Original subtitles

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.

DESPITE HUMBLE BEGINNINGS, ERIC

BISCHOFF TURNED WCW INTO A

SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT GIANT.

THE NUMBER ONE PROGRAM IN THE

WORLD, IT'S NITRO.

BUT DETHRONING THE INDUSTRY'S

ESTABLISHED LEADER WOULD BRING

WITH IT A SHORT-SIGHTED BATTLE

PLAN.

VINNIE MC, I'LL BE WAITING

FOR YOU AND I'M GOING TO KNOCK

YOU OUT.

AND BLUNDERS MADE ALONG

BISCHOFF'S MARCH TO VICTORY

WOULD THREATEN TO RUN WCW OFF

THE RAILS.

FOR BETTER OR WORSE, I AM THE

BOSS.

THIS IS THE MONDAY NIGHT WAR!

HULK HOGAN HAS BETRAYED WCW.

MONDAY NIGHT RAW.

MONDAY NIGHT --

AUSTIN 3:16 SAYS THAT I JUST

WHIPPED YOUR ASS.

THE NEW WORLD OF ORDER.

WE ARE AT WAR.

IN THE 1980S, WWE EMERGED AS

THE SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT LEADER,

BEHIND VINCE MCMAHON'S

INNOVATIVE BUSINESS STRATEGIES

AND THE NATIONAL APPEAL OF THE

COMPANY'S CORNERSTONE, HULK

HOGAN.

THE SUPERDOME ABOUT TO

EXPLODE HERE.

HOGAN HAD THIS EXTRAORDINARY

CHARISMA, SO WE BEGAN WITH HOGAN

PROMOTING HIM ON A NATIONAL

BASIS AND IT ROLLED FROM THERE.

WE MADE A GREAT TEAM, YOU

KNOW VINCE IMPLEMENTED THE

MASTER PLAN AND I KIND OF LIKE

SENT OUT ON THE MISSIONS.

RIDING A WAVE OF HULKAMANIA TO

THE TOP OF SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT,

WWE HAD SUCCESSFULLY DISTANCED

THEMSELVES FROM THEIR

COMPETITION.

A COLLECTION OF REGIONAL

TERRITORIES THAT MADE UP THE

NATIONAL WRESTLING ALLIANCE.

BUT AS BIG AS WWE HAD BECOME ON

A NATIONAL SCALE, THE NWA

MAINTAINED A STRONG SOUTHERN

FOLLOWING THROUGHOUT THE 80S.

THANKS TO THE ORGANIZATION'S

FLAMBOYANT CENTERPIECE, RIC

FLAIR.

WHEN YOU HEAR THE NAME RIC

FLAIR, YOU ARE NOT JUST TALKING

ABOUT CUSTOM-MADE CLOTHES, LONG

LIMOUSINES, PRETTY LADIES, YOU

ARE TALKING ABOUT THE GREATEST

WRESTLER ALIVE TODAY.

BECAUSE HE WAS THE NWA

CHAMPION IN THE LATTER DAYS OF

THE TERRITORY, RICK HAD GREAT

EXPOSURE IN ALL THE LITTLE

HAMLETS AROUND THE WORLD.

MY OWN LEAR JET, AND LOOK

WHAT I TRAVEL WITH, THE MOST

BEAUTIFUL WOMEN ON THE FACE OF

THIS EARTH.

HIS PERSONALITY ALONE WAS

CHARACTER ENOUGH.

HE WAS JUST TELLING YOU LIKE IT

WAS, JET-SETTING, AND LIMOUSINE

RIDING, HE HAD THE FOUR HORSEMEN

SURROUND HIM.

EVERYONE WANTS US IN EVERY

MAJOR ARENA ACROSS THIS COUNTRY,

BECAUSE WE ARE THE BEST THERE

IS.

WHEN I WAS NWA CHAMPION I

CARRIED THE BANNER AND YELL AS

LOUD AS ANYBODY, THAT I WAS THE

MAN, BECAUSE NWA BELT WAS THE

MOST PRESTIGIOUS THING FOR

YEARS, BUT CLEARLY WWE AND VINCE

MCMAHON WERE MAKING MORE MONEY

THAN WE WERE.

THE NWA WAS STRUGGLING, ONE

OF THE GROUP'S PRINCIPLE

WAS PURCHASED BY MEDIAMOGUL, TED

TURNER, AND REBRANDED WORLD

CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING IN 1988.

HEADING INTO THE 90S, WWE

REMAINED THE PREMIER DESTINATION

OF SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT, AND

WOULD ATTRACT THE INTEREST OF AN

ASPIRING BROADCASTER.

I REMEMBER HEARING THAT WWE

WAS LOOKING FOR AN ANNOUNCER AND

I HAD BEEN WORKING AS AN

ANNOUNCER FOR A WHILE, AND I

THOUGHT, WHAT THE HELL, HAVE

NOTHING TO LOSE, GIVE IT A SHOT.

WHO IS YOUR HERO, ERIC?

MY HERO?

HULK HOGAN, ABSOLUTELY, THE MAN,

THE MYTH THE LEGEND.

HULK HOGAN WITHOUT A DOUBT.

I THINK I INTERVIEWED A

BROOM, AND SOMEONE SAID, HERE

KID, HERE IS A BROOM, AND I

THOUGHT, YOU WANT ME TO

INTERVIEW THE BROOM.

DOES THIS MEAN THAT I AM OUT

OF HERE?

NO.

DOES THIS MEAN I'M GOING TO

THE AIRPORT EARLY, VINCE?

NOT AT ALL, JUST SELL ME THAT

BROOM.

ALL RIGHT.

THIS IS WHAT ERIC TOLD ME, HE

SAID THAT HE TRIED OUT FOR

VINCE, BROUGHT OUT IN THE OFFICE

AND HAD HIM INTERVIEW A BROOM.

TAKE IT FROM ME, ERIC

BISCHOFF, IF YOU ARE GOING TO BE

A BROOM, BUY THIS BROOM, IT IS

THE BEST BROOM YOU CAN FIND.

HE DOES IT AND NEVER GETS

HIRED, SO HE LEAVES STANFORD

HAVING A CHIP ON HIS SHOULDERS

FOR VINCE.

THOUGH ERIC FAILED TO LAND

THE WWE JOB, HE QUICKLY FOUND A

HOME IN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

WRESTLING.

THANKS AGAIN, RIC, I KNOW YOU

ARE BACK ON YOUR WAY BACK TO

CHARLOTTE, SEE YOU NEXT TIME.

I CAME TO TURNER IN 1991, AND

I WAS HIRED AS A C-SQUAD

ANNOUNCER.

I AM ERIC BISCHOFF FOR THE

WCW MAGAZINE, BACK TO YOU JIM.

WCW HAD BEEN A HORRIBLY

MISMANAGED COMPANY FROM THE

MOMENT THAT TED TURNER BOUGHT AN

ASSUMED A BANKRUPT, DEFUNCT NWA

AND RENAMED IT WCW AND GAVE IT A

HOME ON TURNER BROADCASTING.

THE ASSOCIATION WITH TED

TURNER AND THE CABLE NETWORK WAS

HUGE.

WHAT WAS BAD, WAS THAT TED JUST

PUT PEOPLE IN CHARGE OF

WRESTLING THAT KNEW NOTHING

ABOUT IT.

HIRED A GUY NAMED JIM HERD, AND

SAID THAT RIC FLAIR IS OLD NEWS,

AND WANTED TO CUT OFF MY HAIR,

DYE MY HAIR AND CALL ME SPARTUS,

I WASN'T HAPPY ABOUT THAT.

SO I CALLED VINCE AND SAID, I AM

READY TO COME.

THE GREATEST WORLD'S

HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION IN THE

HISTORY OF THIS GREAT SPORT, AND

IT'S MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE

RIC FLAIR.

WHEN FLAIR SHOWED UP, I

REMEMBER BEING SO CONFUSED.

BECAUSE THESE ARE RIVAL

COMPANIES AND THEY NEVER REALLY

ACKNOWLEDGED EACH ISSUE.

AND TO HAVE THE FACE OF WCW SHOW

UP IN THE WWE.

IT WAS JUST UNHEARD OF.

UPON FLAIR'S ARRIVAL IN WWE,

THE PIECES WERE NOW IN PLACE FOR

SPORT'S ENTERTAINMENT'S ULTIMATE

DREAM MATCH BETWEEN THE

INDUSTRIES' TWO MOST ICONIC

SUPERSTARS OF THE 80S.

WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE

PERFECT STORM, THE TWO GREATEST

WORLD CHAMPIONS TO COME INTO ONE

COMPANY TOGETHER, JUST MAKES

SENSE.

WHEN RIC FLAIR CAME TO WWE, I

THOUGHT THAT'S WHAT HE WAS THERE

FOR, TO WRESTLE HULK HOGAN.

THAT'S WHAT EVERYONE WANTS TO

SEE, THE TWO BIGGEST STARS WOULD

FINALLY WRESTLE.

I THINK IN MY MIND I WOULD

EVENTUALLY WRESTLE HOGAN IN

WRESTLEMANIA.

