The Rise and Fall of Pro Wrestling

ChosenOne

The Rise and Fall of Extreme Championship Wrestling, World Championship Wrestling and soon World Wrestling Entertainment.
Written by: Robert “Chosen One� Colling

The wrestling industry at one point had three wrestling promotions that the average fan could go and watch and enjoy. Today the wrestling world has two “major� wrestling promotions in World Wrestling Entertainment and Total Non Stop action. However, they are not the only form of wrestling that is available. Back in the mid 1990's there were never independent wrestling promotions, at least not large numbers. Today there are numerous in one state. Mainly in Philadelphia where Ring Of Honor has made quite the impression among their fans. Ring Of Honor may have never been able to be made possible along with other promotions if the wrestling world hadn’t suffered two deaths in 2001. WCW and ECW would go out of business not even four months into 2001. But first their were events in the wrestling world that involved WWE/WCW/ECW that did and perhaps soon show the reason why the promotions did and maybe will die out.

1993

WWF/E
1993 was the year that WWE (then known as WWF) had gotten their first prime time television deal which would be shown on USA for thirteen years and counting. WWF at this time was more for little children. Having a sumo wrestler in Yokozuna, Undertaker, Papa Shango, Bret Hart, Tatanka, Doink the Clown, and Shawn Michaels playing characters that were never “vicious� but got the point across. The WWF during the 1990's wasn’t the most popular show on the earth. In fact every Monday Night RAW was held in New York because the shows and promotion didn’t know if success was out of New York. Well, as many can tell that is not at all the problem as WWE is currently covered all over the world. However, this is 1993, The first RAW took place January 11, 1993 in what was not at all a very good show in today’s standards. Undertaker, Yokozuna, HBK and the Steiner Brothers were all shown on the show but in squash matches which hurt the product. This would happen for many months and the viewers would no longer tune in with big ratings.

WCW
World Championship Wrestling owned by Ted Turner wasn’t doing fairly well in 1993 either. Ric Flair had left WCW with the World title to WWF. Because he wasn’t getting paid enough money and didn’t have enough power even though he was booking for WCW. WCW didn’t really have the big star other than Sting. Sure WCW had Vader and Sid Vicious but in 1993 both men would get in trouble with the law which would lead to Sid getting fired and Vader getting suspended. WCW would also withdraw from the NWA and would be strictly known as WCW. WCW needed a way for their programming to be better than WWE and they would..... one year later.

ECW
ECW was known as Eastern Championship Wrestling a Philadelphia based wrestling promotion with Terry Funk, Dick Murdoch, Jimmy Snuka, and Don Muraco to name a few. ECW was basically seen as an “old school� promotion with their not being really any young guys.

WWF/E Booking style and decision making for 1993
WWE in 1993 was absolutely terrible when match making and storylines were needed. Wrestle Mania IX the biggest show of the year for WWE was mediocre at best. The action was fine but the way everything happen was very odd. Tatanka a Native American had been feuding with HBK for about two months and would get a title shot at Wrestle Mania. Tatanka had beaten HBK three times before the PPV even took place. Once in a Non-Title match and two other times in Tag Team Matches. Now at the time Tatanka was undefeated but for all the hype and excitement people had for this match for the match to end in a count out is terrible. The fact that Tatanka would never face HBK in a meaningful match after this match is terrible. There was a rumor that HBK refused to “job� to Tatanka and that may as well be the truth. The Undertaker was in a feud with Giant Gonzalez in what was seen as a awful match and awful storyline and made really no sense. The Undertaker wasting time with Gonzalez may have been the dumbest event in 1993.. Or was it?
However, this wasn’t the dumbest move to ever take place. In the main event Yokozuna would become World Champion after beating fan favorite Bret Hart in about nine minutes. Sure Yoko won... but the show can’t end... Hulk Hogan comes to the ring and goes on to beat the new champion who was portrayed as someone who could not be beaten. Hogan would go on to beat Yoko in roughly twenty-three seconds. The booking would continue to be hard to understand. The King Of The Ring in June, two months after Wrestle Mania IX featured Hulk Hogan as World Champions fighting Yoko in a rematch. Hogan did not defend the title once before he fought Yoko since winning the title and would barley make a appearance on a normal show for his same promo. Of course this is where Hogan would be eliminated from WWE with a “fireball� from a camera man and Yoko would regain the title.
Summer Slam 1993 was yet another confusing event. Lex Luger was a heel throughout 1993 for the WWE. Until a July 4th weekend when the suntan lotion or steroids leaked into his brain and must told him to change his ways and beat Yokozuna. He did scoop slam Yokozuna or hip tossed him like Bobby Heenan said. But the crowd and even management could not see Luger as World Champion or even top baby face in WWE. Luger got his #1 contender shot by scoop slamming Yokozuna but only had one chance too win the title. Luger would go on too win a fairly boring match... but by count out. The Undertaker was still wasting time with Giant Gonzales but finally beat him in a Rest In Peace Match where at the end of the match Giant Gonzales would turn on Harvey Wippleman his manager and turn baby face... However, he was never seen again in a WWE ring. The next WWE PPV Survivor Series was terrible in many ways. In all the Survivor Series matches the baby face teams won which seems to happen every year. However, Owen Harts long awaited heel turn did happen when he turned on Bret Hart.

WCW booking style and decision making for 1993
WCW booking style and decisions for 1993 were mainly good except for Flair winning the World Title at Starrcade 1993... Little too soon I thought. WCW Halloween Havoc was the best PPV out of WWE/WCW...Overall this may have been one of WCW better years with booking

ECW booking style and decision making for 1993
ECW still known as Eastern Championship Wrestling and didn’t have Hardcore Wrestling first type of thinking. Considering the old talent ECW had the originality of the matches and storylines where very good... But ECW was nowhere “great� yet.


Bold/Colors not working for me.... Year 1994 will be posted soon enough

God

Super Moderator

that was a good read and i remember most of that when it happened. i was only a kid then so i didnt realise how little sense it made lol

ChosenOne

God

Super Moderator

wwe were improving at this point but i agree with the owen hart/backlund part. why the hell did backlund get the title? he was probably the most boring wrestler of the time.