Vince Russo reflected on one of the most controversial creative decisions of his career, discussing why he chose to book himself as WCW World Champion during his time with the company.
Speaking on a 2018 episode of Truth With Consequences, Vince Russo explained that the decision was made during a creative meeting shortly before the show and was rooted in a desire to attract a wider audience rather than cater solely to long-time wrestling fans.
According to Russo, the goal at the time was to maximise viewership by treating the product more like mainstream television than traditional wrestling. He said the entire creative team shared that mindset when the decision was made.
“The week of the show in the creative meeting the decision was made,” Russo said. “The people in the booking meeting all thought the same. The goal was to get as many eyeballs as possible on the show. Everybody on the creative side was looking at it as a TV show rather than a wrestling show.”
Russo went on to explain that the move was consistent with other controversial decisions he had made in the past, including putting the WWE Championship on Vince McMahon and the WCW World Title on David Arquette and Eric Bischoff.
“I put the WWE title on [Vince] McMahon, the WCW title on [David] Arquette, and another WCW title on [Eric] Bischoff,” Russo said. “Why? We were trying to create stories for more than just the hardcore wrestling fan. We were trying to get the attention of the casual audience.”
While the decision remains one of the most debated moments in wrestling history, Russo maintained that it aligned with his philosophy of prioritising entertainment value and mainstream appeal.
When Did Vince Russo Join WCW?
Vince Russo officially joined WCW in October 1999, shortly after leaving his role as head writer for WWE. His arrival marked a major creative shift for the company, as WCW brought him in with the aim of reviving declining ratings and reshaping the product with a more television-driven approach.
Russo would go on to become one of the most influential and controversial creative figures in WCW during its final years.