IT IS THE DECISION OF THIS

OFFICE, THAT AT WRESTLEMANIA,

THERE BE NOT ONE BUT TWO MAIN

EVENTS.

THE WORLD WRESTLING FEDERATION

CHAMPION, RIC FLAIR WILL DEFEND

HIS TITLE AGAINST NOW NUMBER ONE

RANKED CONTENDER, MACHO MAN,

RANDY SAVAGE.

A LOT OF RUMORS FLOATING

AROUND AT THAT TIME ABOUT THE

POTENTIAL OF A FLAIR/HOGAN

MATCH-UP AT WRESTLEMANIA 8.

FOR SOME REASON I GOT TO BELIEVE

THAT ONE OF THE INDIVIDUALS

STOPPED IT DEAD.

I NEVER TALKED TO RIC FLAIR

ABOUT IT.

I NEVER TALKED TO HULK HOGAN

ABOUT IT EXACTLY.

I ELUDED TO IT.

BUT I DIDN'T GET AN ANSWER.

I AM STILL ASKING THAT

QUESTION.

HOW COME THE MATCH NEVER

HAPPENED AT WRESTLEMANIA WITH

HULK HOGAN AND RIC FLAIR.

I DON'T KNOW THAT ANSWER.

WWE FAILED TO DELIVER THE

DREAM MATCH AT WRESTLEMANIA 8.

IN THE YEAR THAT FOLLOWED, VINCE

MCMAHON FOCUSED ON BUILDING FOR

THE FUTURE WITH YOUNGER SUPER

STARS.

WWE'S PROGRESSION CONTINUED IN

1993 WITH THE LAUNCH OF MONDAY

NIGHT RAW IN PRIMETIME.

WCW NEVER STOPPED CALLING

FROM THE DAY I LEFT, THEY WANTED

ME TO COME BACK, AND VINCE CAME

TO ME, WANT TO GO WITH YOU.

HE SAID YOU CAN STAY AND PUSH IT

DOWN IN THE CARD, OR LEAVE ON

TIME.

I SAID I WILL GO BACK, I

APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY.

AND WRESTLED MR. PERFECT AND I

WAS OUT OF THERE.

AND WCW THE NATURE BOY IS

BACK TO ROCK AND ROLL.

WHEW.

WCW HAD REACQUIRED THEIR TOP

DRAW, BUT THE COMPANY WAS IN

WORSE SHAPE THAN WHEN FLAIR HAD

ORIGINALLY LEFT.

WHEN I CAME BACK, WCW WAS

FLOUNDERING, AND THEY SAID THERE

IS A KID DOWNSTAIRS NAMED

BISCHOFF THAT I LIKE, I THINK

HAS A PRETTY GOOD VISION.

AND ONCE AGAIN THAT WAS A SCREW

UP ON MY PART.

IN 1993, ERIC BISCHOFF WAS

PROMOTED TO EXECUTIVE PRODUCER

OF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING.

MEANWHILE WWE WAS UNDERGOING A

YOUTHFUL TRANSFORMATION AND HULK

HOGAN LEFT THE COMPANY IN

PURSUIT OF AN ACTING CAREER.

THEY APPROACHED ME TO DO A

SHOW CALLED THUNDER IN PARADISE,

I WAS FOLLOWING THAT

YELLOW-BRICK ROAD OF OPPORTUNITY

AND IT JUST SEEMED LIKE THE

PERFECT TIME FOR US TO MUTUALLY

PART WAYS.

WHILE HOGAN WAS AWAY FROM

SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT, RIC FLAIR

WAS ESTABLISHING HIMSELF AS THE

TOP SUPERSTAR IN WCW.

YOU KNEW WHO WERE YOUR TOP

DOGS AND WHAT THE PECKING ORDER

WAS, RIC FLAIR WAS AT THE TOP OF

THE PECKING ORDER.

RIC FLAIR IS THE HEAVYWEIGHT

CHAMPION OF THE WORLD.

FLAIR WAS A FAMILIAR FACE AS

WORLD CHAMPION.

BUT BENEATH THE SURFACE, NEW

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, ERIC

BISCHOFF WAS TRYING TO BREAK

AWAY FROM WCW'S PAST.

WHEN I CAME TO WCW IT WAS ON

ITS DEATH BED, THEY COULDN'T PUT

500 PEOPLE IN THE ARENA NO

MATTER WHO WAS ON THE CARD,

INCLUDING RIC FLAIR.

IT WILL BE STING, TAKING ON

THE PRISONER.

OBVIOUSLY WE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF

A TECHNICAL DIFFICULTY HERE.

WWE WAS PERCEIVED TO BE THE

BIG NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

ORGANIZATION.

WCW AT THE TIME WAS PERCEIVED TO

BE AND WAS QUITE FRANKLY A

SOUTHERN REGIONAL TERRITORY.

AND THOUGHT IF WE WANTED TO BE

FAVORABLY COMPARED TO WWE, WE

HAD TO CHANGE AS MANY THINGS

THAT CHARACTERIZED US AS A SMALL

SOUTHERN PROMOTION.

HE WAS REALLY AGAINST

ANYTHING REFERENCED SOUTHERN.

ERIC REALLY HAD IDEAS AND HE

WANTED TO GET INTO BE A NATIONAL

PRODUCT.

I THOUGHT GIVE IT A GOOD

SHOT, ERIC, GO GET IT.

BUT I DON'T HOW MUCH SUCCESS YOU

WILL HAVE AT THIS PLACE.

ERIC WANTED TO BE IN TOTAL

CONTROL OF THE COMPANY, AND HAD

A LOT OF WAYS IN HIS MIND TO

EXPAND THE COMPANY, GROW THE

COMPANY.

BISCHOFF'S PLAN TO RAISE

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING'S

NATIONAL PERCEPTION CENTERED ON

LURING THE INDUSTRY'S MOST

RECOGNIZABLE FACE TO WCW.

HOWEVER HE WOULD FIRST NEED AN

INTRODUCTION.

BISCHOFF CALLED ME AND SAID,

DO YOU KNOW HULK HOGAN, AND I

SAID, YEAH, I KNOW HIM WELL, HE

SAID CAN YOU GET ME ON THE PHONE

WITH HIM.

I CALLED HOGAN AND SAID, I'M NOT

SURE I WANT TO GIVE YOU THIS

IDEA BECAUSE I'M NOT SURE BUT A

GUY NAMED RICK BISCHOFF IS THE

BOSS NOW AND WANTS TO TALK TO

YOU AND HE SAID BRING HIM DOWN.

SO WE GOT IN A PLANE AND FLEW TO

ORLANDO AND DROVE OUT TO WHERE

THEY WERE MAKING THUNDER IN

PARADISE.

I HAD A LOT OF RESPECT FOR

RIC FLAIR, SO WHEN HE SAID SIT

DOWN TO HAVE A BEER WITH

BISCHOFF.

AND I SAT DOWN AND I HAVE TO

GIVE IT TO RIC FOR WINNING ME

OVER.

I KNEW I COULD GO DO BUSINESS

WITH RIC, AND I MISSED WRESTLING

SO MUCH FINALLY I CAVED AND

BASICALLY WENT TO WORK FOR TED

TURNER.

RIC FLAIR TO HIS CREDIT WAS

REALLY INSTRUMENTAL IN BRINGING

HULK HOGAN INTO WCW.

WHO DO YOU WANT TO SEE IN

WCW?

HULK HOGAN.

I STILL BELIEVED IN HULK

HOGAN, I BELIEVE THAT HULK HOGAN

BECAUSE HE WAS SUCH A HUGE NAME

IN THE INDUSTRY, COULD STILL

ATTRACT FANS.

YOU KNOW SOMETHING MEAN GENE,

I TOLD YOU THAT HULKAMANIA WAS

GOING TO RUN WILD IN THE WCW,

BROTHER, LOOK AT ALL THE

HULKAMANIACS, CAN YOU HEAR THEM

MEAN GENE?

BRINGING HOGAN IN WAS THE

FOUNDATION TO ALLOW US TO GROW

OUR BUSINESS.

TURNER BROADCASTING WANTED TO

COMPETE ON THE NATIONAL STAGE

AND WHAT BIGGER OR BETTER NAME

THAN HULK HOGAN.

HERE WAS THE FACE OF WRESTLING,

THAT TO ME WAS THE BIGGEST COUP

AND IT STARTED IT ALL.

I UNDERSTAND WHY HE SIGNED,

BUT FROM A PERSONAL STANDPOINT,

IT BUGGED ME.

BUT FROM A BUSINESS STANDPOINT,

IT WAS LIKE UH-OH, HERE THEY GO.

THAT'S WHY WE ARE HERE TODAY.

TO SIGN THE CONTRACT FOR A MATCH

BETWEEN TWO OF WRESTLING'S

BIGGEST SUPERSTARS, HULK HOGAN

AND RIC FLAIR.

I JOIN MANY WRESTLING FANS

EVERYWHERE LOOKING FORWARD TO

THIS GREAT SHOWDOWN.

SPORTS ENTERTAINMENTS TWO

ICONS WOULD GIVE NEW LIFE TO

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING.

