There was a time when competition had reached its peak in the wrestling industry, creating severe tension between WWE and WCW. And as the latter signed many of WWE's top stars in the mid 90s, it threatened to reign supreme over the business for many years to come. During that era, it became the norm for many wrestlers to jump ship from one company to another, some of which would highly impact the ongoing Monday Night War. WCW was able to rise through the ranks in a short period of time to surpass the WWE in ratings - thanks to many of their signings.

Although they were able to capture many big names on the market, there are many others who turned down the opportunity to switch sides. Many wrestlers were offered a deal and yet opted to not make the jump, which was quite a tough decision due to the influx of money that WCW had at the time. And to counter WCW's raiding attempts, WWE also went out of their way to attempt to recruit many wrestlers to their company.

From the very beginning until recent times, there have been numerous names who rejected the WWE at some point - which some may find unbelievable due to the success of the company. Many of these decisions turned out for the better of their careers, while others may be feeling regretful for passing on a lucrative offer. Here are 10 wrestlers who turned down WWE contracts and 10 who turned down WCW:

20 Turned Down WWE: Scott Steiner

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Scott Steiner was one of the many WCW wrestlers who signed with the WWE following the demise of the company. And while his WWE journey got off to a great start thanks to a well-received debut, Steiner would then fail to capture the WWE World Heavyweight Championship against Triple H. And it didn't take long from him to fade into irrelevancy as he would leave the company shortly after.

Since then, there has been tension between the two sides due to Steiner's unfiltered and outspoken personality, criticizing Triple H and Stephanie McMahon at any given opportunity. But despite the heat between them, WWE still reached out to Steiner for a Legends contract - which would have included some appearances as well - but Steiner rejected the offer. He claims that his lawyer advised him against signing the contract since there wasn't much in it for him.

19 Turned Down WCW: Tommy Dreamer

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Not only was the WWE on WCW's radar, but there was also ECW making plenty of noise with rising talents in the industry. The company attempted to recruit many of ECW's most famous wrestlers, but many of them declined the invitation as they had been comfortable in their role. Tommy Dreamer received an official WCW contract offer, which he claims was worth more than he earned throughout his entire ECW career.

While Dreamer gave it plenty of thought, he ultimately was pursued by Paul Heyman to turn it down.

ECW was already struggling financially and couldn't compete with such enormous salaries, but it took some lies from Heyman to keep Dreamer around. And while the latter may have been disappointed by Heyman not fulfilling his promises, he did love ECW too much to leave - especially at the time when the company was creating many new stars.

18 Turned Down WWE: James Storm

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For many years, James Storm was among the top wrestlers in TNA, making a name for himself in the tag team division before breaking out as a solo competitor. And as several of his former peers joined the WWE, some thought it was only a matter of time before he joined AJ Styles, Samoa Joe and Bobby Roode in their new venture. Storm even appeared in NXT at some point but that never went beyond some cameos, as he rejected a full-time contract.

Perhaps he felt that it was too late for him to be starting from the bottom since he was already at an advanced age. Or maybe he preferred the lifestyle outside of the WWE, which some may find surprising although it is very common among wrestlers. As of the past few weeks, rumors have once again started to link Storm to the WWE after being spotted backstage on RAW.

17 Turned Down WCW: Shawn Michaels

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The landscape of professional wrestling changed in 1996 when Scott Hall and Kevin Nash jumped ship from the WWE to WCW, forming the nWo with Hulk Hogan. But as a new stable was in the works, there was an older one being left behind. Hall and Nash had been apart of The Kliq in WWE with some of their closest friends in Shawn Michaels, Triple H and X-Pac. The latter ended up joining them in WCW, and was nearly joined by Michaels at some point.

He wanted to leave and join his buddies in WCW, but his request was denied by Vince McMahon - who worked hard to convince Michaels to stay in the company. A few years later, Michaels' wrestling career was put on hold following his injury, and while he was spending time away from the time, WCW still had highest interest in bringing him aboard. They reportedly offered him a contract that seemed to have intrigued Michaels before turning them down.

16 Turned Down WWE: Rhyno

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In his first WWE stint, Rhyno emerged as a promising Superstar to a low-carder in his later years. And as his appearances got fewer, Rhyno decided to leave for TNA in 2005. At the time, not many WWE Superstars had done so, as many of his peers would follow him over the next couple years.

Rhyno showed his worth while working for TNA, proving that he can be an important figure.

And with Vince McMahon's plans to bring back the ECW brand in 2006, he was recruiting many of the originals for the ECW One Night Stand reunion show. Among them was Rhyno, who was offered to resume his WWE journey by joining the ECW brand. But it seems like Rhyno wasn't ready to go back yet as he had been satisfied in TNA, so he ended up rejecting WWE's offer.

15 Turned Down WCW: Big Show

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Younger fans may not be familiar with Big Show's stint as The Giant in WCW since he has been in the WWE for nearly 20 years. He made a memorable debut that instantly made him a top WWE Superstar, establishing himself as the top force in the company. Big Show had grown unhappy in WCW due to the backstage politics as well as his contract negotiations.

