Professional wrestling changed forever on this date 30 years ago.
I remember watching this pay-per-view live with my Dad, wondering who the third man would be to team with Scott Hall and Kevin Nash against Sting, Lex Luger, and the Macho Man Randy Savage.
Near the end of the epic war, which included an injury to Luger in the early stages of the match, all four men were down.
Then came Hulk Hogan.
The man who came into World Championship Wrestling in 1994 and instantly gave the struggling #2 a jolt in the arm was seemingly on his way to save the day.
Bobby Heenan on commentary said, “Whose side is he on?”
And then it hit me.
A few weeks earlier, when Mean Gene Okerlund, on Nitro, announced the six men rumored to be in consideration for Team WCW, Hulk Hogan was one of the names. However, he wasn’t picked, which, at 10 years old, stunned me a little bit. Why not the Hulkster?
We learned why.
Multiple legdrops on the Macho Man later, as well as a celebration in the ring with the Outsiders, Hulk Hogan had finally become a villain.
This date changed wrestling forever.
Had Hulk not mentioned “the New World Order of wrestling, brother”, the NWO would not be a prominent force in wrestling to this day. Had the NWO not formed, wrestling’s golden era of the late 1990s would not happen. There is no “crow” Sting, no rise of Goldberg or DDP, or WCW resurgence.
Without the NWO, there is no Attitude Era. There is no Austin vs McMahon. I am very strong on that point.
This website domain doesn’t even exist, in my opinion, had the Hulkster not created the New World Order.
Much credit to Kevin Sullivan, Eric Bischoff, the Outsiders, Hulkster, and everyone involved in putting this thing together.
7/7/96 - Wrestling is forever changed because of the formation of the New World Order.
FOR LIFE.
Bankie Bruce
Add comment
Comments