Original subtitles

[MUSIC]

THROUGHOUT THE 1990S, MONDAY

NIGHT SERVED AS A PRIMETIME

BATTLEFIELD THAT TRANSFORMED

PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING INTO

SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT.

TED TURNER'S WCW TOOK ON VINCE

MCMAHON'S WWE FOR RATING

SUPREMACY AT THE RISK OF

EXTINCTION AS INNOVATION AND

EVOLUTION PAVED THE WAY FOR A

KING TO BE CROWNED.

VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED.

IN WHAT WAS ONCE A

MALE-DOMINATED INDUSTRY, FEMALE

SUPERSTARS TOOK CENTER STAGE.

WHAT IN THE WORLD?

IS THAT A--IS THAT A WOMAN?

EMPOWERED WOMEN BECAME AN

ESSENTIAL PART OF AN UPRISING

ATTITUDE.

AND GENDER ROLES IN SPORTS

ENTERTAINMENT WERE CHANGED

FOREVER.

OH.

OH, MY GOD.

OH.

THIS IS THE MONDAY NIGHT WAR.

I GUARANTEE YOU, HELL HATH NO

FURY LIKE A WOMAN SCORNED.

[MUSIC]

HULK HOGAN HAS BETRAYED WCW.

WHAT IN THE HELL IS HE DOING

HERE?

WELCOME TO MONDAY NIGHT RAW.

MONDAY NITRO.

AUSTIN 3:16 SAYS I JUST

WHIPPED YOUR -- .

BRET SCREWED BRET.

THE NEW WORLD ORDER, BROTHER.

CAN YOU SUCK IT?

WE ARE AT WAR.

[MUSIC]

THIS IS A SPECIAL LADIES'

TAG-TEAM ATTRACTION.

ONE FALL WITH A THIRTY-MINUTE

TIME LIMIT.

IN THE 1970S AND EARLY 80S,

THE FEMALE COMPETITORS IN SPORTS

ENTERTAINMENT LIVED IN THE

SHADOWS OF THEIR MALE

COUNTERPARTS, RARELY MAKING AN

IMPACT ON THE PROGRAMMING OF

INDUSTRY LEADING WWE.

HISTORICALLY, WOMEN WERE A

SPECIAL ATTRACTION, A NOVELTY

ACT.

EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, YOU'D

BRING THE GRAPPLING WOMEN IN.

AND HERE ARE THE LADIES.

WOMEN IN PROFESSIONAL

WRESTLING WEREN'T REALLY DOING

MUCH.

YOU SEE THEM MAYBE FIVE MINUTES

ON THE SHOW AND IT'S LIKE "OH,

OKAY, GREAT."

[MUSIC]

WITH AUDIENCES FAILING TO

EMBRACE FEMALE WRESTLERS, VINCE

MCMAHON WAS FORCED TO FIND NEW

ROLES FOR WOMEN IN WWE.

LEADING THE MACHO MAN INTO

THE RING, THE LOVELY ELIZABETH.

SHE IS GORGEOUS.

THERE WAS A LOT OF WOMEN'S

WRESTLING UP UNTIL MISS

ELIZABETH REALLY MADE A SPLASH

AS "MACHO MAN" RANDY SAVAGE'S

MANAGER AND SHE WAS BEAUTIFUL,

MAKE NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.

ONE OF THE GREATEST HONORS

I'VE HAD AS A MANAGER IS TO SEE

THE "MACHO MAN" RANDY SAVAGE ON

THE COVER OF THE NEW WORLD

WRESTLING ENTERTAINMENT

MAGAZINE.

HAVING FOUND A SUCCESSFUL

NICHE FOR WOMEN OUTSIDE OF THE

RING, VINCE MCMAHON NO LONGER

NEEDED FEMALE MATCHES IN WWE

PROGRAMMING AND VACATED THE

WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP IN 1990.

MACHO MAN VICTORIOUS.

AND NOW WITH THE REAL TROPHY,

ELIZABETH HERSELF.

BUT THREE YEARS LATER, WWE

WOULD EMBARK ON A NEW ENDEAVOR

WITH THE LAUNCH OF MONDAY NIGHT

RAW LIVE ON THE USA NETWORK.

VINCE MCMAHON'S TRANSITION INTO

PRIMETIME TELEVISION PROVIDED A

PLATFORM FOR INNOVATION.

IT WAS A GREAT CONCEPT, BUT

VINCE IS A PROPONENT OF A

VARIETY SHOW.

ONE THAT REACHES EVERYBODY.

THERE'S NO TELLING WHAT'S

GONNA HAPPEN IN THE BATTLE

ROYAL.

AND ONE OF THE WAYS OF

CATERING TO ALL PEOPLE WAS VINCE

BROUGHT BACK THE WOMEN'S

DIVISION.

[MUSIC]

THIS MOVEMENT WAS PIONEERED

BY A YOUNG BLONDE, FORMERLY OF A

RIVAL ORGANIZATION, TED TURNER'S

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING.

LOOK AT THE GREAT STRENGTH

THAT MADUSA HAS.

MADUSA DEFINITELY SHOWED THAT

SHE WASN'T JUST A PRETTY FACE.

SHE LACED HER BOOTS ON AND

BECAME A GREAT WRESTLER.

[BELL RINGING]

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, HERE'S

YOUR WINNER, MADUSA.

WITH VINCE MCMAHON OPTING TO

SHOWCASE WOMEN IN A PRIMETIME

SPOTLIGHT, MADUSA WOULD SIGN

WITH WWE AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF A

GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY.

MADUSA WASN'T LIVING UP TO

HER POTENTIAL IN WCW SO SHE WENT

TO WWE AS ALUNDRA BLAYZE.

COMING OFF THE ROPE NOW,

ALUNDRA BLAYZE.

UNDERNEATH AND--HOW ABOUT THAT?

THE BRIDGE, SHE CAN DO IT--YES.

THAT'S IT.

[BELL RINGING]

SHE GOT IT, SHE GOT IT, SHE

GOT IT.

WHAT A MANEUVER.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE

WINNER OF THIS BELT AND NEW...

YES.

...WORLD WRESTLING

ENTERTAINMENT WOMAN'S CHAMPION,

ALUNDRA BLAYZE.

[MUSIC]

SHE WAS A GOOD-LOOKING GIRL,

REALLY, REALLY IN GOOD SHAPE.

SHE WASN'T JUST YOUR TYPICAL 80S

OLD SCHOOL WRESTLER.

IT JUST KEEPS GETTING HOTTER

AND HOTTER, YES, INDEED.

IT'S A BLAZE FOR SURE.

SHE STARTED TO FIT THE MOLD

OF WHAT WE CONSIDER SPORTS

ENTERTAINMENT TODAY.

SO SHE WAS THAT ATHLETIC

PERFORMER AS OPPOSED TO, YOU

KNOW, WHAT WE SAW IN THE PAST.

ALUNDRA BLAYZE HAD A SHINIER

OUTFIT WITH A LITTLE BIT OF

JAPANESE FLARE.

IT WAS REALLY COOL TO SEE HER

BURST ONTO THE SCENE.

AND SHE WAS THE NEXT STEP FROM

THE RING MANAGER AT THE SIDE OF

THE RING, YOU KNOW, CHEERING ON

HER MAN.

THIS IS ONE OF THE FIRST WOMEN

THAT I'D SEEN GO OUT THERE AND

GET IT HERSELF.

AND I CAN TELL YOU THE

WOMEN'S DIVISION IN 1994 IS

GONNA BE HOTTER THAN IT HAS EVER

BEEN IN THE WORLD WRESTLING

ENTERTAINMENT.

[MUSIC]

DESPITE A NATURAL SUPERSTAR

IN ALUNDRA BLAYZE, WWE'S

REVAMPED WOMEN'S DIVISION HAD A

SHALLOW TALENT POOL.

ALUNDRA BLAYZE WAS THE ONLY

WOMEN'S CHAMPION FOR A LONG

TIME.

I WASN'T THAT EMOTIONALLY

INVESTED IN IT.

RIGHT INTO THE CANVAS, BERTHA

FAYE.

ALUNDRA BLAYZE OFF THE ROPE.

ALUNDRA, YES, DRIVES HER DOWN

AGAIN.

FOR A SHORT WHILE, WWE

FOCUSED ON A WOMEN'S WRESTLING

IN THE MIDDLE 90S AND I DIDN'T

REALLY SEE THE APPEAL AS A FAN.

IT WASN'T FOR ME.

AUDIENCES WERE BEGINNING TO

GROW TIRED OF WWE'S PRESENTATION

AND MONDAY NIGHT RAW'S RATINGS

SAGGED BY THE SUMMER OF 1995.

SENSING AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEIZE

CONTROL OF THE SPORTS

ENTERTAINMENT LANDSCAPE, TED

TURNER AND EXECUTIVE PRODUCER

ERIC BISCHOFF LAUNCHED THEIR OWN

LIVE PROGRAM, MONDAY NITRO IN

DIRECT COMPETITION TO WWE.

WELCOME TO WCW MONDAY NITRO.

I JUST THOUGHT, WE'LL JUST GO

HEAD-TO-HEAD WITH THEM, SEE HOW

IT GOES.

WE'LL GET IN THE RING WITH THEM.

WCW WAS REAL COMPETITION.

TURNER DECIDED TO POUR A TON OF

MONEY IN IT.

THEY TRIED TO EMULATE EVERYTHING

THAT WE DID SO I WAS CONCERNED.

I DIDN'T KNOW IF I COULD REALLY

COMPETE, YOU KNOW, WITH THE

ASSETS OF WCW.

