The Story of the Wrestling Business

[Hewey]

January seemed pretty good, I'm glad to see Waltman being brought back, But I don't like him with Bagwell. I wish you'd bring back Nash to team up with Waltman, Unless ECW still has him. Not sad to see the misfits released either, As they were useless. Hogan turning heel is definitely interesting, And I'm wondering if it'll have a big shake up like it had in real life. I also liked the little piece about the development territory. (Y)

[Nottavictim]

Wrestling with Shadows - Eric Bischoff

"Welcome back to Wrestling with Shadows, the investigative show that looks deep into the latest issues of wrestling," he says slowly, "And on today's show, we're looking again at Eric Bischoff or rather, what Bischoff is doing now that he is free from World Championship Wrestling. Eric Bischoff was kind enough to give us some comments while he was vacationing down in Florida."

The screen cuts to a bright, sunny day. The location seems to be a boat on an isolated ocean. The calm waves whap gently back and forth against the sides of the large, white fishing boat as the motor slows and then dies away. Eric Bischoff walks out and grins at the camera, having cut his hair short. He wears sunglasses and looks in good spirits as he gives the camera a pleasant wave and grabs his fishing pole so he can cast off the back of the boat.

Peter Michaels sits next to Bischoff in a lawn chair and asks, “So Eric Bischoff, many wrestling fans would like to know if you miss WCW?”

Bischoff chuckles and says, “Do I miss it? Hell no! Do I miss a root canal?”

Peter Michaels chuckles uncomfortably and continues, “I’m sure some fans wouldn’t mind seeing you return. Critics claim you added an element that can’t be duplicated. And you certainly turned WCW into a profitable company.”

Bischoff leans back and puts his feet up, saying, “The corporate types don’t care about an ‘added element’ or what I brought to the table. I thought they cared about the bottom line, but even that wasn’t good enough. I guess.”

“It seems not. What do you regret most?”

“I dunno, a bunch of stuff. Letting Dusty Rhodes railroad me into some god-awful storylines and giving Hulk Hogan a barrel of money. Oh man, I regret not telling off Ric Flair sooner. He’s a son of a [beep]. I heard he‘s even got his job back. That piece of [beep].”

“Eric, don’t get excited. I thought you were past accusing him of being WCW’s leak.”

“You know what, I’m on vacation and I don’t give a [beep]. It wouldn’t surprise me if WCW made the whole ‘leak’ thing up. Oh, watch out, I might be giving away their next storyline! Is a leak? Isn’t he leak? Tune in and find out! [beep] them.”

"You really don't like Ric Flair, do you?"

"That guy just really gets under my skin for some reason. To be honest with you, I hate his guts."

“Did anyone earn your respect in WCW?”

“I respected Terry Funk, but that’s about it. Maybe Stu Hart. I worked with him. Everybody else can go [beep] themselves.”

“That’s a little harsh, don’t you think?”

Bischoff chuckles, “Well yeah, maybe it is. But you know what, I got put through so much crap you wouldn’t believe it. I don’t envy anybody in charge of WCW now, because that whole corporate thing just was horrible. You couldn’t do anything yourself! Ted Turner or the ‘random corporate executive of the week‘ could just wander on down to give me orders. Horrible.”

“Some say you are the one who had Vince McMahon at the biggest disadvantage. Will it ever be the same way again?”

“I envy Vince McMahon. He doesn’t have to deal with twenty other people to get things done. I think we had him down but couldn’t close the deal. It wasn’t even my fault. Anyway, it’ll never get to be that one-sided again, Vince is too smart.”

“What’s next for Eric Bischoff?”

“Well, I’m going to sit here for a while, maybe fish some more. Do that for a couple of months.”

Peter Michaels nods slowly and says, “So there’s no chance you’ll be back in wrestling?”

“I wouldn’t say there’s no chance, but I happen to like fishing,” he chuckles.

The screen cuts back to the studio and Peter Michaels says, “Reportedly, Eric Bischoff is still fishing on his lengthy vacation in Florida. As we draw to a close on this man, there’s simply no one I’ve seen more burned out than Eric Bischoff. Good luck to you, Eric.”

---

[Nottavictim]

February 1996 - "These men are a menace." -Mike Tenay

It’s not the easiest proposition to turn wrestling’s biggest hero until a villain. When Gagne told The Booking Team of this plan, they were confused and anxious. Dusty said that they couldn’t just have Hulk Hogan run down, attack Bret Hart and then next week be evil. No, they had to build such a thing and hype it. Bruce Hart asked how WCW was supposed to hype something that was better used as a surprise. It wasn’t that WCW could just say ‘Oh, by the way, tune into the pay per view and see Hulk Hogan turn into an evil bastard.’ Certainly not.

The first thing that WCW did was plant a seed of doubt in a fan’s mind about Hulk Hogan. Was he a hero? He would always show up to wrestle his match or fight his fight, but afterwards was another story. For example, he didn’t go out of his way to help Roddy Piper. Roddy Piper was another hero that had recently joined WCW to re-introduce Hulk Hogan, coincidentally. He also had a popular talk show segment on each Nitro to interview wrestlers or mediate confrontations. It was during these segments that the turn began to heat up.

Roddy Piper got the chance to interview the Public Menace. The Public Menace were the group of young men who had become just that, a menace to WCW. This group was the Two Seans and their cackling leader, Brian Pillman. They had dismantled another three-man stable at Clash of the Champions, the Triple Alliance to gain some recognition and were thinking themselves quite cocky. Looking strong, these men acted the part. Backstage segments highlighted the group’s ability to get under the skin of other wrestlers and even staff. Once, Brian Pillman wanted his match with Sting to go on later in the show, so began heckling and arguing with Harley Race. Compared to these three men, the serious Harley Race was a face.

Pillman did not get his way, so he put up his feet and protested with his friends in the back. Sean Michaels aka Mark Bagwell sat there with an annoying smile and fruity drink, like he was at a party. Meanwhile, Sting stood in the ring with his hands on his hips wondering what was going on. Sting was fed up with the protest vinettes and stalked backstage, over-turning their card-table as he confronted the group. They all jumped Sting and the backstage area erupted into a melee.

The following week, Roddy Piper interviewed The Public Menace and asked them just why they were making a mockery of wrestling. He said Pillman was asking for things he hadn’t earned and his two good buddies were mocking wrestlers they hadn’t beat, like Shawn Michaels. At that, Pillman grabbed the microphone and said that there was one man they were going to beat, or rather beat-down. The group then jumped Roddy Piper himself, stomping him into the mat. It was actually Sting to run down to make the save. All three men didn’t stay for a second party, but fled the ring. Piper thanked Sting but wondered where his "friend" Hulk Hogan was at.

After that, Roddy Piper just couldn’t wait to use a whole segment to run down the men who attacked him, inviting down his friend Sting to do the same. The colorful Sting was glad to, agreeing with everything Piper said. Sting cursed out the men who attacked Roddy Piper when Brian Pillman and his friends came out again. After trading comments, Brian Pillman grinned wickedly and revealed that there was a fourth man to their group. After that boast, Sting topped this comment by saying that there was a third man to his. Hulk Hogan. And he was going to show up to personally kick their butts at Superbrawl. But who was Brian Pillman’s fourth man? He said fans would have to tune in to Superbrawl to find that out. And fans weren’t disappointed.

It was ironic that both men were talking about Hulk Hogan, but the audience did not know the identity of The Public Menace’s fourth man until the end of Superbrawl. During the final match, Hulk Hogan was nowhere to be found. Sting and Roddy Piper actually were forced to wrestle much of the match handicapped. The announcers began to assume that Hogan had been ambushed backstage, but soon he turned up and made his way to the ring to join his friends. But as he slid in to save the crumpled Sting from a double-team, the Public Menace fled the ring. The hero had cleared the ring without any effort whatsoever.

