TLIAPOT: Thirty Years, Thirty Matches

Gail Kim vs. Serena vs. Hamada
Triple Threat Match for the Women's Championship
Bash at the Beach
Sacramento, California
26/07/2009

The rise of women in wrestling was a noted development throughout the WWF in the early-mid 2000's, culminating in a strong presence on Monday Night Raw towards the end of the decade. In looking to make the two brands stand out, the Women's Division had proven to be a successful experiment that had gained the attention of the audience.

The prestige of the Woman's Championship had risen as time had gone on as well, slowly starting to be seen as an equal to its male counterpart by some parts of the audience. More work was needed however and several of the women took it as a challenge to put on the best possible matches in order to further put themselves in the limelight.

One such match took place with a heated feud between the WWF's three biggest names for female wrestling. The reigning Champion, Gail Kim had held a stranglehold over the division for a year, using whatever tactics she could to cling onto her title. As she did this, Hamada rose through the ranks to stake a claim on becoming number one contender for the Championship with Kim using her lackey, Serena, to get between them. Serena's ambition grew however and she yearned for a shot at the Championship that she had helped protect, leading to a clash at Bash at the Beach between the three women after the tensions spilled over into a brawl on Raw.

With bad blood between all three women, it wasn't surprising that they barely even waited for the match to officially begin before going at it hammer and tongs against each other. Former loyalties were forgotten as Kim and Serena were more than happy to attack each other over Hamada. The trio were soon going at it hard with each woman trying to claim their stake on the title. Gail Kim's offence saw itself coming up against Serena's increasingly savage assaults, fuelled by hatred of her former partner in crime.

Throughout the match, Hamada picked her spots to attack either of her opponents, wearing them down as they tried to cling on. The end came when Hamada managed to throw Kim out of the ring and then hit Serena with the AP Cross, putting the former down for the count and letting Serena gain her first ever Women's Championship.

With her victory, Hamada became the forefront of the Women's Division as she continued to feud with Gail Kim and Serena in the immediate aftermath. The latter two would then develop their own blood feud to last to the end of the year. Hamada, one of the bigger names to have come to the WWF from Japan, helped push the Women's Division into even higher popularity as she had high quality matches with a string of opponents.

The match signified what was to come, its high quality and placing three talented women wrestlers helping to further women's wrestling as a solid addition to the WWF's brand. This was noted by other places, with the GWF also starting to take notice and add their own women's wrestlers as time went by, to lesser success.
 
Mark Henry vs. CM Punk vs. 'The Pope' Elijah Burke
Triple Threat Match for the World Heavyweight Championship
WrestleMania XXVI
Glendale, Arizona
28/03/2010

Throughout 2009, the Nitro brand had seen great changes in its roster as Mark Henry served as an anchor to the main event, defeating several of the more established wrestlers in feuds, Henry was to serve as someone who could then put over younger stars with his eventual loss with the two being decided upon being CM Punk and Elijah Burke. Both men had been sent over to Nitro in the 2009 drafts, with Punk taking on the role of the straight-edge hero while Burke had become a charismatic preacher figure who called his fans his 'congregation'.

After the Royal Rumble winner challenged for the WWF Championship, a tournament was held to secure a contender for the World Heavyweight Championship. Both Punk and Burke reached the final match, but fell to a time-limit draw. As a result, the match at WrestleMania XXVI was turned into a triple threat with Henry disregarding his two opponents entirely, believing that he had it in the bag. With the crowd strongly behind Burke and Punk though, all three men went into the match as favourites.

Facing off against each other, Burke and Punk put aside their differences temporarily in order to take on the dominant Henry. Working well together, they managed to keep the Champion down after a series of strikes and blows from both men before they inevitably went after each other once Henry was taken out of the equation. Neither man was willing to walk out letting the other become Champion and soon went turned to hard hitting and high impact moves to put each other down, including a high spot where Burke hit both Punk and Henry with a crossbody from the top rope to the outside of the ring.

