Original subtitles

THROUGH OUT 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.

PLEASE WELCOME DENNIS RODMAN.

WITH BOTH COMPANIES

INCORPORATING MAINSTREAM

CELEBRITIES INTO THEIR PRODUCT,

THE NEW FOUND EXPOSURE BROUGHT

SUPERSTARS TO THE FOREFRONT OF

POP CULTURE.

TYSON AND AUSTIN!

ALL HELL HAS BROKEN LOOSE!

LOOK AT THIS!

AND AS EACH COMPANY ROSE TO

PROMISE, THE PERCEPTION OF

SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT WOULD BE

CHANGED FOREVER.

THIS IS THE MONDAY NIGHT WAR.

HULK HOGAN HAS BETRAYED WCW.

WHAT'S HE DOING HERE?

MONDAY NIGHT RAW.

MONDAY NITRO.

AUSTIN 3:16 SAYS I JUST

WHIPPED YOUR --.

BRET SCREWED BRET.

THE NEW WORLD ORDER, BROTHER!

LET'S GET READY TO SUCK IT!

WE ARE AT WAR.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WELCOME

TO WRESTLEMANIA.

THROUGH HIS ANNUAL SPORTS

ENTERTAINMENT EXTRAVAGANZA,

WRESTLEMANIA, VINCE MCMAHON HAD

SUCCESSFULLY BLENDED

MAINSTREAM CELEBRITIES WITH HIS

LARGER THAN LIFE WWE ROSTER TO

EMERGE AS THE INDUSTRY LEADER.

93,173 HERE AT THE SUPERDOME,

HISTORY HAS INDEED BEEN MADE.

VINCE TOLD ME WHAT HE THOUGHT

THIS BUSINESS COULD BECOME WITH

THE CELEBRITY DRIVEN

WRESTLEMANIA.

YOU WANT TO DO A THING WITH

ME DOING THEM OR T DOING THEM

BOTH COMBINATION.

ONE HELPING THE OTHER ONE.

IT MADE THE WWE THE STANDARD

OF EXCELLENCE.

WE BEGAN TO BE POP CULTURE.

THE FEMALE ENTERTAINER OF

THE YEAR, MS. CYNDI LAUPER

HERSELF.

WITH POP CULTURE CAME A

NUMBER OF STARS.

FROM OUTSIDE ARE TRADITIONAL

WORLD AND BRINGING THEM IN.

IT WAS A NATURAL CONNECTION

AND ONE THAT CAUGHT THE

IMAGINATION OF A LOT OF PEOPLE.

[MUSIC]

IN EARLY 1993, WWE REINFORCED

THEIR POSITION ON TOP SPORTS

ENTERTAINMENT WITH THE LAUNCH OF

MONDAY NIGHT RAW LIVE IN

PRIMETIME ON THE U.S.A. NETWORK.

WELCOME EVERYONE TO MONDAY

NIGHT RAW.

WE ARE LIVE!

WHILE VINCE MCMAHON WAS

VENTURING INTO PRIMETIME, MEDIA

MOGUL, TED TURNER HAD BOUGHT HIS

WAY INTO THE SPORTS

ENTERTAINMENT WORLD BY

PURCHASING A PIECE OF THE

NATIONAL WRESTLING ALLIANCE AND

REBRANDING IT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

WRESTLING.

THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE

THAT DIDN'T LIKE IT, BECAUSE IT

WAS HOKEY AND DIDN'T LIKE IT

BECAUSE IT WAS LOSING MONEY.

AND DIDN'T LIKE IT BECAUSE IT

WAS BAD FOR OUR IMAGE.

BUT I ALWAYS THOUGHT IT WAS

GOOD, CLEAN FUN.

THAT COMPANY WAS WELL KNOWN

DOWN IN THE SOUTH.

WHEN TURNER GOT INVOLVED IN IT

AND HE WAS THE MONEY BACKER, YOU

KNOW, IT COULDN'T HELP BUT GROW.

IN ORDER TO COMPETE WITH

INDUSTRY JUGGERNAUT WWE, WORLD

CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING WOULD

HAVE TO BUILD ITS NATIONAL

PERCEPTION.

TED ALWAYS HAD THIS DREAM OF

BEING THE BIGGEST AND BEST, AND

OBVIOUSLY MADE HIS CABLE SYSTEM

LIKE THAT AND HE WANTED HIS

COMPANY TO BE LIKE THAT AND HE

WAS A FAN AT HEART.

BACKED BY TED TURNER'S

FINANCES, WCW SOUGHT OUT SPORTS

ENTERTAINMENT'S MOST

RECOGNIZABLE FACE, HULK HOGAN.

HULK HOGAN IS BACK IN

PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING, HE'S

LEFT WORLD WRESTLING FEDERATION

AND IS NOW IS HERE WORLD

CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING.

TURNER BROADCASTING WANTED TO

COMPETE ON THE NATIONAL STAGE.

THEY HAD TO HAVE SOME STAR

POWER AND HOGAN WAS NUMBER ONE.

LOOK AT THE HULK MANIACS, CAN

YOU HEAR THEM, MEAN GENE?

BRINGING HOGAN IN, IT WAS

REALLY THE FOUNDATION THAT

ALLOWED US TO GROW OUR BUSINESS.

EVERYBODY STARTED LOOKING AT US

A LOT DIFFERENTLY WHEN HULK

HOGAN CAME, NOT JUST BECAUSE OF

HIM BUT BECAUSE OF THE THINGS

THAT HAPPENED AS A RESULT OF HIM

COMING.

OH MY!

SIGNING HULK HOGAN GARNERED

MAINSTREAM ATTENTION.

ON THEIR FEET!

THE HULK MANIACS, AND HULK

MANIA.

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING

WOULD BOLSTER THEIR PUBLICITY AT

1994'S BASH AT THE BEACH

AND THEY'RE STANDING

EVERYWHERE.

WHAT?

I CAN'T HEAR YOU.

FLANKING HOGAN WITH HIS

FORMER WWE CELEBRITY PARTNER,

MR. "T," AS WELL AS NBA

SUPER-STAR, SHAQUILLE O'NEAL.

HAVING SHAQUILLE O'NEAL WAS

HUGE IN THE EARLY 90S, THERE

WAS NO ONE BIGGER THAN SHAQ IN

THE SPORTS WORLD.

THE OVATION FOR THE GREAT

SHAQUILLE O'NEAL, THEY ROARED

FOR HIM IN THIS HOUSE BEFORE AND

ROARED FOR HIM AGAIN.

WHEN I WENT TO WCW, RIGHT

AWAY IT WAS MORE TRACTION THAN

THEY HAD EVER.

IT WAS HUGE, THEY HAD SHAQ THERE

AND MR. T, IT REALLY MAKES

EVERYONE REALIZE WHAT AN EVENT

THIS WAS.

THE LEG DROP!

THIS WAS WHAT THE

COMPANY NEEDED.

IT REALLY WORKED.

HULKAMANIA LIVES IN WORLD

CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING.

TED TURNER, ERIC BISCHOFF,

SAW WHAT HULK HOGAN DID FOR THE

COMPANY.

INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION,

MERCHANDISING OPPORTUNITIES,

BRANDING ENDORSEMENTS.

PUT IT ALL TOGETHER IT MEANT

MONEY.

AND IT MEANT ULTIMATE SUCCESS.

SO TURNER JUST KEPT ADDING

TO THE PAYROLL.

IN THE YEAR THAT FOLLOWED,

TED TURNER CONTINUED TO SIGN

RECOGNIZABLE TALENTS TO HIS

ROSTER.

THE MACHO MAN RANDY SAVAGE.

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING

WAS ABOUT TO EMERGE AS A

LEGITIMATE THREAT TO WWE'S REIGN

OVER SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT.

TED SAID, ERIC, WHAT WE GOT

TO DO TO COMPETE WITH WWE.

THERE YOU GO.

AND I SAID, GIVE ME PRIME

TIME.

HELLO EVERYBODY AND WELCOME

ONCE AGAIN TO THE FASTEST, MOST

EXCITING HOUR OF PROFESSIONAL

WRESTLING YOU CAN FIND

ABSOLUTELY ANYWHERE.

WCW'S MONDAY NITRO DEBUTED IN

LATE 1995.

BATTLING HEAD-TO-HEAD WITH

MONDAY NIGHT RAW AND TRADING

VICTORIES IN THE CABLE

TELEVISION ARENA.

IT WAS SUCH A GREAT TIME AS A

FAN, BOTH COMPANIES WERE TRYING

TO OUT DO ONE ANOTHER.

SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT WAS

COLLECTIVELY DRAWING OVER FIVE

MILLION VIEWERS EVERY WEEK.

EVERYBODY GET UP, YO!

[INDISTINCT]

BUT EVEN A PRIME-TIME

PRESENCE WAS NOT ENOUGH TO

SHAKE THE INDUSTRY'S

SECOND-RATE STEREOTYPE AMONG A

MAINSTREAM MEDIA.

THE 90S NO MATTER HOW GREAT

IT WAS AS A TIME FOR A FAN,

THERE WAS ALWAYS A STIGMA OF

LIKE A LUNKY IDIOT.

WELL YOU KNOW SOMETIMES A GUY

WILL SAY WE'RE NOT SHOWING

ENOUGH OF HIS HIGHLIGHTS OR

HIS SPORT AND BY THE TIME

THE WRESTLERS THEY WERE

A LITTLE MIFFED.

IT'S THOSE GRECO ROMAN

WRESTLING GUYS.

THEY'RE A BUNCH OF SISSIES,

YOU GUYS ARE GREAT.

