE DOESN'T LIKE

IT, HAVE HIM CALL ME ON MONDAY.

AS TENSION BETWEEN ERIC

BISCHOFF AND HIS CORPORATE

COUNTERPARTS ROSE, A CHANGE AT

THE TOP OF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

WRESTLING WAS INEVITABLE.

I HAD LOST CONTROL OF MY

COMPANY DEALING WITH TIME WARNER

MANAGEMENT.

AND ONCE THE WWE REALLY STARTED

KICKING OUR -- , MY BIGGEST

OBSTACLE WAS MY ABILITY TO DEAL

WITH THE PEOPLE ABOVE ME.

I REMEMBER TALKING TO ERIC,

SAYING THAT THERE WAS A DECISION

MADE THAT PARTIES SHOULD MOVE

ON, THIS HAPPENS.

AS ALWAYS, HE'D PAY YOU, YOU

COULD JUST TAKE A VACATION, OR

GO HOME, OR SIT AROUND, WE'RE

GONNA CONTINUE TO PAY YOU TO THE

END OF YOUR AGREEMENT.

SO I WENT HOME AND I WENT FLY

FISHING FOR ABOUT A MONTH AND A

HALF AND JUST TOTALLY SEPARATED

MYSELF FROM EVERYTHING THAT WAS

GOING ON AT TURNER, TIME WARNER,

WCW, JUST COMPLETELY WALKED AWAY

FROM THEM.

[MUSIC]

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN ITS

HISTORY, MONDAY NITRO WAS

WITHOUT THE LEADERSHIP OF ERIC

BISCHOFF.

WITH HOPES OF REGAINING

PROMINENCE, WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

WRESTLING TURN TO WWE'S HEAD

WRITER, WHO DESIRED A NEW

CHALLENGE AS RAW'S RATINGS WERE

REACHING AN ALL TIME HIGH.

I FELT AT THAT TIME, THE

PRODUCT [INDISTINCT]

A LOT OF THE CREDIT WAS GOING

TO VINCE AND THAT PISSED ME OFF,

BUT IT ALSO STARTED TO TRIGGER

IN ME, CAN YOU DO THIS WITHOUT

VINCE?

I'M LOOKING AT WCW WHEN I'M

SAYING, "CAN I TAKE THAT PRODUCT

THAT'S DYING RIGHT NOW AND ON MY

OWN, CAN I RE-GROW THAT

PRODUCT?"

IT WAS ALMOST LIKE IT WAS

SOMETHING THAT I FELT I NEEDED

TO PROVE TO MYSELF.

ON OCTOBER 5TH, 1999, VINCE

RUSSO WOULD CROSS ENEMY LINES.

LEAVING WWE TO JOIN WORLD

CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING.

THERE WAS A LOT OF WORRY WHEN

VINCE RUSSO LEFT, BECAUSE HE

LEFT AND HE HAD EVERYTHING IN

HIS HEAD.

AND HE HAD ALL OF OUR SECRETS,

AND SO, YEAH, WE WERE VERY

CONCERNED.

I THINK THERE WAS SOME

CONCERN, I THINK PEOPLE WERE

PISSED OFF WITHIN A WEEK OR TWO

IT'S JUST FULL STEAM AHEAD.

[MUSIC]

[CROWD CHEERING]

ONE OF VINCE MCMAHON'S

GREATEST STRENGTHS IS THAT HE

LISTENS TO EVERYBODY, HE DOESN'T

JUST LISTEN ON ONE PERSON.

SO WHEN VINCE RUSSO LEFT, I

DON'T THINK OUR STORYTELLING

MISSED ONE BEAT.

[MUSIC]

MEANWHILE, AMIDST THE

SURROUNDING HYPE OF ANOTHER

ACQUISITION FROM WWE, VINCE

RUSSO WAS HANDED CONTROL OF

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING.

TURNER WOULD STEAL ANYBODY

FROM US.

AND IF YOU WORK FOR VINCE, GO

BUY THEM.

AND HE THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS

GOOD BUSINESS, BECAUSE IF

THEY'RE PROVING QUANTITIES HERE

THEN THEY HAVE TO BE GOOD.

EVERYBODY THOUGHT MAGIC WAS

COMING BECAUSE HE CAME FROM WWE

AND WAS COMING DOWN, AND WE

HEARD ALL THE STORIES OF WHAT A

GREAT WRITER HE WAS.

OF COURSE, ALL THIS CAME FROM

PEOPLE OTHER THAN PEOPLE IN WWE.

RUSSO SAID HE WAS THE ONE

THAT MADE ALL THE MILLIONS FOR

VINCE, THAT IT WASN'T VINCE.

THIS BETTER BE GOOD LEX, I

GOT A BIG PROBLEM I NEED TO

SOLVE.

WE JUST TOOK HIM ON HIS WORD

FOR IT.

A LOT OF THE GUYS WERE KIND

OF EXCITED BECAUSE HE HAD A

REPUTATION FOR HIS CREATIVITY

AND THAT WHAT HE COULD DO FOR

STORYLINES, WHICH WE FELT WOULD

MANIFEST ITSELF FOR THE RATINGS.

YOU'RE A RATINGS-DRIVEN KIND

OF GUY, RIGHT?

THANK YOU.

IT?

THAT'S IT, THAT'S ALL THAT

MATTERS TO ME.

DESPITE MIXED OPINIONS BEHIND

THE SCENES, VIEWERS WITNESSED

VINCE RUSSO'S STRATEGIES PLAYING

OUT FIRSTHAND THOUGH HIS OFF

CAMERA CHARACTER, KNOWN AS THE

POWERS THAT BE.

NOW I KNOW [INDISTINCT]

DON'T MAKE A LOT OF MONEY, BUT

TONIGHT I'M GONNA GIVE YOU GUYS

THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A LOT OF

MONEY.

VINCE RUSSO STOOD UP AND HE

SAID, JUST TO LET YOU GUYS KNOW,

IT'S GONNA BE ABOUT YOU ALL YOU

YOUNG KIDS SITTING OUT HERE.

A BLOCKBUSTER, THAT'S HIS

MOVE, THAT'S HIS MOVE.

BUFF BAGWELL, BLOCKBUSTER, ONE,

TWO, THREE.

NO, NO, NO.

BUFF BAGWELL WINS.

OH, MY GOD.

BUFF BAGWELL HAS WON THE

MATCH AND CURT HENNIG MUST HANG

UP HIS BOOTS.

BUT THE POLITICS THAT HAD

PLAGUED ERIC BISCHOFF REMAINED

PREVALENT FOR VINCE RUSSO.

YOU CAN PUT NEW TALENT IN AND

YOU GOT TO DO IT, BUT YOU JUST

CAN'T GET RID OF THE LEGENDS.

I GOT A TWO-YEAR CONTRACT

WITH TURNER TIME WARNER THAT

SAYS, YOU GOT TO PAY ME AND I

CAN APPEAR.

WELL, WHEN YOU'VE GOT THESE

MULTIMILLIONAIRES MAKING ALL

THIS MONEY AND ALL OF A SUDDEN

THE SHOW DOESN'T REVOLVE AROUND

THEM ANYMORE, NOW VINCE RUSSO

HAS A PROBLEM.

WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM, BRET?

MY PROBLEM'S WITH YOU.

YEAH, WELL BRET...

YOU THINK YOU'RE SMART, DOING

THIS SITTING AND MESSING AROUND

WITH EVERYBODY'S LIVES LIKE

THIS?

YOU'RE A PIECE OF -- .

BRET WHAT DON'T YOU WANT

THAT...

I DON'T BELIEVE YOU CAN TELL

A WRESTLER WHAT TO DO IF YOU'VE

NEVER WRESTLED.

HOW MANY CROWDS DID VINCE RUSSO

YOU MIGHT THINK YOU KNOW WHAT

YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, BUT A LOT

OF TIMES, YOU HAVE NO IDEA.

THE FIRST THING THAT I HEARD

OF VINCE RUSSO WAS HE HAD A

MEETING AT TED'S OFFICE WITH

WHOEVER WAS INVOLVED AT THE

TIME, AND SAID HE WAS GONNA FIRE

EVERYBODY OVER 40 AND THAT HULK

HOGAN, YOU KNOW, WAS ONE OF THE

GUYS THAT WAS GONNA BE FIRED

FIRST.