Henry didn't take things lying down of course and manage to dominate the match at various points before one of the other two men took him down. By the end, all three were beaten and exhausted, needing to go to extreme to try and win the Championship. As a result, CM Punk went to the top rope, only for Henry to reach the challenger and throw him out of the ring onto the announce table from the corner. This gave Burke the opportunity to hit Henry with the Elijah Express, putting down Henry for a three count and securing his first ever World Heavyweight Championship.

While he celebrated in front of the crowd, Burke paid no mind to Punk's actual anger over what had happened, the day having seen professional jealousy and the two men's actual dislike coming to the fray before the match. The idea forward had been for Burke to hold the Championship, turn Heel and then have a feud with Punk. However, earlier in the show, Raw's mainstay, John Cena, had suffered an injury during a Ladder in the Bank Match, forcing plans to change and Punk had been informed that he would be drafted to Raw to fill in for Cena's place on the card.

The seeds had been sown for the following year with the WrestleMania match. Burke went on to become a highly successful Champion as he led the Nitro brand, while Punk had to share the limelight with others, something that the latter deeply resented. What would follow would be the outcome of Vince McMahon's bizarre management style, professional jealousy and mutual distaste between two very talented wrestlers.
 
CM Punk vs. 'The Pope' Elijah Burke
Champion vs. Champion Match
Survivor Series
New York, New York
20/11/2011

The brand split between Raw and Nitro had seen little in the way of outright interaction between them. The draft itself was limited to less then ten wrestlers each year, limiting the different match ups, but helping to build up excitement during the times when wrestlers from one brand did clash with another. The only exception to this rule was Survivor Series, where a team from each brand fought against each other, typically tag teams and midcard wrestlers.

2011 would be an exception however as CM Punk had managed to win the WWF Championship at SummerSlam, while Burke had lost the World Heavyweight Championship, but regained it in a feud with Randy Orton. To add something different to proceedings, and remembering on their initial plans for the two men, Vince McMahon decided to make the main event a Champion vs. Champion match with both titles on the line. Hoping for it to be a memorable match with the two's active dislike for each other and the novelty of the Champions of each brand facing each other for the first time since the creation of the brand split, it would be memorable for other reasons besides those.

Notably, the hatred between the two men had increased during their time apart and it came to a head in the run up to the match. Punk, believing himself to be the superior wrestler to Burke, was more than happy to voice this opinion whenever they met, along with general contempt for the booking around the match. By having the focus being on them being equals fighting for their brands, Punk saw it as putting Burke on his level, which he saw as insulting. For his part, Burke was more than happy to rub his greater success in Punk's face, being the face of a brand while Punk still had to share the limelight with others.

Things finally came to a head when Punk approached McMahon and demanded that the end of the match be changed from a run in from a new faction led by indie favourite Chris Hero leading to a DQ ending to Punk forcing Burke to submit, threatening to sit out the rest of his contract and then go to work for GWF if he didn't get what he wanted. McMahon coolly tried to soothe things over, especially as Burke got wind of this and things deteriorated even further between the men. With the match having already been set and advertised, McMahon had to scheme a way out of the situation that he created, seemingly acquiescing to Punk's demands and promising Burke compensation by making sure he would regain the Championship at a later date. At least, this was what Punk had been told.

When it came to match time, everyone in the crowd and backstage were eager to see what the final result would be. What would follow would be a hard hitting match as neither man would show any sign of mercy against the other, looking to win at all costs. Nothing was spared as both men beat each other around the ring in order to gain an advantage and try to win to become the first ever united Champion.

The climax came when Burke managed to lock on the Anaconda Vice, Punk's own submission hold. Within seconds, the referee called for the bell, claiming that Punk had tapped out and awarding the match to Burke. There was some initial confusion after such a sudden conclusion to the match, especially for those watching on television as the PPV abruptly ended. In the arena, Punk was furious and made his displeasure known to the crowd, shouting that he was going to the GWF.