He was upset for not being properly compensated for his services, especially compared to so many of his peers. WCW had some enormous contracts at the time, and it seems like Big Show was trying to get his hands on one of those sweet deals. He was rejected by Eric Bischoff who intended to keep Big Show around by offering him a slightly improved contract. But as it turned out, it wasn't good enough to keep him around.

14 Turned Down WWE: AJ Styles

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Plenty of fans thought that A.J. Styles was making his WWE debut upon his arrival at the Royal Rumble two years ago. And while that may be true in a sense, he had previously competed in two matches back in 2002. He only served as a jobber in both contests, but AJ impressed enough to be offered a WWE developmental deal. Most would have given up anything for that opportunity, but AJ turned it down since he had to relocate for the training and the money didn't justify it.

He was getting settled with his family at the time, and AJ wasn't ready to disturb it especially since his wife was pursuing a college degree.

Based on what we know now, AJ certainly made the right choice since he may have been overlooked in the WWE. He got a chance to truly shine in TNA, and eventually impressed all around the world - making him a top capture for the WWE.

13 Turned Down WCW: Owen Hart

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By the time the Montreal Screwjob took place, Owen Hart was already determined to leave the wrestling industry. He wanted to work for a few more years and move on to a different path in life, as he was ready to put his WWE career behind him. And while he did consider leaving the WWE along with his brother Bret Hart and some members of the family, Vince McMahon didn't allow him to get out of his contract.

WCW still had an offer on the table, but Owen would end up turning it down since he was supposedly leaving the wrestling industry once his new contract expired. Unlike many members of the Hart family, Owen had several interests beyond the squared circle. It is unlikely that he would have gone to WCW even once his contract expired since many close associates claim that he had already planned his departure from wrestling.

12 Turned Down WWE: Abyss

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With so many TNA talents being in WWE right now, some always question as to why Abyss never joined them. It is too late for him at this point, but there was certainly interest on behalf of WWE back in 2006. Not only did they offer him a contract, but also the opportunity to work a program with The Undertaker. Surprisingly, Abyss decided to stay in TNA since he was happy at the time.

He was also loyal to the company, priding himself in being a home talent. Given how the remainder of his career has played out, it may have been a wiser decision for him to jump to the WWE. Working with The Undertaker would have done wonders for his career, especially if WWE truly invested in Abyss. But since he is happy with the choices that he has made, that should be good enough for everyone else.

11 Turned Down WCW: Yokozuna

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With WCW signing so many of WWE's top stars from the 80s and early 90s, many have always wondered as to why Yokozuna didn't make the jump. He may not have been a top draw in the Monday Night Wars, but could have certainly played a role - especially since WCW was signing any former WWE Superstar.

According to Konnan, Yokozuna was recruited by Scott Hall to WCW, who offered to have him speak with Eric Bischoff for a contract pitch.

But Yokozuna wasn't a fan of the approach, and got offended by their treatment. He would remain with the WWE, passing on a hefty contract opportunity back when WCW was handing them out. There were rumors that WCW tried once again afterwards, but ultimately decided not to go through with negotiations due to rising health concerns for Yokozuna.

10 Turned Down WWE: Kurt Angle

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The majority of WWE fans were highly disappointed when Kurt Angle left the company in 2006. Many of them would tune in to check out TNA once Angle signed, as he had been one of the top draws in wrestling for many years. It took Angle eleven years to make it back into the WWE, as there were some issues along the way.

Vince McMahon had no interest in bringing back Angle for many years, although he did change his mind some time around 2014. It is rumored that Angle met with McMahon and Triple H to discuss a potential move, but nothing ever came out of that. There were some issues regarding Angle's health, who was also concerned about the WWE's schedule. He would turn down that opportunity and wait three more years before making his long awaited comeback to his wrestling home, albeit in a limited physical role.

9 Turned Down WCW: Tatanka

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Not only did WCW recruit many WWE main eventers during the Monday Night Wars, but they also signed wrestlers who were mid-carders. And with so many names switching to WCW, some may find it intriguing that Tatanka never joined the company - especially since he left WWE in 1996. But what most fans may not know is that WCW did contact Tatanka to join the company, although he rejected the offer.

It is believed that Tatanka had grown tired of the wrestling lifestyle at the time and wanted to work a more comfortable schedule.

He would embark on a journey on the independent circuit for many years, passing on a huge paycheck from WCW. It's unlikely that he would have had major impact on the product, but he was still relevant enough to have been one of the hundreds of wrestlers who joined nWo at some point.

8 Turned Down WWE: Carlito

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It's been eight years since we last saw Carlito compete in a WWE ring, and four years since his final appearance on WWE television at the 2014 Hall of Fame ceremony. It seems like Carlito's appearance sparked negotiations between himself and the company, as they discussed the idea of him joining The Colons once again. Rumors have it that WWE's offer was deemed to be too low for Carlito, who wasn't entirely convinced by his role on the show.

