‘Who Killed WCW?’ docuseries is coming to Vice TV this June

The death of World Championship Wrestling is a topic that’s been beaten to death since 2001. However, The Rock and Vice TV will attempt to breathe new life into the subject this June.

Seven Bucks Productions, co-founded by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and his ex-wife Dany Garcia, has partnered with Vice TV to produce “Who Killed WCW?” The upcoming four-part docuseries covers the collapse of the once-successful wrestling promotion. Producers from the series “Dark Side of the Ring” are also involved, announcing their participation on social media while revealing the premiere date and a trailer for the show.

We’re partnering with @TheRock and @SevenBucksProd again on a new 4-part documentary series…

“WHO KILLED WCW?”

The meteoric rise and spectacular fall of the cultural phenomenon that was World Championship Wrestling.

June 4 at 10PM on @vicetv .

Premiering June 4 on Vice TV, “Who Killed WCW?” features Eric Bischoff, Vince Russo, Booker T, and Kevin Nash, among others, as they rehash a subject that’s been covered by several books, documentaries, and podcasts many times over since the company closed shop in 2001.

In 1988, media mogul Ted Turner purchased Jim Crockett Promotions, renaming it World Championship Wrestling (WCW). The company initially struggled financially but saw a turnaround in the mid-1990s under Eric Bischoff, thanks to the success of the New World Order (nWo) storyline, when longtime wrestling hero Hulk Hogan turned villain.

However, costly talent acquisitions, contracts, and creative missteps resulted in declining ratings and pay-per-view buys, leading to significant financial losses for WCW. The AOL Time Warner merger worsened the situation, shifting the company’s focus away from wrestling. Despite initial efforts by Eric Bischoff and his group of investors to purchase WCW, ultimately, an executive decision to cancel WCW programming on Turner networks in March 2001 prompted Bischoff’s investors to withdraw. AOL Time Warner subsequently sold WCW to then-WWE owner Vince McMahon, signaling the end of WCW as a wrestling promotion.

Nevertheless, the firsthand stories from those who lived through and experienced the demise of WCW remain timeless. Viewers can anticipate plenty of finger-pointing and backbiting from some of the industry’s biggest names, which should translate to some quality entertainment come June.