Backstage, things got worse as Punk arrived, confronting Burke with the intent to fight. As Burke was a former golden-gloves Champion, this didn't end well for Punk, with the latter being laid out on the ground. Injury having been added to insult, Punk stormed out, never to return to the WWF as he sat out the remaining three months on his contract before debuting in the GWF, to a great deal of attention. Although the GWF was far from the level of the WWF, or WCW, it was still a nationally recognised company that got a huge boost of attention from Punk's arrival. Although there was sympathy for what had happened to him in the WWF locker room, his refusal to talk to anyone in the company, accusing many of being part of the conspiracy and cutting off contact with everyone, meant that such sympathy rapidly drained and no one jumped ship with him.

Despite that though, the New York Screwjob proved to be damaging to the WWF, giving the GWF a huge boost as they signed the hottest agents in wrestling and made him their Champion. The damage to the WWF's reputation was somewhat mitigated by turning it into a storyline, giving the fans someone to hate through Shane McMahon and his 'Corporate Champion', Elijah Burke. With the two forming the Corporation faction, it gave an outlet for fans to hate the company and a new Face to rally around.

The New York Screwjob would go onto define the WWF in the eyes of the fans and help reshape the wrestling landscape to a degree, allowing the GWF free publicity and the chance to compete with the WWF as it took advantage of the fallout. Although the WWF itself was damaged, it managed to rally enough to lead into one of its most popular periods since the Attitude Era.
 
'The Pope' Elijah Burke vs. Daniel Bryan
WWF Championship Match
WrestleMania XXVIII
Miami Gardens, Florida
01/04/2012

The aftermath of the New York Screwjob meant that there was going to be a large opening in the main event as the WWF went into damage control. CM Punk leaving the company in the way that he did had damaged it in the eyes of the fans and many had turned on Elijah Burke and Shane McMahon as a result. Deciding to role with this, Shane transitioned himself as the on-screen CEO of the WWF and a leading Heel to beat, with Burke serving as his 'Corporate Champion'.

With such a villain for others to stand against, it became apparent that a Face was needed to eventually rise and take the title. In this, the WWF would focus on one man who had gained the support of the crowd over the last few years. Daniel Bryan had captured the following of the audience with his underdog status, wrestling skills and sheer charisma.

Having won the Royal Rumble, Daniel Bryan was the number one contender for both Championships held by Burke, and therefore the prime target for the Corporation. Refusing an outright bribe from Shane McMahon, he was then assaulted week after week as the Corporation tried to do everything in its power to break him before WrestleMania. Once it became apparent that Bryan's spirit couldn't be broken, he was fired instead, leading to an outright revolt by fans and other wrestlers that forced the Corporation to reinstate him.

At WrestleMania, things came to a head as Bryan was finally able to get his hands on Burke, leading to a clash of two different men and philosophies as Burke desperately clung onto his Championship while Shane McMahon directed the Corporation to interfere in anyway it could, even putting on the referee's shirt to control the match after the first official was taken out amid the chaos. Even that came to no avail however, when Commissioner of Nitro came down to the ring and took McMahon out in order to become the referee instead.

With all allies now gone, chased off by those aiding Bryan, Burke was left on his own while the challenger took full advantage, wearing him down with hold and strikes before putting the Champion in the No Lock. In the middle of the ring and nowhere to go, Burke was forced to tap out, losing him one of his Championships. WrestleMania XXVIII ended with Bryan celebrating in the ring as the crowd went wild.

Having gone from damage control after the New York Screwjob, the WWF had turned it into a strength with the rise of Daniel Bryan to WWF Champion. Immensely popular with the fans, Bryan caught the interest in many and helped spark a minor boom for the WWF as he fought against the Corporation throughout 2011 and beyond. His role as the underdog fighting against a greater power resonated with a good amount of people. Burke himself remained one of the company's top Heels as he made his way over to Nitro to defend the World Heavyweight Championship as Shane McMahon looked for others to serve as his Corporate Champion.