WITH WCW FUTURE IN THE BALANCE,

THE COMPANY WASTED LITTLE TIME

CREATING THE DREAM MATCH-UP THAT

WWE COULD NOT PRODUCE TWO YEARS

AGO EARLIER.

HERE WE ARE BOTH ENDED UP AT

A DIFFERENT COMPANY TOGETHER,

AND WE HAD TO PUT OUR BEST FOOT

FORWARD, WE HAD TO GO FOR BROKE.

THERE WAS NO PUTTING OFF HULK

HOGAN AND RIC FLAIR, IF WE

DIDN'T DO IT NOW, WE MAY NOT BE

HERE A YEAR FROM NOW.

THE MAIN REASON I AM HERE,

WHEN THEY PLAY IT BACK ON THE

BIG SCREEN 100 YEARS FROM NOW,

THEY WILL SAY AND RULE OUT ANY

DOUBT.

AS TO WHAT WAS THE BEST.

RIC FLAIR OR HULK HOGAN.

ME WRESTLING HOGAN WAS GREAT,

I WAS BACK IN A MARQUEE SPOT AND

WANTING THE COMPANY TO GROW.

AND WANTING IT TO TAKE OFF.

AS FAR AS I AM CONCERNED, I

WISH MR. TURNER WOULD SAY

SOMETHING, BROTHER, I WOULD LIKE

TO GET YOU DOWN RIGHT HERE AND

TEACH THE WHOLE WORLD A LESSON.

LET'S WAIT UNTIL JULY 17.

YEAH, I CAN WAIT MR. TURNER.

HULK HOGAN CAME IN AND

CHANGED THE SCENE, EVERYONE

TALKING ABOUT HULK HOGAN AND

FLAIR.

FLAIR AND HOGAN WERE ON THE

SAME PAGE AND PREPARED TO LIFT

WCW TO NATIONAL PROMINENCE.

IT'S ORLANDO ARENA AND IT'S

BASH AT THE BEACH, RIC FLAIR AND

HULK HOGAN FINALLY TONIGHT.

THAT WAS PROBABLY OUR BIGGEST

SHOW EVER, IF HOGAN IS THIS

GREAT WORLD CHAMPION THAT THE

WWE SAID AND EVERYONE WATCHES

WCW KNOWS THAT FLAIR IS A

CHAMPION, IT WAS THE BIGGEST

THING THEY COULD DO.

TED TURNER GAVE US ONE

CHANCE, IN ORLANDO, FLORIDA, YOU

BETTER BRING YOUR BUDDIES AND

FRIENDS TO MAKE IT WORK.

AND IF IT'S GOOD, ERIC WE WILL

GIVE YOU THE KEYS TO THE

BUILDING AND A BUDGET TO RUN

THIS COMPANY.

THANK GOODNESS IT WORKED.

HULK-A-MANIA LIVES IN WORLD

CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING.

WHEN I WENT THE FIRST NIGHT

ON PAY-FOR-VIEW, AND WON THE

BELT FROM RIC FLAIR.

RIGHT AWAY IT WAS MORE TRACTION

THAN THEY HAD HAD EVER.

THIS IS WHAT THE COMPANY

NEEDED.

WE NEEDED TO BE OFF TO THE RACES

AND WE WERE.

TED TURNER, ERIC BISCHOFF SAW

WHAT HULK HOGAN DID FOR THE

COMPANY.

INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION OF

THEIR TELEVISION PRODUCT.

MERCHANDISING OPPORTUNITIES.

BRANDING AND ENDORSEMENTS, PUT

IT ALTOGETHER, IT MEANT MONEY.

AND IT MEANT ULTIMATE SUCCESS.

SO TURNER KEPT ADDING TO THE

PAYROLL.

RANDY SAVAGE.

BEFORE TED TURNER GOT

INVOLVED, WE WERE ALL

NON-CONTRACT PLAYERS.

YOU WRESTLED.

YOU GOT PAID.

YOU DIDN'T WRESTLE, YOU DIDN'T

GET PAID.

WHAT TED TURNER DID WAS OFFER

NON-CONTRACTS TO EVERYONE, SO

HULK HOGAN LEFT AND MACHO MAN

LEFT, NASTY BOYS LEFT, AND I

LEFT.

YOU ARE WATCHING WHY WORLD

CHAMPIONSHIP CLAIMS WHY WE'RE

THE TOP OF THE WORLD, BECAUSE

RIC FLAIR IS HERE, BECAUSE HULK

HOGAN IS HERE, BECAUSE THE MACHO

MAN RANDY SAVAGE IS HERE.

ERIC BISCHOFF DID AN AMAZING

JOB TO MAKE WCW SEEM LIKE A

WORLD-WIDE COMPANY.

IT MADE WCW FEEL THIS IS WHERE

THE BEST WRESTLERS COME IN, AND

CHANGED PEOPLE'S PERCEPTION OF

WHO IS NUMBER ONE.

ERIC BISCHOFF'S VISION IS

TAKING PLACE AND LAUNCHED MONDAY

NIGHT NITRO DIRECTLY OPPOSITE

WWE'S MONDAY NIGHT RAW.

WCW IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS HAD

THE ADDITION OF HULK HOGAN AND

RANDY SAVAGE IS REALLY CLOSING A

GAP, AND GOT A LOT OF MOMENTUM.

WE WANT TO GIVE VIEWERS A

CHOICE.

THROWING IN A WRESTLING SHOW

PRIMETIME ON MONDAY NIGHTS

HEAD-TO-HEAD AGAINST A COMPANY

THAT HAS BEEN IN THE BUSINESS

FOR YEARS ONLY A LUNATIC COULD

THINK THAT WE COULD COMPETE.

IT TOOK A LOT OF BALLS FROM TED

I WANTED TO GO MONDAY NIGHT

TO COMPETE HEAD-TO-HEAD WITH

VINCE AND SEE HOW WE DID.

WCW ONLY ON TNT, IT DOESN'T

GET ANY BETTER THAN LIVE.

JUST WANT TO BE AS SUCCESSFUL

AS VINCE IS.

AND THEN WE WOULD LIKE TO KICK

HIS BUTT.

I AM A COMPETITIVE PERSON,

AND I WANTED TO BE NUMBER ONE.

AND I AM ALSO A MERCENARY, I

WORK FOR THE PEOPLE THAT PAY ME.

AND WHEN THE GUY PAYS ME SAYS I

WANT YOU TO MAKE THIS COMPANY

NUMBER ONE, I WILL DO WHATEVER

IT TAKES TO MAKE THAT COMPANY

NUMBER ONE.

A TITLE IS HANGING IN THE

BALANCE.

MICHAEL IS DOWN.

IN THE ROPE -- TO THE

MIDSECTION.

IN HIS QUEST FOR RATINGS

DOMINANCE, ERIC BISCHOFF WOULD

BREAK SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT'S

UNWRITTEN RULES ON A WEEKLY

BASIS BY REVEALING RESULTS OF

WWE'S TAPED TELECASTS LIVE ON

NITRO.

HEY, BY THE WAY, IN CASE YOU

ARE TEMPTED TO GRAB THE REMOTE

CONTROL, CHECK OUT THE

COMPETITION.

DON'T BOTHER, IT'S TWO OR THREE

WEEKS OLD.

SHAWN MICHAELS BEAT THE BIG GUY

WITH A SUPER KICK THAT HE

WOULDN'T WIN A GREEN BELT WITH

AT THE LOCAL YMCA, STAY LIVE

RIGHT THERE.

DID I HAVE A PROBLEM DOING

THAT?

OF COURSE NOT, IT'S BUSINESS.

BISCHOFF'S CUNNING TACTICS

PAIRED WITH THE STAR POWER KEPT

NITRO IN THE RATINGS.

WCW HAD REACHED A LEVEL OF

SUCCESS, EVEN IF I STARTED TO

FALTER A LITTLE BIT.

MY POLITICAL STOCK WAS SO HIGH

WITHIN TURNER BROADCASTING, I

COULD AFFORD TO FAIL.

WHEN YOU ARE IN A POSITION

WHERE YOU HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE,

YOU ARE WILLING TO TAKE BIGGER

RISKS, I THRIVED IN THAT

ENVIRONMENT.

BOLSTERED BY NITRO'S EARLY

SUCCESS, ERIC BISCHOFF CONTINUED

TO LIFT THE PERCEPTION OF WCW BY

SIGNING AWAY WELL-KNOW WWE STARS

KEVIN NASH AND SCOTT HALL.

NITRO AT THE TIME WAS GETTING

TRACTION, AND THE NUMBERS WERE

GROWING.

WE NEEDED SOME FRESH FACES.

THIS IS WHERE THE BIG BOYS

PLAY, HUH?

WE AIN'T HERE TO PLAY.

ERIC WAS SIGNIFICANT IN WHICH

TOWN WE SHOULD FIND.

AND WHICH TOWN WE SHOULD PAY AT

DIFFERENT LEVELS.

LURING TOP TALENT TO WCW WITH

GUARANTEED CONTRACTS, ERIC

BISCHOFF'S AGGRESSIVE MOVES PAID

OFF.

POSITIONING NASH AND HALL AS

INVADING OUTSIDERS FROM WWE

HELPED PUT NITRO AHEAD OF RAW IN

THE RATINGS DURING THE SPRING OF

1996.

