In the victory, and in the celebration afterwards in Greenwich once the deal was formally completed, nothing was kept secret about this final simulcast broadcast tonight. How could they? TV and internet had blown up once the sale was official.
Except for his appearance.
He looks at himself one last time in the bathroom mirror of his hotel room overlooking the ring constructed for this final "Night of Champions". Everything's looking fine. Perfect, in fact. Do I still got it? Hell yes! He thinks to himself. He flashes that winning smile, practicing for what's to come. He then stops, and wipes a tear from his eye as he starts playing his carefully planned speech once more and wonders aloud, "Has it really been three years?"
Feels like a lifetime ago.
A lifetime ago where heated words against Bischoff and a series of lawsuits and counter-suits found him cast out from World Championship Wrestling. After spending a few months on the shelf for the high crime of being a good dad and not giving into Bischoff's idiotic last minute scheduling. He was in the WWF. Doing what he does best: heel.
This, despite, what many in the industry had said. They said it couldn't be done because of lawsuits. Then came the avalanche of people who were vocal against the signing: some, like Paul Levesque said he should retire in a fucking radio interview, and others agreed, including the person he was brought in to feud with in the first place: Steve Austin.
Vince didn't care, though.
And you know what? It turned out pretty damn great. The storylines and matches were labeled "nothing short of brilliant" by Dave Meltzer. RAW absolutely buried Nitro week in, week out, when he and his "new Horsemen" working for evil Mr. McMahon took on Austin. The buy rates and gates for the PPVs? Astronomical. A few even bordered on hitting 2s. Between himself and Austin in their time together, they made Vince's company go from losing millions in the early 90s to making Vince an honest-to-goodness billionaire.
Despite all renewed fame, accolades, truly obscene jack made from merchandising of all kinds bearing his and Austin's mugs on it, being here is still bittersweet.
Of course he kept up with what was happening with his former employer. Highlights included:
The awful Warrior-Hogan feud meant to replicate the one he had with Austin. So bad, viewers switched to RAW by a whole point.
Making Nash a booker. That went well.
Bungling Goldberg's streak - which involved an inebriated man using a taser. Great job, Nash. Way to bury someone.
The less said about the fingerpoke, the better.
Shitty swerve after shitty swerve.
The six million nWo reformations and run-ins.
Letting Thunder become a total catastrophe.
Letting Jericho and the rest of the hard working midcarders leave.
Forgetting to put new talent over. Only so many times one can see a Hogan-Sting match with a Kevin Nash/nWo flunky run-in before audiences and viewers tune out.
Hiring Russo. Boy, did that help said no one ever. Jarrett was right, his storylines were like someone wrote a book high on LSD while doing meth.
All of which(and oh so many more) helped cause WCW's ratings, buy rates, gates and everything else the business needs to survive to plummet to the point WCW lost 76 million by the end of 2000. Then with the merger, WCW couldn't be Ted's pet project anymore. It had to be profitable, and it wasn't. Not after all of that. Bischoff, that little weasel, he and Fusient tried one last time to buy it but Kellner wasn't keeping it on air, and when he made it known, Bischoff pulled out. Leaving Vince to buy up as many of it's assets as possible for a paltry 2 million and spare change.
Watching it all happen, though, hurt like hell. It sure did. Even kept him up a few nights, too. But what could he do? He left. Why stay in a place constantly humiliating you? He took his talents to a place where they could be used. And because of his decision, here they are now.
He took one last look in the mirror and started heading down the stairs to the ring below.
It was time. Time to start what many will be hailing as the greatest inter-promotional feud of all time after it's done.
As he brisky walked through backstage, a few of the wrestlers were amazed, and a couple look genuinely shocked to see him, but he took it all in stride. Shane came up and together, they walked to the ring after the emotionally charged Sting-Luger-Booker T Triple-Threat Match ended. It was time.
Once it was over, Vince, acting as cocky as ever, was in Cleveland to announce simultaneously to RAW and Nitro's audiences that he had purchased WCW.
Oh hoho, not to be. Because in storyline, a certain stylin', profilin', limousine riding, jet flying, kiss-stealing, wheelin' n' dealin' son of a gun and his recently turned babyface erstwhile son, bought WCW from under his blue-blood nose.
His music played.
The thousands in attendance and millions around the world didn't know whether to cheer or boo.
What he said next after bouncing around the ring, preening and strutting like a fool made damn sure they did.
- Ric Flair's promo to kickstart the WWF/WCW InVasion story on the final segment of the final Monday Nitro, March 26th, 2001, Panama City, Florida.
Except for his appearance.
He looks at himself one last time in the bathroom mirror of his hotel room overlooking the ring constructed for this final "Night of Champions". Everything's looking fine. Perfect, in fact. Do I still got it? Hell yes! He thinks to himself. He flashes that winning smile, practicing for what's to come. He then stops, and wipes a tear from his eye as he starts playing his carefully planned speech once more and wonders aloud, "Has it really been three years?"
