The Monday Night Wars: A Detailed Timeline of WCW vs. WWE

The Monday Night Wars were one of the most intense and transformative periods in professional wrestling history. From 1995 to 2001, WCW Monday Nitro and WWF Monday Night Raw went head-to-head in a battle for television ratings, talent, and industry dominance. What started as a bold challenge from Ted Turner’s World Championship Wrestling (WCW) quickly escalated into an all-out war that reshaped the wrestling landscape forever.

Fueled by real-life competition, shocking betrayals, and innovative storytelling, both companies pushed each other to new creative heights. WCW gained the upper hand early, thanks to strategic talent acquisitions and the rise of the New World Order (nWo). Meanwhile, the WWF countered with the birth of the Attitude Era, driven by larger-than-life personalities like Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, and D-Generation X.

For years, the battle for wrestling supremacy played out every Monday night in front of millions of fans worldwide. But as quickly as WCW rose to dominance, it just as swiftly fell apart due to backstage politics, financial mismanagement, and a string of bad creative decisions. Ultimately, the war ended with a historic corporate buyout—one that saw Vince McMahon and the WWF emerge victorious, acquiring their longtime rival in 2001.

This timeline provides a structured breakdown of the key moments, shocking twists, and pivotal decisions that defined the Monday Night Wars. From the launch of Nitro to the final Raw and Nitro simulcast, this is the complete story of WCW vs. WWE—a war that forever changed the world of professional wrestling.

1995: WCW Nitro Launches – The War Begins

• September 4, 1995 – WCW Monday Nitro premieres as a live primetime show on TNT, directly opposite WWF’s Monday Night Raw. WCW owner Ted Turner gave Eric Bischoff a one-hour Monday slot to compete head-to-head with Raw​. The debut episode (broadcast from the Mall of America in Minnesota) delivers a major shock: Lex Luger returns to WCW just one day after appearing on a WWF event, signaling that big-name stars could suddenly “jump ship”​​. This immediately set an unpredictable tone for the rivalry.
• December 18, 1995 – In one of the Monday Night War’s first salvos, Alundra Blayze (Madusa) — WWF’s reigning Women’s Champion — appears on Nitro and throws her WWF title belt in a trash can on live TV​. This blatant act of defiance toward WWF not only shocked fans but also underscored how personal and bitter the competition had become. By the end of 1995, Nitro was regularly besting Raw in TV ratings​, as Bischoff exploited WWF’s taped shows by spoiling Raw’s results on-air​. In response, WWF launched satirical “Billionaire Ted” skits in early 1996 to mock Turner and WCW’s aging stars​, making it clear that a full-scale war was underway.

1996: The nWo Changes the Game

• May 27, 1996 – Outsiders invade Nitro: Former WWF star Scott Hall (Razor Ramon) unexpectedly interrupts a live Nitro match, cutting a promo as if he were an invading WWF agent​. Two weeks later, Kevin Nash (Diesel) joins him on Nitro​. The duo, dubbed “The Outsiders,” tease a mysterious “third man” and blur the lines between reality and storyline, implying that WWF is staging a hostile takeover of WCW. This angle captivates viewers and kicks off one of wrestling’s hottest storylines. (Notably, WWF responded with a lawsuit, claiming Hall and Nash were being portrayed too closely to their WWF personas, but WCW had Hall and Nash explicitly deny still working for WWF on-air​.)
• July 7, 1996 – Bash at the Beach PPV: In one of wrestling’s most shocking betrayals, the third man is revealed as none other than Hulk Hogan. Hogan runs in during Hall and Nash’s match against WCW’s Sting, Lex Luger, and Randy Savage – and leg drops Savage, turning heel for the first time in his career​en.wikipedia.org. Post-match, Hogan infamously tells the booing crowd to “stick it” and christens his new alliance with Hall and Nash the New World Order (nWo)​en.wikipedia.org. Fans in the arena hurl trash into the ring in outrage at Hogan’s betrayal of his hero persona. The very next night on Nitro, the nWo storyline launches in full, with WCW’s top stars expressing dismay at Hogan’s turn​en.wikipedia.org. The nWo’s anarchic “insider” feel gives WCW a massive surge in popularity – Nitro, now expanded to two hours, begins an unprecedented ratings win streak, beating Raw for 84 consecutive weeks​en.wikipedia.org. From this point in mid-1996, WWF would not score another Monday night victory for nearly two years​en.wikipedia.org.
• Fall 1996 – As WCW rides high with the nWo, WWF’s fortunes wane. Top WWF stars Kevin Nash and Scott Hall officially depart for WCW (their final WWF appearance was a Madison Square Garden event on May 19, 1996, where the pair famously broke character in a “Curtain Call” farewell with friends Triple H and Shawn Michaels​). WWF, struggling to retain talent and viewers, experiments with edgier content. On November 4, 1996, WWF airs the controversial “Pillman’s got a gun” segment – a home-invasion angle where Brian Pillman pulls a pistol on Steve Austin during a live broadcast​​. The stunt draws media attention (and some backlash) but signals the WWF’s willingness to push boundaries to compete. By year’s end, WCW is firmly on top, while WWF begins plotting a new creative direction to claw back audience share.

