5 WCW Plot Twists That Ruined A Storyline (& 5 That Saved Them)

WCW had a long history of taking chances with their biggest storylines often having plot twists. Every wrestling company can say the same, but WCW made decisions that had the audience talking for better or worse. Many podcasts or interview series looking at WCW find success since these topics create compelling conversations.

There were quite a few bad moves by WCW that ruined storylines with one poor decision. Other twists succeeded to help save or enhance an angle for the wrestlers involved. WCW was truly unpredictable at all times, despite the up and down nature of their war with WWE. The following plot twists showed how one move can ruin or save storylines.

10 Ruined: Goldberg Joining New Blood

WCW had a lot of time and money invested in the New Blood vs Millionaire’s Club storyline. The hope was that it would be compelling enough to generate interest as a real reboot. However, it was the return of Goldberg a few months into the story to warrant a shift.

Fans missed Goldberg for months after an injury took him away as a top face. WCW went against what the audience wanted by booking a shocking swerve when Goldberg turned heel. Goldberg joining the New Blood just made everyone unhappy and took away any remaining excitement.

9 Saved: Dean Malenko Returns As Ciclope

The rivalry between Chris Jericho and Dean Malenko was one of the best in WCW history. Jericho was a great heel running down Malenko and sending him away for months after a brutal loss. Fans were shocked when WCW used a huge plot twist to bring him back.

A cruiserweight battle royal to crown a #1 contender and challenge Jericho that night saw overlooked masked luchador Ciclope winning. Malenko unmasking received a massive pop and the moment made all the build of Jericho’s disrespectful comments about Dean’s family worth it.

8 Ruined: Curt Hennig Betraying The Four Horsemen For NWO

Curt Henning wedging Ric Flair's head in between a steel cage door.

The shocking moment of Curt Hennig turning heel at Fall Brawl 1998 came during the Four Horsemen vs New World Order War Games match. Arn Anderson cut an incredible promo on a previous Nitro giving Hennig his spot in the Horsemen to make the group feel the most relevant it had been in many years.

However, it was all for nothing when Hennig revealed he was with the nWo and slammed a cage door on the head of Ric Flair. The Horsemen vs nWo feud never had any juice again, and Hennig took a smaller role as a secondary member of the heel faction.

7 Saved: Miss Elizabeth Helping Ric Flair Beat Randy Savage

WCW needed a selling point for the Randy Savage vs Ric Flair to continue as long as they wanted. One of the rare instances of WCW embracing a former WWE idea and making it their own came into play when Miss Elizabeth joined the promotion.

The real-life marriage between Savage and Elizabeth ended many years previously, so it was more ideal to have a betrayal angle here. Elizabeth helped Flair defeat Savage in a steel cage match since Flair’s WWE promos implied a relationship with her before their WCW days.

6 Ruined: Buff Bagwell Tricking Rick Steiner After Neck Injury

Picture of Buff Bagwell posing in a WCW ring.

Buff Bagwell suffered a severe neck injury against Rick Steiner that put his career in jeopardy. The real story of Buff not knowing his future and talking from a real place had fans rallying behind him, despite the New World Order position.

Logic would have dictated Bagwell turn face if he returned and get the biggest run of his career with the audience behind him. WCW decided to pull another swerve when Buff started faking his injury pain to set up Rick for another attack by the nWo. Bagwell never had another serious chance to move up the card.

5 Saved: Jimmy Hart Joining The Dungeon Of Doom

WCW signed Jimmy Hart with Hulk Hogan, but they realized the duo didn’t need to remain together on-screen. Hogan ended up feuding with The Giant and Dungeon of Doom when Hart finally decided to turn heel to end their run.

The Halloween Havoc 1995 main event ended with Giant winning the match via DQ. Fans had no idea why Giant held the belt until the now heel Hart revealed he wrote in Hogan’s contract that he’d lose the belt if disqualified. Hart’s heel turn was the only thing keeping fans interested in the failing angle before the plot twist.

4 Ruined: David Arquette Betraying Diamond Dallas Page

The use of David Arquette by WCW was criticized from the start since he wasn’t like a Mike Tyson or Dennis Rodman level of name value. Arquette was still quite famous and could have been used better without winning the WCW Championship.

Even the fans that weren’t turned away by that hated move ended up being disappointed by the end anyway. Arquette turned on Diamond Dallas Page to help Jeff Jarrett win the gold in their triple threat match. The entire DDP vs New Blood feud fell off a cliff after yet another pointless betrayal against Page.

3 Saved: Sting Joins The Wolfpac

WCW spent the summer of 1998 building to the storyline of Sting getting recruited by both factions of the New World Order. The Giant tried to recruit Sting to nWo Hollywood since they were WCW Tag Team Champions before the big man turned heel.

Lex Luger joining the Wolfpac made it easier for WCW fans to cheer the face version of the nWo led by Kevin Nash. Sting ended up picking the Wolfpac in a huge reveal that put the group over the top. The Wolfpac was already over, but they became the most beloved WCW act at the time due to Stinger.

2 Ruined: Kevin Nash & Hulk Hogan Reuniting

The New World Order splitting into two separate factions became a popular storyline that worked more than fans realized at the time. However, it is often remembered for how badly things ended when Kevin Nash laid down for Hulk Hogan to pin him after the finger poke of doom.

Nash handing the title over to Hogan reunited the two groups as the now powerful nWo Elite. This was considered one of the worst nights in WCW history that turned away many fans. WCW basically killed off the nWo’s future after that terrible plot twist.

1 Saved: Diamond Dallas Page Tricking The Outsiders

One of the best angles in WCW history featured Diamond Dallas Page turning face to combat the New World Order. Scott Hall and Kevin Nash referenced their real-life friendship with Page when trying to recruit him into the group in late 1996.

Most fans didn’t remember the previous WCW runs of Hall or Nash to care about the back story. The plot twist of DDP tricking the Outsiders into thinking he joined before attacking them made him a star. WCW fans rallied behind Page for being one of the first wrestlers to get one over on the nWo.