Pivotal moments of the Monday Night War

[Stu]

Let's discuss the most pivotal moments of the Monday Night War. A lot happened between September 1995 and March 2001, although the timeline of the war can be disputed depending on who you ask. Regardless, let's look back at some of the most important moments.

Onward!

[Deleted]

I was going to check "Austin vs McMahon ends WCW's streak" but to me what the pivotal point of the MNW era was Austin winning the title in Wrestlemania. I personally saw that as the official start of the Attitude Era in the WWE too, as Shawn Michaels, despite having the Attitude Era DX gimmick, was a relic from a New Generation era.

[The 1Watcher Experience]

The Nitro debut and the Luger jump put them in direct competition with the WWF. Then I'd say it had to be the Raw spoilers that Bischoff was dropping every time Raw was taped. Then I'd go with the formation of the NWO and the Hogan turn. WCW was dominating hard after that.

Eventually their booking went to sh*t with all the constant run-ins and non-finishes. The rise of two megastars with Austin and Rock helped WWF get back on top.

[The Thread Barbi]

Going with heart over head here - Goldberg! Goldberg! Goldberg!

Probably the best wrestling memories at the time for me were around the streak.

[The Dark Order Inferno]

The WWF filing suit over the Diesel and Razor characters as eventually that's what won the war for them.

[Aceorton]

Mine seems pretty minor by comparison, but it was huge: An in-ring segment Austin did before WM14 where he held the show hostage, called Vince out to the ring, demanded he explain himself for calling Mike Tyson "the baddest man on the planet," ripped his suit pocket off, bullied him and dared him to hit him. It was intense. McMahon was only recently outed as the owner of the company and had not gone full-blown heel yet, but after that segment, you knew it was coming and that he and Austin were on a major collision course. It was some of the most compelling TV the WWF did during that whole era.

[Deleted]

I just picked what I personally call "the final nail in the coffin"; the Radicals jump to the WWF.

I am actually shocked you didn't mention the tank.

[Stu]

Jun 29, 2017 12:10:50 GMT -5 @sandman said:

I just picked what I personally call "the final nail in the coffin"; the Radicals jump to the WWF.

I am actually shocked you didn't mention the tank.

It's there. Degeneration X invades Nitro.

[TGM]

Alright who voted for DX and the tank?

[Deleted]

Jun 29, 2017 12:35:13 GMT -5 Stu said:

Jun 29, 2017 12:10:50 GMT -5 @sandman said:

I just picked what I personally call "the final nail in the coffin"; the Radicals jump to the WWF.

I am actually shocked you didn't mention the tank.

It's there. Degeneration X invades Nitro.

I'm a simple man looking for the "tank".

And I voted it also. Because I'm a jackass.

[BRAINFADE]

Even though the tide had been gradually, irrevocably turning throughout 1998, I always look at the night Foley won the title as the night the war was truly won.

Raw gave the fans possibly the greatest feel-good moment in wrestling history. It had a main event featuring two fresh guys on top, and a crowd that was absolutely nuclear for everything they did.

While over on Nitro, they did irreparable damage to their last remaining big draw by making Goldberg look like a complete idiot, Schiavone delivered his infamous "Butts In Seats" line that cost them thousands of viewers that night, and the Fingerpoke Of Doom rebooted the beyond stale nWo storyline.

WCW was finished after this night.

[corndog]

Jun 29, 2017 14:15:09 GMT -5 BRAINFADE said:

Even though the tide had been gradually, irrevocably turning throughout 1998, I always look at the night Foley won the title as the night the war was truly won.

Raw gave the fans possibly the greatest feel-good moment in wrestling history. It had a main event featuring two fresh guys on top, and a crowd that was absolutely nuclear for everything they did.

While over on Nitro, they did irreparable damage to their last remaining big draw by making Goldberg look like a complete idiot, Schiavone delivered his infamous "Butts In Seats" line that cost them thousands of viewers that night, and the Fingerpoke Of Doom rebooted the beyond stale nWo storyline.

WCW was finished after this night.

I agree, this was the end of WCW for me.

My first one was Hogan joining the nWo, that was easily what kickstarted Nitro's success.

The turning point to the war to help WWF was the Montreal Screw Job. It caused a lot of interest in the company, especially with McMahon's interview, Shawn Michaels reaction and Owen's return. But most of all, it lead to the creation of Mr.McMahon, the perfect foil for Steve Austin. Their feud is what finally got WWF back into the race and eventually back on top.

Then, IMO, the deathblow as you said, the Mick Foley "butts in seats" coupled with the "Fingerpoke of Doom 2" between Nash and Hogan. Many changed the channel after Schiavone's ill fated comment and spoiler for Foley's title win, but there were still plenty of viewers that stuck around and many came back to watch the overrun after Raw ended. The overrun included the Fingerpoke of Doom.

WCW had already made plenty of mistakes including botching Hogan/Sting at Starrcade, Halloween Havoc 98 ending early also including the dumpster fire of Hogan/Warrior and of course Nash's stupid win over white hot Goldberg. But the fingerpoke of doom was the icing on the stupid cake, it was the king of incredibly f***ing stupid booking. Nash vs Hogan had a nearly year long build at this point and was easily one of the hottest matches they could possibly do. It really was the type of match that probably should have headlined Starrcade that year, but for some idiotic reason didn't. People really wanted to see this match and it showed in the rating for the overrun. Most of us didn't expect a clean finish, but just wanted to see them face off and even an NWO run in wouldn't have been the end of the world. But ending the feud with the "Fingerpoke of Doom" with no payoff, just a big middle finger to the fans saying "we gotcha" was when WCW reached the point of no return.

[Deleted]

Nitro did stay competitive for the most of the winter thanks to the Hogan/Flair feud but I think Nitro going down the drain in the spring of 1999. Which lead to that awful summer run of show leading to them throwing all they money they can at Russo. And not putting the belt back on your hottest star from the past year (Goldberg). And doing nothing with Bret Hart. And not rebuilding Sting after he took some time off. And making the show unwatchable for the most part.

[Mid-Carder]

Without question it's Hogan's heel turn. Single handedly revived the wrestling industry by making WCW hot and WWF fight back.

Tyson and Austin v McMahon are probably next

["Gizzark" Mike Wronglevenay]

Honestly I think you need to take Hogan turning off there because it's so obviously the right answer.

[bob]

Hogan turns heel, butts in the seats and Montreal

[carp (SPC, Itoh Respect Army)]

There would be no Monday Night War if Hogan hadn't turned.

People who didn't think about wrestling for five years were saying to each other "Oh my god did you hear, Hulk Hogan is a bad guy now."

[The Thread Barbi]

Jun 30, 2017 10:34:13 GMT -5 bob said:

Hogan turns heel, butts in the seats and Montreal

I would say Montreal is over-rated. Did people tune in or out in droves of either show because of it?

Austin was still on a trajectory to the stars. The nWO was still red hot. Goldberg was emerging.

Would it have made an ounce of difference if Austin beat Hart at Wrestlemania 14? Tyson was the mainstream attraction, the wrestlers were secondary.

Would Mr. McMahon not have been born? Austin vs McMahon would still have happened. The mainstream audience couldn't give a shit about Bret's personal vendetta against the owner.

[This Player Hating Mothman]

DX tank and nothing else is close

[GuyOfOwnage]

Jun 29, 2017 12:43:16 GMT -5 TGM said:

Alright who voted for DX and the tank?