After the damage to the WWF's reputation caused by the New York Screwjob, the main event of WrestleMania XXVIII helped heal some of it. An exciting match with a satisfying conclusion, the WWF was able to ride the waves of controversy and popularity to the delight of the crowds.
 
Cain vs. 'The Pope' Elijah Burke vs. The Miz
Triple Threat Match for the World Heavyweight Championship
Royal Rumble
Phoenix, Arizona
27/01/2013

Seeing a wrestler rise from the bottom of the roster to the very heights of the WWF was a journey that many fans could watch time and time again. Wrestlers like the Rock and Daniel Bryan sprung to mind as examples of those who gained the adoration of the audience through their climb up the long ladder. Another one to join them would be a wrestler known as the Miz. Having had his start in reality TV, the Miz had a brief stint in the GWF before making his way to the WWF, where his brash personality soon gained the ire of fans.

Bit by bit though, the Miz's hard work, charisma and sheer determination soon turned the distaste of the crowd into respect and, eventually, support. This became especially true when Miz turned his contempt away from the audience and instead focused it squarely onto the Corporation's representatives on Nitro. Having seen how Burke had been favoured, despite losing at WrestleMania, the Miz contrasted that to the fact that he had struggled every step of the way to get where he was, with everyone having been against him.

The Miz's shot at the Championship was taken instead by long term veteran Cain, however. The biker had returned for one more run as he took on Burke and won the World Heavyweight Championship from him. Giving the Last Outlaw one final run with the belt, the WWF looked to enter the final stages of his career on a triumphant note. With it, also came the Miz'd transition to the Championship as his clashing with Burke led him to being entered into the Royal Rumble title match, making it a triple threat.

Going into the match, Cain didn't have the Champion's advantage, risking losing the title without being pinned. With both men still wary of the veteran, Burke and Miz held him off as they tried to focus on the other, Miz especially attacking Burke as he felt that he had something to prove. Cain proved himself to be resilient though, clawing his way back into the match each time he was taken out, making both of his opponents struggle to claim the title.

The match came to its end when the Miz managed to dodge an attempt at a clothesline from Cain, throwing him over the top and out onto the mats below. Burke then attempted his Elijah Express as the Miz was in the corner, only for that to be dodged as well and the former Champion was hit by a Skull Crushing Finale which let the Miz get the pin and win his first World Championship.

The climb from the bottom to the very top of Miz was further cemented at WrestleMania as he defeated Burke in a one on one bout to retain the Championship and help put the Corporation to rest. The Miz had reached the top of the mountain and would become one of the mainstays of the new decade as the WWF now had minor competition with the growing GWF.
 
Cain vs. Levi Wyatt
Career vs. Career Match
Survivor Series
St Louis, Missouri
23/11/2014

In wrestling, the careers of wrestlers could always reach dazzling heights before they came to their end. For Cain, his career in the WWF had started over twenty years previously when he had entered Survivor Series in 1990 and he had become the cornerstone of the WWF and its Nitro brand. Although having never reached the heights of fame other wrestlers had done, his long lasting appeal certainly turned him into a legend.

It was such a legend that attracted many to try and end it. Wrestlers all tried to end the career of Cain as he got older and slowed down. These attempts failed, although many almost put Cain away for good. It wasn't until Levi Wyatt, the 'Bastard of the Bayou', appeared that a true challenger came to put an end to Cain's career. Leading a cult that was slowly taking in new members of the Nitro roster, Levi turned his attention to the aged biker, claiming that he would start his takeover by killing the legend of WWF's greatest warrior.