Hulk Hogan saved the day, or so it seemed. After only a moment, Hogan turned around and gave the fallen Sting a big leg drop. Mike Tenay astutely pointed out that Hulk Hogan was the fourth man. He then cheapshotted Roddy Piper and pushed him off the apron, where his new pals clobbered Sting further. Tony Schiavone was good at emotional outbursts and sounding befuddled, which he certainly stretched over-the-top on this occasion. The heel group celebrated in the ring and added insult to injury as they assaulted Sting further. Hogan delivered another legdrop and then Sean Waltman picked him up so Brian Pillman could slap the colorful Sting across the painted face, then cackle annoyingly. Superbrawl went off the air as Tony Schiavone called out, “Let’s get everybody out here and kick their rear ends! Please! Somebody get off their butts!”

WCW Superbrawl - February 1996

Dark Match: Eddie Guerrero defeated Ron Simmons by DQ

Saturn defeated Shogun, the Japanese Warrior

The Road Warriors defeated The Allied Powers

Steve Austin defeated Dr. Death

Diamond Dallas Page defeated Barry Windham

No DQ: Big Van Vader & Ric Flair defeated Mean Mark & The Giant

Bret Hart defeated Lord Steven Regal

6 Man Match: Brian Pillman, Sean Michaels & Sean Waltman vs. Sting, Roddy Piper & Hulk Hogan ended in a no contest

There certainly wasn’t anything else going on of note to a casual fan. However, many other wrestlers plugged along as normal. Steve Austin was rewarded for his solid work and was given the TV Title, which he won in February. It was actually his second reign as TV champion, the first being way back in March of 1995. He was feuding with Dr. Death Steve Williams in February, who once cracked him over the head with a 2x4 during a tag-match, reportedly causing him to black out for several minutes.

Steve Austin finished the feud against Dr. Death competing at Superbrawl. In the meantime, Scott Norton tried to soften up Austin for his friend. Norton had the same type of style as Vader, hard-hitting power moves that were sometimes stiff. Austin actually had to clock Norton with a stiff kick once to reign him back in and get him to remember his wrestling basics. Wrestlers often struck opponents for real to express a nonverbal message and in Austin’s case, that message was: Wake up and pay attention.

Barry Windham woke up his fans in a feud with another rising star. The evil Windham feuded with Diamond Dallas Page and his annoying wife/valet, Kimberly. The feud began when Diamond Dallas Page was wrestling an opener against Brian Armstrong of the Varsity Club and Barry Windham decided to make an appearance at ringside with a baseball bat. He pointed it at DDP and smirked, but did not interfere in the match. His presence was enough to give Brian Armstrong an advantage, but DDP luckily pulled out a win when he hit an unexpected Diamond-Cutter, his match finisher. DDP and Windham shared a staredown before being separated.

Windham seemed to love his new prop, the baseball bat, and carried it everywhere. When he threatened Kimberly, he had the baseball bat and when he attacked DDP backstage, he had the baseball bat. Quite frankly, DDP had just about enough of this annoying baseball bat and at Superbrawl, made a point of retrieving it so he could break it in half over his thigh. DDP was quite wired by this point in the match, so did not feel the pain until after the pay per view but the bat was a real bat, made out of real wood. Some fans insinuated that the bat was fake, despite WCW zooming in on it during the match.

The tag division also saw attention. The Allied Powers established a winning streak on Nitro, except against The Road Warriors. The Warriors had again become Tag-Champs by beating the Midnight Express for the belts, which critics believed showed Gagne’s influence. Whereas Eric Bischoff counted the Midnight Express as a draw, Gagne counted them only as a dated gimmick.

Davey Boy Smith and The Patriot possessed a unique chemistry that no other tag-team seemed to have, not even close friends Chris Benoit and Dean Malenko. An added nationalistic element built the group as bigger faces. No heel could get away without being heavily boo’d when they faced The Allied Powers. After all, it was like facing and wrestling literal symbols of two countries. Although, there were some problems.

Again, The Allied Powers could not win against the Road Warriors. These teams wrestled three times, the last being on the pay per view. Each time, the faces would miscommunicate or there would be a disqualification. This caused an enormous amount of added conflict between the heroes. It began to get to the point that the American fans were screaming, trying to get The Patriot to beat up Davey Boy Smith. They just exchanged sharp glares though, perhaps while continuing a slow build to a confrontation.

In other wrestling news, the WWF gave their World Title to the Ultimate Warrior. The Warrior won a short match against his rival, Hacksaw Jim Duggan to gain the title. The company had been also doing a role-reversal, pitting Lex Luger as a face as he started a feud with the evil Ultimate Warrior in February. Reportedly, the great amount of attention given to the two wrestlers was building toward Wrestlemania. Another person due for some attention was Mean Mark.

Mean Mark returned from Georgia Wrestling in time for Superbrawl. He actually returned after WCW finally ironed out his contract, sealing it with a major raise. WCW had to overpay to convince Mark to stay, a contract reportedly over 15,000 dollars per month, a huge amount. Critics said that this was near Hulk Hogan levels and was way too much to begin with. Perhaps the reason for Mean Mark’s return was WCW didn’t want to waste their money. In any event, he returned as The Giant’s buddy in a battle against Vader and Ric Flair.

The Giant needed a buddy against Big Van Vader and Ric Flair, an oversized tag-team smorgasbord at Superbrawl. The brief feud began earlier that month when Flair recruited Vader to protect him from The Giant, because apparently the bigger man felt a bit insulted at being called a ‘slow wooly mammoth’. Everyone knows that The Giant isn’t a mammoth. In any case, the Superbrawl tag-match was actually a rematch from an earlier Nitro, one that ended in a no contest. During that original match, Vader and The Giant collided in the middle of the ring. It was actually a memorable spot, as neither one seemed to move the other. After violently colliding together, the two wrestlers fell backwards and were both stunned, selling the impact. The referee neared a ten count before Vader was able to use the ropes to haul himself up. Meanwhile, The Giant sold being stunned for a bit longer.

Vader showed he wasn’t going to back down. He hauled up The Giant and flung him over the ropes violently. The Giant actually grabbed onto the top rope as he was falling, but after colliding with the apron, his grip snapped and he tumbled to the ground. Vader stepped outside calmly and stomped The Giant viciously. When Ric Flair entered the fray, Mean Mark came over to even the odds and a brawl broke out between all of them. The referee couldn’t calm these wrestlers so called the match a no-contest. Harley Race later came out and said that the match was a disgrace to the fans. He made the rematch at Superbrawl a 'No DQ match', because he was sure the fans wanted a resolution to this one.

More contract disputes busied Greg Gagne, as at least four wrestlers came up for renewal. The only casualty was the Great Muta, a part-time wrestler who left WCW for the second time in his tenure with the company. Originally, WCW had scooped him up after a lawsuit with NJPW, but this time Muta showed his true colors. Muta was a unique attraction, however WCW had to spend an inordinate amount of time making him happy. They had to charter a special plane to fly him in from Japan every two weeks for a single match. He asked for a special dressing area. Muta also spoke very little English, which didn’t help him communicate backstage. He said very little or nothing at all because he was embarrassed of his skill with the language. A shame, because he could really wrestle.

Another person who could wrestle was Steven Regal. He had just about mastered looking arrogant and sold it at every opportunity. No one else in wrestling could match his over-the-top smirk. The Booking Team chose him to face Bret Hart because of his experience and because it seemed every other choice was taken. Regal did his best however, to make himself seem like a threat against Bret Hart, when the previous month, fans knew he couldn’t even beat Ron Simmons. WCW showed how you go from this loss to a title shot.

WCW actually realized that this was going to be the reaction of many fans, so they actually let Regal speak about it. This was unheard of by anyone other than Paul Heyman. Regal added that royalty always gets the breaks. And it certainly seemed like he was correct. Bret Hart came out to respond to his comments and Lord Steven Regal cheapshotted him before he could begin a retort. Another advantage the Booking Team wanted to give Regal was a Bret Hart injury.