I MEAN, IF IT'S UP TO ME,

WE ARE RUNNING THESE EVERY NIGHT

ON SPORTS CENTER.

AESTHETICALLY, THERE'S A PROBLEM

WITH THIS.

THERE WAS A THING THAT

PRO-WRESTLING IS FUN, BUT IT'S

NOT SERIOUS.

IT'S NOT TO BE TAKEN INTO THE

MAINSTREAM.

THREE AND FOUR AND FIVE.

IT'S NOT A-LIST, IT'S NOT EVEN

B-LIST.

OH, MY GOD, IT'S HULK HOGAN.

THAT'S MACHO MAN,

RANDY SAVAGE.

YOU GUYS ARE WRESTLING FANS?

CLOSET.

ME TOO.

THEY WERE JUST TO OTHER

PEOPLE LIKE THESE CIRCUS ACTS.

DESPITE THEIR OLDER

DEMOGRAPHIC, BOTH RAW AND NITRO

HAD CONTINUED TO PUT FORTH AN

OUT-DATED PRODUCT.

WHAT IN THE HELL IS GOING ON?

A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD SAY WHY

DO YOU YOU WATCH IT, AND

SOMETIMES I WONDERED WHY I

WATCHED IT.

I WAS LIKE THIS IS DRONE

INDUCING.

THE PRODUCT DIDN'T EVOLVE.

HERE COMES DOINK THE CLOWN!

THERE WAS AN OVER-THE-TOP

SOMEWHAT SILLY NATURE TO THE WAY

THAT THE CHARACTERS WERE

PORTRAYED.

HOGAN FOR THREE

TIMES NOW,

ONE, TWO, THREE.

I PUT MY HANDS AROUND YOUR NECK.

AND YOU HAVE MELTED LIKE PUTTY

IN MY HANDS.

I WAS A GIANT, OKAY, AND I

ACTED LIKE IT AND I TALKED LIKE

THIS, I WILL CRUSH YOUR HEAD.

IT WAS VERY TYPICAL CRAP.

BUT WHAT THE INDUSTRY WAS USED

TO AT THE TIME.

WITH THE INDUSTRY THROWN NOW

UP FOR GRABS, WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

WRESTLING WOULD SHIFT THEIR

CREATIVE DIRECTION.

WWE AT THE TIME WAS NUMBER

ONE IN FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT.

I LITERALLY DID EVERYTHING I

COULD TO BE DIFFERENT.

THEIR CHARACTERS ARE ANIMATED

AND CARTOONISH, I AM GOING TO

MAKE MINE VERY REAL.

DO YOU WORK FOR THE WWE?

NO.

HOW ABOUT IT?

NO.

AFTER ACQUIRING TWO OF WWE'S

BIGGEST STARS, ERIC BISCHOFF

PAIRED SCOTT HALL AND KEVIN NASH

WITH THE VILLAINOUS HULK HOGAN

IN THE SUMMER OF 1996.

I WILL ALWAYS BE BIGGER THAN

WRESTLING AND WITH THESE TWO

FRIENDS OF MINE, THE NEW WORLD

ORDER SHALL RULE THE WRESTLING

WORLD.

THE POPULAR TRIO FORMED THE

REBELLIOUS NEW WORLD ORDER

FACTION AND MONDAY NITRO GAINED

A STRANGLEHOLD ON THE RATINGS.

I WAS VERY AWARE OF HOW MUCH

IMPACT THE NWO STORYLINE HAD,

THEY HAD A HOT HAND AND NO

DENYING THEY HAD A BETTER, MORE

EXCITING, COOLER SHOW THAN WE

DID.

THE NEW WORLD ORDER HELPED

USHER IN MORE REALISTIC

CONTEMPORARY PROGRAMMING.

A STARK CONTRAST FROM THE

FAMILY-FRIENDLY ATMOSPHERE OF

WWE.

THE ENTERTAINMENT UNIVERSE

WAS TRANSITIONING INTO

REALITY-BASED TELEVISION.

AND WWE STILL HAD DUKE "THE

DUMPSTER" DROESE AND GUYS

LIKE THAT...THAT PUSHED GUYS TO

WCW, THAT WAS DOING SOMETHING

FRESH.

THE PRODUCTS WERE IN TWO

DIFFERENT WORLDS.

I MEAN ONE WAS HIP, ONE WAS

COOL, ONE WAS CUTTING EDGE.

THE OTHER PRODUCT JUST WASN'T

GETTING IT.

VINCE IS ALWAYS FAMILY

FRIENDLY AND ORIENTED TO KIDS

CARTOONISH SORT OF GIMMICKS

IN THE MID 90S.

I WAS THERE.

I KNOW THAT THE CHECKS WEREN'T

THAT GREAT,

SO BUISINESS WASN'T GREAT

AND WCW WAS KILLING THEM

IN THE RATINGS AT THE TIME.

I THINK HE FELT THE PRESSURE OF

HAVING TO CHANGE TO MORE

REALISTIC SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT.

DESPERATE FOR A NEW GAME

PLAN, VINCE MCMAHON DEVELOPED

EDGIER SUPERSTARS IN HOPES OF

INCREASING HIS AUDIENCE .

IT'S ALL ABOUT CREATING

TALENT.

IT'S ALL ABOUT GIVING THE RIGHT

ENVIRONMENT FOR THOSE TALENTS

TO GROW AND THAT'S WHAT WE DID.

AS PART OF AN EVOLVING

REALITY, VINCE MCMAHON WOULD

INCORPORATE PROFESSIONAL

ATHLETES FROM OUTSIDE WWE

UTILIZING A PROVEN FORMULA

FOR SUCCESS.

[INDISTINCT] PROUD TO BE THE

SPONSOR OF SUPER HEAVYWEIGHT

OLYMPIC HOPEFUL MARK HENRY

THERE YOU SEE SETTING A RECORD

IN POWERLIFTING.

MY STORY IS PRETTY SIMPLE.

I WAS A WRESTLING FAN.

I GET A CALL FROM VINCE.

AND I THINK IT'S A JOKE.

"HEY, THIS IS VINCE MCMAHON.

I HEARD YOU ARE LIKE WATCHING

PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING."

I'M LIKE YEAH, ALL RIGHT, CLICK.

AND I HANGUP ON HIM.

AND THEN ABOUT 15 MINUTES LATER,

MY MANAGER CALLS ME AND GOES,

"YOU HANGUP ON VINCE MCMAHON?"

THAT WAS REALLY VINCE?

HE WAS LIKE "YES, I THINK YOU

SHOULD TAKE HIS CALL."

I AM LIKE -- "OKAY, MY BAD."

FROM AUSTIN, TEXAS, WEIGHING

410 POUNDS.

HERE HE COMES!

THE REST IS HISTORY.

I THINK LAWLER IS OUT OF HIS

OWN GAMEPLAN HERE.

HERE WE GO AND...

THE KING, IT'S LIKE RUNNING

INTO A MACK TRUCK.

THAT'S NOT GOING TO WORK KING,

YOU GOTTA TAKE HIM DOWN IF

YOU'RE GONNA BEAT HIM.

I HAD MARK HENRY'S FIRST

MATCH.

I BOUNCED OFF THE ROPES AND MARK

SIDE STEPS ME AND WITH HIS BIG

HAND OF HIS, JUST SWATS ME IN

THE BACK AS I WENT BY.

LOOK OUT!

OH, HEAD FIRST!

I SAILED THROUGH THE TOP AND

SECOND ROPE, I DIDN'T HIT THE

GROUND UNTIL I WAS ALL THE WAY

OUT ALMOST TO THE FIRST ROW OF

RINGSIDE.

THAT'S WHEN I FIRST REALIZED

JUST HOW STRONG MARK HENRY WAS.

THE THING ABOUT HIM BEING THE

STRONGEST MAN IN THE WORLD...

IT'S REAL.

INTEGRATING SPORT FIGURES HAD

ALWAYS PROVIDED A BOOST TO WWE

PROGRAMMING.

MR. KEN SHAMROCK THE ULTIMATE

FIGHTING CHAMPION.

BUT UNLIKE POP CULTURE

PERSONALITIES OF THE 1980S...

IT WAS THE LEGITIMACY OF THESE

CELEBRITY ATHLETES MORE THAN

THEIR MAINSTREAM APPEAL.

THAT WWE WAS HOPING TO TURN

INTO PROFITS.

KEN SHAMROCK--HELL HE'S BEEN

FIGHTING ALL OF HIS LIFE.

YOU KNOW THIS IS RIGHT DOWN HIS

ALLEY.

MARK HENRY [BLEEP] ONE OF THE

STRONGEST HUMAN BEINGS YOU WILL

EVER SEE ON THIS PLANET.

SO THEY FIT RIGHT IN.

THESE CARTOON CHARACTERS

WEREN'T REALLY GRABBING YOUR

ATTENTION ANYMORE, AND NOW WE

TRANSITION INTO SOMEONE LIKE A

KEN SHAMROCK.

IF IT'S A MIXTURE OF

ENTERTAINMENT AND SPORTS,

THIS IS GOING TO BE A WHOLE NEW

ERA IN WWE.

HENRY AND SHAMROCK WERE

VALUABLE INVESTMENTS FOR THE

FUTURE OF WWE.

BUT IN THE SPRING OF 1997, NITRO

HAD BEEN WINNING THE RATINGS

BATTLE FOR NEARLY A YEAR

STRAIGHT.

WORLD WRESTLING CHAMPION BROUGHT

IN THEIR OWN CELEBRITY ATHLETES

TO SOLIDIFY THEIR POSITION AS

THE SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT

LEADER.

