that certain Chris (i think its the Chris your talking about, assuming it rhymes with Krispen Wah) would be a very good choice.

Vince-Russo-3.png


Time to find out.

January 24th 1998

WCW Souled Out 1998
Hara Arena in Toledo, Ohio
Attendance: 5,000

Chris Jericho def. Owen Hart in 18:32[1]
Ultimo Dragon def. Eddie Guerrero and Dean Malenko for the Crusierweight title 15:43
Harlem Heat def. The Hart Foundation in 08:23
Vicious and Delicious (Buff Bagwell and Scott Norton) def. The Steiner Bros and the World's Strongest Deal (D'lo Brown and Mark Henry) for the tag team titles in 10:26 [2]
Mankind def. Rob Van Dam in 19:43
DDP def. Steve Austin for the vacant us title in 21:43
Bret Hart and Sting def. The Rock and Ron Simmons in 25:26 [3]
Brian Pillman def. TBA for the World Heavyweight title in 35:43.
TBA: Chris Kanyon comes to the ring only to get suplexed to hell and back by Chris Benoit. Benoit wants in this match less for Uncensored 1996 and leaving the horsemen.

Author's note: [1] the tv title match is off because Perry Saturn was tv champ before the POD.
Wrestler's note:
[2] Rick ends up taking the fall (he's been doing so for the last month in every non title match the steiners have had all month, and Scott's none to pleased about it, setting up his turn and the rise of big poppa pump.
[3] Rock smacks Ron Simmons in the back of the head and cuts a promo afterwards saying that getting rid of the old guard also includes "that jabroni Ron Simmons"

Alright, let's keep htis going.
 
Last edited:
Vince-Russo-3.png


It was actually Chris Kanyon.

well then..... anyway go for it. No need to ask me really, it is collaborative after all (I love the idea anyway, it would be different from OTL which is great).
edit: i will only say, was he getting main event booking, also, is he main event caliber? I mean granted, they don't have much of a choice right now as it is.
 
Last edited:
Ok i've deleted my previous post on this and putting this as the final one from 19 of Jan 98.

19 January 1998:
Monday Night Nitro would debut a new theme song by Marilyn Manson "The Beautiful People". This program would be the first TV-M program the program hosted, with a move towards a more adult program after souled out. This didn't prevent WWF Raw having a segment making fun of WCW for reusing the theme they used before (even if it was for only 3 Raw's). WCW's main event where the Cruserweight Title was defended in a ladder match between Ultimo Dragon, Eddie Guerrero and Chris Jericho (Dragon would retain whilst Guerrero and Jericho fought below), the show also featured The Rock and Booker T vs Steve Austin and Brian Pillman, a confrontation between DDP and Bret Hart as well as a backstage brawl between Chris Kanyon and Chris Benoit (plus the infamous Scott Steiner promo on his brother that turned into a shoot on Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair and Shawn Micheals).

WWF Raw would have a main event of Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage vs Scott Hall, Kevin Nash and Shawn Micheals in a 2 on 3 Handicap match. The ratings were WCW Nitro: 3.4, WWF Raw: 3.6. Thus making it the closest the two have been in months (due to the highly received Souled Out PPV and the disappointing build toward the Royal Rumble).

WWF Royal Rumble Recap:

24 January 1998: The WWF hosted the Royal Rumble at San Jose Arena in San Jose California.

The results were:
  1. Big Van Vader defeated Yokozuna
  2. New Age Outlaws (With Chyna) defeated Al Snow and Steve Blackman
  3. The Outsiders (Scott Hall and Kevin Nash) Defeated The Legion of Doom (C) (Hawk and Animal) - WWF Tag Team Championship
  4. HHH defeated Jeff Jarrett (c) and Randy Savage - Intercontinental Championship
  5. Hulk Hogan won by last eliminating Kane - Royal Rumble Match
  6. Shawn Micheals (c) (With HHH, Scott Hall, Kevin Nash) vs Undertaker - Casket Match for WWF Championship
Notes from the matches:
  1. Yokozuna, having just returned, looked in much better shape than he had before, working a short, but intense match with Vader.
  2. Mainly filler, but their was about a week of build beforehand
  3. Nash and Hall had inserted themselves back into the tag team division, with them tormenting both members of the legion.
  4. Jarrett won the vacated Intercontinental championship on an episode of raw in December after a short 8 man tournament. HHH would hit Savage with a steel chair behind the referees back and pin him to win.
  5. Hogan would come in at #28 to a massive pop, clearing house. He would use Kane's own momentum to eliminate him to the adulation of the crowd. Kane would eliminate 12 other people (a record at the time).
  6. Micheals vs Taker would be an epic 30 minute match, however Micheals would require assistance from HHH, Hall and Nash to win the match. Post Match, the Hulkster would come down to the ring to confront Micheals, but get beaten down by DX (after a quick staredown with Nash and Hall, HHH would jump him first). Randy Savage would run down to make the save along with Snow and Blackman. Leading to the main event of No Way out (Shawn Micheals, HHH, Scott Hall, Kevin Nash vs Hogan, Savage, Snow, Blackman in an 8 man unsanctioned match).
Now Onwards toward Superbrawl 8 and No Way Out.
 
(What do you think of this WCW Card for Superbrawl 8)

January 28: WCW would acquire many licensed tracks. Therefore buying themes for DDP (who would now use Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit"), Brian Pillman ( L7's "Shitlist"), RVD (Pantera's "Walk"), Raven (The Offspring's "Come out and Play"), just to begin with. This was acquired at a discount rate due to their connections within the industry. Management, realising the success of the first wrestling boom and its music connections, wanted better entrance music for their top and rising superstars.

Now Just a week out from WCW Superbrawl 8, live at the Cow Palace, on the 22nd of February, we now have the full, confirmed card for the event.

Card.

  1. The Hart Foundation and Sting vs Harlem Heat and 2 Cold Scorpio - Street Fight [1]
  2. Goldberg vs Disco Inferno - Streak vs Career [2]
  3. Eddie Guerrero vs Chris Jericho - WCW Crusierweight Championship [3]
  4. Chris Kanyon vs Chris Benoit - No Disqualification Match [4]
  5. Owen Hart vs Raven - WCW Television Championship [5]
  6. Vicious and Delicious vs The World Strongest Deal - WCW World Tag Team Title Match [6]
  7. DDP vs Bret Hart vs The Rock vs Stone Cold Steve Austin - WCW US Title [7]
  8. Brian Pillman vs Konnan - WCW World Heavyweight Championship [8]
[1] the NWO would jump sting during the events of the battle royal, eliminating him in the process (after a low blow). Sting would take exception to the NWO's actions
[2] Disco Inferno was so confident in the fact that he could beat Goldberg, he was willing to wager his WCW career on the line for it. Goldberg could only laugh and admire this. He accepted the challenge.
[3] Dragon would lose his title on a WCW Thunder to Eddie Guerrero. Chris Jericho would take exception, leading to the feud and this title match. The winner of this match could not rest however, as the winner will go on to face the winner of Rey Mysterio, Chavo Guerrero Jr, Juventud Guerrera and Rob Van Dam at Spring Stampede.
[4] Their was plenty of bad blood between the two men, with Kanyon claiming he was robbed of a fair chance of facing Pillman. Benoit claiming this was just what he deserved.
[5] Hart would win the television championship off of Saturn. Hart was far from happy however, claiming this title was beneath him and that he should be World Heavyweight Champion. Raven would return and mess with the younger Hart, cutting eerie promos about television and how it holds the power to the people's mind and that with the title, he will have the key to the people.
[6] The Worlds strongest deal would want revenge, as they weren't pinned at Souled Out. They would attack Vicious and Delicious weekly, beating them with steel chairs, tormenting them mentally and physically.
[7] This storyline began with a DDP and Bret Hart confrontation the Nitro after Souled Out. The Rock and the NWO would interject however in the following weeks between the two. In the meanwhile, the NWO would take Ron Simmons out of action (by hitting his leg repeatedly with a led pipe). The Rock would finally get his wish with DDP giving him a shot along with Bret Hart at the U.S. Title. Stone Cold however would jump the Rock as well as stunner DDP, stating he had unfinished business. Leading to a loaded fatal 4 way match for the United States Championship
[8] Konnan would win a Battle Royal on the 2nd of Feb Nitro addition to become #1 contender. This was a feud that would be full of 3 weeks of great promos (the two would interact on all Nitro's and Thunder's) as well as brawls. Konnan claiming that he would take the world title off of that 'white trash', whilst Pillman would 'throw his ass back across the border'. This intense feud all leading to their match at Superbrawl.
 