1997: WWF Fights Back and WCW Stumbles

• Early 1997 – The WWF gradually shifts into its “Attitude Era.” On February 3, 1997, Raw expands to a two-hour format (matching Nitro’s length) and is officially renamed Raw Is War on March 10​en.wikipedia.org – a pointed reference to the ongoing battle. WWF embraces a more adult tone: DX (D-Generation X) crotch-chops and risqué antics, anti-heroes like “Stone Cold” Steve Austin drinking beer on camera, and even a cross-promotional “invasion” by ECW wrestlers in February 1997​en.wikipedia.org. Meanwhile, over on Nitro, the nWo dominates weekly TV, but some cracks in WCW’s armor begin to show as storylines grow repetitive.
• November 9, 1997 – The Montreal Screwjob shocks the industry. At WWF’s Survivor Series pay-per-view in Montreal, WWF Champion Bret “Hitman” Hart is double-crossed on live TV: Vince McMahon covertly orders the referee to call for the bell while Hart is in Shawn Michaels’ hold, robbing Bret of the title​en.wikipedia.org​en.wikipedia.org. This real-life controversy occurs because Bret had signed a lucrative contract with WCW just weeks prior (after McMahon told him WWF could no longer afford his 20-year deal)​en.wikipedia.org. The Screwjob enrages fans and demoralizes the WWF locker room, but it also gives birth to the villainous “Mr. McMahon” character on-air – a critical development for WWF’s storytelling​en.wikipedia.org. Bret Hart, the face of WWF through much of the ’90s, leaves for WCW immediately, as do his brothers-in-law Davey Boy Smith and Jim Neidhart​en.wikipedia.org​en.wikipedia.org.
• November 17, 1997 – In the midst of the post-Screwjob fallout, Rick Rude becomes the only person to appear on Raw and Nitro on the same night until the war’s end. Rude, who had been part of WWF’s DX on a handshake deal, jumps ship to WCW without notice. Because Raw was taped that week, Rude shockingly shows up live on Nitro (sporting a full beard) and lambastes Vince McMahon and Shawn Michaels on-air, calling WWF the “Titanic” (a sinking ship)​en.wikipedia.org​en.wikipedia.org. An hour later on the pre-taped Raw, a clean-shaven Rude is still appearing with DX – illustrating to viewers that Raw was not live​en.wikipedia.org. This incident embarrasses WWF and exemplifies WCW’s ability to lure away WWF talent at will.
• December 28, 1997 – WCW’s biggest show, Starrcade 1997, features the long-awaited Hollywood Hogan vs. Sting championship match, after over a year of buildup. Fans expect a clear climax to the nWo vs. WCW storyline. Instead, the bout ends in a muddled, controversial fashion: a supposed fast-count by referee Nick Patrick (which is visibly normal speed) leads Bret Hart to come out and “restart” the match, claiming WCW won’t screw another hero. Sting wins the title with Bret as impromptu ref, only for the title to be held up due to the controversy the next night​en.wikipedia.org​en.wikipedia.org. The convoluted finish — seen as WCW “dropping the ball” on Sting’s crowning moment — frustrates many fans​en.wikipedia.org​en.wikipedia.org. This moment marks the beginning of declining interest in the nWo angle, as viewers grow tired of endless shenanigans without payoff. WCW’s creative momentum starts faltering at the peak of its success.