HEY, IT'S RODMAN!

DENNIS RODMAN IS HERE.

IT WAS VERY FRESH.

HULK ASKED ME TO BE HIS PARTNER,

HEY, YOU KNOW, I'LL TRY IT.

IT WAS VERY, VERY FUN.

[MUSIC]

FOR THE REBOUND...

SAVING IT IN!

OH BOY! DENNIS RODMAN!

DENNIS RODMAN IN 1997 WAS THE

ULTIMATE BAD BOY, ESPECIALLY IN

SPORTS.

WHO DYES HIS HAIR RAINBOW

COLORS.

HE DATED MADONNA.

HE WAS KNOWN AS BEING A WILD

DUDE.

DENNIS RODMAN HAS CHECKED IN!

SO THE EXCITMENT HAS NOW BEGUN!

YOU GOT THIS WILD GUY OF

BASKETBALL AT THE TIME.

THE HAIR COLORED, THE TATOOS,

THE PIERCINGS, THE WILDNESS.

ON THE FLOOR, DENNIS GOES

DOWN AFTER IT, GETS IT AND CALLS

TIME OUT.

WRESTLING? WHY NOT.

IT'S A PERFECT FIT.

THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL

ATHLETE OF OUR TIME, DENNIS

RODMAN.

AND HE HAD ALL OF THIS

MAINSTREAM ATTENTION FROM

EVERYTHING HE WAS DOING OUTSIDE

OF THE COURT.

AND NOW DENNIS RODMAN IS

STEPPING INTO A WRESTLING RING.

THAT BROUGHT A LOT OF ATTENTION

TO WCW.

SWEET.

[LAUGHTER]

FOLLOWING HIS NITRO

APPEARANCES, DENNIS RODMAN WOULD

COMPETE AT BASH AT THE BEACH,

AND THE COMPANY CASHED IN ON THE

ADDITIONAL MAINSTREAM EXPOSURE.

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING

CONTINUES TO ATTRACT INCREDIBLE

MEDIA ATTENTION.

EVERYWHERE YOU TURN TODAY,

PRINT, RADIO, TELEVISION, THE

FOCUS IS BASH AT THE BEACH.

I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT DENNIS

RODMAN DID A PRETTY GOOD

JOB OF TRYING TO BE A WRESTLER

AND TO DELIVER SOME GOOD STUFF,

HE WANTED TO WORK OUT THERE.

THERE THEY GO!

HEY, HE LOCKED UP GUYS!

HOW ABOUT THAT?

ANDRE! HE ANDRE'D LEX LUGER!

THIS PLACE HAS WENT CRAZY!

[INDISTINCT]

THE TOTAL PACKAGE!

HE CAME IN AND WAS A GREAT

ATHLETE.

KNEW THE BASICS.

WHEN THE RED LIGHT CAME ON,

HE WAS GOLD.

ARE THEY GOING TO TRY TO--

DOUBLE HIP TOSS!

[ LAUGHTER]

YOU ARE GOING TO BE SEEING ON

EVERY TELEVISION STATION, EVERY

NETWORK IS GOING TO BE DENNIS

RODMAN'S APPEARANCE AND THE

FORCE HE MADE.

ALL THOSE PEOPLE THAT HE

BROUGHT WITH HIM, THEY TOOK

NOTICE TO A WCW PRODUCT THAT WAS

HOT AT THE TIME YOU'RE JUST LIKE

"I'M GONNA WATCH IT NEXT WEEK."

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING

WAS SUCCESSFULLY CROSSING OVER

AS WCW SUPERSTARS AND STORELINES

WERE YIELDING THE HIGHEST

RATINGS IN NITRO'S HISTORY.

BUT AS 1997 WAS COMING TO A

CLOSE, WWE'S CHANGE IN DIRECTION

HAD BEGUN TO RESONATE WITH A

GROWING FAN BASE.

IT WOULD BECOME KNOWN AS THE

ATTITUDE ERA.

EDGIER CHARACTERS AND STORYLINES

WERE POWERING A NEW LOOK MONDAY

NIGHT RAW.

IT WAS THE ATTITUDE ERA, AND

THERE WAS AN EDGE, BUT IT JUST

SEEMED THAT EVERYBODY YOU GAVE A

LITTLE SOMETHING TO JUST RAN

WITH IT.

MARK HENRY MUCH TO EVERYONE'S

SURPRISE IS THE NEWEST MEMBER OF

THE NATION OF DOMINATION.

DEVELOPING THEIR PERSONAS,

CELEBRITIES FROM THE SPORTS

WORLD WEREN'T JUST ON THE

FRINGES OF WWE AS IN THE YEARS

PAST.

ABC TELEVISION NAMED SHAMROCK

THE WORLD'S MOST DANGEROUS

MAN AFTER SEEING HIM COMPETE

IN THE ULTIMATE BODY WORLD,

BUT THIS IS NOT THE

ULTIMATE BODY WORLD.

THEY BECAME FULL-TIME

SUPERSTARS PARTICIPATING IN THE

COMPANY"S BIGGEST STORYLINES

AND MATCHES.

KEN SHAMROCK...

HE WAS BELIEVABLE.

SHAMROCK, OBVIOUSLY THE

MOST POWERFUL OF TWO.

HECK I BELIEVED HALF OF THE

STUFF HE WAS DOING, BECAUSE MOST

OF THE TIME HE WAS REALLY DOING

IT, YOU KNOW.

BUT SHAMROCK IS THE PERFECT

EXAMPLE OF EVOLUTION FROM

CHARACTER TO REALITY.

AS FANS GRAVITATED TOWARD

MORE GENUINE SUPERSTARS,

WWE WOULD EMBRACE RAW'S ATHLETIC

ROSTER, PROMOTING THE REAL-LIFE

BACKGROUNDS OF THEIR CHARACTERS.

I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE THINKING.

I AM NOT A REAL ATHLETE.

I'M JUST A WRESTLER.

I AM 6'10", 328 POUNDS.

I WON BOXING'S GOLDEN

GLOVES THREE YEARS IN A ROW.

I WAS A NATIONAL CHAMPION

AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI.

MY JERSEY WAS RETIRED AT

FLORIDA STATE.

I WAS THE ULTIMATE FIGHTING

CHAMPION.

HAD OVER 200 STITCHES.

I SEPARATED SHOULDERS.

I DAMN NEAR BROKE MY NECK.

I HAD BLOWN OUT KNEES.

BUT I STILL GOT UP.

I AM NOT REALLY AN ATHLETE?

THIS ISN'T REAL?

TRY LACING MY BOOTS.

THEY TOOK THEIR ATHLETIC

BACKGROUND AND THEY ADAPTED

AND THEY BECAME WWE SUPERSTARS.

IT HELPS LEGITIMIZE AND GIVE US

THAT VALIDITY OF WHAT I WAS

SEARCHING FOR.

DESPITE WWE'S PROGRESS, WORLD

CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING STILL

MAINTAINED THEIR RATINGS LEAD IN

EARLY 1998.

RIGHT NOW WCW IS HOTTER THAN

EVER.

NITRO BEAT RAW.

IT JUST NEVER ENDED.

IT WAS ONE WEEK AFTER ANOTHER.

AND I THINK PEOPLE KIND OF HIT

THE GROUND RUNNING WITH

WCW AND JUST KEPT WATCHING AS A

HABIT, BUT RAW WAS PUTTING

ON SOME GREAT STUFF.

GET YOUR DAMN CAMERA IN

THERE!

GO LOOK WHAT I DID WITH THE--

WHAT WAS THAT?

WHAT THE HELL?

WHAT'S GOING ON AROUND HERE?

RAW'S REALISTIC EDGE LED TO

AN UPSWING IN VIEWERS.

I DON'T KNOW...HE'S CRAZY!

BUT IN ORDER TO DETHRONE

MONDAY NITRO, VINCE MCMAHON

WOULD REQUIRE NATIONAL ATTENTION

AND SHOWCASE HIS RENOVATED

PRIME-TIME PRODUCT TO THE

MAINSTREAM MASSES.

WE KNEW IN OUR HEARTS WE WERE

PUTTING ON A BETTER PROGRAM, BUT

THE RATINGS WOULD NOT INDICATE

THAT AT ALL.

THEY HAD MOMENTUM AND WE KNEW

WE NEEDED SOMETHING TO GET OVER

THE HUMP.

OPENING EYEBALLS TO IT THAT

NORMALLY WOULDN'T PAY ATTENTION

TO IT.

OUR SPECIAL INVITED GUEST,

THERE YOU SEE HIM.

YES! THERE HE IS!

IRON MIKE TYSON IS HERE.

WWE WAS LOOKING TO KNOCKOUT

THE COMPETITION AND WWE WISELY

CHOSE MIKE TYSON, THE MASTER OF

THE KNOCKOUT PUNCH.

WWE TOOK THE RISK ON A GUY

LIKE MIKE TYSON, BECAUSE MIKE

TYSON BROUGHT AN AUDIENCE

WITH HIM.

MIKE TYSON WAS CONTROVERSIAL.

HE WAS A BIG RISK BUT HE WAS A

CALCULATED RISK

WE WANTED TO DO BUSINESS WITH

HIM IN A BIG WAY.

IRON MIKE TYSON IS HERE, THE

BADDEST MAN ON THE PLANET.

HE WAS DOING SOME NEGOTIATIONS

WITH MCMAHON TODAY.

THE WORD HAD JUST COME OUT

THAT MIKE TYSON WAS DOING

SOMETHING WITH VINCE.

