- Vince Russo
On October 5, 1999, Vince Russo and Ed Ferrara left WWF (then the head writers of WWF) and signed with WCW. Russo contends that his reason for leaving the WWF was as a result of a dispute with Vince McMahon over the increased workload that he was facing, with the introduction of the new SmackDown! broadcast.
Russo and Ferrara tried to make WCW Monday Nitro similar to WWF's RAW, with edgier storylines, more lengthy non-wrestling segments, an increased amount of sexuality on the show, more backstage vignettes, expanded storyline depth, and the utilization of midcard talent in a more effective manner. However Russo attempted to use the same Crash TV style in WCW that had made him successful in the WWF at an accelerated pace, including constant heel/face turns, fake retirements, and title changes. Russo and Ferrera often focused on poking fun at the WWF as well. Jim Cornette has expressed a strong dislike towards Russo, partly due to Russo's style of booking, and partly due to his decision to create "Oklahoma", a character that parodied WWF play-by-play announcer Jim Ross.
Russo was badly critisized due to his decisions to booked hollywood actor David Arquette to win the WCW World Title and at one point towards the end of his WCW stay even booked himself to be WCW champion. Under Russo leadership, WCW would continue to lose ratings in the monday night war against WWF. In the year 2000, Russo was removed from the position of head writer after he tried to put the WCW title on Tank Abbot. However 3 weeks later he was rehired by WCW as a booker, alongside Eric Bischoff who had just returned to WCW as well (as a creative director).
- WCW Bash At The Beach 2000
Russo was involved in a very controversial off screen incident with Hulk Hogan. Hogan was booked to lose a match against reigning WCW champion Jeff Jarrett at Bash at the Beach 2000, but Hogan refused to job (lose) the match by invoking his contract's "creative control" clause to override Russo.
Before the match, there was a dispute between Hogan and Russo. Unbeknownst to Hogan, Russo told Jarrett to lie down in the middle of the ring and asked Hogan to pin him straight away. He then took the WCW title and threw it into the ring, right infront of Hogan. A visibly confused Hogan got on the microphone and telling Russo, "Is this your idea, Russo...? That's why this company is in the damn shape it's in, because of BS like this!" Hogan then rest his foot on Jarrett's chest and the referee counted to 3. A enraged Hogan then took the belt and left the building immediately.
Russo would come out later in the broadcast to nullify the result of the match, as he publicly fired Hogan. Russo then responded to Hogan's earlier comment by saying that "From day one, that I've been in WCW, I've done nothing... nothing... but deal with the BS of the politics behind that curtain." He then also added "And let me tell you who doesn't give a s**t about this company," he continued taking direct aim at Hulk Hogan. "That God d**n politician, Hulk Hogan! Because let me tell you people what happened out there in this ring tonight. All day long I am playing politics with Hulk Hogan because Hulk Hogan tonight, wants to play his 'creative control' card and to Hulk Hogan that meant that tonight in the middle of this ring -- when he knew it was BS he'd beat Jeff Jarrett. Well, guess what? Hogan got his wish. Hogan got his belt and he went the hell home. And, I promise everybody, or else I go in the God d **n grave, you will never see that piece of s**t again!" Since Hogan refused to job to Jarrett, a new WCW World Heavyweight Championship was created, setting the stage for a title match between Booker T and Jeff Jarrett later that night.
As Russo promised, Hogan never resurfaced in WCW. As a result, Hogan filed a 'defamation of character' lawsuit against Russo soon after, which was eventually dismissed in 2002.
- Aftermath
However whether or not the whole incident was a shoot (real life) or a work (scripted) is still a hot debate. Soon after WCW folded, Russo claims the whole thing was a work (with both Hogan and Bischoff in on the deal). Hogan also claims in his autobiography, that Russo made it a shoot, and Hogan was double-crossed by Turner executive Brad Siegel, who did not want to use Hogan any more due to how expensive Hogan cost per appearance.
Bischoff, in his autobiography, contends that Hogan winning and leaving with the title was a work which would result in his return several months later - the plan was to crown a new champion at Halloween Havoc, only for Hogan to come out afterwards and ultimately win a champion vs. champion match - but that Russo's coming out to fire Hogan was a shoot which led to the lawsuit filed by Hogan. Bischoff claims that he and Hogan celebrated after the event over the success of the angle, but were distraught to get a phone call saying that Russo interfered unplanned after Hogan left the arena.
Links:
1) Hollywood Hogan vs. Jeff Jarrett @ Bash At The Beach 2000
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWKsPCFpawc (Thanks to JaredFisch3r)
2) Vince Russo shoots and fires Hogan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Cps9Xd7wmw&feature=related (Thanks to BashAtTheBeach)
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