THE FOCUS FROM ERIC WAS ON

RATINGS, IT WAS ALL ABOUT

MONDAY, MONDAY, MONDAY.

SO WE ATTACKED VINCE HEAD ON.

IT WAS ALL ABOUT BEATING VINCE

FOR THAT MOMENT.

THAT SATISFACTION THAT ERIC GOT

FROM IT.

IN THE WEEKS THAT FOLLOWED

THEIR DEBUT, THE OUTSIDERS

TEASED THE ADDITION OF A THIRD

MEMBER OF THEIR GROUP.

WHAT HAS HE DONE?

OH, GOD.

IS HE THE THIRD MAN?

WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON

HERE.

HULK HOGAN HAS BETRAYED WCW.

I KNEW FROM THAT MOMENT, THE

WHOLE THING WOULD BE HOT.

THIS RIGHT HERE IS THE FUTURE

OF WRESTLING.

YOU CAN CALL THIS THE NEW WORLD

ORDER OF WRESTLING, BROTHER.

NITRO DID SO WELL AND WAS

ABLE TO DOMINATE FOR AS LONG AS

IT DID, BECAUSE IT FELT REAL.

THE NWO TORE UP THE

BACK-STAGE AREA AND LITERALLY

PICKED REY MYSTERIO UP AND LAWN

DARTED HIM INTO THE SIDE OF A

PRODUCTION TRUCK.

OH, NO, HULK HEAD FIRST INTO

A TRAILER IN THE BACK.

THE NWO CAME UNDER A TIME

WHERE IT WAS COOL TO CHEER FOR

THE BAD GUY.

IT WAS COOL TO CHEER FOR THE NWO

AND GET BEHIND THEM AND WEAR

THEIR COLORS.

CHANGED THE WRESTLING GAME FOR A

FEW YEARS.

THE NWO FORMULA WAS WORKING.

AS NITRO BEAT RAW WEEK AFTER

WEEK.

BISCHOFF CONTINUED TO SIGN AWAY

VINCE MCMAHON'S TALENTS, USING

TED TURNER'S DEEP POCKETS TO

GROW THE NWO AND DEPLETE WWE.

THIS MAN WHEN WITH THE WWE,

BUT WHAT IN THE WORLD IS HE

DOING HERE?

HE DID FOR A MOMENTARY TIME,

CHOKE OFF ALL THE TALENT.

WHICH I AM SURE THAT PUT VINCE

IN A SHORT-TALENT SITUATION.

AS EVERYBODY KNOWS THE NWO IS

THE REASON FOR THE SUCCESS OF

MONDAY NITRO.

THE NEW WORLD ORDER WAS MORE

THAN JUST A STORY LINE.

THE CONCEPT REFLECTED THE CHANGE

IN WCW FROM ITS SOUTHERN BASED

HISTORY TO ITS NEW EDGY FORM.

WITH AN EMPHASIS ON FORMER WWE

MAIN EVENTERS.

RIC FLAIR AND THE FOUR

HORSEMEN, AND THEY REPRESENTED

THE OLD SCHOOL.

AND THE NWO WAS MORE NEW SCHOOL,

THEY DID WHAT THEY WANTED AND NO

RULES AT THE TIME.

THE NATURE BOY RIC FLAIR

TRADITION RIGHT HERE IN

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA

TONIGHT.

REALLY CREATING TWO CULTURES.

RIC FLAIR REPRESENTED ONE

CULTURE AND NWO REPRESENTED

COUNTER CULTURE.

SO RIC WAS THERE TO MAINTAIN A

LOYAL WCW FAN BASE AND WHILE I

WAS TRYING TO EXPAND WITH NASH

AND HALL, GUYS LIKE RIC FLAIR

WERE NOT HAPPY WITH IT.

BECAUSE IT WAS SO DIFFERENT.

AND THEY DIDN'T SEE WHERE IT WAS

GOING, AND DIDN'T HAVE

CONFIDENCE THAT ULTIMATELY IT

WAS GOING TO PAY OFF FOR THEM.

FLAIR WAS AN INCUMBENT.

THEY WANTED TO CREATE NEW,

PHILOSOPHICALLY I CAN'T ARGUE

THAT POINT.

BUT WHILE YOU ARE CREATING NEW,

YOU DON'T DESTROY WHAT'S

ESTABLISHED.

RIC WAS ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE

POLITICAL FENCE, QUITE FRANKLY.

I HEARD THAT FLAIR IS

RECUPERATING FROM THAT BEATING

IN THE LA BREA TAR PITS WITH THE

REST OF THE FOSSILS.

HE KEPT BRINGING IN GUYS AND

SAID, WE NEED TO PUT FLAIR ON

THE BACK BURNER.

WE ARE DOING SOMETHING NEW HERE,

HOGAN AND SALVAGE, NASH AND

HALL, LIKE BISCHOFF'S JOB.

WITHOUT ME HOGAN DOESN'T GET

OVER AND WITHOUT ME SAVAGE

DOESN'T GET OVER, I NEVER

THOUGHT IN MY WILDEST DREAMS I

WOULD BE PUSHED OUT OF THE

PICTURE BECAUSE OF MY

UNWILLINGNESS TO DO BUSINESS.

RIC FLAIR AND ERIC BISCHOFF

WERE LIKE OIL ON WATER, THEY

DIDN'T MIX.

AND THIS HAMPERED OR DETERRED

THE EFFORTS OF FLAIR TO GET BACK

TO WHERE HE WAS, THE KING OF THE

HILL.

I DON'T THINK THAT BISCHOFF

REALLY RESPECTED HIM, BECAUSE HE

WASN'T A BISCHOFF CREATION, NOT

THAT ANYTHING WAS A BISCHOFF

CREATION BESIDES THE NWO.

IF YOU DIDN'T COME FROM THE WWE

OR N.W.O. MAIN-EVENT GUY,

BISCHOFF DIDN'T CARE FOR YOU.

I WAS IN A ROOM WHERE THEY

HAD ALL THE BOYS ONE TIME IN THE

WCW AND BISCHOFF WAS MAKING A

SPEECH, AND SAID, WITH THE

EXCEPTION OF PIPER AND HOGAN WHO

HAVE DRAWN SUCH BIG MONEY, THE

REST OF YOU, WHO IS IN ROOM BUT

RIC FLAIR.

HE COULD BE VERY MEAN.

WE GOT THE MOMENTUM, WE WILL

GO, WE WILL CALL YOU WHEN WE

NEED YOU.

LITTLE BY LITTLE FLAIR WAS

PUSHED BACK AND THAT EVENTUALLY

CREATED A BITTERNESS IN HIM AS

WELL.

BY THAT TIME I WAS A FOURTH

MATCH AND MID-CARD LEVEL, IT WAS

EMBARRASSING AND HUMILIATING.

RIC FLAIR MAY HAVE BEEN

DISSATISFIED WITH THE WCW

DIRECTION, BUT THE RESULTS COULD

NOT BE DENIED.

BEHIND THE NWO NITRO CONTINUED

TO WIN IN THE RATINGS AND

BISCHOFF WAS BASKING IN HIS

SUCCESS.

WHAT I GET TO SPEND A

BILLIONAIRE'S MONEY, BECAUSE I

CAN.

AND I SPEND THAT MONEY TO

SURROUND MYSELF WITH THE BIGGEST

AND MOST IMPRESSIVE NAMES IN THE

SPORT TODAY.

ERIC BISCHOFF BECAME A

TOTALLY DIFFERENT PERSON.

HE WASN'T THE BOSS ANYMORE, HE

ACTUALLY BECAME ONE OF THE BOYS.

AND I THINK THAT WAS ONE OF HIS

BIGGEST MISTAKES.

NOW IN THERE LISTENING TO THE

HULK TELLING HIM GREAT IDEAS FOR

THE HULK.

AND NASH TELLING HIM ALL THE

GREAT IDEAS FOR NASH.

AND ERIC WAS ROMPING AROUND WITH

WHAT HE THOUGHT THE ELITE GUY

AND NOT REALIZING THESE GUYS

WERE WORKING THE HELL OUT OF

HIM.

ERIC WE CALLED EASY E, HE'S A

DUDE, A GUY.

AND I DIDN'T GET THAT BOSS VIBE

LIKE FROM VINCE, AND GIVING US

FREE WILL TO DO WHATEVER WE

WANTED AT TV.

NITRO WAS IN THE MIDST OF

NEARLY A TWO-YEAR WINNING

STREAK.

BUT BISCHOFF WAS NOT SATISFIED

JUST BEING AHEAD OF VINCE

MCMAHON.

HE WANTED TO WIPE OUT HIS

COMPETITION.

BISCHOFF HAD A TEAM MEETING

AND GUARANTEED THAT THE "W"

WOULD BE OUT OF BUSINESS IN SIX

MONTHS AND HE WAS GOING TO WALK

ALL OVER VINCE MCMAHON'S GRAVE.

HIT HIM EVERY WEEK, I JUST

LOOK AT HIM, OKAY, I DON'T THINK

YOU KNOW THE SAME VINCE MCMAHON

I KNOW.

