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WCW Monday Nitro may not be around anymore, but it was one of the few wrestling shows that pushed WWE against the ropes. A show that made its debut in September 1995, from the first time it aired on TNT, WCW Monday Nitro changed the landscape of the professional wrestling industry. Because it went head-to-head with WWE's Monday Night Raw, both shows helped launch professional wrestling into mainstream relevance during the late 1990s and early 2000s by bringing the best out of both WCW and WWE. There's a fascinating story behind how WCW got the green light for WCW Monday Nitro to air on TNT.

Related: 10 Great WCW Feuds That Got Worse The Longer They Went

WCW Monday Nitro Becomes The Hit Wrestling Show Of The 1990s

Professional wrestling during the 1990s was one of the most exciting periods for wrestling fans. Much of that excitement stemmed from WCW earning a spot on primetime TV to showcase their product. Like Nitro, there have been wrestling shows that also aired at the same time as WWE programming, like AEW Dynamite going head-to-head with WWE NXT and Impact Wrestling going against Monday Night Raw in early 2010. However, WCW Nitro was a wrestling show that not only went against WWE programming but managed to get better ratings than Monday Night Raw for eighty-three straight weeks.

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As the wrestling industry was evolving from cartoon characters to reality-based TV, WCW was one step ahead of the curb. Less than a year after Nitro debuted on TNT, WCW struck fire with Hulk Hogan turning heel and leading the charge of the New World Order in mid-1996, as it helped Nitro become the hit wrestling show on TV for many years. Because Nitro pushed WWE to the limits, especially gaining rating supremacy for almost two years, WWE had no choice but to make changes to their product by launching the adult-oriented Attitude Era in 1997, which helped them stay in the competition.

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During the prime of WCW, Nitro featured a star-driven roster that included future WWE Hall of Famers such as Hulk Hogan, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, Sting, Booker T, Diamond Dallas Page, Scott Steiner, Goldberg, and more. Every single one of these individuals contributed to the success of Nitro, creating countless memories that wrestling fans talk about to this day. And because of the initial success of Nitro, WCW even earned extra TV time on WarnerMedia with the debut of WCW Thunder in January 1998.

Related: The First 10 Stables In WCW History, Explained

How Did WCW Monday Nitro Get Greenlit To Air On TNT?

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There's a fascinating story regarding the birth of Nitro and how it got a spot on TNT, especially considering the figures involved in helping bring Nitro into prominence. WCW had already become an established wrestling brand long before the show's creation, as the company's legacy goes back to the days of Jim Crockett Promotions and Georgia Championship Wrestling. With billionaire and founder of Turner Broadcasting Services, Ted Turner, launching WCW as an official organization in 1988, one would expect big things for the company soon after.

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According to an article on WWE.com relating to the launch of Nitro, WCW president Eric Bischoff presented an idea to Ted Turner about bringing WCW programming to a Chinese broadcasting company owned by Rupert Murdoch, a rival of Ted Turner. Instead, Ted Turner had other plans for Eric Bischoff's pitch, as he asked Eric Bischoff in the middle of the presentation what was needed to compete with Vince McMahon's WWE.

With Eric Bischoff replying that WCW programming needed primetime TV to compete, Ted Turner gave him a time slot for Monday nights to go head-to-head with Monday Night Raw. With Eric Bischoff thinking on his feet when Ted Turner questioned an effective way to defeat WWE, WCW Nitro getting slotted on primetime TV eventually became one of the most groundbreaking decisions for not just WCW but the wrestling industry as a whole.

Related: 10 WCW Wrestlers: What Was Their Best Promo?Although Nitro only lasted a short time before ending in March 2001, the show's six-year run had generated a level of popularity that no other non-WWE show has since been able to garner. As much of it had to do with the show airing on TNT every week, it shows that landing a prominent TV deal is essential for a wrestling company to succeed and be taken seriously.