One of WCW's biggest problems throughout its history was consistent booking. Where the WWE had Vince McMahon and a somewhat stable set of advisers - Pat Patterson, Bruce Prichard, Jim Cornette, Vince Russo - WCW's booking was, at best, fluctuating.
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WCW actually produced a lot of great stories, characters, and matches, that led to some amazing pay-per-views.Bookers would come and go and, especially in the late eighties and early nineties, bring their own crew of talent with them. That led to some interesting booking decision at times (to put it mildly) which also impacted title runs. Here are ten examples of bizarre and/or forgotten title runs from the WCW era.
Michael Hayes As United States Champion
The Fabulous Freebird Once Held The Secondary Singles Title
- Hayes Later Won Both The US And World Tag Team Title With Jimmy Garvin
- Retired From Wrestling In 1994 And Went To The WWE To Become Dok Hendrix
Technically, the company was still the NWA at the time, but Ted Turner had already bought the company, so let's not split hairs. Michael Hayes had had great success as a Freebird alongside Terry Gordy and Buddy Roberts, but by early 1989 he returned as a singles wrestler. Initially a babyface, Hayes eventually turned heel and challenged Lex Luger for the US title at WrestleWar 1989. To everybody's surprise, Hayes won thanks to interference from his Freebird friend Terry Gordy. Hayes only held the title for a little over two weeks and would soon re-enter the tag team division alongside new partner Jimmy Garvin, making the title switch even more baffling. In the title lineage, the reign of Michael Hayes is often forgotten today.
Big Josh, Dustin Rhodes & Tom Zenk As Six Man Tag Team Champions
Odd Trio Provides Dustin With First Major League Gold
- The Championship Was Around For Less Than A Year (February 1991-December 1991)
- The Trio Lost The Titles To The York Foundation's Richard Morton, Terrance Taylor & Thomas Rich
It was Dusty Rhodes' idea to introduce the Six Man World Tag Team Championship. Introduced in early 1991, the titles didn't even survive a year.
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These TNA title reigns were so bizarre that they've been completely forgotten by most wrestling fans.While most people would have a hard time naming any of the four combinations that held the gold, the most rag-tag group was certainly the one of the future Doink the Clown and Goldust, alongside Tom Zenk. They would defeat the Freebirds (Hayes and Garvin) and Badstreet (Brad Armstrong), and eventually lost the titles to the York Foundation.
Brad Armstrong As Light Heavyweight Champion
Injury And Internal Turmoil Cut His Reign & The Division Short
- Had To Relinquish The Title Due To A Knee Injury
- Would Later Become Smoky Mountain Heavyweight Champion
It is often said that Brad Armstrong was the most underrated wrestler of his generation. However, that seemed to change (a little) in 1992 when, under Bill Watts' booking, Armstrong beat Scotty Flamingo for the Light Heavyweight Title. Unfortunately, Armstrong would get injured and had to relinquish the title. Soon after, the title itself would be discontinued and Brad found himself in the undercard again.
Larry Zbyszko As World Television Champion
The Living Legend (And Commentator) Dethrones Lord Steven Regal
- Zbyszko Had Started Doing Commentary In 1992
- The Living Legend Was The Last AWA Champion
1994 is remembered as the year that Hulk Hogan arrived in WCW. However, it was also the year that Larry Zbyszko held his last major title in wrestling. Already a commentator, Larry found himself suddenly in a feud with the TV Champion Lord Steven Regal. On an episode of Saturday Night, Larry upset the champion to win the WCW World Television Title. He would eventually lose the title back to Regal at Clash of the Champions XXVII. Larry would occasionally wrestle in WCW until 1998, but never won another title.
The Public Enemy As Tag Team Champions
Former ECW Champions Never Found Their Footing In The Big Leagues
- Would Get Heat In WWE And Were Stiffed By The Acolytes
- Both Members Have Already Passed Away
The tag team division floundered in WCW before the arrival of the Outsiders (and you might argue that it floundered even more after their arrival). Even though WCW also brought in the Road Warriors and Steiner Brothers in early 1996, it was The Public Enemy that would win the gold first, beating Harlem Heat on Monday Nitro on September 23.
