Sting joins the WWE Hall of Fame

Congratulations to Sting for officially becoming a member of the WWE Hall of Fame. It is a great honor for WWE to recognize his contributions to the sport of professional wrestling itself and reward him in a fantastic way. Sting was not only the face of WCW, but he was the backbone of that company. He was the ultimate constant when others came and went through the revolving door of WCW as the times changed. Sting initially received his big break in the NWA when he wrestled Ric Flair at Clash of the Champions I to a 45-minute draw. That match put Sting on the map as a major player in wrestling. Sting would feud with the likes of Ric Flair and Great Muta along with Lex Luger.

At the Great American Bash in 1990, Sting reached the mountain by defeating Ric Flair for the WCW Championship. When Flair left for the WWF in 1991, Sting stayed to keep things steady. During that time, business in WCW was pretty tough but Sting made the best out of what was given to him. He feuded with Luger over the title and did what he could to make his friend look better. The best feud that Sting had in Flair's absence was with Vader from 92-93. Sting would reinvent himself during the dawn of the Monday Night Wars in the mid-late 90's as he became the Crow. As the Crow, Sting would be chosen to save WCW from the NWO when he defeated Hollywood Hogan at Starrcade 1997. Sting would enjoy a decorated legacy in WCW. He was to WCW what Undertaker was to (WWF) at that time.

However, there have been some detractors lately that feel as though Sting does not "deserve" to be in the WWE Hall of Fame because he was not a "WWE guy" and because he "lost too many matches". First of all, if Drew Carey, Pete Rose and William "Refrigerator" Perry can go to the Hall of Fame, there should be NO complaints about Sting. Apparently, today's fans either have never seen Sting, were too young or just plain forgot how good Sting really was. When it comes to stars that built legacies without Vince's help, Sting is the greatest. Abdullah the Butcher has NEVER, EVER stepped foot inside of Vince McMahon's ring, but he is in the HOF. His career was nowhere near Sting's level. Nick Bockwinkel was predominantly an AWA Star. Yet, he is in the Hall of Fame because WWE respects his AWA legacy. Why can't people appreciate Sting having that same kind of honor? Nothing against Nick (RIP) or Abdullah, but they did not have the same level of impact that Sting has had. Sting was something special and unique during his heyday as I grew up watching him. He had what it took to survive and thrive as the culture started to shift in wrestling. However, Sting spent quite a number of years in TNA. In a way, that did not do his legacy any favors when it comes to the modern fans that couldn't care less about TNA. For years, Sting kept holding off making his move to WWE because he was skeptical about Vince's track record when it comes to WCW talent. He had a point to an extent. In the end, he came to realize that no matter what, WWE is the place to be for his career to fully receive its ultimate recognition as the Hall of Fame would be his final reward.

Farewell to an American Dream

Yesterday, the wrestling world and sports world as a whole suffered a heavy loss when wrestling great Dusty Rhodes passed away at the age of 69. I first got the news of Dusty's passing from a Tweet by Triple H paying tribute to him. Others would follow such as Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan, Stone Cold Steve Austin and others. Dusty's contributions in wrestling reach far and wide. He wined and dined with Kings and Queens. He slept on alleys and dined on pork & beans. That means that Dusty saw the highest of the highs and the lowest of the lows. Rhodes was the ultimate definition of blue collar, which is what automatically drew fans to him. He was able to think on his feet during his promos. Just like Stone Cold, The Rock, Hulk Hogan or Macho Man to name a few, Dusty was one of those people that you had to listen to when he picked up a microphone. When he walked into a building, you could feel his charisma immediately. Even watching at home, you could tell there was something unique about him. What Rhodes lacked in physique, he more than made up for with his mic skills and ring work.