Last edited:
This is gonna be a good card for superbrawl, but before we jump headway into that and no way out 1998 ecw ran their own ppv cyberslam the day before. Let's have this be the start of a little turn in the itself, because while Paul still owns and operates ecw, he's no longer the main booker. Tommy dreamer and gabe sapolsky are booking the cards now.

Jerry Lynn def. Ultimo Dragon for #1 contender to the tv title in 20:00.[1]
Al snow def. Tracy smothers in 7:23
Lance storm def. Chris Candido 18:29
Taz vs. Ron Simmons for the tv title in 10:24. [1]
The hardcore swinging chair freaks (Ask rotten and balls mahoney) and the sandman def. The dudleys in 16:34 [2]
The triple threat (bam bam bigelow and Shane douglas) def. Rob van dam and sabu in 21:24[3]

Notes from the matches
[1] Dragon's here as part of the talent swap along with the fact that everyone had their eyes on dragon when he was still working war. Ron Simmons just here to put over the youngsters and is replacing brakkus in this match due to wwe getting cold feet over the last few nitro's within spitting distance of raw.
[2] Spike Dudley runs in and knocks both bubba Ray and Devon out with a chair before sprinting away in the crowd. The gangsters will give him a hand afterwards to build up at living dangerously.
[3] RVD gets the infamous "you sold out" chants all throughout the match.

So what ya think.
 
This is gonna be a good card for superbrawl, but before we jump headway into that and no way out 1998 ecw ran their own ppv cyberslam the day before. Let's have this be the start of a little turn in the itself, because while Paul still owns and operates ecw, he's no longer the main booker. Tommy dreamer and gabe sapolsky are booking the cards now.

Jerry Lynn def. Ultimo Dragon for #1 contender to the tv title in 20:00.[1]
Al snow def. Tracy smothers in 7:23
Lance storm def. Chris Candido 18:29
Taz vs. Ron Simmons for the tv title in 10:24. [1]
The hardcore swinging chair freaks (Ask rotten and balls mahoney) and the sandman def. The dudleys in 16:34 [2]
The triple threat (bam bam bigelow and Shane douglas) def. Rob van dam and sabu in 21:24[3]

Notes from the matches
[1] Dragon's here as part of the talent swap along with the fact that everyone had their eyes on dragon when he was still working war. Ron Simmons just here to put over the youngsters and is replacing brakkus in this match due to wwe getting cold feet over the last few nitro's within spitting distance of raw.
[2] Spike Dudley runs in and knocks both bubba Ray and Devon out with a chair before sprinting away in the crowd. The gangsters will give him a hand afterwards to build up at living dangerously.
[3] RVD gets the infamous "you sold out" chants all throughout the match.

So what ya think.

Love it. I like the idea of a talent swap thing going on. Wonder how we could bring this in and involve the other companies such as New Japan (not sure which other companies they have deals with, AAA perhaps)?

I'd say since Kurt Angle did sign on way back when on a pre-contract. Maybe he debuts in ECW and works his way up to WCW (would be a great angle no pun intended, the 3 I's in ECW), but that would be down the line.

Also the card is great i'd say (Why no ECW title match though, unless their is a specific reason as to not have it in).

If Pauly is off booking, maybe we could have him transition into the head booking position of WCW (given he's head consultant as it is). Maybe Dusty steps down into the consulting role and Paul moves into head booker status.

Also what did you have in mind for the No Way Out Card?
 
Love it. I like the idea of a talent swap thing going on. Wonder how we could bring this in and involve the other companies such as New Japan (not sure which other companies they have deals with, AAA perhaps.

Also what did you have in mind for the No Way Out Card?

Well in may, that is when new Japan's best of the super junior tournament takes place. I want to send Jericho and one of the luchadores over to Japan. (probably psychosis) As for aaa, how bout slamboree being a co promoted show a la world cup of wrestling.

Shane Douglas vs Tazz for the ECW title sounds like a good program.

