WCW a new era.

In 2001 the WWE bought out what was WCW. Allthough the WWE made attempts to make it look as if WCW was a seperate entity, it was not.

Before the sale to WWE, Eric Bischoff and Fussient media ventures were in talks to buy WCW. When the plug was pulled on Wrestling on Turner network, the WCW had no tv deal, and thus Fussient had no interest in the WCW any longer.

What if Bischoff found a new network? What if Bischoff and Fussient then go ahead with the purchase? This new OTL is my attempt to answer those questions.

This is my first time line, so please be easy on this noob. Many, many thanks to Hashasheen. This would not have been possible without his help.

WCW A NEW ERA.

March 2001. WCW is reportedly sold to Fussient Media Ventures with Eric Bischoff.

March 26th, 2001. Final Monday Nitro broadcast on Turner. Billed as "Night of Champions".

May 1st, 2001. Fussient Media Ventures announces deal with the FX network. WCW will be shown on Wenesday nights in a 2 hour prime time slot. Eric Bischoff will head day to day operations of WCW. Show will begin in June.

May 15th, 2001. Excerpt from Pro Wrestling Insider magazine's interview with Eric Bischoff.
PWI: How many of the WCW regulars will we see on this new show?
EB: We were able to sign many of the guys. Some of the guys had some big money deals with AOL and chose to sit on their contracts, but hey that's their choice. We've got an exciting new direction, and one hell of a show planned. Some guys are going to be upset not being a part of it.
PWI: Can you name names? Will we see for instance Goldberg?
EB: Look, I'm excited where WCW is headed on FX. I'm excited, my partners are excited, and the guys are excited. Do we really want to talk about who's not going to be on the show? Let's talk about who is.
PWI: Allright, who is? I'm sure fans still would like to know about Goldberg though.
EB: Yeah, I get that. Allright, sorry fans, no Goldberg. Hey we've got DDP, and Booker T lined up. Alot of the cruiserweights are coming back. We're even working on a few names that fans will know, that weren't part of the old WCW..............................

May 24th, 2001. FX begin to air commercials about the new WCW. Fans will recognize Buff Bagwell, Rey Mysterio, and Diamond Dallas Page in this new commercial. Page has the only line in the commercial, "Hey FX, are you ready to ..........feel.....the..........BANG"! Giving his traditional Diamond hand gesture.
 
Early June, 2001. WCW debuts on FX.

Camera opens on announce table. At center, Mike Tenay sits, and begins to speak. "Welcome fans to what is surely a historic night. Tonight, WCW rises from the ashes of what it was, to become something new. Tonight, World Championship Wrestling debuts on its new home FX. On behalf of FX, and Fussient Media Ventures, we welcome you to WCW. I'm Mike Tenay. Along side me are my broadcast colleegs, Scott Hudson, and the lengendary Jimmy Hart. Tonight isn't just about wrestling, it's about starting over, and finding your identity again. With that in mind let's go to ringside.

Announcer is heard, "Ladies and gentleman, please welcome WCW's president, Eric Bischoff".

Bischoff heads to the ring. He steps in and grabs a mic. "Good evening, and welcome to a brand new WCW! I'm excited tonight, and I hope you fans are as well. Tonight is about new beginings. Tonight is about WCW reclaiming its spot as the number one wrestling company in the world. I am pleased to announce that we have a great show lined up for the fans tonight. Are you guys ready to start this thing or what? OK, tonight we start down that road to reclaiming the top spot in the business, and to do that we need to have the best champions in the business. Tonight, we will have a series of qualifying matches to determine who will wrestle for WCW's championships. The Tag Team titles, the Cruiserweight title, the television title, the US title, and yes, even the World title. Are you guys ready? Lets do this!"

Commercial break.

The show returns. Jimmy Hart speaks, "This is going to be oh so exciting baby. I can't wait to see who's wrestling for the titles".
Scott Hudson interupts, Wait no longer Jimmy, here's the line up for tonight. For the right to challenge for the Tag Team titles Buff Bagwell and Lex Luger will face Sean O'Haire and Chuck Palumbo. TV title qualifying match will see Crowbar face Shawn Stasiak. Lance Storm will face Konnan for a spot in the US title match. Rey Mysterio will face Chavo for the right to seek the Cruiserweight belt. Most importantly, Jeff Jarrett will face Scott Steiner in a World title qualifying match."
Mike Tenay: "Let's remember fans, these are qualification matches. Next week, we will see another round of matches, and our champions will be determined two weeks from tonight. You don't want to miss that."
 