Dismissive of Wyatt, Cain paid little mind to the man's tricks and mind games, focusing on fighting back actual attacks by the man's cult. It wasn't until Wyatt's cult held a vigil around Cain's house and where his family was that it became deeply personal and the biker was determined to bring an end to Wyatt and put his career on the line so Wyatt would do the same. With the match set for Survivor Series, both men were determined to end the other's career, Wyatt to stake a claim as the WWF's legend slayer and Cain to gain justice for what Wyatt had done.

There would be no niceties as the match was no DQ and it started with Cain attacking Wyatt before the latter even made it to the ring. What followed was both men making use of everything they could to hurt each other before they even made it to the ring as chairs, the barricades and the hard surface of the floor were all utilised in the opening stages of their battle. When they got to the ring, it only grew more intense as they hammered each other around the squared circle, showing no mercy as pinfall attempts were frequent, but nothing seemed to work.

The match went on until Cain hit Wyatt with his Last Ride Powerbomb for a third time, but Wyatt kicked out. The toll on his body and spirit finally seemed to show as Cain couldn't put Wyatt away. That moment of doubt was all that the cult leader needed as he struck like a cobra, planting Cain face first into a steel chair with his Sister Abigail finisher. He then followed it up with two more before pinning Cain, winning the match and ending the legend.

With the outcome being what it was, Cain went into retirement, receiving accolades and a huge sent off from other wrestlers and the fans themselves. Hie legacy was cemented as one of the WWF's greatest and long-lasting performers. On the other end, Wyatt's fame also increased as he was the one who had ended Cain's career and would go onto become the World Heavyweight Champion and the main Heel of Nitro for years to come as his cult's influence ebbed and flowed.

The match at Survivor Series brought one career to its logical end, while pushing forward another to new heights. An era had ended in many ways and a new one was set to take over.
 
Paige vs. Bayley
Cage Match for the Women's Championship
Halloween Havoc
Dallas, Texas
25/10/2015

Women's wrestling had grown and solidified in its popularity over the course of five years. Solid matches along with emphasis of the women's talent really made the competitors stand out and get the crowds behind them. Major talents started to shine through and become as popular as the male wrestlers. With the momentum behind them, more women wrestlers went for any opportunity to shine, which two in particular took for Halloween Havoc in 2015.

Bayley was relatively new to on-screen wrestling, but nevertheless already had a huge following with her appeal to fans young and old alike. Her upbeat attitude and in-ring skills gave her a large following while offering a contrast to the current Women's Champion, Paige. Self-styled as the greatest women's wrestler in history, she looked down at the crowd-pleasing Bayley and refused to even regard her as a worthy challenger until she had proven herself.

To do this, Bayley had to go on an undefeated streak, overcoming the odds as she took on multiple opponents and defeating them while Paige grew increasingly infuriated over the former's victories and taunts that the Champion was running. Unable to ignore Bayley anymore, Paige agreed to a match at Halloween Havoc, much to the crowd's delight. And to prove that she wasn't running from anything, it would be a cage match.

With the hype behind the match rising rapidly, it was decided to do something that had long been speculated, but not tried until now, placing a woman's match in the main event of a PPV. Halloween Havoc was advertised with this in mind and the lead up to the bout saw both women eager to stake their claim on being the greatest woman's wrestler in the company's history.

As the main event came, the hype was lived up to as both women stepped into the ring and got to it. Looking to settle the score, neither of them held back in using their wrestling skills or the cage itself to take the other out. Any attempt to scale the cage by one of the wrestlers was quickly countered by her opponent dragging her back in. Hard hitting move followed hard hitting move and the referee in the ring made several close calls as the pin attempts came hard and fast.

Bayley proved to be determined enough to avoid being put down however, the climax of the match coming when both women had climbed to the top of the cage. After several hammer like blows, Bayley made one last desperate move as she grabbed onto Paige and hit her with a Bayley-to-Belly suplex from the top of the cage to the ring below. With the last of her strength, Bayley rolled over and draped an arm over Paige, securing the three count and her victory.

