WCW Monday Nitro, 2001

[Booker T calls out Big Poppa Pump and Ric Flair]

Booker T:
Yo Steiner, Flair. I told you I was gonna talk to the man and that man is Eric Bischoff, so shut up and listen.

Eric Bischoff:
[by phone patch] Thank you Booker. For those of you in the arena and all of you watching around the country this evening, I would very much would have chosen to be there tonight in person as I could be but given everything that's going on tonight, that's just not possible. Many of you may know that for the past six months I've been working with a group of people whose goal was - and is - to acquire World Championship Wrestling and to grow it once again to becoming a competitive, dominant wrestling organization worldwide.

But recently, we've hit a couple of roadblocks that may be in fact brick walls, and while it is still in my power, I want to do something befitting what could be very well the last night of wrestling on the Turner networks. Given the fact that that wrestling has been such an important part of Turner's history for the past 29 years, I've been thinking over the weekend on what I could do to provide an exciting program that this historic event should be. To that end, I want to make an announcement now that next Monday night in Panama City is indeed going to be a "Night of Champions." By that, I mean every championship will be up for grabs, starting with the World Cruiserweight Championship, the Cruiserweight Tag Team Championships, the World Tag Team championship, the US title, and the World Heavyweight will also be up for grabs next Monday night at Panama City. And Scott Steiner, Booker T, I want you to, to be aware now that your match is going to be a "Title Vs Title" match. The contracts are prepared, a WCW representative is standing by to make sure that the contracts are executed. Read them carefully, sign them, be prepared to defend your titles next Monday night. And also given the historic nature of this occasion and my relationship with this company for nearly ten years, I wanna personally extend an open invitation to any former - and I mean any former - World Heavyweight champion in WCW to join us in Panama City, and don't be afraid to bring your boots with you.

Lastly, Ric Flair, you and I have had a very rocky relationship over the past ten years and while I have a tremendous amount of respect for you and what you've done in wrestling history and what you've done for WCW for so long now, I want to make sure that in your case, a promise made is a promise kept - and Ric Flair, it is in your best interest this evening - to kiss Dusty Rhodes' ass. [Flair is flustered] That being said, I'll see you all in Panama City next Monday night, The Night of Champions, thank you.

[After the WCW opening logo, Vince McMahon appears]

Vince McMahon:
Imagine that. Me, Vince McMahon. Imagine that, here I am, on WCW television. How can that happen? Well, there's only one way. You see that it was just a matter of time before I, Vince McMahon, bought my competition. That's right, I own WCW, so therefore in its final broadcast tonight on TNT, I have the opportunity to address [hands gesturing to camera] you the WCW fans. I have an opportunity to address, you the WCW superstars. What is the fate of WCW? Well tonight, in this special simulcast, you will all find out, because the fate - [cups hands] the very fate of WCW is in my hands.

[Ric Flair comes down to the ring]

Ric Flair:
Did I - Did I - WOOOOO! Did I happen to hear Vince McMahon say he was goin' to hold WCW in the palms of his hands? Is that what he said? Does that mean that YOU are gonna hold Jack Brisco, Dory Funk, Harley Race, the Road Warriors, Sting, Luger, the Steiners, Bagwell, Ric Flair, Steamboat, does that mean you're gonna hold us all in the palm of your hands? To coin a phrase, I don't think so! You know, at twelve o'clock today, someone very special to me said, "Do not go onto that show tonight knowin' it's the last time that you'll ever be on TNT or TBS" - knowing it's the last time, she said to me, "Don't go out there and cry - don't go out there and say you're sorry" because I'm not - I've been fourteen times the World Champion - in my eyes, one of the greatest, you got it! The greatest wrestling organization in the world - WCW!

[after a segment where Vince McMahon admonishes Michael Cole over his questions about WCW wrestlers' job security and his own job security, then toasting with Trish Stratus]

Tony Schiavone:
How do we all feel?

Scott Hudson:
How do we all feel about our own job security?

Schiavone:
Where does WCW go from here? What's in the cards? What's going to, what's going to happen, tonight on this telecast?

Hudson:
What is gonna happen?

Schiavone:
Is this it? I mean this is... Fans, we're reacting and we could only react to what you see as well, we don't know.

Hudson:
Mr McMahon has said there's gonna be a simulcast tonight. What's he gonna say? When's he gonna say it?

Schiavone:
[as the WCW World Tag Team Championship match begins] The wrestlers, the fans are concerned. The people who worked for WCW are concerned, who have sweat, bled for this company for years, we are all very concerned about the future of WCW, about the future of, well, right there our brand of wrestling.

[In a prerecorded video, DDP reflects on his WCW journey]

Diamond Dallas Page:
In the words of the Grateful Dead, what a long strange trip it's been, but I gotta tell you, I've loved every second of it, wouldn't trade it for nothing. And tonight, on this historic eve, I thought I needed to thank all the wrestling fans from around the world, for letting a kid from the Jersey Shore, Page Joseph Falkenberg, become Diamond Dallas Page. The guy they said would never make it but did. And that proves only one thing, if you want it bad enough and you're willing to work for it, anything's possible. It's not the promoters who decide who's over, it's the fans, so not just to thanks the fans in general, I want to specially thank, the WCW wrestling fans and my wife, Kimberly, for believing in me, and helping me live my dream. Is that dream over? I don't think so, I think now it's time to take it to another level. [to camera] Thank you.

[as the WCW Cruiserweight Tag Team Championship match begins, Tony Schiavone goes a bit off-script upon learning of William Regal talking to Vince McMahon over his purchase of WCW]

Tony Schiavone:
I don't want to sit here, and as a person who's been on Monday Nitro for many years, it hits you to hear anything that he once said... Mr McMahon, it's his money, he can do whatever he wants, I don't know what he's gonna do tonight, but let me say this: to sit here and listen to their Commissioner, rip WCW?

Scott Hudson:
Yes.

Schiavone:
Come on. I mean, we've had to do some crazy things, Steve Regal, including putting your ass over on TV!

[calling the match between Sting and Ric Flair]

Tony Schiavone:
[sees Sting Superplex Flair] Yes, he got it down. What's Sting gonna do now? [Scorpion Deathlock] Scorpion Deathlock!! He's got it on!

Scott Hudson:
Center of the ring!

Schiavone:
[Flair quits] It's over! It's over!! It's Sting! Sting wins! Sting defeats Ric Flair here on the final telecast of WCW Monday Nitro on TNT. And look at that, my god that he's gonna help him up. And the embrace, it's what we're all about.

Hudson:
Sting knows that Ric Flair made him at that Clash of the Champions. That's ultimate respect.

Schiavone:
It really is.

Hudson:
For two men, I have to say, that have huge fans of, they may be continue to be fans of professional wrestling. Thank you Steve Borden, thank you Ric Flair, for everything you've meant to this sport.

Schiavone:
It's an emotional rollercoaster for all of us fans. The uncertainty of our jobs, our future of what we love, what we breathe, and what we live. We don't just work for WCW, we lived WCW, and I know Flair is thinking that the fans would agree.