The mid-card division of WCW often featured stronger entertainment than the main event. WCW primarily had the same names rotating in the main event picture with Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, Sting and a few others always at the top of the card. Other talents made the most of their opportunities in the mid-card to provide strong matches and promos. These wrestlers were essentially the backbone of WCW during the Monday Night Wars.
We will look at just which wrestlers had the best stints in the mid-card for WCW. Some of them would breakout enough to get a main event push before the company went out of business. Others stayed in the same tier without sacrificing any of their skills in the less celebrated position. Find out just what went into the success of WCW with the top ten greatest mid-carders in company history.
10 Jeff Jarrett
The run of Jeff Jarrett in the 90s featured him jumping back and forth between WWE and WCW. Jarrett was consistently in the mid-card picture for both companies. The WCW chapter of Jarrett’s mid-card time featured him involved in the Four Horsemen.
Debra becoming Jarrett’s manager made him an even more credible mid-carder in WCW with the extra help. Jarrett’s final return to WCW saw him finally make the main event picture after Vince Russo promised him a bigger push for the first time in his career.
9 Lance Storm
The addition of Lance Storm to the WCW roster came in 2000 after the company was already in a dire situation. Storm was one of the few bright spots to contribute something to the show. The heel run of Storm as the Team Canada leader provided strong entertainment.
Storm essentially did his version of Bret Hart’s 1997 pro-Canadian/anti-American character for WCW. The matches of Storm always delivered since he was one of the best technical wrestlers in the world. Storm may be even higher on the list if WCW signed him a few years earlier.
8 Curt Hennig
Curt Hennig joining WCW had fans hoping he would be in the main event picture. The prior WWE run as Mr. Perfect showcased that Hennig was among the top in-ring performers in the entire industry. WCW did introduce him in a big storyline involving the New World Order and Four Horsemen.
Hennig turned on the Horsemen to join the nWo and enter a singles feud with Ric Flair. WCW eventually started moving Hennig into the mid-card where he would spend the rest of his time in the company. The matches of Hennig always provided entertainment regardless of his spot on the card.
7 Konnan
WCW signed Konnan with big expectations following his legendary run in AAA as a top star there. Konnan eventually settled in the mid-card when WCW realized he was not going to hit the main event level. The big move joining the New World Order helped add to Konnan’s momentum.
Most WCW fans would admit that the peak of Konnan’s time came as part of the beloved nWo Wolfpac faction. Konnan was still in the mid-card, but fans recited his promos and were captivated by his matches as a top mid-carder in the company.
6 Arn Anderson
The Four Horsemen created many stars for WCW with Arn Anderson being the second most important member after Ric Flair. Anderson had the nickname of The Enforcer and was portrayed as one of the more intimidating performers on the entire roster.
Despite having a few small teases in the main event picture, Anderson was primarily in the mid-card. Flair represented the group at the top while Anderson was second in command trying to win the mid-card titles. Anderson made every angle he took part in feel important with his great performances.
5 Chris Jericho
WCW never got the full potential of Chris Jericho, but he tried his best to showcase it in his role. Jericho started off in the cruiserweight division before moving into the mid-card picture. Matches with Dean Malenko, Rey Mysterio, Raven and Perry Saturn showed the variety of performers he could shine with.
Jericho wanted to move into a main event chance by trying to challenge the WCW Champion Goldberg, but the company never gave it to him. The decision to join WWE would see Jericho finally become a successful main eventer. WCW didn’t give him that chance, but he did add to his legacy in the mid-card.
4 Raven
The signing of Raven showed that WCW was more than willing to steal talents from ECW if it improved the roster. Raven was the top overall heel in ECW when he made the decision to join WCW for a bigger contract. WCW tried keeping the same gimmick of the mysterious leader of a cult-like faction.
The Flock found success in the mid-card picture as Raven delivered outstanding performances. Some of the standout matches for Raven took place against Diamond Dallas Page, Chris Benoit, Goldberg and Chris Jericho. Raven always made the most of his opportunity to have a top tier mid-card run.
3 Chris Benoit
The consistency of Chris Benoit in the mid-card picture made him develop a reputation as arguably the best in-ring worker for WCW. Benoit spent almost the entirety of his WCW run in the mid-card division often competing for the United States or Television Championship.
WCW eventually tried to push Benoit into the main event picture come 2000 when desperate for new stars. The timing was too late as Benoit grew frustrated of never getting the chance earlier and decided to join WWE. Benoit’s WCW time was still superb enough to make him a top mid-carder.
2 Booker T
Booker T had an outstanding tag team run with Harlem Heat that could have kept him in the tag division forever with success. However, an injury to Stevie Ray would see Booker get his first chance in singles action in the mid-card division to great success.
Fans loved Booker and he was a rising star that had to continue working on his own. Booker had that classic best of seven series with Chris Benoit that helped him get to that next level. WCW eventually gave him the top push in 2000 by making him the WCW Champion towards the end of the company’s run.
1 Diamond Dallas Page
Many remember the WCW main event run of Diamond Dallas Page first in his career due to how great it was, but he spent most of his time as a mid-carder. Page started breaking out during a series of matches with Eddie Guerrero. Fans would get behind DDP in 1997 when turning down a spot in the New World Order.
The best matches from Page came against the likes of Chris Benoit, Raven and Randy Savage. It wasn’t until 1999 that DDP won the WCW Championship and became a consistent main eventer. The unbelievable run in the mid-card got him to the top and helped create a lasting legacy for WCW fans.