Dusty got his start in wrestling in a tag team called the Texas Outlaws with long time friend Dick Murdoch. They were a heel tag team in the AWA. Rhodes would eventually part ways with Murdoch as he moved to Championship Wrestling in Florida, where he became the biggest draw that the promotion had ever had. By 1974, Dusty became a full-fledged face during a tag match with his partner Pak Song against Mike and Eddie Graham. Rhodes turned on his partner before eliminating Mike and Eddie as he cleaned house. According to his 2006 Documentary "The American Dream" Dusty would go to every armory in Florida and sell out the shows. He would gain a grassroots following piece by piece. Rhodes would also gain prominence in Georgia along with other NWA territories, but Florida was the place that helped him shine the brightest. Dusty was easily recognizable because of how common his appearance was. Eventually, he caught the eye of Vincent J. McMahon, Sr., as he would make the move to the Northeast to wrestle for the World Wide Wrestling Federation at the time. The American Dream would receive his first glimpse of the bright lights of New York working for the WWWF. McMahon had never seen a performer like Dusty before that time, because Rhodes was not built like the typical Vince McMahon prototype. His greatest claim to fame in the WWWF was his series of spectacular matches with "Superstar" Billy Graham. Their matches included a match for the WWWF Title, a Texas Death Match and a Texas Bullrope match. Rhodes would eventually return to the NWA, as he would defeat Harley Race for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship on August 21, 1979 in Tampa, FL. The match was the PWI Match of the Year, as Rhodes was highly celebrated after his spectacular win. Harley was one of the Dream's best opponents before Dusty transitioned into battling his best dance partner, Ric Flair.

Some can say that the seeds to their feud may have been planted when Flair defeated him for the NWA World Heavyweight Title on September 16, 1981 in Kansas City, MO. It took a while for them to have another encounter, but you could tell that they had the makings of something great down the line. By 1984-85, the feud would escalate even further as Flair became even more of an arrogant heel. Dusty automatically became the top babyface in the promotion, as he and Flair took the NWA to greater heights than before. The Four Horesmen originated after Arn and Ole Anderson attacked Dusty and broke his leg. On October 29, 1985, Dusty Rhodes delivered his most intense and passionate promo "Hard Times". The way that he connected with the common people during that promo gave him even greater national exposure, as he continued to chase The Nature Boy for the title. Even Maria Menounous did a great impression of Dusty's Hard Times promo. If Dusty appreciated her impression, then none of the smarks have a right to criticize her. Their signature matches included their battle at Starrcade '85, and Great American Bash '86 which was the peak of their feud. Rhodes defeated Flair in the Steel Cage, as other wrestlers from the locker room rushed into the cage to celebrate with him. His journey had culminated in that match, as it was the "Match of the Year" for 1986. In 1987, Dusty was named "Most Popular Wrestler" by PWI. That is significant, considering the fact that Hulk Hogan headlined the biggest WrestleMania of that time (WM III), as he bodyslammed Andre The Giant. At that point, Hogan was at the pinnacle of his career. Yet, Dusty edged him out in popularity, even if it was just for that year. That shows how deeply that Rhodes connected with so many fans. Dusty would become more familiar with the larger mainstream WWF crowd with his "Common Man" gimmick where he would wear Polka Dots. Even though it may still be viewed as a rib my many people today, Dusty was able to make the most out it. He truly did.

As a booker, Dusty was the mastermind behind Starrcade before WrestleMania was born and took the world by storm. Rhodes was the innovator behind WarGames and BattleBowl. In WWE, Dusty's career backstage received new life as he became one of the mentors for the young talent in NXT. Rhodes has always had a keen eye for talent, as he has been able to shape and guide the careers of these upcoming stars with his wisdom. Even the newer generations have had the chance to receive the many things that he had to offer. Everyone from John Cena, Randy Orton, all the way down to a Bray Wyatt or Kevin Owens have talked about the things that Dusty has taught them. The Divas such as Natalya and The Bella Twins are extremely grateful for what they learned from him. Everyone has expressed their love for him, and how he has helped to direct them. You can tell that Dusty has had a profound influence on Triple H by how he has done an incredible job as a Booker and Executive for NXT. His contributions even outside of the ring are what make him stand the test of time. Now, it is time to finish with one last Bionic Elbow for the American Dream if you will, daddy. The Hard Times are now over. Rest in Peace and Power, Dusty.

