Abandoned: The History of the WCW Television Championship, Part 2
For this edition of Abandoned, I present the WCW World Television Championship.
The title was established in 1974 as the NWA Mid-Atlantic Television Championship under Georgia Championship Wrestling, an affiliate of the National Wrestling Alliance.
The title also appeared in GCW’s fellow Mid-Atlantic territory Jim Crockett Promotions.
After GCW was bought and shut down by Vince McMahon and the WWF, the title stayed with JCP.
When JCP became WCW, the title was renamed as such.
After 26 years of history, the WCW Television Championship would be abandoned in 2000 when WCW was “rebooted.”
Throughout its history, the title has seen 107 champions.
In part one you saw the first 53 champions featured.
Here is part two, which features the final 54 champions.
Let’s get started!
Rick Steiner
1 of 55Defeated: Mike Rotunda
Where: Norfolk, Va.
When: Dec. 26, 1988
Title Reign: 56 days
Rick Steiner is an accomplished tag-team wrestler who has mainly teamed with his brother Scott as the Steiner Brothers.
Together, they held 14 tag titles including the NWA, WCW and WWF Tag Team Championship.
Mike Rotunda
2 of 55Defeated: Rick Steiner
Where: Chicago
When: Feb. 20, 1989
Title Reign: 39 days
Rotunda returned to the WWF in 1991 as Irwin R. Schyster and soon started teaming with Ted DiBiase as Money Inc.
Together, they won the Tag Team Championship three times.
When DiBiase retired, Rotunda joined the Million Dollar Corporation stable led by DiBiase but left for WCW in 1995.
After wrestling for WCW, New Japan and All Japan Pro Wrestling, he retired in 2004.
He now works as a road agent for WWE and will appear as the I.R.S. character once in a while.
Sting
3 of 55Defeated: Mike Rotunda
Where: Atlanta, Ga.
When: March 31, 1989
Title Reign: 156 days
The title was held-up on July 23, 1989 when a match between Sting and the Great Muta went to a time-limit draw.
Sting is one of the most popular wrestlers of all time and spent the majority of his career in NWA/WCW.
While there, he held every title there was to win and stayed loyal to the company right up until it was shut down in 2001.
Unlike most WCW wrestlers who jumped to WWE during the Monday Night Wars, or after the buyout, Sting stayed with the company that made him a star despite offers from Vince McMahon.
Sting has been with TNA Wrestling since 2003 where he won the NWA and TNA World Championships.
He can still be seen there as the authority figure on Impact Wrestling.
The Great Muta
4 of 55Defeated: Sting
Where: Atlanta, Ga.
When: Sept. 3, 1989
Title Reign: 121 days
When the Great Muta defeated Sting in the rematch, he was awarded the title.
The Great Muta is considered to be one of the best of all time, especially in Japan. He has won titles all over the NWA, NJPW, AJPW and WWC.
He is seen as the innovator of the mist, using different colors, with each color having a different effect on his opponent.
Muta still wrestles and can be seen in All Japan Pro Wrestling.
Arn Anderson
5 of 55Defeated: The Great Muta
Where: Gainesville, Ga.
When: Jan. 2, 1990
Title Reign: 336 days
While with WWF, Anderson and Tully Blanchard would win the Tag Team Championship as the Brain Busters.
He only spent a year in the company and returned to WCW in 1989.
Z-Man
6 of 55Defeated: Arn Anderson
Where: Gainesville, Ga.
When: Dec. 4, 1990
Title Reign: 41 days
Z-Man, better known as Tom Zenk, got his start in the AWA but soon found himself in the WWF in 1986.
While there, he was a member of the Can-Am Connection tag-team with Rick Martel but would leave for Jim Crockett Promotions/WCW before the team could win any gold.
While with WCW, he gained much success but would only stay with the company for five years before he could be elevated to a major singles title.
He would retire in 1996.
Arn Anderson
7 of 55Defeated: Z-Man
Where: Marietta, Ga.
When: Jan. 7, 1991
Title Reign: 132 days
When WCW’s withdrawal from the NWA was complete in January 1991, the title was renamed the WCW World Television Championship.