Regal attacked Hart’s leg and stomped on the knee while holding the foot. He then placed it on the ropes and stomped it again. And again. And then again. The next week, Bret Hart sold this perfectly, as he could walk, but with a limp that seemed disabling. Regal questioned if an injured champion was even going to be a challenge and complimented himself on such fine strategy. He philosophized that in wrestling, you needed to be smart, but also cunning. Lord Steven Regal said he could be both.

However, this setup was just a vehicle for a comeback. Bret Hart did so during the match at Superbrawl, which pitted the injured champion against the confident challenger. Hart began the match limping quite a bit, limiting both his mobility and speed. The announcers questioned if Bret Hart could even lock in the Sharpshooter. Mike Tenay was quite detailed in explaining Hart’s injury and his reliance on his legs. Meanwhile, Regal worked over that injury further, stomping and kicking at Hart’s knee several times.

After the referee broke a short submission attempt, Bret Hart began his comeback. He whipped Regal into the corner chest-first and then collapsed in pain from his leg, but to show his resilience, Hart got right back up again. He walked over, grabbed the ropes to steady himself, then in delivered a few stomps of his owns. Hart reversed all of Regal’s moves and used many amateur style takedowns. He couldn’t stand the weight on his leg to lift Regal, but Hart was able to work many ground moves. To finish, Hart locked in a cross kneelock, a move that Hart could execute laying on the ground. But who taught him this move would remain a mystery.

One last thing happened in February that was of note. Greg Gagne got a call from Eric Bischoff saying that if he didn’t get his backpay, he was going to sue WCW.

Most Important Points (MIPs)

1) Hulk Hogan turned heel at Superbrawl and joined the Public Menace.

2) Eric Bischoff threatened to sue WCW

3) Bret Hart defended his World Title at Superbrawl after selling an injury

4) Steve Austin won the TV Title

5) There were no contract disputes unresolved except The Great Muta, who left WCW

--

Edited July 17, 2006 by Nottavictim

[Hewey]

Hogan's heel turn came off well, But I don't know if being with PM is that shocking, But then again, I am comparing this to his real life heel turn, Which would be very hard to top. It should be interesting to see how Hogan works with the youngsters. Mean Mark being back is great, And I'd love to see him end up feuding with Flair. That could definitely get him over. I loved seeing Regal fighting for the title, And he could work well in the main event. Or atleast get the US title around his waist soon. Looking forward to seeing what's headed in March. (Y)

[ZJ Penn]

Hogan's turn went well I thought, especially considering that the comparisons with his nWo turn are inevitable, and that was perhaps the best of angle of 1996. The only thing I don't like, and Baby Hewey mentioned it, is Hogan aligning himself with Public Menace. Whilst it was effective at turning him and would be passable for the next month or so, its still Hulk Hogan, and his popularity is in a different league to PM's. Personally, I'd like to see him either go solo or team with another big name heel and begin challenging for the title again.

I like the whole glass ceiling going on with Austin, whether you're doing it intentionally or not. It seems like every feud he has been in has done well, and he has been put over since 93 I think, yet still cant seem to crack the next level. Hopefully the TV title will get him some recognition. Other than Hart retaining against Regal which was nice to see, thats about it on my part and can't wait for March

One little point you might wanna change is that it says Mean Mark is on '$15,000 a month, nearly the same as Hogan'. I'm assuming that its $150,000 as Hogan probably wouldn't get out of bed for less than $100,000. Only a niggle I know but it took me a few seconds to get my head round it

Edited July 18, 2006 by wilson316

[tristy]

I get this is an alternative universe and whatnot, but you've been using real life angles that happen in the past, just with different wrestlers or groups. So... why can Keiji suddenly not speak great english in 1996? In reality, he spoke english better than most japanese wrestlers that were working here, or so I've heard. Just curious as to if you actually didn't know that, or if you just used that as a reason for not renewing his contract for the diary.

In any event, this is the only diary I'm currently reading on EWB, and it's all been good so far. I would have liked a less unoriginal idea to turn Hogan, but what's done is done.

[Nottavictim]

I like the comments, however it's difficult to top the original Hogan turn. Certainly this was the best angle ever done to that point. I apologize about the Japanese wrestler comment, but I thought it may have been a more common problem for second language wrestlers. Also, the contact amount must have been a typo, because Wilson is correct.

Lastly, I'm sure Steve Austin would be unhappy in this current 1996, despite winning the TV Title. His former partner and some WWF guys get an immediate push, where he's been winning consistantly since going solo in 1993. I might hesitate putting him over Ric Flair or even Vader, because I'm not sure if that would be realistic. Back when I had a Bret Hart/Austin feud, Austin was a heel and finally got over, but I think I hit it when Austin himself said that a redneck like him could never get a clean win over a class act like Hart. I thought this was true, except now he's a face so it may be different.

Someone said that I'm just repeating things done in real life and I don't think that's the whole truth. Certainly some things would be the same, such as fans disliking so much Hogan. However, I do admit taking some comments and using them in a different way. For example, Paul Orndorff used to always talk about 'taking a guy to school' in reference to beating them, so I thought he might say that again when feuding with DDP. Also, when Bret Hart signed he feuded with Owen Hart, as he did in real life, however how can you not? On the other hand, I did have the two team up for a while and not feud right away.

Lastly, I just want to say how much I liked Tony Schiavone's comments putting over the Hogan turn and during the nWo reign. I just had to include a direct quote I heard once. Sorry about that. It's not an exact quote, however I really liked when he was so over-the-top during that Hogan turn.

[Nottavictim]

March 1996 - Hulk Hogan wants the Title

There was nothing quite so galvanizing as Hulk Hogan’s turn. Except the influence of Ric Flair, there was also nothing quite so threatening to the WWF either. First, WCW Superbrawl in February acquired almost double the amount of buys as WWF Judgment Day, showing this in hard numbers. Second, fans had been clamoring for something different for a year now and they certainly got it with a new take on Hulk Hogan. Third, a push of some youngsters alongside this change was a change in itself, differing from the veteran foundation that Eric Bischoff built.

In March, Brian Pillman acquired a sizeable reaction too, dwarfing the other members of the Public Menace, except Hulk Hogan himself. Sean Waltman perhaps played his role a bit more understated than he should have, but the opposite was true of Mark Bagwell, the fake Shawn Michaels. Bagwell played, or rather, overplayed his impressionist role, although was useful to insult the competition and for cheap heat. However, regardless of the reaction of these men, WCW was determined to have them interact with the main eventers.

The first thing Hulk Hogan did as a heel was promote himself on Nitro. Certainly, no one expected any less. He came out with his friends, interrupted an opening match, beat up these men and took over the segment. Taking a microphone, Hulk Hogan bragged about his accomplishments and then said that there was nobody more important than him. He said that he joined the Public Menace because the way he saw it, the fans didn't want Hulk Hogan to work for them. They boo'd Hulk Hogan, after all. From now on, he said that he was working for himself and the fans could stick it. While Hogan went on, Roddy Piper interrupted. After he came out, fans stood up.

Piper had come into WCW with the purpose of re-introducing Hulk Hogan. He had been instrumental in this through interview segments that had now begun airing more regularly. Piper did not take a microphone and start blabbing however. He smirked, walked down to the ring, slowly climbed in and stared down Hogan. At just the apex of cheers, Piper then smiled and shook Hogan’s hand, apparently remaining his good buddy. After a few moments, he explained that Hogan had done something unique and should be rewarded for it. Piper wondered aloud if there was anything more powerful than a Hulk Hogan who knew what he wanted, was king of the mountain and had people to back him up. Piper then said he was ready to back him up.

While Piper shook the hands of the Public Menace, the segment stretched further with an interruption by Bret Hart. Like a classic face, Hart questioned what Hogan was bragging about and said that the only thing Hogan proved was that he was selfish and arrogant. After this segment, Nitro became about Hogan wanting to show up Bret Hart. He sat with the announcers during Hart’s match, for example. He had the Public Menace spray paint Hart’s car and other annoying things. That’s when Bret Hart recruited some troops of his own.