 

 

(Painting Courtesy of: Rob Schamberger. Twitter: @RobSchamberger)

 

 

What if Sting were in WWF?

I would like to introduce a new series called the "What If?" Series. I will examine the biggest "What If?" Scenarios that many people often talk about or perhaps think deeply in the back of their mind (I don't know what anybody really thinks, but I will just throw ideas out there.).

Prime Examples Include:

"What if Len Bias never overdosed?"

"What if Michael Jordan never played Baseball?"

"What if Shaq and Penny stayed together?"

Today, I would like to examine one of the greatest questions in wrestling history. What if Sting joined the WWF instead of WCW in his prime? As fans, we all know the story of the BladeRunners, and the success that Sting and his late HOF tag partner Ultimate Warrior enjoyed when they went their separate ways. In 1986, Sting went to UWF before making the jump to Jim Crockett's National Wrestling Alliance in 1987. From that point on, we know how the story went as Sting had a flagship career as the centerpiece of World Championship Wrestling (WCW). Meanwhile, Warrior made the jump to World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW) in Texas as the Dingo Warrior. The following year, Warrior went in the opposite direction of Sting by going North to join Vince McMahon's World Wrestling Federation in the New York/Connecticut Area. The Ultimate Warrior would reach incredible heights in his own way.

Both men are famous for their colorful appearances, as their facepaint has become their trademark that fans recognize them for. However, I would like to take the time to see how things would have been had they switched places. Now, I would like to travel back to 1987, which is when both men started to make their mark.

Warrior made his WWF debut in June 1987, as he dominated the likes of Barry Horowitz, Mike Sharpe, Steve Lombardi and others. He made his TV debut on October 25, 1987 as he continued his dominance before losing to future WWF rival Rick Rude. Meanwhile, Sting made his NWA debut in July 1987. In November, Sting made his PPV debut at Starrcade 1987, as he teamed with Michael P.S. Hayes and Jimmy Garvin in a 6-man tag match vs. Eddie Gilbert, Rick Steiner, and Larry Zbyszko that ended in a 15-minute time limit draw. Sting would receive an even heavier push to the top when he challenged Ric Flair for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship at Clash of the Champions I, on March 17, 1988. The match ended in a draw, as Sting was a made man after that. This event clashed (pun intended) with WrestleMania IV, as Ultimate Warrior was victorious in his PPV debut against Hercules Hernandez. At this point, Sting has a slight edge. However, Warrior would gain momentum as he would defeat The Honky Tonk Man to win his first WWF Intercontinental Championship at the first Summerslam in 1988. By this point, both men are making incredible rises. During 1989, Warrior would feud with Ravishing Rick for the IC Strap, as Sting would feud with The Great Muta in NWA over the TV Title. By the end of the year, both Sting and Warrior had become clear cut fan favorites and the top choices to contend for the World Titles of their respective promotions.

By 1990, both men would take the torch for their brands as this is where I would like to make the fantasy switch. At WrestleMania VI, Ultimate Warrior dethroned Hulk Hogan to retain his IC Championship while becoming the new WWF Champion. The match is considered an historical turning point, because of how symbolic the win was. Both Warrior and Hogan were at the top of their game, but the start of the 90's was the turning of a new chapter, as Ultimate Warrior defeated the King of the WWF during the 80's. Vince McMahon was signaling the start of a new chapter, as he was setting Hogan's successor in place by this point. Meanwhile, Sting defeated Ric Flair for the NWA/WCW Championship at the Great American Bash which was the WCW equivalent to Warrior defeating The Hulkster. Sting took the WCW torch that night, and ran with it for the rest of the decade. Sting defeated the King of the NWA for the 80's. Warrior had the more memorable win, because it took place on a larger stage at WrestleMania in front of 60,000+ fans in a larger company. However, the course of Sting's career would rise to greater levels than Warrior during their championship runs.