I REMEMBER ERIC BISCHOFF

TELLING ME MIKE TYSON HAD

CALLED HIM FIRST AND HE KIND OF

BLEW HIM OFF, AND HE SAID, WE

DON'T NEED MIKE TYSON.

I REMEMBER LISTENING TO THAT,

THINKING STEVE AUSTIN AND VINCE.

AND THROW IN MIKE TYSON, THESE

GUYS ARE GOING TO KICK THE

HELL OUT OF WCW.

MIKE HAD A CERTAIN REPUTATION

THAT WAS A BIT RAW.

AND SORT OF FIT IN WITH OUR

ATTITUDE AT THAT TIME.

HE HAD BEEN SUSPENDED SO

WASN'T ALLOWED TO BOX ON

PAY-FOR-VIEW, VINCE THOUGHT WE

COULD CAPTURE THAT SAME

PAY-FOR-VIEW AUDIENCE WITH TYSON

IF WE PUT HIM ON OUR SHOW AND HE

WAS DEAD ON.

MIKE TYSON MAY NOT BE ABLE TO

STEP INTO A BOXING RING UNTIL HE

GETS REINSTATED BY THE NEVADA

ALTHETIC COMMISSION BUT HIS

SUSPENSION HAS NOTHING TO

DO WITH STEPPING INTO A

WRESTLING RING.

YOU HAD NETWORKS WHO AREN'T

REALLY AFFILIATED WITH WWE

ATTRACTED TO THIS UNIQUE EVENT.

IT'S NOT JUST ANOTHER

PAY-FOR-VIEW.

IT'S NOT ANOTHER RAW.

THIS IS SOMETHING UNIQUE.

SOMETHING YOU'LL PROBABLY NEVER

SEE AGAIN.

MIKE TYSON BROUGHT A NATIONAL

SPOTLIGHT TO MONDAY NIGHT RAW,

AND WWE WOULD CAPITALIZE.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, IRON

MIKE TYSON!

AT THAT TIME HE WAS SEEN AS

THE NUMBER ONE GUY IN THE WORLD

THAT YOU DON'T WANT TO WALK INTO

A DARK ALLEY AND BE ONE-ON-ONE

WITH.

AT WRESTLEMANIA, IN THIS VERY

RING...

IRON MIKE TYSON.

AND WE HAD JUST THE GUY

TO GO DOWN THAT DARK ALLEY WITH

HIM,

AND THAT WAS STONE COLD

STEVE AUSTIN.

YES, INDEED!

MIKE TYSON IS STANDING IN

STONE COLD'S RING, AND BUSINESS

IS DAMN SURE ABOUT TO PICK UP.

I HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS GOING

TO HAPPEN.

THIS GUY IS A PSYCHOPATH.

I RESPECT WHAT YOU'VE DONE IN

THE BOXING WORLD BUT -- SON

WHEN YOU STEP IN THIS RING, YOU

ARE MESSING WITH STONE COLD

STEVE AUSTIN, AND THAT'S

SOMETHING YOU DON'T DO.

WHEN YOU GOT MIKE TYSON AND

VINCE MCMAHON IN THE RING AND

HERE COMES OLD STONE COLD WHOSE

HOTTER THAN FIRE AND COMES DOWN

AND SAYS, [BLEEP] IN MY RING, I

TELL YOU WHAT.

THE CROWD WENT [BLEEP].

SO HERE'S TO YA.

WHOA!

HERE WE GO.

HERE WE GO.

TYSON AND AUSTIN!

TYSON AND AUSTIN!

ALL HELL HAS BROKEN LOOSE.

I PUT THE DOUBLE BIRD RIGHT

IN MIKE TYSON'S FACE AND HE

SHOVES ME ACROSS THAT RING, I

WAS GOING AFTER MIKE TYSON'S --.

MIKE TYSON NOSE TO NOSE WITH

STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN.

VINCE MCMAHON JUST WON, IT'S

OVER.

IT'S ABSOLUTELY CHAOTIC.

THIS IS PANDEMONIUM.

STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN WAS

ABOUT TO BECOME A POP CULTURE

PHENOMENON.

AND MIKE TYSON WAS ABOUT TO

ACHIEVE AN EVEN HIGHER LEVEL OF

FAME.

AND WWE WAS ALONG FOR THE RIDE.

THIS IS FOX SPORTS NEWS.

MIKE TYSON BACK IN THE RING

ON MONDAY NIGHT AND HE DID

NOT BITE OFF MORE THAN HE COULD

CHEW.

MIKE TYSON BROUGHT US A GREAT

DEAL OF NOTICE FROM THE SPORT'S

MEDIA THAT WE WOULD OTHERWISE

WOULD NOT.

IRON MIKE TYSON IS BACK IN

THE FIGHT, THIS TIME ON A

WRESTLING MAT, LAST NIGHT HE HAD

IT OUT WITH A PRO-WRESTLER.

ALSO SOME OF THE NEGATIVES

TOO, WHICH WE TRIED

TO TURN INTO POSITIVES.

WHAT'S MIKE TYSON DOING THESE

DAYS?

ANYWAY, WE TALKED ABOUT THAT.

WE'LL TAKE A LOOK.

IT WAS A TIME WHEN I WAS A

PRETTY MUCH A PARIAH, AND WWE

DECIDED TO USE ME, WHEN PEOPLE

WOULDN'T PISS ON ME.

MIKE TYSON WAS SMACK DAB IN

THE MIDDLE OF NEXT MONTH'S

WRESTLEMANIA PAY-PER-VIEW

EXTRAVAGANZA.

IT GOT US MORE MAIN STREAM

PUBLICITY THAN YOU CAN SHAKE A

STICK AT.

MIKE TYSON AND HIS NEW

WRESTLEMANIA PALS WILL HIT THE

MATS MARCH 29TH ON

PAY-FOR-VIEW.

WE WANT YOU TO STAY TUNED FOR

MORE MIKE TYSON IN THE WWE,

AS IT CAN ONLY GET BETTER.

WOW.

EVERY NOW AND THEN THINGS

CLICK ON ALL CYLINDERS, AND

THAT'S JUST HOW IT WAS DOING.

TYSON ATTENDED A NEWS

CONFERENCE IN NEW YORK ABOUT THE

UPCOMING APPEARANCE FOR THE

WWE.

UNQUESTIONABLY YOU WILL SEE

THE GREATEST EXTRAVAGANZA IN

SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT IN THE

WORLD AT WRESTLEMANIA, AND MIKE

TYSON WILL BE IN EFFECT THE

ENFORCER AND SOMEWHAT OF A

GUEST REFEREE CAPACITY.

I FELT AT HOME.

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

I AM ADDICTED TO CHAOS BACK THEN

AND THAT'S WHAT THIS WAS, CHAOS.

[INDISTINCT]

YOU COULD SAY THAT MIKE TYSON

IS NOW EXACTLY WHERE HE BELONGS.

LOVE WRESTLING OR LAUGH AT

WRESTLING, HE WILL DO ONE

THING HE ALWAYS DID FOR IT

THAT HE ALWAYS DID FOR

BOXING, HE'LL RAISE A LOT OF

PAY-FOR-VIEW BUCKS.

CELEBRITIES ALWAYS ARE A PART

OF WRESTLEMANIA.

IT'S BEEN AN ONGOING TRADITION

BUT MIKE TYSON AT THAT POINT IN

HISTORY WAS SO BIG WORLDWIDE.

TO COME AND BE APART OF

WRESTLEMANIA XIV, MIKE MADE

WRESTLEMANIA EVEN BIGGER.

INTRODUCING FIRST THE SPECIAL

ENFORCER, THE BADDEST MAN ON THE

PLANET, IRON MIKE TYSON.

THE GREAT THING ABOUT THAT

MATCH WAS TYSON NEVER REALLY

TOOK AWAY FROM THE MATCH.

THE MATCH WAS ALLOWED TO FLOW,

OBVIOUSLY THE BUILD UP WAS

THERE.

AUSTIN DUCKED IT.

AUSTIN GOING FOR THE STUTTER

AND MICHAELS COUNTERED.

MICHAELS GOING FOR ANOTHER KICK.

AUSTIN-

HE GOT HIM -- THE STUNNER-- MIKE

TYSON IN.

AUSTIN IS THE CHAMPION.

STONE COLD.

STONE COLD.

STONE COLD.

WE GOT A NEW WWE CHAMPION.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WILL YOU

EVER FORGET WRESTLEMANIA XIV?

IT WAS AMAZING.

I DON'T THINK SHAWN MICHAEL'S

CAN BELIEVE WHAT HE SEEING.

AND AFTER THE MATCH SHAWN IS

GETTING IN TYSON'S FACE, NOBODY

GETS IN MIKE TYSON'S FACE, YOU

KNOW AT THE END OF THE DAY, HE'S

STILL THE BADDEST MAN ON THE

PLANET.

YOU KNOW WHAT I AM SAYING?

OH, NO, A RIGHT HAND.

TYSON!

TYSON!

TYSON!

RIGHT HAND!

DOWN GOES MICHAELS!

THIS PLACE IS GOING NUTS.

THAT WAS A TURNING POINT OF

THE WAR BEING WON OR LOST

BETWEEN THE TWO BRANDS.

WHEN THE BADDEST MAN ON THE

PLANET CAN COME IN AND NOT

JUST, "HOW'S EVERYBODY DOING?"

BE TOTALLY ACTIVE, SPECIAL

GUEST ENFORCER, KNOCK SOMEBODY

OUT, THAT WAS THE LINE IN THE

SAND, OKAY I GOT TO WATCH IT.

