Vince Russo Opens Up About Time With WCW & Its 'Split Locker Room'

Back in 1999, former WWE head writer Vince Russo left the Stamford, Connecticut-based promotion with fellow creative team member Ed Ferrera to join WCW. Russo, who had helped "WWE Raw" overtake "WCW Nitro" in the Monday Night War, signed a deal with the now-defunct company following a dispute with then-WWE Chairman Vince McMahon. On the "Developmentally Speaking" podcast, Russo talked about his tenure with WCW.

"The first thing was, it was a split locker room," Russo said. "I mean, that was as clear as day from day one. It was very political. The top guys were doing everything in their power to keep the mid-tier guys down, and if you championed the mid-card guys, the main guys wanted to cut your throat. It was a political battlefield, bro. Just a political battlefield. I don't make excuses. I knew what I was getting into, bro, but I don't think I knew the degree. I don't think I really knew how serious it was. But again, man, I don't regret going there for a minute. I worked just as hard on those shows. I'm proud of those shows. So I have no regrets with that whatsoever."

When Russo joined WCW, the roster was loaded with top stars such as Hulk Hogan, Sting, Bret "The Hitman" Hart, Goldberg, Kevin Nash, and Ric Flair. Russo went on to say that because some wrestlers were getting paid "a lot of money," he and Ferrara always had to put those talents on television. Following a controversial run, Russo's tenure as head writer for WCW came to an end in 2000, shortly after he suffered a significant concussion in his WCW World Championship victory over Booker T inside a steel cage. Russo's concussion occurred when he was speared through the cage by Goldberg. The following year, WCW was bought by McMahon.

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "Developmentally Speaking" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.