World Championship Wrestling

**World Championship Wrestling, Inc. (WCW)** was an American professional wrestling promotion which, in its proper form, existed from 1988 to 2001. Although the name "World Championship Wrestling" had been used as a brand and television show name by various National Wrestling Alliance (NWA)-affiliated promotions (most notably Georgia Championship Wrestling and Jim Crockett Promotions) since 1983, it was not until five years later that an actual NWA-affiliated promotion called World Championship Wrestling appeared on the national scene, under the ownership of Atlanta, Georgia-based media mogul Ted Turner.

During all its time as a separate promotion, WCW was the chief rival of the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), and even the owners of its NWA-affiliated forerunner promotions regarded WWF as their major competitor. At the outset of WCW's existence, as well as with the promotions that came before it, the company was strongly identified with the Southern-style of professional wrestling (or rasslin'), which emphasized athletic in-ring competition over the showmanship and cartoonish characters of WWF. This identification persisted into the 1990s, even as the company signed former WWF stars such as Hulk Hogan and "Macho Man" Randy Savage. WCW dominated pro wrestling's television ratings from 1996 to 1998, mainly due to its incredibly popular New World Order (nWo) storyline, but thereafter began to lose heavy ground to WWF, which had significantly recovered due to its new WWF "Attitude" branding. The promotion started losing significant amounts of money, leading to parent company AOL Time Warner selling the company's assets, trademarks and a selected number of wrestler contracts to the rival WWF for roughly $7 million in 2001.

## Roster

### Alumni

1. AJ Styles
2. André the Giant
3. Bam Bam Bigelow
4. Big Van Vader
5. Billy Gunn
6. Booker T
7. Bret Hart
8. Brian Pillman
9. Chavo Guerrero Jr.
10. Chris Benoit
11. Chris Jericho
12. Chris Kanyon
13. Crush
14. Curt Hennig
15. Dave Finlay
16. David Flair
17. David Sammartino
18. Dean Malenko
19. Debra
20. Dennis Knight
21. Diamond Dallas Page
22. Don Muraco
23. Duane Gill
24. Dustin Rhodes
25. Dusty Rhodes
26. Earthquake
27. Eddie Guerrero
28. Edge
29. El Gigante
30. Gangrel
31. Gene Okerlund
32. The Giant
33. Goldberg
34. Greg Valentine
35. Hardcore Holly
36. Honky Tonk Man
37. Horace Hogan
38. Hulk Hogan
39. The Hurricane
40. Iron Shiek
41. Jake Roberts
42. Jim Cornette
43. Jim Duggan
44. Jim Ross
45. Jimmy Hart
46. Jimmy Snuka
47. John Laurinaitis
48. Junkyard Dog
49. Kevin Nash
50. Lance Storm
51. Larry Zybysko
52. Lex Luger
53. Marc Mero
54. Mark Callous
55. Marty Jannetty
56. Matt Hardy
57. Michael P.S. Hayes
58. Mick Foley
59. Mikey Whipwreck
60. Molly Holly
61. Mr. T
62. Nancy Benoit
63. Owen Hart
64. Paul Ellering
65. Paul Heyman
66. Paul Orndorff
67. Perry Saturn
68. Randy Savage
69. Raven
70. Reid Flair
71. Rey Misterio Sr.
72. Rey Mysterio
73. Rhino
74. Ric Flair
75. Rick Rude
76. Rick Steiner
77. Ricky Steamboat
78. Rikishi
79. Road Warrior Animal
80. Road Warrior Hawk
81. Sabu
82. Scott Armstrong
83. Scott Hall
84. Scott Steiner
85. Shaquille O'Neal
86. Sharmell Sullivan
87. Sherri Martel
88. Stan Hansen
89. Steve Austin
90. Steven Regal
91. Stevie Ray
92. Stevie Richards
93. Sting
94. Taz
95. Ted DiBiase
96. Terri Runnels
97. Terry Funk
98. Theodore Long
99. Tito Santana
100. Typhoon
101. Vampiro
102. Wayne Cowan

## Championships and accomplishments

* WCW World Heavyweight Championship
* WCW United States Heavyweight Championship
* WCW World Cruiserweight Championship
* WCW World Tag Team Championship
* WCW Cruiserweight Tag Team Championship
* WCW World Television Championship
* WCW Hardcore Championship
* WCW United States Tag Team Championship
* WCW World Six-Man Tag Team Championship
* WCW International World Heavyweight Championship
* WCW Light Heavyweight Championship
* WCW Women's Championship
* WCW Women's Cruiserweight Championship
* NWA World Heavyweight Championship
* NWA World Tag Team Championship