VERY SIMPLE FORMULA BY ERIC,

AM GOING TO HIRE EVERYBODY,

UNDER CONTRACT AND PUT VINCE

MCMAHON OUT OF BUSINESS.

BRET "THE HITMAN" HART HAS

ARRIVED AT NITRO.

WHAT HE ENDED DOING WAS SPEND

A LOT OF MONEY ON PEOPLE THAT

PAST.

WHEN YOU ARE AS SMART AS VINCE

MCMAHON, YOU FIGURE OUT THAT YOU

HAVE TO BUILD NEW STARS AND

THAT'S WHAT HE DID.

BISCHOFF'S OBSESSION WITH HIS

COMPETITION WAS NOT

RECIPROCATED.

AND VINCE MCMAHON FOCUSED

INTERNALLY TO REBUILD HIS

PRODUCT WITH NEW TALENT AND

STORY LINE.

MY PHILOSOPHY WAS TO TAKE

CARE OF YOUR OWN BUSINESS, I HAD

TO WATCH OUR BUSINESS CLOSER.

THERE WERE A NUMBER OF WEEKS

THAT WCW BEAT WWE IN TELEVISION

RATINGS.

THAT IS ALL WELL AND GOOD, BUT

THEY DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THE

BUSINESS THEY WERE IN.

WE DID UNDERSTAND IT EVENTUALLY,

IF WE COULD HANG IN THERE LONG

ENOUGH AND THAT THOSE TALENTS

WOULD BRING THEMSELVES OUT.

THEY WERE WWE TALENTS TRADING ON

WWE.

AND IF NOT USED PROPERLY OR TOO

OFTEN, THEY WOULD BURN

THEMSELVES OUT.

WE WERE RUNNING A MARATHON

AND THEY WERE RUNNING A SPRINT.

EVERY DAY THAT WENT BY, THEIR

TALENT GOT OLD.

AND KNOWING THAT THE SHELF LIFE

OF ATHLETE IN SPORTS

ENTERTAINMENT IN THIS WORLD IS

RELATIVELY SHORT.

AND AFTER A WHILE YOU WILL RUN

OUT OF FREE AGENTS, IF WE DO OUR

HOMEWORK AND KEEP OUR STARS IN

THE CONTRACT, I LIKE OUR CHANCES

FOR THE LONG HAUL.

I WAS CONVINCED THAT WWE

WOULD NEVER BE ABLE TO COME

BACK, AND I GOT A PHONE CALL

FROM A FRIEND OF MINE, ERIC,

THEY ARE GOING TO DO THIS THING,

HE DIDN'T KNOW THEY CALLED IT

ATTITUDE, IT'S GOING TO BE LIKE

HOWARD STERN AND GO OVER THE TOP

AND GET REALLY AGGRESSIVE.

IN MY INFINITE

IGNORANCE/ARROGANCE, I REMEMBER

THINKING TO MYSELF, GOOD LUCK,

THAT WILL NEVER WORK.

HELL, YOU CAN KISS MY ASS.

OH, GOD.

PUT YOUR HANDS TOGETHER FOR

ERIC BISCHOFF.

AS THE CALENDAR TURNED TO

1998, THE RATINGS WAR BETWEEN

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING AND

WWE HAD BEEN A ONE-SIDED AFFAIR

FOR OVER A YEAR AND A HALF.

DETHRONING INDUSTRY STANDARD

BEARER, VINCE MCMAHON.

MADE THE TASTE OF SUCCESS THAT

MUCH SWEETER FOR ERIC BISCHOFF.

TO SAY THAT WE ARE SURPRISED,

I DON'T THINK THAT IS FAIR.

WE KNEW WE COULD DO IT, IF WE

HAD THE BIGGEST NAMES AND THE

BRIGHTEST STARS AND THE MOST

RECOGNIZED TALENT.

AND WE PUT ON A SHOW THAT WAS

SECOND TO NONE IN TERMS OF

PRODUCTION, WE KNEW WE WOULD BE

SUCCESSFUL.

WHEN I TOOK OVER THE COMPANY

AND DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE IN HELL

OF COMPETING.

AND TO BE ABLE TO TAKE IT AND

WITHIN 2-1/2 YEARS MAKE IT THE

NUMBER ONE WRESTLING COMPANY IN

THE WORLD.

IT WAS A RUSH THAT I CAN'T

REALLY DESCRIBE.

BUT THE RAPID SUCCESS OF

NITRO WOULD BEGIN TO CREATE

LONG-TERM PROBLEMS FOR WCW.

WE WERE WINNING IN THE

RATINGS BECAUSE WE WERE PUTTING

OUT A FRESH MATCH-UP EVERY

SEGMENT.

I HEARD THAT NITRO IS THE

NUMBER ONE REGULAR TELEVISION

SHOW ON CABLE.

WELL, I THINK THAT'S WELL

KNOWN BY NOW.

EVERY SHOW WAS SOMETHING

DIFFERENT.

BECAUSE WE HAD A LOT OF TALENT

TO DO IT, BUT WE WERE RUNNING

THROUGH IT LIKE CRAP THROUGH A

GOOSE.

WE WARNED ERIC YOU HAVE TO START

PROGRAMMING THIS, AND HE WAS SO

HELL BENT ON BEATING VINCE

MCMAHON.

WHICH IS GOOD TO A DEGREE.

BUT WHEN IT CONTROLS YOU TO THE

POINT THAT YOU CAN'T TAKE A STEP

BACK AND REALIZE YOU ARE RUNNING

THROUGH YOUR MATCH-UPS, THEN YOU

ARE MAKING A MISTAKE.

HELL, FACE IT, HALF OF THE

TIME I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS

GOING TO HAPPEN UNTIL I GOT TO

THE BUILDING.

AND KNOWING THAT I WAS WILLING

TO THROW MAIN EVENTS OUT THERE,

AND PARTICULARLY PAY-FOR-VIEW

EVENTS OUT THERE AND MADE IT

MUST-SEE TV.

NITRO'S SUCCESS IN THE

RATINGS PROMPTED THE COMPANY TO

LAUNCH A SECOND PRIMETIME

PROGRAM, THUNDER.

THE PROGRAM WAS WORKING SO

WELL ON MONDAY NIGHT AND THAT

SHOW WAS ON TNT AND I WANTED TO

GET TBS RATINGS UP.

IT WAS STRICTLY A STRATEGIC

MOVE.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN TONIGHT

WE HAVE A BRAND-NEW ERA, TONIGHT

WE WELCOME YOU TO THUNDER.

WITH THE ADDED PROGRAMMING

WOULD FURTHER EXPOSE THE

COMPANY'S SHORT-TERM FOCUS AND

THE PITFALLS OF WCW'S GUARANTEED

CONTRACTS.

IN ORDER TO SUPPORT THAT NEW

SHOW ON TBS THUNDER, I HAD TO

INCREASE OUR HOUSE SHOWS TO 325

A YEAR, AND TALENT NOW WAS BEING

SPREAD REAL THIN.

A LOT OF GUYS THAT CAME TO WCW

FOR A LIGHTER SCHEDULE, HAD A

SCHEDULE THAT WAS JUST AS BUSY

AS WHAT THEY HAD LEFT, AND THEY

WERE PRETTY MISERABLE.

THAT WAS THE KISS OF DEATH,

IF YOU WERE ON THUNDER IT WAS

LIKE OH, I HURT MY KNEE ON

MONDAY.

ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU HAVE A

GUY, I DON'T WANT TO DO THAT, MY

ELBOW HURTS AND GOT A DOCTOR'S

NOTE AND YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR SIX

MONTHS.

THEY WOUND UP WITH CONTRACTS

THAT GAVE THEM YOU KNOW, THEY DO

WHAT THEY WANT AND NOT WHAT THEY

ARE TOLD, CLAUSES.

ERIC BISCHOFF NEEDED MORE

TALENT TO HEADLINE THUNDER.

BUT WITH HIS SUPER STARS

WIELDING THEIR POWER AND NO NEW

AGENTS ON THE HORIZON, HE WOULD

TURN TO WCW FORMER CENTERPIECE.

RIC FLAIR MAKES HIS WAY TO

THE RING.

HOWEVER, THIS DECISION WOULD

ONLY CREATE MORE PROBLEMS FOR

BOTH THE COMPANY AND BISCHOFF.

I MADE PLANS TO TAKE MY SON

TO THE AU NATIONALS IN DETROIT.

I ASKED FOR THE TIME OFF WAY IN

ADVANCE.

DID THE SHOW ON NITRO ON MONDAY,

AND CAME HOME, AND THEY CALLED

ME AND TOLD ME TO BE AT THUNDER

IN TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA, AND I

SAID NOT A CHANCE.

THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS, WE

DIDN'T HEAR ABOUT RIC PREVIOUSLY

ASKING FOR TIME OFF UNTIL WE

FOUND OUT HE WASN'T GOING TO

MAKE TV.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I HAVE

AN APOLOGY TO MAKE HERE AT THIS

TIME, THE NATURE BOY, RIC FLAIR

IS NOT HERE AT THIS TIME.

RIC TO THIS DAY SAYS THAT HE

ASKED FOR THE TIME OFF.