It is a good program, but living dangerously gonna be building up the next two contenders.
 
Well in may, that is when new Japan's best of the super junior tournament takes place. I want to send Jericho and one of the luchadores over to Japan. (probably psychosis) As for aaa, how bout slamboree being a co promoted show a la world cup of wrestling.



It is a good program, but living dangerously gonna be building up the next two contenders.

Jericho is getting used (in a major storyline no less), i was thinking send someone like Mysterio, Chavo and/or Juventud.

Yeah Slamboree being a joint event wouldn't be a bad idea.
 
12 November 1997: Hulk Hogan, Kevin Nash, Ric Flair, Scott Hall and several other members of the roster would be unhappy with the Hart family's roster. Turner, who had wanted to reduce the overall salary (as well as tensions in the locker room), decided to phone McMahon to make a deal to take these members on. McMahon, who had just lost the entire Hart family to WCW, was very keen to gain some star power.

This is pure ASB. The nWo storyline was still hot at the time and there's no way WCW effectively gives the WWF the keys to beating them in the ratings. Plus, this is also ignoring the fact that Hogan, Nash, and Hall all had creative control clauses. Again. Vince isn't going to want this. This is also missing the point of the reason why Hart jumped ship to WCW. WCW was beating the WWF in the ratings and this was beginning to hit the company financially. There was a real chance that with different decisions, WCW could have won the Monday Night Wars. There were certainly ways to navigate around "creative control." While WCW certainly would have been better off in the end without the Outsiders and Hogan, that wasn't true in November 1997.
 
This is pure ASB. The nWo storyline was still hot at the time and there's no way WCW effectively gives the WWF the keys to beating them in the ratings. Plus, this is also ignoring the fact that Hogan, Nash, and Hall all had creative control clauses. Again. Vince isn't going to want this. This is also missing the point of the reason why Hart jumped ship to WCW. WCW was beating the WWF in the ratings and this was beginning to hit the company financially. There was a real chance that with different decisions, WCW could have won the Monday Night Wars. There were certainly ways to navigate around "creative control." While WCW certainly would have been better off in the end without the Outsiders and Hogan, that wasn't true in November 1997.

he jumped cause of Vince and him being screwed first and foremost. The Montreal Screwjob and Shawn Micheals bs, along with Vince willingly letting him go (since he did give Vince a Black eye) is what did it.

However it is a bit ASB there is no denying it (however, maybe a necessary evil without it being a drawn out saga revolving around Hogan, Nash and Hall.

Hogan, Nash and Hall don't get creative clauses in this TL going to the WWF, they would still have pull but without the control in contract (cause like you said, Vince won't give creative control).

as for WCW's reasoning, they get rid of the 3, however, they do retain some other major stars and focus more on their booking. in this tl, Turner does want to reduce the wage bill, because despite the money they were making, the bottom line wasn't so great. Plus the heat they had backstage (with everyone) made the decision somewhat easier). Think of it as a calculated gamble. They knew they would lose out in the ratings war initially, but long term it would be better for the company (they knew they were getting 2 future stars, because by the end of 97, it was clear The Rock and Stone Cold were legit, plus getting members of the nation helped).

WWF's wage bill in this tl is significantly higher than WCW's right now, however the ratings (as shown from the post Souled Out show, has already started closing, whilst that was one off and WWF are winning still, WCW has closed the gap significantly, also, the WWF won't have its own way).
 
