WCW 1994 by TGC

[TGC]

World Championship Wrestling was not the greatest wrestling promotion ever created, it did not create the most memorable characters nor the most engaging storylines in its decade long existence, and it never truly achieved the status of being the number one promotion in North America let alone the world. What World Championship Wrestling did do right however was to give fans of wrestling real wrestling action to tune into, devoid of cartoon characters, cheesy storylines, and over the top shenanigans. It did, until June 11, 1994 that is, because on that day all the garish, cheesy, over the top, political crap that the WWF was known for made it's way into the heart of World Championship Wrestling.

On June 11, 1994 Hulk Hogan joined WCW.

In reality Hulk Hogan came in to WCW to be the saving grace for the company, Eric Bischoff's tool to dethrone the WWF and Vince McMahon as the number one promoter of Wrestling in North America. This, of course, did not occur for several years, but what did occur was a load of garbage and a crop of garbage wrestlers emerging into the company to take the spots of those that deserved them, and could eventually prove to be harmful to Hogan and his spot. With the injury and retirement of Rick Rude, the loss of up and comers such as Steve Austin, Brian Pillman, Cactus Jack, and Johnny B. Badd, WCW lost it's own identity, compounded by former number one stars such as Sting, Ric Flair, and Vader jobbing out to the likes of Hogan, Randy Savage, Ed Leslie, and Kamala. As WCW struggled onwards the company truly lost sight of what it was that made it strong and popular amongst fans of professional wrestling.

The wrestling.

While some names could be brought in over the years to help make WCW grow, bringing in Hogan and many of his lackeys had the opposite effect on WCW. It became a WWF lite, and one that was years behind the current day company. Under the supervision of Eric Bischoff and eventually Vince Russo, this would continue to occur over the years until WCW was bought out by the WWF.

But what if Hogan never came to WCW? What if Ric Flair, a man who had turned face, fought and defeated Vader, and was the company's shining star in mid 1994, what if he wasn't forced to turn heel in a nonsensical fashion and then lose to Hogan repeatedly over the course of the summer and fall? What if Sting wasn't forced to play second, then third fiddle behind Hogan and Savage? What if Vader wasn't neutered further by Hogan and company, but allowed to remain a strong heel presence within the company? What if Stunning Steve Austin, Johnny B. Badd, Cactus Jack, and Lord Steven Regal were allowed to continue to grow into their characters and their spots in WCW and eventually take their rightful places? What if the Friends of Hogan weren't brought in solely to appease an egomaniacal force of nature that needed to be surrounded by those that were loyal to him to further his own power base? What if WCW didn't have to die and it all started in 1994 when Hulk Hogan never came into the company?

This is that What If...?

Welcome to WCW 1994 by TGC. No Hogan, no politics, no crap, just wrestling the World Championship Wrestling way.

[Cobane]

Sounds like it could be pretty good. I'm looking forward to this.

[Michael]

Jesus fucking Christ.

First diary EVER that I have actually said "oh yes" out loud because if you stick with this, it is going to be absolutely positively fantastic.

Ya know, they say that ol' TGC ain't got what it takes to stick to a diary no more. I hope with this one you prove them wrong and rekindle some of that old magic.

[Beeker00Zero]

I shall say this first, and I shall say this with love...

Get me more Garvin!

***

On a marginally more pertinent note.

I do echo Michael in that if you stick with this you have the chance to make some memorable and compelling entries looking back at a time changed the wrestling world forever. Who would have have guessed that the only way Hogan could lift WCW to the top of the mountain would be with a heel turn and Oz and the Diamond Studd as running buddies?

I'm also eagerly anticipating just how you change and morph and tweak characters that existed and that may never now exist. Will Austin remaining Stunning or will he grow Stone Cold?

Best of luck with this tgc.

[Nova]

I often look through the very last pages of the diary dome. just to look for good diaries to read. I've read quite a bit of your work, and have seen you're an excellent writer, I've just never seen a diary of yours that's very long. I love the concept of this, as I loved WCW in the days of the blonde haired Sting, etc, and think that if you do keep on with this, it could very well be my favorite diary on the board.

[Ping von Erich]

This could end up being really really good. I'm beyond a huge WCW mark, whenever anyone does a WCW diary I smile as I click through the pages.. there's just so much to change and altar and have fun with when you're playing as WCW. This idea especially has me thinking.. "crap, why didn't I think of that!" The idea of WCW staying WCW without the taint of Hogan, Savage, Beefcake, Sid and all the rest of the WWF cast offs.. rock on dude, can't wait to read this.