Arn Anderson remained the champion and is recognized as the first WCW television champion.
While back with WCW, the Four Horsemen would be revived multiple times with new members, but Anderson and Flair were always there.
He would retire from the ring due to injuries in 1997.
Bobby Eaton
8 of 55Defeated: Arn Anderson
Where: St. Petersburg, Fla.
When: May 19, 1991
Title Reign: 15 days
Bobby Eaton is probably best known as a member of the Midnight Express.
He spent most of his career with the NWA but joined JCP/WCW where he became a star with the Midnight Express.
By the time he won this title, the team had broken up and Eaton became a singles wrestler.
He soon became a trainer for the WCW Power Plant and a road agent until he left in 2000.
You can still see Eaton on the independent circuit.
Steve Austin
9 of 55Defeated: Bobby Eaton
Where: Birmingham, Ala.
When: June 3, 1991
Title Reign: 329 days
Austin got his first break in WCW as “Stunning” Steve Austin and would win this title along with the United States Championship and Tag Team Championship with Brian Pillman as the Hollywood Blondes.
After suffering an injury, Austin was released from WCW after Eric Bischoff didn’t see him as “marketable.”
Barry Windham
10 of 55Defeated: Steve Austin
Where: Atlanta, Ga.
When: April 27, 1991
Title Reign: 26 days
Barry Windham got his first big start in the WWF as a member of the US Express tag team with Mike Rotunda.
He has had many stints with both WWF and NWA/WCW.
He was last seen in WWF as a member of the New Blackjacks and worked as an agent until his release in 2008.
Some fans may remember his last push in WCW as a member of the West Texas Rednecks.
On October 26, 2001 Windham suffered a heart attack. His father, Blackjack Mulligan, described the situation as having a son “near death.”
Windham seems to have pulled through and will be inducted into the 2012 Hall of Fame as a member of the Four Horsemen.
Steve Austin
11 of 55Defeated: Barry Windham
Where: Chattanooga, Tenn.
When: May 23, 1992
Title Reign: 102 days
After a stint in ECW, Austin soon proved Bischoff wrong and went to the WWF and Austin 3:16 was born at the 1996 King of the Ring.
From there, Austin became one of the biggest stars in the history of professional wrestling and was blasted to superstardom thanks to his feud with WWF head honcho Vince McMahon.
After winning 12 titles, the King of the Ring crown and three Royal Rumbles, Austin retired in from in-ring action in 2002.
Austin still appears for WWE once in a while, mostly to referee a match or to deliver a Stone Cold Stunner.
He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009 and was recently seen as head trainer for Tough Enough.
In interviews, he has been bringing up the prospect of one more match, but nothing has come of it.
Ricky Steamboat
12 of 55Defeated: Steve Austin
Where: Atlanta, Ga.
When: Sept. 2, 1992
Title Reign: 27 days
After leaving the WWF, Steamboat made his way to WCW in 1989 but quickly left for New Japan Pro Wrestling.
Steamboat jumped around Japan, WWF and WCW over the next couple of years before retiring in 1994.
Scott Steiner
13 of 55Defeated: Ricky Steamboat
Where: Columbus, Ga.
When: Sept. 29, 1992
Title Reign: ~two months
The title was declared vacant in November 1992 when the Steiner Brothers jumped to the World Wrestling Federation.
Steiner and his brother Rick would become huge stars in tag-team wrestling winning many titles together.
Scott is no doubt the more successful of the two brothers, as he went on to become the WCW world heavyweight champion on one occasion.
Paul Orndorff
14 of 55Defeated: Erik Watts
Where: Macon, Ga.
When: March 2, 1993
Title Reign: 169 days
Paul Orndorff defeated Erik Watts in a tournament final to become the new champion.
Orndorff got his start in the NWA before joining WWF in 1983.
When Hulk Hogan won the WWF Championship, Orndorff became an instant contender, though he was never able to defeat the Hulkster.
After never winning a title, he left WWF and debuted with WCW.
While with the company he would capture this title and the Tag Team Championship twice with Paul Roma as Pretty Wonderful.
