How do they stack up to one another?
To most people War Games or Fall Brawl, was WCW's answer to Survivor Series. I don't share this opinion because I believe the NWA were doing War Games before Survivor Series.
World War 3 however is a different story. With the winner getting some kind of shot at the title to face off for the WCW championship. Clearly, WCW had were attempting their own version of Rumble/Mania.
This concept was relatively short lived only going from 1995-1998. My theory is that after 98 WCW could no longer afford to use up valuable front row seats for the additional 3 rings.
World War 3 was never really able to capture what the Royal Rumble could. A 20 man Battle Royal is hard enough to keep up with, when you add 60 man to three rings you're putting a lot of dead space in front of the audience.
With the Royal Rumble you have anticipation between one character's entrance to the next and the action is at least watchable as there isn't usually more than 8 guys in the ring at best. WW3 was cluttered and difficult to follow on camera as well usually having 3 different cameras on split.
When you look at the Royal Rumble or WW3, you also have to look at the match that piggybacks off of it.
95-Randy Savage wins the vacant title with Hogan getting swerved by the Giant and pulled out of the ring after he had already been eliminated. Savage goes onto lose the title to Flair at Starrcade. If Savage had won cleanly then the buildup to the Flair match would have made sense. With Hogan getting shafted it made more sense to me to have Hogan versus Savage at Starrcade.
96-The Giant won by last eliminating Lex Luger to earn a WCW World Heavyweight Championship title shot. Believable ending, but nothing came of the match besides The Giant wanting his title shot and getting kicked out of the NWO as a result. The Giant goes onto wrestle Hogan to a No-Contest at Souled Out.
97-Hall won the match after Kevin Nash, in a Sting disguise, attacked Giant with a baseball bat and eliminated him. Hall goes onto lose the title match to Sting at Uncensored. Nothing really comes from Hall's victory.
98-Nash wins. Nash goes onto beat Goldberg, and end the streak thanks to help from Hall. The following night on Nitro in Atlanta, Nash is slated to give Goldberg a rematch in his own town. WCW makes up some goofy storyline about Goldberg stalking Elizabeth and he's arrested. Instead of Goldberg (WCW) versus Nash (Wolfpack), Hogan (NWO Hollywood) is brought in for a replacement and the Finger Poke of Doom occurs reuniting the NWO who proceeds to beat down Goldberg when he runs down. This match had the most potential as Nash was the leader of the NWO Wolfpack who were popular at the time. If Starrcade managed a clean finish either way then it would have been acceptable. Instead there is a swerve ending to WCW's biggest PPV and the accompanying Nitro that brought about the last time WCW won the Monday Night Wars.
As you can see, WCW never made the magic with WW3 that the Rumble has been known for. It basically pans out to be a huge match that never pushed anyone and only established stars would go onto win WW3 and end up in dead end story lines/matches.
95 should have had a cleaner ending or led to a Savage v. Hogan match at Starrcade.
96-Since WCW was bent on making Piper (boring) Hogan's adversary in late 96 and early 97, he should have at least won WW3 versus the grudge matches they held.
97-Difficult to know what WCW should have done at this time. Given that Sting was going to face Hogan at Starrcade you were really looking for someone to give Sting a feud with after he won the title. If WCW knew they were going to split the NWO up; which was a good idea, I would have had Hogan lose at Starrcade, Hogan get a rematch at NWO Souled Out in some kind of No DQ match where Sting fends off the onslaught of the NWO with his bat and still scores the pin. Savage gets his title match with Sting at Super Brawl to Hogan's dismay and frustration, Hogan actually interferes on Sting's behalf, but is stopped by Nash who ensures that Savage wins. The NWO split up, Savage loses to Hollywood at Slamboree.
98-Hogan spends the better part of the year dodging Goldberg until Goldberg wins out at WW3 and gets a title match with Hogan at Starrcade. Double main event at Starrcade with Sting vs. Warrior and Hogan vs. Goldberg, Goldberg wins and goes onto wrestle either Sting or Warrior who would put him over.