I AM SURE THAT HE BELIEVES IT,

AND ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE

COIN, YOU HAVE A WHOLE OFFICE OF

PEOPLE SAYING DID HE ASK YOU,

NO.

HE DIDN'T ASK ME, WHO THE HELL

DID HE ASK.

YOU COME OUT AND MAKE EXCUSES

FOR RIC FLAIR.

BISCHOFF WANTED TO SHOOT A

NEW ANGLE FOR THURSDAY NIGHT AND

CAME OUT OF NOWHERE.

AND THE COMPROMISE WOULD BE,

THEY SEND A JET, I PAY HALF THE

PRICE AND THEY FLY ME AND MY SON

TO TALLAHASSEE AND BRING HIM

BACK AT 2 IN THE MORNING TO GET

UP AND WRESTLE.

I SAID, SCREW YOU.

SO I DIDN'T GO AND THAT IT WAS,

AND SUED ME FOR $2 MILLION

BUCKS.

DAMAGES TO THE SHOW OF THUNDER.

AND I COUNTERED AND SUED THEM

AND SAT AT HOME FOR SIX MONTHS.

THE ANIMOSITY BETWEEN ERIC

BISCHOFF AND RIC FLAIR HAD

REACHED A BOILING POINT.

IN A MEETING WITH THE ENTIRE WCW

LOCKER ROOM, BISCHOFF CHOSE TO

MAKE AN EXAMPLE OUT OF FLAIR FOR

UNEXCUSED ABSENCE.

THERE WAS SOME STATEMENTS

MADE AT A MEETING TO STARVE

FLAIR AND HIS FAMILY OUT, AND

THAT IS STIFF, TOO FAR.

I AM GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT

RIC AND HIS FAMILY LIVE ON

POVERTY, WHERE HE HAS TO BEG ON

THE STREETS FOR FOOD.

I'M GOING TO RUIN HIM,I WILL

BURY HIM.

THIS IS A MEETING THAT HE HAD

WITH THE ENTIRE LOCKER ROOM.

I AM SURE THEY EACH HAD THEIR

SIDE OF THE STORY, BUT WHEN IT

GOES TOO FAR, IT GOES TOO FAR.

TO BE HONEST, IT LEFT A BAD

TASTE IN OUR MOUTHS, BECAUSE

IT'S NOT GOOD BUSINESS.

WE'RE GOING TO MAKE IT VERY

CLEAR, THAT I RUN THIS COMPANY

FOR BETTER OR WORSE, I AM THE

BOSS.

I WISH I HAD BEEN A LITTLE

MORE MATURE AND LOOKED AT RIC

FLAIR DIFFERENTLY THAN I DID.

IT MADE YOU LOOK AT ERIC

DIFFERENTLY AS A HUMAN BEING,

FORGET BEING A BOSS.

HE HAD TO HAVE HUMANITY IN THAT

JOB AND I THINK HE LOST A LOT IN

PEOPLE'S EYES THAT DAY.

ERIC BISCHOFF'S REPUTATION

MAY HAVE TAKEN A HIT BEHIND THE

SCENES, BUT IN FRONT OF THE

CAMERA, HE REMAINED AS CONFIDENT

AS EVER THAT WCW WOULD WIN THE

MONDAY NIGHT WAR.

VINNIE MC, I WILL BE WAITING

FOR YOU AND KNOCK YOU OUT.

NITRO WAS BEATING RAW EVERY

WEEK, WCW WAS PUTTING ON GREAT

SHOWS BUT STILL LOSING.

YOU COULD SEE THE WCW OFFICE

GETTING COMPLACENT WITH

EVERYTHING.

REMEMBER THAT BISCHOFF CAME DOWN

FROM THE CEILING ON A

MOTORCYCLE.

WHAT IS THIS?

THAT'S ERIC BISCHOFF IN THE

RING.

I GUESS HE'S DECLARED HIMSELF

THE KING.

HE WAS JUST LIKE SITTING ON

AND SO ARROGANT.

IT IS SO GOOD TO BE KING.

WE USED TO CHECK THE RATINGS

EVERY WEEK, IT'S NOT EVEN FUN

FOR ME ANYMORE.

MY PROFESSIONAL TELEVISION

RECORD IS 98-2.

HIS LAST RACE, I KNOW HE WON.

I WANT TO THANK EACH AND

EVERYONE OF YOU HERE TONIGHT FOR

BEING A PART OF ONE OF THE

GREATEST NIGHTS IN MY LIFE.

THANK YOU ALL VERY, VERY MUCH

FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT.

NEXT WEEK, YOU KNOW WHO WON?

RAW.

AFTER TWO YEARS OF PLAYING

CATCH UP, RAW HAD FINALLY BROKEN

THROUGH.

WITH BOTH COMPANIES BATTLING

BACK AND FORTH DURING THE SUMMER

OF 1998, SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT

WOULD REACH UNPRECEDENTED LEVELS

OF POPULARITY.

WCW VERSUS WWE, THE RATINGS

WARS WERE HUGE NUMBERS OF FANS

TURNED ON TO WRESTLING, WHETHER

YOU LIKE WWE OR WCW, WE GOT

PEOPLE TO WATCH.

ERIC BISCHOFF AND WCW WERE

ENJOYING SUCCESS AS RAW AND

NITRO TRADED RATINGS.

BUT SOMETHING WAS MISSING AND

FANS BEGAN TO TAKE NOTICE.

RIC IS ALWAYS GOING TO HAVE

HIS FANS.

RIC WAS A STRONG CHARACTER JUST

LIKE HULK HOGAN.

AND YOU DON'T FORGET THAT.

THERE WERE SIGNS AND CHANTS AND

ALL OF THOSE THINGS.

I WANT TO APOLOGIZE

FOR FLAIR.

HE WILL NOT BE HERE.

I HAVE LOOKED EVERYWHERE.

THE MAN IS MORE OF A COWARD THAN

HE IS A FOSSIL.

TO TRY TO PRETEND THAT RIC

FLAIR WASN'T ONE OF THE MOST

POPULAR GUYS, IS LUDICROUS.

BECAUSE HE CLEARLY IS IF YOU

LISTEN TO THE AUDIENCE, AND

BISCHOFF CAN SAY WE DON'T NEED

FLAIR, BUT HE CLEARLY HAS AN

AUDIENCE THAT WANTS TO SEE RIC

FLAIR AND HAD TO GET OVER HIS

OWN EGO AND LET THE AUDIENCE SEE

FLAIR.

THE MONDAY NIGHT RATINGS

THRONE WAS STILL UP FOR GRABS.

AS MUCH AS WCW NEEDED FLAIR, HE

NEEDED WCW.

I HAD NO CHOICE, I SAT OUT

WITHOUT GETTING PAID, AND

WITHOUT ME AND THE TV, AND

DROPPED RATINGS, I SAT HOME FOR

ONE YEAR AND I CAVED IN.

WITH WCW'S DOMINANCE OVER,

BISCHOFF WOULD BE FORCED TO PUT

PERSONAL FEELINGS ASIDE FOR THE

SAKE OF BUSINESS.

THE STAGE IS SET FOR THE RETURN

OF WCW'S CELEBRATED STALWART.

I'M AT THE DOWNTOWN AIRPORT

IN GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA,

AND THE HOTTEST RUMOR IN

WRESTLING IS THE THE NATURE BOY,

RIC FLAIR IS SET TO RETURN THIS

EVENING TO WCW.

RIC FLAIR WOULD MAKE HIS

RETURN TO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

WRESTLING ON SEPTEMBER 14, 1998,

IN GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA.

AFTER ALL THE RUMORS AND THE

BUZZ THAT NIGHT AND THE CROWD,

AND THEY WERE IN FLAIR COUNTRY.

AND ART ANDERSON WITH A TUXEDO

ON.

ON THE EDGE OF WHAT COULD BE

THE MOST EXCITING MOMENTS IN THE

HISTORY OF MONDAY NIGHT RAW.

COULD THIS BE THE REFORMATION

OF THE HORSEMEN.

OF COURSE IT'S NOT THE

HORSEMEN WITHOUT RIC FLAIR.

I ALMOST FORGOT THE FOURTH

HORSEMAN, RIC FLAIR.

HERE WE GO.

IT'S A NIGHT I WILL ALWAYS

REMEMBER AND I THINK IT WAS

SPECIAL FOR THE INDUSTRY.

BECAUSE IT GAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE

HOPE THAT THINGS WERE GOING TO

RETURN TO A MUCH HAPPIER TIME.

HE IS BACK.

LOOK AT THE EMOTION OF THAT

MAN'S EYES.

THAT TELLS THE WHOLE STORY.

SURE DOES.

WORDS JUST DO NOT DO THIS

MOMENT JUSTICE.

THE BEHIND-THE-SCENES DRAMA

BETWEEN RIC FLAIR AND ERIC

BISCHOFF WAS ABOUT TO UNFOLD ON

MONDAY NIGHT RAW.

I WAS ABOUT TO END THE

LAWSUIT AND GLAD I WENT BACK TO

GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

WE WERE CORDIAL DURING THE

DAY, BUT WHEN I GOT IN THE ROLE,

MAN ARES I WAS SHOOTING FROM THE

HEART.