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING

HAD RISEN TO NATIONAL PROMINENCE

BY SIGNING SOME OF VINCE

MCMAHON'S MOST POPULAR

PERSONALITIES.

LEX LUGER STEPS INTO MONDAY

NITRO.

WE MADE A LOT OF NEWS, THERE

WAS A BIG BUZZ ON THE SHOW.

WE KNEW THAT WE COULD DO THINGS

THAT NOBODY EVER THOUGHT WE

WOULD DO, COULD DO, OR SHOULD DO

AND IT WOULD PROBABLY WORK.

ERIC BISCHOFF'S DESIRE TO WIN

AT ALL COSTS PRODUCED ONE OF THE

MOST INFAMOUS MOMENTS IN SPORTS

ENTERTAINMENT HISTORY.

ALUNDRA BLAYZE'S SIGNING WITH

WWE IN 1993 HAD BEEN A FAIRLY

LOW PROFILE DEFECTION.

BUT WITH THE STAKES HIGHER TWO

LATER, SHE WOULD RETURN TO WCW

AS MADUSA, JUMPING SHIP TO MAKE

AN INCREDIBLE SPLASH.

WCW MONDAY NITRO LIVE ON TNT.

AND ARE WE LIVE.

[CROWD CHEERING]

WHEN MADUSA CAME OVER, SHE

HAD THE WWE WOMEN'S

CHAMPIONSHIP.

AND, YOU KNOW, SHE CALLED ME AND

SAID, "YOU KNOW, I'VE GOT THIS

BELT.

SHOULD I SEND IT BACK TO THEM?

WHAT SHOULD I DO?"

AND I SAID "NO, DON'T SEND IT

BACK TO THEM.

AT LEAST NOT YET.

BRING IT TO TV WITH YOU."

THIS IS THE WWE WOMEN'S

CHAMPIONSHIP...

WHOA.

...BELT.

WHOA.

I WAS ABLE TO CONVINCE HER

AGAINST HER WILL THAT IT WAS A

GREAT IDEA TO STICK THAT WWE

WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP AND DROP IT

RIGHT IN THE GARBAGE CAN IN

NATIONAL TELEVISION.

THAT INDEED IT IS.

RIGHT IN THE TRASHCAN.

AND THAT'S WHAT I THINK OF

THE WWE WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP

BELT.

TAKING THE WWE WOMEN'S BELT

AND THROWING IT IN THE GARBAGE,

THAT WAS UNBELIEVABLE.

I DID SEE ALUNDRA BLAYZE

DROPPING THE CHAMPIONSHIP INTO

THE TRASHCAN.

IT WAS [INDISTINCT]

TO DO AND IT WAS A SURE OF A

SHOT ACROSS THE BOW AND A PRETTY

MUCH A KICK IN THE GROIN I THINK

AS IT WAS MEANT TO BE.

WHEN ALUNDRA BLAYZE DROPPED

THE BELT, YOU KNOW, IN THE

TRASH, I THINK IT WAS

DISRESPECTFUL FIRST AND

FOREMOST.

IT JUST LETS YOU KNOW THAT THE

WAR WAS REALLY ON.

THIS IS WHERE THE BIG BOYS

PLAY.

AND NOW THIS IS WHERE THE BIG

GIRLS PLAY.

WCW DECLARED WAR ON THAT

NIGHT SO IT WAS A BIG MOMENT IN

THE HISTORY OF WRESTLING.

ALUNDRA BLAYZE MADE AN IMPACT

THAT SET OFF A CHAIN OF EVENTS

BEHIND THE SCENES AS WELL AS

WHAT YOU SAW PLAYED OUT ON

CAMERA.

HOLY SMOKES.

MADUSA, THE WWE WOMEN'S

CHAMPIONSHIP AND THE BELT RIGHT

HERE ON NITRO.

THE BELT'S IN THE TRASHCAN.

AND I TELL YOU WHAT, I'M IN

SHOCK.

THE DEFAMATION OF THE WWE

WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP HELPED

NITRO EARN A VICTORY OVER MONDAY

NIGHT RAW FOR THE SECOND

CONSECUTIVE WEEK IN THE CABLE

TELEVISION RATINGS.

[MUSIC]

AS THE CALENDAR TURNED TO

1996, WCW WOULD CONTINUE ITS

MOMENTUM BY ACQUIRING THE MOST

POPULAR FEMALE PERSONALITY IN

SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

INTRODUCING THE LOVELY MISS

ELIZABETH.

MISS ELIZABETH COMING FROM

WWE TO WCW CREATED RATINGS.

ELIZABETH WAS A STAR ON, YOU

KNOW, ON HER OWN, SHE COULD'VE

HAD HER OWN SHOW.

WELCOME BACK AND WE'RE

LOOKING AT "THE NATURE BOY" RIC

FLAIR AND MISS ELIZABETH

CONTINUING TO SPEND THE MACHO

MAN'S MONEY.

SHE WAS FEATURED.

WCW TAKING HER FROM US WAS GOOD

FOR HER I'M SURE FINANCIALLY,

BUT I THINK AS FAR AS HER

[INDISTINCT]

WAS CONCERNED FOR WCW WAS MORE

OF "HEY, VINCE AND WWE, WE JUST

GOT ANOTHER ONE OF YOUR STARS."

THROUGH MISS ELIZABETH AND

MADUSA, WCW REVEALED THAT WOMEN

COULD BE A CATALYST IN THE

MONDAY NIGHT WAR, PROVIDING TED

TURNER WITH MORE RECOGNIZABLE

TALENT AND SENDING VINCE MCMAHON

BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD.

[MUSIC]

MADUSA SET A COURSE FOR

WOMEN'S WRESTLING TO THE POINT

WHERE VINCE MCMAHON WOULDN'T

EVEN CONSIDER WOMEN'S TITLE FOR

THREE YEARS BECAUSE VINCE FELT

RIGHTFULLY SO IT HAD BEEN

DAMAGED IN CREDIBILITY AND IN

PUBLIC PERCEPTION.

WE WANTED TO MOVE PAST LADY

WRESTLERS, FIND THESE ATTRACTIVE

FEMALE ATHLETES THAT HAD

PERSONALITY AND A SEX APPEAL.

THIS IS SKIP, I'M SUNNY.

WE'RE THE BODYDONNAS.

DON'T FORGET IT.

SUNNY WAS THE FIRST OF THE

REALLY GOOD-LOOKING DIVAS THAT

CAME ALONG.

WE HAD THEM BEFORE WITH MISS

ELIZABETH, BUT NOT TO THE ROLE

OF SUNNY.

SHE WAS EXTREMELY PHOTOGENIC,

SHE WAS EXTREMELY GOOD ON THE

MICROPHONE.

AND WHEN SHE CAME ALONG, I THINK

IT WAS REALLY REFRESHING.

IT WAS SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

SUNNY WOULD EMBODY THE

COMPANY'S CHANGE IN FEMALE

PHILOSOPHY BY EVOLVING FROM A

MANAGER TO BECOME WWE'S ORIGINAL

DIVA.

RIGHT NOW, I'D LIKE TO

INTRODUCE TO YOU THE NEWEST,

HOTTEST, SEXIEST THING GOING

TODAY IN THE WORLD WRESTLING

ENTERTAINMENT, ME, SUNNY.

[CROWD CHEERING]

[MUSIC]

WITH VINCE MCMAHON EXPANDING

THE ROLES OF WOMEN ON MONDAY

NIGHT RAW, WWE WAS ABLE TO STAY

COMPETITIVE WITH THE

CHART-TOPPING MONDAY NITRO.

WE HAD NO CHOICE.

IF I'M GONNA GO DOWN, YOU KNOW,

I HAVE TO GO DOWN SWINGING.

LET'S GO COMPETE.

NOW, THERE'S WHAT IT'S ALL

ABOUT, MCMAHON.

SUNNY.

YES, INDEED.

IT WAS CRAZY BACK THEN HOW WE

WERE ALL TRYING TO FIGHT FOR

RATINGS.

WWE WAS TRYING TO DO SOMETHING

DIFFERENT TO BRING A NEW

AUDIENCE IN.

IT WAS VERY PG WHEN I FIRST

STARTED.

UNDER MY LITTLE BODYDONNA

SKIRTS, I HAD, YOU KNOW, LITTLE

BLOOMERS ON.

THEN WE STARTED SWITCHING A

LITTLE BIT AND I WENT OUT THERE

ON MY ROBE AND JUST TOOK OFF MY

ROBE AND EVERYBODY WAS LIKE.

[MUSIC]

DOES IT WORK FOR YOU, BABE?

AS SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT

EVOLVED AND POP CULTURE EVOLVED,

WOMEN BECAME INCORPORATED INTO

THE SOAP OPERA ELEMENTS AS LOVE

INTERESTS.

IF NOT, BUSINESS PARTNERS WITH

THE WRESTLERS THEMSELVES.

MARLENA ALONG WITH GOLDUST

AND IT'S TIME TO LIGHT UP, ALL

RIGHT.

GOLDUST WAS A LITTLE

DIFFICULT FOR MEN TO WATCH.

HE WAS DOING VERY BIZARRE

THINGS, PUSHING THE ENVELOPE.

BUT MARLENA GAVE THEM A REASON

TO MAYBE FEEL A LITTLE BIT

BETTER ABOUT CHEERING FOR

GOLDUST.

ALL SHE DID WAS SIT IN THE

DIRECTOR'S CHAIR AND SMOKE A

CIGAR.

BUT SHE LOOKED BEAUTIFUL DOING

IT.

IT WAS SO DIFFERENT.

IT WAS SEXUAL AND YOU COULD

UNDERSTAND THAT AND YOU COULD

SEE WHERE THE BUSINESS WAS

GOING.