[Miami Vice]

Well this will be good, but I'm not excited. What happened to the sweet TNA diary? This will suffer the same fate. I wish you the best and hope you'll stick this one out, but I doubt it.

[Michael]

Well this will be good, but I'm not excited. What happened to the sweet TNA diary? This will suffer the same fate. I wish you the best and hope you'll stick this one out, but I doubt it.

←

Edited September 12, 2005 by Michael

[VA Finest 1]

TGC always produces very good diaries and this will be no exception, I hope he sticks with this one for a while because he has a great roster. He has two of my personal favorites in Ravishing Rick Rude and Ricky The Dragon Steamboat, plus big name talent such as Sting, Flair, and Vader when he was still a monster and young talent such as Steve Austin, Brian Pillman, Cactus Jack. Hopefully Rude will win the world title, can't wait for the first show.

[TGC]

To say that WCW was a shambles in 1993 is akin to saying that Ric Flair is just another wrestler. Whether it was The Masters Of The Powerbomb putting a bomb on Sting and The British Bulldog's boat that stranded them on an island, the Amnesia Of Cactus Jack, the break-up of the greatest Tag Team in WCW, The Hollywood Blondes, the feud between Rude and Flair over Flair's French Maid Fifi, or the pre taping of four to five months worth of shows that gave away title changes, such as Sid becoming the new WCW World Champion, it was obvious that everything that WCW and new VP Eric Bischoff tried went badly. It is often mentioned that 1993 saw WCW lose millions upon millions of dollars, and in fact this is true. Nothing worked for WCW, house show attendance was way down, PPV revenue was virtually non existent, and the wages, such as those of The British Bulldog, a perrenial Midcarder and Tag Team wrestler prior to showing up in WCW, were starting to skyrocket out of control.

After most of a year that featured WCW trying Sting, Jack, Bulldog, Flair, and eventually Sid in the Number One Contender to Vader's WCW World Title role, the decision was made in late 1993 to pin the hopes of the company on Sid's shoulders. He was turned face and set to meet Vader at Starrcade, where he would in fact win the title. Until he nearly stabbed Arn Anderson to death with safety scissors while on tour in England, that is. WCW rightly fired Sid, and ended their plans for their Starrcade Main Event and Sid's 1994 World Title reign. What were WCW and Bischoff to do?

They turned to Ric Flair. It was what WCW always did when the shit hit the fan with such immense velocity. Vader and Flair were set to meet at Starrcade 1993 in a World Title vs. Career Match, and he was also handed the book. Flair won the match, a great World Title Match with a rather mediocre ending, and was propelled to the top of WCW once more as her biggest face. Those watching WCW also saw Starrcade 1993 feature Stunning Steve Austin win the WCW US Title from Dustin Rhodes, a move that was rumored to be the set up for his eventual World Title run in late 1994.

And this is where reality splits in two. In the reality that you and I remember Hogan eventually made his way to WCW in June of 1994.

That is not the case here. You see, in this version of reality much of what you remember actually did happen, to a point. However it was not Eric Bischoff that led WCW onwards after Starrcade 1993, it was another committee, led by Tony Schiavone; the man that many assumed would be given the role in 1993 before Bischoff was awarded it out of the blue. WCW and Turner execs did what they always did after a disastrous year, they fired the VP. Eric Bischoff was released in January of 1994, replaced by Tony, and Tony kept the book on Flair. Flair, now in charge of creative, placed several people close to him in creative capacities, such as Arn Anderson and Kevin Sullivan, and 1994 started out on the right foot.

Next time, from January 1994 to June 1994.

[Draevyn]

I do hope that Dr. Common's continues but this brought a smile to my face. Just the last couple of days I've spent some time reading your WCW '91 diary which is down in the archives section and thought about pming you to see if you ever thought about bringing that back, and then come here today to find this one. I truly hope you stick with it because so far from what I've read, you're one of the best retro writers that I've seen.

[Steve Corino]

Yes! I think I asked about someone doing this diary months ago, and I'm glad that SOMEBODY finally decided that it was worth doing! And that it's TGC, gives me a bittersweet feeling, because I know that as much as is done on this will be godly work, just that not much of it will probably get done....