I'D NEVER MET THE GUY.

THESE GUYS, THEY KNEW THEY

WERE GONNA BULLY RUSSO, AND HE

HAD THIS LOOK OF A NINE-YEAR OLD

KID GOING AGAINST NOLAN RYAN.

LIKE, LIKE, HE DID LIKE, YOU'RE

KIDDING, LIKE, YOU'RE KIDDING,

RIGHT?

AND I'M LIKE, WELCOME TO THE

SHOW, BUDDY.

I LITERALLY KNEW IN A DAY I

WAS IN A DIFFERENT WORLD.

AS SOON AS I WENT TO WCW I HAD A

BULL'S EYE ON MY BACK.

BACK STAGE TENSION FROM THE

TALENT ROSTER AND CORPORATE

PRESSURES FROM DECLINING RATINGS

WOULD ULTIMATELY LEAD VINCE

RUSSO TO FOCUS THE SPOTLIGHT ON

WCW'S ESTABLISHED MAIN EVENTERS.

THE BAND IS BACK TOGETHER.

[CROWD CHEERING]

WCW RE-LAUNCHED THE NWO.

IT CAN'T LAST, BECAUSE THE FIRST

TIME IT HAPPENED, IS SOMETHING

THAT JUST CATCHES EVERYBODY'S

EYE, AND YOU GO, "OH, MAN," AND

IT BECOMES AWESOME.

AND IF YOU TRY AND DUPLICATE

SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED

ORGANICALLY, YOU CAN ONLY FAKE

IT SO LONG, BUT IT'S NOT

BREAKING ANY GROUND.

IT'S NOT DRAWING BIG RATINGS,

IT'S NOT DRAWING FANS TO THE

ARENA, IT'S NEVER GONNA BE THE

SAME AS THE ORIGINAL.

WE WERE JUST GONNA MAKE IT A

DIFFERENT NWO WITH GUYS THAT MAY

HAVE BEEN UNDERUTILIZED.

BRET GOT HURT RATHER QUICKLY.

OH, STANDING SIDEKICK.

IT WASN'T GOING TO WORK

WITHOUT BRET.

SO ONCE HE GOT HURT, IT WAS JUST

DEAD.

[CROWD CHEERING]

PIPER, DROP TOE-HOLD IN THE

MUD.

A DROP TOE-HOLD IN THE MUD.

YES, HEADING RIGHT IN RHONDA.

[MUSIC]

UNDER A CORPORATE

MICROSCOPE...

NOW WHAT?

...VINCE RUSSO WAS UNABLE TO

UTILIZE THE EDGY CONCEPTS THAT

ONCE PROPELLED HIS CAREER IN

WWE.

DON'T HOLD THIS, BIG BOSS MAN

DOWN, WHO'S NEXT, LADIES?

I KNEW I WAS GONNA HAVE TO

DEAL WITH STANDARDS AND

PRACTICES, IT WAS NO SECRET TO

ME.

BUT IT WAS THE STUFF THAT

STANDARDS AND PRACTICES WOULD

KIBOSH THAT WOULD JUST LITERALLY

BLOW ME AWAY.

OH.

OH, GOD.

WHERE'S STANDARDS AND PRACTICES

WHEN YOU NEED THEM?

RUSSO, HIS EXCUSE AT THE TIME

WAS THEY WON'T LET HIM DO WHAT

HE WANT TO DO, EVERYTHING HE

WRITES, EVERYTHING HE COMES UP

WITH, THEY SAY NO AND IT WAS

JUST CHAOS IN THE BAD WAY.

AND A MOP.

OF COURSE, JUST HANG WITH US.

ON JANUARY 10TH, 2000, WCW'S

PARENT COMPANY, TIME WARNER,

ANNOUNCED AN IMPENDING MERGER

WITH AMERICA ONLINE.

THE DEAL WOULD TAKE A YEAR TO

MATURE.

IN THE MEANTIME, NEW CORPORATE

EXECUTIVES QUICKLY GREW

IMPATIENT WITH VINCE RUSSO,

HAVING DEMANDED AN IMMEDIATE

IMPROVEMENT IN THE RATINGS.

THE COMPANY'S HEMORRHAGING

MONEY, THE RATINGS ARE SLIDING,

THERE'S A REBUILDING PERIOD, AND

IT'S MORE THAN THREE MONTHS, I

DON'T CARE WHO YOU ARE OR WHAT

THE SITUATION IS.

THEY WANTED RESULTS TOMORROW.

IT DIDN'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT, THE

ONLY WAY IT HAPPENED IS IF YOU

HAD A GAME PLAN AND YOU STAYED

THE COURSE, AND IT HAPPENED OVER

TIME.

THEY WANTED IMMEDIATE RESULTS

AND THAT JUST WASN'T GONNA

HAPPEN.

[MUSIC]

SO I GET CALLED INTO THE

OFFICE ONE DAY AT WCW AND I WAS

TOLD, WE'RE MAKING A CHANGE IN

DIRECTION.

YOU ARE NO LONGER TO BE HEAD OF

CREATIVE, YOU'RE GONNA BE PART

OF A COMMITTEE.

NOW YOU GOT TO UNDERSTAND, AT

THAT POINT, I'M MISERABLE.

AND I SAID, "THAT'S NOT WHAT MY

CONTRACT STATES, MY CONTRACT

STATES I'M HEAD OF CREATIVE, I'M

NOT INTERESTED IN BEING ANY PART

OF A COMMITTEE, SO YOU NEED TO

FIGURE OUT WHAT YOU'RE GONNA DO

WITH MY CONTRACT."

AND I LEFT.

ONLY THREE MONTHS AFTER

HIRING VINCE RUSSO, WCW WAS IN

DIRE STRAITS.

THE QUESTION REMAINED AS TO

WHETHER ANYONE COULD BRING WORLD

CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING BACK TO

THE TOP OF SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT.

[MUSIC]

LET'S GO TO THE RING.

OUR FIRST MATCH ON WCW MONDAY

NITRO, EDDIE GUERRERO'S--OKAY.

I'M SORRY, WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO

NOW?

WCW'S REVOLVING LEADERSHIP

INHIBITED THE ABILITY TO

MAINTAIN FOCUS AND SUCCESS.

THE COMPANY LOST 15 MILLION

DOLLARS IN 1999.

WCW HAD SOME PHENOMENAL

WRESTLERS, BUT THEY JUST HAD NO

LEADER, NOBODY THAT UNDERSTOOD

ANYTHING.

WE MAKE THE RULES, YOU DON'T

MAKE THE RULES, WE MAKE THE

RULES.

THEY HAD THE MONEY, THEY HAD

THE TELEVISION, THEY HAD THE

NETWORKS, THEY HAD EVERYTHING

THEY NEEDED, BUT JUST NOBODY

WITH A CLEAR VISION OR CONTROL.

WE JUST KICKED YOUR -- ...

HEY, WHAT DO YOU ALL

[INDISTINCT]

NO, NO.

DON'T BACKTALK ME, I'LL BACKTALK

YOU.

AND GUYS THAT KNEW THE

BUSINESS, KNEW HOW THE INDUSTRY

WORKED AND THEY WERE ABLE TO

MANIPULATE IT TO THEIR

ADVANTAGE, THEY MADE A LOT OF

MONEY FOR THAT PLACE.

WCW REIGN SUPREME OVER SPORTS

ENTERTAINMENT JUST TWO YEARS

EARLIER, BUT THE BACKSTAGE

POLITICS AND LACK OF DIRECTION

HAD ONCE AGAIN CRIPPLED THEIR

PRODUCT.

[MUSIC]

IN AN ATTEMPT TO STABILIZE

THE COMPANY, THE CREATIVE REIGNS

WERE HANDED TO FORMER WCW

SUPERSTAR KEVIN SULLIVAN.

THE MOVE WOULD ONLY INTENSIFY

SUSPICIONS THAT MONDAY NITRO WAS

BEING COMPROMISED BY PERSONAL

AGENDAS.