WWE WAS BEGINNING TO FIGURE

OUT THE FORMULA THAT WOULD HAVE

LONG-TERM BENEFITS.

YOU ALL GIVE US A GOOD MATCH

NOW, YOU HEAR?

BYE.

[INDISTINCT]

BUT WCW CAME UP WITH A

WINNING FORMULA OF THEIR OWN.

HERE'S THE NWO.

READY OR NOT, HERE WE COME.

[CROWD CHEERING]

[MUSIC]

WWE DEFECTORS, SCOTT HALL AND

KEVIN NASH WOULD JOIN INDUSTRY

ICON HULK HOGAN IN FORMING THE

REBELLIOUS NEW WORLD ORDER

GROUP.

THIS ANTI-ESTABLISHMENT BRAND

WITHIN WCW WOULD HELP MONDAY

NITRO EMBARK ON AN 84-WEEK

WINNING STREAK IN THE

HEAD-TO-HEAD RATINGS.

[MUSIC]

YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT TALKING

ABOUT TAKING OVER ANYMORE, NO.

NOT AT ALL.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT

EXTERMINATION.

THE NWO WAS THE HIT BRAND.

IT WAS IMPORTANT TO HAVE THAT.

AND IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS

DIFFERENT.

IS THERE ANY QUESTION NOW?

WHAT IS THE MOST POWERFUL

ORGANIZATION IN PROFESSIONAL

WRESTLING?

THE NWO WAS AN AMAZING THING

THAT HAPPENED AND CAUGHT ON LIKE

WILDFIRE.

THE LINES WERE BEING BLURRED

BETWEEN BLACK AND WHITE AND THEY

WEREN'T SURE WHAT WAS REAL AND

WHAT WAS NOT.

IT WAS A GROUNDBREAKING DEAL.

IT WAS THE MOST COMPELLING

TIME TO BE A FAN.

THERE WAS NOTHING LIKE THIS ON

TV.

AND WE'D STILL GO BACK AND FORTH

AND WONDER WHILE HOGAN WAS LEG

DROPPING RANDY SAVAGE, WHAT WAS

WWE DOING ON THEIR TV.

MONDAY NIGHT RAW CONTAINS

MATERIAL WHICH MAYBE TOO HOT FOR

SOME.

VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED.

SEEING SUNNY BEFORE THE SHOW

IN A BIKINI AND, LIKE, DOING

LITTLE THINGS LIKE THAT, YOU

WERE JUST, LIKE, "OH, MY GOSH."

[MUSIC]

ALTHOUGH VINCE MCMAHON HAD

LOST SOME OF HIS BIGGEST

SUPERSTARS TO WCW, HE HAD FOUND

A NEW FOCAL POINT IN SUNNY.

WWE PROGRAMMING BECAME GEARED TO

SHOWCASE HIS HOTTEST ATTRACTION.

[MUSIC]

AND HERE COMES SUNNY.

[CROWD CHEERING]

WHAT IS SHE DOING OUT HERE?

LOOKING GOOD.

I WAS THAT GOOD-LOOKING

BLONDE THAT, YOU KNOW, SHE COULD

DO ANYTHING THAT WAS THROWN HER

WAY.

[CROWD CHEERING]

THEY THREW CAKE AT MY FACE.

THEY THREW SLOP ON MY HEAD.

SHE HAD A VERY SPECIAL ROLE

ON THE SHOW BECAUSE THERE WASN'T

ANYTHING THAT SUNNY COULDN'T DO.

I'M GONNA GET AN EXCLUSIVE

INTERVIEW WITH SHAWN HIMSELF.

WHETHER IT'S INTERVIEWING

SOMEBODY BACKSTAGE OR IT'S, YOU

KNOW, ANNOUNCING A SHOW.

EVERYTHING FROM NOW ON WILL

BE ON MY TERMS.

AS IT ALWAYS BEEN.

SHE COULD DO IT ALL, BUT SHE

KNEW HER ROLE.

AND SHE KNEW WHAT REALLY MADE

HER STAND OUT WAS THAT SHE WAS

BEAUTIFUL.

WELL, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE PRETTY

GOOD AT THIS.

YOU THINK THAT YOU MIGHT BE

AVAILABLE FOR A CABINET

POSITION?

OH, MR. PRESIDENT, I'D LOVE

TO.

WHY DON'T YOU STOP BY THE

WHITE HOUSE?

MAYBE WE'LL GO OVER SOME OF

THOSE POSITIONS.

WITH SUNNY, IT KIND OF JUST

OPENED EVERYONE'S EYES.

WE HAVE A MALE AUDIENCE AND

WELL, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GONNA BE

DOWNLOADING HER PICTURES ONLINE.

THEY'RE GONNA HANG UP HER

POSTERS.

AND IT BROUGHT THAT SEXY EDGE

INTO THE WOMEN IN OUR INDUSTRY.

IT SAYS A LOT ABOUT SUNNY.

THE FACT THAT IN 1996 SHE WAS

AOL'S MOST DOWNLOADED FEMALE

CELEBRITY.

SHE WAS REALLY ONE OF THE FIRST

THAT TRANSCENDED WWE TO BE A POP

CULTURE ICON TO EVERYONE IN THE

WORLD.

[BELL RINGING]

[CROWD CHEERING]

HEY.

SUNNY FAN CLUB.

THAT'S HER OWN FAN CLUB AROUND

RINGSIDE HERE TONIGHT.

THOSE FANS THAT SAW SUNNY,

SAW THE WWE SUPERSTARS IN THE

SOAP OPERA-LIKE STORY LINES AND

SO SHE GENERATED A WHOLE NEW

KIND OF AUDIENCE FOR THE WWE.

[CROWD CHEERING]

NOT A BAD PAIR, HUH?

I MEAN, THE BELTS, YOU KNOW.

[MUSIC]

AS WWE WAS FINDING ITS

FOOTING, THEY WERE STILL

TRAILING SUBSTANTIALLY IN THE

RATINGS.

BY 1997, THE NEW WORLD ORDER'S

POPULARITY CAUSED THE WOMEN OF

WCW TO BECOME MORE OF A LUXURY

THAN A NECESSITY.

WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS.

WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS.

[MUSIC]

VINCE MCMAHON NEEDED TO

CONTINUE TO ENHANCE THE LEVEL OF

EDGY PROGRAMMING FEATURING HIS

CHARISMATIC FEMALE PERSONALITIES

IN ORDER TO SURVIVE.

[CROWD CHEERING]

I REMEMBER THIS ONE SHOW WE

DID IN HAMMERSTEIN BALLROOM IN

NEW YORK CITY.

THEY ANNOUNCED ME AND THE PLACE,

LIKE, ERUPTED.

[MUSIC]

OH.

OH.

OH.

[CROWD CHEERING]

AFTER THAT, IT JUST SEEMED

EVERYBODY STARTED LOOSENING UP A

LITTLE BIT MORE.

THAT'S WHEN I STARTED TO GET A

LITTLE BIT MORE CRAZY.

[MUSIC]

WCW WAS KICKING OUR REAR END

IN THE RATINGS WAR.

WE HAD TO SHAKE THINGS UP.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE

WERE ABLE TO DO SUCCESSFULLY WAS

MAKE THE DIVA SEXY, POWERFUL,

REALLY A '90S OR NEW MILLENNIUM

WOMAN SO TO SPEAK.

[MUSIC]

[CROWD CHEERING]

I HAD SOMETHING TO SAY TO YOU

ALL, BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT I

DID WITH IT.

OH, OH, OH.

WOW.

OH.

OH, HERE IT IS.

IT'S ALWAYS HELPFUL TO HAVE

SOMETHING THAT WOULD GET CASUAL

VIEWERS.

BEAUTIFUL WOMEN IN SKIMPY

CLOTHES WILL ALWAYS CATCH

RATINGS.

WWE'S NEW TACTIC OF USING

GLAMOROUS WOMEN IN RACY

STORYLINES BEGAN TO CATCH ON

WITH VIEWERS.

BUT THE COMPANY WAS ABOUT TO

UNLEASH A FEMALE PERSONALITY

UNLIKE ANYONE THE SPORTS

ENTERTAINMENT WORLD HAD EVER

SEEN.

LET GO OF HER.

LOOK AT THAT.

OH, WHO THE HELL IS THAT?

WHO IS THAT?

WHAT IN THE WORLD?

IS THAT--IS THAT A WOMAN?

[MUSIC]

CHYNA--EVEN THE TIME WHEN

[INDISTINCT]

SEXUALIZED AND TO SEE SOMEONE

WHO WASN'T THE NORM, WHO WASN'T

YOUR TYPICAL DIVA.

CHYNA WAS JUST A SIGHT TO BE

SEEN.

YOU KNOW, LIKE, THE FIRST TIME

SHE CAME OUT, IT WAS JUST LIKE,

"WHO IS THIS PERSON?"

THAT HUGE WOMAN IS BEAR

HUGGING MARLENA AND SHAKING HER

LIKE A RAG DOLL.

YES.

SOMETIMES DIFFERENT IS GOOD.

AND IN THIS CASE, DIFFERENT WAS

GREAT.

CHYNA COMES IN.

YOU SEE THIS MUSCULAR WOMAN AND

YOU LOOK AT HER AND YOU GO,

"THIS GIRL CAN BEAT ME UP."

[MUSIC]

THIS GIRL CAN BEAT UP HALF

THE GUYS IN THE ARENA.

[CROWD CHEERING]

UNBELIEVABLE.

CHYNA WAS THE FIRST DIVA WHO

EVER CAME ALONG THAT COULD

COMPETE ON AN EVEN FOOTING WITH

THE GUYS.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING NEVER

REALLY BEEN SEEN BEFORE.