[TGC]

At Starrcade 1993 WCW took a few steps in the right direction, including making mega uber babyface Ric Flair the WCW World Champion and mega heel Stunning Steve Austin their new WCW United States Champion. At the start of the New Year WCW took several more steps towards that same right direction with the firing of Eric Bischoff and the promotion to VP of Tony Schiavone, who in turn kept Ric Flair as head booker. Many remembered with fond feelings the "golden ages" of WCW/NWA under Flair's capable creative control, and he and his underlings on the creative team looked to bring that period of time back in the here and now.

It started in January, more as a stutter step than anything else. While Flair and company set about redirecting WCW back towards the wrestling promotion of old pre Eric Bischoff and his fondness for bad mini movies, WCW still had a big show to produce that month. The show was WCW Clash of the Champions XXVI, perhaps most notable because it featured the debut of Bobby "The Brain" Heenan to WCW and the announce team. Perhaps saying that January was a stutter step in the right direction is too weak a phrase when the biggest highlight of a two hour "event" show is the debut of a new color commentator. The rest of the show featured:

-Marcus Alexander Bagwell and 2 Cold Scorpio defeated Pretty Wonderful (Pretty Paul Roma and Mr. Wonderful Paul Orndorff) by pinfall

-Ron Simmons defeated Ice Train by pinfall

-Lord Steven Regal retained his WCW TV Title via time expiry vs. Dustin Rhodes

-Cactus Jack and Maxx Payne defeated The Nasty Boys by pinfall

-Brian Pillman defeated Colonel Robert Parker by pinfall

-In an elimination Tag Team Match, the team of Sting and Ric Flair defeated the team of Ravishing Rick Rude and Vader, when first Vader and Flair were counted out, then Sting pinned Rude

And thus, January was over with nothing significant happening other than the finale to The Hollywood Blondes career as a Tag Team, the debut of Heenan, and the last match Ron Simmons would wrestle for WCW in quite some time due to an injury.

February brought SuperBrawl 4 in as the big event, and again, it almost seemed as if WCW and Flair were treading water. SuperBrawl 4 shaped up with:

-Michael P.S. Hayes comes out to open the show in a wheelchair claiming he can't wrestle Johnny B. Badd, so Nick Bockwinkle "unretires" former Freebird member Jimmy Jam Garvin to take his place

-Harlem Heat (Kane and Kole) defeated Thunder and Lightning by pinfall

-Jungle Jim Steele defeated The Equalizer by pinfall

-Terry Taylor defeated Diamond Dallas Page by pinfall

-Johnny B. Badd defeated Jimmy Garvin by pinfall

-For the WCW TV Title, Lord Steven Regal defeated The Enforcer Arn Anderson

-The Nasty Boys retained their WCW Tag Team Titles against Cactus Jack and Maxx Payne via DQ

-In The Thundercage Match #1, Sting, Brian Pillman, and Dustin Rhodes defeated Rick Rude, Steve Austin, and Paul Orndorff by pinfall

-In The Thundercage Match #2 for the WCW World Title, Ric Flair defeated Vader via Submission with The Boss as special guest referee

February came and went, quickly and quietly, with the only real change being the continued resurgence of actual wrestling to WCW once again.

In April the PPV Event was Spring Stampede, the first of a new batch of PPV's that would appear this year. Spring Stampede was created under Bischoff's regime and Tony Schiavone made the decision to keep it intact name wise. It was hyped to be a major show, and a turning point for WCW in 1994.

-Johnny B. Badd defeated Diamond Dallas Page by pinfall

-Lord Steven Regal retained his WCW TV Title against Brian Pillman by time limit expiry

-In a Chicago Street Fight, The Nasty Boys retained their WCW Tag Team Titles against Cactus Jack and Maxx Payne by pinfall

-Stunning Steve Austin retained his WCW United States Title by DQ when Muta throws him over the top rope to the floor

-Sting won the WCW International Title from Ravishing Rick Rude by pinfall

-Bunkhouse Buck pinned Dustin Rhodes in a Bunkhouse Match

-In a match that saw him lose his gimmick, The Boss was defeated by Vader via pinfall

-Flair retained his WCW World Title when he and Ricky Steamboat pinned each other

So what did SuperBrawl bring to the table that was worthy of the hype it gained other than several non finishes? Not much other than three widely accepted four star plus matches and overall amazing wrestling, the definition of what WCW was to be known for again.