Last edited:
I'm sorry OP but this is massively ASB I have problems with the premise of Paul Heyman working with WCW when 2 years prior he just won a lawsuit against them Paul is many things but stupid isn't one of them there is no way he can book successfully for it to work with ECW wrestlers in WCW the last thing Billionaire Ted is going to want is ECW style wrestling on his channel on Monday nights and finally even if Ted drinks Paul E's Koolaid there is no chance in hell you can sell that to the WCW fans who prefer wrestling over the cartoon stuff Vince had been doing for years. Second Ted Turner would never have been able to take the entire Hart family Bret, Anvil and Bulldog yes but not Owen he had a contract and considering all the stuff that had happened between Hall and Nash signing and the original point your not going to get Vince not to put up a fight Owen can't get out and Vince had spent the last few years trying his best to sue WCW for contract issues, gimmick infringement and being a monopoly in the wrestling industry so if Owen quits he's in court and not on tv ruining his drawing power. Third Vince has run down Hogan and Savage publically on Raw and any time he had the chance since they both left they aren't going back to the WWF. Hall and Nash won't because they are making more money than Vince has offered and in Vince's mind he's been betrayed by them both so they aren't getting a chance anytime soon Luger isn't either for the stunt he pulled pre Nitro debut, Austin wouldn't have dealt with WCW after the way he got fired if Vince was stupid enough to release him then he's heading to Japan as quick as he can probably with Foley who has by this point already quit WCW twice in his career. The only entire bit of the talent swap I can't argue with is Flair although even then not in the way your suggesting. If you want WCW to survive logically the only justifiable chance you have is OTL Bischoff is somehow able to get a tv deal with someone and he runs it at best you could possible have a TNA during the Spike TV years where the WWF/E is a outright industry leader but WCW is the viable alternative.
 
I'm sorry OP but this is massively ASB I have problems with the premise of Paul Heyman working with WCW when 2 years prior he just won a lawsuit against them Paul is many things but stupid isn't one of them there is no way he can book successfully for it to work with ECW wrestlers in WCW the last thing Billionaire Ted is going to want is ECW style wrestling on his channel on Monday nights and finally even if Ted drinks Paul E's Koolaid there is no chance in hell you can sell that to the WCW fans who prefer wrestling over the cartoon stuff Vince had been doing for years. Second Ted Turner would never have been able to take the entire Hart family Bret, Anvil and Bulldog yes but not Owen he had a contract and considering all the stuff that had happened between Hall and Nash signing and the original point your not going to get Vince not to put up a fight Owen can't get out and Vince had spent the last few years trying his best to sue WCW for contract issues, gimmick infringement and being a monopoly in the wrestling industry so if Owen quits he's in court and not on tv ruining his drawing power. Third Vince has run down Hogan and Savage publically on Raw and any time he had the chance since they both left they aren't going back to the WWF. Hall and Nash won't because they are making more money than Vince has offered and in Vince's mind he's been betrayed by them both so they aren't getting a chance anytime soon Luger isn't either for the stunt he pulled pre Nitro debut, Austin wouldn't have dealt with WCW after the way he got fired if Vince was stupid enough to release him then he's heading to Japan as quick as he can probably with Foley who has by this point already quit WCW twice in his career. The only entire bit of the talent swap I can't argue with is Flair although even then not in the way your suggesting. If you want WCW to survive logically the only justifiable chance you have is OTL Bischoff is somehow able to get a tv deal with someone and he runs it at best you could possible have a TNA during the Spike TV years where the WWF/E is a outright industry leader but WCW is the viable alternative.

he sued because of things leading from Bill Watts, who is long gone from the company. Also Turner went to him in this tl and apologises if that helps, Heyman also knows that the financial assistance will help ECW so he is happy to take the money (Vince ain't offering it ittl). Also WCW isn't doing ECW booking. Think about the WWF at the time, it may have been taking elements from ECW, but it wasn't ECW. This is sort of what WCW is doing here. It is still in essence, WCW (focuses on stories etc) but isn't going with no rules chaos, after all, ECW still exists (also Dusty is head booker, Heyman is head consultant atm), if anything, i'd argue its closer to some kind of edgier WCW style with emphasis on wrestling and storylines, after all, Dusty knows his stuff and Heyman is no one trick pony. WWF still has an attitude era edge but is also going the way of flashiness and big show feel.

Vince lets Owen go as crazy as that sounds. Vince realises its probably better to get rid of them all than have a person who has no interest in being there and isn't even going to be any good as a job guy either as he probably will just sabotage that, so, maybe against his better judgement, he lets him go (this is also a point of divergence for the whole Hart family, its very much intentional). Also Vince isn't an idiot, the fake Diesel and Razor Ramon thing fell flat on its face and he knew it. Also its wrestling, never say never and all that, also Vince is taking on their WCW contracts minus booking clauses, Bischoff is going to WWF purely as a booker and an on screen character and nothing else (McMahon has him on a short lease).