During a separate Nitro, Bret Hart came out and did a more genuine promo than he had done in the past. He talked about his time with the WWF and his run with the WCW World Title. He also complimented some WCW wrestlers, included one who taught him the submission move which helped him finish off Lord Steven Regal at Superbrawl. Hart said this man had helped him defend his title and he wanted to thank him personally. He then called out none other than Arn Anderson.

Anderson came out with his former tag-team buddy Dean Malenko and said that he couldn’t take credit for the submission hold. He said that he learned it from another man, a great man. A man who was his friend and hopefully still his friend, Ole Anderson. Ole Anderson then came out and confronted Arn Anderson, but perhaps not as hostile as expected. Ole stood against the ropes and looked at each man slowly and then took a microphone. He said that Arn Anderson was wrong again, that he couldn’t take credit for the submission hold either. Ole Anderson smiled and said that he knew how to fight, not lock legs or twist arms. What he knew was how to deliver a great spinebuster, but learned the fine art of submissions from another man. Ric Flair.

Flair seemed eager to come out and smiled at his old friends as he joined them in the ring. He even shook hands with Bret Hart. Now it was time for a Ric Flair promo and he complimented his friends as he began.

“Ole Anderson, you know what it is to be a wrestler. Before I showed you anything, you knew what it was to stick up for your friends. For your kin. I’ve never seen anybody carry himself with more nerve and more confidence than you. And sure, you’ve had conflicts. Hell, you’ve had conflicts with this man right here,” Flair said, patting Arn Anderson on the shoulder.

“This man is your brother. He’ll always be your brother, no matter what you disagree about. And sure, I might disagree with you, Bret Hart might disagree with you, Dean Malenko might disagree with you, but there’s nobody who knew how to be a Horsemen more than you. Arn Anderson, you are my friend, and I’m proud to call you one. And Dean Malenko, I don’t think anybody in the back has more respect. And you know what, that’s what this is all about, isn’t it? Huh? This is about respect, isn’t it Bret Hart? You want to be respected, I want to be respected. All of us want to be respected.”

“This guy right here is clever. That’s right, I said it. Bret Hart is one clever son…of a bitch! Woo!” Flair grinned with exuberance, “He brought all out here and just knew we’d fall all over ourselves like good buddies. And he’s right, we did. I stood back there and thought about what I’d say and what I’d do if I saw each of you again in this ring. I was thinking about the twenty-five years I wrestled with some of you, and you know what, it’s been all worth it.”

Ric Flair turned and pointed to the crowd, “And I spent those years trying to gain your respect too. Oh yeah, I enjoyed every damn minute wrestling this man here Bret Hart, and this man here Arn Anderson. And every one of em! Every one of em’ I’ve wrestled! Woo! I don’t have any regrets. I’m not out here to apologize to these men. Because I have their respect and they have mine. Now, Bret Hart, somebody in the back told me you were calling out...the Four Horsemen! Woo! And lemme guess…you need some heavy hitters.”

As Bret Hart motioned for the microphone, Flair frowned and continued, “You don’t need to say anything Bret Hart, because I’m here to tell you something. There is nobody else you could call out. There is…nobody more …eager to fight than us! Woo! And we’ll do it. We’ll do it! Woo! We….are…the /most/ elite group in WCW, Bret Hart. We are the top of the food chain, and let me tell you something else. You better realize what you’ve done. You want the Horsemen? Well you’ve got em’! Woo! We do not go around bragging like Hulk Hogan, and we're not nice guys. Bret Hart, you‘ve got what you asked for. Let‘s hope you can handle it! Woo!”

The Four Horsemen reunited live on Nitro. They stood up for Bret Hart when the Public Menace later tried to intimidate him. Harley Race then came out and said that there was only one way to settle this, because the confrontations were becoming a mess. And he was right, in a way. The promos, confrontations and vinettes were beginning to become longer and more involved. Feuds also began to lengthen in the same way.

Steve Austin got saddled with a new feud after defeating Dr. Death at Superbrawl. However, he got a step up, as Lord Steven Regal began feuding with him. And again, mirroring the feud with Dr. Death, a secondary man was added to wrestle Austin while WCW lengthened the confrontations. However, Greg Gagne had learned from booking Austin in his previous feuds and booked this one differently. Gagne began to say that The Booking Team had to book Austin in a certain way. He said he wanted Austin booked like an anti-hero, whatever that meant. Also, Gagne said that Austin had to be involved in several backstage segments because he was strong there in the past.

Through these segments, Austin again became involved with Harley Race as he had before. Again, like Bischoff, WCW made Austin rebel against this authority to get over. When Regal got a match from Harley Race for the pay per view, he got it for the TV Title against Steve Austin. Of course, Austin had a few things to say about this and did so in a segment in Harley Race’s backstage office. After calling Race a few names, the authority got in Austin’s face and said that he wasn’t going to face Regal at the pay per view. The winner of a singles tournament was. Race said that Austin would never survive so long.

Harley Race booked Austin against Squire Chris Adams in the first tourament match, restarting the bout after Austin clearly won. However, Austin proceeded to get a second victory anyways. The next obstacle was a bit more challenging however. Race booked Austin against Big Van Vader and wrestling fans certainly could count on a stiff confrontation. Vader tossed around Austin, but even Vader couldn’t deter him. He still held onto his TV Title and moved on through a disqualification when Vader smacked Austin with a chair while they brawled on the outside of the ring. After Austin won, Vader stomped and continued beating on him until Sting rescued him. Sting ran down and clotheslined Vader, stopping the attacks dead.

The following week, Harley Race announced that the TV Title was no longer held by Austin, no matter what the outcome of the tournament. Race said Austin never pinned Vader after all and didn't have the right to hold it. But then again, Vader never pinned Austin either. Race said that the TV Title was now vacant and that it was going to be up for grabs at the pay per view in Lord Steven Regal’s match against the tournament winner. So Austin made it his goal to win the tournament. In the final, he took apart Paul Orndorff and won a shot at his title. Afterwards, Austin took a microphone and said that he was getting a little tired of Harley Race and called him out. He said that the only thing Harley Race was an authority of was getting his ass kicked. Austin then delivered a stunner.

During this announcement, the camera panned the crowd and someone surprising was spotted there sitting at ringside. It was Kevin Nash. Kevin Nash had gained quite a bit by his time in ECW. He single-handedly got Taz over as the ECW champion, but refused to go back to the WWF. Nash was spotted at ringside each week and hype for him began to get bigger, as he tried to attract attention by taunting several wrestlers from his seat. It was a dirty thing for WCW to swipe Nash from ECW though. Since Nash was never under a written contract from ECW, there was little ECW could do about Nash stiffing them. Critics began to speculate who he was going to interact with now that he was back with WCW.

Greg Gagne did not saddle Kevin Nash with a gimmick. If anything, fans of WCW thought Nash was with ECW when appeared on Nitro. ECW had little power to prevent announcers from running down ECW when they commented on where Nash had been. WCW kept the same gimmick Nash had while in ECW, that of a simple tough guy and arrogant speaker.

Greg Gagne was acquiring more problems with the corporate structure of WCW, but there were some upsides. When a top executive would call to lecture him about the expense budget, he would give Gagne some valuable market research. This was something the WWF lacked, although it was only a small advantage. Focus groups said that they wanted to see more spontaneous confrontations, especially those done by Steve Austin.

After passing most obstacles, a villain reemerged to threaten The Stunning Steve Austin. Dr. Death was named the enforcer of his TV Title match. Dr. Death was to keep the peace and keep the action in the ring, not on the outside where Harley Race was going to keep Austin in line. However, when the match came, the action did tumble to the outside where Austin and Regal brawled. Dr. Death pushed and shoved the two men apart. Austin certainly didn’t like that, but restrained himself.