May brought WCW Slamboree1994, A Legends Reunion to the masses. Perhaps the biggest thing of note, aside from the induction of six wrestling legends into the WCW Hall Of Fame was that Colonel Robert Parker had found a "Blonde haired 6'7" mystery challenger" for Flair's World Title. Of course speculation was that Hulk Hogan was coming to WCW, but this, as we all know, was never going to come to pass. Slamboree shaped up as follows:

-Mean Gene introduced the legends. They were Ole Anderson, The Assassin, Peggy Banner, Red Bastien, Tully Blanchard, The Crusher, Don Curtis, Terry Funk, Verne Gagne, Hard Boiled Haggerty, Larry Hennig, Killer Kowalski, Ernie Ladd, Wahoo McDaniel, Angelo Mosca, Harley Race, Ray Stevens, Lou Thesz, Johnny Weaver, Mr. Wrestling II and Tommy Young

-Stunning Steve Austin retained his WCW United States Titles against Johnny B. Badd by pinfall

-Mean Gene interviewed Wahoo McDaniel and Ernie Ladd

-Tully Blanchard and Terry Funk wrestled to a Double DQ in this Legends Match

-In a Non Title Match, Larry Zbyszko pinned Lord Steven Regal after coming out of retirement for this match

-Gordon Solie inducts The Assassin, Ole Anderson, Harley Race, Ernie Ladd, The Crusher, and the deceased Dick the Bruiser into the WCW Hall Of Fame

-Dustin Rhodes defeated Bunkhouse Buck by pinfall in this Bullrope Match, which saw Terry Funk return and attack Dustin Rhodes afterwards

-Ric Flair pinned Barry Windham to retain the WCW World Title

-Cactus Jack and Kevin Sullivan defeated The Nasty Boys in a Falls Count Anywhere Match to win the WCW World Tag Team Titles

-Sting won the WCW International Title after he pinned Vader

And thus the show, and May, soon came to an end. Leading into June's Clash Of The Champions XXVII:

WCW World Heavyweight Champion:

Ric Flair

WCW International Heavyweight Champion:

Sting

WCW United States Champion:

Stunning Steve Austin

WCW Television Champion:

Lord Steven Regal

WCW World Tag Team Champions:

Cactus Jack and Kevin Sullivan

And now June, 1994...where it all happens the way it always should have.

[Ping von Erich]

W00t.. this is going to own.

[Miami Vice]

Man, the backstory did get me excited. Great, time to be disapointed again. Of course this would be a great time to suprise me with an actule diary and not just a backstory/show combination.

[Nova]

Looking great. I'm hoping for a babyface vs babyface, Ric Flair vs Sting for the unification of the two heavyweight titles. I'm a huge surfer Sting mark.

[Ping von Erich]

I'd love to see a major push of Cactus Jack as a heel force later in the story.. him and Flair one on one, Ric the huge mega babyface.. Cactus the out of his mind psycho uberheel.. maybe even busting out with a cage match or two. Now that would be epic, especially considering the two have actual heat between one another even in this time period. Same deal with Steve Regal, he had main event heel written all over his face during this time period. Him and Austin and Cactus all fresh new heels going head to head with the likes of the more established babyfaces in Flair, Sting, Steamboat.. that's magic waiting to happen right there.

[DYSI]

Ah, I haven't read a TGC diary (or any diary) in ages. I'll be reading along with everyone else, and see what you have planned without Hogan around. Good luck. (Y)

[Eclipse 2K5]

This sounds like it will be a great diary. I can't wait to see the Arn Anderson push that logically would happen if Ric Flair ran the booking committee. That really isn't unfair to other wrestlers because Arn deserved a push. Instead he was jobbed out by Eric Bischoff. I'd like to see Arn turn on Flair and cut a nice heel promo then they feud for a while leading into an Arn Anderson title reign. Later on, I'd like to see the rest of WCW's talent pushed. Cactus Jack is very low on the list of guys I'd like to see pushed because WCW has so much other talent.

I hope to see you hire and push the technical wrestlers and cruiserweights later on.

[Hailtothechimp]

Oh my god, this looks amazing. C'mon Arn Anderson push to own Sting in the face causing a unification match between Flair and Anderson. WOOT!