UNBELIEVABLE, WHAT A

WRESTLEMANIA!

GUYS FROM WCW WATCHED THAT

WRESTLEMANIA AND YOU'RE JUST

LOOKING AT IT GOING "OH, WE ARE

IN SO MUCH TROUBLE."

VINCE MCMAHON'S GAMBLE ON

MIKE TYSON HAD PAID OFF, AS

WRESTLEMANIA XIV TRIPLED THE

PAY-PER-VIEW BUY RATE OF THE

PREVIOUS YEAR.

TYSON PUT US ON THE MAP.

I MEAN THERE'S NO QUESTION

ABOUT THAT.

HE OPENED UP THE EYEBALLS TO

WATCH STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN.

ONCE YOU DO BUSINESS WITH

MIKE TYSON, THE WORLD IS

WATCHING.

WE USED MIKE TYSON AS ANOTHER

ROCKET PACK.

THE SHIP KEPT GOING HIGHER

AND THINGS GOT HOTTER AND

HOTTER.

WWE GAINED NATIONAL

RECOGNITION AND THE COMPANY'S

NEW STARS, STORY LINES AND

ATTITUDE PAVED THE WAY FOR

MONDAY NIGHT RAW TO SNAP A

NEARLY TWO-YEAR LOSING STREAK

TO MONDAY NITRO IN THE CABLE

TELEVISION RATINGS.

TO ME IT FELT LIKE A GOOD,

STIFF JAB.

FIRED ME UP AND FORCED ME TO

START REALLY THINKING ABOUT HOW

I WAS NOT ONLY GOING TO GET BACK

IN NUMBER ONE POSITION BUT TO

KEEP FROM GETTING KNOCKED

OUT.

LOOKING TO REPLICATE VINCE

MCMAHON'S MAINSTREAM

ENHANCEMENT, WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

WRESTLING REENLISTED THE

NOTORIOUS DENNIS RODMAN.

DENNIS RODMAN IS HERE AT THE

PALACE OF AUBURN HILLS TONIGHT

FOR NITRO.

AS BASKETBALL'S BAD BOY WAS

IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NBA FINALS.

THAT WAS HUGE.

THE BIGGEST THING WAS, HE

MISSED PRACTICE TO BE ON NITRO.

THERE ARE SOME THINGS WORTH

MISSING PRACTICE FOR, BROTHER.

AND THAT'S DEFINITELY NWO

BROTHER.

LOSING THE FINALS AND I

MISSED PRACTICE TO GO TO DETROIT

TO GO WRESTLE.

OH, MY GOODNESS.

THAT WAS RODMAN.

RODMAN MISSED MONDAY

PRACTICE.

RODMAN DIDN'T SHOW UP.

HE SHOWED UP ON OUR SHOW.

THAT NIGHT ON ESPN.

THERE I AM.

BOOM.

GETTING WHACKED WITH THE CHAIRS

BY RODMAN AND HOGAN, AND IT WENT

--

DENNIS RODMAN ESTABLISHED THE

NEW WORLD ORDER ON WCW MONDAY

NITRO--

EVERYTHING'S FINE.

AND TUESDAY PERFORMED THE

OH SO HUMDRUM TASK OF GOING TO

THE BULL'S PRACTICE.

I MADE SOME NEW FRIENDS.

I MADE A LOT OF MONEY, THAT

IS GOOD.

I CAN NEVER FIGURE THIS GUY

OUT,

I WON'T EVEN START.

ONE DAY HE'S WRESTLING

AND THE NEXT DAY HE'S DEFENDING.

CHICAGO TRYING TO PICK UP THE

DEFENSE IF THEY CAN.

MALONE WITH RODMAN HAND FIGHTING

AND MALONE OFFENSIVE FOUL.

DRILLED RODMAN.

WCW WOULD BUILD ON RODMAN'S

INVOLVEMENT BY BRINGING IN HIS

ADVERSARY ON THE BASKETBALL

COURT, KARL MALONE.

LAST NIGHT IF YOU WATCHED THE

FINALS BETWEEN CHICAGO AND UTAH,

THERE HAS BEEN RUMORS THAT THE

MAILMAN KARL MALONE WILL DON THE

TIGHTS AND WRESTLE FOR WCW VERY

SOON.

KARL MALONE SAID "I WANT TO

BE INVOLVED."

EVERYBODY WENT, WHAT?

THE CHICAGO BULLS HAVE WON

THEIR SIX NBA TITLE.

FOLLOWING BACK-TO-BACK LOSSES

TO RODMAN FOR THE NBA

CHAMPIONSHIP, KARL MALONE HAD AN

OPPORTUNITY TO SEEK HIS REVENGE

IN THE RING AND THE PROFESSIONAL

RIVALRY PROVIDED ADDED REALISM

FOR MONDAY NITRO.

THERE WAS A BASKETBALL FEUD

THERE IN THE FINALS WITH THE

BULLS AND THE JAZZ.

DIAMOND DALLAS PAGE AND THE

MAILMAN KARL MALONE.

THEY TOOK THAT AND THEY JUST

PIGGYBACKED INTO SPORTS

ENTERTAINMENT AND IT WAS

AWESOME.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SAY TO

RODMAN?

I AM GOING TO KNOCK THE PAINT

RIGHT OUT OF YOUR HAIR, BOY.

HE HAD LITERALLY JUST LOST TO

RODMAN'S TEAM.

SO, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IS GOING

TO HAPPEN.

YOU DON'T KNOW IF KARL MALONE

SUDDENLY WANTS TO BEAT UP

DENNIS RODMAN, HE'S GOING TO DO

IT.

THE RODMAN/MALONE STORYLINE

WOULD GET ADDED PUBLICITY THANKS

TO A PROMOTIONAL APPEARANCE ON

TELEVISION'S BIGGEST STAGE.

WE FINALLY SHOT OUR ANGLE ON

"THE TONIGHT SHOW" WITH ME

AND MALONE AGAINST RODMAN AND

HOGAN AND YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT

THAT DOES FOR THE PROMOTION WHEN

WE SHOT THE ANGLE ON THE BEST

STAGE ON THE PLANET, IT'S THE

TONIGHT SHOW, WITH JAY LENO

IN THE MIDDLE, PUSHED EVERYBODY

OFF.

THAT NEXT DAY IT WAS ELECTRIC.

I NEVER BEEN TO A PRESS

CONFERENCE LIKE THAT.

THERE HAD TO BE 300 PEOPLE FROM

AROUND THE WORLD WITH CAMERAS

SHOOTING EVERYTHING WE SAID AND

DID.

AFTER I'VE SEEN MR. RODMAN

AGAINST MR. MALONE ON THE

HARDWOOD FLOOR, I CAN ONLY GUESS

WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

THE ONLY THINK ABOUT IS JUST

BEATING RODZILLA AND THAT LITTLE

SISSY HE'S GOT WITH HIM, HULK

HOGAN.

(INAUDIBLE) IT WAS A GREAT

SCENARIO AND PEOPLE REALLY DIG

THAT.

WITH THE EYES OF THE

ENTERTAINMENT WORLD ON WCW,

DENNIS RODMAN AND KARL MALONE

WOULD BE FEATURED IN THE TAG

TEAM MAIN EVENT AT 1998'S BASH

AT THE BEACH.

OH, IT'S THE FOURTH QUARTER

AND THE MAILMAN GOT THE BALL.

KARL MALONE PICKED ME UP AND

THREW ME AROUND LIKE I WAS 10

POUNDS BUT IT WAS A PLEASURE

WORKING WITH BOTH OF THOSE GUYS.

MALONE AND THE WORM, THAT'S

WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE.

THAT WAS PROBABLY ONE OF THE

BEST USES OF FOUR-STAR POWER OF

MALONE AND RODMAN COMING FROM

THE NBA, BRINGING THEIR AUDIENCE

OVER AT THE SAME TIME.

THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS

HUGE.

WHEN WE BROUGHT IN KARL

MALONE AND DENNIS RODMAN, WE HAD

BROUGHT IN A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT

NEVER EVER WATCHED OUR PRODUCT

BEFORE AND IN THAT ASPECT OF IT

WAS WONDERFUL.

ON THE NEGATIVE SIDE YOU'RE

BRINGING IN PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT

IN THE SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT

BUSINESS, AND ACTUALLY GETTING

THE BETTER OF SOME OF OUR TOP

SUPERSTARS.

DESPITE MIXED REVIEWS, THE

NBA SUPERSTARS HELPED MAKE BASH

AT THE BEACH WCW'S HIGHEST

GROSSING PAY-FOR-VIEW OF THE

YEAR.

OH, DIAMOND CUTTER ON

RODZILLA!

HOW ABOUT THAT?

BUT AS NITRO CONTINUED TO

CLIMB IN THE RATINGS...

SO TOO DID MONDAY NIGHT RAW.

STILL NARROWLY TRAILING WWE,

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING

WOULD SEEK MORE NATIONAL

ATTENTION.

ONCE AGAIN ENGAGING IN A

CROSS-PROMOTION WITH THE

"TONIGHT SHOW" AND JAY LENO.

TO BE ABLE TO TAKE OVER THE

SET OF TONIGHT SHOW AND HAVE

ERIC BISCHOFF'S WITH HIS FEET

UP ON JAY LENO'S DESK, THAT'S

PRETTY UNPRECEDENTED, AND THEY

PARLAYED THAT INTO EXTRAORDINARY

MAINSTREAM PUBLICITY TO ACTUALLY

GET JAY LENO TO AGREE TO BE IN A

MATCH.