AND THAT ITSELF WAS A BIG POINT

OF INTRIGUE REALLY FOR THE FANS.

SHE WAS JUST DIFFERENT THAN

ANYTHING WE'VE EVER SEEN.

LIKE A MODERN DAY AMAZON SHOWING

OFF HER MUSCLES AND FLEXING HER

PROWESS.

IF YOU WERE JUST A RANDOM PERSON

FLIPPING THROUGH CHANNELS IN

YOUR TV SET AND YOU SAW CHYNA,

YOU WERE FORCED TO WANNA SEE

MORE BECAUSE SHE WAS SO UNIQUE.

AND WAIT A MINUTE--WHAT...

LOOK AT THIS.

WAIT A MINUTE.

LOOK AT THIS.

UNBELIEVABLE.

GOOD, GOD.

WOW.

BART GUNN WEIGHS 270 POUNDS.

[MUSIC]

AS A FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE

ANTI-ESTABLISHMENT GROUP

DEGENERATION X, CHYNA WOULD BE A

MAJOR PLAYER ON RAW FOR YEARS TO

COME.

CHYNA WAS JUST THIS LARGER

THAN LIFE CHARACTER THAT PEOPLE

COULDN'T WAIT TO SEE.

SHE WAS SUCH A UNIQUE INDIVIDUAL

AND SHE ADDED SO MUCH TO DX.

WHENEVER SHE WAS AT RINGSIDE,

THERE WAS A DANGER THERE.

AND DX USED TO PLAY OFF THIS A

LOT.

IF YOU WERE AN OPPONENT BATTLING

DX, CHYNA COULD KICK YOUR REAR

END ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE RING.

[CROWD CHEERING]

OH.

DID YOU JUST SEE WHAT CHYNA JUST

DID TO KEN SHAMROCK?

THE DIVAS REALLY STARTED TO

MAKE A STRONG PRESENCE ON WWE

PROGRAMMING.

ALL OF THEM WERE IN THE

FOREFRONT OF EVERY STORYLINE

THAT WAS GOING ON.

AND WCW DECIDED, "WELL, WE GOT

TO DO SOMETHING, TOO."

[CROWD CHEERING]

WITH RAW GAINING MOMENTUM,

WCW WAS IN DANGER OF LOSING

GROUND TO WWE IF THEY DID NOT

INCORPORATE MORE FEMALE TALENT

ON NITRO.

BUT I'M GONNA INVITE A LOT OF

WOMEN, PROBABLY 14 TO 22 WOMEN,

YOU HAVE ANY PROBLEM WITH THAT?

NO.

NOT A PROBLEM, I LIKE IT.

GUYS WATCH SHOWS THAT HAVE

GOOD-LOOKING WOMEN ON THE SHOW.

AT THE TIME, I WASN'T A FAN OF

WOMEN'S WRESTLING PRIMARILY

BECAUSE THE LEVEL OF ATHLETICISM

REALLY WASN'T THERE ON A BROAD

BASE.

THERE WASN'T ENOUGH REALLY

HOT-LOOKING WOMEN THAT COULD

REALLY GO OUT AND HAVE A GREAT

MATCH THAT WAS FUN TO WATCH.

THERE WERE A HANDFUL, BUT IT WAS

A SMALL HANDFUL.

I WAS TIRED OF WOMEN VALETS THAT

THE CONCEPT WAS JUST DONE TO

DEATH.

BUT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I HAD TO

KEEP AN OPEN MIND.

I THOUGHT, "LET ME THINK OF

SOMETHING."

I SAT DOWN, I WAS EATING MY TACO

CHIPS AND DRINKING A BEER.

I THOUGHT, "WHAT--WAIT A MINUTE.

THIS IS REALLY SIMPLE.

WHAT DID THE DALLAS COWBOYS DO?

WHAT DID THE NBA DO?

THEY HAVE CHEERLEADERS.

WHY NOT DO THE SAME THING?

I'LL CREATE THE NITRO GIRLS."

[MUSIC]

ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE.

I'LL PUT TOGETHER THIS GREAT,

HOT-LOOKING TEAM OF DANCERS.

WE'VE GOT NITRO AND THE NITRO

GIRLS.

THEY LOOK BETTER EVERY WEEK.

THEY ARE BEAUTIFUL.

THEY ARE STUNNING.

I'LL HAVE THEM COME OUT RIGHT

BEFORE WE GO TO COMMERCIAL SO

THE PEOPLE AT HOME DECIDE

THEY'RE GONNA STICK AROUND AND

GET ANOTHER LOOK AT THESE GIRLS

AFTER THE COMMERCIAL BREAK.

WELL, FANS, AS WE SAID, WE

ARE GONNA HAVE...

WE HAVE BONUS COVERAGE WITH

THE NITRO GIRLS.

YEAH, BOY, OH, BOY.

THE NITRO GIRLS COMING UP.

LET THEM PERFORM IN FRONT OF

THE LIVE AUDIENCE FOR THE THREE

OR FOUR MINUTES THAT WE'RE DARK

ANYWAY.

AND JUST AS WE COME OUT OF

COMMERCIAL BREAK, WE'LL GET THE

LAST COUPLE OF SECONDS OF THEIR

ROUTINE AS THEY SEGUE BACKSTAGE

AND WE INTRODUCE OUR NEXT ACT.

SO, THE FORMULA WORKED REALLY,

REALLY WELL.

[MUSIC]

[CROWD CHEERING]

WCW MONDAY NITRO.

WHAT A NIGHT THIS HAS BEEN.

WE ARE POISED FOR THE BIG SUPER

MAIN EVENT.

NITRO GIRLS WERE NOT JUST

SEXUAL, NOT JUST ENTERTAINMENT.

A LITTLE BIT OF BOTH.

THEM DANCING AND BEING

ENTERTAINING AND BEING WOMEN ON

THE SCREEN FOR A FEW MINUTES,

WHETHER YOU WANNA SAY THAT

THAT'S EMPOWERING WOMEN OR JUST

WHETTING MY APPETITE FOR WANTING

TO WATCH THEM, EITHER WAY, IT

GOT PEOPLE WATCHING, IT GOT

PEOPLE THINKING.

I THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT

CONCEPT.

IT WAS DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, TO

HAVE GIRLS OPEN THE SHOW AND NOT

WRESTLERS.

[MUSIC]

THE NITRO GIRLS WAS THEIR WAY

OF HAVING GOOD-LOOKING WOMEN ON

THE SHOW WITHOUT ACTUALLY

[INDISTINCT]

IT WAS THEIR WAY OF TRYING TO

BE DIFFERENT AND FANS LIKE IT.

THE NITRO GIRLS WERE PRETTY

TO LOOK AT.

THEY WENT OUT THERE AND DANCED.

[MUSIC]

HEY, GIRLS ARE GONNA GET

JEALOUS.

I AM EXACTLY WHERE YOU ALL WANNA

BE, IN THE MEN'S LOCKER ROOM

TONIGHT.

[MUSIC]

BUT THEY COMPARED US TO THE

GIRLS THAT THEY HAD.

THERE REALLY WASN'T' A

COMPARISON.

SO AS FAR AS THE GIRL

COMPETITION, I THINK WE HAD THAT

BY A MILE.

THE MONDAY NIGHT WAR WAS

BRINGING WOMEN TO THE FOREFRONT

OF SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT.

YOU HAVE TO CHANGE WHEN

SOCIETY CHANGES, AND YOU HAVE TO

STAY CURRENT AND RELEVANT, AND

YOU HAVE TO EVOLVE.

AND THAT'S WHAT THE WWE DOES.

WWE'S DIVAS REFLECTED THIS

RACY SHIFT IN SOCIETY AS VINCE

MCMAHON CONTINUED TO PROMOTE HIS

MORE CONTEMPORARY PRODUCT.

IT HAS BEEN SAID THAT

ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN HERE IN THE

WORLD WRESTLING ENTERTAINMENT.

BUT NOW MORE THAN EVER, TRUER

WORDS HAVE NEVER BEEN SPOKEN.

THIS IS A CONSCIOUS EFFORT ON

OUR PART TO OPEN THE CREATIVE

ENVELOPE SO TO SPEAK IN ORDER TO

ENTERTAIN YOU IN A MORE

CONTEMPORARY MANNER.

[MUSIC]

AS 1997 CAME TO A CLOSE,

VINCE MCMAHON STOOD BEHIND HIS

COMPANY'S CHANGE IN DIRECTION.

IN WHAT WOULD BECOME KNOWN AS

THE ATTITUDE ERA, WWE

PROGRAMMING TOOK ON AN

UNPRECEDENTED CREATIVE FREEDOM

IN AN ATTEMPT TO ENTERTAIN

AUDIENCES AND TURN THE TIDE IN

THE HEAD-TO-HEAD RATINGS AGAINST

WCW.

THIS A FIGURE OF SPEECH RIGHT

HERE.

HOW DO YOU LIKE IT?

[CROWD CHEERING]

EMBRACING A NEW ARTISTIC

LICENSE, THE CONTENT OF MONDAY

NIGHT RAW BEGAN TO MIRROR THE

MATURE THEMES OF ITS MAINSTREAM

PRIMETIME TELEVISION

COUNTERPARTS.

SHAWN AND I BOTH GOT JUMBO

WEENIES.

[CROWD CHEERING]

BUT CHYNA, SHOW US WHAT YOU

BRING INTO THE BARBECUE, GIRL.

UH-OH.

THAT IS THE BIG STICK.

[MUSIC]

A LOT OF THAT STUFF ON TV

SHOCKED RADIO, SHOCKED

TELEVISION.