IT WAS VERY REAL.

BISCHOFF!

THIS MAY BE MY ONLY SHOT.

AND I GOT TO TELL YA, I AM GOING

TO MAKE IT MY BEST.

RIC STARTS BRINGING UP SOME

BACK-STAGE STUFF THAT NIGHT HE

RETURNED.

AND BISCHOFF CAME OUT, AND

CLEARLY THERE WAS SOME REAL-LIVE

ANIMOSITY.

YOU CAN TELL IT WASN'T STAGED.

[BLEEP].

RIC AND I HAVE HAD SUCH A

ROLLER-COASTER RELATIONSHIP.

ONE OF THE MOST THINGS TO RIC IS

MORE IMPORTANT THAN MONEY AND

MORE IMPORTANT THAN BEING IN THE

MAIN EVENT TO RIC FLAIR IS

RESPECT.

WHEN I DIDN'T GIVE RIC THE KIND

OF RESPECT THAT RIC NEEDED AND

DESERVED.

IT HURT HIM BADLY.

WHEN RIC GOT IN THE RING, 98% OF

IT WAS REAL.

YOU ARE HISTORY.

YOU ARE A NO-GOOD SON OF A

BITCH.

YOU ARE HISTORY.

FIRE ME.

I AM ALREADY FIRED.

FIRE ME.

I AM ALREADY FIRED.

THAT WOULD HAVE KILLED HIM

RIGHT THERE TO HAVE IT OUT RIGHT

THERE.

I WOULD HAVE TRIED.

IT WAS VERY REAL.

FLAIRS RETURN IMMEDIATELY

LIFTED NITRO TO A RATINGS

VICTORY OVER RAW.

WCW CONTINUED TO CAPITALIZE ON

THE REAL ANIMOSITY BETWEEN FLAIR

AND BISCHOFF IN ORDER TO

MAINTAIN THEIR UPWARD MOMENTUM.

THE BEAUTY OF IT WAS THAT IT WAS

A STORY LINE BASED IN REALITY.

AND WHICH IS ONE OF THE REASONS

THAT SO MANY THINGS WORKED IN

THE LATE 90S FOR US.

HE'S GOT HIM.

HE'S KIDDING.

YEAH, ONE MORE TIME.

RIC FLAIR HAS THOUGHT ABOUT THIS

MOMENT FOREVER.

SO MANY GUYS WERE HOPING, AND

WE DIDN'T CARE WHO CRACKED WHO,

JUST ONE.

ACCIDENTAL BLOODY NOSE.

IT WOULD BE GOOD RATINGS.

YOU CAN FEEL WHAT FLAIR IS

FEELING RIGHT NOW.

IF WE WERE BITING IN THE

LOCKER ROOM, THEN WE KNEW THAT

HE HAD THE MILLIONS BITING.

THAT TRUE ANIMOSITY AND THAT

HATRED, IF YOU CAN CAPITALIZE ON

THAT AND MAKE IT WORK, THAT'S

THE BEST STUFF.

THEY TRY TO BEAT ME DOWN, AND

I AM BACK AGAIN.

RIC FLAIR DOES DESERVE A

TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF CREDIT AND

RESPECT.

ALTHOUGH RAW WOULD EDGE NITRO

IN THE WEEKS TO FOLLOW, BISHOP'S

ACKNOWLEDGMENT TO FLAIR'S VALUE

TO THE COMPANY WOULD GIVE FANS

HOPE FOR A WCW RESURGENCE.

I WENT BACK AND ENVISIONED

PEACE AND TRANQUILLITY AND

HAVING FUN AND DOING MY OWN

THING AND BACK IN THE THICK OF

THINGS.

BUT WCW'S MOMENTUM HAD SLOWED

AND WOULD COME TO A HALT ON

JANUARY 4, 1999.

WELCOME TO ATLANTA, 40,000

FANS ARE ON HAND FOR WCW MONDAY

DURING WHAT WOULD GO DOWN AS

THE BIGGEST SINGLE NIGHT TURNING

POINT IN THE MONDAY NIGHT WAR.

IT'S OVER!

[BELL]

HE DID IT.

MANKIND WON THE WWE

CHAMPIONSHIP ON AN EPISODE OF

RAW THAT WAS TAPED A WEEK

EARLIER.

WCW WOULD COUNTER A PROGRAM WITH

A COUNTER MATCH OF THEIR OWN

BETWEEN KEVIN NASH AND HULK

HOGAN ON NITRO.

BUT ERIC BISCHOFF WOULD GO ONE

STEP FURTHER AND IN A DESPERATE

ATTEMPT TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE

RATINGS.

WCW'S PRESIDENT WOULD REVERT TO

AN OLD TRICK BY REVEALING MICK

FOLEY'S CHAMPIONSHIP MOMENT.

ONE OF ERIC'S PRODUCERS

WALKED OUT AND SAID THEY JUST

SWITCHED THEIR TITLE TO MICK

FOLEY.

AND ERIC WANTS YOU TO REALLY

MAKE IT SOUND LIKE THE WORSE

THING IN THE WORLD EVER

HAPPENED.

IF YOU EVEN THINK ABOUT

CHANGING THE CHANNEL TO OUR

COMPETITION, FANS DO NOT.

BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND THAT MICK

FOLEY, WHO WRESTLED HERE ONE

TIME AS CACTUS JACK IS GOING TO

WIN THEIR WORLD TITLE.

THAT IS GOING TO PUT SOME BUTTS

IN THE SEAT.

DEGRADING THAT TITLE WIN AND

MINIMIZING WAS A PARCEL OF WHAT

I DID EVERY NIGHT I WENT ON THE

AIR.

IT WAS ABOUT NITRO STAYING TRUE

TO THE MESSAGE, WHICH IS SCREW

YOU AND WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS.

WE'RE IRREVERENT [BLEEP] DON'T

CARE ABOUT WHAT THE RULES ARE.

WAS IT THE MOST BRILLIANT THING

I EVER HAD DONE?

PROBABLY NOT.

ON THAT NIGHT OVER HALF A

MILLION PEOPLE SWITCHED FROM

MONDAY NIGHT NITRO TO MONDAY

NIGHT RAW.

WHEN THE HISTORY CHANNEL DOES

GREAT MILITARY BLUNDERS, THAT

WILL BE UP THERE AS FAR AS

STUPID THINGS TO DO TO THWART AN

ENEMY.

WHAT THEY DID DO IS CREATE

AWARENESS FOR A MAJOR MOMENT

OCCURRING, AND BASICALLY DID A

PROMO FOR US.

YOU GUYS SHOULD WATCH WWE,

BECAUSE TONIGHT, BELIEVE IT OR

NOT, YOU REMEMBER MICK FOLEY, HE

BECOMES A WWE CHAMPION TONIGHT.

THANKS.

WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A HUGE

NIGHT FOR WCW, TURNED INTO A

HUGE NIGHT FOR WWE.

THOSE THAT STAYED WITH NITRO

WOULD SEE FIRST-HAND HOW MUCH

CONTROL BISCHOFF HAD LOST IN

WCW.

DURING AN EVENT THAT WOULD LIVE

IN INFAMY AS THE FINGER POKE OF

DOOM.

WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?

[BELL]

WHAT?

WHAT JUST HAPPENED HERE?

THAT WAS HYPED LIKE THE MATCH

OF THE CENTURY.

WHAT THEY GOT WAS A POPCORN

FART.

ANY WAY YOU LOOK AT IT, IT

STUNK.

TO DO SOMETHING BECAUSE YOU HAVE

THE POWER TO DO IT, AND DO IT

ONLY FOR THAT REASON.

NOT FOR THE GOOD OF THE COMPANY

OR THE GOOD OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT

BOUGHT A TICKET THAT NIGHT.

PRETTY SELFISH.

THAT WAS HOGAN AND THAT WAS

NASH PLAYING THEIR OWN GAMES

AGAINST THE WRESTLING WORLD AND

THEY WERE INFAMOUS TO DO THAT.

KEVIN NASH AND I CAME UP WITH

A BIG SCAM IN THE WWE TO FOOL

EVERYBODY, THAT BUSINESS WISE

THE FINGER POKE OF DOOM SEEMED

LIKE A GREAT IDEA.

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT

WAS A HORRIBLE IDEA.

YOU CAN SAY THAT IT KILLED

BUSINESS, OR THAT, I DIDN'T SET

THE PIECES IN PLACE, I TRIED TO

MAKE IT MAKE SENSE.

THERE WAS NO WAY TO MAKE IT MAKE

SENSE.

THE NEW WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT

CHAMPION, NWO.

NASH JUST LAYING DOWN AND

COME ON, PIN ME.

THAT WAS ONE OF THE ENDS, THAT

REAL ERA OF WCW.

PEOPLE LOOKED AT THAT AND GO,

WHAT ARE THESE GUYS DOING?

THE GREATEST DRAW FOR WWE IN

THAT ONE MONTH PERIOD WAS WCW

FANS PISSED OFF AT WCW FOR BEING

RIPPED OFF AND LOOKING FOR

SOMETHING ELSE.

