Post by wp on Jul 4, 2020 22:04:46 GMT 1
\\ BACKSTORY //
This Tuesday In Texas came and went, a last-minute PPV thrown together by the World Wrestling Federation in December 1991. The main event saw Hulk Hogan regain the WWF Championship from The Undertaker that was marred with controversy. Whilst Hogan ended the night crowned champion, there were rumblings that WWF President Jack Tunny was not happy with the way in which the championship changed hands, and was planning on declaring the championship vacant, and having the title be on the line in the Royal Rumble match next month.
He did not get the opportunity to announce any such plans. Instead, Tunny awoke on Wednesday morning to a unanimous vote of no confidence from the board of directors in the World Wrestling Federation. Whilst he wasn't been ousted from the company outright, there was absolutely no doubt in anyone's mind that drastic change was required. And in the next seven days, the change was swift and would alter the course of the World Wrestling Federation forever.
Firstly, Prime Time Wrestling was taken off the air, with 'Mean' Gene Okerlund and 'Lord' Alfred Hayes promising on WWF Update segments that something, new and exciting was going to debut in the new year that would change the landscape of the WWF was we knew it. That new and exciting show would be Monday Night RAW, a new 2-hour wrestling show that would air live every single week.
But that was just the beginning. News trickled out that the show would actually be headed by a general manager, and Bobby 'The Brain' Heenan took great pleasure in informing his broadcast partner Gorilla Monsoon that he was in fact that man. Heenan gleefully told Monsoon that he was going to take Monday Night RAW to heights nobody could even dare to imagine, and leave WWF Superstars of Wrestling (the then-flagship show) and Monsoon himself in the dust.
Days later, a press-conference was called at Titan Towers, the home of the World Wrestling Federation HQ in Stamford, Connecticut. Heenan was there, with 'Real World's Champion' Ric Flair and Mr Perfect in tow. All three could hardly believe what they were hearing when Jack Tunney officially stepped down as WWF President - citing that he felt after the vote of no confidence earlier in December that he could no longer be the man to lead the WWF into 1992 and beyond. Heenan's off-the-cuff remarks that he may throw his name into the hat to succeed Tunney riled the now-former President, who announced that as his final three acts as President; firstly, Tunney had arranged and agreed with the board of directors, a Brand Split - from January, the World Wrestling Federation will operate as two separate shows and entities in-house. Bobby Heenan will run Monday Night RAW as its General Manager, whilst a to-be-announced figure will be in charge of Superstars of Wrestling. Each show will have its own exclusive rosters and touring schedules, but would still come together several times a year to cross-promote Pay-Per-View events, starting with the Royal Rumble in mid-January. Secondly, Tunney announced that he has determined that the winner of the Royal Rumble would earn an opportunity to challenge for the WWF Championship at WrestleMania VIII. Thirdly, Tunney announced that the general manager of Superstars of Wrestling would like to present the first draft pick of his show - none other than the WWF Champion himself 'The Immortal' Hulk Hogan!
Over the next two weeks, news trickled in on WWF Update events about who were the top potential picks for both shows. On New Year's Eve, the WWF hosted a Draft special on NBC, in which the rosters for Monday Night RAW and Superstars of Wrestling were selected. Unsurprisingly, Heenan's first choice was 'Nature Boy' Ric Flair, and Heenan also announced that the World Heavyweight Championship would no longer be banned and would finally be recognised as a legitimate title and would be the centrepiece of the Monday Night RAW brand. 'The Brain' was on cloud nine, but only momentarily when he was soon greeted by the general manager of the opposing brand - none other than his former commentary partner, Gorilla Monsoon!
And thus, with the rosters in place and the world entering 1992, the Brand Split of the World Wrestling Federation was underway.