BEAVIS AND BUTT-HEAD WAS A

DIFFERENT TIME.

THE SEXUAL INNUENDO THAT'S WHERE

WORLD WAS AT THE TIME.

YOU LOOK AT OTHER MEDIA

FORMS.

THEY WERE ALL PUSHING THE

ENVELOPE.

THING.

BUT WE DON'T INFLUENCE SOCIETY.

SOCIETY INFLUENCES US.

AND I BELIEVE THAT'S WHAT THE

ATTITUDE ERA REFLECTED.

WE PUSHED THE ENVELOPE LIKE

CRAZY.

[CROWD CHEERING]

OH, NO.

STUNNER.

AUSTIN JUST STUNNERED CHYNA.

GOOD GOD ALMIGHTY.

[CROWD CHEERING]

WWE'S GROWING AUDIENCE

CLEARLY APPROVED OF THIS RACIER

PRODUCT.

MONDAY NIGHT RAW WAS CLOSING THE

GAP WITH MONDAY NITRO IN THE

CABLE TELEVISION RATINGS AS 1998

BEGAN.

AND THE NEED TO PUSH THE

ENVELOPE WOULD CONTINUE TO

PROVIDE A PLATFORM FOR THE DIVAS

OF WWE TO STEP INTO THE

SPOTLIGHT.

PEOPLE ARE READY FOR KIND OF

A CHANGE WITH SOMETHING TO BE

SHAKEN UP.

AND IT WASN'T JUST WITH THE

GUYS, IT WASN'T JUST WITH STONE

COLD, AND DX.

LIKE, THE GIRLS BROUGHT THAT,

TOO.

THEY WERE COMPLETELY NECESSARY

AT THAT TIME.

WWE'S FEMALE PERSONALITIES

EMBODIED THE ATTITUDE ERA.

NONE MORE SO THAN A BLONDE

BOMBSHELL WHO ONLY A YEAR

EARLIER HAD FOUND HERSELF

WITHOUT A DEFINITIVE ROLE.

MARC MERO HAD BEEN ON THE

SHELF.

AND WE'RE NOT SURE WHAT TO DO

WITH SABLE OUT.

AT THAT POINT.

SHE'S KIND OF A PERSON ON AN

ISLAND.

[CROWD CHEERING]

HERE COMES SABLE.

I REMEMBER SABLE BEING A

MODEL FOR AN INFLATABLE CHAIR.

[MUSIC]

WHAT DOES SABLE SIT ON THESE

DAYS?

OH, OF COURSE IT'S A CHAIR FIT

FOR A KING.

THE KING OF THE RING CHAIR.

SHE CAME OUT, THE PEOPLE WENT

BANANAS FOR HER.

[MUSIC]

I'M, LIKE, SHE NEEDS TO BE

MORE INVOLVED IN THE SHOW.

SHE'S BLONDE, SHE'S BUXOM,

AND SHE IS BEAUTIFUL.

NO LONGER A BACKGROUND

PLAYER, SABLE WAS PUSHED AS THE

NEXT MUST-SEE FEATURE OF AN

EVOLVING MONDAY NIGHT RAW.

SHE ALWAYS LOOKED PERFECT.

SHE LOOKED LIKE A RUNWAY MODEL.

SHE WAS THE DIVA THAT GUYS WOULD

DREAM ABOUT WHEN THEY WATCHED

OUR PRODUCT.

AND THESE BOOS FROM THIS

CAPACITY CROWD ARE BECAUSE THEY

WANNA SEE SABLE.

AND MERO'S SENDING SABLE

APPARENTLY BACK TO THE LOCKER

ROOM.

[MUSIC]

MARC MERO'S RETURN FROM

INJURY WOULD BRING WITH IT AN

ONSCREEN STORYLINE WHEREBY THE

MALE SUPERSTAR WAS JEALOUS OF

HIS FEMALE MANAGER'S SUPERIOR

POPULARITY.

THESE PEOPLE CAME HERE TO SEE

ME WRESTLE, NOT YOU TAKE THOSE

CLOTHES OFF.

UH-OH.

I'M THE STAR HERE.

MARC, TAKE IT EASY.

AND WWE'S MOST PROMINENT DIVA

WOULD DEVELOP INTO A NEW MODEL

FOR EMPOWERED WOMEN IN SPORTS

ENTERTAINMENT.

[CROWD CHEERING]

SABLE REALLY HELPED TO DEFINE

THE TERM DIVA.

SABLE WAS NOT ONLY A DIVA BUT

SHE WAS KIND OF THIS VIXEN THAT

WASN'T LIKE SUNNY, SHE WASN'T

LIKE CHYNA, AND SOMEHOW SHE

MANAGED TO STILL HAVE CLASS BY

WEARING ALMOST NOTHING.

SHE, TO ME, BY FAR THE

SEXIEST DIVA AND SHE JUST HAD

THIS CONFIDENCE IN WHEN SHE

WALKED TO THE RING AND SHE HAD

THIS TOTAL ATTITUDE AND SEXINESS

ABOUT HER.

WHEN YOU WALK THROUGH THOSE

CURTAINS, CONFIDENCE PLAYS A

HUGE ROLE.

THAT SELF-AWARENESS, THAT

SEXUALITY, I REALLY LIKED TO

PLAY IT UP.

I'M NOT THE CHEERLEADER.

I'M NOT THE SMILEY PERSON.

I'M THE REAL SENSUOUS, SEXY, YOU

KNOW, COME AND GET ME, KIND OF

GIRL.

THAT STAGE IS MINE FOR THAT

MOMENT AND I'M GONNA MAKE THE

MOST OF IT.

SHE TOOK ON A PERSONA AND SHE

BECAME THIS ENTITY ONTO HERSELF.

NOT ONLY WAS SHE A LEADING DIVA,

SHE COULD ALSO GET IT DONE IN

THE RING.

[CROWD CHEERING]

OH, NO.

SHE STUCK HIS HEAD BETWEEN

HER...

SABLE.

THE SABLE BOMB.

SABLE BOMB.

[CROWD CHEERING]

GOOD LORD.

SABLE JUST DROPPED MERO LIKE A

BAD HABIT.

[CROWD CHEERING]

HELL HATH NO FURY LIKE A

WOMAN SCORNED.

THERE'S THINGS THAT WE SAW

HER DO THAT WE DIDN'T SEE THE

OTHER GIRLS DO.

SO IT WAS PRETTY COOL.

IN THE MONDAY NIGHT WARS, I

THINK IT WOULD DEFINITELY BE

SOMETHING THAT WOULD HELP EDGE

VIEWERS TO THE WWE PRODUCT.

[MUSIC]

THE INNOVATIONS OF THE

ATTITUDE ERA HAD PAID OFF.

IN APRIL OF 1998, MONDAY NIGHT

RAW DEFEATED MONDAY NITRO IN THE

RATINGS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN

NEARLY TWO YEARS THANKS IN LARGE

PART TO A RISING SURGE IN

POPULARITY OF WWE'S RACIER

FEMALE TALENTS.

ROUND TWO.

SEEKING TO BUILD ON THIS

SUCCESSFUL FORMAT, WWE

INCORPORATED MORE RISQUé

PERSONAS INTO THEIR MALE

CHARACTERS AS WELL.

HELLO, LADIES.

THE SURPLUS OF SEXUALLY

PROVOCATIVE DIVAS IN THE WWE

LEAD TO CHARACTERS BECOMING A

LITTLE MORE RACY.

AND I'M LOOKING AT GUYS LIKE VAL

VENIS.

THE GUY IS THE PORN STAR OF THE

WWE.

AND THEN NOT ONLY THAT, YOU GOT

GODFATHER WALKING OUT WITH THE

HO TRAIN.

IT'S THE HO TRAIN.

WOHOO.

[MUSIC]

I DON'T KNOW IF THERE WAS A

BIGGER FAN OF THE GODFATHER AND

THE HO TRAIN THAN THE KING.

I LOVED IT.

I MEAN, THIS WAS THE ABSOLUTE

BEST UTILIZATION OF BEAUTIFUL

WOMEN IN THE WWE.

YOU HAD THE GODFATHER WITH

THE PIMP, YOU KNOW, POSITION

THEN YOU HAVE THE HOES.

NOW THAT RIGHT THERE IS REALLY

HARD TO TAKE, SOMETHING LIKE

THAT.

IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO

CONCENTRATE ON ANYTHING ELSE

WHEN WE ARE LITERALLY SURROUNDED

BY THE MOST GORGEOUS LADIES IN

CABLE TELEVISION, THE GORGEOUS

JUST PUT YOUR MIND TO IT,

FOCUS.

THE NITRO GIRLS COULDN'T GO

THAT FAR.

WCW JUST COULDN'T COMBAT WWE AND

THEIR SEXUALITY.

IF THE NITRO GIRLS WERE ERIC

BISCHOFF'S WAY OF COUNTERING THE

SEX APPEAL IN WWE, THEY DIDN'T

DO IT RIGHT.

THEY REALLY WERE JUST FILLER.

IT LOOKED LIKE, "WE DON'T HAVE

ANYTHING FOR THE SEGMENT.

SEND THE GIRLS OUT."

THEY LOOKED LIKE CHEERLEADING

AND IT WOULDN'T DO IT.

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING

WAS FAILING TO CAPITALIZE ON

USING WOMEN AS A FOCAL POINT OF

THEIR PROGRAMMING.

BUT THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER OF

1998, WCW AND WWE TRADED

VICTORIES IN THE MONDAY NIGHT

RATINGS.