After retiring in 1995, he began to run the WCW Power Plant.
After WCW was shut down, he started to appear at independent shows and legend’s conventions before being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005.
You can still Orndorff in the independents and at conventions.
Ricky Steamboat
15 of 55Defeated: Paul Orndorff
Where: Daytona Beach, Fla.
When: Aug. 18, 1993
Title Reign: 32 days
While retired, Steamboat made appearances for TNA Wrestling, Ring of Honor and the independents before returning to WWE in 2005 as a road agent.
He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2009 and returned to the ring for the first time in 15 years to have a match alongside Roddy Piper and Jimmy Snuka against Chris Jericho at WrestleMania XXV.
Steamboat still works for WWE in a backstage role.
Steven Regal
16 of 55Defeated: Ricky Steamboat
Where: Houston, Texas
When: Sept, 19, 1993
Title Reign: 225 days
Regal got his start in England before being signed to WCW in 1992.
He stayed with the company for six years, winning this title four times.
In 1998, he made his way to the WWF.
Larry Zbyszko
17 of 55Defeated: Steven Regal
Where: Atlanta, Ga.
When: May 2, 1993
Title Reign: 52 days
Zbyszko has wrestled throughout the United States in the WWWF, NWA, AWA, WCW and TNA.
Zbyszko’s most success came from the AWA, where he won their World Championship two times.
You can still see Larry Zbyszko wrestling in the independents.
Steven Regal
18 of 55Defeated: Larry Zbyszko
Where: Charleston, S.C.
When: June 23, 1993
Title Reign: 87 days
Regel debuted in the WWF as himself but was injured while training with Rhino.
Upon his return he was given the ridiculous “Real Man Man’s” gimmick.
After less than a year in WWF, he was released after checking into rehab.
He soon found himself back in WCW for a short time.
Johnny B. Badd
19 of 55Defeated: Steven Regal
Where: Roanoke, Va.
When: Sept. 18, 1994
Title Reign: 112 days
Johnny B. Badd, better known as Marc Mero, got his big start in WCW as a jobber before getting the Johnny B. Badd gimmick.
He would capture this title three times before leaving WCW for WWF in 1996.
Arn Anderson
20 of 55Defeated: Johnny B. Badd
Where: Atlanta, Ga.
When: Jan. 8, 1995
Title Reign: 161 days
When WCW was shut down in 2001, Anderson returned to the WWE, when they hired him as a road agent.
He still works there to this day and will also appear on screen once in a while.
He will be inducted into the Hall of Fame in the class of 2012 as a member of the Four Horsemen.
Renegade
21 of 55Defeated: Arn Anderson
Where: Dayton, Ohio
When: June 18, 1995
Title Reign: 91 days
The Renegade was WCW’s version of the Ultimate Warrior. He used similar mannerisms, moves and entrances as Warrior did, creating the illusion that they could have been the same person.
When WWF threatened legal action, the Renegade was taken off of television.
He was last seen in WCW as the Ultimate Warrior’s stunt double during his short stint there.
After Warrior left, Renegade was released and he retired in 1998.
A year later, he would pass away on Feb. 23.
Diamond Dallas Page
22 of 55Defeated: Renegade
Where: Asheville, N.C.
When: Sept. 17, 1995
Title Reign: 42 days
DDP got his start as a manager in the AWA as well as WCW.
He soon began wrestling and became a star, winning this title as well as the United States Championship.
He wouldn’t become world champion until the dying days of the company in 1999.
After WCW went under, Page found himself in WWE entering into a feud with the Undertaker.
He would hold tag-team and European gold before leaving in 2002.
In 2004, he spent a year in TNA before retiring in 2009.
DDP can still be seen at the occasional independent show and convention.
Johnny B. Badd
23 of 55Defeated: Diamond Dallas Page
Where: Detroit
When: Oct. 29, 1995
Title Reign: 111 days
Mero debuted in WWF as “Wildman” Marc Mero and soon won the Intercontinental Championship.
At the time, he was being managed by his then-wife Sable.
When he was injured a year later, Sable became a star and Mero became the heel “Marvelous” Marc Mero due to his jealousy.