1998: The Tide Turns – Attitude Era vs. WCW

• January–March 1998 – The WWF gains mainstream steam on the road to WrestleMania. Vince McMahon brings in boxing superstar Mike Tyson to appear on Raw, generating huge publicity. On January 19, 1998, Tyson has a memorable in-ring confrontation with Stone Cold Steve Austin (a wild pull-apart brawl) that lands WWF on sports highlight shows. Tyson then aligns with DX, only to double-cross Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania XIV on March 29, where Steve Austin wins the WWF Championship​keeonsports.com. WrestleMania XIV is widely regarded as a turning point; by capitalizing on Tyson’s celebrity and crowning the red-hot Austin, the WWF “took over and never looked back”​keeonsports.com. On the WCW side, despite still leading the ratings, there are warning signs – for instance, WCW debuts a second prime-time show, Thunder, in January 1998 which stretches the creative team and roster thin​en.wikipedia.org. Bischoff himself had cautioned that adding another weekly show could lead to audience burnout​en.wikipedia.org, and indeed it added production strain while WWF was hitting its stride.
• April 13, 1998 – After 83 consecutive weekly defeats, WWF’s Raw finally beats WCW’s Nitro in the TV ratings​. The April 13 episode – hyped around an Austin vs. Mr. McMahon match (the first tease of the boss getting in the ring) – drew huge viewership and gave Raw its first victory since mid-1996​. WCW’s nearly two-year stranglehold on Monday nights was over. This pivotal night proved WWF’s edgy new direction had caught fire with fans. Just two weeks later, on April 27, WWF demonstrated its new confidence with the infamous DX invasion of Nitro: D-Generation X (Triple H, X-Pac, Road Dogg, Billy Gunn, and Chyna) rode a jeep to the Norfolk Scope arena, where Nitro was live, and tried to goad WCW’s Eric Bischoff into confronting them​. While played partly for laughs, the sight of WWF wrestlers literally at WCW’s doorstep highlighted the shift in momentum – Raw’s ratings were rising and WWF wasn’t afraid to mock its competition.
• Summer 1998 – WCW enjoys one last big surge, thanks largely to Bill Goldberg. Goldberg’s impressive undefeated streak (with 100+ wins) makes him WCW’s hottest new star. On July 6, 1998, live from the Georgia Dome in front of 40,000+ fans, Nitro hits a record high rating as Goldberg pins Hulk Hogan to win the WCW World Championship​en.wikipedia.org. Over 5 million viewers watch Goldberg’s triumph, a moment of massive WCW glory​en.wikipedia.org. However, some WCW insiders criticize giving away that pay-per-view caliber match on free TV​en.wikipedia.org – it popped a rating, but forfeited a huge PPV payday and decisive momentum. By fall, WCW’s creative missteps mount. They bring in the Ultimate Warrior in September 1998 for a short-lived run and even reunite the Four Horsemen, briefly boosting ratings in August–September 1998​en.wikipedia.org​en.wikipedia.org. Nitro actually regains the ratings lead for six weeks in this period​en.wikipedia.org. But WWF’s response is the rise of The Rock as a new megastar. In November 1998, The Rock turns heel and wins the WWF Championship (joining Vince McMahon’s “Corporation” at Survivor Series)​en.wikipedia.org, setting up a hot feud with Mankind. By the end of 1998, the momentum permanently swings to WWF​en.wikipedia.org. WCW’s final ratings victory comes on October 26, 1998, the night after its Halloween Havoc PPV (when Nitro replayed the DDP vs. Goldberg match that many viewers had missed due to a PPV broadcast glitch)​en.wikipedia.org. From November 1998 onward, Raw would win virtually every week.
• December 27, 1998 – At WCW’s Starrcade 1998, Goldberg’s streak is controversially ended at 173–0. Kevin Nash defeats Goldberg for the WCW Title after Scott Hall interferes with a cattle prod stun-gun​en.wikipedia.org. While intended to create a buzz, this decision backfires as it removes WCW’s most popular homegrown attraction at a time when fans are already losing patience with nWo shenanigans. The stage is set for a disastrous start to 1999 for WCW, while WWF rolls into the new year with record-high popularity (both shows collectively drew over 10 million viewers some weeks in late ’98​en.wikipedia.org).

