1999!
In January of 1999,DDP is named the #1
contender for Goldberg's WCW championship.The 2 fight at Souled Out and
Goldberg wins. Goldberg would continue to reign as Champion until
Halloween Havoc '99,where he is defeated by DDP in an epic Rematch. On
the 2nd Nitro of the month,Lex Luger and Randy Savage battle in a #1
Contenders match for the WCW Championship,after the 2 have an argument
about who deserves to face and beat Goldberg. Lex Luger Wins,Savage
assaults him backstage.
Their feud would last until
Slamboree,where Luger defeats Savage in a Strap Match[a special
challenge that savage has issued] at the event. Later in the year WCW
introduces the International Championship for the Lucha Libre and
Puroresu divisions.The 2 divisions start an inter-division rivalry for
that gold.In September of '99,the 2 divisions merge into the
International division...A division where international wrestlers can
become mid-card mega-stars.
In Febuary 1999,WCW rehires
Jake "The Snake" Roberts,who's adopted a dark pro-snake,anti-human
gimmick.Ric Flair returns on the 1st Nitro of Febuary '99 and confronts
Bret Hart about his leadership skills.The 2 end up having a heated
arguement,which leads to Ric Flair challenging Bret Hart for control if
the Horsemen and if Hart loses,he's out of the group. Hart accepts the
challenge. They fight at Superbrawl IX and Bret Hart wins. Bret proves
to be a great leader and Flair hates it.
Flair would get a rematch
at the Great American Bash in June,where he not only took back control
of the Horsemen,but kicks Bret Hart out.Benoit joins Hart soon after.
Hart and Benoit are replaced with Curt Hennig and Steve McMichael on the
2nd Nitro in July.
March of '99 proved to be somewhat
uneventful,still WCW's ratings continued to stay in a healthy position.
In April '99,at Uncensored,Chris Benoit loses the US championship to
Booker T,thanks to Ric Flair,who wanted revenge on Benoit for supporting
Bret Hart.The following Nitro,Hart blasts Flair for thr move..as does
Benoit. Booker T and Scott Steiner start a feud for the US Championship
and would have multiple matches,the biggest being at that years
Slamboree.
In April,Owen Hart of WWE gets tempted by
WCW.In fact,Eric Bischoff even invited Owen to join WCW on multiple
occasions. By Mid-May,Owen Hart leaves WWF for WCW. He quit because of a
big dispute he had with Vince McMahon and the WWF creative team. In
June,Owen Hart reunites with "British Bulldog"Davy Smith and the 2 take
the Tag Team Division by storm. In August the 2 would win the WCW Tag
Titles. WCW Champ Goldberg gets into a rivalry with Randy Savage. They
meet for the WCW Championship twice,once at Spring Stampede and again at
Bash at the Beach.
In May of 1999,WCW's ratings begin
to fall a bit due to the lack of overly interesting things.Despite this
though,WCW is still running neck and neck with the WWF. With Hollywood
Hogan on hiatus,Eric Bischoff decides to return to color commentary
until Hogan returns.Owen Hart's star is on the rise.WCW
In
June of 1999,WCW introduces The Women's Tag Team Titles and holds a
Tournament for it on Nitro.This gives WCW a bit of an edge against WWF.
Sting is targeted by Jake Roberts. They meet at the Great American
Bash.Their feud would continue until Early August.
In
Early July of 1999,Bret Hart and Chris Benoit are in feud with the 4
Horsemen. Sometime before Bash at the Beach,The Canadian's recruit Owen
Hart and The British Bulldog and they form The Hart Clan.The 2 stables
continue to feud for months,eventually settling things at War Games in
the War Games Match.
In August 1999,the WCW TV Title is
a Saturday Night exclusive title.Eric Bischoff announces that Hollywood
Hogan has been kicked out of Hollywood. Late next month,Hogan returns
as a Face in Gold and Crimson colors.
In September of
1999,WCW introduces the Hardcore Division,a division dedicated to
ECW-style matches.Raven fully endorses it. Late Sept,Hulk Hogan
introduces Hulkamania 2000,a more "modernized" version of Classic
Hulkamania (complete with the 4 demandments: train,say your prayers,take
your vitamins,and believe in yourself).His theme song "American Made"
is given a Heavy Metal remix. Bischoff is no longer Hogan's avocate. The
Hart Clan wins War Games. Goldberg loses the title to DDP.
In
Early October 1999,Jeff Jerrett returns to WCW and raises hell. Bret
Hart and DDP have a rivalry and meet for the title at Halloween Havoc.
Hart wins,but DDP gets another chance at Starcade'99,when he wins the
World War 3 Match at World War 3.
In November of
'99,Steve McMichael is injured and kicked out of the Horsemen. Jeff
Jerrett soon joins Mongo's place later in the Month. In January
2000,Jeff Jarrett turns on Flair,takes over the Horsemen and kicks Flair
out. This leads to a Jarrett/Flair Fued. The Horsemen dissolve once
again in Febuary 2000. DDP wins the World War 3 Match at World War
3,allowing him to face Bret Hart for the title at Starrcade '99.
To
increase viewers and decrease the popularity of The WWF,WCW airs
political-style negative ads. These work and by January 2000,WWF begins
to struggle against WCW (the 1st time since 1996).Hall and Nash split up
again to pursue singles careers.
In December '99,Bret
Hart suffers a concussion that almost ends his in-ring career. The Hart
Clan splits up soon after. Hart is forced to give up his Championship.
The Belt is put on the line in a 6-way brawl between Jeff Jarret,Chris
Benoit,Kevin Nash,DDP,Goldberg,and Sting at Starrcade '99 [the next 6
in-line for the title]. Hart retires from the ring in September of 2000.
DDP wins the title at Starrcade '99,but loses it in March of 2000 [at
uncensored]to Chris Benoit.
====================================================
Next, WCW enters the new millennium and the WWF truly begins to suffer.
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