Some things will never sit right. Supplemented with archival footage of the promotion's glory days, the producers of Who Killed WCW? have treated viewers to a brutally honest examination of how one of the most successful wrestling circuits of all time came tumbling down in 2001. The truth is the truth is unknown, but as they say, sometimes the most obvious answer is correct.
Episode 3 detailed a desperate stretch for WCW as they brought in former WWE head writer Vince Russo, and when he couldn't fix their ratings issues Eric Bischoff was returned to the throne. He, too, was unable to course correct.
Talent, crew, and fans alike were dissatisfied with the product, especially with the WWE at the peak of its popularity. Generational wrestling superstars Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, Triple H, and The Undertaker were selling out arenas nationwide.
Episode 4. “The Final Nitro” Recap
The final episode begins with never-before-seen footage shot by WCW cameraman Scott Lansing, providing a candid look at WCW Monday Nitro from March 26, 2001, in Panama City, Florida. Using a handheld video camera, Lansing documented the production setup for what many suspected would be the final event ever for WCW.
The body language conveyed the impending doom. Wrestlers moved through prematch run-throughs ghostlike, defeated, with the inevitable three-count drawing near.
The script for that night’s episode contained something traitorous; the name Vince McMahon. The CEO and Chairman of World Wrestling Entertainment, their one and only rival, was in the building, metaphorically, pre-recording a segment. The WWE had officially won the battle and the war.
A sale had been completed.
Surprising many, the reality was Time Warner executives had been planning a sale for some time. Turner Broadcasting had merged with internet company America Online in late 2000, new CEO Jamie Kellner was keen on dumping wrestling from their networks.
Whether it was a distaste for the profession or a hatred for the content WCW was creating, Kellner had his sights on evacuating the product from the jump.
Time Warner executive Stu Snyder gave Bishoff the go-ahead to sell World Championship Wrestling. Bischoff found a buyer offering around $65 million with broadcasting rights to stay with Time Warner on Mondays and Thursdays.
Kellner squashed the deal.
This lead the way for WWE to sweep in and acquire its competition for a whopping $4.3 million dollars. You read that right; under 7% of the already-negotiated offer. What gives?
There are a few conspiracies floating around about the selling price, and whether each side's execs personally benefitted from the close-out sale.
While the business behind the curtain could take the (pin)fall for WCW’s demise, there may actually have been another moment in this episode that truly encapsulates why the promotion ultimately could never weather the storm.
Kevin Nash candidly brags about not “going down with the Titanic.” He specifically refers to not appearing in the last episode of Monday Nitro. In my opinion, therein lies the answer to the titular question: Who Killed WCW?
The wrestlers who performed that final night included Booker T., Sting, Rey Mysterio, and Ric Flair. They were the consummate professionals who carried the company in its fleeting moments while the top guys - Nash, Hulk Hogan, Bill Goldberg - played politics.
Ultimately they couldn’t be the face of the WCW during the final curtain call. It all leaves a sour taste as a series of "What Ifs" unfold.
What if the top earners in the company had put over more of their homegrown talent and shoved their egos aside?
What if a healthy Sting pinned Hulk Hogan clean at Starcade 1997, instead of the botched fast count, Bret Hart interaction and restart of the match?
What if Goldberg stayed undefeated longer?
What if Kevin Nash and Hulk Hogan actually wrestled in lieu of the infamous “finger poke of doom?”
Fans will never know for sure, but they will always wonder.
As the docuseries wraps, viewers are given a montage of memorable moments, for better or worse. Hogan joins the NWO, Sting descends from the rafters, Goldberg holds two championship belts to the roar of a sold-out Georgia Dome, wrestler Jeff Jarrett lies down for the pin at Bash at the Beach, and even a nod to the old WCW Nintendo 64 video games.
What a ride it was.
The final episodes comes to an end when Nash, for all of his personal shortcomings, speaks from the perspective of Eric Bischoff in a moment that brings the man himself to tears, “I beat Vince McMahon at professional wrestling for 83 weeks.”
That in and of itself is something to be proud of. It was a moment in time true wrestling fans will never forget. Whether looking back fondly at its glory or while cringing at terrible booking, fans won’t soon forget World Championship Wrestling, brother.
Rodriguez’ Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
After four weeks, VICE has concluded its pro wrestling docuseries “Who Killed WCW?”— Produced by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s Seven Bucks Productions and the team behind the long-running Dark Side of the Ring.