Feels like a lifetime ago.
A lifetime ago where heated words against Bischoff and a series of lawsuits and counter-suits found him cast out from World Championship Wrestling. After spending a few months on the shelf for the high crime of being a good dad and not giving into Bischoff's idiotic last minute scheduling. He was in the WWF. Doing what he does best: heel.
This, despite, what many in the industry had said. They said it couldn't be done because of lawsuits. Then came the avalanche of people who were vocal against the signing: some, like Paul Levesque said he should retire in a fucking radio interview, and others agreed, including the person he was brought in to feud with in the first place: Steve Austin.
Vince didn't care, though.
And you know what? It turned out pretty damn great. The storylines and matches were labeled "nothing short of brilliant" by Dave Meltzer. RAW absolutely buried Nitro week in, week out, when he and his "new Horsemen" working for evil Mr. McMahon took on Austin. The buy rates and gates for the PPVs? Astronomical. A few even bordered on hitting 2s. Between himself and Austin in their time together, they made Vince's company go from losing millions in the early 90s to making Vince an honest-to-goodness billionaire.
Despite all renewed fame, accolades, truly obscene jack made from merchandising of all kinds bearing his and Austin's mugs on it, being here is still bittersweet.
Of course he kept up with what was happening with his former employer. Highlights included:
The awful Warrior-Hogan feud meant to replicate the one he had with Austin. So bad, viewers switched to RAW by a whole point.
Making Nash a booker. That went well.
Bungling Goldberg's streak - which involved an inebriated man using a taser. Great job, Nash. Way to bury someone.
The less said about the fingerpoke, the better.
Shitty swerve after shitty swerve.
The six million nWo reformations and run-ins.
Letting Thunder become a total catastrophe.
Letting Jericho and the rest of the hard working midcarders leave.
Forgetting to put new talent over. Only so many times one can see a Hogan-Sting match with a Kevin Nash/nWo flunky run-in before audiences and viewers tune out.
Hiring Russo. Boy, did that help said no one ever. Jarrett was right, his storylines were like someone wrote a book high on LSD while doing meth.
All of which(and oh so many more) helped cause WCW's ratings, buy rates, gates and everything else the business needs to survive to plummet to the point WCW lost 76 million by the end of 2000. Then with the merger, WCW couldn't be Ted's pet project anymore. It had to be profitable, and it wasn't. Not after all of that. Bischoff, that little weasel, he and Fusient tried one last time to buy it but Kellner wasn't keeping it on air, and when he made it known, Bischoff pulled out. Leaving Vince to buy up as many of it's assets as possible for a paltry 2 million and spare change.
Watching it all happen, though, hurt like hell. It sure did. Even kept him up a few nights, too. But what could he do? He left. Why stay in a place constantly humiliating you? He took his talents to a place where they could be used. And because of his decision, here they are now.
He took one last look in the mirror and started heading down the stairs to the ring below.
It was time. Time to start what many will be hailing as the greatest inter-promotional feud of all time after it's done.
As he brisky walked through backstage, a few of the wrestlers were amazed, and a couple look genuinely shocked to see him, but he took it all in stride. Shane came up and together, they walked to the ring after the emotionally charged Sting-Luger-Booker T Triple-Threat Match ended. It was time.
Once it was over, Vince, acting as cocky as ever, was in Cleveland to announce simultaneously to RAW and Nitro's audiences that he had purchased WCW.
Oh hoho, not to be. Because in storyline, a certain stylin', profilin', limousine riding, jet flying, kiss-stealing, wheelin' n' dealin' son of a gun and his recently turned babyface erstwhile son, bought WCW from under his blue-blood nose.
His music played.
The thousands in attendance and millions around the world didn't know whether to cheer or boo.
What he said next after bouncing around the ring, preening and strutting like a fool made damn sure they did.
-
"Did I, DID I-WHOO! Did I happen to hear that right, Vince? That you were going to hold WCW in the palms of your hands? Does that mean you are gonna hold Jack Brisco, Dory Funk, Harley Race, the Road Warriors, Sting, Luger, the Steiners, Bagwell, Page, Booker T, Steamboat? Does that mean, you're gonna hold them all in the palm of your hands? I don't think so!....so tonight, Vince, I'm pleased to announce, with support from your loving son here, we bought WCW hours ago! WHOO! Years ago, we kicked your sorry ass! Had you on the ropes! WHOO! WHOO! WHOO! and WE'RE GONNA BE THE MAN AGAIN ONCE WE KICK YOUR ASS ONE LAST TIME! Because like I've said, to be the man, you gotta beat the man, and Vince - I'M THE MAN! WHOOO!"
- Ric Flair's promo to kickstart the WWF/WCW InVasion story on the final segment of the final Monday Nitro, March 26th, 2001, Panama City, Florida.
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