When Austin was thrown to the outside a second time, Dr. Death again pushed him. But this time, Austin pushed back. Regal was able to take advantage and attack him by surprise. The action finally got back into the ring and Austin was able to finish off Regal, delivering a Stunner. However, Dr. Death pulled out the referee before a count. Well, now Austin was pissed off. He went to the outside and brawled with Dr. Death, then as he was going for a chair, Austin turned him around and delivered a stunner. He went back in the ring and finished off Regal for the win.

This match took place on WCW Mayhem, a pay per view which again acquired high buys. However, it was really sold by the main event with the Horsemen in one corner and the Public Menace in the other. Again, Kevin Nash was shown at ringside, sitting in his usual seat. When Hogan began to wrestle Bret Hart, Kevin Nash decided to interfere. He stood up and it looked like he was arguing with Arn Anderson and then Ric Flair. Then Brian Pillman and Sean Waltman jumped them and all hell broke loose on the outside of the ring.

Even Roddy Piper got involved.

Kevin Nash began throwing punches and clobbered Arn Anderson, dragging him over the rail. Taking a page from ECW, Nash beat up Anderson in the crowd and pushed him over several seats into some fans. Nash then climbed the rail and tripped up Bret Hart as he reached under the ropes, but was immediately jumped by Ric Flair for doing so. While Bret Hart was peering outside at Nash, Hulk Hogan attacked him from behind and rolled him up for a close 2-count. It wasn’t going to end like that. Bret Hart however, was clotheslined to the outside and into the brawl. Flair continued to fight with Nash and then bum-rushed him shoulder first into the railing, while Hogan pushed Bret Hart into a steel ringpost. The referee couldn’t make heads or tails of this insane action and called it a no-contest.

The WCW leak made public Kevin Nash’s dirty deed and deception of ECW. Gagne was surprised by this rumor, apparently not aware that it would get out in such a public way. Very few people knew of Kevin Nash’s negotiations with WCW. These people included the Booking Team and several of Nash’s friends. In any event, Nash resumed working for WCW fulltime and seemed to like his new role as part of the Public Menace. However, The Booking Team were a bit concerned that the group had gotten too big already. Gagne played down this concern and concentrated on booking.

Sting was scheduled for a Mayhem match. He was facing Vader, after originally the two confronted each other during the Austin feud. Sting was little more than a vehicle to get Vader over however, as this match was especially stiff. Sting did a blade job to illustrate it as such, in the middle of the pay per view match, not at the end. The punishment continued for a good ten minutes more, with Sting only starting a brief comeback at the end. Afterwards, Sting requested a few days off, as he was really beat up physically.

Mean Mark finally acquired a pay per view match and a feud that was intended to get him over. He was going to be wrestling Owen Hart at March Mayhem. It was easy to get Mean Mark over facing Owen Hart, but it was Dusty who was put in charge of booking this feud. Owen Hart was the quivering heel, arrogant one moment, then running scared the next. This was especially appropriate for Mean Mark, who was a tall, tough-looking guy.

Meanwhile, the Allied Powers finally got a win over the Road Warriors as their feud came to an end. Davey Boy Smith and The Patriot seemed to have gotten over their personal conflicts and overcame several obstacles to get this win. The flag-waving Patriot was especially happy, climbing to the turnbuckle to celebrate after the Mayhem match. This was probably the height of this patriotic team. The team had not begun all that well, despite stringing together a series of wins. They just couldn’t get a win over the Road Warriors until Mayhem.

Reasons for this lack of success varied. But Jim Cornette returned a few weeks before Mayhem to manage the Road Warriors and inadvertently lit a spark under his competition. They seemed like a new team, demolishing the cheating Stallions easily on one occasion and then going after Cornette while he was at ringside. When the Road Warriors stepped in front, the Allied Powers did not flinch. A gang of referees separated them to delay this confrontation until the pay per view.

WCW March Mayhem - 1996

Dark Match: Paul Orndorff defeated DDP

Ron Simmons defeated Michael Wallstreet

The Allied Powers defeated the Road Warriors for the WCW Tag-Titles

Mean Mark defeated Owen Hart

The Public Menace defeated Harlem Heat

Steve Austin defeated Lord Steven Regal for the vacant TV Title

Big Van Vader defeated Sting

Bret Hart vs. Hulk Hogan ended in a no contest w/ The Public Menace and The Horsemen at ringside

In other news, the WWF put the Ultimate Warrior over Scott Steiner and other faces on Wrestling Challenge in March while building the Lex Luger feud. Meanwhile, the Macho Man had fallen a great deal on the card and he began feuding with Earthquake, of all people. Over at the hardcore competition, ECW had to insert the part-time Marc Mero into a more active role filling Kevin Nash’s shoes. Another WWF wrestler signed part-time for ECW, a wrestler called Triple H. This signing seemed to be a little strange, as he was still building his small WWF career. It was also strange how the two companies could share workers in this way. It gave more evidence to Bruce Hart, who again began saying that the WWF and ECW were working together.

ECW also had Tito Santana on their staff, another former WWF wrestler. This retired wrestler was not competing however, but helping the booking team. ECW believed he added something extra and helped them get over the more diverse group of wrestlers they had, as they used a style different from many Americans. For example, Santana was instrumental in helping Puerto-Rican wrestler Miguel Perez script several matches against John Nord, whose character was the Super Destroyer.

Eric Bischoff’s issues with WCW were not resolved in March. After settling his financial dispute with WCW, he apparently still had hard feelings. He went on a radio show and explained that he now knew who the leak in WCW was. Being away from the company had given him a new perspective on this problem, which obviously bothered Bischoff quite a bit more than it did Greg Gagne. Bischoff explained that the leak was Hulk Hogan.

Hulk Hogan was the man in the know in WCW and everyone knew it. He could have known about Ric Flair’s conflict’s with the NWA , one of the original leaks. He could have also leaked the 1995 War Games conflict between Vader and Hulk Hogan because he would have personal knowledge about it. He could have also know about Greg Valentine’s conflict with the Honky Tonk Man because everyone knew Valetine was Hogan’s good friend. And lastly, Hogan could have leaked Dusty’s booking team issues in 1995 because Dusty was usually responsible for booking matches, like his own.

Bischoff named off an endless amount of legitimate reasons why Hulk Hogan could be the WCW leak. But it really did little good, except to start more rumors. Bischoff had little power to do anything about Hulk Hogan, a leak, rumors or anything else related to WCW. That is, until Greg Gagne called him up and asked for a meeting.

Most Important Points (MIPs) of March 1996

1 - Eric Bischoff made public his theory that Hulk Hogan was the WCW leak.

2 - The Four Horsemen reformed to assist Bret Hart

3 - The title match at WCW March Mayhem went to a no contest

4 - Roddy Piper and Kevin Nash joined The Public Menace

5 - Steve Austin was stripped and then regained his TV Title at Mayhem

---

Edited July 20, 2006 by Nottavictim

[Hewey]

I like the fact that you're making Austin more anti anthority, But I hate seeing him as TV champion. He should be fighting for the US title, (who is US Champ?) The TV title was for lower card/midcard workers, And Austin seems above that. I liked Nash and Piper joining PM, And I hope this leads for a big sexy push. I was shocked at Hogan not getting the belt yet, But it's just a matter of time. Personally, It was a let down to see the first ever Hart/Hogan match end in a no contest. Mean Mark feuding with Owen is great, And I hope it lasts longer. Keep up the good work. (Y)

[Nottavictim]

Scouting with Cornette - The new Midcard

"Jim Cornette is one of the highest rated scouts in wrestling today. Each and every week he is going to bring us the latest scouting reports about wrestlers in WCW," a narrator says, "Who is who? How do they wrestle? What kind of character do they have? Those questions and more will be answered by Jim Cornette. Now...here he is...Jim Cornette!"

“Ladies and gentlemen, are you ready for new wrestlers? There are some new faces in WCW and we want to make sure fans know just who they are. Are they on the rise?” Jim Cornette says.