As the new Woman's Champion celebrated to end the PPV, it was to highlight what was to follow for the WWF as the rise of women's wrestling as secure and able to take on the main events in their shows. Although not quite getting the focus of men's wrestling, women wrestlers were able to rise to the top in their own way and get similar opportunities. Bayley was the first to get her triumphant moment in such circumstances, but she wasn't the last.
 
Rey Mysterio Jr. vs. Mystico vs. Kalisto vs. Jack Anthony
Fatal Four Match for the Cruiserweight Championship
Clash of Champions
Rosemont, Illinois
01/05/2016

Out of all the wrestling styles that were displayed in the WWF, the high-flying luchadores and other cruiserweights had managed to keep fans on their toes ever since they had first been introduced to television. Out of all of those who had wowed audiences with their skills and action, it was Rey Mysterio Jr. who stood above the rest in terms of recognition and fame.

The years had taken their toll on him however, forcing him to slow down more and more in his later years. With nagging injuries starting to show from his years in the ring, Mysterio had decided to retire to help train other wrestlers coming up to the main roster. All that was left was one last match with opponents the veteran hand-picked himself to bring his career to a close.

Having had one last run with the belt, Mysterio had declared that he would retire once he lost the belt. With many competitors eager to take that honour for themselves, three in particular rose in a series of matches, leading to a Fatal Four match at Clash of Champions. Mystico and Kalisto were popular luchadores who could wow the audiences with their movesets. This was countered by the appearance of the dastardly Jack Anthony, a vile Englishman who had been mentored by Steven Regal to being one of the worst rogues on the roster.

As the match came up, all the competitors brought their A-game, each one determined to win. The rapid pace of the match set the move as high-flying moves were frequent and the risky element came into play as each wrestler crashed to the mat at least once. Mysterio's greater experience showed at times as he managed to use the ring to his advantage to score some very near close falls.

The pace of the match remained hurried and hard hitting as the three Faces tried to get rid of the viper in their midst, although Jack Anthony managed to hang on and frequently used what sneak tactics he could to stay in the match. In this, he succeeded, continuing to remain involved as he and the other wrestlers wore each other down.

When the end came, it was from the wrestlers over-extending themselves. Kalisto had been thrown outside of the ring with Mystico following it up by throwing himself over the ropes to crash into his opponent. Mysterio went to follow this up as the other two got to their feet, but Jack Anthony took advantage of the distraction to hit Mysterio with a Striking Knee to the face, pinning the Champion to win the match and end the career of a legend.

Going out of the ring to grab his title and celebrate, Anthony left Mysterio to commiserate with the other wrestlers in the match, both men shaking him by the hand while the fans cheered to show their respect. Mysterio's actual retirement would happen on Nitro, where he had been one of the cornerstones for the brand for well over fifteen years.

The match brought an end to a career, but not without celebrating it, proving to be a fast, excellent, action packed affair that highlighted the best of the cruiserweights. The division had come a long way to become one of the stand out styles of the WWF, beloved by fans. With the ending of the match, it was obvious that cruiserweight wrestling still had excellent performers to see it through.
 
John Cena vs. Kofi Nahaje
WWF World Cup Tournament
Souled Out
Phoenix, Arizona
12/02/2017

Wrestling had come a long way over the decades. Its landscape changed radically as society itself morphed around it, turning to wrestlers that would have been ignored decades ago and making them superstars. These changes had been seen many times over the years as the old gave way to the new as each new generation replaced the last.

The differences in roster was starting to show even more as things became noticeably more diverse. From Booker T being the first ever African-American champion to the growth of the latino market by using luchadore wrestlers, the WWF's roster had seen radical change in its make-up and style. The rise of minorities in wrestling had come about from this, with the diversity of wrestlers coming in from all over the globe being one of the roster's main strengths with its global appeal.

