The Eight Words That Made This WCW Return Iconic

In 1996, the world of professional wrestling changed forever when Scott Hall joined WCW after making the leap from the WWF (later known as WWE). His decision wasn't exactly a secret among hardcore fans, as the infamous "Curtain Call" took place shortly before and was reported on by sources like Dave Meltzer. However, most fans were shocked when Hall showed up on "WCW Nitro," essentially still playing his WWE character, Razor Ramon.

Hall first appeared in the crowd during the middle of a match, with commentators Tony Schiavone and Larry Zbyszko feigning confusion. As most fans weren't yet aware Hall had left the competition, they didn't quite know what they were seeing. The wrestler made his way over the barricade and towards the ring, causing the match to be ended without a winner. Hall then grabbed a mic and delivered a promo that would become iconic.

Offering just a hint at the storyline to come, Hall started by calling out media magnate Ted Turner, announcer Gene Okerlund, and "Macho Man" Randy Savage. Hall implied that he was breaking the rules by being out there, with WCW clearly intending to make fans believe that he was still under contract to WWE. By the end of the segment, the new status quo still wasn't made entirely obvious, but Hall did make one thing very clear with his final words: "You want a war? You're gonna get one."

Hall wouldn't be allowed to keep portraying Ramon on TV for long, as WWE soon took legal action. However, the storyline continued with Kevin Nash (previously known as Diesel) joining Hall a week later, and a third member teased to be arriving imminently. The "third man" would be revealed as Hulk Hogan at WCW Bash at the Beach 1996, with the former WWE star turning heel for the first time in many years.

The NWO, or New World Order, soon began dominating WCW's programming, and the company overtook WWE in ratings for more than a year. With competition fiercer than ever, Vince McMahon continued to push the boundaries in different ways to increase viewership. That, combined with the rise of stars like "Stone Cold" Steve Austin and The Rock, led to the "Attitude Era" in WWE.

Meanwhile, in WCW, the NWO seemed to be in a state of perpetual growth, with more and more members added as the company tried to capitalize on the group's breakthrough popularity. Hall, Nash, and Hogan all continued to remain key members of the roster, though Nash was the only one who remained part of the NWO throughout the faction's entire history.

Over time, WCW dwindled in both quality and popularity, and its shows were canceled by Time Warner not long after that company purchased Turner Broadcasting. WWE then bought the rights to WCW, and many of its stars eventually made their way back over to the former competitor, including Hall, Nash, and Hogan. Sadly, Hall passed away in 2022 at the age of 63.