WCW's GOLDEN ERA

Before the WCW and the NWO completely collapsed under the ridiculous storylines being provided (Jeff Jarret's NWO Silver, Stevie Ray leading NWO Hollywood etc)

Do you remember how incredibly exciting it was when they first appeared?

To have no knowledge of what went on behind the scenes in wrestling (before everyone had the internet and could read about contracts and disputes, and also because I was younger and unaware) I went through the roof when I first saw Scott Hall appear on Nitro.
The lack of behind-the-scenes access for fans is in part what I would consider to have a heavy hand in the astronomical success when the NWO was born.

Then what happens?
Kevin Nash shows up. Here were two of the biggest, most memorable, and well-loved superstars from the WWF (under the names Diesel & Razor Ramon, who were TERRIFIC characters) I remember the pure shock of it.
And if it wasn't exciting enough to see them there, they begin the invasion and powerbomb Eric Bischoff through a table.

My friends and I were going crazy!!!
From here WCW would have its greatest storylines, for me at least.
They made a great play by having Hogan go heel. (Bash At The Beach, the fans TRASHED that ring afterwards)
To have these two popular rebels show up wreaking havoc and THEN have the Babe Ruth of wrestling join them was groundbreaking. No, its not as if it was an act of genius in terms of originality (Bret Hart turned heel in WWF). But those in power in WCW knew how it was the perfect platform to slingshot from.

Wrestling was in a state of change becoming more of an adult show than family based (WWF was evolving into its Attitude Era) and the NWO storyline was perfect to bring wrestling into that era.

Remember all the great moments that followed? :

- Sting is mistrusted by his friends and "leaves" the company
- Macho Man is insane with anger and jumps on top of the limo as it speeds away
-Eric Bischoff joins
-Ted Dibiase joins
- Syxx (formerly 123 Kid in WWF) joins
- Hall & Nash had sercurity pull guns on them during a triangle tag title match
-the NWO makes an open call to all WCW wrestlers to join or else...
-Watching the NWO build with some impressive members such as Macho Man (eventually joined) Buff Bagwell, The Giant, Stevie Ray, Scott Steiner,
-DDP's career and character was single-handedly LAUNCHED when he took out Kevin Nash and Scott Hall after accepting an NWO shirt
.....this was personally one of my favorite moments....
-Nick Patrick joined the NWO (EVEN THE REFEREES!)
- Sting began appearing in the rafters with the crow angle
- Sting's attacks from the rafters on WCW and NWO wrestlers
- Sting beating Hogan at Starrcade
-Goldberg defeating Hogan on NITRO
- I believe it gets overlooked, but LEX LUGER beating Hogan on Nitro for the title
- We had some wonderful feuds: THE BEST OF THEM BEING MACHO MAN & DDP



Ultimately, it was cool for the first time in wrestling to be BAD.
The NWO angle worked b/c at that point in wrestling, those in charge were not as open about the fact that it was staged/scripted like it is today. So there was a sense of reality to the industry that still existed.
With the NWO, we saw a real threat. Our heroes turned on us (Hogan. Eventually Macho Man) and turned their backs on us (Sting) and we saw the birth of new ones (Diamond Dallas Page) while at the same time they were all totally unable to overcome the power that the NWO brought (Remember War Games when the 4 Horsemen, WCW's most traditional team, failed to defeat them)
It was something that had never been seen before in wrestling ever.

That's why it worked.

Between purchasing the T-Shirts, Watching the NWO win a WW3 ppv after the other, making the "4 Life" hand gestures with my friends and saying "Sweeeet!" and rooting for the NWO in general
It was a golden time to be a wrestling fan.

To see something so new. So innovative. So completely foreign.

I miss that now. WWE is lackluster in story (and roster for that matter) in my opinion. And if you were to ask me its b/c Vince McMahon has no competition. But thats a completely differnt article.

Wrestling has changed. New faces. New styles.
We don't forget the old storylines or the faces we've lost along the way (Owen, Rude, Pillman, Hennig, Bulldog, Guerrero --RIP--)
And I wonder if wrestling will ever be that popular again or if those days were the peak for the wrestling world.

But for those of us that remember, we can look back and feel the excitement all over again when those two first appeared on the Monday Nitro Broadcast.







Just wanted to share that with those of you that feel the same.
Reply and share a few memories. I welcome it with open arms.