Lex Luger
24 of 55Defeated: Johnny B. Badd
Where: Baltimore, Md.
When: Feb. 17, 1996
Title Reign: one day
Luger would find his most success in NWA/WCW, winning many titles including the World Heavyweight Championship.
He did spent some time in WWE in 1993, co-winning the Royal Rumble.
He challenged Yokozuna for the title at WrestleMania X in a losing effort.
Johnny B. Badd
25 of 55Defeated: Lex Luger
Where: Norfolk, Va.
When: Feb. 18, 1996
Title Reign: 17 days
Mero left WWF in 1999 and soon returned to WCW in 2000.
He didn’t last long, as he left the same year.
After appearing for the XWF, Mero debuted in TNA under his Johnny B. Badd gimmick. He wasn’t a regular and last appeared in 2005.
Marc Mero retired that same year.
He now appears at schools talking about the dangers of drug abuse.
Lex Luger
26 of 55Defeated: Johnny B. Badd
Where: Macon, Ga.
When: March 6, 1996
Title Reign: 167 days
Lex Luger stayed with WCW right up until it was shut down by Vince McMahon.
He appeared mostly in the independents and made some appearances for TNA in 2003 and 2006.
He retired in 2006 and as of last year works for WWE’s wellness program.
Steven Regal
27 of 55Defeated: Lex Luger
Where: Dalton, Ga.
When: Aug. 20, 1996
Title Reign: 181 days
Regal returned to WWF and soon became a success.
He has held the Intercontinental, European, Tag Team and Hardcore Championships.
He has also been commissioner and was crowned the 2008 King of the Ring.
Prince Iaukea
28 of 55Defeated: Steven Regal
Where: Tampa, Fla.
When: Feb. 17, 1997
Title Reign: 49 days
Iaukea didn’t have the most exciting of careers while in WCW.
Even though he did win the Cruiserweight Championship twice after this, he mainly stayed in mid-card obscurity.
Iaukea stayed with WCW until the buyout and can now be seen on the independent circuit.
Ultimo Dragon
29 of 55Defeated: Prince Iaukea
Where: Huntsville, Ala.
When: April 7, 1997
Title Reign: 41 days
Ultimo Dragon is one of the most decorated Japanese wrestlers of all time.
He has won titles all over the world and won a total of four titles in WCW.
He won this title twice as well as the Cruiserweight Championship twice.
Steven Regal
30 of 55Defeated: Ultimo Dragon
Where: Charlotte, N.C.
When: May 18, 1997
Title Reign: 65 days
Despite his successes in WWE, he has never been able to win the big one.
William Regal is still with WWE at the announce booth on WWE’s Internet show, NXT.
Ultimo Dragon
31 of 55Defeated: Steven Regal
Where: Jacksonville, Fla.
When: July 22, 1997
Title Reign: 30 days
Ultimo Dragon found himself in WWE in 2003 but he only lasted a year there.
Seven years prior, though, Dragon won the WWF Light Heavyweight Championship, making it his only title win in the company.
Ultimo Dragon can still be seen wrestling in Japan and Mexico.
Alex Wright
32 of 55Defeated: Ultimo Dragon
Where: Nashville, Tenn.
When: Aug. 21, 1997
Title Reign: 32 days
Alex Wright is mostly known for his time in WCW, as this was the only time he had any national exposure.
He would hold this title along with the Cruiserweight and Tag Team Championships before the WCW buyout.
The German wrestler would retire from the ring in 2003 and now has his own wrestling promotion in his native country of Germany.
Disco Inferno
33 of 55Defeated: Alex Wright
Where: Salt Lake City, Utah
When: Sept. 22, 1997
Title Reign: 42 days
Disco Inferno was probably one of the most ridiculous gimmicks WCW ever came up with, but it lasted.
Inferno was over with the fans and it resulted in him winning this title twice as well as the Cruiserweight Championship on one occasion.
After the buyout, he found himself in TNA Wrestling.
Perry Saturn
34 of 55Defeated: Disco Inferno
Where: Philadelphia
When: Nov. 3, 1997
Title Reign: 35 days
Saturn got his big start in ECW in 1995, capturing tag-team gold with Kronus as the Eliminators.