[MUSIC]

THE OLDER GUYS LIKED IT, THE

YOUNGER GUYS DIDN'T.

[CROWD CHEERING]

IT'S VERY APPARENT THAT THIS

REVOLUTION TEAM IS GONNA HAVE

ITS PROBLEMS.

[CROWD CHEERING]

THERE WERE PEOPLE THAT FELT

KEVIN SULLIVAN WAS GONNA FAVOR A

LOT OF HIS OLD FRIENDS.

ANOTHER DOMINATION BY THE MAN

OF THE MILLENNIUM, SID VICIOUS.

A LOT OF WRESTLERS DIDN'T

FEEL LIKE THEY HAD ANY CONTROL

OF THEIR FUTURES IN WCW WITH

THAT PARTICULAR REGIME IN

CHARGE.

[MUSIC]

TWO OF THEM, I WAS GONNA MAKE

THE WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS,

AND THE OTHER ONE, I WAS GONNA

MAKE A US CHAMPION.

BUT RIGHTFULLY, THEY HAD FEARS.

WE'RE NOT COMFORTABLE WITH

THE SITUATION WITH KEVIN

SULLIVAN.

DEAN CALLED ME, "HEY, MAN, WE'RE

GETTING READY TO DO THIS."

YOU KNOW, THE REVOLUTION

BROTHER, WE'RE IN THIS TOGETHER,

THE REVOLUTION, COME ON.

IN ANY JOB, THERE BECOMES

THAT TIME WHERE YOU START ASKING

YOURSELF, IS IT TIME TO MOVE ON?

AND I THINK AT THAT PARTICULAR

MOMENT, IT WAS TIME TO MOVE ON.

I CANNOT BELIEVE THIS, PERRY

SATURN, EDDIE GUERRERO, CHRIS

BENOIT, AND DEAN MALENKO ON WWE

RAW.

THEY WALKED OUT ON THAT TED

TURNER ORGANIZATION, BUT WHAT

ARE THEY DOING HERE?

WHEN THEY DECIDED TO, YOU

KNOW, JUMP SHIP, SO TO SPEAK.

LOOK AT THIS.

[INDISTINCT]

SUPLEX.

THEY JUST WANTED TO MAKE A

BETTER LIVING AND WANTED TO BE

ON THE BIGGER STAGE.

EDDIE GUERRERO.

OH.

OH, MY GOD, WHAT A FROG

SPLASH.

[MUSIC]

WITHIN WEEKS OF SULLIVAN'S

PROMOTION, SOME OF WCW'S MOST

TALENTED IN-RING SUPERSTARS

WOULD DEFECT AND SIGN WITH WWE.

[MUSIC]

THESE RADICALZ GETS UP CLOSE

AND PERSONAL.

JR, YOU'RE RIGHT, THEY ARE

RADICAL.

LOOK OUT, OH, MY GOD.

ONCE AFTERTHOUGHTS ON MONDAY

NITRO, THE FORMER WCW

SUPERSTARS, DUBBED THE RADICALZ,

WOULD TAKE CENTER STAGE ON

MONDAY NIGHT RAW.

IT WAS THE LATEST IN THE WAVE OF

TALENTS WHO HAVE LEFT WORLD

CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING TO SEEK

OPPORTUNITY WITH THE

COMPETITION.

WELCOME TO RAW IS JERICHO.

THOSE CUTS LEFT BECAUSE THEY

KNEW THEY WEREN'T GETTING BUILT.

NO MATTER WHAT YOU DID WITH

THEM, THEY WEREN'T GONNA GET ANY

HIGHER.

[MUSIC]

IT WAS JUST A BUNCH OF MEN

SAYING, "YEAH, I'M MAKING

GUARANTEED MONEY, I DON'T WANT

TO BE HERE."

[MUSIC]

AND WHEN IT CAME TO WCW, THE

WRITING WAS ON THE WALL LONG

BEFORE THE RADICALZ MADE A JUMP.

THAT'S JUST LIKE A SINKING SHIP

AND THEY JUST PUT A MUCH BIGGER

HOLE IN THE SHIP.

AND THIS IS GONNA BE A REAL

CLASSIC OFFENSIVE MATCH-UP

BETWEEN TWO GREAT ATHLETES.

SUDDENLY, ALL THE GUYS THAT

HAD DESIRE, PASSION, AND HEART

WERE IN THE WWE.

[MUSIC]

AND THAT'S WHY WWE SUDDENLY

CONTINUED TO GROW, AND GROW, AND

GROW AND WCW JUST KIND OF

IMPLODED ON ITSELF.

THE RADICALZ'S REASONS FOR

LEAVING WCW PROVED TO BE

JUSTIFIED.

KEVIN NASH AT RINGSIDE, LOOK

OUT.

OH.

OH.

UNDER KEVIN SULLIVAN'S WATCH,

MISMANAGEMENT AND LACK OF

DIRECTION CONTINUED TO PLAGUE

MONDAY NITRO.

PICK UP THE MESS BROTHER,

CALL ME TOMORROW.

BYE-BYE.

THEY COULDN'T MANAGE A

TELEVISION SHOW FOR A COUPLE OF

HOURS A WEEK LET ALONE AN ENTIRE

WRESTLING ORGANIZATION.

WHAT ARE THEY DOING NOW?

WHAT ARE THEY--WHERE ARE THEY

GOING NOW?

THIS IS LIKE, THIS MAKES NO

SENSE.

BUT THAT CHECK CAME EVERY TWO

WEEKS SO I WAS JUST LIKE, DOES

IT REALLY HAVE TO MAKE SENSE?

WCW'S SYSTEM WAS TO SIT IN

FRONT OF THE TELEVISION AND

WATCH WHAT WWE WAS DOING AND

TRIED TO COUNTER IT ON MONDAY

NIGHTS.

OH, YOU GOT TO TAKE THIS

THING SERIOUSLY.

I AM TAKING IT SERIOUSLY.

WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WE WERE

DOING AND IT WAS ONE OF THE MOST

CONFUSING THINGS THAT YOU COULD

EVER POSSIBLY BE A PART OF AT

THAT TIME.

WELCOME BACK FANS OF WCW

MONDAY NITRO IN THE MIDST OF A

VAMPIRO, KIDMAN MATCH, WE'RE

GONNA GO NOW TO MEAN GENE

OKERLUND, GENE.

[CROWD CHATTER]

OKAY.

ONE OF THEM OLD TECHNICAL

DIFFICULTIES THAT YOUR ANNOUNCE

CREWS GOT TO COVER UP HERE.

SO MIKE, HOW ARE YOU DOING?

THERE WAS NO DIRECTION, YOU

COULD SEE IT DETERIORATING RIGHT

IN FRONT OF OUR FACES.

GRAB THE REMOTE, CHANGE THE

CHANNEL TO WWE AND WATCH STONE

COLD BECAUSE WCW SUCKS.

LIKE ERIC BISCHOFF AND VINCE

RUSSO BEFORE HIM, KEVIN SULLIVAN

WAS REMOVED FROM POWER WITHIN

MONTHS OF TAKING OVER MONDAY

NITRO.

EVERY WEEK WAS A QUICK FIX.

IF THE FRONT OFFICE IS CHANGING

EVERY COUPLE OF MONTHS, THEN

WHAT'S THAT SAY ABOUT YOUR

CAREER?

MORALE AND RATINGS FOR WORLD

CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING WERE

REACHING ALL TIME LOWS.

THE WORST ONE WE'VE EVER HAD.

[MUSIC]

AND THE COMPANY WAS DESPERATE

FOR AN ANSWER.

I WATCHED THE PRODUCT ON TV,

IT WAS RIGHT BACK TO WHERE WE

STARTED AND THAT'S WHEN I GOT

THE CALL TO, "WE NEED YOU TO

COMEBACK TO WORK NOW."

I'M LIKE, "OKAY."

STILL EMPLOYED WITH A

GUARANTEED CONTRACT, VINCE RUSSO

WAS BROUGHT BACK TO REVIVE WORLD

CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING.

BUT HE WASN'T THE ONLY ONE GIVEN

A SECOND CHANCE.

