Over a generation, the pro wrestling community has lauded the ‘Monday Night Wars’ era of the late 1990s as one of the benchmarks in entertainment. With two rival companies -WWEand WCW - pulling out all the stops, it became a winner-take-all contest for supremacy in the sports entertainment industry.
As has been well-documented, World Championship Wrestling held a commanding lead for months in this conflict, only for Vince McMahon & Co. to turn the tables on them. In the long run, World Wrestling Entertainment would emerge in the 21st century as the undisputed champion of the squared circle.
However, that’s not to say that Ted Turner’s WCW didn’t have great moments or innovative ideas. In fact, they were often so creative, that the folks in Stamford, Connecticut borrowed some of them occasionally. Whether totally re-worked, or slightly altered, it’s impossible to ignore the comparisons that could be made.When examining closer, it’s clear that WWE copied several of WCW’s ideas in the 1990s and beyond.
10The Ref Cam
Recently, the production team at WWE has spiced up the programming from time to time with a ‘referee camera’. It’s an actual video feed being delivered from the official’s body - designed to give fans an up-close and personal look at the action in the ring. And while it can be a little awkward at first, when it’s used properly, it can add to the overall feel of a match.
This same tactic was used (briefly) onRAW’s Netflix debut, but this isn’t exactly an original creation of Triple H and the creative department. WCW employed this same tactic over 30 years ago when they were still trying to find a formula to attract viewers.It was short-lived in World Championship Wrestling, and it’s doubtful this novelty will have much impact on anyRAWorSmackDownbroadcasts in the future.
9Hell in a Cell Can Be Directly (Chain) Linked to War Games
Today,Hell in a Cellis a staple of WWE’s recent history.The ominous structure has settled feuds, saw titles change hands, and helped to spill a lot of blood along the way. The gimmick was born from the mind of Jim Cornette, but he may have been harkening back to the days of working alongside the great Dusty Rhodes.
The originalWar Gamesevents - which have also been revived in recent years in WWE - were revolutionary for their time. Rhodes actually came up with the match as a way to prevent anyone from illegally entering the caged-in conflict, assuring fans that there would be always a clear-cut winner.
WWE would borrow from the concept and fine-tune it for their own take, which famously included the debut of Kane in 1997. During the apex of the firstHell in a Cellmatch ever, The Big Red Machine ripped the door off the cage to face The Undertaker. It was a classic example of McMahon taking a simple concept and turning it up a notch.
8A Developmental System
The WCW Power Plant - run by former wrestlers like Jody ‘The Assasin’ Hamilton, Pez Whatley, and Sgt. Buddy Lee Parker - has been maligned over the years. While some of that criticism is reasonable, they still made an effort to develop the next generation of stars - and in some cases - like Bill Goldberg and The Big Show - they struck gold.
Leading into the ’90s, the WWE had never really employed a ‘minor league’ system. That changed around the same time that commercials for the Power Plant began popping up on WCW broadcasts. Soon, Vince McMahon had working agreements with regional territories, before eventually using Ohio Valley Wrestling as its training ground.
Years later, WWE would launchNXT, changing the industry forever. But much of their focus on developing talent began with trying to stay one step ahead of WCW.In the end, World Wrestling Entertainment became be the company that perfected the developmental process.
7The LWO
The original Latino World Order began as a villainous stable formed by Eddie Guerrero in WCW, and was a great way to showcase some of the stars from south of the border. It also helped to incorporate the luchadors (many of whom didn’t speak fluent English) into meaningful storylines without having to do a lot of interviews or promos.
The WWE re-launched the angle in 2023, this time headed by Guerrero’s real-life friend and onscreen rival, Rey Mysterio Jr.The group continues to appear on the promotion’s programming to this day, with the veteran and legend Mysterio leading young stars like Dragon Lee, Zelina Vega, Cruz Del Toro, and Joaquin Wilde.
6A Pay-Per-View Every Month
In the late ’80s and early ’90s, wrestling fans may have had to dig in their pockets 4–5 times a year to see their favorite stars on pay-per-view. But when Eric Bischoff took the helm at WCW, he began a push for more such events, eventually staging one every single month. Events like Road WIld and Uncensored were suddenly part of the company’s calendar.
WWE began experimenting with this strategy as well, but they waded into the water with caution. Their initial premium events were theIn Your Houseseries of mini-PPVs. They cost a little less, and they didn’t quite run as long as a typicalSummerSlamorWrestleMania.