With that said, let us put Sting in Warrior's position heading into WM VI. Sting and Rude would feud in WCW, so by this point their rivalry can kick off to an earlier start over the IC Title. Warrior was a great draw as Intercontinental Champion, but I think Sting would do great things for the prestige of that title as well. Sting's matches with Rude would mirror their battles in WCW from '92-'94, as the Intercontinental Title would continue to be the workhorse title. Sting would be more of a workhorse champion than Warrior. Meanwhile, Warrior and Muta would be a clash of two outrageous characters, as it would create an interesting scenario. Muta would be more of the ring general in this situation. Going into WrestleMania VI, Sting would prove to be more of a stable challenger to Hogan in the ring than Warrior was. Sting and Hogan would have a better feud than what they had in WCW, because Sting at his core was built for WWF. He was just in a smaller region than Warrior and Hogan. A match between Sting and Hogan at WrestleMania VI would have created an even better quality match, along with a great storyline heading into the PPV. Sting would have put on a more athletic and explosive contest with the Hulkster. Who knows? Maybe Sting would not have suffered that severe knee injury like he did in WCW during that time. Sting's strength, and agility would have had the fans completely at the edge as he would have turned the match level up even higher. You would still have the test of strength, but with more intensity and quickness involved. On the other hand, Flair would have to hide Warrior's weaknesses more than he did for Sting.

As far as their title runs, Sting's first run as WCW Champ had more substance as he held it for 7 months before losing it back to Flair in a Starrcade rematch on January 11, 1991. During this time, Sting defeated contenders from Sid Vicious to Ric Flair himself. Sting would go on to have the best matches in the company during this time, even without the gold. On the other side of the coin, Warrior is more remembered for winning the title than his actual reign as he was not the box office draw that people expected him to be when he wore the crown. Warrior lost the WWF Title the following week at the Royal Rumble (January 19, 1991) to Sgt. Slaughter. On the bright side, this would lead into a feud with "Macho King" Randy Savage that culminated in a classic WrestleMania VII match that continues to be mentioned in the history books.

Now, time to turn the tables. Sting did not have the kind of ego that Warrior had, and he could have kept Hulk Hogan off of his thrown as champion. However, if Sting were to lose the title like Warrior, a match with Savage would have been even better. Sting vs. Savage in their primes could have been better than Warrior vs. Savage as it would have been a strong contender for Macho Man's greatest matches. After going through Savage, Sting could set his focus back on the WWF Title and gain another victory over Hogan. By 1991, Sting firmly held WCW together when Ric Flair left for the WWF while taking the Big Gold Belt with him. This was a testament of Sting's commitment and showed that he was the better employee. This is not a Warrior bash fest, so follow along with me. Meanwhile, Warrior was involved in a messy dispute with Vince McMahon that led to his first departure following Summerslam. Sting was the company cornerstone, while Warrior made an unexpected departure. This has created a large gap between them when it comes to their legacies. While in WCW, Warrior and Lex Luger would look like mirror images of each other during their matches because they had identical physiques. They also had identical ring skills, but Warrior just had more excitement and flair than Lex ever did. Sting could have had a longer feud with Jake than Warrior did, and he could have had an encounter with The Undertaker even BEFORE becoming the Crow.

Going into 1992, Sting would continue to fit perfectly in the WWF landscape as they were making the transition from Hulk Hogan. Sting and Flair would continue to have incredible chemistry as they would battle over the WWF Championship in as much of a compelling way as they did over the WCW Title, as stars like Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels would come to the horizon. However, I believe that is the biggest question mark. Would Bret Hart still be the star that he became if Sting were in WWF during that time? I think Bret would still be a star, and it will turn out to be a great rivalry over the top spot. Bret might be the champion a little bit later, but he would still be great no matter what the circumstance. During this transitional stretch from the Hogan Era into the New Generation, Sting would fill the space that guys like Warrior and Jake left behind after their fall outs with Vince. The IC & WWF Title pictures would be more entertaining if Sting were in that mix with Bret, Taker and HBK. One can only imagine the WrestleMania matches and other PPV matches that Sting could have with stars like that. Him and Shawn Michaels would grab at least one or two Match of the Year Awards. Both men in a singles or ladder match would tear the place down. Bret vs. Sting in a Submission match would be electrifying as well. The Hitman vs. Sting would be much better than a storyline with Bret vs. a past his prime Jerry Lawler.