[MUSIC]

I STARTED TALKING TO BRAD

SIEGEL AGAIN, BECAUSE I HAD

MAINTAINED A GOOD RELATIONSHIP

WITH BRAD.

HE SAID, "GO MEET WITH VINCE

RUSSO, SEE IF YOU CAN WORK WITH

THIS GUY."

AND FINALLY, LAST MONDAY, THE

OFFICIAL WORD CAME DOWN THAT

RUSSO AND BISCHOFF WOULD WORK

TOGETHER, HOPEFULLY, TO BE IN

CHARGE OF THE WCW CREATIVE TEAM.

I MET WITH RUSSO.

SEEMED LIKE A DECENT GUY, PRETTY

STRAIGHTFORWARD, LOOKED ME IN

THE EYE WHEN HE TALKED TO ME,

SO, YOU KNOW, RIGHT OFF THE BAT,

HE MET 50% OF MY CRITERIA.

I SAID, SURE, I'LL GIVE IT SHOT,

LET'S SEE IF IT WORKS.

ERIC BISCHOFF HAD THE GUTS TO

CHALLENGE VINCE MCMAHON, HE HAD

THE SKILL, SAVVY, AND

INVENTIVENESS TO BEAT HIM.

A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE DON'T

THINK HE CAN DO IT AGAIN, EVEN

WITH VINCE RUSSO'S HELP.

I THINK HE CAN.

[MUSIC]

[CROWD CHEERING]

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WELCOME

TO WCW MONDAY NITRO.

TONIGHT, THE MILE HIGH CITY HAS

A UNIQUE DISTINCTIONS TO HOST A

LANDMARK EVENT AT SPORTS

ENTERTAINMENT, AFTER A LITTLE

OVER OF FOUR YEARS OF BEING ON

THE AIR, MONDAY NITRO TURNS THE

PAGE ON A BRAND NEW CHAPTER.

[MUSIC]

LOOKING TO REESTABLISH

MOMENTUM IN FAVOR OF WCW, VINCE

RUSSO APPEARED ON NITRO TO

CHANGE THE COURSE OF WORLD

CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING.

I'M SITTING THERE AT WCW.

I'M LIKE, OKAY, THIS THING IS

DEAD, WE NEED TO REBUILD THIS.

VINCE RUSSO, THE POWERS THAT

BE HAS A MESSAGE FOR WCW.

THE OLD BOYS' MANAGEMENT IS

OVER.

THE INFLATED EGOS IN THE BACK,

AFRAID TO LOSE THEIR SPOT, IT IS

OVER.

IT IS THE DAWNING OF A NEW DAY,

IT IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY, SEIZE

THAT OPPORTUNITY.

ARE YOU DONE YET?

BUT RUSSO'S FUTURE WOULD RELY

ON WCW'S PAST.

HERE IT IS, BISCHOFF-RUSSO,

ROUND ONE.

HERE WE GO.

ERIC BISCHOFF WALKS BACK INTO

THE PROGRAM THAT HE ESTABLISHED

BACK IN 1995 ON THIS NETWORK.

BEFORE HE HAD SET UP THE

PASTURE AND BROUGHT RUSSO IN, IT

WAS ERIC BISCHOFF'S SHOW.

AND WHEN HE CAME BACK AND

STARTED WORKING WITH RUSSO, HE

WAS TRYING TO PLAY, YOU KNOW,

TEAM PLAYER.

I'M SEEING REAL CLEARLY FOR

THE FIRST TIME IN A LONG TIME,

AND I WANT YOU GUYS TO KNOW THAT

IF THERE'S ANYTHING I CAN DO FOR

VINCE RUSSO THAT WILL HELP YOU,

I AM THERE FOR HIM, I AM THERE

FOR YOU, BECAUSE IT IS A WHOLE

NEW WCW.

RUSSO AND BISCHOFF CONFISCATE

ALL OF THE TITLES FROM THE

CHAMPIONS IN WCW IN WHAT HAS

BEEN CALLED A REBOOT OF THE

COMPANY.

ALL TITLES WILL BE STRIPPED

TONIGHT.

IT WILL BE A BRAND NEW PLAYING

FIELD.

WHEN YOU CONFISCATE

CHAMPIONSHIPS, TO ME, YOU'RE

SAYING, EVERYTHING YOU'VE SEEN

UP TO THIS POINT DOESN'T MATTER

BECAUSE WE SAY IT DOESN'T

MATTER.

INSTANT ROLE REVERSAL HERE,

FANS.

THE NEW BLOOD, LIKE YOU TALKED

ABOUT, SCOTT HUDSON, NOW, IN

CHARGE IN THE ESTABLISHED TALENT

HAVE TO FIGHT TO MAKE THEIR NAME

BACK IN WCW.

WCW WAS REALLY HOT, AND THEN

IT BECAME UTTERLY CHAOTIC.

THE NEW BUZZWORD AROUND WCW

RIGHT NOW IS THE NEW BLOOD.

I WAS KIND OF HOPING THAT

THEY WOULD STEER THE SHIP BACK

AROUND.

AND YOU SEE THE MEMBERS OF

THE NEW BLOOD OUT WITH THE MEN

WHO ARE IN CHARGE, RUSSO AND

BISCHOFF.

WCW DID THE RIGHT THING BY

TRYING TO INTRODUCE NEW TALENT,

BECAUSE THAT'S THE LIFEBLOOD OF

WHAT WE DO, TO LIGHT THE BLOOD

OF PROFESSIONAL SPORTS.

HOWEVER, YOU'VE TO GO INTRODUCE

TALENT IN A WAY THAT GETS

VIEWERS INVESTED IN THEM, AND I

DON'T THINK WCW DID THAT.

THE MILLIONAIRE'S CLUB AND

THE NEW BLOOD, TOE-TO-TOE.

FANS CONTINUE TO QUESTION

WCW'S DECISION-MAKING AS MONDAY

NITRO'S RATING REACHED A NEW LOW

UNDER THE BISCHOFF-RUSSO REGIME.

I'VE STOPPED TRYING TO FIGURE

THIS PROGRAM OUT A LONG TIME

AGO.

WCW IS ONE BIG DYSFUNCTIONAL

FAMILY.

THIS IS NOT ME.

I CAN'T DO IT THAT WAY.

AND I KNOW IT'S NOT GONNA WORK

BUT, YOU KNOW, LOYALTY, PROBABLY

TO TED, COMMITMENT TO THE PEOPLE

THAT I WAS WORKING WITH, AND

PROBABLY MY OWN INSECURITY, I

STRUCK WITH IT.

OH, MY.

THE RED OF THE NEW BLOOD

DRENCHES THE NATURE BOY, RIC

FLAIR.

YOU CAN'T FORCE TWO GUYS TO

WORK TOGETHER CREATIVELY WHO

DON'T EVEN KNOW EACH OTHER.

IT'S NOT GOING TO WORK.

YOU ARE FORCED TOGETHER, YOU TRY

TO DO THE BEST YOU CAN DO, BUT

IT'S JUST INEVITABLE THAT IT'S

NOT GOING TO WORK.

I'LL FIX THIS.

THERE WAS A BIG DIFFERENCE OF

OPINIONS BETWEEN RUSSO AND ERIC

BISCHOFF.

NOW, ERIC, AS YOU KNOW, THROUGH

THE YEARS, BECAME VERY CLOSE

WITH HULK HOGAN, BUNCH OF OTHER

GUYS THAT WERE PART OF THE

TALENT ROSTER OF WCW.

ON THE OTHER HAND, I THINK VINCE

RUSSO WANTED TO MANUFACTURE HIS

OWN STARS FOR THE FUTURE.

A DISPUTE IN PHILOSOPHY WOULD

COME TO A HEAD ON JULY 9TH,

2000.

WCW WAS PREPARING FOR ITS

MARQUEE PAY-PER-VIEW, BASH AT

THE BEACH, BUT A CONFLICT OF

INTEREST BACKSTAGE LEFT THE MAIN

EVENT IN JEOPARDY.

I HAD WRITTEN BASH AT THE

BEACH.

HULK HATED IT.