BECAUSE WCW DROVE THEM AWAY AND

A GAVE THEM A LIFT TO THE

COMPETITOR'S PARKING LOT.

IN THE MONTHS THAT FOLLOW,

RAW WOULD CONTINUE TO OUTDRAW

NITRO AS IT COMMANDED THE LEAD

IN THE MONDAY NIGHT RATINGS.

WE HAD A BETTER PRODUCT, I

THOUGHT WE ALWAYS DID HAVE A

BETTER PRODUCT.

IT TOOK THE AUDIENCE A WHILE TO

RECOGNIZE THAT.

AND WE HUNG IN THERE, WHICH WAS

VERY DIFFICULT AT TIMES.

WE HUNG IN THERE UNTIL WE HAD A

BETTER MOUSE TRAP AND THE

AUDIENCE GRAVITATED BACK TO US.

ONCE THE AUDIENCE FOLKS, ONCE

THEY MAKE UP THEIR MINDS, IT'S

ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO GET THEM

BACK.

I WAS WATCHING A RELATIVELY

RAPID EROSION OF MY AUDIENCE

GOING OVER TO WWE.

I KNEW I WAS IN TROUBLE, WHILE

VINCE MCMAHON AND THE WWE WAS

DOING EVERYTHING RIGHT.

WELCOME TO THE HOTTEST SHOW

ON CABLE TV, SPORTS

ENTERTAINMENT AT ITS BEST, THIS

IS RAW IS WAR.

WE WERE DOING EVERYTHING

WRONG.

WHILE WWE SHOW CASED

CUTTING-EDGE CHARACTERS AND

STORY LINES.

WCW CONTINUOUSLY FEATURED THEIR

AGING STARS AND TIRED CONCEPTS.

WE KEPT GOING BACK TO THE

WELL, BUT BY GOING BACK TO THE

WELL TOO MUCH, WE POISONED THE

WELL, THIS ELITE GROUP OF BAD

GUYS TURNED INTO THREE FOOTBALL

TEAMS OF BAD GUYS.

THE NWO FIZZLED OUT BECAUSE

IT EVOLVED IN WAYS YOU DIDN'T

WANT TO SEE.

AND YOU CAN ONLY SEE THE OLD

GUYS WRESTLE FOR SO LONG.

HOGAN IS STILL UP, NOT

TONIGHT NATURE BOY.

THAT HOGAN OUT THERE DOING

THE SAME STUFF THAT HE WAS DOING

IN 1987, JUST WORSE BECAUSE HE'S

LESS ATHLETIC AND MOBILE, I

DIDN'T WANT TO SEE IT.

WCW HAD SUCH A BIG VARIETY OF

SUPERSTARS.

PEOPLE WERE TRIED OF SEEING THE

SAME PEOPLE IN THE MAIN EVENTS

OVER AND OVER.

YOU WANT TO HAVE A GREAT

MATCH WITH STING, PUT HIM IN

WITH JERICHO.

IF YOU WANT TO DO A COOL MATCH

WITH HOGAN, HAVE A MATCH WITH

CESARO.

THEY NEVER DID THAT, AND IF THEY

WOULD HAVE DONE THAT, THEY WOULD

HAVE GOT MORE OUT OF SEEING

HOGAN AND PIPER FOR THE NINE00TH

TIME.

I DON'T WANT TO SEE IT ANYMORE.

GIVING HIS STARS CARTE

BLANCHE, ADDING TO THE OBSTACLES

ERIC BISCHOFF WOULD ENCOUNTER

TRYING TO TURN WCW AROUND.

HOGAN WALKED IN HAVING

CREATIVE CONTROL.

HE WANTED RESPECT AND HIS

OPINION.

HOWEVER, WHEN IT GETS TO THE

POINT OF GOD KNOWS HOW MANY

OTHER EMPLOYEES, THAT MIGHT BE A

LITTLE TOO FAR.

IT SEEMED LIKE EVERYONE HAD

CREATIVE CONTROL THAN THOSE

PUTTING THE SHOW TOGETHER.

WHEN YOU DO THAT, IT'S TOUGH TO

MAKE MONEY IN THIS BUSINESS.

ERIC WAS MR. BIG HEAD, HERE'S

A CONTRACT, YOU TELL US WHAT YOU

WANT TO DO AND WHEN YOU WANT TO

WORK, AND YOU TELL US WHEN TO GO

TO HELL.

AND THEY DID.

YOU MAKE TOO MUCH MONEY FOR

THIS COMPANY AND TOO MUCH RISK

ON A BAD WHEEL, DON'T DO IT,

HOLLYWOOD I KNOW WHEN I AM

RIGHT.

IT BIT ERIC IN THE ASS AND

STARTED CRUMBLING A YEAR OR TWO

BEFORE IT SHOULD HAVE.

MY BIGGEST FAILURE QUITE

HONESTLY WAS NOT BEING SMART

ENOUGH OR MATURE ENOUGH TO SEE

THE HANDWRITING ON THE WALL SOON

ENOUGH.

THERE WERE MOVES I SHOULD HAVE

MADE IN 1998 THAT I DIDN'T MAKE.

AND PEOPLE THAT WORKED FOR ME I

SHOULD HAVE LET GO A LONG TIME

AGO.

FOBUTR A VARIETY OF REASONS,

SOME OF MY OWN AND SOME THRUST

UPON ME, I DIDN'T.

I WISH I WAS SMART ENOUGH AND

SEASONED ENOUGH TO MAKE

DIFFERENT CHOICES BACK THEN.

BISHOP'S AUTHORITY WAS BEING

UNDERMINED BY HIS GUARANTEE

CONTRACTS.

AND COMPLICATING THE MATTERS WAS

GRADUAL CHANGE IN CORPORATE

MANAGEMENT RESULTING IN TIME

WARNER'S PURCHASE OF THE TURNER

BROADCASTING SYSTEM IN LATE

1996.

WHEN TIME WARNER CAME IN, A

LOT OF EXECUTIVES ABOVE QUIT

BEING ENTREPRENEURS AND TRYING

TO BE MORE LIKE CORPORATE

COUNTERPARTS.

WHAT I FELT AS I WAS LOSING

CONTROL OF WCW, I MADE A

CALCULATED DECISION THAT I WAS

GOING TO FIGHT.

I WAS GOING TO CHALLENGE THE

EXECUTIVES ABOVE ME.

IF TED TURNER'S GOT A PROBLEM

WITH IT, IF HARVEY SCHILLER HAS

A PROBLEM WITH IT, IT DOESN'T

MATTER.

IF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, IF

TIME WARNER HAS A PROBLEM WITH

IT, IT REALLY DOESN'T MATTER.

AS THE ORGANIZATION BECAME

MORE FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE,

THERE BEGAN TO BE A SEPARATION

BETWEEN ERIC'S VIEW OF WRESTLING

AND THE NUMBER CRUNCHERS OF

WRESTLING.

AND CREATIVITY VERSUS NUMBERS

OFTEN DOESN'T WORK.

UNLESS THEY PRODUCE RESULTS.

BUT THE RESULTS REALLY WEREN'T

THERE.

SO AS TIME WENT ON AND THE

RATINGS STARTED DROPPING, IT

WASN'T LONG BEFORE THE DAYS WERE

NUMBERED FOR ERIC.

AND WE CAN GET THIS THING --

UNDER CONTROL AGAIN.

AND KEEP THIS BALL ROLLING.

I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE

SITTING HERE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT

IS GOING TO HAPPEN.

I THINK WE WILL BE FINE --

IF YOU GET CAUGHT UP IN YOUR

OWN BS, IT'S GOING TO COME BACK

TO BITE YOU, EITHER WITH THE

GUYS YOU ARE RUNNING WITH, OR

THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ABOVE YOU.

LIKE HE CHANGED THE MANAGER,

IN A PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAM

WHEN YOU THINGS BEGIN TO SLOW

DOWN.

IT WAS TIME FOR ERIC TO LEAVE.

SEPTEMBER 10, 1999.

I GOT A PHONE CALL FROM

HARVEY, SAYING, ERIC MEET ME IN

MY OFFICE.

I WALKED INTO HARVEY'S

OFFICE, HE SAID, ERIC, YOU NEED

TO GO HOME.

SO THEY BASICALLY KEPT ME UNDER

CONTRACT AND SENT ME HOME.

SO I WENT HOME AND TOTALLY

SEPARATED MYSELF FROM EVERYTHING

GOING ON, TURNER AND TIME WARNER

AND WCW, AND WALKED AWAY FROM

IT.

FOR THE FIRST, TIME IN SIX

YEARS, WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

WRESTLING WOULD BE WITHOUT THE

GUIDANCE OF ERIC BISCHOFF.

YOU KNOW WHEN BISCHOFF WAS ON

HIS WAY OUT, A LOT OF GUYS WERE

JUMPING UP AND DOWN FOR JOY.

FOR A BRIEF MINUTE I REALLY

THOUGHT THAT EVERYONE WAS ON AN

EVEN PLAYING FIELD.

WINDS OF CHANGE WERE SWEEPING

THROUGH WCW, AND THE QUESTION

LOOMED WOULD NITRO'S NEXT

CAPTAIN RITE THE COURSE?

OR SINK THE SHIP?