IN ORDER TO STAY AHEAD, VINCE

MCMAHON WOULD ROUTINELY BREAK

TRADITION BY PUSHING THE

ENVELOPE.

AND THANKS TO A CONTINUED FOCUS

ON RACIER CONTENT, SABLE WOULD

EMERGE AS ONE OF THE BIGGEST

NAMES IN THE INDUSTRY DURING

SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT'S MOST

POPULAR TIME PERIOD.

IT WAS SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE

HAD NOT SEEN BEFORE.

AND WHO DOESN'T LIKE A GOOD

BIKINI CONTEST OR AN EVENING

GOWN MATCH WHERE YOU CAN TURN ON

YOUR TV AND ALL OF A SUDDEN NOW

YOU HAVE THESE GIRLS RIPPING

THEIR CLOTHES OFF?

HOW CAN YOU CHANGE THE CHANNEL?

IT WAS ALMOST LIKE, "WHOA, THIS

ISN'T SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN ON JUST

NORMAL TV."

THEY WERE BREAKING DOWN THE

CORD AT LEAST TO THE POINT OF,

YOU KNOW, NO MATTER WHERE YOU

PUT SABLE ON, SHE'D BEAT

ANYTHING WE HAD.

WITH THEIR COMPETITOR ON THE

ROPES, WWE CONTINUED TO EXPAND

THE ROLE OF THEIR FEMALE

SUPERSTARS.

VINCE UNDERSTOOD A PUZZLE

PUTTING A SHOW TOGETHER AND

HAVING BEAUTIFUL WOMEN TALENTED

ENOUGH TO WRESTLE AND PUT ON A

GOOD SHOW, THAT'S JUST ICING ON

THE CAKE.

[CROWD CHEERING]

AN ONGOING RIVALRY BETWEEN

WWE DIVAS, SABLE AND JACQUELINE

HAD HELPED PROVIDE A VARIETY OF

COMPELLING PROGRAMMING FOR

MONDAY NIGHT RAW'S GROWING

VIEWERS.

ACKNOWLEDGING HIS TALENTED

FEMALE ROSTER, VINCE MCMAHON

WOULD END THE THREE-YEAR HIATUS

AND RELAUNCH THE WWE WOMEN'S

CHAMPIONSHIP IN SEPTEMBER OF

1998.

[CROWD CHEERING]

HERE WE GO.

DING, DING, DING.

HISTORY WILL BE MADE TONIGHT.

WE WILL HAVE A CROWNING OF THE

NEW WORLD WRESTLING

ENTERTAINMENT WOMEN'S

CHAMPIONSHIP.

RIGHT IN THE HEIGHT OF THE

MONDAY NIGHT WAR IS THEY BRING

BACK THE WWE WOMAN'S

CHAMPIONSHIP.

AND I THINK IT WAS THE RIGHT

MOVE.

JACQUELINE TAUNTING SABLE

SAYING COME ON.

SABLE--OH, MAN.

OH.

LOOK AT THAT.

THAT'S IT.

FANS ALWAYS LOOK FORWARD TO

SEEING THE DIVAS.

RATHER THAN JUST WOMEN GOING IN

LEOTARDS AND WRESTLING, THERE

WAS PERSONALITY, THERE WAS

CHARACTER, THERE WAS SEX APPEAL,

AND THEN YOU CAN ADD THAT INTO

THE WRESTLING THAT YOU SAW IN

THE RING AND MIXING IT ALL

TOGETHER, I THINK THAT WAS

REALLY COOL.

GOING FOR THE SUPLEX.

SABLE'S TAKEN--OH.

LOOK AT MERO.

CHECK IT OUT.

MERO IN THERE AND--OH, AND

JACQUELINE.

[BELL RINGING]

MERO HAD THE FOOT.

MERO TRIPPED SABLE AND HAD THE

FOOT.

[MUSIC]

JACQUELINE, THE NEW WORLD

WRESTLING ENTERTAINMENT WOMEN'S

CHAMPION.

[MUSIC]

A WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP WOULD

USHER IN A BOASTED DIVAS

DIVISION AND MORE FEMALE

SUPERSTARS BECAME A PART OF THE

WWE ROSTER.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT DIVAS FROM

THE '90S YOU HAD A REALLY,

REALLY, SOLID ROSTER AND THEY

WOULD GO AT IT JUST LIKE THE

GUYS.

A WOMEN'S MATCH.

IT USED TO BE AN ATTRACTION.

DURING THE ATTITUDE ERA, WOMEN

BECAME THE ATTRACTION.

[CROWD CHEERING]

THE WWE DIVAS WERE DEFINED IN

THE ATTITUDE ERA.

OUR FEMALES WERE LARGER THAN

LIVES THEMSELVES.

THEY WERE SEXY, THEY WERE FUN,

THEY WERE MANIPULATIVE, THEY

WERE NOW A PART OF STORYLINE.

[MUSIC]

[CROWD CHEERING]

THE NINTH WONDER OF THE WORLD

MAKING WWE HISTORY, THE FIRST

WOMAN EVER TO ENTER THE ROYAL

RUMBLE MATCH.

AS 1999 BEGAN, WWE'S ATTITUDE

ERA WAS PRESENTING DIVAS WITH

OPPORTUNITIES THEY HAD NEVER

RECEIVED BEFORE.

CHYNA WAS THE FIRST WOMAN TO

COMPETE IN A ROYAL RUMBLE.

SHE COMPETED AGAINST MEN.

AND THERE GOES MARK HENRY.

[CROWD CHEERING]

OH, NO.

WWE DIVAS BECAME SEX SYMBOLS,

ICONS.

EVERY MAN WANTED THEM.

SABLE, I THINK, SAID IT THE

BEST.

THIS IS FOR ALL THE WOMEN WHO

WANT TO BE ME AND FOR THE MEN

WHO COME TO SEE ME.

[CROWD CHEERING]

WOHOO-HOO.

OH, BABY.

I'M WATCHING THIS.

I'M, WHAT, 18 OR SOMETHING.

LIKE, YEAH.

SEX SELLS AND WE WERE RIGHT

THERE WITH IT.

[CROWD CHEERING]

OH, NO.

MORE PANTIES.

[CROWD CHEERING]

[INDISTINCT]

DISROBED DEBRA.

WE HAD THAT AUDIENCE, THOSE

YOUNG COLLEGE GUYS THAT WERE SO

INTO HOW SEXY OUR DIVAS WERE.

THEN THE NEXT THING YOU KNOW,

THERE'S SABLE IN PLAYBOY

MAGAZINE.

KING, ARE YOU GONNA DESCRIBE

IT OR WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO?

ARE YOU JUST GONNA SIT HERE AND

LOOK?

SAY SOMETHING.

SHUT UP, I'M READING.

WHEN SABLE DID PLAYBOY,

SUDDENLY, WOW.

WE WERE MAINSTREAM.

IT BRINGS NEW EYEBALLS INTO OUR

PROGRAMMING, IT GETS PEOPLE

INTERESTED.

AND THERE IT IS, FOLKS.

THE HOTTEST SELLING PLAYBOY

ISSUE EVER.

PLAYBOY MAGAZINE, YOU DON'T

GET ANY BETTER THAT THAT.

IT WAS NOT ONLY GROUND-BREAKING,

THAT FEELS GREAT FOR THE

COMPANY.

WE WERE COMPETING IN THE

SPACE THAT WE HAVE NEVER BEEN IN

BEFORE.

IT DEFINITELY ELEVATED US TO A

WHOLE NEW PLACE.

THE SABLE ISSUE OF PLAYBOY

BECAME ONE OF THE BEST-SELLING

COPIES IN THE MAGAZINE'S

HISTORY.

[CROWD CHEERING]

WOMEN IN SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT

HAD NEVER BEEN MORE POPULAR AS

WWE CONTINUED TO BREAK THROUGH

BOUNDARIES.

EVERYTHING IN THE ATTITUDE

ERA WAS KIND OF PUSHING THE

ENVELOPE.

HOW FAR CAN WE PUSH THIS?

[CROWD CHEERING]

WE PUSHED IT TO THE EDGE.

WELL, LET'S PUSH IT OVER THE

EDGE AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

CHYNA WAS THE FIRST WOMAN TO

WIN THE INTERCONTINENTAL

CHAMPIONSHIP.

CHYNA HAS MADE HISTORY.

THAT'S SOMETHING I DON'T

THINK A WOMAN'S EVER GONNA DO

AGAIN.

YOU NEVER KNEW WHAT JACKIE

AND TERRI WERE GONNA DO.

YOU NEVER KNEW WHAT SABLE WAS

GONNA DO NEXT.

IT WAS JUST A REALLY EXCITING

TIME.

WHETHER YOU AGREE WITH IT OR YOU

DIDN'T, PEOPLE WATCHED.

DESPITE HOW FAR WWE PUSHED

THE PROGRAMMING ENVELOPE,

RATINGS CONTINUED TO RISE AND

RAW BEGAN DOUBLING NITRO IN THE

RATINGS ON A CONSISTENT BASIS.

WCW UNDERESTIMATED THEIR

GIRLS, YOU KNOW, JUST TO HAVE

THEM BE DANCERS.

WOMEN CAN DO SO MUCH MORE THAN

JUST DANCE.

IF YOU WANNA SEE WOMEN DANCE, GO

WATCH A FOOTBALL GAME.

ALL OF A SUDDEN, EACH ONE OF

THESE NITRO GIRLS WOULD FIND A

LITTLE NICHE FOR HER IN WCW.

KEVIN.

YEAH, BABE.

WHAT ARE YOU--WHAT ARE YOU

DOING?

WHO ARE YOU TALKING TO?

NO ONE.

TO?

JUST GET OUT.

