WCW Classics (partially found professional wrestling compilation show; 2000-2001): Difference between revisions

Revision as of 23:20, 22 December 2021

WCW Classics website.

Status: Partially Found

WCW Classics is a professional wrestling compilation show. Produced by and broadcast on Turner South, it showcased classic National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) and World Championship Wrestling (WCW) matches primarily from the 1970s and 1980s.

Background

Starting from 15th July 2000,^[1] WCW Classics aired on a weekly basis, showcasing classic professional matches from the NWA and WCW in a 30-minute timeslot.^[2] The show was presented by Dusty Rhodes, who was approached by producer and director John Perry to help contribute towards building Turner South, which only existed a year prior to the show. According to Rhodes, WCW Classics helped significantly with the growth of Turner South, claiming that were it not for wrestling, the channel likely would have folded after only a year.^[3] Rhodes was notably not under contract with WCW when the show first started, although he would return to the organisation in early 2001.^[4]

The matches showcased had commentary dubbed over by Rhodes and his long-term rival Ric Flair. Skits between Rhodes and his long-term rival Ric Flair were aired in-between the matches, with the match commentary and skits typically involving them bickering over the fights. For example, in a recap of a match between the two where Rhodes won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, Flair argued that Rhodes should have been disqualified midway through for "posting him", although the latter very much disputed this. Flair then accused the tape of having been "edited", storming out in the process at the end of the episode.^[5]

According to Kayfabe Memories, certain episodes would be dedicated to themes, including the 5th August 2000 episode being dedicated to Flair,^[6] while the 12th August show featured wrestlers who suffered tragedies just before their careers could really take off.^[7] Kayfabe Memories would also criticise the shows for not properly elaborating on the backgrounds surrounding these matches.^[8] The show lasted two seasons, and was also notable for being one of the last of the original WCW programming following rival company World Wrestling Federation (WWF) purchasing the organisation on 23rd March 2001.^[9] Ultimately, WCW Classics would still be airing with new episodes by July 2001, well into the WWF's Invasion storyline.^[10]

Availability

Despite WCW Classics being promoted by Turner South, including having a dedicated website,^[11] the show remains relatively obscure. Particular issues that hampered viewership included access to the show being limited to DirecTV viewers,^[12] as well as WCW's unpopularity by the early 2000s.^[13] Additionally, no episodes of the show are currently accessible on the WWE Network,^[14] meaning the majority of its episodes are now lost media. Only the episodes from June and July 2001 have publicly resurfaced thanks to Al Balog uploading them onto YouTube on 1st October 2020. Additionally, Dangerous Video owned his tape of unknown episodes from the show he recorded, which also had documented matches on his page^[15]

Gallery

Videos

June 2001 episodes.

July 2001 episodes.

External Links

References

↑ IGN reporting on WCW Classics first being aired. Retrieved 18 Dec '21
↑ Kayfabe Memories summarising WCW Classics. Retrieved 18 Dec '21
↑ Dusty: Reflections of Wrestling's American Dream where Rhodes discussed his time on WCW Classics. Retrieved 18 Dec '21
↑ Wrestling Classics discussing how Rhodes was not under WCW contract when WCW Classics initially aired. Retrieved 18 Dec '21
↑ Slash Wrestling transcript of the 22nd July 2001 episode. Retrieved 18 Dec '21
↑ Kayfabe Memories review of the 5th August 2000 episode Retrieved 18 Dec '21
↑ Kayfabe Memories review of the 12th August 2000 episode Retrieved 18 Dec '21
↑ Kayfabe Memories review of the 29th July 2000 episode, criticising the show for providing little background to the matches. Retrieved 18 Dec '21
↑ CNN Money reporting on the WWF buying WCW. Retrieved 18 Dec '21
↑ Wrestling Forum post discussing how WCW Classics was one of the last original WCW programming prior to the WWF purchasing the company. Retrieved 18 Dec '21
↑ Screengrab of the WCW Classics website. Retrieved 18 Dec '21
↑ Wrestling Classics discussing WCW Classics and how DirecTV requirements limited viewership. Retrieved 18 Dec '21
↑ The Death of WCW, which detailed the company's unpopularity throughout the early 2000s. Retrieved 18 Dec '21
↑ WWE Network search yielding no WCW Classics episodes. Retrieved 18 Dec '21
↑ Dangerous Video page of the WCW Classics, that revealed he had taped unknown episodes from the show. Retrieved 19 Dec '21

[1] IGN reporting on WCW Classics first being aired. Retrieved 18 Dec '21

[2] Kayfabe Memories summarising WCW Classics. Retrieved 18 Dec '21

[3] Dusty: Reflections of Wrestling's American Dream where Rhodes discussed his time on WCW Classics. Retrieved 18 Dec '21