Eventually, both companies would wind up running a full schedule of pay-to-watch programming. Later, WWE would even go beyond that figure, forcing the fans to balance their budgets accordingly.
5The Heel Authority Figure
There’s no doubt that the ‘Mr. McMahon’ character will go down as one of the greatest and most notorious villains of all time, but he certainly wasn’t an original idea by any means. Because before McMahon became the foil to Stone Cold Steve Austin, Eric Bischoff was sporting a black leather jacket, and riding a Harley-Davidson to the ring as a leading member of the New World Order.
The real-life President of WCW becoming a heel character had been done before in some smaller promotions where it had little impact. But in this case,Bischoff was literally being portrayed as a turncoat to the company that he led, all while being broadcast to millions and millions of fans worldwide.
In the same vein as the McMahon character a little later, Bischoff would stack the deck against the babyfaces. Meanwhile, he would use everything from crooked refs to dirty politics to protect the nWo. It was an incredible dynamic, and one that Vince McMahon borrowed heavily from for nearly two decades.
4Going LIVE!
Sticking with Bischoff’s heelish antics, one knife that he always liked to stick in the back of the competition was that his show was live, while WWE was taped. When he was still a commentator, he would often read the results of the pre-tapedRawthat night, encouraging fans to stay with WCW because it wasn’t a show that was already ‘in the can’.
Bischoff’s aggressive use of the format eventually led WWE to begin broadcasting live every week, right alongsideNitro.That left wrestling fans clicking back and forth between both shows, which was part of the appeal of the Monday Night Wars: You just never knew what could happen- at any moment - on either show.
3A Second Weekly Television Show
With all the success of their Monday night program, the powers that be at WCW were looking to capitalize on that momentum. So, the folks at the Turner Network decided to greenlight a second WCW show on Thursdays. In a move that Bischoff has often pointed to as overkill,Thunderwas born on Jul 17, 2025, airing on TNT’s sister station, TBS.
Many would also point to that year as the beginning of WCW’s downfall. On the flip side,WWE countered by launchingSmackDown, which eventually squashed its counterpart in the ratings, forcingThunderto air on a different night of the week.
2The WCW Cruiserweight Division
One of the hallmarks ofWCW Monday Nitrowas the cruiserweight division. Not only did it provide a hot start to every show, but it also helped to develop legendary performers like Chris Jericho, Eddie Guerrero, and Rey Mysterio, Jr.The highly competitive bouts provided enough fun and fireworks that it left the audience in awe.
Seizing the opportunity to make a counter-move, Vince McMahon launched the WWF Light Heavyweight Championship in 1997. The promotion chose the young, Japanese sensation, Taka Michinoku as the face of the division. But before long, the belt became an afterthought, with Taka becoming involved in more backstage comedy than wrestling excellence.
10 Craziest WCW Storylines & Moments
Was WCW crazier than WWE at its peak? It’s hard to say but it’s undeniable that some WCW storylines are still remembered today for their weirdness.
Notable names like Dean Malenko, Christian, and Jeff Hardy would have reigns in the title’s short history before McMahon pulled the plug in 2002. Ironically, WWE would employ a cruiserweight championship later as part of their205 Liveprogram - and laterNXT- from 2016-2022. It also lost its luster quickly, and the promotion hasn’t attempted a lighter division since.
1The nWo
Perhaps the most powerful and polarizing angle ever, the New World Order certainly changed the way we see wrestling today. Their staged ‘invasion’ of the competition was enough to keep WCW fans mesmerized. They took no prisoners, and they made the rules as they went along.Many observers credit the edginess of the nWo with redefining wrestling and leading to the WWE Attitude Era.
One thing is certain, it definitely led to what would become Degeneration X. As their friends, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, and X-Pac were like a roaming group of bandits, WWE’s spin on an outcast group was a bit different. Company holdovers Shawn Michaels and Triple H formed DX, but were cruder, bolder, and worked a lot more blue than their counterparts.
Both groups carved out their individual places in the annals of pro wrestling lore, but it’s clear that DX was a direct answer to the nWo. Ironically, after purchasing WCW and retaining all its properties, Vince McMahon introduced the New World Order inWWEin 2002. Proving once again that every good idea can be recycled.
WWE
World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) is a global entertainment company primarily known for professional wrestling. Founded in 1953, it produces live events, television programs, and streaming content. Headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, WWE operates multiple brands, including Raw, SmackDown, and NXT.
