Once a titan of the wrestling world, Jim Crockett Promotions found itself in financial turmoil in the late 1980s, leading to a sale to Turner Broadcasting. This acquisition birthed World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and initiated a profound culture clash between corporate executives and old-school wrestling minds. The result was a futile attempt to emulate the World Wrestling Federation, transforming a company known for its athletic quality into a second-rate knockoff.
The early 1990s were defined by mismanagement, most infamously under former Pizza Hut executive Jim Herd. His tenure saw the company descend into a circus of cartoonish gimmicks, from the bell-ringing Ding Dongs to the mysterious, ill-planned Black Scorpion. Herd's lack of wrestling business acumen culminated in him firing World Champion Ric Flair, who then famously appeared on WWF television with the WCW championship belt.
Even after Herd's departure, WCW's creative struggles continued through a revolving door of leadership. The era of mini-movies produced cinematic absurdities like the White Castle of Fear and the Lost in Cleveland saga, costing hundreds of thousands of dollars for minimal returns. This period was also home to legendary blunders such as the Shockmaster's clumsy debut and the logistical chaos caused by pre-taping months of television at Disney/MGM studios, which spoiled major outcomes for fans.
The arrival of Hulk Hogan in 1994 signaled a complete creative overhaul, as the entire company was reshaped to feature him and his brand of sports entertainment. Longtime WCW mainstays were pushed aside in favor of Hogan's allies from the WWF, alienating the core fanbase. This led to a series of unbelievable storylines where Hogan was portrayed as an unstoppable hero, overcoming insurmountable odds against new stables like the Three Faces of Fear and the outlandish Dungeon of Doom.
This volume delves into the unforgettable missteps and bizarre creative decisions that defined WCW in the early to mid-1990s. It explores the strange careers of the supporting cast and chronicles the most infamous "Only in WCW" moments, from a wrestler losing an ear in the ring to Robocop making a ringside appearance. Witness the story of how a once-great promotion lost its way long before its final demise.
Bonus features in this book Havoc 1995: The Zenith Of Early 90s WCW InsanityThe 5 Most Controversial WCW World Title ChangesHow Many World Titles Has Ric Flair REALLY Held?
Unfortunately this isn't very good. It's a very brief look at WCW's many mistakes in the early 90's. This material has all been covered elsewhere, and to be honest, much better. At barely 80 pages there's no room for any in depth explanation of events so it's basically a summary of a few PPVs and a lot of shade thrown at Hulk Hogan. The book's littered with editing errors as well. At least it was on Kindle Unlimited.