5 WCW Stars Who Became Popular In WWE

Word Championship Wrestling, better known as WCW had its roots in the early 1980s as a brand name for regional promotion Georgia Championship Wrestling, in order to sound more global.

Despite its regional status, a national cable deal meant the company had a large reach and following.

However, when Vince McMahon Jr began his national expansion and began billing his company as the World Wrestling Federation, and starting promoting beyond territorial lines, GCW promoted itself as WCW in order to sound more global and compete with the WWE, then WWF.

WCW began its most familiar existence in 1988 after it was purchased by media mogul, and head of Turner Broadcasting, Ted Turner.

With the likes of NWA mainstays such as Ric Flair, Terry Funk and Ricky Steamboat on top, the promotion went from strength to strength over the course of the next decade, becoming the number one wrestling promotion in the United States between 1996 and 1998, under the leadership of Eric Bischoff.

Over the course of the next 13 years, WCW had many ups and downs, but was responsible for launching the careers of legendary stars such as Sting, Diamond Dallas Page, Goldberg, The Steiner Brothers, Booker T, and many more, whilst also giving career resurgences to the likes of Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage.

When the company closed its doors in early 2001 following two years of colossal mismanagement, many of its stars found their way to their main competitor, the then WWF, who bought out the company for the paltry sum of US$5 million.

Overnight, a host of wrestling superstars were suddenly out of work. WWF procured some contracts as part of the takeover, whilst WCW's biggest stars were contracted to the parent company, Time Warner.

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Nearly all of WCW's major stars found their way to the WWF/E following WCW’s demise. This slideshow looks at five men whose popularity carried over to the new company as they made a success for themselves in their new surroundings.

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#5 Sting

Sting was the major hold out on joining WWE after WCW closed it's doors in 2001. Finally surfacing in WWE in 2014, Sting made a beeline for Triple H as the "Vigilante" looked to end the tyranny of Triple H and Stephanie McMahon's rule over the company.

Debuting at the Survivor Series in 2014, Sting interfered in the stipulation match with "The Authority's" rule over WWE on the line. Sting took out "The Game" enabling Dolph Ziggler to secure the match-winning pin.

Sting faced Triple H in a featured bout at Wrestlemania 31 wherein he shockingly lost a hard-fought bout.

However, despite the disappointing loss, it did nothing to dampen the popularity of the "Stinger" and he returned to a thunderous ovation to challenge WWE Champion, Seth Rollins at Night of Champions 2015.

Unfortunately for Sting, he suffered a career-ending injury in the bout and his long-anticipated WWE run lasted less than a year.

Sting's career was celebrated by induction into the WWE Hall of Fame 2016.

#4 Goldberg

The promotional video for Goldberg's long awaited WWE debut aired at Wrestlemania XIX. "Da Man" debuted the next night on Raw and clashed with The Rock in his first WWE match.

Unfortunately for Goldberg, WWE decided to present their own version of the character. Gone was the dynamic, almost invincible star who destroyed opponents in under two minutes.

Goldberg instead was instructed to fight long matches where he was required to sell and sell which damaged his aura.

However, WWE repaired some of the damage at Summerslam 2003 when Goldberg competed in the Elimination Chamber in which Triple H's World Heavyweight Championship was on the line. Goldberg demonstrated all his devastating WCW power moves as he eliminated Chris Jericho, Shawn Michaels and Randy Orton in short order before a sledgehammer shot from Triple H saw him succumb to his first defeat in the promotion.

The WWE fanbase finally fully embraced Goldberg as one of their own when he defeated Triple H for the World Championship the following month and continued to defend it against all comers.

Goldberg failed to come to an agreement with WWE on a contract extension and left the company after his victory over Brock Lesnar at Wrestlemania XX.

12 years later, Goldberg returned to much fanfare and defeated Lesnar once again to a thunderous response at the 2016 Survivor Series. Goldberg won his final World title when he defeated Kevin Owens for the Universal Championship in February 2017 before he departed WWE once more following his title loss to Lesnar at Wrestlemania 33.

Goldberg was inducted to the WWE Hall of Fame in 2018

#3 Ric Flair

The former 16-time WCW World Champion, re-signed with the WWF in November 2001 in a storyline where he became co-owner of the company with Vince McMahon.

In mid-2002 Flair returned to the ring and joined WWE's premier stable, Evolution with Triple H, Batista and Randy Orton. During his time in the group, Flair became Tag Team Champions with Batista as his partner.

Flair remarkably won the Intercontinental Championship in 2005, becoming the oldest Champion in WWE history at the age of 56 and as his career began to wind down embarked on a memorable farewell tour wherein his career would be over the next time he lost.

Culminating in an emotional match at Wrestlemania 24, the night after he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, Flair lost to Shawn Michaels and retired from in-ring competition in WWE.

Tears were shed by Flair and the fans the following night on Raw as the company said it's goodbyes. The most beloved WCW legend was a much loved WWE performer also.

#2 Booker T

Booker T was a four time WCW World Champion when he signed on with the then-WWF and was immediately given a fifth title run on his first night working for his new employers.

Booker was one of the major players in the WCW invasion of the WWF storyline but soon found himself continually on the losing side of main event matches versus WWF stars The Rock, The Undertaker and Kurt Angle.

Booker's career began to regain some traction in his well-loved odd-couple tag team with Goldust that after a long pursuit, finally won the Tag Team Championship at Armageddon 2002.

From there, Booker was pushed back into title contention when he last eliminated The Rock to win a Number One Contender's Battle Royal for the World Championship at Wrestlemania XIX.

That night was a bad night for "The Book" as Champion, Triple H hit him with a pedigree and then waited a massive 19 seconds before successfully pinning him.

That put a bullet in Booker's reputation and it was another three years of struggling in the mid-card before he won the 2006 King of the Ring tournament to become King Booker.

Sending himself up, King Booker got over huge with the fan-base with his elaborate entrances and speech patterns and attire. The character led Booker to the World Championship when he defeated Rey Mysterio to win the gold.

Booker requested his release in 2007 and joined Total Nonstop Action before his illustrious career was celebrated with a WWE Hall of Fame induction in 2013.

#1 Eddie Guerrero

Former WCW Cruiserweight Champion, "Latino Heat" Eddie Guerrero signed on with the then-WWF in January 2000 as part of the Radicalz with Chris Benoit, Perry Saturn and Dean Malenko.

At just five feet six inches tall, Guerrero didn't measure up to Vince McMahon's ideas of a headliner.

Despite that fact, Guerrero enjoyed early Championship success in the company winning two European titles and one Intercontinental strap within his first 15 months in the company.

However, he was soon sent to rehab amidst concern over an addiction he had developed to pain medication. However, following a drunk driving arrest, he was released from the company.

Guerrero returned in April 2002, immediately making a splash by winning his second IC strap from Rob Van Dam at Backlash 2002.

However, 2003-05 would be the greatest period of success in his career. Guerrero adapted his character to become a likable cheat and got over huge with the WWE audience which led him to the WWE Championship when he shockingly defeated Champion, Brock Lesnar at No Way Out 2004 before defending the strap in a featured match at Wrestlemania XX versus Kurt Angle.

Unfortunately, Guerrero struggled with the responsibility of being Champion and campaigned to lose the belt, which he did versus John "Bradshaw" Layfield in June, ending his reign at four months.

Guerrero spent the majority of 2005 in a long-running feud with Rey Mysterio before he was scheduled to defeat World Heavyweight Champion, Batista for his second World title before he was tragically found dead in his hotel room at the tender age of 38.

However, despite his untimely death, Guerrero's legacy was secure and he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame the following year.