SO I REWRITE IT, MAKE HULK LOOK

LIKE SUPERMAN.

THE ONLY THING THAT DOESN'T

HAPPEN IS HE DOESN'T WIN THE

BELT.

FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, THERE

WAS A FINAL SAVING GRACE.

I HAD A CONTRACT WHERE I HAD

CREATIVE CONTROL, WHICH I HAVE

NEVER EXERCISED UNTIL THIS

SITUATION.

I REMEMBER DURING THE DAY

THERE BEING A LOT OF DISCUSSION,

A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, PRIVATE

MEETINGS ON A BUS THAT WAS

OUTSIDE THE DAYTONA ARENA.

AND I WENT AROUND THE BUS ONE

TIME TO CHECK WITH ERIC, MAKE

SURE EVERYTHING WAS OKAY AND HE

SAID EVERYTHING WASN'T OKAY AND

THAT THEY WERE HAVING SOME

ISSUES, AND NOT SURE WHAT WAS

GOING TO HAPPEN TONIGHT.

TWO HOURS BEFORE SHOW TIME,

ERIC COMES TO ME AND TELLS ME

HULK'S NOT GOING TO DO IT.

[MUSIC]

WCW AND MASTERLOCK WELCOME

YOU TO THE SUMMERTIME TRADITION,

BASH AT THE BEACH.

VINCE RUSSO'S PROPENSITY FOR

WORKING REALITY INTO HIS

STORYLINES HAD ONCE BEEN A

SUCCESSFUL FORMULA.

WITH THE MAIN EVENT HANGING INTO

BALANCE, RUSSO WOULD USE THIS

REALITY TO DEPLOY A SIMILAR

STRATEGY.

IN MY MIND, I'M SAYING TO

MYSELF, I'M GOING TO DO WHATEVER

I HAVE TO DO TO EXECUTE THE SHOW

THAT WAS WRITTEN.

SOMEBODY CAME TO THE DRESSING

ROOM WITH THE TRAILER OUTSIDE

AND TOLD ME WHAT THEY WANTED FOR

A FINISH.

I SAID NO, JUST TOLD JARRETT

WE'LL GET TOGETHER AND HAVE A

HELL OF MATCH, I'M GONNA DROP

THE LEG ON HIM, ONE, TWO, THREE.

I WENT TO JEFF, I SAID, JEFF,

SCREW HIM, LAY DOWN, LET HIM

COVER YOU, LET HIM GET THE ONE,

TWO, THREE, AND WALK AWAY WITH

THE BELT.

I DON'T REMEMBER IF RUSSO AND

I EVER HAD A CONVERSATION THAT

DAY, BUT I JUST REMEMBER THE

WORD COMING BACK TO ME THAT

JARRETT WAS JUST GONNA LAY DOWN

AND NOT HAVE THE MATCH.

[BELL RINGS]

WAIT A MINUTE.

WHAT'S JEFF DOING?

WHAT'S JEFF DOING?

RUSSO'S COMING.

WHAT'S HE SAYING?

RUSSO, I THINK, TOLD JARRETT

TO LIE DOWN.

WHAT'S GOING ON?

I DON'T THINK HOGAN HAD ANY

IDEA WHAT WAS GOING ON.

RUSSO IS HOLDING THE BELT UP,

LIKE DO YOU WANT THE BELT?

PIN THE MAN, JARRETT'S DOWN.

JEFF JARRETT LAID DOWN, I

SAID, BROTHER, DON'T DO THIS.

DON'T DO THIS.

GET UP.

I SAID, DON'T LAY THERE.

BUT, YOU KNOW, AT THE TIME,

JARRETT WAS ON TEAM RUSSO.

SO BASICALLY, THAT WAS PRETTY

MUCH IT.

IS THIS YOUR DEAL, RUSSO?

THAT'S WHY THIS COMPANY'S IN

THEE DAMN SHAPE IT'S IN BECAUSE

OF --

LIKE THIS.

[CROWD CHEERING]

WOW.

MY GOD, THIS IS REAL LIFE.

ONE, TWO, THREE.

[BELL RINGS]

WE CAME BACK, IT WAS REALLY

HOT.

A LOT OF WORDS WERE SAID, AND A

LOT OF--A LOT OF CURSING WAS

GOING ON.

I THINK EVERYBODY WAS IN SHOCK.

I GRABBED THE BELT, GOT THE

ONE, TWO, THREE, I PUT MY FOOT

ON HIM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT I DID.

GOT THE BELT AND WAS TOTALLY

DISGUSTED AND LEFT.

YOU COULD FEEL THE TENSION IN

THE AIR OF WHAT WAS TAKING

PLACE.

WELL, HERE'S MR. RUSSO NOW.

WHAT IS NEXT?

THIS, SO-CALLED ON-AIR, OR

WHATEVER IT WAS, BANTER THAT

RUSSO HAD, IT WAS JUST HIM.

I HAD ALREADY LEFT THE BUILDING.

MAYBE RUSSO CAN EXPLAIN TO

THE WORLD WHAT WE HAVE SEEN.

I DON'T KNOW IF I WOULD HAVE

STOOD THERE AT THE TIME AND LET

THAT GO ON IF I HAD BEEN IN THE

BUILDING, BUT I SAW IT LATER ON.

ALL DAY LONG, I'M PLAYING

POLITICS WITH HULK HOGAN BECAUSE

HULK HOGAN, TONIGHT, WANTS TO

PLAY HIS CREATIVE CONTROL CARD.

[CROWD CHATTER]

AND TO HULK HOGAN, THAT MEANT

THAT TONIGHT, IN THE MIDDLE OF

THIS RING, WHEN HE KNEW IT WAS

BULL --

HE BEATS JEFF JARRETT.

[CROWD CHATTER]

WELL, GUESS WHAT, HOGAN GOT

HIS WISH.

HOGAN GOT HIS BELT, AND HE WENT

THE HELL HOME.

AND I PROMISE EVERYBODY OR ELSE

I'LL GO IN THE --

-- GRAVE, YOU WILL NEVER SEE

THAT PIECE OF --

AGAIN.

[CROWD CHATTER]

VINCE RUSSO, HE ALWAYS TRIED

TO CAPTURE, YOU KNOW, REAL LIFE

MOMENTS.

BUT THEN, HE STARTED GETTING A

LITTLE BIT TOO PERSONAL.

THEN THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED THAT

NIGHT.

THE NEXT THING I KNOW, BRO.

ON THE INTERNET, THEY BOUGHT

THAT PROMO LIKE HOOK, LINE, AND

SINKER.

BASH AT THE BEACH WOULD PROVE

TO HASTEN THE DECLINE OF WCW.

AS THE FALLOUT FROM RUSSO'S

CONTROVERSIAL PROMO LEFT AN

IMPACT THAT FELT ALL TOO REAL.

WELL, NOW, BRO.

HOGAN'S AT HOME, READING THE

INTERNET.

AND IT'S LOOKING LIKE VINCE

RUSSO GOT WON OVER ON HULK

HOGAN.

THAT'S WHAT EVERYBODY'S SAYING.

I HAD NO IDEA WHETHER IT WAS

SOMETHING PLANNED BETWEEN THE

PARTIES OR IF IT WAS REAL.

I THINK ONCE THE LAWSUIT WAS

FILED, I FIGURED THAT THERE WAS

ACTUALLY SOME ISSUES BETWEEN

THEM.

I GET HIT WITH A DEFAMATION

OF CHARACTER LAWSUIT FROM HULK

HOGAN BECAUSE HE DIDN'T KNOW

ANYTHING ABOUT THE PROMO.

WHEN RUSSO CAME IN, IT JUST,

IT--FOR ME, IT TURNED INSIDE

OUT.

RUSSO DIDN'T WANT ME WORKING

THERE AND HE WANTED TO GET RID

OF ME.

HE WOULDN'T PUT ME ON THE RING

OR PUT ME ON TV ANYMORE.

SO I DIDN'T HAVE ANY OPTIONS

EXCEPT, YOU KNOW, I JUST LET MY

LAWYER HANDLE IT.

THE COMPANY'S MOST POPULAR

STAR, HULK HOGAN, WOULD NEVER

APPEAR IN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

WRESTLING AGAIN.