Vince running Hogan and Savage on TV, yeah i'm going to turn that into an Angle to be honest. I remember seeing that segment and thought, if both are brought over (and like eldandy suggested, create a corporate horseman), Vince can feud with Hogan (i mean they did the feud in 02 i think). Vince vs Hogan would be money after all.

Austin was fired by Bischoff (and with the way things turned out, Turner is none to happy about that) so Turner goes over Bischoff and gets it done (also ittl, Bischoff's power is slowly being stripped away as his booking style is just unsustainable and Turner, despite the ratings, isn't all that happy with how much money he's paying for them to be acting the way they are). As you can see, Austin is getting a pretty decent push (also Austin respects Dusty and Heyman a lot and with no Bischoff and politicking, he has a free parth).

Also what your suggesting is essentially TNA though and i'd rather not remember TNA under Bischoff and Hogan (that is what really killed it, a geriatric Hulk Hogan running through the likes of AJ Styles, Austin Aries and Samoa Joe).

tldr: Vince, Heyman, Turner and all of the other men involved aren't going to let their pride get in the way if their is major money to be made.
 
February 18 1998: The No Way Out PPV in the Compaq Centre, Houston Texas, occured, with this being the main event on the road to wrestlemania. the WWF would put on a big man heavy card (Kane vs Yokozuna, Undertaker vs Big Van Vader and the 8 man unsanctioned match) as well as having the inaugural WWF European champion crowned in a battle royal match. Whilst the card was at first met with scepticism, the show was able to deliver a show that was considered passable to good (the worst received match being the mini's, with the best match being Vader vs Undertaker).
  1. El Torito def. Max Mini
  2. Edge Last Eliminated Tatanka (Final 5 - Edge, Tatanka, Al Snow, Steve Blackman, Kurragan) - 20 Man Battle Royal for the WWF European Championship
  3. The New Age Outlaws Def The New Blackjacks
  4. The Rock n Roll Express w/Jim Cornette Def The Headbangers
  5. Kane Def Yokozuna
  6. Undertaker and Big Van Vader was a no contest
  7. Jeff Jarrett Def Lex Luger
  8. Shawn Michaels, HHH, Kevin Nash and Scott Hall Def Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, Hawk and Animal - Unsanctioned 8 man tag team match
[1] An opening match, booked moreso to please Vince than anything else. Throwaway match that didn't mean much, however was not a good match by any means, but the crowd were into it.
[2] Tatanka would return to the WWF after his hiatus from wrestling to a massive pop. Edge, who had debuted his character on TV 3 weeks prior (as a dark, brooding loner), he shocked everyone and eliminated Tatanka to win the title.
[3] The New Age Outlaws would defeat the Blackjacks in a reasonably competitive tag team match, however the Outlaw's tactics would see them separate Windham long enough to wear him down and win the match. Bradshaw would attack his partner after the match, indicating the team was done.
[4] Jim Cornette would cut a promo before the match, Running down the state of Texas, The Headbangers and their love for metal and the other tag teams. This would be a very competitive match that could have gone either way, however, Jim Cornette would intervene and use his tennis racket to give the RnR the advantage and win.
[5] Kane would face his Yokozuna in what was billed as an exhibition match between, became heated very quickly.
[6] The match wouldn't go 5 minutes before Yokozuna would attack the Undertaker, still remembering what Undertaker did to him more than 3 years prior. Vader would not be that happy however, attacking Yokozuna for interupting the match, afterward, Kane would run and attack Yokozuna and Vader, not before Undertaker would get up and it would descend into chaos (with all 4 men attacking each other). Taking almost all the security and wrestlers to separate them.
[7] Jarrett would defeat Lex Luger in a relatively tame singles match (in comparison to the last match) in just over 10 minutes.
[8] This match involved all 3 major champions (the WWF, Intercontinental and Tag Team Champions) facing the most likely challengers. The Kliq would take advantage of the unsanctioned rules, using whatever weapons they could find and use the numbers game to their advantage. After the match (and the Kliq had returned to the back), Mr McMahon would come out and run down Hogan and Savage and say ("You would be nothing without me Hogan, Nothing! Without me, their would be no Hulkamania or Hulkamaniacs, their would be no Hulk Hogan because remember, I made you!").
 
Top