He would leave ECW in 1997 for WCW, where he would capture the Tag Team Championship twice with Raven and Chris Benoit as well as this title.
He soon found his way to WWF and won the European and Hardcore Championships before getting stuck with the Moppy gimmick.
After some time away from the ring, Saturn returned to professional wrestling last year.
Disco Inferno
35 of 55Defeated: Perry Saturn
Where: Buffalo, N.Y.
When: Dec. 8, 1997
Title Reign: 21 days
While with TNA, he managed Simon Diamond and Johnny Swinger to tag team gold. He himself also wrestled but never won any titles.
After appearing in a segment last year with Mr. Anderson and Sting, Disco Inferno can now be seen on the independent circuit.
Booker T
36 of 55Defeated: Disco Inferno
Where: Baltimore, Md.
When: Dec. 29, 1997
Title Reign: 49 days
Booker T got his big start when he and his brother were signed to WCW in 1993.
As Harlem Heat, they dominated the tag team division for four years, winning the Tag Team Championship seven times.
Rick Martel
37 of 55Defeated: Booker T
Where: Tampa, Fla.
When: Feb. 16, 1998
Title Reign: six days
Rick Martel spent most of his career in the WWF, though he did spend some time in the AWA winning their World Heavyweight Championship.
While with WWF he would win the Tag Team Championship three times; twice with Tony Garea and once with Tito Santana as Strike Force.
He went to WCW in 1997 but left a year later.
Martel would retire in 1998 and was last seen in 2007 at WWE Night of Champions when he and Garea saved Jimmy Snuka and Sergeant Slaughter from an attack by Deuce ‘n Domino.
Booker T
38 of 55Defeated: Rick Martel
Where: Augusta, Ga.
When: Feb. 22, 1998
Title Reign: 67 days
Harlem Heat broke up and Booker became a singles competitor.
Within the span of a year, Booker would capture this title six times.
He and Stevie would then reunite as Harlem Heat in 1999.
Chris Benoit
39 of 55Defeated: Booker T
Where: Augusta, Ga.
When: April 30, 1998
Title Reign: one day
Benoit got his first major exposure in ECW, winning tag team gold with Dean Malenko. While there, he got noticed by WCW and was signed to a contract.
During his time with WCW, Benoit would capture this title three times along with reigns as United States and tag- eam champion.
He would also win the World Heavyweight Championship, but he left for the WWF the very next day.
Booker T
40 of 55Defeated: Chris Benoit
Where: Greenville, S.C.
When: May 1, 1998
Title Reign: one day
Back with Harlem Heat, the team would win the Tag Team Championship three more times, making them 10-time champions.
Stevie Ray would soon turn on Booker and form Harlem Heat 2000 with Big T, formally Ahmed Johnson.
Afterwards, Booker became G.I. Bro in the Misfits In Action but was back to Booker T quite quickly.
Chris Benoit
41 of 55Defeated: Booker T
Where: Charleston, S.C.
When: May 2, 1998
Title Reign: one day
Benoit became a huge success in WWF/E, winning 12 titles and the 2004 Royal Rumble.
Among the titles he captured were the Tag Team, United States, Intercontinental and World Heavyweight Championships.
On June 11, 2007 Benoit was drafted to WWE’s revival of ECW, where he stayed until his death 14 days later.
Booker T
42 of 55Defeated: Chris Benoit
Where: Savannah, Ga.
When: May 3, 1998
Title Reign: one day
During the dying days of WCW, Booker would win the World Heavyweight Championship four times; the fourth occurring on the final episode of WCW Monday Nitro.
He also won the United States Championship as well.
When WCW was shut down, Booker had won 23 titles in the company.
Fit Finlay
43 of 55Defeated: Booker T
Where: Indianapolis
When: May 4, 1998
Title Reign: 41 days
Finlay got his start in Ireland and wrestled in Japan before making the move to WCW.
While with the wrestling giant, he would capture only this title.
After the company was shut down in 2001, WWE hired him as a trainer.