“Sean Waltman and Mark Bagwell. These two men started the Public Menace, which has become the largest group in WCW. Sean Waltman is a solid foundation for the group and a constant presence too. Some people have said he’s just too arrogant and casual about his job, especially when he shows off in the ring. Speaking of showing off, there’s nobody who does that better than Mark Bagwell. With his perpetual grin, Bagwell does about everything he can to get under the skin of his opponents. He exaggerates his style and sometimes mimics popular superstar Shawn Michaels, albeit badly.”

“Dustin Rhodes. Dustin is back in WCW and we’re all glad to have him, but he’s no cowboy anymore. He and Terri are hellbent on being just about as outlandish and perverted as they can. Dustin is calling himself ‘Amadeus’, a perverted musician, complete with oversized wig. His opponents like pulling it off or kicking him in the bright green britches.”

“The Patriot. The Patriot is a wrestler that everyone can relate to. Not too big, not too small and a hard worker. Everybody loves a patriot, especially a flag-waving one. But he doesn’t go overboard fans, he has a partner to keep him focused. A man named Davey Boy Smith. How can two strong patriots get along? Well, through winning! Together, they are the Allied Powers.”

“Scott Norton. Scott is Dr. Death’s new buddy and a stiff wrestler. Street-Fighter Scott Norton is legitimately tough too, spending many years over in Japan beating up just about everybody. In February of 1995, Norton, Art Barr and Eddie Guerrero all found themselves out of job after NJPW reacted harshly to a controversial situation that happened to them out of the ring. Needless to say, their loss is WCW’s gain as two out of the three men are now with the company.”

“Mean Mark. Mean Mark is back in WCW! Yes, that’s right fans, the big man looks more confident than ever and has a new outfit to boot. I’m just not sure fans knew how to react to Mean Mark back when he first came aboard. Was he hero? A badguy? Was he out for himself? Really, Mark is just about as serious as they come, but he’ll certainly do something heroic if it means bringing the pain to his opponents too. He’s just that mean.”

“Chis Candido. Candido is just about as arrogant and cocky as you can get, as a master of the ‘smirk before you smack em’ style of wrestling. But what fans don’t know is that he’s classically trained and knows about as many holds as Dean Malenko! He is joined by lovely Tammy Lynn, but don’t get on her bad side folks. She knows how to get even.”

“Shogun. Shogun, the Japanese Warrior, lives up to his name. He likes to plaster opponents with bodyshots and you might even see him take to the top rope. You may remember Shogun from before, fans. But this time he’s back with more purpose and he’s with Mister Fuji, a crooked manager who does whatever it takes to get his man the win.”

“The Gilbert Brothers. You’ll see the Gilbert Brothers opening many of our shows, fans, by trying to take advantage by cheating to win. Doug Gilbert says that cheating is just a way to cut a few corners. Everybody does it, right? Well, I’m not sure his opponents would agree! He is joined by his brother, Eddie Gilbert, a real prima-donna who doesn’t give much respect to anybody.”

“Lastly, I want to say a few words about the new personality of Ron Simmons. Ron Simmons used to be a brooding, stand-up tough-guy. But now he might even break a smile! He certainly has reason to, as he celebrates his latest US title defense in March over Michael Wallstreet. He’s a great US champion and fans certainly like to cheer for him.”

"Here's the rundown on the champions. The champions are...

"Bret Hart is the WCW World Champion, barely hanging onto the title at March Mayhem.

"The Allied Powers are the WCW Tag-Team champions, pulling out a much needed victory over the Road Warriors.

"Steve Austin regained his TV Title back in March, which the crooked Harley Race tried to swindel him out of. Commissioner Race isn't going to like that."

"Thanks for joining us today for Scouting with Cornette. Stay tuned for more scouting!"

[Nottavictim]

April 1996 - Eric Bischoff and Greg Gagne Clash

[All random events are true from TEW.]

Greg Gagne met with Eric Bischoff and the two had a short talk. Gagne had heard about a radio show Bischoff had done preaching his latest conspiracy theories. When Bischoff began in WCW, he was a rather grounded person, a down to Earth type guy who would never believe in long-winded conspiracies, much less spread them. However, perhaps it was the stress that got to Eric Bischoff, or maybe it was that he felt like he had to say something controversial to sell his radio appearance. Or maybe, as Greg Gagne said, Eric Bischoff had an axe to grind. Gagne did not make a secret of the fact that he disliked Bischoff a great deal.

The two men sat down at a table within WCW’s offices. There was no keeping either man quiet, as conversation erupted immediately, although polite at first. This was especially true of Greg Gagne, who complimented Bischoff on how he organized the payroll and other things at the office. With pleasantries out of the way, Gagne then began to speak more pointedly, telling Bischoff directly, to stop spreading negative rumors about Hulk Hogan. Bischoff had insinuated that Hogan was WCW’s leak and Gagne didn’t like that.

Gagne asked if Bischoff had any proof of his accusations, but Bischoff said that he didn’t. Without something to back up his argument, it was a rather short meeting. Bischoff agreed to stop spreading rumors to the press on one condition, that Gagne speak to Hogan himself about leaking information to the press. Well, that seemed reasonable enough and Bischoff departed WCW. Afterward, Gagne discarded Bischoff’s condition like yesterday’s garbage.

Gagne did not discard some other problems in WCW, such as Sting’s condition. The colorful Sting had a match at March Mayhem against Big Van Vader and emerged a bit worn out. Perhaps worn out is an understatement, as Sting was limping and holding his side after that match and making everyone backstage concerned for him. But Sting would not even let company doctors look at him for a week, but eventually relented. After a few tests, the verdict came back. Sting had cracked a rib. Just one, mind you, but one was enough to be altogether painful. Especially when he was moving around. So Sting was out for the whole month.

Another problem was that the number of heels had grown immensely in the past few months. The main heel group, The Public Menace, had become a large and dominant force. They had become so dominant that very few people on the roster looking threatening against this group, except perhaps The Giant or their current rivals, The Four Horsemen. First, The Giant was just one man and even though he briefly feuded, and dominated, Kevin Nash in the ring, he was horribly outnumbered.

Once, The Giant was again being attacked by The Public Menace during a match, however this time the bigger man was booked a bit stronger. Sean Waltman and Mark Bagwell both bounced off him and Kevin Nash found his clothesline completely ineffective against him. Brian Pillman even joined the fray and it took all four men to barrel The Giant over the top rope to the outside. The bigger man slapped the ring apron in frustration.

The Four Horsemen seemed a bit more of a challenge to this larger heel group and did not let any frustration get to them, as it had The Giant. The tag-team of Dean Malenko and Arn Anderson was back in action, which was a positive thing. However, it was a team of Ric Flair and Arn Anderson against Hulk Hogan and Roddy Piper that lit up the Nitro ratings. WCW crippled WWF Wrestling Challenge on that particular night, but fans were lucky to have both shows on at different times, as they could watch both. Certainly, this helped the wrestling business, which skyrocketed.

Meanwhile, the WWF kept plugging The Ultimate Warrior. As said before, he was the WWF Champion and was feuding with Lex Luger. It was a safe risk at first. However, Luger was a hard sell on this feud, complaining at every opportunity. He even topped his good buddy Randy Savage in the complaints department for that month. Everyone was wondering if Luger and The Warrior were going to get through the month. But they did, thanks again to Vince McMahon’s professionalism and experience. However, it was Wrestlemania month and there were a lot of other things he had to do too.

To deal with WCW’s growing heel population, they created a few more faces. They pulled Paul Roma from his tag-team with Jim Powers and turned him face, reunited him with Paul Orndorff, who they also turned face. WCW called up Fit Finley from Georgia Wrestling, making him a face too. Finley was strong in all the fundamentals, so they had no worries. He could at least work a match, if nothing else. Bobby Eaton, one half of the Midnight Express, then began to question why WCW was building more face tag-teams when they had several serviceable ones already, like his own or the popular Harlem Heat. He got into a belligerent confrontation with his partner, Stan Lane and the two went at it for several minutes. The crew thought they might even come to blows, as they had exchanged pushes, before being separated.