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WWE likes to spice things up with their Royal Rumble participants, but these entrants caused fans to scratch their heads!It seemed to be one of those title changes that WCW did for no apparent reason because the team would lose the titles again on the October 5 edition of Saturday Night.
Rick Steiner & Kenny Kaos As Tag Team Champions
An Injury Quickly Ends A Forgettable Title Reign
- Kaos Replaced Judy Bagwell As Champion
- Tag Titles Were Vacated And New Champions Crowned At Superbrawl IX
Speaking of bizarre tag team champions and a floundering tag team division: by late 1998, the tag team division in WCW was basically abolished. Rick Steiner eventually won the tag titles on his own at Halloween Havoc, beating brother Scott and The Giant. The next night, Rick Steiner introduced Judy Bagwell as his partner, but even WCW officials realized that this wouldn't work for any significant amount of time. So Rick finally chose Kenny Kaos as his full-time partner. Kaos had been a part of the undercard team High Voltage that never made an impact. The duo quickly had to relinquish the titles due to an injury to Rick though and it is hard to remember even one defense by the team.
Psychosis As Cruiserweight Champion
Luchador Usually Had The Role Of Jobber To The Stars Of The Division
- Psychosis' First Title Reign Lasted A Week
- Was Awarded The Title In A Phantom Victory Over Lanny Lane
1999 was the first of two really chaotic years in WCW before the company closed down but it also saw one of the more rewarding moments of late-stage WCW. Psychosis, a mainstay of the company since 1996, won the Cruiserweight Title for the first time in April, only to lose it to Rey Mysterio the week after. He would be announced as the Cruiserweight champion again at the October 4 Monday Nitro despite never having won the title: WCW had to cancel the West Hollywood Blondes angle and took Lanny Lane off TV. Commentators claimed Psychosis had beat Lane at a house show but that never happened. It didn't matter either: Disco Inferno beat Psychosis immediately to win the title. Unfortunately, both of Psychosis runs were short and forgettable and fans tend to remember one but forget the other.
Evan Karagias As Cruiserweight Champion
Rookie Was A Victim Of Vince Russo's Booking
- Would Form Three Count Stable After Madusa Broke Up With Him
- Was Briefly Signed To WWE After Their Purchase Of WCW
Disco's title reign would begin a dark time for the cruiserweight title - so dark, in fact, that WCW vacated the belt and started a tournament after they got done with it. Disco's title reign would end at the hands of Evan Karagias, a then-25-year-old rookie. In storyline, Evan was in love with veteran women's wrestler Madusa, who was ten years older than him (although Evan's character appeared to be even younger than he was). Either way, Karagias beat Inferno with the help of Madusa at Mayhem to win the Cruiserweight Title - a reign that came way too soon for the inexperienced Karagias. But things got worse.
Madusa As Cruiserweight Champion
The Legend's Only WCW Title Reign Came In The Men's Division
- Originally Supposed To Be The Face Of The Women's Division
- Never Won The WCW Women's Title
Only a month later, at Starrcade 1999, Madusa would beat her (by then) ex-boyfriend to win the title. She would eventually drop the belt to Oklahoma - a Jim Ross parody gimmick, portrayed by writer Ed Ferrara. The whole angle had turned the Cruiserweight Title into a laughing stock and, once WCW fired Russo and Ferrara, the title was vacated. Its reputation, though, was irrevocably damaged.
Terry Funk As United States Champion
Storm And Funk Successfully Lobby For Feel-Good Moment
- Lance Storm And Terry Funk Lobbied For Title Change
- Funk Dropped The Title The Next Night But Neither Title Change Was Ever Acknowledged On TV
The last entry in this list is also a little controversial as WCW initially didn't recognize Funk's house show victory over Lance Storm in Amarillo, Texas. However, in recent years, WWE has acknowledged the title change. Funk's feel-good moment in his hometown was short-lived though, as he lost the title back to Storm one night later in Lubbock, Texas at another house show.
