The Monday Night War: WWE vs. WCW

Determined to capture the same success as sports-entertainment's national leader Vince McMahon, media mogul Ted Turner launches WCW Monday Nitro in direct competition with WWE's Monday Night Raw. With the help of newly anointed Executive Vice President Eric Bischoff, World Championship Wrestling rises to national prominence.

Eric Bischoff brought change to WCW as two of WWE's top talents, Scott Hall and Kevin Nash, had crossed enemy lines and redefined character roles before joining Hulk Hogan to form the villainous New World Order faction. Monday Nitro's band of anti-heroes would forever change the course of sports-entertainment history.

With his back against the wall, Vince McMahon commands a company-wide change in a direction that would buck tradition and shift the tide in the Monday Night War. Adding contemporary elements to his evolving program, Monday Night Raw would experience unprecedented success as well as outside criticism.

Shawn Michaels and Triple H look to buck tradition and make WWE's flagship show a more contemporary, realistic product. Helping usher in WWE's Attitude Era by pulling back the curtain and bringing their unique brand of humor and hijinks to the primetime stage, these two superstars form D-Generation X.

Mick Foley's unorthodox style got him released from WCW, but made him a sports entertainment legend in the years that followed. In a tale of blood, sweat, and socks, Foley emerged as an unlikely hero, and his passion and perseverance was just the weapon WWE needed to help Raw take control of the Monday night ratings.

Once the proud face of WWE, Bret Hart found himself being phased out of Monday Night Raw's evolving Attitude Era in favor of bitter rival Shawn Michaels. Signing with WCW, Hart's final night as Vince McMahon's champion would become one of the most controversial events in sports-entertainment history, and forever change the fate of both WWE and WCW.