{"id":126860,"date":"2024-09-07T10:00:09","date_gmt":"2024-09-07T14:00:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/?p=126860"},"modified":"2024-09-07T10:18:18","modified_gmt":"2024-09-07T14:18:18","slug":"wcw-hog-wild-inside-the-iconic-ppv-from-a-motorcycle-rally","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2024\/09\/07\/wcw-hog-wild-inside-the-iconic-ppv-from-a-motorcycle-rally\/","title":{"rendered":"WCW Hog Wild: Inside The Iconic PPV From A Motorcycle Rally"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em><strong>WCW Hog Wild<\/strong> <\/em>is the most bizarre wrestling show of all time. On a hot August day in 1996, WCW set up camp at a motorcycle rally in Sturgis, South Dakota.<\/p>\n<p>The open-air event starts with a two-minute montage of bikes, Mount Rushmore and the US countryside. It is extremely 90s and couldn&#8217;t be more American unless a bald eagle was seen eating a Twinkie.<\/p>\n<p>At first glance, <em>WCW Hog Wild<\/em> seems it was created solely to fulfill one WCW executive&#8217;s leather, muscle, and bike kink. But it was more than that.<\/p>\n<p><em>WCW Hog Wild<\/em> was the scene for one of WCW&#8217;s most shocking and iconic moments, fuelled a brand, brought in major advertisers, and also nearly brought on a major lawsuit.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">My daughter Montanna and I on the road to the first WCW Sturgis event! <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/B0JB3S6wrd\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/B0JB3S6wrd<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Eric Bischoff (@EBischoff) <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/EBischoff\/status\/1428377168728387588?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">August 19, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">WCW Hog Wild Problems <\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The problem with wrestling shows taking place at non-wrestling events is you lose two critical factors. Firstly, the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally was a free event for bike nuts. So WCW didn&#8217;t draw money from tickets.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">WCW was happy to forfeit a gate and instead went to Sturgis as part of a strategy to attract bigger advertisers such as Levi, Chevy, Miller Coors, <strong>Eric Bischoff<\/strong> told his <\/span><em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">83 Weeks <\/span><\/em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">podcast.\u00a0This strategy was successful and WCW gained new advertisers during the event, Bischoff claimed. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Secondly, although I&#8217;m sure there&#8217;s a cross-over between wrestling and bike fans, you can&#8217;t guarantee an engaged crowd. So the show <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">takes place<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> in front of an unenthused crowd and draws no money.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">WCW also chose to put on 16 matches. The first eight matches aired on WCW on Saturday Night. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">In the case of <\/span><em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">WCW Hog Wild <\/span><\/em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">portions of the crowd were at times worse than uninterested. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The opening match on the main card was <\/span><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Ultimo Dragon <\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">challenging <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2023\/03\/11\/rey-mysterio-hall-of-fame\/\" target=\"_self\"><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Rey Mysterio <\/span><\/strong><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">for the Cruiserweight Championship. The crowd decided to test the waters on some xenophobia by revving their bikes and chanting USA throughout the contest.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">WCW Cruiserweight Title Match <\/p>\n<p>Champion Rey Mysterio <br \/>vs<br \/>Challenger Ultimo Dragon <\/p>\n<p>WCW Hog Wild<br \/>August 10, 1996 <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/0jFl4kcYJ9\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/0jFl4kcYJ9<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; GrappleClips (@GrappleClips) <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/GrappleClips\/status\/1821536234126111185?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">August 8, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Racist remarks were made towards <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2019\/03\/11\/harlem-heat-announced-for-wwe-hall-of-fame-2019\/\" target=\"_self\"><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Harlem Heat<\/span><\/strong><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> as they fought <\/span><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The Stieners. <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2021\/05\/11\/ae-biography-booker-t\/\" target=\"_self\"><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Booker T <\/span><\/strong><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">surprisingly looks back on this moment as a positive because he was able to gain a reaction as a heel in front of the redneck crowd.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">More well-known<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> stars such as <\/span><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Ric Flair, Sting, <\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">and <\/span><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Lex Luger <\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">received more favorable welcomes.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">WCW Plays Biker Dress-Up <\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">This didn&#8217;t stop WCW from getting into the spirit of things. <strong>Dusty Rhodes<\/strong>, <strong>Tony Schiavone<\/strong>, <strong>Bobby Heenan<\/strong>, and <strong>Gene Okerland <\/strong><\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">all<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> dressed up as bikers for the broadcast. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Bischoff led a convoy of WCW wrestlers and personnel on a bike ride to Sturgis. This was said to be a hugely positive team bonding exercise and experience. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Bischoff spoke favorably about the thrill of riding behind <\/span><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Medusa<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> on the journey. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">It was the third match of the show that <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">really<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> got into the vibe of the rally. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2024\/03\/08\/bull-nakano-top-matches-from-the-2024-wwe-hall-of-fame-inductee\/\" target=\"_self\"><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Bull Nakano<\/span><\/strong><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> and Madusa competed with the stipulation that the winner got to destroy the loser&#8217;s bike. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Bischoff revealed that this got one of the best reactions from the crowd as they could understand the story. <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2018\/10\/18\/alundra-blayze-madusa-reportedly-set-for-wwe-evolution\/\" target=\"_self\">Madusa<\/a> was competing to protect the beauty of an American bike, and to destroy the Japanese bike Nakano had rode in on. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Medusa won much to the delight of the American bike superfans.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>It was an enjoyable match by two future <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2024\/03\/08\/bull-nakano-top-matches-from-the-2024-wwe-hall-of-fame-inductee\/\" target=\"_self\">WWE Hall of Fame<\/a> inductees who were the perfect opponents for each other.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Bull Nakano turns Madusa into a pretzel at Hog Wild <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/DcoAnonskh\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/DcoAnonskh<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Wrestling Magazine (@WrestleMagazine) <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/WrestleMagazine\/status\/1627496481417723905?