I STOOD IN THIS VERY RING ONE

MONTH AGO, AND I MADE HISTORY.

[CROWD CHATTER]

I MADE AN EXAMPLE OUT OF

SOMEBODY.

AND YOU ALL KNOW WHO IT IS

BECAUSE THAT PIECE OF --

HASN'T BEEN AROUND SINCE.

HULK HOGAN'S CONTENTIOUS

DEPARTURE FROM WORLD

CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING WOULD

ALSO MARK THE END OF A

THREE-MONTH CREATIVE

PARTNERSHIP.

AS VINCE RUSSO CONTINUOUS HIS

VISION TO REVIVE THE COMPANY,

ERIC BISCHOFF TOOK A LESSER ROLE

IN THE WAKE OF HOGAN'S EXIT.

BUT THEN, A COUPLE OF MONTHS,

IT WAS OBVIOUS IT WASN'T GOING

TO WORK.

THAT GUY WAS A THREE-TRICK PONY.

HE REALLY DIDN'T HAVE WHAT HE

SAID HE DID.

I SAID, THIS IS NEVER GOING TO

WORK.

VINCE RUSSO AND THE PRODUCERS

WERE IN ODD MEETINGS IN FIGURING

OUT WHERE WE WERE GOING FROM A

CREATIVE STANDPOINT.

BUT ERIC WAS VERY LIMITED ON

WHAT HE DID FROM A MANAGER

STANDPOINT OF RUNNING THE SHOWS.

BUT WITHOUT BISCHOFF'S INPUT,

THE COMPANY UNRAVELED.

AS THE LONE VOICE OF THE WCW'S

CREATIVE, VINCE RUSSO'S

UNCONVENTIONAL IDEAS WERE MET

WITH RESISTANCE FROM TALENT, AND

REJECTION FROM THE AUDIENCE.

ANYTHING THAT RUSSO WAS

INVOLVED WITH, I THOUGHT SMELLED

LIKE --

PERIOD.

THERE IS THE BOTTLE OF

VIAGRA.

I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, YOU CAN'T

COME OUT AND LIVE FOR THE MATCH

LIKE THIS, YOU GOT TO GIVE IT UP

RIGHT AWAY AND KEEP IT UP.

THERE WAS VIAGRA ON A POLE,

AND A PIÑATA ON A POLE.

IT'S OVERLY GIMMICKY, IT'S '80S

GIMMICKY.

AND I REMEMBER A LOT OF MATCHES

WITH OBJECTS.

THIS MATCH IS NOW OFFICIALLY

A JUDY BAGWELL ON A FORKLIFT

MATCH.

VINCE RUSSO, HOW HE EVER

ENDED UP IN THAT POSITION IS

BEYOND ME.

GO BACK AND WATCH WCW AND WATCH

THE STUFF THAT HE WAS ACTUALLY

ALLOWED TO DO ON HIS OWN.

IT'S JUST ABSOLUTE NONSENSE.

I HATE DUCKS.

HIT THE DUCKS, YEAH.

WE LOVE YOU, SCOTT STEINER.

YOU CONSTANTLY HAVE TO BE

THROWING MONKEY WRENCHES IN THE

MIX IN ORDER TO HAVE DIFFERENT

PROGRAMMING.

OTHERWISE, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE THE

SAME SHOW EVERY SINGLE WEEK AND

NOBODY'S GONNA WATCH IT.

HIS HEART WAS IN THE RIGHT

PLACE.

I THINK HE ACTUALLY TRIED TOO

HARD AND THREW EVERYTHING AT THE

WALL AT ONE TIME AND SEE WHAT

STUCK.

AND WHAT STUCK WAS NOT A LOT.

A UNIQUE MATCH HERE ON WCW

MONDAY NITRO.

BEING HIT WOULD STOP SIGNS,

COOKIE SHEETS, GARBAGE CANS, ALL

THAT STUFF HAPPENING 35 TIMES

EVERY BROADCAST IS INSULTING TO

ONE'S INTELLIGENCE.

YOU KNOW, ONE THING I'M GONNA

ASK IS I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT

RUSSO GETS DRUG TESTED BECAUSE I

DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY I'D HAVE A

MATCH LAST NIGHT COME OUT

VICTORIOUS AND NOW, I'VE GOT TO

PUT UP MY NUMBER ONE CONTENDER

SHIP IN A MATCH WITH SCOTT

STEINER TONIGHT.

GOING ON TV IS LIKE BEING ON

AN ACID TRIP, IT WAS KILLING ME,

LIKE, WHATEVER.

AND YOU START TO NOT CARE AS

MUCH BECAUSE YOU JUST--YOU GO IN

THERE AND YOU SAY, "YEAH, BUT,

YEAH, BUT, YEAH, BUT, YEAH,

BUT," AND THEN YOU GO, "FINE."

I CAME HERE TO DO ONE THING

AND ONE THING ONLY.

AND THAT'S TO BECOME THE WCW

CHAMPION.

I WANNA SEE SOMEBODY STOP ME.

NEARLY TWO YEARS AFTER THEIR

LAST RATINGS VICTORY OVER RAW,

MONDAY NITRO SHOWED A DESPERATE

VINCE RUSSO MAKE HIMSELF WORLD

CHAMPION.

OH, WHOA.

WAIT, RUSSO IS--WAIT, WAS

RUSSO OUT OF THE CAGE FIRST?

NO, BOOKER STEPPED OUT,

BOOKER STEPPED OUT.

NO, BOOKER SPEARED RUSSO OUT

OF THE CAGE FIRST, BOOKER WON.

WHO'S THE CHAMP?

WHO'S THE CHAMP?

IT WAS THE LATEST IN A

CONTINUOUS TREND OF WCW PLAYING

HOT POTATO WITH THEIR MOST

IMPORTANT CHAMPIONSHIP.

CHANGING WEEK IN AND WEEK OUT

FOR THE SAKE OF "HEY, WE HAVE A

TITLE CHANGE, HEY, WE HAVE A

TITLE CHANGE."

AFTER THE THIRD ONE, THE TITLE

CHANGE DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING.

WHATEVER YOU CAN DO TO GIVE

YOU THAT DIFFERENT PROGRAMMING,

THAT'S WHAT YOU DO.

IT'S ENTERTAINMENT.

WHEN YOU HAVE FREQUENT TITLE

CHANGES AND TO NON-WRESTLERS, I

MEAN, YOUR FANS GO, PLEASE,

WRESTLING FANS ARE THE MOST

LOYAL FANS IN THE WORLD UNTIL

YOU SLAP THEM IN THE FACE,

THEY'RE EMBARRASSED TO WATCH IT.

SO YOU KNOW WHAT THEY DO?

THEY JUST TURN IT OFF.

I DO REMEMBER TRYING TO WATCH

WCW AT TIMES AND IT JUST BEING

UNWATCHABLE.

THERE IS ONLY SO MUCH BAD

TELEVISION YOU CAN WATCH BEFORE

YOU STOP WASTING YOUR TIME.

AND NOW, BOOKER T HAS GOT

THE--HE'S GOT THE BELT FILL OUT.

BUT NOW, THE ONLY THING HE'S

GONNA DO IS GRAB THE BELT AS HE

DID.

THAT'S IT.

[BELL RINGING]

WE'VE GOT A NEW WORLD

HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION.

BOOKER T'S WIN ON OCTOBER

2ND, 2000 WAS THE 15TH WORLD

TITLE CHANGE IN SIX MONTHS.

IT WAS ALSO THE LAST UNDER VINCE

RUSSO, WHO WAS RELIEVED OF HIS

DUTIES SHORTLY THEREAFTER.

THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE ON

THE BUSINESS WHO, AT THE TIME

TRYING TO DEAL WITH VINCE THERE,

KNEW -- WELL THAT SOMEHOW, I

PLANTED VINCE RUSSO IN THAT

LOCKER ROOM.

HE WAS THAT BAD.

IN MY MIND, TO THIS DAY, I

STILL BELIEVE VINCE MCMAHON WAS

SMART ENOUGH TO SEND RUSSO DOWN

THERE TO KILL THE COMPANY.

