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

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==See Also==
==See Also==
*[[AJ Styles vs Kenny Omega (lost footage of professional wrestling match; 2006)]]
*[[Alberto Del Rio vs CM Punk vs Dolph Ziggler vs Jack Swagger vs John Cena (partially found master tape footage of untelevised Hell in a Cell match; 2011)]]
*[[Awesome Kong vs Melissa Anderson (lost footage of professional wrestling match; 2009)]]
*[[Awesome Kong vs Melissa Anderson (lost footage of professional wrestling match; 2009)]]
*[[Bill Longson vs Whipper Billy Watson (lost footage of professional wrestling match; 1947)]]
*[[Bill Longson vs Whipper Billy Watson (lost footage of professional wrestling match; 1947)]]
*[[Blood Circus (partially found Santo Gold film; 1985)]]
*[[Braden Walker's "Knock Knock" promo (lost original pre-tapes of WWE backstage segment; 2008)]]
*[[Braden Walker's "Knock Knock" promo (lost original pre-tapes of WWE backstage segment; 2008)]]
*[[Bradshaw vs Christian (lost footage of professional wrestling match; 2001)]]
*[[Bradshaw vs Christian (lost footage of professional wrestling match; 2001)]]
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*[[The Game (partially found Disturbed cover of professional wrestling theme song; mid 2000s)]]
*[[The Game (partially found Disturbed cover of professional wrestling theme song; mid 2000s)]]
*[[GFW Amped (partially found unaired professional wrestling show; 2015)]]
*[[GFW Amped (partially found unaired professional wrestling show; 2015)]]
*[[The Giant's moonsault (lost footage of professional wrestling move; existence unconfirmed; 1990s)]]
*[[Girls Gone Wild: Live from Spring Break (found WWE/Girls Gone Wild crossover special; 2003)]]
*[[Girls Gone Wild: Live from Spring Break (found WWE/Girls Gone Wild crossover special; 2003)]]
*[[GLOW (lost unfinished final season of Netflix comedy-drama series; 2019-2020)]]
*[[GLOW (lost unfinished final season of Netflix comedy-drama series; 2019-2020)]]
*[[Goldberg's pre-television debut matches (lost footage of professional wrestling dark matches; 1997)]]
*[[Gotch-Hackenschmidt Match Film (lost world championship match; 1908)]]
*[[Gotch-Hackenschmidt Match Film (lost world championship match; 1908)]]
*[[Gotch-Hackenschmidt Match Film (lost world championship match; 1911)]]
*[[Gotch-Hackenschmidt Match Film (lost world championship match; 1911)]]
*[[Jake "The Snake" Roberts DDTs Hulk Hogan (lost Snake Pit segment; 1986)]]
*[[Jake "The Snake" Roberts DDTs Hulk Hogan (lost Snake Pit segment; 1986)]]
*[[Johnny Gargano vs Velveteen Dream (lost footage of alternate finish to professional wrestling match; 2019)]]
*[[Kurt Angle vs Owen Hart (lost footage of professional wrestling match; 1999)]]
*[[The Last Battle of Atlanta (found untelevised professional wrestling steel cage match; 1983)]]
*[[The Last Battle of Atlanta (found untelevised professional wrestling steel cage match; 1983)]]
*[[Lita (partially found training videos of professional wrestler; late 1990s-2000)]]
*[[Lita's training matches (partially found training videos of professional wrestler; late 1990s-2000)]]
*[[Low Ki & Mercury vs Ric Blade & TCK (partially lost footage of hardcore wrestling tag team match; 2000)]]
*[[Mark Jindrak in Evolution (partially found unaired vignettes of professional wrestling stable; 2003)]]
*[[Pat Tanaka vs Rocco Rock (lost footage of "Body Count" professional wrestling match; 1993)]]
*[["Plane Ride From Hell" (lost photographs of drunk wrestler incidents; 2002)]]
*[["Plane Ride From Hell" (lost photographs of drunk wrestler incidents; 2002)]]
*[[Radio WWF (lost professional wrestling radio show; 1993-1994; late 1990s-2000)]]
*[[Radio WWF (lost professional wrestling radio show; 1993-1994; late 1990s-2000)]]
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*[[WWE Crush Hour (lost build of cancelled Xbox port of vehicular combat game; 2002)]]
*[[WWE Crush Hour (lost build of cancelled Xbox port of vehicular combat game; 2002)]]
*[[WWE SmackDown vs Raw Online (lost build of cancelled online professional wrestling PC game; 2010-2011)]]
*[[WWE SmackDown vs Raw Online (lost build of cancelled online professional wrestling PC game; 2010-2011)]]
*[[WWE Wrestlemania 36 (lost footage of alternate finishes to professional wrestling matches; 2020)]]
*[[WWF Attitude (lost professional wrestling recap show; 2001-2002)]]
*[[WWF Attitude (lost professional wrestling recap show; 2001-2002)]]
*[[WWF Backlash (non-existent unfinished Nintendo 64 professional wrestling game; 2001)]]
*[[WWF Backlash (non-existent unfinished Nintendo 64 professional wrestling game; 2001)]]

Revision as of 15:31, 26 February 2022

Wcwclassics1.jpg

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.

See Also

External Links

References

  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