Tony Schiavone Felt 'A Sense Of Relief' Upon Leaving Wrestling After WCW Closure

Although he's been a regular presence in AEW since 2019, there was a lengthy period of time when Tony Schiavone had stepped away from the pro wrestling industry entirely. The sabbatical began when WCW was shut down in 2001, and speaking on "What Happened When," Schiavone recalled how he felt after the last "WCW Monday Nitro" broadcast.

"I was glad to leave that day," Schiavone said. "Very honestly, I don't know if it was anger, or relief, or excitement about what was ahead of me, but I knew that I had to reinvent myself, because I knew the WWE would not want me, though I did check with them a couple of times about going to work with them."

Immediately after leaving WCW, Schiavone began working at a radio station and later became a sports broadcaster before his eventual return to wrestling. Looking back at the final "Nitro," Schiavone recalled leaving the arena without saying goodbye to anyone.

"Got in my car and drove to Atlanta that night," Schiavone continued. "There was a sense of relief from that."

Schiavone had already seen the writing on the wall before the actual end, and had started looking for another job outside of wrestling despite it being against his WCW contract to do so. The broadcaster got an interview with a radio station and wound up being hired immediately after WCW's closure.

"I hit the ground running and that's why, when I look back on it, f**t it," Schiavone said. "It didn't really bother me at all."

He then clarified that he was bothered by the way the company's final days were handled by some executives, but by the time the actual closure came around, Schiavone was simply happy to go.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "What Happened When" and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.