1999: WWF Dominance and WCW’s Crash

• January 4, 1999 – In one night, WCW seals its fate in the ratings war. On this evening’s Raw Is War (taped six days prior), Mankind (Mick Foley) wins his first WWF Championship in a feel-good main event. Nitro, airing live, is in hour 2 of 3 when WCW pulls a cheap stunt: announcer Tony Schiavone spoils the pre-taped Raw results on-air, sarcastically telling fans that “Mick Foley… is gonna win their world title. Haha, that’s gonna put butts in seats”​en.wikipedia.org​en.wikipedia.org. The move backfires spectacularly – an estimated 600,000 viewers immediately switch from Nitro to Raw to see Foley’s title victory​en.wikipedia.org. Meanwhile on Nitro, the highly anticipated Goldberg vs. Nash rematch is scrapped in favor of one of the most ridiculed moments in wrestling: Hulk Hogan returns and, in the “Fingerpoke of Doom,” lightly pokes Nash in the chest to pin him and regain the WCW Title, re-forming the nWo​en.wikipedia.org. Fans in the arena and at home are furious that WCW baited-and-switched a main event. Nitro’s credibility takes a severe hit​en.wikipedia.org. When the final ratings are tallied, Raw crushes Nitro 5.7 to 5.0​en.wikipedia.org. The Fingerpoke incident is often cited as the start of WCW’s permanent ratings slide​en.wikipedia.org – after that night, Nitro only hit a 5.0 rating a few more times, and never again approached its 1998 highs​en.wikipedia.org. From this point, WWF decisively pulls ahead in the war.
• Mid-1999 – The WWF is winning the ratings battle handily every week now, and setting all-time records. On June 28, 1999, Raw draws its highest-rated segment ever – a 9.5 Nielsen rating – for a Stone Cold vs. Undertaker WWF Title match (the climax of a hot feud)​en.wikipedia.org. WCW, meanwhile, scrambles with quick-fix gimmicks to stem its decline: they bring in celebrities like rapper Master P and kiss-rocker Gene Simmons for cross-promotion, and even hold a contest for a new Nitro Girl dancer – none of which improve ratings​en.wikipedia.org. WCW’s leadership also goes through upheaval. September 10, 1999: Executive VP Eric Bischoff, the architect of Nitro’s success, is removed from power by WCW’s parent company due to the company’s tailspin​en.wikipedia.org. With Bischoff gone, WCW hires WWF’s head writers Vince Russo and Ed Ferrara in October 1999, hoping the duo behind WWF’s Attitude Era can save WCW​en.wikipedia.org. Russo and Ferrara arrive in WCW and introduce shock TV elements (even an on-screen parody of Jim Ross), but fail to turn ratings around​en.wikipedia.org​en.wikipedia.org. By the end of 1999, WCW’s storylines grow ever more chaotic: at Starrcade 1999 in December, WCW’s new top star Bret Hart suffers a serious concussion (courtesy of a Goldberg kick) that ultimately ends Hart’s career​en.wikipedia.org, removing yet another legend from WCW’s active roster.