JAY LENO WOULD TEAM WITH

DIAMOND DALLAS PAGE, AGAINST

ERIC BISCHOFF AND HULK HOGAN IN

A CONTROVERSIAL MAIN EVENT AT

AUGUST'S ROAD WILD PAY-FOR-VIEW.

JAY LENO BRINGS ATTENTION

FROM NOT JUST THE WRESTLING

COMMUNITY.

IT STEPS OUT OF IT.

THEY CAN SAY WHAT THEY WANT

ABOUT HIM IN THE RING, HE

ACTUALLY LOOKED PRETTY DAMN GOOD

A LOT OF IT.

HIS PUNCH THAT KNOCK ERIC

BITSCHOFF WAS THE WORST

PUNCH IN THE BUSINESS.

CAUGHT HIM WITH THE RIGHT

HAND.

BISCHOFF GOES DOWN--

COME ON!

LENO ON HIS FEET.

DOWN AGAIN.

YOU KNOW HAVING JAY LENO

STANDING ABOVE HULK HOGAN WITH

AN ARM BAR WAS LUDICROUS.

IT WAS INSANITY.

AND JAY LENO, FULL ON DRAGON

TWIST.

ANOTHER ONE DRIVES HULK HOGAN

TO THE MAT.

YOU GOT TO LOVE IT.

LENO HAS GOT HOLLYWOOD HOGAN

ON HIS KNEES.

I GET IT JAY LENO WAS A

STRETCH.

I AM NOT DISAGREEING.

I TOTALLY GET IT.

IT JUST FELT LIKE THE RIGHT

THING TO DO AT THE TIME.

WE WERE TRYING TO GET AS MANY

EYES ON US AS POSSIBLE ACROSS

DEMOS TO MAKE OUR VIEWING

AUDIENCE BIGGER.

THE PRESS THAT WCW GOT OFF OF

THAT COULD BE MEASURED IN

MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.

BUT IT WAS HUMILIATING.

IT WAS EMBARRASSING.

OH, WE'RE ENJOYING THIS FANS

AND WE HOPE YOU ARE AS WELL.

THE VERY IDEA THAT, THAT

COULD POSSIBLY HAPPEN IN A

WRESTLING RING WAS PREPOSTEROUS.

IT JUST SEEMED LIKE TO ME

THAT WCW IN GENERAL WERE JUST

WILLING TO PROSTITUTE OUR ENTIRE

COMPANY FOR A SAKE OF

GETTING AN A OR B-LIST

CELEBRITY, FOR THAT MATTER, TO

COME ON THE SHOW.

I WAS RIGHT THERE 20 FEET

FROM THE RING, I THOUGHT IT WAS

[BLEEP].

DENNIS RODMAN AND KARL MALONE

WRESTLING ON A PAY-FOR-VIEW I

CAN SWALLOW, BECAUSE THEY ARE

ATHLETES.

JAY LENO WRESTLING ON A WCW

PAY-FOR-VIEW, I CAN'T FORGIVE.

IT'S ONE OF THOSE TIMES YOU ARE

EMBARRASSED TO BE A WRESTLING

FAN.

ONE, TWO, THREE.

JAY LENO WINS IT.

JAY LENO WINS IT.

SEVERAL QUESTIONED WCW'S

USAGE OF MAIN-STREAM

CELEBRITIES.

BUT THE SACRIFICE OF THEIR LOYAL

FOLLOWERS HAD GIVEN WAY TO

GREATER NATIONAL EXPOSURE.

WHAT MATTERED TO ME, IS THAT

I GOT PEOPLE TALKING.

YOU KNOW, THAT IS PART OF THE

BUSINESS, IT'S CREATING THE

CONTROVERSY.

SO I LOVED THAT.

I KNOW THE FIRST THING THAT

YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS WHAT

HAPPENED TWO DAYS AGO IN STURGIS

AT ROAD-WILD MAIN EVENT MATCH.

IT WAS A GREAT NIGHT FOR

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING.

TO HAVE JAY LENO A PART OF

WCW AT THAT TIME FOR ME IT WAS

GREAT BECAUSE WE HAD MORE

VIEWERS WATCHING IT JUST BECAUSE

OF HIS AUDIENCE.

AND THAT AUDIENCE WAS GETTING A

CHANCE TO SEE BOOKER T.

WHEN YOU HAVE JAY LENO, WHO

CARES THEY WENT OUT AND PLAYED

TIC-TAC-TOE AND NO MATTER WHAT

HAPPENS AND HOW RIDICULOUS THAT

IS, YOU'RE GOING TO SIT THROUGH

THE REST OF THAT CARD.

MAYBE YOU RELATE TO A DIFFERENT

SUPERSTAR.

MAYBE YOU GO, "HEY I HAVE TO

WATCH THESE GUYS ON

MONDAY NIGHT AGAIN."

ANYTIME YOU BRING IN A MAJOR

STAR IN WHETHER FROM THE WORLD

OF SPORT OR THE WORLD OF

MOVIE OR TELEVISION, IT JUST

BRINGS MORE FANS IN.

IT MEANS THAT YOU HAVE ARRIVED,

IT'S CALLED CROSS PROMOTION.

IT'S BUSINESS AND IT'S GOOD

BUSINESS.

IT WAS QUITE A NIGHT FOR

THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY WITH

JAY LENO.

GUYS CCOULD COMPLAIN AND MOAN

AND GROAN ALL THEY WANT BUT WHEN

THE RATINGS ARE UP, THAT TRUMPS

EVERYTHING.

IN THE WEEKS THAT FOLLOWED

JAY LENO'S MAIN EVENT

APPEARANCE, WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

WRESTLING ACHIEVED THE HIGHEST

RATINGS IN NITRO'S HISTORY, AS

BOTH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

WRESTLING AND WWE HAD LIFTED THE

ENTIRE INDUSTRY INTO THE

MAINSTREAM.

I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH JUST HOW

FUN IT WAS TO BE A WRESTLING FAN

AT THAT TIME.

EVERYBODY WAS WATCHING WRESTLING

ON MONDAY NIGHTS, EVERYBODY.

THERE WAS WRESTLING T-SHIRTS,

WRESTLING EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING

WAS WWE, EVERYTHING WAS WCW.

IT WAS TAKING OVER THE WORLD.

WHAT A CROWD WE HAVE HERE

TONIGHT!

WE ARE SOLD OUT.

BUT WHAT'S CRAZY IS, WE KNEW

ALL THE CHARACTERS BECAUSE IT

WAS IN OUR SCHOOL, ALL THE GUYS

WERE WEARING THE T-SHIRTS.

SO MAINSTREAM.

SO MAINSTREAM.

PRO-WRESTLING IS PURE SHOW

BUSINESS, PLENTY OF SHOW AND

VERY BIG BUSINESS, TURNER

NETWORK TELEVISION CLAIMS THAT

MORE THAN 28 MILLION VIEWERS

TUNE INTO IT'S NINE WEEKLY HOURS

OF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING.

WCW VERSUS WWE, THE RATINGS

WARS WERE HUGE NUMBERS OF FANS

THAT TURNED ON TO WRESTLING.

WHETHER YOU LIKE WWE OR YOU LIKE

WCW.

WE GOT PEOPLE TO WATCH, BOTH

COMPANIES DID.

WHAT' UP WRESTLING FREAKS OF

AMERICA?

WELCOME TO MTV'S BEACH

BRAWL, I AM KIDD ROCK WITH THE

LEGENDARY JIMMY HART AND MY MAIN

MAN RAVEN FROM THE WORLD

CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING.

WRESTLING WITHIN THE

ORGANIZATION WAS GROWING.

BOTH FAN INTEREST IN WRESTLING

AND I WOULD SAY WITHIN THE

CORPORATION AS WELL.

GENTLEMEN, UNLESS YOU ARE

SCARED, START YOUR ENGINES!

WE HAD GOLDBERG BUILT UP TO

THIS MYTHICAL STATUS, THIS BIG

CROSSOVER CELEBRITY.

SEND HIM TO NASCAR LET HIM

DO ALL THESE APPEARANCES.

WCW HAD ACHIEVED CROSSOVER

SUCCESS.

BUT WITH THE ENTIRE SPORTS

ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY IN THE

NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT, MONDAY NIGHT

RAW PULLED AHEAD OF NITRO IN THE

RATINGS, AS WWE'S COLORFUL

ROSTER AND ATTITUDE PERMEATED

STRONGER THROUGHOUT THE POP

CULTURE LANDSCAPE.

HEY, AUSTIN, WHO THE HELL DO

YOU THINK YOU ARE?

YOU DARE TO DISPARAGE ME, YOU

ARE NOTHING BUT A FOUL-MOUTHED

BEER SWELLING SON OF A BITCH.

MTV HAD GARNERED SOME GREAT

RATINGS WITH ITS CELEBRITY

DEATH MATCH.

IT STARRED A CLAY FIGURE OF

STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN.

HERE YOU GO VINCE, HERE'S A

LITTLE FOR YOU.

THE LEGENDARY STONE COLD

STUNNER AND VINCE MCMAHON IS

OUT.

SOME PEOPLE THAT NEVER

WATCHED WWE, STARTED WATCHING

BECAUSE WWE SUPERSTARS WERE

INVOLVED IN EVERYTHING.

AS SABLE COMES OUT SHE HAS

THE NEW PLAYBOY, SHE IS ON THE

COVER.

MOST ANTICIPATED PLAYBOY IN

HISTORY AND NOW THE FASTEST

SELLING.

CAN YOU DESCRIBE OR WHAT ARE YOU

GOING TO DO?