[4] Wrestling Classics discussing how Rhodes was not under WCW contract when WCW Classics initially aired. Retrieved 18 Dec '21

[5] Slash Wrestling transcript of the 22nd July 2001 episode. Retrieved 18 Dec '21

[6] Kayfabe Memories review of the 5th August 2000 episode Retrieved 18 Dec '21

[7] Kayfabe Memories review of the 12th August 2000 episode Retrieved 18 Dec '21

[8] Kayfabe Memories review of the 29th July 2000 episode, criticising the show for providing little background to the matches. Retrieved 18 Dec '21

[9] CNN Money reporting on the WWF buying WCW. Retrieved 18 Dec '21

[10] Wrestling Forum post discussing how WCW Classics was one of the last original WCW programming prior to the WWF purchasing the company. Retrieved 18 Dec '21

[11] Screengrab of the WCW Classics website. Retrieved 18 Dec '21

[12] Wrestling Classics discussing WCW Classics and how DirecTV requirements limited viewership. Retrieved 18 Dec '21

[13] The Death of WCW, which detailed the company's unpopularity throughout the early 2000s. Retrieved 18 Dec '21

[14] WWE Network search yielding no WCW Classics episodes. Retrieved 18 Dec '21

[15] Dangerous Video page of the WCW Classics, that revealed he had taped unknown episodes from the show. Retrieved 19 Dec '21

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@@ Line 29: / Line 29: @@
 ==See Also==
+*[[Bill Longson vs Whipper Billy Watson (lost footage of professional wrestling match; 1947)]]
 *[[Braden Walker's "Knock Knock" promo (lost original pre-tapes of WWE backstage segment; 2008)]]
 *[[Bret Hart-Hulk Hogan photoshoot (lost professional wrestling promotional photos; 1993)]]
@@ Line 34: / Line 35: @@
 *[[Catch-As-Catch-Can Wrestling (lost early BBC televised professional wrestling matches; 1938-1939; 1946-1947)]]
 *[[Celebrity Wrestling (partially found ITV professional wrestling reality show; 2005)]]
+*[[Collision in Korea (found professional wrestling event in North Korea; 1995)]]
+*[[Collision in Korea wrestler sketches (lost North Korean pencil sketch portraits of professional wrestlers; 1995)]]
 *[[ECW Anarchy Rulz (lost build of cancelled Nintendo 64 port of professional wrestling game; existence unconfirmed; 2000)]]
+*[[ECW at E3 2000 (partially found footage of professional wrestling at gaming trade event; 2000)]]
 *[[ECW Hardcore TV final episodes (lost episodes of Professional Wrestling Show; 2001)]]
+*[[FMW at E3 2000 (partially found footage of professional wrestling at gaming trade event; 2000)]]
 *[[The Game (partially found Disturbed cover of professional wrestling theme song; mid 2000s)]]
 *[[GFW Amped (partially found unaired professional wrestling show; 2015)]]
@@ Line 45: / Line 50: @@
 *[[The Last Battle of Atlanta (found untelevised professional wrestling steel cage match; 1983)]]
 *[["Plane Ride From Hell" (lost photographs of drunk wrestler incidents; 2002)]]
+*[[Radio WWF (lost professional wrestling radio show; 1993-1994; late 1990s-2000)]]
 *[[Screwed: The Bret Hart Story (lost unfinished wrestling documentary film; 2005)]]
 *[[Sex University (lost WWE webshow; 2006)]]
@@ Line 54: / Line 60: @@
 *[[WCW Internet-only Special Events and PPVs (lost audio streams; 1997-1998)]]
 *[[WCW/nWo Live (lost build of cancelled PlayStation professional wrestling game; 1998)]]
+*[[WWE 24x7 (lost professional wrestling compilation show; 2007)]]
 *[[WWE Brawl (lost build of cancelled fighting game based on professional wrestling; 2012)]]
 *[[WWE SmackDown vs Raw Online (lost build of cancelled online professional wrestling PC game; 2010-2011)]]
+*[[WWF Attitude (lost professional wrestling recap show; 2001-2002)]]
 *[[WWF Backlash (non-existent unfinished Nintendo 64 professional wrestling game; 2001)]]
+*[[WWF Excess (partially found professional wrestling talk show; 2001-2002)]]
 *[[WWF In Your House 8: Beware Of Dog (partially found untelevised professional wrestling matches; 1996)]]
+*[[WWF Livewire (partially found professional wrestling recap and talk show; 1996-2001)]]
 *[[WWF No Mercy (lost Game Boy Color games based on Nintendo 64 wrestling game; 2000)]]
 *[[WWF Shotgun (partially found July to December season of syndicated wrestling show; 1997)]]