Bobby Eaton disliked his time in WCW. He thought he wasn't being treated fairly. His original tag-team partner, Michael Wallstreet, went on to bigger and brighter things, such as a feud with US Champion Ron Simmons, while he got stuck into another tag-team. As Money Talks, Bobby Eaton and Michael Wallstreet were clever heels, but now Wallstreet was gone and Eaton was left just hating his new, annoying partner. There was very little reaction from the fans and that was all of a hint that was required. Bobby Eaton was pulled for retooling, but he didn’t stick around for that. He left WCW.

After signing his lengthy and expensive contract, Mark Callaway aka Mean Mark, was certainly getting used. His March feud with Owen Hart continued into April, but to liven things up a bit, some others were added to the mix. Owen Hart befriended likeminded Chris Candido and his valet, the annoying and sultry Tammy Lynn. They had befriended each other when Mean Mark had beaten them both, thinking that as a team, they stood a better chance. And they did, until Ron Simmons evened the odds.

Mean Mark was a solid wrestler, but had an aging gimmick. It dated back to 1990, when he first appeared as a fulltime wrestler in WCW. Years later, he would go on to form more successful gimmicks in the WWF. But here, in WCW, he was relegated to an old standby. The Booking Team sat around talking about this until Stu Hart just suggested that they ask Mark his opinion. And that they did.

While Mark was explaining one of his hobbies, Dusty Rhodes almost had a Jim Herd moment. Mark liked motorcycles, the louder, the better. He liked riding motorcycles in his spare time, a passion he coincidentally shared with former authority, Eric Bischoff. Dusty suggested that they dress up Mark in a whole bunch of leather, chains, a biker helmet, boots and give him spiked hair. Like a black leather bruiser, motorcycle guy. Mark did not know what to say to such a suggestion, but the rest of the booking team helped him. The idea was horrible, but on the right track.

They started simple, with just a leather jacket and sunglasses. But they slicked his hair back, gave him boots and had Ron Simmons wear a similar jacket too. Both tried to look tough in their leather jackets. But then Dusty went overboard again, arguing that WCW needed another gimmick to oppose these men, opponents they could beat up and look tough against. Stu Hart argued that they ought to continue focusing on the Owen Hart feud, but Dusty had another brief idea.

Dusty scrapped the Varsity Club team, which of its remaining members, Brad Armstrong and Brian Armstrong were active. He gave them matching jumpsuits, gloves, boots and jackets that were of a light grey color. These grey uniforms and mirrored sunglasses looked like they belonged to someone off the show ChiPs, the one featuring twin motorcycle cops. Dusty was pleased with how the two men acted out their “cops” role, enforcing the law of wrestling. For example, The Cops cut a promo saying that what they did was play fair, but what Mean Mark did was play dirty, and there was no respect in that. So The Cops 'taught' respect, apparently by beating it into opponents.

After Mean Mark and Ron Simmons demolished these ChiPs wanna-be’s, Owen Hart and Chris Candido attacked them after the match. They had weapons and slugged the heroes clean out of the ring, then cut a quick promo hyping a challenge for Spring Stampede. In this way, Mean Mark was shown to be strong, in that he demolished The Cops, and still continued his feud with Owen Hart, who now had the help of Candido. Two things at once, the mastery of Dusty Rhodes booking. But WCW had inadvertently evolved Mean Mark into a second anti-hero. Of course, the original anti-hero, Steve Austin, was still rebelling against authority.

Harley Race was just about as mad as possible because of Austin’s antics. He had been attacked and disrespected for most of March, but he said that April was going to deal Austin some consequences. Race stripped Austin of his TV Title again, then said that his new friend knew someone of capable of holding the title with more dignity. That man was Mister Fuji and Fuji cut a promo saying that the most honorable man in the whole of WCW was none other than his protégé Shogun, the Japanese Warrior. He didn’t attack anyone from behind, he didn’t drink beer and he certainly didn’t swear.

Shogun captured the TV Title in a short match, but Austin came out to attack him afterwards. The two men exchanged blows, until Austin was able to chuck Shogun from the ring. He tossed his title at him too. Harley Race was livid now. He said that Austin didn’t even respect a man who had character, perhaps twice as much as Austin had. Austin then said that if they were talking about honor, then it would be his honor to kick Harley Race’s ass.

Harley Race then took that barb as a personal challenge and told Austin that if he wanted to fight, he’d do it in the ring, against him! Harley Race booked himself into a match for Spring Stampede, but now like a classic face, Austin didn’t want to wrestle the older man. He said that he felt the 53 year old man might be just a tad over the hill, so to speak. But then Austin concluded by adding that he was happy to kick him down the other side of that hill. The Spring Stampede match was a short one on a rather long program and Austin dominated most of it. Harley Race seemed to be both authority and wrestler for the match, tossing out whatever rules he saw fit. For example, he would low-blow Austin but prevented the referee from calling a DQ. The referee later had no choice but to count a three count when Austin pinned Race.

WCW Spring Stampede 1996 - April

Dark Match: Pretty Wonderful (Paul Roma + Paul Orndorff) defeated The COPS (Brad Armstrong and Brian Armstrong)

Chris Benoit defeated Eddie Guerrero

The Allied Powers (Davey Boy Smith + The Patriot) defeated Hardcore War (Dr. Death + Scott Norton) to defend the WCW Tag-Team Titles

Mean Mark and Ron Simmons defeated Owen Hart + Chris Candido w/ Tammy Lynn

Shogun, The Japanese Warrior defeated Diamond Dallas Page to defend the WCW TV Title

Steve Austin defeated Harley Race

4 x 4 Match: The Public Menace defeated The Four Horsemen

Cage Match: Hulk Hogan defeated Bret Hart for the WCW World Title

There were two legitimate main events for Spring Stampede, one featuring an eight-man tag-match and another for the World Title. Four members of The Public Menace faced The Four Horsemen in the first, featuring the first fall to a finish. Again, the heels tried to cheat to win, but this time were successful in doing so. The tall Kevin Nash was able to roll up Arn Anderson and hold ropes to get the pin. However, The Horsemen cleared the ring, but were disappointed with the results, having dominated most of the match.

The second main event was the rematch between Hulk Hogan and Bret Hart. Harley Race cut a promo on WCW WorldWide once which explained the rules. WCW certainly got its vinette quota in that month. All members of either stable were banned from ringside and to make sure this rule was enforced, the two competitors would wrestle inside a steel cage. The winner would only be by pinfall, not escaping through a mere cage door. Inside, Hulk Hogan was able to showcase his new, more vicious persona, slamming Bret Hart’s head off the cage wall on numerous occasions. Hogan was then able to get the pinfall and become World Champion once again.

After Hogan won the title back, the backstage atmosphere was different. As champion, Bret Hart had the confidence of most of the locker room, and led by example. The same may have been said for Hogan until this World Title run. After Spring Stampede, Hogan personally paid for a large bash to apparently celebrate the pay per view. Bret Hart did not attend. As in his previous run, Kevin Nash enjoyed himself, as did Sean Waltman and others. They really went overboard with the partying this time.

Another notable thing to happen in April was Harley Race had to be taken to the hospital a few days after Spring Stampede. Never fear readers, it was nothing serious, Race was dianosed with exhaustion. He had reported feeling faint and downright tired after Spring Stampede, however like a true old school wrestler, reported that he was fine. He learned later that his body did not respond as quickly as it used to, but after leaving the hospital, took a week off and seemed fine.

Greg Gagne was upset over Harley Race’s medical prognosis. Imagine the hell he would catch if a future hall of fame wrestler had experienced a more serious problem. Dusty Rhodes, the voice of reason, tried to calm down Gagne with reassurances, saying that this kind of thing was a little more common than he realized. From all his experience, Dusty knew just what to say and how to handle the situation. Although he said otherwise, Greg Gagne was still not convinced that this problem had been a minor thing. Gagne did not blame himself for booking the Harley Race match, he blamed The Booking Team for insisting he book it.