He returned to the ring in 2006, where he won the United States Championship once.
In 2010, he went back to training wrestlers and working as a producer before he was released in 2011 after major backlash from him booking The Miz to interrupt the national anthem during a house show with US troops in attendance.
Booker T
44 of 55Defeated: Fit Finlay
Where: Baltimore, Md.
When: June 14, 1998
Title Reign: 30 days
During the Invasion angle in WWF, Booker would lose the world title to Kurt Angle but would win it back a few days later, becoming a five-time WCW champion.
He would also capture the WCW tag titles one more time, this time with Test.
During his time with WWF/E, Booker would win 10 titles, including the Tag Team, Intercontinental, United States and World heavyweight Championship.
He would also be crowned King of the Ring in 2006.
Booker left WWE in 2007 and joined TNA that same year.
Stevie Ray
45 of 55Defeated: Awarded
Where: Baltimore, Md.
When: July 14, 1998
Title Reign: 27 days
When Booker T went down with an injury, his brother, Stevie Ray, declared that due to a power of attorney, the title was awarded to him.
Stevie Ray spent most of career in WCW with Harlem Heat winning tag team gold a total of 10 times.
He would also become a member of the nWo and become a color commentator before retiring in 2002.
He, along with Booker T, now runs a wrestling school in Houston.
Chris Jericho
46 of 55Defeated: Stevie Ray
Where: Rapid City, S.D.
When: Aug. 10, 1998
Title Reign: 112 days
Jericho got his first major exposure working for ECW in 1996, winning the Television Championship.
Later that year, he found himself in WCW and was a major heel.
He was never able to get out of the mid-card, though, winning this title once and the Cruiserweight Championship four times.
In 1999, he signed with WWF/E and has since become one of the most decorated wrestlers to step foot in a WWE ring.
He has won every title there was to win in the company, including being the first undisputed world champion and hold the Intercontinental Championship a record setting nine times.
After a two-year hiatus, Chris Jericho is now back with WWE on the Raw brand.
Konnan
47 of 55Defeated: Chris Jericho
Where: Chattanooga, Tenn.
When: Nov. 30, 1998
Title Reign: 28 days
After spending some time in AAA as well as in WWF as Max Moon, Konnan headed to WCW, where he had his most success.
He would win four titles in WCW including US, tag-team and TV gold.
After WCW folded he found himself in TNA as a member of the 3Live Kru along with B.G. James and Ron Killings.
They would win the tag titles twice before breaking up.
Konnan then began to manage the Latin American Xchange to three Tag Team Championships.
After leaving TNA in 2007, he returned to AAA.
In September of last year, Konnan teased that he’d be returning to a familiar company.
Nothing has happened yet, but it’s speculated to be TNA, since they have a working relationship with AAA.
Scott Steiner
48 of 55Defeated: Konnan
Where: Baltimore, Md.
When: Dec. 28, 1998
Title Reign: 76 days
After the WCW buyout, Steiner made his return to WWE and became an immediate contender for Triple H’s World Heavyweight Championship.
He never won the title and entered into mid-card obscurity.
After leaving WWE, he joined TNA Wrestling in 2006 and won tag team gold with Booker T two years later.
Big Poppa Pump is still with TNA as a member of Immortal.
Booker T
49 of 55Defeated: Scott Steiner
Where: Louisville, Ky.
When: March 14, 1999
Title Reign: 56 days
While with TNA Wrestling, Booker T would create the Legends Championship, now the TV title, and also capture the Tag Team Championship once with Scott Steiner.
He left TNA in 2009 and returned to WWE in 2011.
You can still see Booker on SmackDown as a color commentator, though he recently finished an in-ring feud with Cody Rhodes.
Rick Steiner
50 of 55Defeated: Booker T
Where: St.Louis, Mo.
When: May 9, 1999
Title Reign: 127 days
After WCW was shut down, Steiner made his way to TNA and has had multiple stints with the organization.
Despite his brother Scott being brought into the WWF shortly after the buyout, Rick never got the call.
Chris Benoit
51 of 55Defeated: Rick Steiner
Where: Chapel Hill, N.C.