During that watershed time of 93-96 before the rise of Austin 3:16, Sting would continue his wave of momentum as the Surfer Sting before transitioning into the crow. This would create compelling storylines with an emerging Stone Cold Steve Austin, a darker Undertaker, Mankind and a rising star named Rocky Maivia (later known to be The Rock). Sting would help maintain the morale in the locker room as he and Undertaker could be the enforcers to stand up to the poison that the Kliq was spreading at that time.

Sting could add so much of an amazing element going into the Attitude Era as the Crow, that his merchandise numbers would explode even more with the WWF Marketing Powerhouse supporting him. Warrior could have some brutal wars with Vader, Ron Simmons, Booker T, and even an up and coming Bill Goldberg. That was the dream match of many for years.

On the other hand, I am not sure how Warrior would have benefited in the WCW Locker Room because of his inconsistencies as far as appearances are concerned. More importantly, how would he do in the same environment in WCW as Hogan, Nash, & co, but with Eric Bischoff calling the shots instead of Vince? Actually, there were multiple bosses, which would have increased the tension for him anyway. 1998 was enough of a glimpse. During this time, Warrior was making sporadic appearances on WWF Television.



Overall, Sting could have displayed how consistent he was in the ring and out of the ring in a larger environment like the WWF. Sting was tailor made for WWF, but kept his allegiance to WCW. If Sting were in WWF, who knows what would have happened to WCW? Maybe they might have died earlier. On the other hand, maybe the NWO does not have the same impact if Warrior is in that position that Sting was in as the savior of WCW. In other ways, Sting's legacy might not have been perceived in the best way by the anti-WWF fans. He might not be as highly accepted by those fans, because they would see him as another star who was aided by the Vince McMahon System. In my view, he would have done fine. As far as Warrior's legacy, would there be a passing of the torch from him to Goldberg? How would he and Hogan do in a year long buildup to Starrcade? Only time can tell what could have happened. It is always fun to imagine.

Macho Man Hall of Fame Tribute

OOOOOHHH YEEAAAHHH!!!! Freak out, freak out, freak out! After years upon years of bad blood, speculation, rumors and being passed over, we can FINALLY say that the King of Macho Madness will take his rightful place in the Hall of Fame. Earlier this week, it was announced (through spoilers by the way) that "Macho Man" Randy Savage will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.  A Hall of Fame without the Macho Man is like the Basketball Hall of Fame without Hakeem Olajuwon. Imagine the Football Hall of Fame without Emmitt Smith. For years, the WWE Hall of Fame has been a laughingstock, because of undeserving names like Drew Carey, Pete Rose and William "Refridgerator" Perry being inducted instead of an Icon like Savage. Now, that void has officially been fulfilled with Savage's upcoming induction. After being practically nailed to the wall by his archrival and confidant Stone Cold Steve Austin on Austin's Podcast, Vince McMahon had no other choice but to be a man of his word and give the people what they so rightfully deserved. Randy Savage was announced as the first inductee into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2015 for WrestleMania 31 Weekend at Levi Stadium in San Francisco. Macho Man is a transcendent figure in the history of wrestling and sports entertainment, with his charisma, his recognizable voice, and tremendous generalship inside of the squared circle. Besides Ric Flair and Shawn Michaels, Macho Man was one of the first guys that put great detail in his ring attire. They made sure that their threads stood out as much as their performances. Before Shawn Michaels, Randy Savage was the Showstopper. When it comes to being "Mr. WrestleMania", Macho Man was the Dr. J, to HBK's Michael Jordan. During his time, WWF/E was more about the giants (Hulk Hogan, Andre, Warrior). Macho Man broke the ice with his incredible matches, and style. He had the best quality matches at that time. You would never expect Hogan to wrestle for 20-30 minutes. Other than Steamboat, Macho Man could go the distance. Savage carried the Hulkster himself to 20+ minutes at WrestleMania V.