SIT HERE AND LOOK, SAY

SOMETHING.

SHUT UP I AM READING.

WITH SABLE POSING FOR

PLAYBOY, THE ATTENTION IT

BROUGHT TO WWE WAS AMAZING.

WE NEVER USE SEX TO ENHANCE

OUR IMAGE.

AS ATHLETES WE UNDERSTAND THE

IMPORTANCE TO BE POSITIVE ROLE

MODELS.

WWE ATTITUDE.

GET IT?

WWE CONTINUED TO SHOWCASE

THEIR REJUVENATED PRODUCT BY

RUNNING AN ADVERTISEMENT DURING

THE SUPER BOWL.

KIDS CUT A REHEARSAL...

CELEBRATING THE COMPANY'S

CONTEMPORARY TRANSFORMATION AND

FLEXING THEIR MAINSTREAM MUSCLE.

BUYING A SUPER BOWL

COMMERCIAL IS LIKE "THAT'S A LOT

OF MONEY," IT'S A RISK,

THAT WAS REPRESENTATIVE OF WHAT

WHO WE WERE AT THE TIME.

WE HAD AN ATTITUDE.

WE HAD A SWAGGER.

MONDAY NIGHT RAW'S CREATIVE

WAS RESONATING WITH A GROWING

NATIONAL AUDIENCE.

WWE HAD EMBARKED ON IT'S OWN

WINNING STREAK OVER WCW IN

THE RATINGS.

IN MY VIEW THE REASON FOR THE

UPSURGE IN POPULARITY WITH THE

WORLD WRESTLING ENTERTAINMENT

IS BECAUSE WE'VE TAKEN WHAT WAS

A TRADITIONAL SPORTS

ENTERTAINMENT VEHICLE AND

EXPANDED IT.

WAIT A MINUTE, TRIPLE H

SCHWARZENEGGER.

SCHWARZENEGGER LEVELS TRIPLE H.

SCHWARZENEGGER HAMMERING AWAY ON

TRIPLE H.

WHATEVER JOB YOU WERE AT,

EVERYBODY WAS WATCHING AND

EVERYBODY WAS INTO IT.

THE AMOUNT OF CELEBRITIES THAT

WERE JUST GOING TO SHOWS AND

SITTING IN THE AUDIENCE WAS

PRETTY STAGGERING TOO.

LOOK AT BEN STILLER HE'S

CHECKING OUT THE HOES!

SOMETHING ABOUT THOSE HOES,

AIN'T IT MAN.

IT WAS THE WATERCOOLER TALK.

IT WAS THE ULTIMATE EXPERIENCE.

AND CELEBRITIES WANTED TO BE A

PART OF THAT.

THEY WANTED TO BE A PART OF WHAT

EVERYONE WAS TALKING ABOUT.

AMIDST THE POP CULTURE

ATTENDEES AND ARENA SELLOUTS, A

PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE WAS ONCE

AGAIN CONVERTED INTO A WWE

SUPERSTAR.

BACK IN 1996, AFTER I WON THE

OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL, I WAS

OFFERED A CONTRACT AND DECIDED

NOT TO DO IT.

BECAUSE I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND AND

APPRECIATE AND RESPECT SPORTS

ENTERTAINMENT.

BUT A COUPLE OF YEARS LATER I

SAT DOWN AND WATCHED.

CELEBRITIES IN THE CROWD AT

EVERY WWE EVENT.

THERE IS KURT ANGLE 220 POUND

OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST.

I LEARNED THAT NIGHT THESE

GUYS ARE NOT JUST ATHLETES

THEY'RE TREMENDOUS PERFORMERS.

TIGER CHARGING IN.

BELLY TO BELLY SUPLEX.

BOY DID HE ELEVATE TIGER ALI

SINGH DRIVE HIM THOUGH THE MAT.

KURT ANGLE STANDING TALL FOR

AMERICA.

I LOVE THIS KID.

AND THEN I REALIZED THIS IS

SOMETHING THAT I COULD DO.

I AM AN AMERICAN HERO.

CAN YOU ARGUE WITH THAT

MICHAEL?

I AM THE WWE'S MOST

CELEBRATED REAL ATHLETE.

KURT ANGLE HE WAS SO

ENTERTAINING AND SUCH A GOOD BAD

GUY BECAUSE HE WAS SO OBNOXIOUS,

AND HE WAS AN OLYMPIC ATHLETE

AND WON THE GOLD MEDAL AND HE

JUST CONSTANTLY KEPT RUBBING IT

IN YOUR FACE.

KURT ANGLE TOOK IT TO THE

NEXT LEVEL AS FAR AS THE

ENTERTAINMENT ASPECT IS

HE WASN'T SCARED TO BE PUT

HIMSELF OUT THERE AND JUST BE A

CHARACTER, BE LARGER

THAN LIFE.

BY EARLY 2000, KURT ANGLE WAS

MAKING A CHARISMATIC TRANSITION

FROM ATHLETE TO ENTERTAINER.

AND WWE SUPERSTARS WERE BREAKING

THROUGH TO CHANGE PERCEPTIONS OF

THE INDUSTRY.

PEOPLE HAVE A LOT OF

CONCEPTIONS -- MISCONCEPTIONS

RATHER ABOUT THE WORLD WRESTLING

ENTERTAINMENT, THEY THINK WE ARE

A BUNCH OF FAT-NECK IDIOTS WHO

LIKE TO WEAR TIGHTS AND HIT EACH

OTHER WITH LADDERS, BUT ACTUALLY

WE'RE VERY CLASSY GENTLEMEN.

DIDN'T HAVE TO BE A WRESTLING

FAN TO UNDERSTAND IT AND KNOW

WHO THESE GUYS WERE.

THEY WERE ON DIFFERENT SHOWS,

MOVIES AND "SATURDAY NIGHT

LIVE," FOR INSTANCE.

SO PEOPLE, THEY WERE REALLY

STARTING TO BECOME PART OF

CULTURE MUCH LIKE WE DID BACK

IN THE MID 1980S WITH HOGAN AND

LAUPER AND CAPTAIN LOU AND THAT

CREW.

THAT IS NOT RIGHT.

IT CERTAINLY IS NOT.

NO, YOU HAVE TO KICK HARDER.

"SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE" OPENED

A LOT OF DOORS FOR ME, BUT ALSO

OPENED UP SO MANY DOORS FOR THE

BUSINESS OF THE WWE.

HUM -- BEEFY.

I HAD A DEAL WITH WWE TO

PUBLISH A NUMBER OF THEIR BOOKS.

MICK FOLEY WAS THE FIRST ONE WE

PUBLISHED.

THE SALES DEPARTMENT AND BARNES

& NOBLE, WE WERE VERY PLEASANTLY

SURPRISED THAT HE HAD TALENT AND

WAS ACTUALLY A REAL WRITER.

I TURNED IN 200,000

HAND-WRITTEN WORDS IN 50 DAYS

AND THOSE NOTEBOOK PAGES BECAME

THE NEW YORK TIMES NUMBER ONE

BEST-SELLER AND GAVE ME A WHOLE

NEW LEASE ON LIFE.

TO THIS DAY WHEN I SOMEONE

SAYS I READ YOUR BOOK, I KNOW

THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT THIS

BOOK, SO IT REALLY WAS A

FORTUNATE THING.

NO LONGER AN ENTERTAINMENT

AFTERTHOUGHT, WWE WAS SHATTERING

ITS PREVIOUS RECORDS WITH FANS

NEW AND OLD BUYING INTO THE

COMPANY.

LET'S TALK ABOUT THE

WRESTLING WORLD.

BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THAT IS WHERE

THE MONEY IS THESE DAYS.

WWE WAS EVERYWHERE, AND

BUSINESS HAD NEVER BEEN BETTER.

IT WAS THE PERFECT TIME TO TAKE

THE COMPANY PUBLIC.

AS OF TODAY THE WORLD

WRESTLING ENTERTAINMENT HAS

MOVED TO THE NEW YORK STOCK

EXCHANGE.

THANK YOU FOR BEING A PART OF

THIS HISTORIC DAY FOR THE

WORLD WRESTLING ENTERTAINMENT

INVADING WALL STREET.

GOING PUBLIC HELPED CHANGED

OUR PERCEPTION WITHIN SOCIETY

AND WE BECAME A GLOBAL ENTITY.

VINCE MCMAHON SHOWED THE WORLD

THAT WE WEREN'T PLAYING GAMES

ANYMORE.

HOPING TO STABILIZE THEIR

DECLINE AND CAPITALIZE ON SPORTS

ENTERTAINMENT'S MAINSTREAM

POPULARITY, WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

WRESTLING PRODUCED A FEATURE

LENGTH FILM PORTRAYING THE WCW

BRAND AND SUPERSTARS.

WCW ALIGNED WITH WARNER

BROTHERS TO PRODUCE READY TO

RUMBLE TONIGHT'S THE BIG

PREMIER.

STARRING HOLLYWOOD ACTOR,

DAVID ARQUETTE, READY TO RUMBLE

WAS A GAMBLE THAT WOULD ALTER

THE FUTURE OF THE COMPANY.

AT THAT TIME THEY WERE TRYING

ANYTHING THEY THEY COULD TO DO

TO SHIFT THE MOMENTUM,

MAYBE WE COULD GET HOLLYWOOD TO

BUY INTO WHAT WE'RE DOING.

READY TO RUMBLE, IT WASN'T

GOING TO GET ANY OSCARS, BUT IT

WAS WHAT IT WAS.

READY TO RUMBLE WAS A

BOX-OFFICE FLOP.

