WCW

-The word around the back is that this New versus Old angle might very well be Ric Flair's final run. Flair doesn't feel wrestling is as "fun" as it used to be, and if this angle flops quickly, we could see a quick exit of the Nature Boy. If this angle really catches on, then he'll stick around for a little more. He actually likes this new angle, and he personally feels that this is what WCW needs to get some ratings. If WCW lost Flair, even though he's very old, they would lose ratings. I've seen many mails from Ric Flair addicts who can't get enough of the man. I'm sure whenever he officially retires, it will be a sad day for many.

-Well, for those who love Hogan, the word is that he won't be returning to wrestling for a few weeks. The doctors and WCW want him to only return to the ring when he's at full strenghth. Hogan wants to come back now, but the last time he came back, his doctor was stressing when he was in the ring, thinking that he could somehow re-injure his knee. Looks like WCW is being real cautious about Hogan this time. You could look at his delayed return as one of two things. One, WCW wants him at full strength so that he can come back as their top heel or Hulk Hogan, or two, they are delaying him because they kinda want him out of the picture because he doesn't fit with the current angles.

-Rumors are flying everywhere concerning Shane Douglas showing up on Nitro Monday. Will he show up? Well, it's very hard to say at this moment, but many say that he has been bragging about being on Nitro Monday. Some say he has already signed with WCW, so that means he'll have the go ahead to show up on Nitro, since Eric Bischoff has this thing nowadays to bring in new superstars for shock value in his federation. If he is officially in WCW, don't look for him to fight Flair. Although Bischoff is creaming over a possibility of those two fighting, Ric Flair will refuse to wrestle Shane since those two have had words in the past.

WWF

-Well, Mick Foley, according to WWF.com, is at home recovering now from his recent knee surgery. While recovering from his surgery, he is writing his own autobiography. Mick will do a great job on that book, because he is really an intelligent man. If you saw that backyard wrestling segment on 20/20, you will recall that he was giving intelligent answers, and that shocked ABC because they were hoping that they could point the kid's violent backyard wrestling on him. Anyways, I hope Mick takes his good time on writing this biography, that way he doesn't rush his comeback to wrestling.

-Now that Rena Mero is in the spotlight in her fight against the WWF, the question is what is going to happen to Marc Mero. Just because his wife is probably never going to be a part of the WWF, what says that Marc Mero won't. The WWF could make him wrestle when his stupid elbow injury heals up. Of course, then we will see Marc Mero file suit against the WWF as well. I hope they can bring Marc Mero back. I just want to see the WWF make him job worse than ever. For one, I hate Marc Mero. I think he's one of the most worthless wrestlers, angle wise, that I have ever seen. I also want to see the WWF humiliate so that it drags his wife, Sable, down. Sable would be truly embarassed if the WWF did this. So do it WWF!

-Well, now that Sable is gone, the WWF is ready to push many other women into the spotlight. Debra will be pushed, not like she's already the top woman, to become what Sable was to the WWF popularity wise. As for the rest of the women, well Ivory is getting some kind of push since she won the women's title. The other women will be used as "jobbers" or contenders for the women's title. The WWF is bringing in much more women, so everyone get ready for that. I guess they need more T & A to keep the ratings up. Nothing wrong with that.

And the Saga continues...

Mr. Tito Presents: Wrestling's Greatest Influences

#4 The New World Order

That's right, the New World Order! Now I'm not talking about the NWO that was with the nWo Wolfpac and nWo Hollywood, or even the post Wolfpac. No, I mean the original NWO, the best angle in the history of wrestling. Don't say it wasn't the best angle, because every wrestling fan was tuning in to watch the New World Order wreak Havoc! Everyone was buzzing to find out who the original third man was, and it was a shocker when it happened.

The NWO influenced wrestling fans to watch WCW, thus finally putting WCW over the WWF. Everyone was glued to the set to see who would be the next wrestler to jump to the NWO. The NWO also influence the forming of other stables, and in my mind, was replicated by the Blue World Order and Degeneration X. WCW never lost the ratings when the NWO was at their strongest. When the NWO was falling apart, so was WCW's ratings run.

The NWO will always be remembered by me since I feel they were the greatest angle in wrestling history. I'm sure every wrestling fan will remember where they were when Hogan turned out to be the third man. Sure the NWO went to shit after a few years, but you have to admit what an impact the NWO made on the sport. It really fired up the Monday Night Wars, and it woke up the then slacking WWF to produce a better show. That makes the NWO an influence.

@Well...that's it for today. Only 3 more to go! Who will they be? Anyways, until next time, just chill...till the next episode. This is Mr. Tito, a non-funded columnist, signing off.

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Take Care, and Happy Wrestling.

Mr. Tito © 1999