As a result, the WWF held its first ever World Cup Tournament in 2017 with different wrestlers representing different nations. Among these was Kofi Nahaje, a man who had been born in Ghana, but had was raised in the US. Having been a cornerstone of the midcard for his entire career, Nahaje had been slowly climbing the ranks, being known as a great wrestler who was on the cusp of a major main event push and the tournament had been created with this in mind.

With John Cena representing the US as he got to the finals of the tournament, Nahaje represented Ghana, still remaining a Face despite his foreign leanings. John Cena had served the WWF for a long time at this point, being a stalwart Champion and contender although never the main player of a brand. His own career was winding down and was looking to help those climbing to the top by putting them over.

With the winner of the bout looking to get a title match after WrestleMania, both men looked to get the big win. Both were veterans of many matches and their experience showed as they battled across the ring, Cena's more grounded style wearing down Nahaje even as the latter's own speed and hard strikes returned the favour.

With one chance to finally get a shot at the big time, Nahaje powered through however. Proving to be too slippery for Cena to keep down for long before he struck at the legs of the former Champion, wearing down his strength. Neither man would submit, with the match coming down to who could hid hardest and pin fastest.

It all ended once Cena's attempt at a shoulder block was dodged, giving Nahaje the perfect opportunity to hit his patented Eco-Kick right to Cena's skull that got him the three count. Having won his shot at the title, Nahaje would later go on to become WWF Champion after WrestleMania.

With Nahaje's victory, the WWF as a global company became even more apparent than before. Wrestlers from all over the globe could compete and even climb to the very top of the ladder. From the British Bulldog having won in Wembley Stadium to Kofi Nahaje's rise to the top, the WWF was a company that took in wrestlers from all over the world and showcased their abilities, becoming a truly international force.
 
Did GWF (or whatever the TNA equivalent is called right now) have something similar to the Hardy/Sting Victory Road incident of 2011?
 
Did GWF (or whatever the TNA equivalent is called right now) have something similar to the Hardy/Sting Victory Road incident of 2011?

Nope, was never run by Dixie Carter, but instead some old hands who knew what they were doing. GWF is a minor competitor, but has grown quite well over the years.
 
As a lifelong fan, I really enjoyed this. Interesting how Jim Ross got his shot at running WCW this T/L, only to fail regardless. Good job, @DAv!

Jim Ross seemed to old school in some ways, excellent eye for talent, but thought Dr. Death would be a main event player in the Attitude Era. While WCW did fold, it never reached the depths that OTL WCW did and still had a good name to it, hence its re-branding later on. Glad you enjoyed it.
 
Jim Ross seemed to old school in some ways, excellent eye for talent, but thought Dr. Death would be a main event player in the Attitude Era. While WCW did fold, it never reached the depths that OTL WCW did and still had a good name to it, hence its re-branding later on. Glad you enjoyed it.

He potentially could have been with a good manager. To me, it's a shame Terry Gordy fell apart the way he did, because Williams and Gordy were one hell of a tag team. Them and the Steiners were magic in 1991-92. WCW had so much talent they wasted in that period, too. Just a shame.
 
He potentially could have been with a good manager. To me, it's a shame Terry Gordy fell apart the way he did, because Williams and Gordy were one hell of a tag team. Them and the Steiners were magic in 1991-92. WCW had so much talent they wasted in that period, too. Just a shame.

To elaborate on Williams, he had the physical skills, and a good manager to handle the mic work would've gone a long way. Think how Lesnar gets booked. If Williams had gotten there in 1997, he just might have been.
 
He potentially could have been with a good manager. To me, it's a shame Terry Gordy fell apart the way he did, because Williams and Gordy were one hell of a tag team. Them and the Steiners were magic in 1991-92. WCW had so much talent they wasted in that period, too. Just a shame.

It's not quite as bad, booking was solid in Jim Ross' WCW, but not very exciting and very much steeped in old school thought. There was appeal, especially to an older audience, but didn't light the world on fire like the WWF was doing at the time and kinda got lost in the dust.
 
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