NOT EVEN SHOWCASING THEIR

PRODUCT ON THE BIG SCREEN COULD

HELP NITRO AVOID NOTCHING SOME

OF ITS LOWEST RATINGS IN FOUR

YEARS.

WCW AT THE TIME THEY WERE ON

THE DECLINE, AND ALMOST LIKE

THEY WERE GRABBING AT STRAWS TO

TRY TO DO ANYTHING AND

EVERYTHING TO MAKE SOME KIND OF

IMPACT.

AND OKAY, LET'S GET DAVID

ARQUETTE, HE HAS A BIG NAME,

LET'S GET HIM ON TV.

HOW ABOUT THIS, DAVID

ARQUETTE AND COURTNEY COX HAVE

JOINED US HERE.

I AM A FAN OF WRESTLING, I

MET A LOT OF GREAT PEOPLE.

AND YOU KNOW I GOT SOME NICE

HARDWARE.

IN AN EFFORT TO GAIN VIEWERS,

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING'S

NEW HEAD OF CREATIVE, FORMER WWE

WRITER, VINCE RUSSO, MADE A

DECISION THAT WOULD BE BECOME

ONE OF THE MOST INFAMOUS MOMENTS

IN SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT HISTORY.

AT THAT POINT YOU ARE IN THE

WAR, YOU HAVE TO KEEP PEOPLE

WATCHING THE SHOW.

WHAT IF DAVID ARQUETTE WON THE

MATCH AND BECAME THE CHAMPION?

DAVID ARQUETTE WILL DO

BATTLE.

RUSSO WAS GRABBING AT STRAWS.

I MEAN WHEN I TOLD DAVID

ARQUETTE THAT, HE STARTED

LAUGHING AND WENT, YEAH RIGHT.

I GO NO, THEY ARE SERIOUS.

AND HE WAS LIKE NO, NO BRO.

WE CAN'T DO THAT.

I GO, I KNOW.

BUT THEY ARE DOING IT.

HERE WE GO.

JEFF JARRETT AND ERIK BISCHOFF

COME TO THE RING TO

FACE DIAMOND DALLAS PAGE AND

DAVID ARQUETTE, THE ONE MAN

AGAINST VINCE PAUL WILL BE THE

WINNER TONIGHT.

DAVID ARQUETTE WAS IN THE

LOCKER ROOM WITH ME AND ASKED

ME, LOOK HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU

WON THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP?

AND I GO, DAVID, I HAVE NEVER

WON THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP.

ARQUETTE PAIRS OFF WITH

BISCHOFF, OH BISCHOFF HITS THE

SAFETY RAIL.

I WAS RELUCTANT AND I KNEW

THAT PEOPLE WOULD BE UPSET.

BUT I THOUGHT IT WOULD BRING

SOME ATTENTION TO WCW AT THE

TIME.

AND IT SEEMED LIKE WHAT IS THE

HARM REALLY.

[INDISTINCT]

SPEARED BY ARQUETTE!

JARRETT'S GOT THE BELT.

HE WENT DOWN IN A HEAP.

THERE IS NO REFEREE GUYS.

THERE IS A REFEREE!

HE'S OVER TOWARDS ARQUETTE,

ONE, TWO, THREE.

WHAT -- DID DAVID ARQUETTE?

JUST --

WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?

DAVID ARQUETTE WON THE WORLD

TITLE.

HE CAN'T BELIEVE IT.

DAVID ARQUETTE WON THE WORLD

TITLE.

SO YOU BRING IN A CELEB THAT

HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS

BUSINESS, HE'S WORLDS CHAMP.

DO YOU NOT KILL EVERYONE OFF IN

YOUR LOCKER ROOM?

I MEAN THAT'S THE WORSE THING.

WHEN I HEARD IT, I WENT, THERE

IS NO WAY.

NO WAY.

YOU COULDN'T COME UP WITH A

WORSE THING TO DO.

IT WAS SO BAD.

AND IT KILLED EVERY PIECE OF

CREDIBILITY THAT WE MANAGED TO

HAVE AT THAT TIME.

YES, DAVID ARQUETTE IS THE

WCW WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION.

A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WERE

MORE TRADITIONAL REALLY HATED

IT.

BUT IN WRESTLING, IF YOU THEY

ARE BOOING OR IF THEY'RE

CHEERING, AS LONG AS IT'S LOUD.

WHAT IS HOLLYWOOD GOING TO

SAY, AND WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO

WITH DAVID ARQUETTE OUR

CHAMPION.

THE LITTLE FLAME FLICKERING

IN MY HEART FOR THE BUSINESS AT

THAT TIME IT WAS JUST LIKE

SOMEONE JUST BLEW IT OUT.

WHAT A HORRIBLE IDEA,

ABSOLUTELY IDIOTIC AND IT

CERTAINLY JEOPARDIZED THE

INTEGRITY, THE CREDIBILITY OF

WCW.

THAT WASN'T ARQUETTE'S FAULT,

I'LL POINT THE FINGER AT THE

MAN WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR

MAKING THAT DECISION,

AND HIS NAME WAS VINCE RUSSO.

I STILL HAVE NO ISSUES

WHATSOEVER WITH DAVID ARQUETTE

WINNING THE BELT.

VINCE RUSSO, WHENEVER WE

BRING THAT UP HE ALWAYS SAYS,

"BRO, MADE THE FRONT PAGE OF

THE U.S.A. TODAY."

I'LL NEVER FORGET, BRO, NEXT

MORNING, I WAKE UP AT THE HOTEL

AND GO DOWN TO THE FRONT DESK TO

GET MY MY U.S.A. TODAY,

THERE IS A PICTURE ON THE FRONT

PAGE OF U.S.A. TODAY OF DAVID

ARQUETTE WINNING THE BELT.

ANYTHING MORE?

WCW'S PUBLICITY STUNTS HAD

BEEN PERIODICALLY ALIENATING

THEIR CORE AUDIENCE.

FOR A FRUSTRATED FAN BASE, DAVID

ARQUETTE AS WORLD CHAMPION WAS

THE FINAL STRAW.

THERE IS GOOD CELEBRITY

INVOLVEMENT AND BAD CELEBRITY

INVOLVEMENT, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT

WCW, IT RUBBED THE FANS THE

WRONG WAY.

THEY THOUGHT, "OH MAYBE THIS

WILL GET THE POP CULTURE BUZZ"

AND THAT WASN'T THE AUDIENCE

THAT THEY NEEDED.

THEY NEEDED THE FANS WHO HAD

SUPPORTED WRESTLING

AND NOW WE'RE SUPPORTING SPORTS

ENTERTAINMENT.

THEY NEEDED THEM AND TURNED THEM

OFF.

YOU ARE NOT A WRESTLER.

NOW BABY IS THAT ANY WAY TO

TALK TO THE HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION

OF THE WORLD.

OH, GOOD GOD.

IT WAS BASICALLY TO THE POINT

WHERE THEY JUST KILLED IT.

IT WAS GONE.

IT WAS GREAT, IT DIED.

IT WAS DEAD.

RIDING THEIR UNSTOPPABLE

MOMENT, WWE DECLARED VICTORY

OVER THEIR COMPETITION IN MARCH

OF 2001 WHEN VINCE MCMAHON

PURCHASED WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

WRESTLING.

THE WINNER OF THE MONDAY

NIGHT WAR, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

VINCENT K. MCMAHON.

ONCE A BLIMP ON THE POP

CULTURE RADAR, THE THIRST FOR

RATINGS AND ONGOING COMPETITION

BETWEEN TED TURNER AND VINCE

MCMAHON BROUGHT SPORTS

ENTERTAINMENT TO MAINSTREAM

PROFITS.

THEY WERE CONSTANTLY TRYING

TO RAISE THEIR GAME TO US.

AND WE WERE CONSTANTLY HAVING TO

RESPOND TO WHAT THEY WERE DOING.

THE MONDAY NIGHT WAR BROUGHT

TONS OF CASUAL FANS.

EVERYBODY WAS TALKING ABOUT IT.

IT WAS UNBELIEVABLE THE AMOUNT

OF ENTHUSIASM THAT WAS

GENERATED.

EVERYONE WAS UP IN ARMS ABOUT

RATINGS, AND MILLIONS OF PEOPLE

WATCHING WRESTLING.

AND IT'S THE BIGGEST THING,

SHOWS GO FROM ONE HOUR TO TWO

HOURS AND IT JUST NEVER STOPPED.

IT KEPT GROWING AND KEPT GROWING

FOR THE 1,000TH TIME, WE

WELCOME YOU TO MONDAY NIGHT RAW.

IT BROADENED THE HORIZONS OF

WHO THEY WERE AS AN

ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY.

SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE CAN RELATE

TO, AND I THINK THAT'S VERY,

VERY IMPORTANT NO MATTER WHAT

YOU DO IN BUSINESS AS WELL AS IN

TELEVISION...

WHERE ALL THE ELEMENTS OF SHOW

BUSINESS COMBINE.

WE ARE A VARIETY SHOW.

IT'S ENTERTAINING AND IT'S

ATHLETICISM THROWN IN THERE

TOGETHER ON A LIVE SHOW.

AND WE COMBINE THE TWO AND WE

CAN COMPETE WITH ANY SHOW OUT

THERE ON TELEVISION.

YOU HAVE SET A BRAND-NEW

ATTENDANCE RECORD.

IT'S BECOMING THIS GLOBAL

PHENOMENON, MORE AND MORE EVERY

YEAR.

SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT IS JUST

CONSTANTLY EXPANDING.