HE CAME IN FOR TWO YEARS IN BIG

MONEY.

AND WHEN HE LEFT, THERE WAS

SCORCHED EARTH.

READ INTO THAT WHAT YOU WANT.

THAT'S WHEN YOU SAW, LIKE,

THE REAL SIDE OF, "HEY, THIS

GUY'S GOT A MILLION IDEAS."

TEN OF THEM WERE GENIUS, THE

REST OF THEM ARE TERRIBLE AND HE

DOESN'T KNOW THE DIFFERENCE.

VINCE RUSSO GOES TO WCW.

THERE'S NO VINCE MCMAHON THERE.

THERE WAS NOBODY THERE TO TELL

HIM THAT THIS IDEA SUCKS.

THIS IDEA IS GOOD.

AND THAT'S WHY VINCE RUSSO WAS A

COLOSSAL FAILURE THERE.

IT'S BECAUSE HE DIDN'T HAVE

VINCE MCMAHON.

THAT'S A PENALTY.

THAT'S A PENALTY.

I'LL BE THE FIRST ONE TO

ADMIT IT WAS A FAILURE.

OKAY.

I HAVE NO PROBLEM ADMITTING

THAT.

BUT I ALSO KNOW I'VE GOT TO BE

IN A POSITION WHERE I CAN

SUCCEED.

VINCE MCMAHON MADE ME A BETTER

WRITER.

VINCE PUT ME IN A POSITION WHERE

I CAN SUCCEED, WHERE HE HAD MY

BACK, HE HAD THE CONFIDENCE INTO

ME, AND HE GAVE ME THE TIME.

VINCE RUSSO CAME IN, AND HE

BASICALLY LET EVERYBODY KNOW IN

WCW THAT HE SINGLE-HANDEDLY

CREATED THE ATTITUDE ERA, HE HAD

SOLD THE GUYS OF WCW

[INDISTINCT]

GOODS AND CAME IN TO DRIVE THE

SHIP BUT HAD NEVER BEEN IN THE

WATER BEFORE.

FOR ME, TO SIT HERE AND TAKE

CREDIT FOR VINCE, OR ROCK, OR

MICK, OR DX, OR AUSTIN WOULD BE

ABSOLUTE INSANITY.

WHAT I'M MOST PROUD OF IS BEING

ABLE TO GIVE THEM MATERIAL EVERY

WEEK.

I KNEW WHATEVER I WROTE, THESE

GUYS WERE GONNA KNOCK IT OUT OF

THE BALLPARK.

HE'S HAPPENED TO BE AT THE

RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME

WITH OUTLANDISH IDEAS THAT WERE

NOT GOOD.

IDEAS THAT WERE SO FAR OUT THERE

THAT WOULD'VE NEVER WORK UNDER

ANY SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES, BUT

SOMEONE TOOK THOSE IDEAS AND

MADE THEM GOOD.

THAT'S REALLY THE LEGACY OF

VINCE RUSSO.

YOU SAW WHAT VINCE RUSSO DID

WHEN HE DIDN'T HAVE THE FILTER

OF VINCE MCMAHON, HE TOOK A

GREAT COMPANY WITH AN UNLIMITED

BANK ACCOUNT, AND TED TURNER,

AND BANKRUPTED HIM.

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING

LOST 65 MILLION DOLLARS IN 2000.

AS THE AOL-TIME WARNER MERGER

WAS ON THE VERGE OF BEING

FINALIZED, WCW WOULD BE FORCED

TO EXPLAIN THEIR STAGGERING

LOSSES TO THE CORPORATION'S NEW

HIERARCHY.

TIME WARNER STARTED LOOKING

AT THE BOOKS AND WERE GOING, HOW

IS THIS WORKING RIGHT?

AND THEN AOL CAME IN, IT GOT

EVEN WORSE.

THERE WAS PROBABLY THREE

TIMES THE AMOUNT OF REVENUE

GOING OUT THAN WAS COMING IN.

THOSE NUMBERS DON'T MAKE ANY

SENSE TO CPAS, CONTROLLERS.

SOONER OR LATER TIME WARNER, AND

THEN AOL HAD TO LIVE WITH

EVERYTHING THAT WAS HAPPENING,

AND THEY DIDN'T LIKE WHAT WAS

GOING ON.

WHEN WE HEARD RUMORS THAT THE

POWERS THAT BE AT AOL-TIME

WARNER WERE MAYBE LOOKING PHASE

WRESTLING OUT.

[MUSIC]

THE AOL-TIMER WARNER MERGER

WAS COMPLETED ON JANUARY 11TH,

2001.

AND WCW WOULD NO LONGER HAVE TED

TURNER TO SHIELD THEM FROM THEIR

FINANCIAL PERIL.

AT THIS POINT NOW, AOL'S IN

CHARGE.

AND EACH TIME THAT A CORPORATE

SWING GOES THROUGH, THERE'S

ANOTHER PERSON THAT GETS CLOSER

AND CLOSER TO OUR SIDE OF THE

BUSINESS THAT WANTS TO GET RID

OF US.

[MUSIC]

WHEN TWO BIG COMPANIES MERGE

AND ONE SAYS THEY DON'T WANNA

HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH

PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING, IT'S A

PRETTY MUCH CUT AND DRY

SITUATION WHERE YOU KNOW IT'S

ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE

THAT ENTITY IS GONE.

ONCE AOL BOUGHT TIME WARNER,

TED TURNER REALLY DIDN'T HAVE

ANY SAY.

HE HAD A LOT OF MONEY, BUT HE

REALLY DIDN'T HAVE ANY SAY.

THERE HAD BEEN A CHANGE OF

MANAGEMENT.

TURNER LOST HIS PERSONAL

INTEREST IN WCW.

TIME WARNER, FOR THE FIRST TIME,

WERE LOOKING AT THIS AS A

BUSINESS.

AND THEY LOST A LOT OF MONEY.

THERE'S NO REASON FOR THIS TO

CONTINUE.

AOL-TIME WARNER HAD NO DESIRE

TO KEEP AN UNPROFITABLE WCW IN

THEIR PORTFOLIO AND PUT THE

COMPANY UP FOR SALE SHORTLY

AFTER THE MERGER.

MANY OF YOU MAY ALREADY KNOW

THAT WCW HAS NEW OWNERS.

THE TRANSACTION RIGHT NOW IN

PROCESS.

WE ARE IN THE TRANSITION PERIOD

OF NEW OWNERS IN WORLD

CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING.

WE DON'T KNOW WHAT CHANGES WILL

TAKE PLACE.

WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO

HAPPEN IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.

THERE WERE SO MANY RUMORS, SO

MUCH DISSENSION.

THERE WERE SO MANY PERSONALITIES

WHO WERE SO TIRED AND RUNNING SO

HARD.

THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE'S

LIVES THAT WERE GONNA BE THROWN

INTO THE BLENDER IF WCW WENT

UNDER, BUT KNOWING IT WAS THE

HARDEST THING.

WE KNEW THE COMPANY WAS BEING

PUT UP FOR SALE.

WE DIDN'T KNOW WHO THE BUYER

WAS.

NOW, THE RUMOR WAS BISCHOFF HAD

A INVESTMENT COMPANY THAT WAS

GONNA BUY THE PLACE.

ERIC ACTUALLY BROUGHT IN A

COMPANY TO COME IN AND NEGOTIATE

THE BUY.

AND ERIC SAID TO ME, "JOHNNY,

THIS SHOULD BE AN EASY DEAL.

I'M GONNA BUY IT, AND THE MOVE'S

IN THE MAKING RIGHT NOW."

[MUSIC]

WCW WILL NEVER FIT WITHIN THE

AOL-TIME WARNER CORPORATE

PROFILE.

IT'LL NEVER WORK.

SO I CALLED SOME PEOPLE I KNEW

IN NEW YORK, VERY SUCCESSFUL

INVESTMENT BANKING GROUP.

MY PARTNERS PUT UP THE MONEY, IT

WAS, LIKE, 65 MILLION BUCKS.