YOU KNOW WHAT...

COME ON, BABY.

...I'M SICK OF YOU.

HELLO, MY NAME IS STACY AND

I'M FROM BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

STACY KEIBLER EVOLVED OUT OF

THE NITRO GIRLS AND THE REST WAS

HISTORY.

[CROWD CHEERING]

CODY, CALL THE MATCH.

I CAN'T CALL THE MATCH.

CODY, CALL THE MATCH.

I'M NOT LOOKING.

IF YOU REMEMBER STACY

KEIBLER, TORRIE WILSON, AND I'M

NOT TRYING TO SLIPE ANYBODY

ELSE, WHILE WE WERE TURNING THE

TIDE AND WINNING THE RATINGS

WAR, IT SEEMED LIKE WCW DID NOT

UNDERSTAND WHY THEY WERE

STARTING TO LOSE.

AND MEDUSA HAS COME BACK WITH

A VENGEANCE.

I THINK WOMEN WERE AN

AFTERTHOUGHT FOR WCW.

AND I THINK IT SHOWED IN THE

CREATIVE.

IT GOT TO THE POINT WHERE,

WELL, LET'S PUT THEM IN THE

LITTLE MATCHES AND, YOU KNOW,

SOMEWHAT COMPETE.

BUT I THINK THEY TRIED TO KEEP

THEM EYE CANDY RATHER THAN

IN-RING COMPETITORS.

[MUSIC]

IT'S ALL ABOUT THE RATINGS.

AND RIGHT NOW, EVERY YOUNG MAN,

18 TO 34 IN [INDISTINCT]

HAS HAD A HEART ATTACK.

WCW, THEY JUST USED THEM AS

GARNISH.

THEY MIGHT AS WELL BEEN HOLDING

UP RING CARDS.

[MUSIC]

WITH WCW FLOUNDERING, WWE

INTRODUCED ITS NEWEST DIVA, A

WOMAN WHO HAD SEX APPEAL AND

ALSO SHOWCASED ATHLETICISM NEVER

BEFORE SEEN IN A FEMALE

COMPETITOR AND REPRESENTED THE

NEXT STEP IN THE EVOLUTION OF

WOMEN IN SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT.

[CROWD CHEERING]

WHAT'S LITA DOING?

WHAT THE WORLD?

[CROWD CHEERING]

OH, MY.

WOW.

LITA JUST MIMICKED ESSA RIOS.

SHE CAME INTO A TRAINING CAMP

WITH 17 MEN.

AND WHEN IT CAME IN TIME TO POUR

IN THE RAIN TO SHOW WHAT SHE

COULD DO, SHE WRESTLED THE GUYS.

[CROWD CHEERING]

WHEN I CAME INTO THE WWE, I

DIDN'T EXACTLY KNOW WHAT MY ROLE

WOULD BE.

AND TO BE ABLE TO BE EXPANDED

INTO SOMETHING WHERE I WAS IN

THE MIX AND IN THE ACTION, THE

CROWD DICTATED THAT THAT'S--THEY

WERE LIKE, "WE'RE TOTALLY OKAY

WITH THIS."

AND I GOT TO RUN WITH IT.

[CROWD CHEERING]

SHE CAME IN AND WAS LIKE,

"THIS IS ME."

AND SHE COULD BACK IT UP WITH

HER IN-RING SKILLS.

IT SHOWED A WHOLE DIFFERENT

CHARACTER TO WHAT WE'RE USED TO.

SEEING LITA HEADSCISSORS

SOMEBODY OFF THE TOP ROPE...

OH, LITA OFF THE TOP ROPE.

HURRICANRANA.

[CROWD CHEERING]

...THAT'S SO COOL --

YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING?

LITA APPEALED TO A LOT OF THE

YOUNG AUDIENCE WATCHING.

SHE HAD THE TATTOOS, SHE

LISTENED TO THE GRUNGE MUSIC,

SHE DID FACING THE RING THAT NO

DIVA HAD EVER DONE BEFORE.

[MUSIC]

BY THE YEAR 2000, MONDAY

NIGHT RAW HAD FIRMLY ESTABLISHED

ITSELF AS THE NUMBER ONE SHOW IN

SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT.

MALE SUPERSTARS LED THE CHARGE,

BUT THE DIVAS PLAYED NO SMALL

PART IN CHANGING THE FORTUNE OF

WWE.

[CROWD CHEERING]

HEY, WAIT A MINUTE.

WHAT IS THIS?

IT'S LITA.

IT'S LITA.

LOOK AT THIS.

AND LITA...

[CROWD CHEERING]

THE DIVAS DIVISION WAS MADE

UP OF WOMEN OF UNPARALLELED

BEAUTY, STRENGTH, AND

ATHLETICISM.

[CROWD CHEERING]

OH.

[MUSIC]

WITH AN ALL READY TALENTED

WRESTLER, WWE WOULD SOON FEATURE

A FEMALE TALENT THAT COMBINED

ALL THREE INTO ONE UNBELIEVABLE

PACKAGE.

[MUSIC]

T & A MANAGED BY TRISH

STRATUS, A FORMER FITNESS MODEL.

SHE PUT T & A TOGETHER,

DIDN'T SHE?

SHE CERTAINLY DID.

OH.

TRISH STRATUS CAME IN AS A

MODEL AND AS A VALET AND KIND OF

CHARACTERED THAT--WAS SEXUALIZED

A LITTLE BIT, YET, HAD THE

TRAINING AND THE DRIVE TO BECOME

ONE OF THE TOP DIVAS IN THIS

COMPANY.

WHEN I FIRST CAME INTO THE

WWE, I DEFINITELY KNEW I WANTED

TO BE ATHLETIC AND I WANTED TO

DO WHAT THE GUYS DO IN THE RING.

THE COMBINATION OF COMING IN AND

BEING A PERFORMER, BEING AN

ENTERTAINER BUT ALSO AN ATHLETE

IS VERY APPEALING TO ME.

YEAH, WHAT THE HELL?

LOOK.

I SEE [INDISTINCT]

IF I GOT TO BE IN A BRA AND

PANTIES TO GET YOUR ATTENTION,

WELL GUESS WHAT, AND NOW THAT I

HAVE YOUR ATTENTION, WATCH THIS.

[CROWD CHEERING]

LOOK OUT.

OH, MAN.

SHE IS VERY PHYSICAL.

SHE TAKES BUMPS LIKE NO OTHER

WOMAN I'VE EVER SEEN.

[CROWD CHEERING]

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, TRISH

JUST EXPLODED IN THE TABLE.

[CROWD CHEERING]

AND SHE HAS THE ABILITY TO

ELEVATE THE OTHER GIRLS THAT SHE

WORKS WITH.

[MUSIC]

ALL OF A SUDDEN, THERE WAS

THIS DIVISION THAT HAD THESE

WOMEN.

THERE WAS SOMETHING FOR

EVERYONE.

THEY BROUGHT A SENSE OF

BEAUTY, NOT ONLY FROM THE LOOKS,

BUT WITH THEIR MOVES.

[CROWD CHEERING]

WAIT A MINUTE.

NOW, LITA'S GOING UP TOP.

SHE HITS AND IT'S OVER.

THE MOONSAULT, LITA HIT IT.

[BELL RINGING]

IT WAS FUN TO WATCH.

[MUSIC]

WHILE WWE WAS BREAKING NEW

GROUND IN THE SPORTS

ENTERTAINMENT WORLD, WCW WAS

FALLING FURTHER BEHIND THE

CURVE.

WE HAD A FEW OTHER GIRLS WHO

ACTUALLY WENT OUT THERE, BUT

THEY WERE--THEY NEVER COULD

REALLY GET AS RACY.

[MUSIC]

IN JANUARY OF 2001, THE

CORPORATE MERGER BETWEEN AMERICA

ONLINE AND TIME WARNER LEFT THE

CONGLOMERATE AS THE NEW OWNERS

OF WCW, WHO MANDATED A REDUCTION

IN RACY PROGRAMMING.

LISTEN, WE REALLY APPRECIATE

ALL FAN MAILS FROM ALL THE

LADIES OUT HERE.

GOD, IS THIS LAME.

THERE WERE A LOT OF BAD

THINGS GOING ON IN WCW

FINANCIALLY, A LOT OF MONEY

BEING SPENT THAT DIDN'T NEED TO

BE SPENT.

AND WHEN THE MERGER HAPPENED,

THEY JUST WANTED TO STOP THE

BLEEDING THAT PUT THE KIBOSH ON

EVERYTHING.

THAT'S WHEN VINCE GOT THE UPPER

HAND.

HE WAS WILLING TO DO THINGS THAT

THOSE AT WCW, THEY WEREN'T

WILLING TO DO.

OH, GOD.

[BELL RINGING]

WHERE IS STANDARDS AND

PRACTICES WHEN WE NEED THEM?

WE GOT A STANDARDS AND

PRACTICE GUY IN OUR CREATIVE

ROOM.

AND THEN WE GOT VAL VENIS WITH

JENNA JAMESON.

SIZE DOES MATTER.

WHATEVER, DEMOGRAPHICS IS

GONNA GO.

[MUSIC]

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING

WAS CREATIVELY STIFLED BY

THEY'RE CORPORATE BANKRUPTCY.

BUT VINCE MCMAHON'S WIN AT ALL

COSTS ATTITUDE WAS EMBODIED BY

THE INCORPORATION OF HIS OWN

DAUGHTER INTO WWE PROGRAMMING

WHERE SHE WOULD'VE MERGE AS AN

INTEGRAL PART OF THE DIVA

LANDSCAPE.

