Bischoff: You’re either with us or against us
The cliffhanger from the Nov. 18 Nitro became the focal point of WCW television this past weekend. At the end of the live Nitro last week, Roddy Piper exposed Eric Bischoff’s alliance with the NWO. Without a chance to interview Bischoff before Nitro went off the air, a lot of questions were left unanswered.
On the Nov. 23 WCW Saturday Night, they showed clips of Bischoff no-showing some editions of Nitro or walking off the set during the show, and Tony Schiavone and Dusty Rhodes concluded that Bischoff had been dealing covertly with the NWO for months.
The next night at the World War 3 pay-per-view, Piper came to the ring for the contract signing to face Hulk Hogan at Starrcade. “Obviously there ain’t no sense in waiting,” Piper said. “I’ve got the contract. Come on, get out here Hogan. Let’s get it done.” Bischoff then walked to the ring without Hogan. Ted DiBiase and Vincent were by his side. Schiavone quipped, “I never thought I’d see Bischoff and Vince walk down the aisle together, but there they are.” Bischoff said Hogan was in back looking over a couple of scripts that just arrived and wasn’t going to bother to come out in person. Bischoff said Hogan gave him power of attorney. “I’d be happy to sign for Mr. Hogan if it meets our requirements.”
Piper told Vincent to get out of his way, then turned his attention to Bischoff and called him an “Eddie Munster look-alike.” He said: “Do you think I’m going to trust a lying little flake, gay, wonderful human being like yourself. Tell me something, how did you get that crack in your lip?” Bischoff threatened to fine Piper. Piper asked, “How much would it cost me by fine to knock your ass out? Just give me an approximate.”
Piper then said he was tired of the “baloney” and said he wanted to fight Hogan at Starrcade. When Bischoff reached for the contract, he slapped Bischoff’s hand. The fans laughed. “I’m not going for no DQs, no sneaking out, no running away. I’m going for the fight of the century and who the icon is,” Piper said. “So if I take this fight and you’ve got the balls to get Hogan down here, then this fight will end the 29th regardless of the NWO. Hogan, you coward, come on down.”
Hogan’s music began and he made his way to the ring with Elizabeth, Giant, Hall, Nash, and Syxx. Hogan said: “Yo, Piper, you’ve got a problem now.” Hogan said he was used to dealing with opponents who were up to his speed. “Ten years ago when you were my equal, you couldn’t get it done.” Hogan then told Piper since he is so self-righteous, so up-and-up, he should, “Show ’em the hip.” Hogan then lifted Piper’s kilt and showed off the scar (from his artificial hip surgery) as Piper stood with his head hanging. Hogan said, “I don’t usually pick on cripples, Peg-Leg Petes. Since the whole world seems to like you and the whole world wants to see the war that didn’t settle the score, yeah, it’ll be my pleasure to sign this contract. I can’t wait to beat up a gimp.”
Piper attacked Hogan, but soon Giant and Hall held him as Hogan threw a barrage of punches at him. Hogan then grabbed a chair and bashed Piper’s hip with a it. Hogan then sprayed “NWO” on his scar and spit on him. Piper stood up, but collapsed. He held himself up by the top rope as the NWO left the ring. Hogan and Bischoff left with their arms around each other. Piper grabbed the house mic and said, “If that’s the best you can do, you’re in trouble.” He crawled to the back.
The next night during the first hour of Monday Nitro, Bischoff led Giant, Hall, Nash, Syxx, and Vincent to the ring. Bischoff bowed to the crowd as he walked and had a self-satisfied grin on his face. He shook hands and grinned proudly. Schiavone said the NWO had been talking about taking over an hour of Nitro and wondered if that’s what they were going to try to do. Zbyszko said because Bischoff was with the NWO all along, that explains how they were always able to lock into WCW’s frequency on the wireless mics in the arenas.
Bischoff grabbed the house mic, pointed to the crowd, and said, “Listen, this is very important. I learned a very important lesson in life. I learned that pain can be a very, very positive thing.” Bischoff acknowledged that in June he was jackknifed through a stage by one of the most powerful men on the planet, pointing to Diesel. “The next day I woke up and I could still wiggle my toes and feel my fingers. I asked myself one very important question. Do I want to be consumed by the power or become part of the force? A couple days later Mr. Hall, Mr. Nash, myself, we got together. We had a little summit. We did some talkin’, we did some thinkin’, we did some plannin’. We decided to consolidate power because, get this, not only am I the highest ranking executive in the NWO, I’m the highest rated executive in WCW. What a wonderful country. So here’s the deal. Listen up in the back, listen up in the locker room. You guys have 30 days from right now to convert your WCW contracts to NWO contracts. We are going to build a dynasty. You got it? That’s the deal. Thirty days and one minute, you’re either with us or against us. By the way, Mr. Piper as the highest ranking executive in WCW, now that you’ve signed the match to meet Hogan at Starrcade in Nashville, here’s the deal. Watch yourself real close because I can and I will fine you if you get out of hand. Is this too much or what? And by the way, that is the U.S. Title and possession is nine-tenths of the law, especially when he’s the one holding that title.”
Marcus Bagwell and Scotty Riggz then walked to the ring. Bagwell, as Riggz protested, walked into the ring to accept Bischoff’s invitation. Bischoff said, “Yes, we have a taker.” He gave the NWO high-fives. When Riggz hesitated and showed unrest with Bagwell’s decision, Bagwell gave Riggz a backbreaker. Fans chanted, “NWO, NWO.” Nash and Hall said, “It looks to me that those who hesitate, they get punked.” Schiavone said, “I don’t see how someone who is in charge of two companies can be so biased.”