2000: Freefall of WCW

• January 2000 – The new millennium brings turmoil behind the scenes in WCW. Russo and Ferrara’s radical booking (at one point considering actor Tank Abbott as WCW Champion) gets them sidelined after just three months​. Longtime booker Kevin Sullivan is put back in charge, igniting a locker room revolt​. Several of WCW’s rising young stars – Chris Benoit, Eddie Guerrero, Dean Malenko, and Perry Saturn – feel they’ll never get a fair shake under Sullivan’s old-guard regime. In a stunning defection, all four men quit WCW in late January 2000, even though Benoit had just won the WCW World Title at the Souled Out PPV​​. By January 31, 2000, these four jump to WWF and debut on Raw as “The Radicalz,” instantly bolstering WWF’s talent roster​​. WCW, now hemorrhaging both ratings and wrestlers, even shortens Nitro from 3 hours back to 2 hours (effective Jan. 3, 2000) to try to improve viewership, but to no avail​ – by spring, Nitro is averaging only around a 2.5 rating, while Raw is doing 5.0+, doubling WCW’s audience​.
• April 10, 2000 – In a last-ditch move, Eric Bischoff is brought back and paired with Vince Russo as creative co-heads, and together they attempt to “reboot” WCW​en.wikipedia.org. On the April 10 Nitro, Russo and Bischoff declare all WCW titles vacant and introduce a new “New Blood vs. Millionaire’s Club” storyline – essentially pitting younger talent against WCW’s veteran stars like Hogan, Flair, and Sting​en.wikipedia.org. Despite the buzz of this shake-up, WCW can’t find stability. Perhaps the most ridiculed decision of this era comes just weeks later: Actor David Arquette (promoting the WCW-themed movie Ready to Rumble) is booked to win the WCW World Championship on April 25, 2000​en.wikipedia.org. The stunt gets some media attention but is met with derision by wrestling fans, further damaging WCW’s credibility.
• July 9, 2000 – Bash at the Beach 2000 exposes WCW’s internal chaos on live TV. Scheduled to face Jeff Jarrett for the WCW Title, Hulk Hogan finds out Russo’s plan for him to lose and refuses. In a bizarre compromise, Jarrett comes to the ring and lays down flat for Hogan to pin him immediately​en.wikipedia.org. Hogan then cuts a shoot promo, angrily accusing Russo of being the reason WCW “is in the damn shape it’s in,” and leaves with the belt​en.wikipedia.org. After Hogan departs, Russo appears and blasts Hogan as a “politician” holding others down​en.wikipedia.org. Russo declares Hogan gone from WCW (indeed, Hogan never returns after this)​en.wikipedia.org, and Russo resets the title match to Booker T vs. Jarrett later that night, with Booker T winning his first WCW Championship​en.wikipedia.org. The incident blurs real and story but mostly highlights the utter dysfunction plaguing WCW’s management.
• September 25, 2000 – In another eyebrow-raising moment, Vince Russo himself wins the WCW Title. On Nitro, Russo (a non-wrestler head writer) ends up in a cage match against Booker T; Goldberg spears Russo through the cage, technically giving Russo the win and the championship​en.wikipedia.org. Russo vacates the title a week later on October 2 and exits WCW television for good​en.wikipedia.org, but the damage is done – fans see the WCW Title as a prop amid the chaos. By late 2000, WCW is in freefall financially and creatively. Long gone are the days of 10 million combined viewers on Mondays; Nitro is now pulling in ratings in the 2’s. The corporate climate has also shifted: Time Warner (which merged with Turner’s company in 1996) completes a mega-merger with AOL in early 2001, and Ted Turner’s influence is virtually gone​en.wikipedia.org. In the year 2000 alone, WCW reportedly loses $62 million​en.wikipedia.org, bleeding money via bloated guaranteed contracts, dwindling attendance and pay-per-view buys, and expensive gimmicks that don’t pay off​en.wikipedia.org. Even WCW’s attempt to turn the ultra-popular Goldberg into a villain in mid-2000 is a flop that drives fans away​en.wikipedia.org. It’s clear that the end is near.

