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Post by cordless2016 on Jan 9, 2023 0:03:01 GMT -5
January 8th, 1998 was the debut of WCW Thunder. A show that originally Bischoff thought would become the #2 show in professional wrestling, yet quickly fizzled into an almost “nothing” of a show. A show were on the debut episode, Sting was stripped of the world title after 14 months of chasing Hogan and a dud of match at Starrcade just days prior.
Hard to believe it’s been 25 years since the show debuted. As an 8 year old kid, any additional wrestling during my week was a plus. Despite not much happening on the show, even when it started, I have a lot of memories watching it almost every Thursday night for nearly three years.
Anyone have any memories of watching Thunder? Anyone enjoy the show like I did as a kid, or was it too much WCW?
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Post by The Brain on Jan 9, 2023 6:39:40 GMT -5
The first year was good as they did a good job in continuing feuds/angles from Nitro.But man by 99 did the show fall off.Meaningless matches with guys you find on shows like Worldwide and SN at the time. Also I'm glad they axed this entrance after a few shows...  |
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Post by hbkbigdaddycool on Jan 9, 2023 12:16:36 GMT -5
I find it funny that Bischoff's WCW Thunder was meant to be a program where wrestlers who weren't being shown on Nitro would be used on there, kind of like a split brand. Way before Vince's Raw and Smackdown split brand idea. But much like everything else WCW did, they failed at it where the WWE would succeed at it.
I remember that a normal basic television channel from Hamilton, Ontario picked up WCW Thunder to air Saturday at like 1 am in the morning so I would video tape it and watch it on Sunday. I didn't mind it. It helped me keep up with WCW when I didn't have cable access for a year or so and missed out on all of WCW Nitro.
I feel though by the year 2000, that WCW Nitro and Thunder were on the same page for being pretty much the same show. But overall, it was alright. I was 17 - 19 years of age when it was on, so I was so invested into wrestling that anything was enjoyable then for me!
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Post by tmnt316 on Jan 9, 2023 12:20:15 GMT -5
Dang! Got me feeling old was only 8 at the time Ha!
My dad would have it on buy I only paid attention if someone I was interested in appeared.
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Post by cordless2016 on Jan 9, 2023 12:38:17 GMT -5
The first year was good as they did a good job in continuing feuds/angles from Nitro.But man by 99 did the show fall off.Meaningless matches with guys you find on shows like Worldwide and SN at the time. Also I'm glad they axed this entrance after a few shows... As a kid, I thought the entrance was cool. As an adult, I realize I was a stupid kid. |
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Post by The Brain on Jan 9, 2023 12:41:04 GMT -5
I also wanna shout out Lee Marshall. Thought he did a good job in the booth that first year of the show
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Post by jason88cubs on Jan 9, 2023 15:09:44 GMT -5
Wasn't Bret going to be the focal point of Thunder?
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Post by hbkbigdaddycool on Jan 9, 2023 15:37:27 GMT -5
Wasn't Bret going to be the focal point of Thunder?
Yup!
Looking back, they should have had the US Champion be THE guy on that show. The US Champion could be on Nitro too, but on Thunder he should have been seen as the top guy that everyone was out to get.
Bret, DDP, Raven, Scott Hall, all of those men could have been the main event guy on that show for months.... until Goldberg came along and dominated the US Title.
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Post by jason88cubs on Jan 9, 2023 16:41:39 GMT -5
<abbr>I always thought the set and color and feeling of Thunder was gloomy</abbr> <abbr>
</abbr> <abbr>Nitro Seemed Vibrant and fresh</abbr> <abbr>
</abbr> <abbr>Thunder seemed boring and gloomy
</abbr> |
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Post by JokerFC on Jan 9, 2023 18:18:44 GMT -5
Yeah I used to tune in all the time at first...but by October 1998 I started to miss episodes here and there and quickly realised I wasnt missing anything at all then. I THINK TNT over here used to air it back to back weekly with Nitro. so when I was taping Nitro I used to catch it too...
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Post by cordless2016 on Jan 9, 2023 19:00:40 GMT -5
I agree that the US Title should have been the focal point of Thunder. Considering Hogan averaged 3-4 promos every Monday night, Thunder could have been the showcase of the workhorses and midcarders. Bret, Goldberg, Raven, DDP, Benoit, Booker, Jericho, ect…
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Post by JokerFC on Jan 9, 2023 21:37:52 GMT -5
Thunder as the focal point of the US and tag scenes could have been very beneficial for the nWo too....it may have made the group not seem as bloated & redundant if we had seen more guys from it in action there weekly.
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ClassicFan2
Main Eventer
Joined on: Oct 22, 2010 15:25:00 GMT -5
Posts: 3,251
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Post by ClassicFan2 on Jan 9, 2023 21:52:02 GMT -5
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Post by Mongo Bears on Jan 9, 2023 22:02:39 GMT -5
Any chance to see some Alex Wright was good for me
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Post by The Brain on Jan 9, 2023 22:05:29 GMT -5
Any chance to see some Alex Wright was good for me This one is for you brother  |
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Post by k5 on Jan 10, 2023 0:26:26 GMT -5
growing up on a farm with only antenna based channels, thunder was one of the only wrestling programs I actually got on my tv regularly. that and worldwide later on
I watched it religiously. only way I watched nitro live was if I was in town at family/friends or i had a friend record it for me.
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Post by TKO Propagandist on Jan 10, 2023 4:28:40 GMT -5
It was a show, I'll give it that
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Post by cordless2016 on Jan 10, 2023 7:07:36 GMT -5
Totally off topic but Booker with short hair is how I always remember him. The guy was a staple of the tag-team and tv title division for years and one of WCW’s true workhorses. Crazy how versatile in the ring he was before his knee injuries started building up before he went to the WWE (still a great in-ring performer but nowhere near as athletic as during his WCW years). Short-Hair Booker T > Dreadlock Booker T |
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Post by jason88cubs on Jan 11, 2023 9:56:13 GMT -5
The worst part of Thunder was WCW SAT Night certainly became a nothing program
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Hogan VS Flair