WCW: Phoenix From The Ashes...

[ya_its_me]

[CENTER][IMG]http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn229/Odidjian/WCW.gif[/IMG] [SIZE="3"]The wrestling world was in shock. World Championship Wrestling has broudcast it's last episode of Monday Night Nitro on March 26th of the year 2001. Or at least that's what some silly little rumour stated...[/SIZE] [SIZE="3"]Truthfully, WCW only planned on completely overhauling their product, yet again. By pushing out Eric Bischoff of being the head booker of WCW and replacing him with a new head booker. Ted Turner became so embarrased that he pulled his name out of supporting WCW, leaving the promotion ownerless. This is where Bischoff decided to re-kick his foot back into the door, taking over World Championship Wrestling. He then had to look for a new head booker...this, could take some time.[/SIZE][/CENTER] [B]--------------------------------------------------------------------------[/B] [B][SIZE="4"]APRIL 2001[/SIZE][/B] [SIZE="3"][CENTER]Talent losses weren't the only problem Bischoff had to deal with, Monday Night Nitro was without TV coverage since Turner Broudcasting left the company. Thank god negotiations were coming up soon, he thought all the time. With an anxious roster still waiting behind his back for them to receive some work, and WCW losing money from this each week, Bischoff needed to find his booker, fast. Enter Yancey Isaac Martin, a young booker who's worked his way around the indy circuit, gaining some notice with some well-booked matches and some top-notch storylines. Bischoff knew if he wanted to change WCW's image and product, this was going to be the guy needed to do so.[/CENTER][/SIZE] [CENTER][I]*Bring*[/I] [B]YIM:[/B] Hello? [B]Bischoff:[/B] Hello, Yancey Martin? [B]YIM:[/B] Ya that's me. [B]Bischoff:[/B] Eric Bischoff, CEO of World Championship Wrestling. [B]YIM:[/B] Really funny Kyle. *click* (Within a week later) [I]*Bring*[/I] [B]YIM:[/B] Hello? [B]Bischoff:[/B] Mr. Martin, once again it's Eric Bischoff. [B]YIM:[/B] Well you can go suck a **** "Eric." *click* (Hour later) [I]*Bring*[/I] [B]YIM:[/B] Goddammit, hello!? [B]Bischoff:[/B] Don't even thinking of hanging up Martin! I've got an offer that you can't refuse. [B]YIM:[/B] Go on... [B]Bischoff:[/B] As you may know, WCW was alledgedly gone out of business. [B]YIM:[/B] Ya. [B]Bischoff:[/B] Well as you may know... [B]YIM:[/B] WCW is not actually out of business just on hiatus, you promoted yourself to CEO of WCW yeah-yeah I know. [B]Bischoff:[/B] Well the head booker position is open and... [B]YIM:[/B] You're offering me the job. [B]Bischoff:[/B] What? [B]YIM:[/B] You're offering me the job to become new Head Booker of World Championship Wrestling, and I accept. [B]Bischoff:[/B] [I]*thinking* wow, that was easy.[/I] [B]Bischoff:[/B] Well, um, can I meet...say...tommorow at HQ? [B]YIM:[/B] Sounds good. Take care. [B]Bischoff:[/B] You too. *click* [B]Bischoff:[/B] Prick. [B]YIM:[/B] ***hole. [SIZE="3"]And so the two met, and discussed what Yancey planned on bringing to WCW and helping them rise back to the top. Bischoff liked his plans and quickly struck a deal with Martin to become the new Head Booker. And thank god that their attitudes towards each other improved as well.[/SIZE][/CENTER] [B]--------------------------------------------------------------------------[/B] [B][SIZE="4"]MAY 2001[/SIZE][/B] [SIZE="3"][CENTER]The official roster for World Championship Wrestling was posted online on [url]www.wcw.com[/url], and everyone believed that though it might be lacking, it just might work. The roster is as follows...[/CENTER][/SIZE] [CENTER][B][U]Main Eventers[/U][/B] [COLOR="Blue"]Goldberg - F[/COLOR] [COLOR="blue"]Booker T - F[/COLOR] (World Heavyweight and United States Champion) [COLOR="Red"]Scott Steiner - H[/COLOR] [B][U]Upper Midcarders[/U][/B] [COLOR="Blue"]Buff Bagwell - F[/COLOR] [COLOR="blue"]Diamond Dallas Page - F[/COLOR] [COLOR="Blue"]Hugh Morris - F[/COLOR] [COLOR="Red"]Lance Storm - H[/COLOR] [COLOR="red"]Kevin Nash - H[/COLOR] [B][U]Midcarders[/U][/B] [COLOR="red"]Mark Jindrak - H[/COLOR] [COLOR="red"]Sean O'Haire - H[/COLOR] (Tag Team Champ with Palumbo.) [COLOR="red"]Chuck Palumbo - H[/COLOR] (Tag team Champ with O'Haire.) [COLOR="Blue"]Shawn Stasiak - F[/COLOR] [COLOR="blue"]Mike Awesome - F[/COLOR] [COLOR="Red"]Chavo Guerrero - H[/COLOR] [COLOR="Blue"]Billy Kidman - F[/COLOR] [COLOR="blue"]Konnan - F[/COLOR] [COLOR="blue"]Rey Mysterio Jr. - F[/COLOR] [COLOR="Red"]Brian Adams - H[/COLOR] [COLOR="red"]Bryan Clarke - H[/COLOR] [COLOR="red"]Crowbar - H[/COLOR] [B][U]Lower Midcarders[/U][/B] [COLOR="Red"]Lash Leroux - H[/COLOR] [COLOR="Blue"]Shane Helms - F[/COLOR] [COLOR="Red"]Disco Inferno - H[/COLOR] [COLOR="red"]Johnny The Bull - H[/COLOR] [COLOR="red"]Big Vito - H[/COLOR] [B][U]Openers[/U][/B] [COLOR="Blue"]Jimmy Yang - F Jamie Noble - F Norman Smiley - F[/COLOR] [B][U]Semi-Active Wrestlers[/U][/B] [COLOR="blue"]Bam Bam Bigelow - F[/COLOR] [COLOR="Red"]Shane Douglas - H[/COLOR] [B][U]Tag Teams[/U][/B] [COLOR="red"]Chuck Palumbo & Sean O'Haire - H[/COLOR] (Champions) [COLOR="red"]The FBI (Vito & Johnny) - H[/COLOR] [COLOR="red"]Kronik (Adams & Clarke) - H[/COLOR] [COLOR="Blue"]Filthy Animals (Kidman & Mysterio) - F[/COLOR][/CENTER] [SIZE="3"][CENTER]Also, to the joy of Bischoff and Martin, WCW Monday Night Nitro was picked up to UPN, not their choice of network but they'd take it. No one wanted to pick up Thursday Night Thunder though.[/CENTER][/SIZE] [CENTER]--------------------------------------------------------------------------[/CENTER] [B]JUNE 2001[/B] [CENTER](Night of the show) [B]Bischoff:[/B] So Martin, show's set. [B]Martin:[/B] Yeah, we're going to give the 'F the biggest surprise ever. We will make sure that Vince fears us again. [B]Bischoff:[/B] Couldn't have said it better. [B]Martin:[/B] Alright, let me show you the rundown tonight...[/CENTER] [B][SIZE="3"][CENTER]Thus, this is were our story lands us. The new beginning of a wrestling promotion that was doomed just a year earlier. The journey, begins here.[/CENTER][/SIZE][/B]