On his fishing boat, Eric Bischoff received a call from Hulk Hogan. Hogan said that he could get Bischoff’s job back, but in turn, Bischoff had to do him a favor or two. Hogan said that Bischoff had to stop spreading rumors about him and drop the conspiracy because he wasn't the leak. Eric Bischoff hung up on Hogan, scoffing on his demands. He certainly wasn't going to let his guy "negotiate" with him, especially when he was guilty as sin and just wanted to bury it.

After a few days, Bischoff had time to think it over and called Hulk Hogan back. He said he would take the deal.

Edited July 27, 2006 by Nottavictim

[Hewey]

He liked riding motorcycles in his spare time, a passion he coincidentally shared with former authority, Eric Bischoff. Dusty suggested that they dress up Mark in a whole bunch of leather, chains, a biker helmet, boots and give him spiked hair. Like a black leather bruiser, motorcycle guy. Mark did not know what to say to such a suggestion,

[Nottavictim]

I think you're my only fan, Hewey! It's kinda funny. I thought everyone liked reading about the wrestling business, but I guess a traditional style is more popular. Your ideas are actually excellent, especially those about Mean Mark. Earlier, I was trying to think of a unique, supernatural type name instead of 'The Undertaker' or his generic Mean Mark, but couldn't think of any.

[nihilist]

I think you're my only fan, Hewey! It's kinda funny. I thought everyone liked reading about the wrestling business, but I guess a traditional style is more popular. Your ideas are actually excellent, especially those about Mean Mark. Earlier, I was trying to think of a unique, supernatural type name instead of 'The Undertaker' or his generic Mean Mark, but couldn't think of any.

[ZJ Penn]

There are actually more people reading this than you think. I think saw two people post in another thread saying how much they like it but dont post feedback - lots of people dont post but read

[Justin]

This is the _only_ diary I read with any interest.

I've tried everything else, but I don't care to read other people's versions of WWE or WCW characters, I much prefer this style.

[Nottavictim]

Scouting with Cornette – The Gimmicks of WCW

"Jim Cornette is one of the highest rated scouts in wrestling today. Each and every week he is going to bring us the latest scouting reports about wrestlers in WCW," a narrator says, "Who is who? How do they wrestle? What kind of character do they have? Those questions and more will be answered by Jim Cornette Now...here he is...James…E… Cornette!"

“Ladies and gentlemen, are you ready for gimmicks? WCW has their share, but then again, so does all of wrestling. That is, until Vince McMahon came out on his show WWF Wrestling Challenge this week and announced to the world that they weren’t going to treat the fans like idiots anymore. Vince McMahon thinks we want something adult, where Shawn Michaels grabbing his crotch is par for the course and the fans are given performers who are sports entertainers first, and actors second.”

“Is this really what fans want? Either way, WCW has primarily ignored what the WWF is doing, but there is certainly more revolution going on in this company than you think, ladies and gentlemen! We have the number one anti-hero in wrestling, The Stunning Steve Austin. And he certainly stunned Harley Race! But what’s next for The Stunner? Stay tuned!”

“Lord Steven Regal. This guy wouldn't have a backbone if you shoved a flagpole up his keister, folks. But really, he’s just an arrogant Brit at heart. He’s got a puffy shirt, a ponytail and has a smirk that makes me think he’s got too much starch in his pants. He’ll even tell you to tie your shoes after stepping on your toes! He’s seen action in the past few months and seems poised for something new. His buddy is Squire Chris Adams, a real veteran of the ring and a great sidekick. Oh, by the way, he also has a puffy shirt!”

“Shogun. Well we’ve featured this guy before on the program, but he’s worth a second glance. He’s got a costume that just screams ‘Hey Everybody! I’m the BAD guy!’. Oh, we couldn’t figure that out, thanks. He dresses like a traditional Japanese warrior and yes, I looked it up fans! A shogun is a skilled military dictator. And Shogun certainly is skilled and dictates things in the ring! And since he doesn’t talk much, Mister Fuji is there to do it for him.”

“The Outlaws. The outlaw bikers are Mean Mark and Ron Simmons, but they’ve got a loveable, cuddily quality to them. If you like getting cuddled by a headlock and five knuckles to the face! Let me tell you, these guys are tough. They changed their look recently to some rough, black leather vests, but no lace in sight fans. Watch out for the kicks, because Mean Mark has a steel toe now.”

“Amadeus. This guy makes Elton John look normal. But he’s got Terri jumping around with him so he can’t be all bad. Wait a second, don’t listen to a word I’m saying, fans. Nobody is more annoying than this guy, no matter what hot mama he’s got chasing after him. He’ll take off his white leather gloves, smack his opponents with em’ and then bend over to show them the moon!”.

“The Wrestling COPS. Yes, Brian and Brad Armstrong make it their business to tell people how to throw a suplex proper. They say they’re the most respectable thing around, but apparently their version of justice is kicking a guy down and beating em’ up! But don’t worry, their mirrored sunglasses and boots broadcast to the world that they’re really serious about this. I think!”

“The Public Menace. I couldn’t leave it alone, I just had to say something about WCW’s most popular team. Now a six man group, they are led by Hulk Hogan, who lives up to their name. He’s a menace! And he’s got Brian Pillman and Mark Bagwell following him around like lapdogs, cackling all the time. And don’t get me started on how arrogant Sean Waltman is. I don’t think anybody has a better time beating somebody up than him. In contrast, I think Kevin Nash is all business, just cool and collected all the time. A veteran presence is Roddy Piper, Hogan’s bosom buddy. WCW better watch out for him too.

"The Public Menace participated in an eight man match at Spring Stampede that featured Kevin Nash, Brian Pillman, Sean Waltman and Mark Bagwell versus Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Dean Malenko and Ole Anderson. Was it ever good. Oh did you want to know who won? Sorry fans, The Public Menace squeaked out a win."

"We will save you from the truly awful gimmick rundown, but then again, I can't help myself. Here you go...there's the Vegas Gamblers! Kevin Nash in green-checkered pants? Simply awful! The Diamond Studd, it's DDP with a goatee and a diamond earring. Awful! New Jersey Jim, the madman from the craziest place on Earth. The Hangman Terry Gordy, a man who carries a sickle for god's sake! Oh okay, I'll stop. I'll stop."

"Here's the rundown on the champions. The champions are..."

"Hulk Hogan is the WCW World Champion, defeating Bret Hart at Spring Stampede in April."

“Ron Simmons is the US Champion, having a nice reign."

"The Allied Powers are the WCW Tag-Team champions, getting a second straight PPV win."

"Shogun became the TV Champion in April, then defended against Diamond Dallas Page."

"Thanks for joining us today for Scouting with Cornette! The pleasure was all yours."

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Jim Cornette says, "I can't believe we created that gimmick."

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Edited July 29, 2006 by Nottavictim

[Hewey]

Like wilson316 said, Alot of people read, But don't leave feedback. I hope you keep this style, As it's what makes the diary unique, And it's probably my favorite format in the dome. I'm glad you liked some of the ideas, And I'm also glad you didn't turn Mean Mark over to a supernatural character. As I'm sure in real life, McMahon would try to sue, And the fans wouldn't buy it. Or anything close to it. (I was going to suggest a crow Sting like character, But it's too close to Undertaker.)

I enjoyed the run down on the gimmicks, And it's nice to see some of them actually getting pushed, And not being too out there. It's also nice to see McMahon try to start "Attitude" a little early on.

[Nottavictim]

I enjoyed the run down on the gimmicks, And it's nice to see some of them actually getting pushed, And not being too out there. It's also nice to see McMahon try to start "Attitude" a little early on.

[Justin]

Ya know, after listening to Cornette through the eighties and nineties, and now getting to hear him again on a regular basis in ROH and TNA, I can actually here him saying this stuff. It almost reads like a pre-recorded hotline or something.

Cheers, I think it adds a different flavor and gets some gimmicks over without having to write shows.