And since he is generating good money on the independent circuit, he was in no rush to return to the WWE. Not only does he get to work a much lighter schedule these days, but he also gets creative freedom in many of his bookings while also being higher up the card. Carlito has always made it known that he would only return to the WWE if the money was right.

7 Turned Down WCW: Sabu

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It's hard to imagine how ECW stars would have been booked in WCW, but they probably all made the right decision by passing on joining the company. From a financial point of view, they did miss out on a sweet paycheck but that also gave them the opportunity to truly get over in ECW. Sabu established himself as a top star there, and would have likely been barely featured in WCW programming.

He did make a few appearances in 1995, but ultimately rejected signing a contract with WCW.

His career may have been derailed if he had gone to WCW since booking may not have done him many favors. In the long run, he may have struggled to draw as much money since he may not have been a relevant figure in the company, but ECW allowed him to become a wrestling star at the peak of the industry.

6 Turned Down WWE: Tazz

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Most WWE fans may not be entirely familiar with Tazz since he mostly served as commentator during his time with the company. And while he was an active wrestler in WWE, it didn't last too long due to piling injuries. And during his time as a commentator on SmackDown, he was approached by Vince McMahon for a chance to return to in-ring action. McMahon wanted Tazz to take on Brock Lesnar, and was ready to work around his injuries as much as possible.

But Tazz felt that it wasn't worth the risk at the time since he was determined to stay away from the squared circle, and only playing the role of a commentator. It may have been a great opportunity for Tazz to really show WWE fans what is capable of doing, and giving them a throwback performance to his ECW days. But sadly, we never got the alleged planned bout between Lesnar and Tazz.

5 Turned Down WCW: Ken Shamrock

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In 1996, Ken Shamrock found himself with an impressive MMA record of 23-5-2 with many offers on the table. The two main sides competing for his services were UFC and WWE, but it has been revealed that WCW was also in the mix. At the time, WCW had yet to overtake the WWE as a mainstream attraction and wasn't handing out as many lucrative contracts as they did a year later.

Shamrock decided to go with the WWE, where he had a decent run for three years. And by the time he left the company, WCW was going downhill and not exactly in the market to sign new wrestlers. They already had too many contracts on the roster, and Shamrock wasn't exactly a top draw in WWE. He would return to the UFC instead of attempting to re-open negotiations with WCW.

4 Turned Down WWE: Ole Anderson

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Ole Anderson may not be quite as relevant these days as he once was, but he remains one of the most influential wrestlers from his era. For many years, the WWE attempted to recruit him to the company although negotiations always went south. And the relationship between both sides took a turn for the worse, creating some major heat between Anderson and Vince McMahon.

He has also had problems with several prominent figures in the WWE, which is another reason why he had no interest in joining. In recent years, McMahon has reconciled with many of his former rivals, but it seems like there are still some bitter feelings towards Anderson after he was excluded from the induction of The Four Hoursemen into the WWE Hall of Fame. Based on what Anderson has said over the years, it doesn't exactly strike as a surprise.

3 Turned Down WCW: Rob Van Dam

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RVD quickly became one of the most popular wrestlers in the world thanks to his successful stint in ECW. He managed to get on the radar of both WWE and WCW, offering him contracts to sign in 1997. RVD would opt to stick around and pass on these major opportunities, as he wasn't completely sold on moving away.

WCW already had a character in mind for him as RVD was pitched the infamous gimmick known as "Glacier."

Thankfully, he was wise enough to reject that idea and when WCW tried to convince him to take on another Mortal Kombat character, RVD stuck to his decision by remaining in ECW. As great as RVD has always been, even he couldn't have made Glacier work. While he would have been earning more money for those few years, he would have suffered in the long run since it may have been tough to recover from the flop that is Glacier.

2 Turned Down WWE: Sting

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Since the death of WCW, the main question has always remained whether Sting would ever join the WWE. And for quite some time, that appeared to be unlikely given how many times he re-signed with TNA. Prior to his arrival in 2014, Sting was pitched an offer to wrestle The Undertaker at WrestleMania in 2011. At the time, Sting was still concerned about how the creative team would handle him, since many former WCW stars had been mishandled in the WWE.

And with those concerns in mind, as well as feeling comfortable in TNA, Sting rejected what is considered to be one of the top dream matches of all time. Fans are thankful that Sting would end up having some matches in the WWE before being inducted in the Hall of Fame, and as great as it was to see him in the top league, it would have been even better if it came years earlier.

1 Turned Down WCW: The Undertaker

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To this day, plenty of fans still wonder how successful The Undertaker would have been in WCW. The discussions have been brought back thanks to Kevin Nash's claim in an interview with Sports Illustrated that WCW nearly signed The Undertaker.

Nash claims that he was set to adapt his real name Mark Calaway as his ring name, and would have stuck with the biker gimmick.

But when Vince McMahon realized that Taker was considering leaving, he offered him a huge contract to keep him around.

After having lost many of his big stars, McMahon wanted to keep all the major names around. As for The Undertaker, he may have been intrigued by a potential switch where many of his friends were competing, but ultimately made the correct decision. For better or worse, his wrestling legacy would have been much different today if he had joined WCW.