98-
To most people War Games or Fall Brawl, was WCW's answer to Survivor Series. I don't share this opinion because I believe the NWA were doing War Games before Survivor Series.
World War 3 however is a different story. With the winner getting some kind of shot at the title to face off for the WCW championship. Clearly, WCW had were attempting their own version of Rumble/Mania.
This concept was relatively short lived only going from 1995-1998. My theory is that after 98 WCW could no longer afford to use up valuable front row seats for the additional 3 rings.
World War 3 was never really able to capture what the Royal Rumble could. A 20 man Battle Royal is hard enough to keep up with, when you add 60 man to three rings you're putting a lot of dead space in front of the audience.
With the Royal Rumble you have anticipation between one character's entrance to the next and the action is at least watchable as there isn't usually more than 8 guys in the ring at best. WW3 was cluttered and difficult to follow on camera as well usually having 3 different cameras on split.
When you look at the Royal Rumble or WW3, you also have to look at the match that piggybacks off of it.
95-Randy Savage wins the vacant title with Hogan getting swerved by the Giant and pulled out of the ring after he had already been eliminated. Savage goes onto lose the title to Flair at Starrcade. If Savage had won cleanly then the buildup to the Flair match would have made sense. With Hogan getting shafted it made more sense to me to have Hogan versus Savage at Starrcade.
96-The Giant won by last eliminating Lex Luger to earn a WCW World Heavyweight Championship title shot. Believable ending, but nothing came of the match besides The Giant wanting his title shot and getting kicked out of the NWO as a result. The Giant goes onto wrestle Hogan to a No-Contest at Souled Out.
97-Hall won the match after Kevin Nash, in a Sting disguise, attacked Giant with a baseball bat and eliminated him. Hall goes onto lose the title match to Sting at Uncensored. Nothing really comes from Hall's victory.
98-Nash wins. Nash goes onto beat Goldberg, and end the streak thanks to help from Hall. The following night on Nitro in Atlanta, Nash is slated to give Goldberg a rematch in his own town. WCW makes up some goofy storyline about Goldberg stalking Elizabeth and he's arrested. Instead of Goldberg (WCW) versus Nash (Wolfpack), Hogan (NWO Hollywood) is brought in for a replacement and the Finger Poke of Doom occurs reuniting the NWO who proceeds to beat down Goldberg when he runs down. This match had the most potential as Nash was the leader of the NWO Wolfpack who were popular at the time. If Starrcade managed a clean finish either way then it would have been acceptable. Instead there is a swerve ending to WCW's biggest PPV and the accompanying Nitro that brought about the last time WCW won the Monday Night Wars.
As you can see, WCW never made the magic with WW3 that the Rumble has been known for. It basically pans out to be a huge match that never pushed anyone and only established stars would go onto win WW3 and end up in dead end story lines/matches.
95 should have had a cleaner ending or led to a Savage v. Hogan match at Starrcade.
96-Since WCW was bent on making Piper (boring) Hogan's adversary in late 96 and early 97, he should have at least won WW3 versus the grudge matches they held.
97-Difficult to know what WCW should have done at this time. Given that Sting was going to face Hogan at Starrcade you were really looking for someone to give Sting a feud with after he won the title. If WCW knew they were going to split the NWO up; which was a good idea, I would have had Hogan lose at Starrcade, Hogan get a rematch at NWO Souled Out in some kind of No DQ match where Sting fends off the onslaught of the NWO with his bat and still scores the pin. Savage gets his title match with Sting at Super Brawl to Hogan's dismay and frustration, Hogan actually interferes on Sting's behalf, but is stopped by Nash who ensures that Savage wins. The NWO split up, Savage loses to Hollywood at Slamboree.
98-Hogan spends the better part of the year dodging Goldberg until Goldberg wins out at WW3 and gets a title match with Hogan at Starrcade. Double main event at Starrcade with Sting vs. Warrior and Hogan vs. Goldberg, Goldberg wins and goes onto wrestle either Sting or Warrior who would put him over.
98-