Ok, let's get the elephant out of the way. Will they be retaining Vince Russo, the man who lost that company sixty million dollars and flushed away 99% of the PPV audience?
 
Rey Mysterio VS. Chavo.
Very fast paced match, lots of high flying. The match seemed to be over when Chavo gave Rey a spinebuster into the ring steps. Rey battled back, and hit the hurriconrana for the win at the 10:13 mark.

Crowbar VS. Shawn Stasiak.
After both participants hit the ring, Scott Norton came down the ramp. The ref came outside the ring to cut him off and they argued for a moment. More refs came down and tried to get the big man to leave. Meanwhile the announce team speculated as to why he was there. Cut to commercial. After the break Norton was still at ringside yelling at the refs. Another ref then came to ringside holding some paperwork. Norton seemed pleased by this. The ring announcer then announced that Scott Norton would be added to the match, and it was now a three way dance. The announce team seemed stunned by this. Crowbar and Stasiak proceeded to double team Norton, enraged by this new third party. After Norton recived a beatdown and was dumped from the ring, the two went after each other. Crowbar seemed to have Stasiak right where he wanted him and went to the top rope. Norton appeared and shoved him off to the floor. With Crowbar stunned, Norton then powerslammed Stasiak for the 1-2-3.

Lance Storm VS. Konnan
Well paced match. Storm seemed one step ahead at all times. Konnan refued to lose however. After Konnan kicked out of 9 seperate 2 counts, Storm secured the victory with the Canadian Maple Leaf.

Cut to back stage with Mean Gene Okerland.
Gene: Hello fans and welcome to the new WCW. My guest at this time is none other than Diamond Dallas Page. Welcome DDP.
DDP: Hey Gene it's great to be here.
Gene: Next week you face Booker T for the right to challenge for the WCW world title, your thoughts?
DDP: My thoughts? My thoughts? Well I got alot of respect for Booker, but respect only goes so far. Book, when we get in that ring, I will let nothing stand in my way of becoming WCW world champ.
Gene: With that in mind if you beat Booker T....
DDP: WOA Gene, woa. If? Don't you mean when, I beat Booker T?
Gene: Ok. Presuming you win, you'll then face in 2 weeks time the winner of the Steiner/Jarrett match tonight, with the world title up for grabs. Does it matter to you who wins tonight?
DDP: As I said Gene, nothing, and nobody will stop me from winning the world title. In two weeks, I'll be holding that big gold belt up, and I'll be WCW world champ. So Steiner, Jarrett, Booker T, it doesn't matter. Everyone in my way will feel.............the...........BANG!
Gene: Back to you guys.

O'Haire & Palumbo VS. Luger & Bagwell
O'Haire and Palumbo hit the ring first. When Bagwell and Luger are introduced no one shows. After a few moments we cut to the back. Luger is on the floor in pain clutching his shoulder, while Bagwell stands over him. Bagwell shouts for help, while Luger claims it was O'Haire that did this. Cut to Commercial. Back from break, and Bagwell is headed to the ring. Detrmined to go alone. Bagwell is on fire early, clearing the ring. The numbers catch up eventually and Bagwell is out of gas. Luger emerges from backstage, his arm in a sling. Bagwell makes the tag and Luger is in. O'Haire and Palumbo go after the injured arm of Luger, and it's not long before they force Luger to submit.

Jeff Jarrett VS. Scott Steiner
Steiner starts strong, using his power to gain early control. Jarrett looks finished. A well placed thumb to Steiner's eye and Jarrett gets a reprive. Jarrett manages to get the figure four on, but Steiner is able to power out. Steiner goes back on offense. Jarrett ducks a clothesline, and it hits the ref. With the ref down and out, Jarrett uses the guitar to smash Steiner. Jarrett covers, and a groggy ref makes the slow 3 count.
 

Hashasheen

Banned
1. Space your paragraphs.
2. What happened to the Cruiserweight tag-team championships?
3. Why was the television title reactivated?
4. I await more. :)
 
1. Space your paragraphs.
2. What happened to the Cruiserweight tag-team championships?
3. Why was the television title reactivated?
4. I await more. :)

Thanks, I'm glad you like it so far.

As far as the Cruiserweight tag titles, I always felt they watered down an already watered down tag team division. So I guess it stems from a personal dislike, but the title has been deactivated in my time line.

The television title had been a long standing title in WCW's history. In order to re-connect with the past, it has been reactivated.
 
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