News Archive: May 2001

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina -- World Championship Wrestling (WCW) is officially back.

WCW is proud to announce its monumental return to television screens via Pay-Per-View with WCW The Big Bang. The 2-hour event will broadcast live on May 27, 2001, at 9:00 PM Eastern / 7:00 PM Pacific from the world-renowned Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.

WCW owner Shane McMahon is proud to usher in a new era of World Championship Wrestling for its global fanbase. McMahon promises a night where WCW will once again cement itself as the true standard-bearer of professional wrestling.

"When I purchased WCW, I promised myself to help bring in a new vision for what professional wrestling can be," McMahon commented. "A place where the best wrestlers and storytellers apply their craft and the fans are entertained by the best product possible, with no BS."

The road to the relaunch begins with a massive main event already sanctioned for the card: The WCW World Heavyweight Championship will be on the line as reigning champion Booker T defends his title against the "People’s Champion," the returning Diamond Dallas Page.

Tickets for this historic event go on sale this Friday via Ticketmaster. Fans are encouraged to keep checking WCW.com as more matches are announced for The Big Bang. Stay tuned for all breaking WCW news, official merchandise drops, and upcoming tour dates.

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina -- World Championship Wrestling and FX have reached an agreement to bring WCW Nitro back to television starting May 30, 2001. The program will air live every Wednesday night from 10pm to Midnight.

The relaunch episode will broadcast from the Hobart Arena in Troy, Ohio. Featured stars include Shane McMahon, Booker T, Diamond Dallas Page, Lance Storm, Buff Bagwell, and Shane Helms.

Tickets for this historic return go on sale this Friday through Ticketmaster and the Hobart Arena box office. Fans are encouraged to act fast as seating is limited. Fans outside of the United States should stay tuned to WCW.com for upcoming announcements regarding international distributors for Nitro in their respective regions.

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina -- World Championship Wrestling has officially signed its new broadcast team. Starting May 27 at The Big Bang, the legendary Jerry "The King" Lawler and the "Voice of Extreme" Joey Styles will serve as the lead commentators for all WCW Pay-Per-Views and WCW Nitro on FX.

"Bringing together the King and Joey Styles creates a broadcast booth unlike anything fans have ever heard," said WCW owner Shane McMahon.

Rounding out the team, Scott Hudson returns to the fold as the lead backstage correspondent, serving as the go-to source for all sit-down interviews and breaking news from the locker room.

Hear the new team call the action live from the Staples Center on May 27.

Following the massive success of The Big Bang, World Championship Wrestling has officially confirmed a wave of talent acquisitions that had been rumored for weeks leading up to the relaunch. With the new era now in full swing, the office has released the following list of competitors who have officially put pen to paper to join the active roster:

BG James, Crowbar, Curt Hennig, Johnny B. Badd, La Parka, Rob Van Dam, Shark Boy, Tommy Dreamer, and Willy Frazier.

Live from the Hobart Arena in Troy, Ohio! The wait is finally over. This Wednesday at 10pm EST, World Championship Wrestling returns to the airwaves! WCW Nitro makes its explosive debut on FX, bringing you two hours of the most high-octane wrestling on the planet, live every single week hosted by Joey Styles & Jerry "The King" Lawler!

The new era begins with a massive Season Premiere. Following the history-making success of The Big Bang, WCW Owner Shane McMahon will be in the building to address the fans and lay out his vision for the future of the company. Shane has already promised a blockbuster main event, as Booker T will put his WCW World Heavyweight Championship on the line!

The fallout from Los Angeles has only just begun. With the hierarchy of WCW being rewritten, every superstar on the roster is fighting for their spot at the top. See WCW World Heavyweight Champion Booker T, Diamond Dallas Page, Buff Bagwell, and the new number one contender Lance Storm as they look to cement their legacies in the new WCW.

The new era is just beginning! See the newest signings of the new WCW as Rob Van Dam, BG James, Curt Hennig & Tommy Dreamer show the world why they are some of the most talked about names in wrestling today.

The stars are aligned. The revolution is televised. Don't miss the return of the show that changed wrestling forever.

The revolution heads to the FleetCenter in Boston, Massachusetts, on Sunday, June 24, 2001! After the massive success of The Big Bang, WCW Owner Shane McMahon is bringing the stars of the new era to the East Coast for a night of history.

Fans in attendance will see WCW World Heavyweight Champion Booker T, WCW World Cruiserweight Champion Shane Helms, Rob Van Dam, Chavo Guerrero Jr., Kanyon, and the Natural Born Thrillers (Chuck Palumbo and Sean O’Haire) in action.

TICKET ALERT: Tickets go on sale this Saturday at 10:00 AM! Internal reports say the pre-sale interest is already through the roof, so you better act fast if you want to be part of the most anticipated show of the summer. See it live at the FleetCenter or order on Pay Per View!

WCW Nitro returns to FX this Wednesday at 10 PM EST, live from the Stuart C. Siegel Center in Richmond, Virginia!

Come see the stars of WCW including WCW World Heavyweight Champion Booker T, Shane McMahon, Lance Storm, Buff Bagwell, Rob Van Dam, and more!

The highlight of the evening will be a special night of dedication for one of the greatest icons in the history of this business: Diamond Dallas Page. Following their emotional conversation last week, WCW Owner Shane McMahon has promised to throw DDP a proper retirement bash as the three-time World Champion looks to move away from the squared circle. Join us for this night of celebration as we honor the illustrious career and legacy of the master of the Diamond Cutter before he begins the next chapter of his life!

Don't miss the opening matches of the Patriot Cup as the tournament to crown a new United States Champion finally kicks off in Richmond.