VINCE WENT SO FAR AS TO BRING

IN HIS DAUGHTER TO BE A MAJOR

PLAYER IN THIS BUSINESS AS A

STRONG, EVEN ROLE MODEL TO WOMEN

EVERYWHERE.

IT JUST SHOWED HOW MUCH VINCE

BELIEVED IN THE PRODUCT AND HOW

MUCH HE WANTED TO SHOW THE WORLD

THAT THIS IS THE BEST COMPANY.

[CROWD CHEERING]

STEPHANIE MCMAHON.

[MUSIC]

SHE TURNED HER BACK FROM HER

FATHER.

I THINK WWE JUST WANTED TO

MOVE FORWARD.

AND THE MCMAHONS ARE ALWAYS,

ALWAYS A GREAT STORY.

AND THOSE CROWDS LOVED EVERY

SECOND OF IT.

STEPHANIE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT

TO DO.

HAS THE MATCH STARTED?

TRIPLE H TOLD HER TO COVER

JACQUELINE.

WHAT?

WAIT A MINUTE.

LOOK AT THIS.

[BELL RINGING]

I CAN'T BELIEVE IT.

YOU'VE GOT BE KIDDING.

[MUSIC]

SHE DID IT.

THE NEW WORLD WRESTLING

ENTERTAINMENT WOMAN'S CHAMPION,

STEPHANIE MCMAHON-HELMSLEY.

WHAT AN ATHLETE, MICHAEL.

SHE DID IT.

WHAT AN ATHLETE?

IT RUNS IN THE FAMILY.

SHE'S JUST LIKE HER DAD.

ALL SHE WANTED TO DO WAS SUCCEED

AND SHE DID.

[MUSIC]

BEING ABLE TO ACTUALLY BE A

PART OF THE PRODUCT THAT WE

WORKED SO HARD TO PRODUCE

EVERYDAY IS REALLY AN HONOR.

AND TO A 21-YEAR-OLD KID, IT WAS

INCREDIBLE.

I'M DOING THINGS MY WAY AND

IT FEELS DAMN GOOD.

[CROWD CHEERING]

AND SHE REALLY GOT IT, YOU

KNOW.

OBVIOUSLY GROWING UP IN THE

FAMILY, SHE KNEW WHAT IT WAS TO

PLAY A CHARACTER AND SHE HAD NO

ISSUES AT ALL WITH ANYTHING THAT

WE WANTED TO SAY.

[CROWD CHEERING]

STEPHANIE IS VERY DELICATE.

SHE'S LIKE A LITTLE FLOWER.

FLOWER?

I'LL HAVE TO SAY THAT LITTLE

STEPHIE BABY LOST HER FLOWER A

LONG TIME AGO.

[CROWD CHEERING]

SHE REALLY HELPED DEFINE AN

ERA OF WWE DIVAS BECAUSE SHE WAS

THE FIRST THAT REALLY EXUDED

THIS SENSE OF POWER AND THAT

KIND OF POWER THAT A WOMAN CAN

HAVE.

FOR WOMEN THAT ARE MAKING IT

IN A MALE-DOMINATE WORLD, THAT'S

AWESOME TO ME AND IT'S SO

POWERFUL.

AND I THINK WHEN WE CAN PROJECT

AND HAVE THESE WOMEN YOUNGER

GIRLS CAN LOOK UP TO, I THINK

IT'S AMAZING ESPECIALLY IN THIS

WORLD.

[MUSIC]

VINCE MCMAHON'S VISION TO

CONSTANTLY EVOLVE HIS FEMALE

SUPERSTARS HAD ESTABLISHED A

ROSTER OF SUCCESSFUL DIVAS,

ULTIMATELY HELPING WWE EMERGE

VICTORIOUS IN THE MONDAY NIGHT

WAR.

[MUSIC]

ON MARCH 23RD, 2001, HE

PURCHASED WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

WRESTLING.

AND ONCE AGAIN, BECAME THE

UNDISPUTED KING OF SPORTS

ENTERTAINMENT.

AND HERE, WE HAVE THE OWNER

OF THE WORLD WRESTLING

ENTERTAINMENT AND NOW THE OWNER

OF WCW.

[CROWD CHEERING]

THERE'S NO DENYING THAT THE

REASON WWE WON THE MONDAY NIGHT

WAR WAS BECAUSE OF STONE COLD

STEVE AUSTIN, AND THE ROCK, AND

D-GENERATION X.

BUT THE DIVAS WERE A HUMONGOUS

PART OF THAT.

IMPORTANCE THAT THEY HAD IN THE

ATTITUDE ERA.

[MUSIC]

IN THE WAKE OF VINCE

MCMAHON'S CONQUEST, WCW'S

UNDERUTILIZED FEMALE TALENT WENT

ON TO FIND SUCCESS IN WWE.

YOU DON'T REMEMBER MISS

HANCOCK, BUT YOU REMEMBER STACY

KEIBLER.

WWE MADE THEIR FEMALE STARS,

STARS.

THEY WERE WWE SUPERSTARS.

THEY WEREN'T JUST, YOU KNOW,

PART OF THE CARD.

THE ROLE OF WOMEN CHANGED

DURING THE MONDAY NIGHT WARS

JUST BECAUSE EVERYTHING CHANGED

DURING THE MONDAY NIGHT WARS.

NO.

OH, MY GOD.

WHAT A MOONSAULT.

THE WOMEN ENDED UP GETTING AN

OPPORTUNITY THAT WE HADN'T HAD

PRIOR TO THAT.

[MUSIC]

THROUGHOUT THE MONDAY NIGHT

WAR, FEMALE SUPERSTARS EVOLVED

TO BECOME AN INTEGRAL PART OF

SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT.

AND ON DECEMBER 6TH, 2004,

HISTORY WOULD BE MADE AS TWO

WOMEN SHARED THE STAGE FOR THE

FIRST TIME IN THE MAIN EVENT OF

MONDAY NIGHT RAW.

[MUSIC]

I REMEMBER THE MAIN EVENT

THAT TRISH STRATUS AND LITA HAD

ON RAW, WHICH IS UNHEARD OF TO

HAVE DIVAS IN A MAIN EVENT ON

RAW.

YOU'VE GOT THE ROCK, AND STEVE

AUSTIN, AND CHRIS JERICHO, AND

THESE DIVAS ARE MAIN EVENTING

RAW?

WALING INTO TELEVISION THAT

DAY, I WAS TOLD WE WOULD BE THE

MAIN EVENT OF RAW, IT WAS PRETTY

SPECIAL.

LITA IS LOOKING TO WIN THE

WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP RIGHT HERE

TONIGHT.

IT'S NOT LIKE A LITTLE GIRL

OPENING UP A CHRISTMAS PRESENT.

IT WAS LIKE ALL RIGHT, IT'S ON.

LOOK OUT, LOOK OUT.

OH, LOOK AT THIS.

OH, MY GOSH.

THAT HEAD-FIRST DIVE.

TRISH AND LITA WERE FRONT AND

CENTER IN THE MAIN EVENT.

THAT'S HOW IMPORTANT THE WWE

DIVAS WERE.

[MUSIC]

WHAT AT A COVER UP.

WELL, THAT WAS AMAZING.

[INDISTINCT]

COULD BE--WILL BE--NO, IT'S

NOT.

[MUSIC]

I REALLY FEEL LIKE US GOING

OUT THERE WITH THESE DRIVEN

PERSONALITIES, DISTINCT

PERSONALITIES, STRONG

PERSONALITIES, ALLOWED THE

WOMEN'S DIVISION TO BE TAKEN

SERIOUS.

AND WHEN WE WERE OUT THERE AND

DELIVERED SOLID ACTION,

OBVIOUSLY, THAT JUST BACKED IT

UP AS WELL.

TRISH IS NOW IN A MOUNTED

POSITION.

LOOK OUT, LOOK OUT, TRISH.

OH, NO.

OH, A POWER BOMB.

IT'S DEFINITELY THE MATCH

THAT I COULD SAY I'M MOST PROUD

OF.

FOR BEING GIVEN THE SPOT AND

PROVIDING THE CROWD WITH WHAT

THEY WANTED TO SEE, IT WAS A

SPECIAL MOMENT FOR ME.

LITA HAS [INDISTINCT]

ALL OR NOTHING.

OH.

ALL OR NOTHING WITH THE

MOONSAULT.

[CROWD CHEERING]

THE MOONSAULT.

[CROWD CHEERING]

[BELL RINGING]

MY GOD, LITA DID IT.

LITA DID IT, KING.

THE MONDAY NIGHT WARS

CERTAINLY BEGAN A MOVEMENT FOR

THE DIVAS TO EVOLVE INTO

SOMETHING THAT WAS NOT JUST

WRESTLERS AND NOT JUST MODELS.

IT WAS LIKE THE PERFECT MELDING

OF BOTH.

EVEN THOUGH WE'RE WOMEN IN

WRESTLING, WE'RE JUST AS CAPABLE

TO ENTERTAIN AND TO REALLY

IMPRESS PEOPLE OUT THERE.

I REMEMBER BEING LIKE JUST A

12, 13-YEAR-OLD LITTLE GIRL AND

WATCHING THEM.

AND THEY GAVE ME THE CONFIDENCE

TO THINK LIKE, YOU CAN DO THAT

TOO ONE DAY.

TO SEE THE DIVAS TODAY AND

THEY TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE

MOMENTS THAT THEY WATCHED, I'M

HONORED TO BE LOOKED UP IN THAT

REGARD, TO SEE THAT RESPECT.

IT'S JUST A TESTAMENT TO THE

HARD WORK OF, NOT ONLY MYSELF,

BUT OF COURSE THE WHOLE WOMEN'S

DIVISION AT THAT TIME.