The wrestling world was forever changed when Vince McMahon, the visionary behind WWE, purchased its rival WCW in 2001, bringing an end to one of the most intense rivalries in professional wrestling history. However, it wasn’t just the acquisition of WCW that stirred the pot—it was McMahon’s plans for how to integrate WCW’s flagship show, Nitro, into WWE’s programming. This topic has recently come back into the spotlight thanks to a comment made by John Bradshaw Layfield (JBL), a WWE legend who lived through the height of the Monday Night Wars.
JBL, known for his no-nonsense attitude both in and out of the ring, recently dismissed rumors surrounding Vince McMahon’s alleged plan to shift WWE’s RAW to Thursdays and keep Nitro on Mondays.
The Monday Night Wars: How Nitro Took On RAW
The rivalry between WCW’s Nitro and WWE’s RAW during the 1990s was one of the most intense periods in wrestling history. Between 1996 and 1998, Nitro consistently beat RAW in the ratings, dominating Monday nights for an incredible 83 consecutive weeks.
During this time, JBL was right in the thick of it. As a key WWE performer, he experienced the direct effects of WCW’s success on his own brand. In a recent appearance on the Something to Wrestle podcast, JBL reflected on the rumors that Vince McMahon had planned to let Nitro continue airing on Mondays while moving RAW to Thursdays.
“I always knew Vince would change his mind,” JBL said, recounting the plans that never came to fruition. “I would have bet everything I had Vince would have changed his mind. I’m not sure if Vince did anything more than give that a little bit of lip service. I don’t believe any of that. I believe Vince said it, and I heard him talk about it.”
JBL’s skepticism about the idea is clear. As someone who has worked closely with Vince McMahon over the years, JBL doubts that McMahon was ever serious about the plan to shift RAW. He believes that Vince was more likely just entertaining the idea rather than actively pursuing it.
The WCW Invasion: A Missed Opportunity?
When McMahon bought WCW in 2001, he didn’t just inherit the company’s tape library and brand—he also took control of several WCW wrestler contracts. Names like Booker T and Diamond Dallas Page (DDP) quickly joined the WWE roster. However, the real stars—Bret Hart, Hulk Hogan, Kevin Nash, and Scott Hall—remained elusive, which is something JBL believes severely hindered the success of WWE’s scripted invasion angle.
Despite the arrival of some strong WCW talent, JBL believes the lack of star power ultimately doomed the invasion. “We had Booker and we had Dallas [DDP]. We had a few of the guys that were great hands. Sean O’Haire, [Chuck] Palumbo, those guys were terrific workers, but we didn’t get the nWo. We didn’t get Bret. We didn’t get any of those guys, so I just don’t think it would ever work. And if you don’t get those guys, then they’re not gonna go up against our top guys either.”
Without the high-profile WCW names that had once defined the company’s success, JBL argues that the invasion was never going to have the impact McMahon envisioned. The absence of such iconic figures left WWE’s roster to fend for itself, often with lackluster results.
Vince McMahon’s Complex Legacy
Vince McMahon’s legacy in the world of professional wrestling is undebatable. His ability to shape WWE into a global powerhouse is legendary, but even McMahon is not immune to criticism when it comes to some of his decisions. JBL’s comments about the WCW invasion and the rumored RAW schedule change reflect the complicated and often unpredictable nature of McMahon’s strategies.
As time passes, the history of the Monday Night Wars and the acquisition of WCW continues to be a fascinating subject for fans and analysts alike. While McMahon’s moves were bold, they didn’t always hit the mark. And as JBL reminds us, sometimes the plans that seem the most ambitious are simply the ones that are never meant to be.
In the end, JBL’s perspective on McMahon’s supposed RAW Thursday switch is a reminder of just how much has changed in the wrestling world. What was once a fierce rivalry between two promotions has since become a unified landscape under the WWE banner. But as JBL himself said, “I don’t believe any of that”—a sentiment that many wrestling fans, old and new, may share when looking back on those heady days of competition.
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