I PUT IN AN OFFER, MADE AN

ANNOUNCEMENT IN ALL THE TRADES

TO THE BIG CONFERENCE CALL WITH

WALL STREET ANNOUNCING THE

ACQUISITION, PUT IN A LETTER OF

INTENT TOGETHER.

WE KNOW SPORTS

ENTERTAINMENT'S A LOT OF HYPE.

THAT IS HYPE.

CAN YOU LIVE UP TO THAT HYPE IS

MY QUESTION?

LISTEN, I DON'T--I DON'T--I

DON'T HAVE TO TRY TO LIVE UP TO

YOUR EXPECTATIONS OR ANYBODY

ELSE'S.

I KNOW WHAT WE'RE ABOUT TO DO.

I KNOW THE IMPACT IT'S GOING TO

HAVE.

THERE IS NOTHING THAT YOU CAN DO

ABOUT IT.

THERE IS NOTHING THAT VINCE

MCMAHON CAN DO ABOUT IT.

THERE IS NOTHING A ROOM FULL OF

ATTORNEYS CAN DO ABOUT IT.

THERE IS NOTHING ANYBODY CAN DO

ABOUT IT.

WE ARE GOING TO CHANGE THE FACE

OF WRESTLING.

BISCHOFF HAD SEEMINGLY

RESCUED WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

WRESTLING FROM THE AOL-TIME

WARNER TRASH HEAP, BUT WAS NOW

TASKED WITH REVIVING THE

COMPANY'S SEVERELY DAMAGED

REPUTATION.

WCW'S PRODUCT WAS SO BAD AND

SO IN THE TOILET, AND NONE OF IT

MADE ANY SENSE.

IT'S GUERRILLA WARFARE TO

SWIMMING POOL.

NOBODY COULD HAVE SAVED IT.

MEN, WE PISSED PEOPLE OFF FOR

THE LAST YEAR OF THAT COMPANY.

WE PISSED OUR FANS OFF.

WHEN YOUR FAN BASE ISN'T THERE,

YOU CAN PUT HOGAN, FLAIR,

SAVAGE, BRING BACK GORGEOUS

GEORGE, PUT ANDRE IN THE RING,

YOU KNOW, BRUNO AND PEDRO IN A

BATTLE ROYALE, AND YOU'RE NOT

GONNA DRAW FLIES BECAUSE WE

UPSET THEM.

WE INSULTED THEIR INTELLIGENCE.

WAIT A MINUTE.

SANTA CLAUS IS IN THE RING.

SANTA IS IN THE RING.

SANTA CLAUS HAS COME TO THE

RING.

SANTA CLAUS IS IN THE RING.

HE'S THROWING POWDERS IN THE

RING.

WHAT'S HE DOING?

YES.

DUST FOR [INDISTINCT]

WHAT IS THAT?

IS THAT...

SANTA IS IN THE RING.

IS IT SOOT FROM DOWN THE

CHIMNEY?

SANTA'S GONE NUTS.

WHAT IS IT?

BISCHOFF FACED AN UPHILL

BATTLE TO WIN BACK WCW'S FAN

BASE.

BUT SUDDENLY, IT WAS A BATTLE HE

WOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO FIGHT.

I WAS ON THE BEACH WHEN MY

CELL PHONE RANG.

AND IT WAS ONE OF MY PARTNERS

FROM NEW YORK.

HE SAID, "ERIC, THE DEAL'S OFF."

I SAID, "WHAT DO YOU MEAN THE

DEAL IS OFF?"

I THOUGHT HE WAS KIDDING ME.

IT'S OVER."

I COULD IT BE OFF.

WE HAVE A SIGNED LETTER OF

INTENT."

JAMIE KELLNER CAME IN FROM AOL

TO TAKE OVER TNT AND TBS.

HE CAME IN, I FORESEEN IT, HE'S

LOOKED AT ALL THE DEALS THAT

WERE ON THE TABLE, STARTING WITH

WCW'S ACQUISITION.

JAMIE KELLNER REALIZED THAT A

BIG PART OF THAT DEAL WAS THE

FACT THAT MY PARTNERS AND I WERE

GOING TO GET A 10-YEAR

COMMITMENT TO AIR WCW ON THE TBS

NETWORK.

PART OF OUR DEAL WAS NOT ONLY TO

ACQUIRE WCW, THE COPYRIGHTS, THE

TRADEMARKS, BUT WAS ALSO TO HAVE

A PLACE TO AIR THE SHOW.

JAMIE KELLNER CAME IN AND SAID,

"OKAY.

YOU CAN BUY THE COPYRIGHTS.

YOU CAN HAVE THE TRADEMARKS.

YOU CAN BUY THE RINGS.

YOU CAN HAVE THE VIDEO LIBRARY,

BUT WE'RE NOT GONNA GIVE YOU THE

TV TIME."

WITHOUT THE TELEVISION TIME, WCW

WAS WORTH 20 BUCKS, IT WASN'T

WORTH ANYTHING.

IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE A PLACE TO

AIR THE SHOW, THERE WAS NO

VALUE.

SO IT WENT FROM BEING A 63 OR

65-MILLION DOLLAR ACQUISITION TO

BEING WORTH A SMALL FRACTION OF

THAT.

KELLNER SAID, "WE'RE GONNA

CANCEL WRESTLING."

BUT IT'S YOUR NUMBER ONE RATED

SHOW.

WELL, THAT DOESN'T REALLY

MATTER.

WE'RE NOT GONNA BE THE WRESTLING

STATION ANYMORE.

WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT AND TAKE

SO MANY PEOPLE'S LIVELIHOODS

AWAY LIKE THAT?

[MUSIC]

AOL AND THAT--THEY DIDN'T

LIKE WRESTLING.

THEY DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT

BROUGHT THEM TO DEATH.

THEY DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT

BUILT THE TBS AT THE TIME,

CHANNEL 17 IN ATLANTA.

THEY THOUGHT IT WAS BENEATH

THEM.

AND OF COURSE, THAT CHANGED

THE LANDSCAPE OF OUR INDUSTRY IN

A WAY THAT HASN'T BEEN SEEN

SINCE.

NITRO AND THUNDER WERE BOTH

SCHEDULED TO BE OFF THE AIR BY

APRIL OF 2001.

AND EVERYONE WAS RESIGNED TO THE

EXTINCTION OF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

WRESTLING.

[MUSIC]

WHEN THAT WHOLE DEAL WAS

HAVE WRESTLING ANYMORE AS

PROGRAMMED, A LOT OF THE GUYS

WERE VERY CONCERNED.

IT CAME ON VERY QUICKLY.

SO THERE WAS DEFINITELY A LOT OF

ANXIETY AND INSECURITY GOING ON.

A LOT OF GUYS WERE

SPECULATING, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS

THE JOBS.

I ALWAYS THOUGHT I WAS GONNA

RETIRE IN WCW.

I KNEW IT WAS GONNA BE A

DIFFERENT ERA.

I TOLD YOU I TALKED TO THE MAN,

AND THAT MAN IS ERIC BISCHOFF.

SO SHUT UP AND LISTEN.

THANK YOU, BOOKER.

MANY OF YOU MAY KNOW THAT FOR

THE PAST SIX MONTHS, I'VE BEEN

WORKING WITH A GROUP OF PEOPLE

WHO'S GOAL WAS, AND IS, TO

ACQUIRE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

WRESTLING AND TO GROW IT ONCE

AGAIN TO BECOME A COMPETITIVE,

DOMINANT WRESTLING ORGANIZATION

WORLDWIDE.

THE REASON WHY WE'VE HAD A

COUPLE ROADBLOCKS THAT MAY BE,

IN FACT, BRICK WALLS.

I WANNA TO MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT

NOW IN THAT NEXT MONDAY NIGHT AT

PANAMA CITY, VERY WELL COULD BE

THE LAST NIGHT OF WRESTLING ON

THE TURNER NETWORKS.

THE FINAL EPISODE OF WCW

THUNDER AIRED ON MARCH 21ST, AND

NITRO WAS JUST FIVE DAYS AWAY.

IT APPEARED THERE WAS NO SAVING

WCW, UNTIL THE MOST UNLIKELY OF

SUITORS ENTERED THE PICTURE.

[MUSIC]