Macho Man's dedication and respect for the business and the fans was evident in his work. His intensity can never be duplicated. Who can forget his storyline with Ricky Steamboat where he crushed his larynx? Or his feud with Jake "The Snake" where he let the snake bite him? Everyone will remember his passion during his match with Ultimate Warrior at WrestleMania 7, when he hammered Warrior with 5 Elbow Drops. Even his feud with Ric Flair for WrestleMania 8 was legendary over Miss Elizabeth. Savage was a marvel in the ring and unparalleled. Macho Man's reign as the IC Champion gave Hogan's World Title reign a run for its money. After generating great success as the Intercontinental Champion, Vince McMahon and the fans recognized how valuable he could be at the next level. When Hulk Hogan stepped down after a phenomenal run as Champion, Macho Man stepped up to the plate and did not disappoint at all. Everything he did was unique.


Savage's body of work speaks for itself. A former WWE Intercontinental Champion, 2-time WWE Champion, 4-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion, 1987 King of the Ring, 1995 WCW World War 3 Battle Royal Winner. If the WWE had the same Hall of Fame induction process as the NBA and NFL (6 years for 1st year eligibility), Macho Man would have been a first ballot induction a long time ago. Sadly, they don't, but instead they run their voting process on petty favoritism, and politics instead of quality and substance.

However, in the midst of the celebration there is also plenty of criticism against WWE for who they have chosen to be Macho Man's presenter for the Hall of Fame. Hulk Hogan has also been announced as Savage's presenter. The reason why this is odd, is because Macho has been on record to say that he disliked Hogan. Savage even made a rap song dissing Hogan called "Be A Man". Others look at it as a way of Hogan being the typical politician and spotlight Hog that he is. From a personal standpoint, it is strange. However, from a career standpoint it is understanable, because of the connection that they have. In the mid to late 80's, Savage and Hogan were the two biggest mainstream stars in wrestling. Their personas were very similar, as both men did great business together. They were inseparable, with their incredible storyline as the MegaPowers. Their explosion at WM V was a great way to end with a bang. With that said, many people like to point at how much Hogan wanted his spotlight. Hogan in many ways, was Macho Man's greatest dance partner, and vice versa. The Hulkster was even the biggest reason why Savage went to WCW. Their relationship was very complicated to say the least.

On the other hand, Ricky Steamboat would have been a great presenter, because of the respect he and Macho Man had for one another. Next to Hogan, Steamboat was Savage's best rival. Next to Flair, Savage was Steamboat's best rival. Their rivalry overall was amazing. The chemistry and timing they had together in the ring was brilliant. They brought the best out of each other. The matches that they had leading up to their epic WM III showdown were great as well. The battle at Pontiac is a match that every wrestling fan must learn about and watch. If not, shame on you. What else needs to be said about this match? This match is among the top of many favorite lists (Including mine). I say Steamboat would have been a safer choice, just because of the mutual respect and without the drama from a guy like Hogan.

This induction will also be very bittersweet, because Macho Man is not alive to accept the honor. In fact, I remember exactly where I was when I heard the news about his passing. I had just gotten off from work, and I was driving to Bowie Town Center here in MD. While I was driving, I was listening to SportsTalk 980 when they broke the news. I was stunned in sadness when I heard about it. When I stopped, I called my Dad and told others around me about what happened.

Overall, I believe that this induction raises the value of the Hall of Fame going forward. I give much credit to Triple H for the way he is making the deals happen for these inductions to take place, from Bruno, Backlund, Warrior, and now the Poffo Family. Moving forward, I think that WWE will have no other choice but to become more serious about who they induct, and this is a great step in that direction. Now, Randy Savage will finally be immortalized on the biggest stage of them all during WrestleMania Weekend. It has been a very long time coming, and it is time to enjoy every last second of it. Savage was the Cream of the Crop. One last time: OOOOOHHHH YEEAAAHHH!!!!