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">February 20, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">&#8220;Hollywood&#8221; Hulk Hogan Debuts And The nWo commits vandalism <\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">But it was the main event that made <\/span><em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">WCW Hog Wild <\/span><\/em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">a vital piece of WCW history. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">A month earlier, <\/span><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Hulk Hogan<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> had buddied up with <\/span><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Scott Hall <\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">and<\/span><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> Kevin Nash<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">. But it was at <\/span><em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Hog Wild <\/span><\/em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">that we got to understand the true identity of the nWo.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Billed at <\/span><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">&#8220;Hollywood&#8221; Hogan<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> for the first time, the nWo took out WCW World Heavyweight Championship <\/span><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The Giant<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">. A shot with the title led to &#8220;Hollywood&#8221; pinning The Giant to win the main event and the gold. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">This was the true formation of the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2018\/08\/06\/4life-hogan-hall-nash-bringing-back-nwo-but-where\/\" target=\"_self\">nWo<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Hogan sprayed nWo on the big gold belt and rechristened it to the nWo World Heavyweight Championship.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">23 years after this moment, people are still giving WWE $429 to own a <a  href=\"https:\/\/shop.wwe.com\/en\/nwo-spray-paint-wcw-championship-replica-title-belt\/p-15645273045960+z-9246-1923814860\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">replica nWo Spray Paint WCW Championship. <\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">History was made 23 years ago today! When Hollywood Hulk Hogan beat The Giant at WCW&#39;s Hog Wild 1996. This led to one of the most shocking moments in sports entertainment history when Hollywood spray painted the letters nWo on the <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/WCW?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">#WCW<\/a> Heavyweight Title! <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Hogansbeachshop?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">#Hogansbeachshop<\/a> <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/KwtYtqD1f2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/KwtYtqD1f2<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Hulk Hogan (@HulkHogan) <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/HulkHogan\/status\/1160293464225067010?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">August 10, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h3><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Legal Issues And Ultimate Success <\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Harley Davidson was <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">obviously<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> aware of the <\/span><em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">WCW Hog Wild <\/span><\/em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">event that took place at the massive motorcycle rally. The bike powerhouse <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">filed a complaint<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> that people could associate its company with the event as HOG is an acronym synonymous with its owner&#8217;s membership club the Harley Owners Group.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">WCW changed the <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">name of the event<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> to Road Wild and ran it between 1997 and 1999 at Sturgis. Bischoff wanted to create an event that looked and felt <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">totally<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> different from any other WCW PPV. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">He succeeded in that. Bischoff was also successful in securing advertising from companies that he wouldn&#8217;t have been able to get in front of if it wasn&#8217;t for the event taking place in Sturgis.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">But it also provided iconic moments, such as Hogan spray painting the WCW World Heavyweight Championship. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">WCW also released a<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> range of Road Wild action figures in which its top st<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">ar<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">s<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> came<\/span> <span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">com<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">plete with motorbikes.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>In 1998, bike enthusiast <strong>Jay Leno\u00a0<\/strong>teamed with\u00a0<strong>&#8220;Diamond&#8221; Dallas Page\u00a0<\/strong>to take on Hogan and Bischoff in a tag team match.<\/p>\n<p><a  href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=qDzN6OwUQ5k\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Jay Leno &amp; Diamond Dallas Page vs. Hulk Hogan &amp; Eric &#8230;YouTube \u00b7 WWE4 minutes, 26 seconds20 Feb 2017<\/a><\/p>\n<h3>More From LWOS Pro Wrestling<\/h3>\n<p><em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Header photo \u2013 WWE \u2013 Stay tuned to the\u00a0<\/span><\/em><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\"><em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Last Word on Pro Wrestling<\/span><\/em><\/a><em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0for more on this and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. You can always count on LWOPW to be on top of the major news in the wrestling world, as well as to provide you with analysis, previews, videos, interviews, and editorials on the wrestling world. You can check out an almost unlimited array of WWE content on the\u00a0<\/span><\/em><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/watch.wwe.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">WWE Network<\/span><\/em><\/a><em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span><\/em><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peacocktv.com\/watch\/home\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Peacock<\/span><\/em><\/a><em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>WCW Hog Wild is the most bizarre wrestling show of all time. On a hot August day in 1996, WCW set up camp at a motorcycle rally in Sturgis, South Dakota. The open-air event starts with a two-minute montage of bikes, Mount Rushmore and the US countryside. It is extremely 90s and couldn&#8217;t be more [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3852,"featured_media":126866,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[7205,2192],"tags":[1670,46,587,8999,795,886,2540,250],"class_list":["post-126860","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-history","category-wrestling","tag-bull-nakano","tag-eric-bischoff","tag-hulk-hogan","tag-medusa","tag-nwo","tag-rey-mysterio","tag-ultimo-dragon","tag-wcw"],"modified_by":"Michael Joseph Sugue, Manager","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/126860","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3852"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=126860"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/126860\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/126866"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=126860"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=126860"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=126860"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}