10 Years Later: Will WWE Bring Back WCW?

Features, Top Story

Fifteen years ago the odds of Vince McMahon being the only true wrestling game at the big end of town would have been incalculable. The chance he could ever even hope to afford to buy WCW was too ridiculous to contemplate.

Ten years ago today it became a reality as Vince (and Shane) McMahon appeared on Nitro. So let’s look at some other odds as they stand at the moment.

WCW brand being brought back – 500:1

            If there’s money to be made out of it, then there’s always a chance, but the longer it goes since the day the WCW died, the longer the odds on this one.

Sting coming into WWE – 50:1

            A month ago the odds would have been so much longer, but since the debacle that was Victory Road, Sting may realise he’s backed the wrong horse, and maybe a sweetener (a decent 3-disc set of his life, with the Bret Hart select your own matches treatment) could just about do it for him.

WWE buying TNA – 10:1

            I give it 5 years, 10 at the outside, but it will most likely happen. Just because it’s what nearly always happens. The arrival of Bischoff and Hogan has shortened these odds, by the way.

Bruno Sammartino entering the WWE Hall of Fame – 3:1

            Yes it will happen. Bruno will be a post-humus induction. And his son David will do the speech, will be the guy who helps with the DVD of his life, and gets some sort of backstage job afterwards. Just don’t bank on it while the old man’s still kicking, that’s all.

Randy Savage entering the WWE Hall of Fame – Evens

            The DVD set was great and not a burial (a la Ultimate Warrior). He’s done promo work for the WWE at the toy fair. The people love him. There’s money to be made with a second DVD set. It’s only a matter of time, folks.

WWE brings back a Cruiserweight (or equivalent) division – 25:2

            Longish odds, but well worth a punt here. Again, if there’s money to be made, and with Mexican stars willing to come across to the WWE and athletes like Bourne and Kidd already on the roster, and the sort of DVDs they could pull off (especially with the WCW library), it could actually happen.

Hulk Hogan v Steve Austin – 10,000:1

            Nope. Hogan would want it – maybe even offer Austin too much money to do it in TNA – but Austin actually seems smarter than that. Give the occasional stunner, do guest appearances, host Tough Enough, that’s enough; why risk that and his burgeoning movie career (yes, he has one; even as a bit part player, he has one!) over a match with a washed up old has been?

WWE releasing a WarGames DVD – 25:1

            Again, long odds, but despute the money that could be made from it, I think there is one thing that is going against it – Vince didn’t come up with the idea. In order to promote it, he’d have to have a WarGames at a PPV, and it couldn’t suck. However, the reason the odds are not longer is that the man who did come up with it was Dusty Rhodes and he and his two kids are apparently in the good books at the WWE at the moment…

Another celebrity champion (a la David Arquette) – variable

            For the world titles, no chance. Vince isn’t stupid. Crazy, sure, but not stupid. The secondary titles, it’s hard, but maybe 150:1. It would have to be the right celebrity at the right time against the right champion, but you never know. Divas Title is an easy 5:1. Come on, Snooki is getting a Wrestlemania payday, half the women can barely string 2 moves together, so it’s only a matter of time before we see Jennifer Garner, WWE Divas Champion. And then there’s the tag team titles – 3:2. Because you only need one decent wrestler to team with Drew Carrey to give them a title reign in a division that has been crushed mercilessly since Jerishow and Showmiz had the straps.

Vince McMahon ever retiring – 15:1

            As HHH grows in confidence and power these odds shorten all the time. I think Vince sees a true heir in HHH and so feels comfortable passing the baton on.

Shane McMahon returning to WWE – 4:1

            Not because he is a failure away from the ‘E, but because he can and I think will eventually want to. Maybe when Vince finally retires, but I think there’s a good chance he’ll be back.

Australian. Father. Perpetual student. Started watching wrestling before Wrestlemania 1. Has delusions of grandeur and was known to regularly get the snot beaten out of him in a wrestling ring. Also writes occasionally in other Pulse sections.Thinks Iron Mike Sharpe is underrated. http://stevengepp.wordpress.com