WCW All Nighter (found professional wrestling compilation show; 1994-1995)

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Wcwallnighter1.jpg

WCW All Nighter logo.

Status: Found

Date found: 14 Mar 2023

Found by: agrdn3


WCW All Nighter (also known as WCW Wrestling All-Nighter) is a professional wrestling compilation show. Produced by World Championship Wrestling (WCW), the show aired on TBS during late-night slots, showcasing classic WCW and National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) matches.

Background

Hosted by a variety of wrestling personalities, including Tony Schiavone, Bobby Heenan and Gene Okerlund, WCW All Nighter presented a marathon of classic NWA and WCW wrestling matches throughout the night.[1] Two shows were broadcast on TBS on 6th March 1994 and 21st January 1995 from 12:05-6:05 AM. Both shows primarily focused on showcasing matches from Clash of the Champions events, with the 1995 show listing the top 10 best Clash of the Champions matches up to that point in the company's history, with a few bonus fights in-between.[2] Additionally, themed skits featuring the personalities were shown, including the crew drawing on Bobby Heenan's face when he fell asleep during the marathon.[3]

The unique selling point of WCW All Nighter was that since WCW's home video releases were limited back then, fans could seldom watch classic NWA and WCW matches. Therefore, the marathons enabled fans to watch some of the best matches shown by both promotions from the 1980s and 1990s.[4] The Nielsen ratings reflected this, with the 1994 show drawing a 1.2 (originally assumed to be 1.5), inspiring TBS to consider running it as an annual event.[5] Dave Meltzer of The Wrestling Observer praised WCW All Nighter for the classic matches it showcased, and for the humorous skits shown in-between.[6]

Availability

Because of the show airing in late-night slots, as well as a lack of repeats, little footage of WCW All Nighter was publicly accessible prior to 2019. In fact, one of the few pieces of recovered media included a promotion for the 1994 show, as well as the Heenan face drawing skit. Neither show was even available on the WWE Network until 13th September 2019, when WWE showcased the 1995 show as part of its Hidden Gems collection.[7] The 1994 show meanwhile would be uploaded onto BiliBili on 24th April 2019 by MRDragonLord. However, the 1994 edition is partially missing, as its introduction was omitted from the upload, instead joining midway through the Ric Flair vs Sting match at Clash of the Champions I, the first match showcased in the special.

On March 14th, 2023, Internet Archive user agrdn3 uploaded the full 1994 show that includes the four missing matches that were aired but not included to MrDragonLord's upload of the show on Bilibili, rendering the 1994 show, found.

Gallery

Bobby Heenan face drawing skit.

Promotion for WCW All Nighter, referred to as WCW Wrestling All-Nighter.

See Also

External Links

References

  1. ↑ Scott's Blog of Doom detailing WCW All Nighter and the matches showcased. Retrieved 18 Dec '21
  2. ↑ KB's Wrestling Reviews reviewing the 1995 show. Retrieved 18 Dec '21
  3. ↑ Ring the Damn Bell detailing the two WCW All Nighter shows. Retrieved 18 Dec '21
  4. ↑ Merchandise and Memories detailing WCW All Nighter and its unique selling point. Retrieved 18 Dec '21
  5. ↑ 21st March 1994 edition of Wrestling Observer Newsletter, where the 1994 show's ratings were detailed. Retrieved 18 Dec '21
  6. ↑ Archived Wrestling Observer Newsletter reviewing the 1994 show. Retrieved 18 Dec '21
  7. ↑ WWE Network News reporting on the 1995 show being included on the WWE Network. Retrieved 18 Dec '21
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