Throwback Thursday: WCW/NWO Revenge

Last week, I paid tribute to the Legendary "WWF WrestleMania 2000" for Nintendo 64. Now, I will highlight the very game that pushed WWF to that next level in my view. Today, I will talk about "WCW/NWO Revenge". At the time, WCW was already miles ahead of WWF in terms of video games. While WWF was stuck in the dark ages with In Your House Shows and Arcade Games (WrestleMania: Arcade), WCW was breaking ground with wrestling games, while using 3-D graphics on N64.  (WCW/NWO World Tour) Even though WWF was winning the Monday Night Wars during the release, WCW/NWO Revenge was the wrestling game of the year in 1998. IGN gave Revenge an 8 out of 10, Gamespot gave it a 7.2 out of 10, while GamePro gave it a 4.5 out of 5 stars. Revenge was a tremendous success, as it was the best-selling wrestling video game for the N64, according to IGN in 1999. I was a kid growing up in the Attitude Era at the time, but enjoyed what WCW brought to the table. I remember times after school or on the weekends I would go to my friends house to play Revenge. It amazed me every time I played it. The grappling system was among the best, which was simple for me to grasp. The finishing moves were very on point as well, such as Kevin Nash's Jacknife Powerbomb, Goldberg's Jackhammer, Sting's Scorpion Deathlock, and Chris Jericho's Liontamer to name a few. The game was downright addictive, as we would play match after match after match without ever getting bored. The game also included arenas such as Nitro, Starrcade, Bash at the Beach, Fall Brawl, Souled Out and Halloween Havoc. Revenge also included Championship mode, where you would go through a journey to win whatever title you choose. You would also unlock the wrestler who previously held the title. For example, in order to unlock Rowdy Roddy Piper, you had to defeat him for the WCW World Heavyweight Title. (This was the closest that Piper would ever come to being a World Champion, sadly)

Titles in Championship Mode:

• WCW World Heavyweight Championship- Roddy Piper
• U.S. Heavyweight Championship- Curt Hennig
• World Television Championship- Kanyon/Mortis
• Cruiserweight Championship- Kidman
• Tag Team Championship- Meng & Barbarian

*-Champions to unlock

Even among that, the Roster itself really caught my attention. The roster was so large (63 Wrestlers), that they had to be placed in different divisions. The NWO and Raven's Flock were divided into their own roster sections. The Cruiserweights had their own roster section.

NWO White:
Hollywood Hogan
The Giant
Brian Adams
Scott Hall
Scott Norton
Buff Bagwell
Scott Steiner
Curt Hennig*

NWO Red (Wolfpac):
Kevin Nash
Sting
Konnan
Lex Luger
Randy Savage

Raven's Flock:
Raven
Sick Boy
Kidman*
Reese
Riggs
Lodi

WCW 1:
Roddy Piper*
Goldberg
Diamond Dallas Page
Bret Hart
Booker T.
Chris Benoit
Rick Steiner
Fit Finley

WCW 2:
Saturn
Disco Inferno
Jim Neidhart
British Bulldog
Glacier
Kanyon/Mortis*
Meng*
Van Hammer

WCW 3:
Yugi Nagata
Larry Zbysko
Barbarian*
La Parka
Stevie Ray

WCW 4 (Cruiserweight Division):
Chris Jericho
Eddie Guerrero
Rey Mysterio Jr.
Juventud Guerrera
Dean Malenko
Psychosis
Ultimo Dragon
Chavo Guerrero Jr.
Alex Wright

EWF:
AKI/THQ Man
Shogun
Executioner
Dr. Frank
Jekel
Maya Inca Boy

DAW:
Hawk Hana
Kim Chee
Dake Ken
Brickowski
Ming Chee
Han Zo Mon

WCW-1 was for the Top Main Event Wrestlers in the company who were not with either NWO factions or with Raven's Flock. WCW-2 was for the Midcarders. WCW-3 was for those who were not quite Jobbers, but at least third tier. Obviously, the fourth division was for the Cruiserweights (My personal favorite outside of the NWO and Main Event) This was also the first game where you could use weapons, and make your opponent bleed. I could not believe what I saw. It was incredible. Overall, WCW/NWO Revenge raised the bar for wrestling games even higher, as it was ahead of it's time in many different ways. This game is a Legend among wrestling/fighting video games.