When: Sept. 13, 1999
Title Reign: 41 days
Chris Benoit was an extremely accomplished wrestler and is considered one of the best to step foot inside a ring.
Unfortunately, his legacy as a wrestler will forever be tarnished due to the circumstances of his death.
We all know what happened, so I won’t get into it.
Rick Steiner
52 of 55Defeated: Chris Benoit
Where: Las Vegas, Nev.
When: Oct. 24, 1999
Title Reign: 28 days
Between his stints with TNA, Steiner could be seen wrestling in the independents.
After his last stint there in 2008, he went back to the independents, where he can still be seen today.
Scott Hall
53 of 55Defeated: Awarded
Where: Toronto
When: Nov. 21, 1999
Title Reign: eight days
When Rick Steiner went down with an injury, his scheduled opponent, Scott Hall, was awarded the title.
The title was then declared vacant on Nov. 29, 1999 when Hall and Kevin Nash threw the title in the trash.
A lot of people considered it abandoned, but it would resurface.
Scott Hall got his big break as Razor Ramon in WWF.
He would win the Intercontinental Championship four times before defecting to WCW as a member of the nWo.
While with WCW he would capture 10 titles and also win the three-ring battle royal at World War 3.
Hall would find himself back with WWF in 2002 as a member of the nWo.
He would be released later that year and split his time between the independents, TNA, WWC and Juggalo Championship Wrestling over the last 10 years.
Hall is considered to be in bad shape as of late due to his abuse of drugs and alcohol.
Jim Duggan
54 of 55Defeated: Found
Where: Bethlehem, PA
When: Feb. 19, 2000
Title Reign: 54 days
When Jim Duggan found the title in a dumpster, he declared himself as champion.
On April 10, 2000, Eric Bischoff and Vince Russo rebooted WCW and vacated all the titles in the company except for the WCW Television Championship.
Instead of getting a fresh start, the title was abandoned.
Duggan got his big break when he was signed by WWF in 1987. He was one of the most popular wrestlers on the roster but that would never lead to a single title win.
He would, however, win the first-ever Royal Rumble in 1988.
He left in 1994 and wound up in WCW until it was shut down. While there he would find this title and also win the United States Championship.
He returned to WWE in 2005 where he was used mostly as a jobber to get other talent over.
He would be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2011 and will make the occasional appearance for WWE while also wrestling in the independents.
Statistics and Final Thoughts
55 of 55Most Reigns: Booker T (6)
Longest Single Reign: Tully Blanchard (353 days)
Longest Combined Reign: Arn Anderson (870 days)
Shortest Reign: Lex Luger, Chris Benoit, Booker T (one day)
The Television Championship was a much sought after belt in the NWA and WCW.
It has been held by some of the all-time greats and has produced many great matches in its history.
It was used as a stepping stone at times to bigger and better things while other times it would prove to be a wrestlers only success.
Towards the end of its existence, the title’s importance dwindled.
It went from a title that many wanted to a title that nobody wanted. When Scott Hall literally threw it in the trash, I knew that was it for the belt.
I was hoping that with the company’s “reboot” that the belt would see resurgence but it was just scrapped.
While TNA Wrestling has their own TV Championship, its status as a mid-card title is as low as WCW’s was before it was thrown in the garbage.
The Television Championship was typically defended every week on television in matches with a 10-minute time limit. As time went by, it became every other week, then just on pay-per-view before it stopped appearing all together.
Now the WCW World Television Championship is gone and forgotten.
Thanks for reading!
There are only three titles left in the series, but I’m not sure which one I’m going to do next.
Come back on Sunday, though, for the next edition of Abandoned!
Previous Installments
WWE Women’s│WWE European│ECW Television│WCW Hardcore│WCW US Tag Team│WWF Martial Arts│WWF International│WCW Women’s│ECW World│WWE Cruiserweight│WWF Light Weight│ECW Tag Team│FTW World│WCW 6-Man Tag Team│Million Dollar│WWF Junior│WWF Women’s Tag Team│WCW International│ WCW TV pt.1
Sources
Photos: onlineworldofwrestling.com unless noted otherwise
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