2001: The End of the War – WWF Buys WCW

• January 2001 – With WCW up for sale, Fusient Media Ventures (a group led by Eric Bischoff) announces a tentative deal to purchase WCW from Time Warner​en.wikipedia.org. The plan, however, is contingent on one critical factor: Turner’s TV networks must keep airing Nitro and Thunder. As negotiations proceed, the new leadership at Turner Broadcasting grows skeptical of wrestling’s fit on their channels. In March 2001, Turner’s CEO Jamie Kellner officially cancels all WCW programming on TNT and TBS​en.wikipedia.org, citing that wrestling no longer appeals to the desired network demographics. This decision is the death blow – without TV slots, Bischoff’s Fusient group backs out of the purchase​en.wikipedia.org​en.wikipedia.org. Suddenly, WCW is a ship without a TV home, and only one viable buyer remains: Vince McMahon.
• March 23, 2001 – WWF announces the acquisition of WCW’s assets, effectively ending the Monday Night War with a corporate victory. For a mere $3 million (plus the assumption of some contracts), McMahon buys WCW’s intellectual property, video library, and a limited number of wrestler contracts​en.wikipedia.org. Most of WCW’s top stars (Ric Flair, Goldberg, Sting, Hogan, Nash, etc.) are not part of the deal, as they are contracted to Turner/Time Warner directly and can choose to sit out their lucrative contracts​en.wikipedia.org. Nevertheless, the WWF now owns its former rival’s trademarks and footage – something unimaginable a few years prior. McMahon’s WWF, having vanquished WCW in the ratings, has literally absorbed its competition.
• March 26, 2001 – The final episode of WCW Monday Nitro airs, appropriately titled “Night of Champions.” In a historic moment, TNT allows a special simulcast with WWF’s Raw Is War. The show opens with Vince McMahon appearing via satellite on Nitro and Raw, smugly announcing he has bought his competition​en.wikipedia.org. Longtime WCW fans watch in disbelief as McMahon gloats about defeating WCW. In Panama City Beach, Florida (Nitro’s spring break location), WCW puts on its last matches – fittingly, Sting vs. Ric Flair as the main event, echoing their classic 1995 bout from the first Nitro​en.wikipedia.org. In Cleveland, Ohio, Raw closes with Vince in the ring, only to be interrupted by Shane McMahon… who appears live in Panama City on Nitro! In a final twist of the knife (in storyline), Shane tells his father that he has signed the contract to buy WCW, not Vince​en.wikipedia.org. This angle kicks off the WWF’s planned “Invasion” storyline, with Shane “owning” WCW on WWF TV​en.wikipedia.org. The Monday Night War is officially over – Nitro signs off with a 3.0 rating​en.wikipedia.org, and after 270 head-to-head Monday showdowns, the final tally stands at 154 Raw wins, 112 Nitro wins, and 4 ties​en.wikipedia.org.
• Aftermath (2001–2002) – With WCW gone, the WWF is now the sole superpower in pro wrestling (the extreme niche promotion ECW had also folded in early 2001)​. The anticipated WCW/ECW Invasion angle (mid-2001) proves underwhelming in execution, hamstrung by the absence of many WCW headliners, but it still produces some intriguing cross-promotional moments before winding down in November 2001​. In 2002, the WWF is rechristened World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) after a legal dispute, and the company implements a brand split – dividing its roster between Raw and SmackDown – in part to recreate the competitive feel of the lost WCW rivalry​​. The Monday Night Wars era, however, stands as a unique period of innovation, surprises, and risks that transformed the wrestling business. In the end, WWE emerged victorious and absorbed its competition, but the legacy of that 1995–2001 battle continues to shape the industry and captivate fans to this day.